Heaven Knows

13: Dominic

“You are ever so bitter with sentimental facts.” That’s all I said to him.

He scoffed at me. “Dom, I am not. I just have a passion for hidden realities.”

“Too bitter.” I tried to sound teasing. “Aren’t you worried you’ll live alone? No girl sticks with you.”

“No one sticks because they’re not deserving.” He said. “I am Scott Orson. I only deserve the best.”

“Good luck to that.” I felt jeering at him. “But Scott, were you ever happy?”

“We’re I ever happy?” he said mockingly. “Does that matter?”

I raised my eyebrows at him and he sighed. “Look, Dom, I am not against your relationship with Anna. It’s not my fault that you fell in love with the first girl who looks like the skies would fall. I just don’t want you to experience love the way I did. It’s a hurricane you know. It takes away everything that it passes. I think I’ve lost too many happy endings to believe that there can ever be one left. It’s a waste of time to pay attention to tales that aren’t true. Besides, no one even tried to give me a happily-ever-after. Reality’s enough of bullshit already to learn in life. Yeah, it sucks but at least the moral lesson is: it’s real.”

I chuckled. “I’m adding sober to the list of Scott Orson.”

“No worries, my best friend.” He raised his hands in feign surrender. “I’m a firm believer of grief. Did you know Edgar Allan Poe’s my great, great, great, great grandfather? So that would make me his famous great, great, great, great grandson.”

He laughs but behind that smile I knew, I’d hit something more. It’s the farthest that Scott had opened up about himself. He’s always kept his doors and windows locked. I think there’s still more to the story but he’s still busy flirting with his prerogative and it’s not really my predicament to pry on his closets.

“But, Dom… what comes after Anna? What will become of you?” he said.

I sighed as I looked down at my hands on the piano keys. “I know things won’t end up so well with me and Anna. I already know that, Scott. I am not that naïve. But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering of the possibilities of what I might have done—what I should have done when I still had the time.”

He cleared his throat and he forced in a smile. “Well, that’s way too emotional for me to take.”

I chuckled.

“But while we’re trying to get over the blue feeling, I just want to show you this.” he took a folded picture of an eight year old me in a sheep costume out of his blazer’s pocket.

I frowned at him. “Why do you still keep that thing?”

I tried to get the picture off his hand but he was too quick to take it off my reach.

“Dom, this is for bribery. Relax.” He smirked at me. “It’s to hold you hostage in my tentacles.” He laughed like a villain and he waved his tentacles—I meant fingers at me. “Besides, things like these are fascinating!”

“Excruciating you mean.” I scowled at him.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “They remind me of Human Evolution. Don’t you ever study World History, Dominic?”

I snorted just to state a point. “I do, Scott. Only that Charles Darwin was long dead before I was born.”

“Well, might as well show the fascinating Human Evolution to Anna.” He said.

“Show me what?”

And Scott jumps beside me.

“Annabelle!” Scott shouted and then he righted himself. “Anna Marie—I mean.”