Writing For Fun 16???

“It’s ok. I’m perfectly fine with that. I mean, she’s prettier, funnier and smarter. She even knows how to dance. If I were you, I wouldn’t choose me too.”

She waited until he had left, before crying her heart out.

“Why couldn’t I be pretty? Why couldn’t I be funny? Why couldn’t I be smart? Why did I have to be like this? Maybe, just maybe, things will turn out fine…”

She comforted herself as she cried herself to sleep.

“How could I pretend that we’ve never met, when I cannot stop replaying the memories we made in my head?”

She questioned herself as she walked past him in the hallway.

“What if I died tomorrow; will you miss me or forget me?”

She looked at him, he looked so happy.

“If I said I missed you, will you come back to me?”

She flipped through the album containing pictures of them together.

“I wonder if you still care, now you’ve got that beauty by your side?”

She cried and cried as she tied a knot.

“They said, if you die for a boy, he’ll just bring another girl to your funeral. Is that true?”

She stood up the chair and wore her necklace

“I’m sorry for causing myself so much pain.”

She kicked the chair away.

“You’re just a superhero, wanting to fly higher.”

But there’s a rope which I failed to conquer. 

I was bored so I took some quotes from the internet, changed them, and made a short story (<250 words). Enjoy..?

Writing For Fun 15

“If life after high school was anything like high school, death might be better than going on.”

She held onto that thought firmly as she endured her hellish high school years, longing to be rescued from the valleys of despair. Although she looked decent, and had average grades, people tend to pick on her. A lot. Bullying and cyber-bullying cases were on the rise, with her being the victim in almost every case. From the girl who entered high school with her chest held high, she had now become someone who usually cowered in fear. Dealing with bullies at school and intense suicidal thoughts at home took its toll on her as she fell sick often, spending her days at home alone. Life was all black and white for her until she met this transfer student who lit up her life.

It was spring. Sitting at the foot of the staircase at school alone, she heard someone call her and looked up. It was a boy. He had glittering eyes. Not expecting a conversation to follow, she looked at the sky above her.

“Would you be friends with me?”

“Papa, why did the boy ask her if she wanted to be friends? He’s never known her before right?”

Smiling at my sweet daughter, I replied, “Yeah, he’s never known her until then, but amidst her beauty, he felt something raging out at him. It’s her loneliness, he learnt.

These words hit her deep as this was the first time in 2 years anyone had stood so close to her, let alone ask to be friends with her. The boy tried to cover his awkwardness by putting up a smile, which knocked her from her thoughts as she softly replied, “Yes.”

“Then, would you mind if I sit here?” Pointing to the spot beside her, the boy asked. Seeing the shake of her head, the boy sat down, and observed the sky together with her.

“Why do you look at the sky so often?”

“Nothing much. Just trying to find my past self.”

“Why, does that really matter so much to you?”

“Not that anyone cares anyway.”

She stood up and walked away, leaving the boy behind wondering what he has done wrong. After a while, she turned back and shouted, “This shall be our secret spot!” and ran off. Just then, the school bell rang, and the boy was after her in a second, racing back to their classes for afternoon lessons.

Everyday the boy waited for her at the staircase, where at first she did not dare go, and ran away whenever she saw the boy. However, seeing how relentless the boy was, she finally showed up one day, with two boxed lunches in her hands.

“Papa, why did she bring two boxed lunches? Was one of them for the boy?”

Blushing, I replied, “Yeah… he was waiting for her everyday and totally forgot about lunch.”

“Um, you haven’t eaten yet, have you?” She blushed as the boy looked up.

“Is that for me? Thanks!” Without hesitation, the boy grabbed the boxed lunch and started digging in. After a while, he looked up and asked, “How did you know I have yet to eat?”

Turning even redder, the girl turned around and said, “I just know.”

Smiling, the boy replied, “If you don’t mind, you could sit beside me and eat your lunch too,” before continuing on to consume his food.

By then, news of the transfer student and the girl was spread all around the school, with both of them receiving weird looks by people around them. Nevertheless, the boy still visited the girl at their usual place just to have lunch together. He was also the only one who volunteered to deliver the assignments to her house although they were of different classes.

What he saw at her house shocked him. Sleeping pills on the floor, hate language on the wall, and a noose connected to a ceiling fan. Seeing the girl cowering and shaking in the corner, he dropped the worksheets and ran towards her, hugging her tightly in his arms. Apparently startled, the girl struggled to get out but he only held her tighter.

“I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't know and was not able to protect you from this. If I had known earlier I would have stayed longer by your side.” The boy whispered in her ear repeatedly as she calmed down, arms dropping to the floor.

“You must feel disgusted, to be in such a place like this.” The girl suddenly spoke, bringing her eyes to meet the boy’s. “After seeing who I really am, you must be really disgusted. Yes. I am a girl suffering from depression, who has to handle several suicide thoughts each day. Now all you have to do is to run out of the door, tell this to the whole school and boom, I'm done.”

“No, I'm not going to do that. The reason being my love for you. You heard it right. I LOVE YOU!” Screaming out the three words, the boy looked at the girl, who was apparently stunned, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I am not scared of rejection, I just want to be by your side forever, as a friend, and as a husband. I’ll protect you, no matter…” His remaining words were cut short as the girl put a finger to his lip.

“I’ll take your word for it.” She said softly, as they looked at each other, smiling in a room full of darkness.

“Papa, did the boy and the girl get married in the end?”

“Yes, yes they did.” Clapping my hands, I tucked my daughter into bed after giving her a kiss on her forehead, left the room. Leaning against her door, I smiled, “And that girl is now your mother.”

She moved in with the boy after a few weeks, as he didn’t want her to use her own house, filled with all the hate and everything. They did everything lovers would, such as going on dates, an occasional kiss and also hand-holding in public. They also went to the same university and after that, embraced the thought of a peaceful lifestyle. Things quickly took a turn for the worse, as she got hospitalised from a traffic incident. The boy also became very dull and remorseful, as he couldn't let the fact go that she became injured for saving himself. Thinking back on the promise he made to her, he cried and cried as he sat day and night by her side, holding onto her hands and wishing for her to wake up.

A few days later, in the middle of the night, the boy felt someone squish his hand and jolted up. Looking at her resting peacefully on the hospital bed, he wondered if that was just a dream.

That morning, the doctor handed him a report on her situation, where he learnt that she had a damaged kidney and needed a transplant immediately. Without even putting a second thought into it, he volunteered on the spot, hoping to redeem himself from the promise. Before undergoing the surgery, he told the doctors that he did not want her to know about the kidney transplant. Knowing her, she would probably feel the guilt and make matters difficult.

