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S E A R C H I N G
"Might I join you for another cup of coffee?"
"Ella!"
Ella Torrey was known for her surprises. In first grade, she surprised me with a boxful of toffees on my birthday. In sixth grade, she surprised me by being the first to get a boyfriend. In junior year, she surprised me by taking me to club and staying there without anyone knowing for the entire night. In my treatment times (that is the present), she surprised me by being the only one to be beside me.
I lifted my head from the table and in front of me stood Ella. Looking all immaculate and nonsense. She sat in the place where Luke just sat couple of minutes ago.
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at the university?" I asked bluntly.
"Sheesh. I thought my best friend would be happy seeing me." She looked at me but then I had this intimating expression in my face and looking at this, she continued, "I bunked university today entirely. My talk with you was way more important." I laughed and shook my head from left to right at Ella's stupidity.
"You wanted to know what?" I asked.
"You forgot so quick? You've got a memory span worse than a snail." I glared at her. "Alright. Don't have to give me that look. Now tell me everything that happened this morning. Everything. Word by word. Without missing any details."
"Oh today morning? Huh?"
"Yeah."
"I kissed Luke."
"Fuck. That escalated so damn quick. No wonder he was distracted. You have to be a great kisser if you could distract Luke. Like how was he? Was that the reason why I just saw him in the first period and then BOOM! He's gone? Was it awesome? How did you even-"
"Ella." I tried grabbing her attention.
But she continued, "How did you even get to kiss the one and only Luke? Do you have any idea girls would pay you just to be in your shoes? It could be possible that Luke even likes you. God! The things that can happen between both of you. I could just sense the sexual attraction between both of you during that time I met him at Costa Coffee with you. Why are you not a cou-"
"Ella!" I tried raising my voice a bit higher to grab her attention but all my efforts were in vain.
"Why are you not a couple yet? Like Luke and Elle, Luelle. Or, Luke and Amor, L'amor. You guys would just make an extreme awe-worthy couple. Like how cute can you guys get? And how was that kiss of his? Was he a good kisser? Does he smell good? How does he feel?"
"Ella Kimberly Torrey!" I shouted at her with my voice pitching high as much as I could possible raise it. She looked at me and grinned.
"So my answers?" She demanded, sheepishly.
"Well, yeah, I kissed him. He was legendary. I don't know how you tell this but he could transport any person he kisses to a land filled with joy, pleasure and happiness. He was a great kisser much better than Ian." I said Ian's name with a kind of disgusted feeling.
"How could you? Sexual attractions? What are you? A witch? And there's no such stupid sexual attraction between us." I spoke as I rolled my eyes and laughed at her. "Girls desire to be in my shoes? Try telling them to live a day with no straightener and then stepping into the life of Danielle Calingham, the girl who has osteosarcoma." I sulked.
"Liven up, girl! You kissed Luke Fletcher of all. So what happened after you kissed?"
"Well we kissed while he was drunk so he was to lay down before we kissed. So after we kissed, he kissed my forehead and laid down as I walked out of the room." I smiled.
"He was drunk? Does he remember?"
"I think so." I pondered a bit. "Yeah, he has to."
"But it's so sweet. He kissed you on your forehead and I just love how you used we instead of he. I'm so happy you're not putting everything on him. Oh god! This is extreme sweetness. Do you have any idea that the feels you both generate can put me in an hospital bed?" She ranted. I laughed.
"So how's Trent? Oh by the way, Happy Belated Six Month Anniversary with Trent. What did he do?" Ella's cheeks turned red. I smiled.
"He took me out for dinner and it was just so darn romantic. Like he's perfect, Elle. So darn perfect. Just the perfect boyfriend. We kissed. A lot. And I had the worst feeling ever, Elle." She asked worriedly. I felt concerned.
"What was it?"
"Am I not perfect for Trent? Like he's so great, I feel like a pauper in front of him. I feel like I'm not even worthy of him." She frowned.
"Ella, you are just absolutely great yourself. Don't underestimate yourself alright? And I'm supposed to be doing the I'm-not-good-enough thing. Not you." She pulled her tongue out and I laughed.
"So when are you going to meet Luke for the entire searching thing? You know, Elle, when you first told me about this, a picture of two detectives came into my head. Two detectives like..." She pondered and when she got the names of the people she needed in her head, she snapped her fingers. "...like Castle and Beckett." I laughed out very loud hearing this.
