The Next Now

Chapter 33: Ba-dump!

April's P.O.V

You know how in the movies, after people kiss for the first time, they continue kissing other times even without branding?

Yeah? Well, nothing
Just asking

We had performed the scene where Ethan almost gave Henrietta a panic attack in School today.
The Director says the next scene would involve London's Bike, and then Romeo's friends.

Acting The Next Now has made me want to try out a lot of things.
For example, photography.

I had gotten myself a new Camera just last Week, but for now, I'm sticking to the Camera on my phone.
I personally like editing the pictures.
All in all, photography is refreshing.

I also use my Bike now.
One of my Dad's childhood friends had gifted me with it on my 18th birthday.
At the time I thought it was cool, but I had rarely used it.
Now, I use it a lot, mostly to zoom past cars in traffic and escape the Paps.

Nowadays, the fan girls at the Diner have totally increased. This time, they're here not only for Tristan, Mars and Chad, but The Hawkins Princess and her friends too.

Ugh!!

Ever since the new cast of The Next Now had been made known to the Public on Romeo's birthday two Months ago, I haven't gotten any rest from the blinding camera lights.

Truly, it's exciting, but it's equally disturbing.

Thankfully, we've always had security lining our streets.
Dad had initially planned to give us all Bodyguards when we were little, but Mum had insisted that we go about our normal lives without having Poker faced men walk with us everywhere. 

That of course didn't sit well with Dad, but he had agreed nonetheless because man, was he whipped.

I know Dad would never be able to love Naomi or anyone as much as he had loved my Mother.
Theirs was a match made in Heaven by the Holy Trinity.

I had always wanted that kind of love. The type Mum and Dad have.

Yes, they still love each other, I know.

The familiar pang in my chest makes me slow my Bike down.

Everyday, I hate myself for taking her away from him.
Everyday, I wish I could trade places with them.

I stop my Bike when I realize that I have somehow ridden to the Cemetery.
I get off my Bike and just stand in front of the gate, it being the physical barrier between Mum, Xavier and I. We all know it's way worse than the gate in reality.

Guilt consumes my whole being and I feel a lone tear slide down my right cheek as I stare at the gate.
Soon enough, that tear has the rest of it's very much family members rolling down my cheeks as well.

I knew the way to the Cemetery as well as I knew my name, but that was it.
Not one time, since the incident, had I ever stepped foot in there.

At first, my time outside here had always been spent arguing back and forth with myself, contemplating if or not I should go to visit My Mum and My Brother.
Now, I don't even bother thinking about it.

I don't.
I wouldn't want my murderer trying to converse with me by my death bed either

Why? Why did it have to be them?

Everyday since I had woken up after the incident, I had nightmares, and series of panic attacks. Then when Dad had decided that I had already cried myself a river of tears, therapy was introduced.

I had hated it obviously, because the Therapist had been trying to make me believe that the accident wasn't my fault.
Like really, I get that you need this money, but c'mon, let's be real here.