She woke up to the face of the smiling boy, whose eyes, although battered by age, still shone like a star. Smiling back, she said “Good morning” before asking the boy where she was. After explaining everything to her, the boy promised the girl a surprise on the day she was released by the hospital.

After that, the boy seldom visited the girl, and left her pondering what the surprise will be. Time passed quickly for the girl as she lay in bed each day, logically deducing and eliminating the choices for her surprise. Lo and Behold, the day of her release finally came. Sitting down at the lobby with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, she waited for the arrival of the boy and her surprise. It was already late afternoon when the boy rushed in, hand in his pocket. Wiping his sweat amidst the curious stares from the patients and the staff, the boy knelt down on one leg and pulled out his hand, with a small box in the middle. Opening the box, he promptly asked, “Will you marry me?”

Everyone fell silent, as the girl clasped her hands over her open mouth, shocked from this surprise. She had pondered every single possibility of the contents of the surprise, but had never seen this coming. Soon after, everyone around them smiled, clapped their hands and cheered the boy and girl on. The girl, after regaining her composure, knelt down, and kissed the boy. Apparently stunned, the boy opened his eyes wide but accepted it soon after, with everyone clapping and cheering.

They didn't have much of an audience for their wedding, as they only signed the official papers but did not hold an official ceremony. They managed to get a child, and a stable income, and are now living a happy life.

My daughter seems to love this story a lot as she often requested that story for her bedtime story. Not that she actually stayed up for the ending though. However, everytime I tell this story, I feel like I have just taken a refreshing walk down memory lane. Looking at my wife now, she’s such an outgoing and cheerful person, that no one could link her with her past self, the one suffering from depression. I'm really happy for both of us, to be honest. Happy for her because she had survived this ordeal and changed for the better, and happy for me because I had fulfilled the promise I made to her two decades earlier. 

Writing For Fun 14

Many children start their lives in ‘rough situations’. Some have neglectful parents who don’t assist with any part of their lives. In contrast, others are practically smothered by parental involvement, unable to find their own identity. Children live in all kinds of conditions and are sometimes ‘set up for failure’ from the very start. But some children are able, despite their initial circumstances, to achieve great things in life. Some part of them drives them to succeed and, because of this, they learn the value of hard work and gain a stronger personal character and a higher level of maturity in the process.

Jenni was a girl who lived in a village, built at one of the rural places in the country, with a reasonable amount of distance from the city. The city has been considered a “sacred” place, where no one from their village has ever been to. From young, Jenni had a dream. A dream no one in her village has ever accomplished it. And that dream was, to be able to undergo proper education in the city. When she told her mother about her dream, her mother simply dismissed her with a wave of her hand and told her to stop dreaming. Her father too, was pretty sceptical about her dream and took it as a joke. This was when the seed of dreams was planted in her heart as she was determined to prove herself in front of her parents.

Due to the lack of funding, there was only one building in the middle of the village, which the children called “school”, but, it was nothing more than a dilapidated building with a chalkboard in front of each of the 6 rooms in the building.

One day during lessons, the teacher went on to talk about dreams. So far, when asked about their dreams, Jenni’s classmates would simply mention very simple things, such as having a lollipop, but Jenni’s dream wasn’t that simple.

There were quite a few challenges that Jenni faced, such as the fact that she did not have enough time that could be used at her disposal to chase her dream. As her mother had to go about selling things and her father, busy farming and taking care of the cattle, the tiresome burden of taking care of her younger sister and doing the household chores now fell upon the shoulders of Jenni. At times she really felt like she wanted to give up, but thinking about the attitudes shown by her parents and friends, she said, “No way. I have to do this.” Marking out the day of the country-wide examination, she said to herself, “This is the time I’ve been waiting for.” The country-wide examination was a platform to evaluate the abilities of students around the country, and the best of the best will be able to enrol into any high school they choose to go to, under the government’s approval.

Jenni had her eyes on the examination, and in order to do well in it, she had been studying day and night for it. Making use of the limited resources she was exposed to, she thought creatively and created a study table for herself, together with a chair, where she sat at during her free time, and together with some textbooks she had managed to borrow through her father, who had friends in the city, she studied. She studied really hard, that even when she was sleeping, she would still be thinking through the knowledge she acquired. She was really determined.

The day finally came, and Jenni was finally able to fight for a place in schools in the city. Since this was a rather important examination, a teacher was sent from the city to invigilate the process of the exam, and to ensure that there was no cheating, which was not likely to happen. Handing up her answer script after two hours, Jenni returned to her home, anxious for the results.

A few days later, Jenni received a prestigious letter from the government, stating her enrolment into one of the schools available in the city. Staring at the letter, Jenni had finally tasted success. Success through her hard work.

 *Paragraph one doesn't belong to me. I used it as a story starter. Get the original story here*

Writing Challenge Two

Looking at the pictures we took together, I felt a wave of sadness hit me straight on the face.

I will never get the chance anymore, will I?

Still blaming myself for not treasuring those chances which I had, I made up my mind. My parents were gone, and now her, the only sun in my life, was gone too. Who would I share my troubles with? My joy with? My sadness with? There is really nothing to live for... Anymore...

Picking up a knife and getting ready, I made a final flashback of the accident...

Oh, she looked so perfect standing there, in the middle of PE, with the gentle morning breeze blowing onto her hair. Suddenly, a ball hit me in the head. “Hey! Why didn’t you receive the ball?” Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked up and was greeted with an angry face. Apologising quickly, I made my way to the corner of the court to continue looking at her. From then on, I knew.

Being classmates, I got to know her very easily, as our class council frequently organises class bonding activities. Noticing her standing by the side all alone, I decided to take this chance and talk with her. I even gave up on the game of soccer just to engage in a conversation with her...

Soon enough, we became friends, and then best friends, as I was the only person who accepted her for who she was, not discriminating against her for being different and having interests in things which her classmates deem as “weird”. For that, she was really thankful.

I have helped her to solve quite a few of her problems, mostly bullying cases, as there are some people who really dislike her. Spreading rumours... Framing her... Anything that you could think of, they did it. Most of them were solved in the end, but there was this problem which I was oblivious to. She has kept this secret from me, and suffered by herself, after seeing how much pain I went through, standing up for her and ruining my relationship with my friends in the class. She knew that it would get worse, so she kept quiet...

One day after school, we walked home together, still laughing and all, but I didn’t know that it was the last time I would get to do so... I did not notice her secretly putting a farewell letter into my side pocket. Before we parted ways at the junction, she embraced me with a warm hug, but I did not notice the tears shimmering in her eyes. I have never felt a hug before... She was the only person who gave it to me. I would have hugged her back, but I did not know the meaning behind the hug.

When I got home, I noticed a piece of paper sticking out of my pocket. Feeling curious, I tore the envelope open. There was a sea of words, but one specific sentence caught my eye.

