Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Your shoes echo profoundly on the marble floor, as you walk through the dark chocolate-color hallway. The sunset shines through the gothic-inspired windows, as it shines on you rapidly like a firing beacon.
'I can't never get used to this big palace.' You thought. 'It's so lavish, yet it feels so empty and cold.' Your eyes inspect the high-detailed walls and ceiling. You just feel like you're in a museum.
'Doesn't feel warm and friendly as before.'
You hold the blue book tightly. You still carry it with you even though you stopped reading it a long time ago. It became unbearable to read it during these times.
You look straight ahead and finally see the tall wooden door.
Name shines in gold.
Bold but cold to touch.
You keep staring at your golden-hollow reflection. Unfortunetly, not everything is beautiful as it seems. As of today, you still have the taste of dark-chocolate in your mouth and it drives you crazy.
Ever since his big break, Onceler has always been working, in meetings, and traveling. However, he did promise to stop cutting the trees....
...but for how long?
But no matter what, you tried to not let the bad mood get to you. You keep on supporting him while your heart cries inside for you. You make him laugh, and you even taught him how to do some Fortnite dances while your conscience screams at everything every chance that it get.
You tried to advise him to do new things that doesn't result in destroying the ecosystem, but for some odd reason, his mom would interrupt you.
Phone calls, lunch delivery, unexpected meetings, etc.
It kinda like your F.B.I agent but worse.
You knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me."
"Come it!"
You open the door, and the first thing you see is him sitting on his fresh lacquer desk with a heavy pen on his hand. He seems stress yet eager at the same time as he's working hard on his plans. He wears his green suit, at first you weren't kind with the idea, but you got used to it.
"Knock Knock"
"Who's there?" You said.
"Britney."
"Britney who?"
"Knock Knock. Oops, I did it again!"
NARRATOR: Da Freak?
"It's nice to see you smile again." He said as he finally looks up at you. His eyes so bright like it was bathed in silver and gold.
You sit down on a chair across from him. Chair made out of red velvet attracted with rubies and fancy wood made for the lord.
Your smile faded at a quick distance as you looked at him with concerning and confusing eyes. Then, you look at the sky, searching for a logical answer. You feel so light-headed like the clouds.
"What do you mean?" You ask him.
"Are you happy for me, y/n?" He said as he leans on his desk with his elbows and rests his chin on his hands. He is ready for your response.
Speechless, you keep staring at him.
"Are you happy that our dreams came true?"
You remember about your dream about being an author, but you just can even work on it due to the current conflicts. Everyone is just running out of time.
"Yeah but..."
"But?" He said as he twitches one of his eyes, afraid of knowing that he committed an error.
You stand up straight. "I would be happier if you just - I don't know - put yourself first for a change."
You cletch on the chair tightly.
"What do you mean?" He stands up defensively. "I am!"
He walks away from his desk and walks around the room dramatically.
"This is my dream and I'm finally living it!" He motions his hands towards him. "I am happy and successful!"
You turn your head in order to see him.
"Finally, I did something right for once and made my family proud of me for once!" He said. "And more importantly, I did not fail! I did not return home empty-handed! I am finally happy!"
You can hear rock music in your ears. This is not good.
NARRATOR: But that guitar tho...
"No you're not!" You stand up like a firing phoenix. "You are doing all this in order to keep your family happy. It's their dream, not yours! You keep on working non-stop in order for your family to live the luxurious life like the untouchables!"
NARRATOR: Lunchables. Okay. I'm sorry.
"Just look at you!" You grab a mirror and face it towards him.
He can see dark circles forming under his eyes.
"You are aging fast. You can't keep up with this routine forever. If you do, it will be your doom." You said. "You need to slow down and breathe again. You need to stop and think. You need..."
He remains silent as he keeps looking at you.
"You are not enjoying your life, just your family." You said.
"They'll suck you dry, and before you know it, you'll be one of pride and greed new puppet. You'll never be the same man ever again!" You can feel a flooding inside your body as your burning tears run on your anger- blush cheeks.
"What are you talking about?" He said calmly to you. Not an expression on his face. Sturdy like Michaelangelo's marble.
"I need to tell you something..."
You two walk to the desk and sit down. He looks at you as you can't tell what he's thinking.
You explain everything you know. Your past. Your clumsiness. How you got in the movie. The movie. The annoying narrator. Your high phone usage consumption.
He keeps on nodding at everything you say.
After you finish, everything stood silent.
He keeps looking at you with the same expressionless expression since the beginning.
Suddenly, he smiles.
You wrinkle your eyebrows with confusion.