"What?" She asked me angrily.
"I'm sorry but that was hilarious." I said through my laughter.
"Our conversation is getting nowhere." She shook her head in a disappointment.
"Hmm. Ella, how's Ian and Mia together? How's the popularity ladder?"
"I don't think they are gonna last. All they do to each other is shagging. There's no true love vibrating around them. And Victoria still reigns the popularity ladder. And I'm there somewhere, happy with Trent. The girls drool over Luke more than Ian. So that's brought him down. Luke's so damn famous there. Like shit famous. He's come to a position way higher than Ian." I don't know why but I grinned hearing the news. I smiled so much that all my teeth could nearly be seen.
I saw Ella glancing at her phone and smiled.
"Trent?" I asked.
"Yeah. He wants to meet me now." I glanced at my watch. 3:10. I spent nearly an entire day in Starbucks. Wow.
I oohed and then spoke, "Now we don't want him to be angry because you were late right? Shoo. It's your Six Month and A Day Anniversary." I laughed at my stupidity. She smiled. She got up from her chair and waved farewell to me. I waved back.
While she was still around me, I lifted my cup of coffee and shouted to her, "To being single forever!"
"We'll see about that, right? Luke wouldn't like you single forever, would he?" Ella shouted back and I smiled. I smiled for having a good life despite having osteosarcoma. I smiled for having a crazy yet a loving best friend. I smiled to God for having introduced Luke to me. And I smiled for every single good thing in my life.
✖
"Hey. Amor, come over please. I just reached home after my daily endeavours. I need someone with me to search my sister's room. Your name popped into my mind immediately. Head over quick. Bye." He cut the phone quickly. Finally, I thought. I had been waiting the entire day for him to call and at last, he had called.
Since I was waiting for his call all the while, I was prepared to leave the home as soon as he called. I jumped into my car and quickly drove to his house.
"Amor!" He outstretched his arms for me to come and hug him.
"Luke!" And so I did. I ran and hugged him.
"It seemed forever." I laughed. I looked around and noticed that the house was repainted from olive green to turquoise.
"Why is there a change in colour of the house?" I asked him as I looked around the house.
"Well, mum's interested in not only collecting artefacts but also changing the colour of the walls in the house." I laughed. He led me to the room next to his and I noticed tagged it was locked.
"It's locked?" I asked him.
"Yeah." He whispered.
"Why?"
"To fade away the memories." He replied, shrugging.
"It's not possible."
"I know." He took out a bunch of keys from his pocket and searched for the right key.
"What was your sister like?" I asked while he searched through the keys.
"She was my everything. She was fun, loving, caring, fantastically fabulous. She made me laugh whenever I came back home after my soccer matches. She was just perfect. With that eyes of hers and her strawberry blonde, she could make boys swoon and I went through surveys searching for her perfect one. Ellie, She was perfect." He called me Ellie, I mentally screamed. He at last found the key and opened the door.
The room was exotic. The room was painted in a very light red colour with motivational quotes painted all over the walls. Pictures of Luke and her were on the table.
"Now where am I to search?" I asked. I was extremely hyped for the day.
"Anywhere you want to." He smiled. I opened the drawers do the cupboard and searched. Sadly, I didn't find anything. At the same time, Luke searched under her bed. I opened the cupboards and searched through her clothes and underneath all those clothes, I found this small book.
"Luke! Look at what I found!" I gleamed with happiness at the discovery I made.
Luke walked up to me and looked at the book I found.
"That has to be her diary or her journal." I nodded my head in agreement. I sat on her bed and opened the book and read the first entry that was after taking permission from Luke.
17th of December, 2012.
Luke was sensational today. I don't think I've ever been so grateful to God and I should now for giving me this one of a kind brother. Now what had happened? I was bullied by my seniors during lunch break like I was tripped and all the food just fell on me. And then like this superhero, Luke comes in and saves me that is after beating up all those people. I just love my brother.
28th of December, 2012.
Scott and I had a talk today on what we were destined to do (or so we believed). I told him that I wanted to be this person that helped others, stopping cyber bullying or bullying in general. I told him that I wanted to be a better human. His reply startled me. He told me that he wanted to start a family with me in Greece. I just loved his reply that I had a make out session with him just after that reply. *smiles sheepishly*
12th of January, 2013.