“It may be my last time seeing you, and being in your company.”

Suddenly, I realised something amiss. Dialling the number of her house, I waited anxiously for an answer, but there was none...

The next day came, and the news arrived that my best friend, my pillar of hope and support for these past few years without my parents, had died. DIED. I broke down on the spot, trying to clear my mind about this. Once I reached home, I dashed up the steps and took out the letter, scrutinising it carefully. She has always been a victim of cyberbully... But she didn’t tell me... Because she loved me.

I have always loved her.

I have yet to tell her about my first encounter with her, and those times which we had. I bit down on my tongue, but I want to scream out, that I love her, but I did not. I was scared. But now, even the chance is gone... It’s all my fault...

The loud click of the knife jolted me back into the real world. Still stuck in that state of mind, I looked around, expecting to see her beside me. There was nothing. Mustering all my courage, I picked up the knife again...

Writing Challenge Two (Zanna)

Kay so this was written on Thursday night and Hamanda and I wrote our respective stories based on the same plot - well, this is mine! Enjoy!

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And then, I jumped. The reward of being able to reside next to my loved one came with a price - to die myself. 

Cara. 

I vividly remember the first day we met. It was the first day of school. She had left a rather great impression on me. Being the clumsy one, I had again dropped my books in the hurry of scrambling up the stairs to class. I didn't want to be late, not on the first day at least. It had been one of those bad days when everything went wrong on just the wrong day. Cara saw me. 

"Wh-what are you doing with my books?" I asked in bewilderment as she picked up half of my books and walked forward with them, leaving the other half on the floor.

"Helping you carry your books? You'd probably drop them again if I left them to you yourself. And don't expect me to carry all of them - you have to carry them too, you know." She said in a light tone before walking briskly straight ahead. "Hurry up, you don't have all day to reach class."

In that few seconds of which she had spoken to me, I knew that we were going to be great friends - and perhaps to me, something even more.

She was the ultimate best friend. She understood me, she did silly things with me, we got into trouble together, she accepted me for all of my flaws. She trusted me. We told each other everything. We played jokes on other people, made jokes to make each other laugh.

I remember the first year I celebrated her birthday with her - we were sitting down on the grass, backs slumped against a thick tree trunk on a hill. It was 11:59 pm, 12th May. One more minute, and she'd be 13, the same age as me. She always adored lanterns. Thus, when the clock struck midnight, both of us lit a lantern, and pushed it lightly upwards, adoringly eyeing it as it rose up into the dark blue sky arrayed with bright stars. We kept our eyes on it until it vanished. That was the day I first fell in love with Cara. Her emerald orbs sparkling in the moonlight, auburn hair swishing as the wind gently blowed. 

I later found it strange that I had never wondered why and how she had so much time to spend with me - and that her parents never complained. In due time, everything would be revealed. 

Days and months passed, we remained the best of friends, our bond strengthening even more. It was true that I was greatly in love with her but I never dared to confess. I was too afraid of rejection. I supposed that she only treated me like a brother. Why couldn't she see the truth? That I was always protecting her from the haters, the enemies, comforting her whenever she was down, telling her jokes to cheer her up. Yet always, she'd always just call me, and tell me about her troubles, end the call after telling me she'd call me again. Why couldn't she see, that I could have been the one who'd treat her better than any of the others who frequently mistreated her, who betrayed her, who abused her? Perhaps it was my fault, for not letting her know. 

But I remained contented with our platonic relationship. Too contented. Perhaps if I had made a move, it wouldn't have happened.

"Hey Cara! Wanna go out for ice-cream?" I asked excitedly.

"I'm sorry Drew, not today..." 

My heart sank, usually she'd be always ready for ice-cream.

"Um...Cara, Knock Knock?" 

"Who's there?"

"Orange,"

"Orange who?"

"Orange you going to open the door? It's cold out here!" 

"I'm sorry Drew...just...not today..." 

"Cara? Cara?"

"Go away, Drew..."

This was just the beginning.

I didn't know why but - slowly but surely, the days, hours even, that she spent hanging out with me and making mischief with me decreased rapidly. She didn't spend any more time with me - she didn't want to go out. Whenever I asked her to open the door, she refused to. I tried asking her about it, but she just wouldn't answer. I then supposed that she had another guy that she would rather like to see, and didn't have any more time for me anymore. I brushed away the hurt feelings, I reckoned that I should've expected it, after all, she was one of the most popular girls. I should be grateful that I was even a close friend.

Day by day, the lesser time she would spend with me. I wish I had - but I didn't realize what was wrong.

Then it happened. It was the night before her 15th birthday. As usual, we were going to the top of the hill to let off another lantern. I headed to her house to pick her up, I was glad that she had agreed to come, I had been afraid that she wouldn't want to participate in the tradition we always carried out. 

"Hey Cara, come on let's go!" I yelled cheerily.

She coughed. "Drew...I'm afraid...I'm afraid I can't..."

My eyes widened and I didn't know what to say. Hadn't she agreed to go out earlier? I tried my best to control my emotions before proceeding to ask her again. 

"Hey Cara...it doesn't need to be the hill, we can go somewhere else if you'd like!"

"No, Drew..."

"Knock Knock,"

"Who's there?"

"Aldo,"

"Aldo who?"

"Aldo anywhere with you..."

"No Drew, just...just...-"

And then I heard a crash interrupting Cara's speech. Waves of shock swept through me and in hasty desperation, I broke the window and climbed in. Cara was lying on the floor of the living room, the living room I had been in many times before. I looked at her, shocked. Her once red and lively lips had turned blue, and were ice cold. I picked up her hand. She was motionless. Immediately, I called for the ambulance.

"I'm sorry, we did the best we could," the doctor's voice echoed and haunted me again and again. 

Cara was gone. I hadn't had the chance to tell her...that I loved her. 

"Drew Anderson, we have to conduct a blood test on you," the doctor then said.

I was confused, why did I have to take a blood test? I wasn't ill.

"Congratulations, you are very fortunate to have not contracted the disease Miss Cara held within her."

"Disease? What disease?" I asked in mere confusion.

"Didn't you know? She died of a contagious and lethal illness that caused her to lose a lot of blood before dying. Due to your frequent close contact with her, we were worried that you would have contracted the disease as well. Thankfully, you haven't. Have a nice day, Mr Anderson."

At that moment, the memories spun through my mind in a blur. I stumbled out of the hospital. Immediately I realized that all her avoiding of me - was a sacrifice. She had avoided me, because she hadn't wanted me to contract the very same disease that she held. She had known she was going to die, yet she didn't tell me and chose to sacrifice everything so that I would not have shared the same fate as she had. The reason why she had never gotten her disease treated - was because she had no parents, she hadn't anyone to send her to the doctor. If she had told me that she hadn't any real parents to look after her, I would have put up my guard to make a more conscious effort to protect her from everything.

