Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs- 6

Have you ever felt the feeling of pain and loss when you see the person you love with your whole heart embracing another woman intimately?

You wouldn't understand the pain, if you have never been in that situation.

Normally I'm a deep sleeper. I wouldn't wake up until either Mag or Trevor drags me out of the bed that is now officially mine. But today, I've woken up early and in a good mood even without coffee in my system. I've carried out my usual hygiene routine and even mop the floors and cleaned the glasses of the café before anyone wakes.

Hell broke loose when I get my hand onto today's newspaper which is lying in front of the tiny front porch and open it to read the contents.

On the front page, it reads, "The nation's favourite pop star, William Everdeen, attends the opening gala of Marc Jacobs in Brighton with his new sweetheart Lillian Welte whom he claims to be his soul mate."

I can feel my brain shutting down and my eyes growing wide. Lillian.

My fingers feel weak and the newspaper drops from within my grip. The information is too much for me to comprehend.

Lillian Welte.

We had been the best of friends ever since we were young and yet I did not even get a hint of her attraction to Will.

The picture that comes with the article stays imprinted in my mind. They both look so youthful. So in love. The two of them, glowing with happiness.

The feeling of joy I was feeling moments ago is now washed off.

Lillian Welt is my cousin. We were born in the same year, the same month. Ever since we were toddlers we were together. As we grow older, we always make sure we meet up every day to either hang out or study. I don't have a sister so she's like one to me. Even though she's just a week older than me she always looked out for me and cared for me.

She had been there whenever I needed someone to lean on and I had been her shoulder to cry onto. We always had each other's back. She had even been next to me holding my hands as I waited anxiously for him to get out of surgery. She had been there when I cried my heart out for him when he had been unconscious months after the surgery. She had been together with me when I prayed for him.

My legs give away and I drop onto the floor. I would have let the salty droplets wash away my sorrows and carry on with life but as my tears don't come, all I feel is the betrayal from the two people I love most. One of them is the person I've decided to give my heart and soul to and the other is a dear sister I cherished.

I don't know how long I sit staring into space because I only snap out of the trance I was in when Trevor finds sitting on the floor with a blank look. He didn't know what to do and what had happened so he ran off to Mag for help.

I would have laughed at his frantic expression had I not been a wreck but as I'm feeling like I have been ripped apart, I just remain in my unmoving state.

Mag decides to close the café for the morning. She phones Dave to announce it on the café's twitter to let our customers get the message. She shouldn't have closed the shop as it was also closed yesterday. I tried to tell her that but she denies my suggestion.

They have put me into bed after Trevor finds me on the floor, looking pathetic.

Trevor still isn't able to remain still after he tuck me into bed so he has been pacing around in my room ever since then.

"Trevor," I call out to him.

That snap him out of wherever his mind was and brings his attention to me.

"Sorry," he mumbles. "What do you need?"

I shake my head.

"Is my pacing annoying you? I am like this when I'm worried." He blabbers.

I just give him a small smile.

"I'm looking pathetic aren't I?" I ask him.

He stops pacing and turns around to face me properly. "I don't know what had you all shaken up but please just let me tell you that you don't need to hold back. It's not weak to cry," he tells me.

His words open the floodgate to my eyes and drops after drops of tears start to fall. This is the third time I've cried ever since arriving to Challenges a week ago.

Trevor reaches out to me and holds me gently. He rocks me side to side and lets me cry into his shirt.

"It's going to be okay". He keeps whispering that phrase softly into my ears.

I know better to believe that.

I'm grateful nobody utters a word of what happened to me the entire day. They didn't question me and I'm truly relieved about it.

I bury myself in work and assignments for the classes to get my mind off the memories that have opened up.

The café is unusually packed in the afternoon. It is frantic both in the kitchen and at the counter. Because it was closed in the morning, a lot of our customers come in and get their evening dose of caffeine before their classes.

I run back and forth between the kitchen and the tables to serve while making sure I don't trip on my face.

Finally, the time for the café to close arrives. There's only one customer left in the corner booth. I slump down onto the lone chair in the kitchen. It has been a tiring day but it at least gets my mind off of things.

Along the time I'm at Challenges, I've noticed that Trevor is such an artistic person. He makes really adorable looking cookies, his coffee art is always impeccable and explicit and sometimes I notice him doodling out of boredom on paper napkins.

Today, after the last of our customer left and after everything have been washed and put away, I decide to go take a quick shower before going back down with my laptop to finish off my assignment which is due next week.

When I walk back downstairs after I've changed into something comfortable, Trevor is sitting at our usual seat with a sketch pad in his left hand and a pencil in his right. Two mugs of coffee are placed on the table and his eyes are looking ahead. He makes no indication to acknowledge my presence. I pace towards the seat and set up my laptop to start finishing up.

The two of us stay silent as we allow our works to take up our minds.

A/N: It'd be awesome to vote for this story if you liked it. It'll keep me motivated.

Tell me what your current favourite song is. (I'm curious.)

And don't forget to comment. The first commenter will get a dedication!

xxVic