Mia slowly turned towards her house, and started taking her footsteps slowly, walking like this she felt utter darkness around her, but she didn't slow down or pick up her pace suddenly… because she was used to this.
When her parents were still here she had told them to place a light here outside too, but her parents only answered with "yes" and they never did, but in morning she could see it clearly, the yards outside was just as big as it looks on night, filled with small green and some yellow brown grass which had taken too much heat. Only the path straight are empty with rough soil because of people always walking on it. To the right and left average sized trees are standing near the wall which marks the territory of this place, and up ahead is her small house, which only looks small because outside area is big but it's actually enough for a small family to live.
As she reached her door, without looking behind even once she could sense it, that someone is watching her back, as she walks towards door, and she also knows that someone was not anyone but Paul. She tried looking behind but couldn't able to do it, and thought, I'm always like this.
She took out the keys from her pant's pocket, and pushing it gently the wooden door opened with a slight "creak " and stepping inside she met with bright lights illuminating the room. The complete darkness from before had completely vanished , she quickly turned around to close door. As she gently pushing it close, she caught the final glimpse of Paul's figure, turning his back towards her.
She exhaled internally, and turned around seeing the same living room she had seen many times before, leaving her white colored shoes and socks behind she stepped in light brown colored wooden floor. After placing the plastic bag which contains her things on the dining table, just few steps away to her right, surrounded by four wooden chairs, she walked inside the kitchen room, turning her body to the right.
Kitchen room is just medium sized and wide enough for two persons to work at the same time, refrigerator standing just besides the entrance she passed it and grabbed the pan filling it with normal water. She placed it on burner, lighting up the gas stove with home lighter, she just stand there looking at the pan, half filled with water on a burner for a minute.
Ha.. she exhaled slightly and walked out of kitchen room, and turned her body right after few steps, right again and, up ahead was just about a meter wide hall way with dead end, to her left was slide door and to the right was a brown wooden door. She slowly took three steps and opened the slide door with a little to no effort, stepping inside the bathroom which was all white ,the bathtub all empty she can see it clearly, to her right was shower if you are in a hurry.
She lightly turned left releasing her hair, which is tied up in a bun shape the moment she had left her house, and then she met with herself.
A medium sized mirror hanging on the wall. A face of girl had appeared she hasn't seen a while, but the moment she laid her eyes on her. She realized it quickly without even thinking that,
"That's me, isn't it ? The same pathetic look... How long has it been..? I don't even remember clearly... No. I don't even want to remember. I— I thought we had.. No. I had changed, but... That's not the case, isn't it ? You are always there without even me noticing, hiding from me,...you were waiting for this weren't you, all this time , trying to remind me with the same pathetic look , isn't it!!!!!?"
She slightly turned her head to the left, looking at the wall outside the bathroom for a second. Her mind suddenly bursting with endless thoughts as she took a step forward and slammed the door shut.
Few minutes later after washing the legs, hands and face she walked out of bathroom. She felt little better then before, walking inside the kitchen room she took out the spoon and checked the water in the pan. It was just about boil, turning off the stove she walked out of kitchen carrying the pan and spoon and placed it on the dining table. She took the seat which was closest to the wall, so she can watch something on the TV while eating.
She looked around the table but didn't see the TV remote . She looked down and found it lying on the floor beside the chair. After picking it up she pressed the red button starting the tv, and taking out the cup noodles from the plastic bag.
She slowly poured the hot water inside the cup and mixed it gently with a spoon while looking at the tv. A news channel was opened and showed the people marching in a rally about something, she doesn't even care about.
As she started eating, her mind slowly started drifting somewhere else. She remembered that the last time she was watching the news was because some new transferred student had been caught in a murder incident. Did they find the culprit? She thought.
"Transferred Student ? School ..? Paul...? Her..., Middle school, no? Kindergarten, from the start, was it my fault ? Yeah.. Probably, but they could have at least told me nicely, but they never did… Did they ?"
"Shut up!!!."
There's nothing to think about it now, all the things already happened , but now.. It's different, I am different but..., is he?
Seeing Paul she always had remembered her past self. How she was more pathetic then he is now, that's why she tried talking to him because she doesn't want anyone to feel what she felt back then, and doesn't feel regret like her now, but now she thought again, maybe... Paul is different from her somehow. He actually doesn't want anyone close to him to disturb his second life, from what she saw earlier in the alley , but…
"But still.. I can't see him alone like this...,ahh.. I'm still pathetic, aren't I ? But I want to be there. For him. When he is alone, when he is needed, maybe I'm not a perfect fit for him to take that place, but.. until he can find someone like that..., I'll be there for him."
"I.. I can change that."
9 PM
"Yeah.. I'm here. Where are you ?"
Simon talking with Julian in call as he stepped inside a five star restaurant. He looked around a little, hopping to find Julian.
The place was really big, floors covered with red carpets . The tables placed are round in shape covered with white silk, same for the chairs. Peoples who are enjoying their meals dressed very nicely and neatly, and the place didn't seem crowded either even though almost few seats are left empty, maybe because of vastness size of this place or placing of the seats. Customers and waiters could easily walked left and right without disturbing anyone. Simon also didn't felt like nervous or anything because he's been to this place many times before, though even looking around for seconds he didn't find Julian and heard a reply,
"Here, to the left side , beside the wall ."
Simon looked to the left but didn't find it quickly, moving his eyes forward a little by little, he saw a figure sitting on a chair , to the straight left direction, beside the wall also reaching the end of the line. Julian's head turned in his direction, his hand raised slightly signalling him . Simon recognised Julian and ended the call, putting the phone inside his pant's pocket he took his steps forward walking at a normal pace, towards Julian.
As he walked without disturbing anyone, the white yellow light illuminating the whole place, also he obviously caught the sight of different types of dishes served on the table, and started to feel hungry and realised he hadn't eaten anything for hours because after leaving that restaurant and telling Julian to keep an eye on that medical store. He went straight to his place, took a short shower, changed his clothes and quickly fall sleep, and when he woke up it was already dark outside. He turned on his phone to check the time for how long he slept , and found Julian's message , he quickly called Julian to ask what he had got , but Julian replied calmly, "we should talk in person ."
Simon also thought that's good and asked the place to meet , and Julian told him to come to this place saying, "it's dinner time anyway."
Simon thought for a second and agreed to meet here at 9.
Since there's still about half an hour left ,he wash -up himself and felt a little fresh and later he arrived at this place.