Still in shock, I hopped onto my bike and rode around town. It was cold and dark - the absence of Cara making the coldness even more unbearable. I passed by the Ice-Cream parlour, the pizzeria, the hotdog carts - Cara just loved snacking. The cinema - her immense love of movies, how emotional she could get even if it was a subtly dramatic movie. These were all the places where Cara loved to go, where we used to hang out, wasting our lives away. 

Her smiles haunted my sleep every night. Restless nights, depressed mornings. For a week after she left the mortal world I was lost. Then I made the decision. 

I would die too.

I climb up to the top level of the building. I take a deep breath. This is it. If I want to be with Cara now, I'll have to do this. The immense guilt of not being able to save Cara weighs down on my shoulders, and this is what I'll do to make up for it.

I step forward and jump.

I coming back for you, Cara. I'm never leaving you alone again.

-----

Writing For Fun 13

Sleepily, I crawled to the other side of my bed, picking up the ringing phone. Saying hello with a yawn, my ears picked up the sounds of someone crying at the other end of the phone line.

It’s her again.

Secretly letting out a sigh, I replied her. She was my best friend, so I can’t probably ignore her, can I? These few days she has been calling me up at night and should I say, complaining about her major heartbreak. Apparently she had been ditched by her boyfriend… Listening to her tales again, I felt that wave of sleepiness hit me, but I slapped myself, trying not to fall asleep. She just goes on and on like a broken record, saying that her heart hurts, that she can’t get over the fact that he has gotten over her. It’s been 5 days…

Even though I’m really fed up with her, I had to keep this feeling to myself. And when the phone call finally ends, she says, “Thanks for being a friend.” And I heave a sigh of relief. I was afraid that if the phone call went on longer, I would have screamed out my feelings. And it was nowhere near anger…

The next day she called again, as usual, complaining. I bit down on my tongue, but I want to scream out, that she could be with me now, but in the end, I did not reveal it, for fear that it would worsen her situation, as it was already very bad now.

And when the phone call ends, she said, “I’ll call you tomorrow at 10.” Friendzoned again, I guess…

So should I or should I not… tossing and turning on my bed, this question lingered in my mind. Sigh…

I just can’t.

A few years later, she moved out of my country, and life just went on without her. When we both fall asleep under the same sky… Do you miss me? Because I do. And there’s something I need to tell you…

Love me back…

Writing For Fun 12

One---The journey home

Lying down, I looked up at the sky weakly. At that moment, all I had in mind, was my darling wife. I’ve began my two day trip back to my homeland, somewhere in the States. According to the hospital at the destination of my business trip, I had developed a serious cancer, and had only 2 weeks to live. So, I’ve decided to end my business trip early to be able to spend these last few days of my life with my beloved wife.

During the 2-day train ride, I spent almost all of my time thinking about my wife. It is only now, that I realised how much I wanted to spend every second of my life with her right now. Sighs…

Two---Home sweet home

After two tiring days of train-travel, I finally pressed the doorbell of my house, half-dead from the illness and tired, having to carry all my luggages home with me. A familiar face opened the door, and although my eye-lids were half closed and I couldn’t grasp a good look at the woman’s face, I still smelt the sweet scent of the familiar perfume my wife used to put on everytime. It’s surprising how I could still remember that smell…

Steading her gaze, she paused for a moment before letting out a huge shriek. Embracing me with a tight hug, she carried my luggage and asked me in immediately. After all, it’s been a few months since we’ve last met…

Three---The truth

She seemed so happy… but I only had 2 weeks with her left. I had to spill out the truth to her somehow… “How’s your business trip? Why did you return early?” She started pouring me with questions. Without answering her, I just looked silently at her, sipping my hot cocoa slowly, enjoying every bit of it.

Seeing that I did not answer, she knew something was wrong. After being with me for 5 years, she knew everything about me. Taking a deep breath, I spilled the beans.

I stopped, halfway through my “speech”, knowing that the truth was too much for her to take. Already bursting to tears, she looked at me, dumbfounded. Walking towards me, she hugged me and cried on my shoulder. “Oh darling…” She whispered as she buried herself deeper into my arms.

Four---Before

These few days, she has really been taking good care of me, providing me with anything I needed. Legit. Anything. I understand her pain though… Like the seconds on the clock are counting down. It’s just a matter of time before… I can’t even… It’s not that I am scared of death, it is that I can’t bear to see my poor wife being left alone in this world. Imagine the pain she would have to go through… To get used…

Maybe coming back was a mistake. She would just feel sadder. Applies to all of us. Imagine you spending time with someone special to you, knowing that they ain’t going to be with you any longer… I shouldn’t have came back. Or should I?

Five---Last Few Days

Lying on the hospital bed, I looked at her weakly and gave her a smile. My conditions have worsened during these few days and I had to be admitted to a hospital. Looking at her, I realised that she had turned old these few days… Her face no longer contained the liveliness she used to have, which is also one of the things which makes her special…

Sadness enveloped the whole room, as I said my “final words” to her, wanting to her to live on happily. I could see tears running down her cheeks but I pretended not to notice. I really had to get this out. As I spoke, she got more and more emotional, and burst out crying out loud, screaming “Don’t leave me”. It really hurts me to see her in that state, as the last thing I wanted before I left this world was her turning crazy.

My heartbeat got slower and slower, and I knew that she would do anything to get me back to health, but now, she could only watch on. 2 weeks were not enough for her… She could only watch on as my heartbeat hit zero…

Treasure your loved ones. Don’t just start to do so when their time on this world is limited.

Dedicated to Kai :) Who requested this

Writing For Fun 11

“Isn’t it absolutely crazy that the person you’re going to marry is somewhere in the world right now. They could be eating, sleeping, staring up in the same sky as you do, wondering who they are going to marry as well.” She spoke quietly as we lay in her front yard.

Her shoulder gently touched mine, and her fingers would sometimes graze across the skin of my forearm. Her hair was in a shape of a halo around her head, so perfect, as if she was an angel. My angel. Her knees were bent in the air, like mine, and everytime they bumped, it’s just like sparks of love were produced.

And I wanted to scream at her so badly, that the person she was going to marry was just right beside her.

But I couldn’t. I doubt she even feels this way. I’m just a best friend to her. Nothing else. I needed to calm down, that’s all. It’s a matter of time when I realise that she was not meant for me. What is truly yours would eventually be yours, and what is not, no matter how hard you try, will never be.

Suddenly, I awoke, to myself lying on the floor. Looking back at the dream I had, I realised that I have been having yet another dream about my best friend. Long-gone best friend, to be exact. She was the only person whom I actually trusted, after being wrecked twice, all by the people whom I used to trust. As what they say, the sad thing about betrayal, is that it never come from your enemies. But she has proved it, staying beside me, piecing me back, piece by piece, as I fell apart each time. However, she was gone. Erased by time as it passes on. I don’t really like to remember that part of my life when I lost her, as it always get me crying.

