My Life was a Game

Side story 1

Alabaster's POV

She wears a black dress today. My favourite mahogany is tied into a pony and her mesmerising eyes are covered with a black veil as well. No matter how much I've seen her or whatever she wears, she always looks the most beautiful. She links her arm with mine as me too, wears the matching clothes as hers, a dark gloomy black. This morning should be his funeral, the nightmare she can't ever forget. It really baffles me, how she can still attend his funeral after all he had done to her. But it's her wish to find closure I guess. It still pains me though.

April is still depressed after the trip to Tanjung Datu but her mood was a little better than before. She constantly told me, she wanted me to value myself more and never put myself lower than her. I reassured her every time but she just won't stop. I won't complain though, she's cute with her pouty mouth when I tease her back and her voice really soothe me. I like that she cares about me. I'll gladly treasure her as much as she treasures me.

The car drove smoothly to the graveyard. He's resting in his hometown, the North of the state. The funeral was this morning, so the graveyard is barren of people after noon. His grave is shaded under a tree. It looks so cold and gloomy. We stand in front of him now but his body is lying under the soil. April places a bouquet of roses on his headstone. She looks painful, which I can't understand at all.

"Al, do you think he will still be alive now if I'm not here?"

"It's not your fault, April. He's the one that made the choice himself. Nobody can reason with crazy people."

She stands up and holds my hand. Her lips nervously open and close but the words stuck in her throat. After a minute of hesitation, her eyes finally look at mine with a determination now.

"Do you believe in magic?"

A question comes up instead. We stare at each other for quite some time. I don't understand the context of the question but if anyone asks me, then my answer is certain. I nodded my head. Doubt appears in her eyes. I know. Most people will laugh at me but I'm not talking about those type magic shows. If someone says they saw a unicorn, I might as well believe them. But I've never been an enthusiastic person about magic. I just don't care about it.

"It's complicated". Now,I said that out loud, it sounds pretty weird to come out from an adult man. I've to explain something!

"You see... When I was a child, I met a warlock. He showed me a bunch of things when I'm disrespond with his ability. He's an annoying guy but I believe in magic after that day. It's not important anyway. So, what's with this magic? Did you meet with any sorcerers?"

April looks surprised. Her eyes widen and her jaw drops to the floor. Such a funny face! I can't control a chuckle that escapes my mouth. Is it that unbelievable for me to say? Her wide open mouth closes with my assistance. My thumb rubbed softly on her narrow chin. Her eyes blink rapidly as if the words I spoke of finally settled in her mind.

"Do... Do you believe it if I tell you...", she clamps her lips together and continues slowly. "I... Am... A wi.....", the words disappear through the air. She looks very hesitant but I can still make out the words from her lips movement.

"A witch? You're a witch?", the words come out with a lack of excitement.

Again, she looks at me with wide eyes. I don't understand why people would freak out if I show such disinterested responses. It neither bothers me nor do I care. But she said she's a witch. Emm... I guess it's my business now.

"So, what does that have to do with him here?", my guess is that she wants to disclose her secret that could be related to Onyx since we're here. She bites her lower lips and nods her head slowly. Ah... Did something happen with her magic that caused him to act like that. That warlock told me about a bunch of stuff I thought useless. One of the things he told me there're some sorcerers that can't control their magic properly because they're weaker than a few selected real sorcerers. She probably is the weaker one.

"Just because you can't control the magic, doesn't mean it's your fault. I was told that the person who got influenced by magic must have a weaker mind than the other. They couldn't fight their darkest desire and succumb to their own temptation. What happened to Onyx was an awful thing but I believe that you aren't at fault."

"I made things worse than it was. If I hadn't moved to that middle school, he could've lived a better life. It's my fault that I worked at his mansion. I should've avoided him like a plague. He deserves better."

I pull her closer and wrap my arms around her back. She had a point. But as much as she blames herself, I'm as selfish as ever. I'm not going to let him devour her with guilt and slowly, I'll be filling her thoughts and erasing him from her world. I'm going to blame everything on you, Onyx. I'm sorry.

"So, are you going to forget all of your friends above the ground and me for a man 6ft under? He who hurt you. He who drowned you. And he who tried to kill you multiple times. What he showed you was his evil. Even if you stay far with him, do you think he won't come after you? I've my own evil but I'll never hurt you like him. If he realized much sooner, he could've lived. If he could've stop himself, we wouldn't be here. You know more people beside you here, don't put yourself beside him who was moved by his own devil."

I can feel the wet tears on my chest as she snuggles closer to my chest. I know the guilt of killing people but if you keep on blaming yourself for them, sooner or later they'll deliver death to your own feet. You've to put yourself first then anything. It won't be easy to change her mindset. She had much more empathy than me. But I'm not leaving her behind. I stroke her head gently and she raises her chin gradually. Her slightly open lips look too tempting for me to ignore and I lower my lips to meet hers. She receives my touch openly. It's a slow, affectionate kiss.

It's a gloomy day but it holds a meaningful start for both of us. She confesses her sin to the cold body and I vow to hold her until the end of this life. No matter how much it took her to close that chapter of her life, I'll never leave her behind.