SINCE DAY ONE ― luke hemmings ✓

3

*・。*゜・。・o゜・。*゜・。・o*゜・。・o*

Theo was sure she cried herself to sleep last night. Hugging one photo like she used to back in the hospital, her last cling of hope lies in a photo she refused to let go off. She takes a look at it one last time before safely tucking it under the lamp on her side table and pushing herself to fully wake up, be productive, and visit the hospital to make damn sure the sucker never gets back again.

She hadn't expected it to rain amidst the heat of August as soon as she was done getting herself ready. Theo almost changed her mind about going to her appointment but thought better of it for the mere fear of letting the same disease get back again unknowingly. It was raining quite harder than she expected she almost forgot it was summer, and Theo hated every bit of it.

She always hated rains, always hated the way it falls on what seemed like the brightest of days, always hated how the rain felt so cold in her pale skin, and had always hated it more on the memory of when the rain came after she went through and ended everything with the man she loves.

She heavily sighs upon reaching the front of the building, taking her time before she swoop in on the rain and on towards her truck. Wiping speck of raindrops that fell on her long sleeve shirt and a few on her forehead. Theo started the drive towards the hospital, silently with a dash of raindrops falling on the roof of her car.

It was quiet, and it didn't bother her. Aside from the fact that upon reaching a stoplight, a memory resurfaced. A man laughing at the passenger seat beside her while they talk about the silliest of things, his smile making her heart skip a beat, his ocean eyes she sure offered herself to drown in, and that voice of whenever he sings.

Theo realized something while as she drove, she's still deeply and madly in love with him two and a half fucking years later.

She reached the hospital after a twenty-minute ride, parking the truck at the lot while the rain slowly went away. She mentally thanked the heavens it did as she sorely hates it and would hate it even more if she had to watch the rain pour all day. Theo made sue everything was locked before she went inside, a couple of nurses whose familiar with her greeted with warm smiles, seeing her well and able after those long suffering years of hopelessness. "Hi, an appointment for Theodora Auclair?" She beams on the receptionist which replied back with a kind smile as she searches through the computer.

"Miss Auclair, Dr. Paul will be with you soon. For a moment, would you kindly sign here and here so we could record your visits?" The receptionist handed her the same form she's used to seeing and she nods, grabbing a pen on the counter and writing her name, followed by the date she extremely forgot.

"I'm sorry, what day is it today?" She asks while her hands hovered on the slip.

"Oh, it's August 16." Theo's hand slipped on the form rather messily when she heard of the date, her heart beating erratically as she not only forgot the date, but also forgot about what the day is for as if it wasn't a tradition she used to continue for the past two and a half years. Her mind was in scrambles as she thought about it once and twice, until she went in to her decision and hastily left the hospital after telling the nurse she'll come back later that day.

She hurried back to her truck without a drop of the rain as it stopped pouring, her shoes wet upon running on the pavement, and quickly she went in and started the car. Theo searched through her bag if she brought enough money with her, and once she was contented, started driving away from the hospital.

It was a tradition for her. August 16th became one of the important dates in her life she longed never to forget. It started out as a tradition of two people, and down to one when Theo broke it off with her best friend. Most people celebrate the day they became together, but not as uniquely as Luke and Theo's version. They celebrate, not as grand as they do the day they officially became together, but the day the two met. That very day at the camp when fate let two souls meet, and eventually, pour the love they had with each other as if everyday was their last.

Theo drove towards the diner the two used to go to on that tradition, parked just outside the lot and went to pick up her bag, and her pace to get to a nice booth. The tradition was continued at the hospital when she used to get Eric to buy waffles at the diner. It would've been extremely prohibited for her to eat it but she went against all odds, just for the sake of celebrating the day she met a boy she would never in her wildest dreams, think about leaving. Although she had to, and the least thing she could do for herself is to continue where they left off, alone.

She sat by the booth near the entrance, seeing as it was the only free one. The sun creeping up under the dark clouds as she watches outside, and the day becoming clearer and better as it did. The waitress handed her the menu but she already had her order in mind like a memorized line, "Belgian waffles with extra strawberries, please." The woman nods as she took her only order, and went on her way as Theo felt as though she's back to the same world, picking up the pieces of where she left off. The waffle was one thing, but at the back of her mind, she could her a man say, "—and pancakes with extra extra honey." She smiled to herself upon remembering the memory, her hands sprawled on the table as if the man was in front of her doing weird and crazy things she mindlessly fell for. Theo knew continuing this tradition would've been pointless for others, but then she had to. She wants to. Even if she knew things wouldn't fall back the way it was.

Her order arrived shortly and upon seeing the stack of waffles in front of her, Theo's heart warmed and broke all at the same time. Putting aside her feelings, she ate and appreciate the way the skies are bluer and clearer like it was just moments ago, and the feel and vibe of the diner while she secretly role memories in her head of when she was with him. She knew what she's doing would make it harder for her to move on, but as of late, she had zero intentions of leaving things behind abruptly. Just because she's okay, doesn't mean she's giving it all up. Somewhere at the back of her head, a glimmer of hope that they're going to find their way back is still there.

Unbeknownst to her, the very same man she'd grown fond to love and care for was there at the very same diner.

Both two people who can't seem to find a way out of the hole they're in were oblivious to the fact that they're sitting just right behind each other on one same booth, and both are relieving memories of each other like it was just yesterday.

But fate had strange ways of working throughout the universe that when Theo stood up after finishing her waffle was the exact same time Luke finishes his coffee and fishes tip on his jeans as he stood, both stopping at the mere sight of seeing each other like it was the first time.