The pictures that she sent me are still living in my phone, which I have stored in a specific album and hidden away in my gallery, never to be reminisced. Those pictures which we took together, were also stored together with those pictures, in that album marked “Memories”.

Although it has already been a few months, I still couldn’t forget her, as I kept sensing her presence beside me. Our last moments together, seemed just like yesterday. Those memories, dating back until we first met, were secured in my head, although I kept trying to forget them as the pain was too much to take.

The news of her death were all over the papers, the day after the accident. And I kept that paper, occasionally taking a look at it to remind me that she has moved on. It was that day…

“Vroom!” The motorcycle zoomed past buildings and trees on the sidewalk, speeding down the road. “Uh… Isn’t this getting a little bit intense?” I forced these words out of my mouth, with the intense wind blowing against my face. We both liked being extreme, but this was too much for me to take. “This is fun!!” She shouted out, with apparently no signs of stopping. Out on a deserted road with almost no passers-by, I started to get worried.

“This helmet is squeezing my brains. Would you help me to take it off and wear it?”

I did.

“Would you put your hands around me, hold me like you’ve never done it before?”

I did.

“Would you say ‘I love you’ as if you were announcing to the whole world?”

I did.

Bang.

Only when I took a look at the headlines on the newspapers, then I realised that, actually, the brakes on the motorcycle was broken. She just wanted me to live on. She knows that she wasn’t going to make it, so she wanted me to hug her one last time, and hear me say that I loved her one last time…

She was my first love.

 ***************************************************************************** 

“Will you trust and honour her, laugh with her and cry with her? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?” The priest asks.

“I will.” I scream with all my might.

Suddenly, just as I was going to kiss her, cracks appeared on the floor, and it seems that the whole world was falling apart. I slipped and fell, through a hole, into a world of darkness…

I felt that I hit something hard and awoke with a sudden jolt, later finding out that I hit the side of my bed. I’m still dreaming about her, am I… I can’t forget her…I really can’t.

But dreams don’t come true, do they?

Writing For Fun 10

I drove by all the places we used to hang out getting wasted, trying to relive those memories we’ve had a few years back. Together. You’ve left me here all by myself, as you left to a better place, on that day. You embraced Death.

I saw that place where we last kissed, which brings me to think about our last kiss, how it felt, the way you tasted. I heard from God that you’re doing fine, up there in heaven, but are you really? Because I sure am not, here down on this world full of mortal beings.

Are you somewhere feeling lonely, even though you’re in heaven, surrounded by joy and blessings? Because I sure am, missing you everyday. Every single day. Sometimes, I sit down and wonder, was it all just a lie? If what we had was real, how could I be fine? Well, I’m not.

I remember the day you left this mortal world, in pursuit of a world better, I remember the time when you said your last goodbyes. And the dreams you left behind because you didn’t have enough time, and every single wish we’ve ever made, sitting on the rooftops at night and gazing at the stars. I still do that, but the difference is, I am alone. Sometimes, I wish that I could wake up with amnesia, because this memory is too painful to keep. The sight of you lying on the ground breaks my heart everytime I think about it. It’s just too painful. I’ve been trying to heal myself, picking up the broken pieces, but sometimes they shatter too much to be fixed back. Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you, all the memories I never can escape.

All the pictures that you sent me, they’re still living in my phone, I admit I like to see them, I admit I feel alone. All my friends keep asking why I’m not around, but I prefer solitude, looking the wedding picture of us, hanging on the walls of the living room. How beautiful you looked… In your white wedding gown… I’ve still been keeping it since the day we got married, so that I can vaguely remember the feeling, as we put the rings on each other’s fingers. These have become memories, as time hammers it deep into my mind. It’s hard to hear your name when I haven’t seen you in so long. It’s like we never happened. At all. We once promised to be with each other forever. But after all, there’s an over in forever…

I spend every night thinking about you, how is it like in the other world, are you happy? Sad? Tired? I wished you would do the same… But don’t worry, I will come to join you someday.

Someday, I promise.

Writing Challenge One (Zanna)

If I had known that all this would have happened, I definitely wouldn't have done it. But what choice did I have? As an avenger - I had to avenge my clan.

***

"Get her, and our plan will slowly fall into place. I can already see it happening!" Lord Orochimaru's voice echoed fiercely.

I nodded my head and left the room with Sasori, in search of the girl called Kimiko. Finally, it had come of time for us to launch our next step in imprisoning the dear girl. It wouldn't be hard - I already knew what she looked like. In fact, we had been observing her since the day she was born. And it was all thanks to our immortal Lord Orochimaru. I headed off towards Getsugakure, the Village hidden under the Moon. It would be a long journey, but it would be worth it.

I coughed slightly as we entered the house. She was at home. We could sense her chakra.

"Sasuke," Sasori whispered.

I shushed him, just in time to duck the spears aimed for my head. This girl was smart.

"It's no use, your blood control techniques won't work on me," I said triumphantly.

I saw her move in the shadows. I signaled to Sasori, telling him it would be alright for him to leave and report back to Orochimaru that all was well.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" She asked, eyeing me warily.

That was the cue - for me to put on my Prince Charming act. She needed to fall in love with me before the plan could proceed. It might take days, months, years, but it would all be worth it. I doubted it would take long though - Ino and Sakura weren't alive without a reason.

"Oh, it's nothing - I've just been...secretly admiring you...from afar. Watching you practice your jutsu is interesting." I blatantly lied. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke."

She stepped out of the shadows. I saw her eyes widen ever so slightly as she took in my demeanor. Well, if Sakura and Ino could fall in love with emo boy, she could too.

"Kimiko. Don't have a surname." She finally mumbled. "What do you want?"

"Is being friends too much for a guy to ask?" I ventured, winking at her mischievously, at the same time flashing her the irresistible smirk signature to my clan.

She stared at me, not sure how to react. Bingo.

"I'll take that as your acceptance of my friend request. Tomorrow, waterfall, 8am. Be there." I invitingly commanded her before leaving her house without another word.

***

The next morning dawned bright and breezy. Not that it would actually matter, unless you considered the fact that I was supposed to woo this lady in order to achieve my goal. Indeed, I would be playing with her feelings - but I didn't care. Why should I? She was of no importance to me, just a mere tool of my utter usage. If the plan would succeed, that is.

I sensed Kimiko's footsteps from away. As she inched closer, her footsteps started to halter, as if she was hesitant to come near me.

