The Wish From Heaven | ✓

chapter 21 : love and loss

"It's the harsh truth, isn't it?" I reply. After all, this whole time, everything that I've been doing : talking to Dawn's grave, mindlessly staring at the clouds, avoiding Dawn's home -- everything, was because of all the unrealistic comforts I made up in my mind.

I raise my hand and press a finger to his cheek. He amusedly frowns and asks, "What is it?"

"Just confirming you're not also another fragment of my imagination."

He grabs my hand and puts it down. "Isn't it too late to be asking that, sweetheart?"

"I told you not to call me that."

The smile disappears. He also turns on his side to face me. I slowly bring my head a little backwards, hoping he won't notice.

"Cedar, there are certain . . . things about me that might make you hate me. And I really won't be able to tolerate it if you, too . . . you know what I mean?"

I nod. His voice sounds like he is pleading me to not hate him, and I find a vivid image of myself within him.

"We all have our own flaws," I say, "That doesn't make us any less worthy of love."

He thinks about it for a while, then a small smile spreads on his face. He ruffles my hair and says, "Well, I suppose that's true."

"Edgar told me that today."

"Edgar did?"

"Yeah. We kinda had a, I don't know, bonding session today. In the bathroom. He was outside and I was inside."

July laughs. "Holy shit, that's such an amazing BL romance scenario."

"Shut up."

"Go on. Tell me everything that happened."

----------------------

My phone rings at 3 in the morning.

I was still studying with the goal of finishing ten more pages of The Picture Of Dorian Gray, which I'm having to read for school. It takes me a few moments to percieve the fact that it's past 3 am, and the phone is ringing, and the phone is mine, which means my phone is ringing at 3 am.

"Who in the world?" July asks from the bed, "Is it Edgar?"

"Why would you think that?" I reply, annoyed. I take the phone in my hand.

"I don't know, because I crazily ship you two right now? Cedgar forevah!"

I ignore him. "Unknown number. Should I pick up?"

"Yes. Could be Samara." Then he says in a creepy tone, "Seven days, bitch."

I only warily shake my head. I pick the call anyways. "Hello?"

"What do you want?" the person asks.

"Excuse me?" I dubiously reply. "You're the one who called. Who are you?"

"Ah, forgot. It's me, Dale."

"Huh?"

"It's me, Dale."

"Dale?"

"Yeah."

I turn my head and look at July. He has sat up, his face holding a confused expression.

"How did you get my number?" I ask. I can't believe I couldn't recognize his voice before. It is just so completely impossible to believe that my older brother is calling me at this God-forsaken hour.

"Mr. Lockwood," he replies. My heart sinks. Dale is addressing Dad as Mr. Lockwood? Now that I think of it, I have never really heard Dale address our parents as anything at all. I have heard him give speeches during his achievements, but unlike most people, there was no "I would like to thank my Mom and Dad".