Reminiscence

Chapter.3.

I sighed.
All this drama had drained me.

I worked as a barista at a local coffee shop and my job was exhausting.

I needed the money to pay rent. My dream job was to become an artist and maybe one day open my own exhibition.

Well....I guess not all dreams come true.

I knew I was good at art. I had the best teacher. My mother. She was so amazing at it.

I wanted to follow in her footsteps so she taught me everything she knew.

One day, when I was little, she was painting my ceiling with stars when she fell from the ladder and broke her arm.

The doctors tried their best but couldn't fix it.

She is a retired English teacher now. Fate can be cruel.

Pushing these thoughts out of my head I opened the fridge only to be greeted with some stale milk and a few slices of bread.

Oh right. Kelly had gone grocery shopping.

Since I was starving, I grabbed a few slices of bread and munched on them.

Aiden's words kept ringing In my head.

Certain reasons...

I wonder what he would tell me tomorrow. I swear, If its not a valid reason for him to bounce away from here, I will give him a slow, torturous death.

Emphasis on 'torturous'.

I heard the muffled sound of keys jingling in the lock.

Kelly must be home. With Ice Cream.

The door opened and Kelly stepped inside.

For a split second, I thought of telling her. But Aiden had told me not to.

Kelly knew Aiden too. They were friends back in middle school before a falling out. And she was also my best friend.

No, I decided. I wouldn't. I don't know if its even him.

"Nesse you so owe me big time. I had to fight off a 8 year old to get the last tub of caramel Ice cream!" she whines.

I laugh "See, I told you Caramel was popular. Don't always stick to chocolate."

She rolled her eyes " Yeah yeah whatever. But you're going shopping next time."

"Will do. Now, 2 Broke Girls or old reruns of  F.R.I.E.N.D.S.?" I ask.

"Duh F.R.I.E.N.D.S." she says In deadpan.

I grab my tub of Ice Cream and turn on the T.V.

"Thought so." I chuckle.

After finishing my tub of Ice cream, I get up to see that Kelly had dozed off.

Who sleeps when F.R.I.E.N.D.S is on? Sheesh.

I grab a blanket and cover her with it.

I kiss her forehead  and whisper "Goodnight. Oh, and you're going shopping next time too."

I walk up to my room, change into my pajamas and collapse on the mattress.

I close my eyes and try to fall asleep. The sugar from the Ice cream won't allow it.

Ugh. I need rest. Its going to be a big day tomorrow.

When I can't sleep. I shrug and get off the bed.

My foot hits something hard and I wince.

"Oww what the crap?" I bounce around on one foot.

I look under the bed and see the corner of an old wooden box sticking out. My memory box.

I kept all of mine and Aiden's pictures in it. I guess Kelly hid it because she thought I had to move on and stop moping around.

She had never been too good at hiding things anyway. I always found her secret chocolate stash.

I pull the box out and take out the top. Inside are a lot of pictures of me, Aiden, Livia and Jonathan.

I take out my favourite picture and smile sadly.

This one is of Aiden braiding my hair while I sit on the stool and try to paint his toenails pink.

Aiden looks adorable in it. I guess we were about 13 when Livia snapped this picture.

He has a cute grin on that perfect face of his and I am smiling mischievously as I paint his big toe hot pink.

I pick up another one. In this, I am teaching Jonathan how to skateboard in the park while Livia sits on a bench smiling and watching us. Aiden must have taken this one.

Jonathan looks completely different from his brother.

Aiden always had that serious kind of look and had dark hair and eyes. His skin was a beautiful caramel colour.

I used to call him that. Caramel. Until he got pissed off at being called an ice cream flavour, that is.

Jonathan had beautiful grey eyes that he got from his mother and he was strawberry blonde, like his mother.

I guess Aiden must look like his dad. I had never seen Aiden's dad though.

I tuck the pictures into my backpack and push the box inside.

I climb back into bed and doze off slowly.

See you tomorrow, Caramel.