"I won't bite you," I grunted.
In less than a second, she was right beside me. I was on the verge of jumping in surprise - I hadn't expected that swift arrival, she had been at least a few meters away from me - she had great speed for someone not trained to be a ninja, let alone a shinobi like me.

I looked up at her, only to find myself somewhat...star-struck. She was in normal, everyday attire, yet she looked so - enchantingly captivating. She had long, wavy, red tresses that she had combed back into a tight ponytail, and deep violet eyes.

Thankfully, my daze only lasted less than a second - I could not afford to mess up on my mission.

"Here, have some!" I tossed her a sushi roll.

She caught it with ease and swallowed some of it.

"This is - this is really - good! Where - did you - get this from?" She said in between mouthfuls.

I laughed, "Made it myself."

Now which lady wouldn't fall in love with a guy domestically talented?

She raised her eyebrows.

"So, what do you usually do?" I started off with a common topic of conversation.

We sat by the waterfall, snacking and she continued talking. This was the first thing I had to do. Bond with her, before we could become any closer. I knew that I couldn't ask any old question about her bearings or her personal life yet - she wouldn't be able to trust me so easily.

Strangely, the day passed by rather quickly. Before I knew it, it was already dusk. I had to admit, I slightly enjoyed the chat with Kimiko. It hadn't taken so long to warm up to each other. I walked her home before heading back to my apartment. It was already quite late when I reached home. I lay on my bed, deep in thought.

On hindsight, the "bonding" hadn't been so bad. I had not expected to have any reaction to it, but slightly, just slightly, I felt a tiny ray of enjoyment in it.
It was weird. There was something inside of me - that felt...weird. I couldn't identify it, I had never felt it before. As far as I could remember, the only emotion I could identify and describe, was my sense of vengeance for my clan. Other than that, I had not had any other emotions throughout my entire life. What was this?


Kimiko's POV

I didn't know who this Uchiha guy was. He seemed...cool. I had never really interacted with people so much. Ever since I could last remember things, I had been isolated. People either treated me as if I was insignificant, or as if I was some sort of monster. And in general, I didn't trust anyone. I couldn't. I didn't know why - there was much more to my past than what I knew, the problem was, I couldn't remember any of it.

But what did it matter? I thought. I wasn't going to tell him anything, was I? We were just getting to know each other. He probably didn't even know anything about my past, so it wouldn't matter if I didn't tell him either.

Days passed, and unexpectedly, Sasuke and I grew...closer, in a way. We spent more time doing things together, chatting, having fun... I even...trusted him. When he asked, I told him as much as I knew of my heritage.

But there were some things that nagged at me. Why was he so kind to me? Usually, everyone would ignore me. Yet here he was, wanting to be my friend. And he was. Another crisis - I felt this tinge of ...affection towards him. I wasn't even sure whether it was considered as affection or not. All I knew was that, my heart fluttered every time I saw him. Did he feel the same way? I didn't know.


Sasuke's POV

Done. There. One step closer to my goal. Today had been a frenzy. The arduous love confession had finally been made. It was a pity Kimiko really believed me though... I flashed back to what had happened a few hours earlier.

***

"Kimiko-chan?" I asked her as she sat staring out the window, deep in thought.

"Mm?" She replied in her gently way, her cerulean eyes not leaving the lush scenery.

"I love you," I started. "I really, really love you. Will you be mine?"

***

It was strange - how had it been so easy for me to lie through my teeth? Yes, it was part of the shinobi practice to take all risks and all bends to achieve their goal but lying about love - the fragile, tender and powerful emotion - wasn't something I thought I would've been able to do so easily. Was I really that evil? Perhaps I was. Perhaps I had no such feeling - love. After all, all I needed Kimiko for was to aid me in killing the residents of Konoha. It wouldn't be long before it happened.
But first, she had to gradually get used to seeing the bad side of me. And I would start now.

***

I released my breath and started panting heavily. Was she alright? That was all that mattered at that moment. I laid Kimiko down gently and prayed for her to wake up. I had brought her on another mission - we had been on quite a few already, and I guess she had adapted to my ruthless killing. After all, she would have to do something greater. But just now - in a fight with a group of Anbu trying to pin me down, she had been caught unaware and just when some shuriken grazed her head, I had rushed in front of her, grabbed her and carried her away. However, it was still too late. She had gotten hurt - and who knew whether those weapons were poisoned or not. I didn't know why, but to see her unconscious like this made me worried. My heart beat heavily as I tried my best to revive her. I couldn't pinpoint a feeling, but she had to wake up! She had to...

Just then, I noticed her eyelashes flutter ever so slightly. I suppressed my sigh of relief, trying to mask my feelings. Why? What feelings did I have to mask? I questioned myself, even I did not know why I reacted in such ways. I embraced her in a hug before bringing her to her feet and proceeding with the mission, meanwhile reprimanding myself.

Don't be stupid, Sasuke. Why were you so worried on whether or not she was going to die? You don't like her at all - she's just your tool. Get a grip of yourself... Stick to the plan.


Kimiko's POV

Yet another mission with Sasuke - the love of my life. After bonding and becoming close friends...and well, more than friends, he revealed to me that he would want me to accompany him on his missions, stating that my blood control jutsu and other jutsus that I had learnt myself, despite not being professionally trained as a ninja, were highly powerful and could be of good use. But of course I agreed - after all, Sasuke and I were each other's "significant other" now. And I guess I had gotten used to his tactics while in action. He was quite cruel, but I suppose that was how all ninjas were trained? After all, I had no right to say anything as I had never been trained.

The feeling of ecstasy when he confessed to me was unimaginable. I had never known love before. All I could remember of my childhood was...beings hated, abandoned, avoided, isolated. Since birth my parents had kept me locked up at home, not allowed to venture out into the great outdoors. I didn't know why. But I could remember - when I was 6 I suddenly acquired the ability to control the blood of other people, making them freeze in their tracks, unable to move. This could potentially kill the victim in my grasp within a few minutes. I was so excited - it had been my dream since birth to become a ninja, although I never knew why my parents had never allowed or sent me to be trained as one when all the other kids my age were. I showed it to my parents, using a rabbit as my victim, thinking they would be proud of me. They were far from proud - my father locked me up in my room. After that everything became a blur. I woke up to find myself on the streets of the village. No matter how many times I tried to ask for help, everyone ignored me, even the few people whom I recognized. I couldn't understand anything at all. It was a strange, heartbreaking mystery, for my parents were suddenly - gone. Then one day I overheard someone saying that I was the one who killed my parents, using my blood control jutsu. I felt so accused that I answered back and defended myself, only to earn more shuns. The looks of hatred were unbearable. Every time they looked at me, it was a look of hatred and detest. But now I had Sasuke, he was all I needed.

"We're here," Sasuke's masculine voice bellowed. "Be very quiet. Use your jutsu on the whole village, before we attack the Hokage."