School sucked bad today. It just didn't go well. I entered school and these kids there at Rinston, which I believed were extremely popular, called me names. Very, very terrible names. God knows what I did. But they called me all those. For God sake, I've not even talked to them!
17th of February, 2013.
It's been nearly a month and I don't think they have stopped it ever. Ever. They told me the last time I was bullied, "Go shit yourself cause no one's going to help you do that. You hear me, huh? God knows how you even a boyfriend." If only Luke knew all this, he would have whacked all of them bad. But then that would land him into more trouble, so I am better off without him knowing.
I whined after reading that. It pained to see how much she pained. I could see the guilt in Luke's face. The guilt of not being responsible enough as an elder brother.
16th of July, 2013.
I'm having thoughts of hanging myself. I told this to Scott and he tried his best to stop me and I had to lie to him that I will not. It kills me to lie to him. It kind of surprises me that I am taking all that Leah and Rachel said to my heart even though I have Luke and Scott beside me. But then does everything happen the way you want it? Don't the tables always find a way to turn?
24th of August, 2013.
Scott took me to an unexpected ice cream date. That was a lovely gesture shown by him which made me feel insecure. Am I too imperfect in front of him? Well, we started discussing again and he told me once again about his desire to settle down as a journalist with his family that comprised me, him and probably two children in Greece. I blushed. I seriously started doubting if I deserved him; he's just too perfect to be true. Probably one day we all will settle down. It just depends on the way we do it.
14th of September, 2013.
They continued their insults and I tried dodging the comments as much as possible. It was all in vain. It did hurt. Every single comment of theirs hurt. I wonder how I didn't end up famous, let alone be cool, when I had Luke as my brother. It surprised me. I turned to Luke at the cafeteria when Rachel and Leah insulted me. He didn't turn. I couldn't blame him either. How long could he play my superhero?
I turned to look at Luke. Tears had started rolling off his eyes. I could sense it hurt him whereas my heart started weighing heavier and my throat drying. I could feel the pain, somehow, of both.
02nd of October, 2013.
He proposed to me. You heard me? He proposed! That too with a Tiffany's ring. Gosh! I feel honoured and damn lucky to have him. And yeah, I said a yes. Who cares if I was young? I loved him. Probably he'll set me right. With him, I might not have to take the harsh step. Well, Luke doesn't know it yet. He'd brand me off as irresponsible and what I did would be what 'a young girl who is stupid' would do. I wouldn't blame him again. He is protective after all and I'm lucky to have both of them.
15th of November, 2013.
Leah and Rachel, for the very first time went overboard. I entered school and the first thing I hear behind my back, by many people mainly the girls, was 'Oh My God! I have not seen a bigger slut than her." This comment was followed by many other comments. 'She's the one and only Luke's sister. What a shame it is for Luke!' That struck a nerve but I didn't explode. I wouldn't dare. I went to the washroom and for the first time, cut myself. I had got many times this great prompting to do so but never this strong. So. I cut.
20th of November, 2013.
I've had enough of this. That's it. I'm putting a stop to this. It has to end. And To end it, I have to suicide. Suicide. That term. It feels so foreign yet so familiar. I have decided to end this life tonight. I'll hang myself probably, cutting medulla. It might be painful but I'm sure it's going to helpful. Scott. Oh Jesus! That guy loved me to pieces and now doing this would hurt him but it's for the best. He deserves someone better. Better than me. Luke. Oh I'll miss him and our fight. But I'll remember him more than anyone. I'm planning to settle things. I'm planning to settle my entire life. Just not the way Scott wanted. Just not the way Luke wanted. Unfortunately, the way I believed I wanted. Just the way Rachel and Leah wanted.
P.S. I have to return that ring to Scott whatsoever happens. I don't need it any more.
I closed the book as a tear rolled down from my eyes. I could see Luke's eyes watering and cheeks stained. I looked at Luke and couldn't help but give him a hug. He hugged me back after few seconds.
"I was a very terrible brother, wasn't I?" He asked me.
"You weren't. You just were bothered more into your life than hers and you aren't to be blamed for that." I spoke. Our voices had turned to whispers gradually.
"Now what?"
"We at least know where to find Scott. So now we head to where Scott will be."