"That's a nice story for your book."
"It's not a story. It's your life!" You said defensively. "It's how you're gonna end up if you don't stop now! Your determination makes you chase the sun forever but not to smell the roses."
"What do you have against my family!" He said aggressively as he stands up from his chair again.
"I...uh..." You couldn't respond.
"You always think that I don't know what I'm doing, but I do! It's not like your 'guts' are 100% correct all of the time."
Motionless, you were.
"Remember when you told me that you trust me?" He said. "It seems like you sometimes never trust me."
"That's not true."
"Oh really?" He said as he puts his hands on his sides.
"I just don't trust your mother."
"You're unbelievable, y/n!" Onceler said as he cup his head in disappointment and look at the ceiling.
"You know what." You said as you put a hand on your chest. " I know that you're successful, and you look hot in your new suit and cologne."
"But why do you need to get high for?" You said with a worry look.
You walk towards him. "Why do you want more?"
"Why?" He whispers to himself.
"You already have everything that you need! Just take a break man and diminish the spark of the fire now before it's too late!"
"Please listen..." He said calmly as he expresses a concerning tight smile.
"No you better listen with your reasonable ear! Let me fool with your mind if you scramble the word 'thneed', you'll get your answer if you don't stop your spiking trend."
"Such a pure consequence."
"You don't need all these materialistic things, fame, approval, and everything in between." You said as you stand a few feet away from him.
"All you need is love." You finally stop talking. You can feel your chest grasping for air.
"I have my family's love." He said firmly.
"That's not love." You said. "They only love you for your money."
Silence rules the office once again. His mouth quivers as he looks at the sunset.
"No one has loved me before." He sobs. "This is the closest I could get to it." Glass tears run on his cheeks. "This is the only way. No matter how much I tried, I always feel so cold..."
"I do!" You interrupted him.
NARRATOR: Oh shiiiiiiiii-.
"You do?" He opens his eyes.
You nod.
"Ever since I first met you." You said. "Cheesy, I know."
He didn't say anything. He keeps staring at you, and waiting...
"I always adore the way you laugh, blush, and sing your heart out. I love how you're such an adorable dork when you act cool. I admire your confidence. I accept you for who you are since the beginning and accept and love all your flaws. I love everything that makes you, you! I love you for who you are before. Still do."
You take a step closer and grab his hand.
"You are just making a mistake and that doesn't make you a bad guy. You are still a good guy and good guys make mistakes all the time. And there is still time to help you before it's too late."
He looks at his and your hand holding on to each other. Then, he looks straight to your fresco eyes.
"Why?" He asks. "Why are you saying all this to me?"
"Because, Once, I love you." You smile at him for the first time. A smile full of relief and happiness. A smile so genuine like 20th century denim.
"I love how you play your guitar, and how you can look so good wearing fedora. Not many people can pull that off. And how you wear that girly apron no matter what. And I love the way you say how knitting is not girly. Your imperfection just makes you perfect to me."
"You are the one missing in my life." Tears runs from your eyes, yet you keep on smiling just for him.
"Y/N. I can't believe you said all this, because I realize that I
"Oncie!" A voice interrupted.
You both look at the door and see Isabella standing.
She walks rapidly towards Onceler.
You back away, letting go of his hand.
"Oncie, why didn't you answer my e-mails and phone calls??" She said as she fix his suit.
"Because...uhhhh...mmmm?"
"Beat it. You have an important meeting to attend." She said as she take a quick glimpse at you.
She straightens his tie as he looks at you with such pleading yet confusing eyes.
"Now, go and make your momma proud."
And just like that, they left you alone in the office.
You didn't have a chance to say good bye or good luck.
Not even farewell.
You walk behind his desk and sit on his unbearable comfortable big chair - alone - as you still look at the door that ate him. The sunset shines behind you through the windows as your eyes start to drip. You grab on the chair tightly as you shiver with anxiety. All these feelings have put you in your feelings and to sleep.
Alone.
'Dark and lonely. I need someone to hold me.'
***
By the time you wake up, it's already 11:00 p.m. Your eyes wonder around the dark office and see no signs of sudden life.
You stand up and walk to the opened balcony alone, scared with the blue book in your hand. You grab on the balcony tightly and look at the diamond stars. How it shines with such diminishing strengths and force. You didn't even notice the blue book fall from your hands and into the swimming pool.
From the balcony, you see afar to the bright darkness of the night. So, you only see the stars, your only companions of tonight.
"This is driving me crazy."
....to be continued.
Haha, I'm back. Sorry for the bad chapter though.