I sensed a slight change of tone in Sasuke's voice. It was something I had never sensed before.

"What? Why are we attacking the whole village? Aren't they all just innocent people?" I asked in confusion. It wasn't like normal missions to have ninjas attacking the whole village. Only in war would such a deed be committed.

"Just. Do. It." Sasuke muttered, clearly hiding something from me.

I was annoyed. I didn't want to use my powers to kill a whole village! Especially not a village full of innocent beings. I demanded an answer. Sasuke remained silent for quite awhile before turning to me and edging nearer and nearer to me. I was terrified - what was this supposed to mean?

"These are not innocent people, Kimiko. Remember your childhood? The cold look in everyone's eyes as they stared at you? Making you feel so alienated?"

I started shivering, why was he bringing up such a sensitive topic at this point? What did it have to do with our attack?

"Darling, you were accused, framed, shunned, spat at, abused, isolated, there are no more words to describe it! The people who killed your parents were from this very village, they were the ones who made you suffer this entire while." I half-lied as I watched her shake.

It was half a lie, indeed, for I knew everything she didn't know. Lord Orochimaru was the one who killed her parents, then made it seem like she was the one who did it - this was to result in Kimiko's abandonment. It was all part of the plan. Kimiko couldn't remember a vast amount of things - she was the princess, the heir of the empress of that time. She was the prodigy of her clan. The successor! We wanted her to get shunned at by everyone, so that we could turn her against the people we wished to harm. She was the only one in a millennium to be blessed with the rare and perilous blood control jutsu. The one that Orochimaru lusted for greatly which would aid in the process of our plan - although we had different motives. It was already the last step, and it would be finished - ambush Konoha, the village that I originated from, but also the one that had marked Itachi and I as S-rank criminals. I didn't blame them - Itachi killed my whole clan, but spared me, and I hated him for that, that's why I wanted to get revenge. But I had learned the truth under Orochimaru, that the Hokage of Konaha village had encouraged and played a part in the encouraging of the fateful night of the massacre. This was why I had left as a criminal - to join the Akatsuki under Orochimaru, not under their intentions, just for their power and Orochimaru's aid in wiping out Konoha as part of seeking out my vengeance on those who had done injustice to my clan. Why Orochimaru wanted to attacking Konoha, I did not know. I didn't care - all I wanted was revenge.   

"These people belittled you, and hurt you, Kimiko. You have to do this. They were unfair. Remember their cold, icy stares?"

I knew I had hit the spot. There was nothing more effective than bringing up painful memories of one's tragic childhood and past. The had been bewildered look in her eyes hardened as she nodded her head firmly and we crossed the gates of Konoha, swiftly and silently. She performed the required hand signs, within milliseconds, shrieks and ear-piercing, shiver evoking screams and wails of agony and torture echoed for miles around. You could hardly imagine - the whole village, all except the Hokage, were under Kimiko's fatal jutsu. It was more than painful, it was excruciating. Ignoring the screams, Kimiko and I ran to the Hokage's tower, and broke in through the window. Truthfully, I had no idea who the Hokage was, and I was eager to find out as he was about to get killed, by hook or by crook. I jumped in and beheld a blonde head. I tried to suppress my gasp, but failed.

Naruto.

I had been away from Konoha for very long, I had not expected that loser's dream to come true - he was the Hokage. Now I knew why Orochimaru wanted him - he was the Nine Tails' Jinchuuriki, the most powerful of all jinchuuriki's and Orochiamaru wanted to extract his power. It was the scope of the Akatsuki to extract the chakra of all the jinchuurikis, Naruto was the only one left. So this was why Orochimaru wanted me so badly to help. I swallowed, there was no time, no time for insensible soppy stories of the past, Naruto had to die immediately, for the sake of my clan.

"Kimiko, now," I ordered.

Naruto stared back at me blankly, that baka still hadn't figured out what I was about to do. I glanced at Kimiko. Why was she not doing anything?

"I'm not hurting him, Sasuke." Kimiko stated flatly. I didn't bother asking, I had a feeling she would explain. "Naruto and I go a long way back - he rescued me once. A life for a life."

"Yeah, I rescued Kimiko once when she was gonna fall down the waterfalls 10 years ago!" Naruto yelled, rubbing the back of his neck, grinning.

That baka. As oblivious to his surroundings as always, he didn't know I was about to kill him! I glared at Kimiko, why wasn't she doing anything?

"In case you didn't know, Kimiko, Naruto and I go a longer way back, now do what the plan instructs!" I was on the verge of raising my voice and killing Naruto myself, but that would be too bloody.

Seeing that she was nowhere near to moving, I had no choice but to activate my sharingan - hypnotize Kimiko.


Kimiko's POV

I saw red - his eyes were fully red. Suddenly, a dream-like effect took over me. And as quickly as it came, it left. I kept silent, for there were too many reasons why my heart was beating and not enough words to explain. I had seen it all. Sasuke. Konoha wasn't the enemy - he was. It turned out that the enemy had always known more of me than I ever did. The Akatsuki were the real murderers of my parents. Betrayal, anger, hurt... Of all the stupid things I could've done, I had accomplished falling in love with a villain. I knew why all this had happened. Sasuke was using me against Konoha for his clan - he had never loved me. And to think, that I did. I couldn't hate him though. I just couldn't. Although he wronged me, I still loved him. But I couldn't kill Naruto either. He was innocent.

Then it happened. I couldn't - no one could - I couldn't escape the sharingan. My hands started shaking. As hard as I tried to suppress it I couldn't. I knew what was going to happen - I was being forced to use the jutsu on Naruto.

If I had to kill Naruto, I'd kill myself too. It wouldn't be worth it to live with Sasuke - I don't care what he will do after I die, but one thing's for sure - Naruto dies, I'll die with him.

The thoughts blundered through my head in moments before it happened.

My hands had no control of themselves. I couldn't stop the jutsu, but I could spread it. As if everything was in slow motion, Naruto dropped to the ground.

So did I.

But before I did, I saw the flicker of the sharingan - and then blood - and I felt him next to me - the warmth of his body and a flash of raven hair - the thud of another body besides mine...

Good luck, Sasuke. Whatever you do in your life from now on - do it with all your strength - make the right choices - no matter what you have done to me, I will always be beside you.


Sasuke's POV

Here I am, now. You are witnessing the last moments of my life.

As I activated my sharingan, I could hear all that went through her head. She wanted to kill herself if she killed Naruto. I didn't believe it. I didn't want to. I heard her thoughts - she didn't hate me. After all I did, she didn't hate me. I watched Naruto fall with a thud, in the slight milliseconds before she was about to hit the ground, I transferred her jutsu onto my own body as well.

I loved her.

She died, and it was all my fault.

I was a murderer.

Of Naruto, our back story too long to be told, nevertheless, I wronged an innocent life of his.

Of Kimiko. I understood it now - I loved her, and to think - I, Uchiha Sasuke, killed the only woman, the only person whom I loved and the only one who had taught me to feel. She had been my first feeling. She had fallen in love with a villain - she knew I was a villain, yet she unconditionally loved me. I would die beside her.

She saw me - I doubt if she recognized it was me. It's only a few moments before I die alongside her. She hears our bodies thud on the ground. I was selfish. But I loved her - I always had. Her last thoughts - she thought I'd be alive. She would never know now that although I had seemed to be using her, I had always loved her. I had not known it myself. This was why it had been so easy for me to "lie" to her - why I had been so concerned for her. Deep down, I had always loved her.

"Forgive me, Kimiko." are my last words.

Writing For Fun 9

“I am going to frame it and place it on my desk at home everyday.” He muttered to himself as he looked at the picture longingly. That was a picture of a girl, about the same age as him, which he had found on the streets, or should I say, found him on the streets. He was walking against the wind when a piece of paper suddenly flew straight into his face. As he lifted it up and examined it, he saw the beauty in the picture, as it was then, that he fell in love with the girl on the picture. Love at first sight, indeed, as he has absolutely no knowledge of her, neither has he seen her in real life, and there was no reason for him to just fall in love like that…But he did.

A few years later, he was in Junior College when he made a daring promise—He was going to find that girl, no matter what it takes. By then, he was a handsome boy, with blonde hair and swaggy looks, and many girls have already proposed to him, but he rejected them all. He only had that one girl in his mind. And so, with that promise, he set off to find his childhood love.

5 years later, he hasn’t even gotten a trace of her location, despite him posting her picture on every social media and on every notice board, but after all, it’s hard to judge how a person looks now by their looks 10 years ago. “Sigh. Maybe this was all just a mistake. A big lie.” Feeling dejected and depressed, he sat by the window of his apartment and wondered.

What is the meaning of all this?

However, little did he know, that hard work pays off, and rewards will start coming, knocking on your door.

A few more years later, he married a girl, which he thought, was the best at that time, decent looks, decent wealth and decent academics. One day, the girl saw the picture which he beautifully and carefully framed, and asked him, where did he find that picture.

“It found me. It was blown onto my face and I fell in love with the girl on the picture. First love, I guess.”

Astonished, the girl gave him a big hug.

“I lost that picture when I was 7.”

~~Hard work pays, doesn’t it? But sometimes you just need a little bit of luck.~~

Writing For Fun 8

She, was a girl in Luke’s class. She was arranged to be seated next to Luke as he was very naughty, and his previous deskmate also joined in his mischief, making the teacher unable to tolerate their nonsense. And, after all, she, being the class chairperson, could keep a closer eye on Luke to make sure he wasn’t up to mischief. However, things escalated quickly…

She has a personality, which can get easily influenced by people around her. Since Luke doesn’t have anyone to play or joke with him during lessons, he got very hyper, and can even bounce up and down on his seat at times. One day, she felt curious of his bouncing action and decided to question him.

“Why do you bounce up and down?”

“I’m too high.”

“It’s like you’re on steroids or something…”

*Laughter*

“Well I have never tasted steroids before.”

And so… that question, soon became a conversation, where they talked about different things, from being high to steroids to autistic laughter and so on. The list just goes on!

“It was fun talking to you, I must admit.” Luke said to her, just as the bell rang and students rushed out of the class, to wherever they want to go. After all, school was over. Whistling, Luke strolled on the road back home, joyous about the feast Mother was going to make for him today, as it was her birthday. Just then, he felt someone tapping on his shoulder and turned back, when his expression changed from happy to surprised instantaneously, as he saw the familiar face of his new deskmate behind him.

“Hi! Whatcha you doing here?!”

“Going home, what about you?”

“Heading home too! Where are you going?”

Surprisingly, she stayed near Luke too, and that was a big surprise to him, as he never knew that they had so much in common. From food, to the taste of clothes, even to the estate. Wow.

The next day, they talked and talked again, throughout lessons and after, like they had so much to say. They soon chatted on the phone, studied together, played together, did almost everything together. Even got high together.

2 years later, their relationships got better as they became more matured, from complete strangers to classmates to friends and to best friends. And, as they grew up, they did more daring things together, being weird in front of each other, and so on. However, little did she know, that Luke was already developing a feeling for her…

Luke knows that himself. He actually wanted to confess quite some time back, but just doesn’t have the courage to, after all, he is still not matured enough and he feared rejection and humiliation. So, he kept it all within himself, fighting away the feeling everytime it appeared. “We’re just friends. Nothing else.” He kept telling himself that, everytime they hung out together.

Well, there was also something about her which Luke didn’t know. She actually… had no friends. She was the teacher’s pet, who excelled both academics and co-curriculum activities, where she won numerous awards. However, being that, she faced many haters amongst her peers, who are jealous of her results and her looks, and didn’t want to be friends with her. She seemed to have many supporters, but actually she had none. She didn’t even have anyone to talk to during recess, since the day when her best friend migrated away to the United States. She has never learnt the true meaning of friends, until the day Luke came into her life, and brightened it up. For that, she made up a promise, to repay Luke in every way she can.

During International Friendship Day, they decided to try something different, which is, to write letters to each other. She wrote out all her worries and sadness in that one piece of paper, while Luke wrote about the happiness he saw in her eyes when they hung out together, and promised never to let her feel down again. When they exchanged the letters, Luke read about her sadness in her life, and smiled at her reassuringly, secretly promising her that he would keep strictly to his promise. She looked up and smiled back, hoping that he could keep his promise to her.

One day after school, they were walking home together, when a car suddenly lost control and headed for the pavement, and apparently, Luke has no notice of this as he continued walking forward, talking non-stop. However, she has noticed this. If Luke kept walking forward, the car would be heading straight for him… Couldn’t continue thinking anymore, she rushed up straight to Luke, and pushed him away. The car did not strike Luke, but instead, it stroke her, and made her fly 20 metres away from the place she stood. Regaining his senses, he turned, only to see her lying on the ground, unconscious. Crawling up to her, he held her hand, with tears running down his cheeks. Then, she said something which made him even sadder.

“You know, I made a promise to myself, to help you in every way I could. Because when you came into my life, you brightened it up. You weren’t the star in my life. You were the whole sky…” Unfinished, she closed her eyes, and Luke could feel her hand slipping away from his grasp.

“And I didn’t even get to say I Love You…”

And so, I lay beside her bed everyday in the hospital, waiting for her to wake up so that I could convey my message to her. Days and days passed, and she did not wake up.

One week later, there was a steep incline on the cardiac monitor, and his eyes lit up…