HIP #3: Forgetting The Old Us

Chapter 3

My body fell on Britney's bed as I closed my eyes and felt the breeze of the strong air conditioner. I like it cold that way. Charlie sat on the other one and leaned her back on the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees while Britney stood between us. "I'm the owner of this room and I don't have a place to sleep at because both of you occupied two places." If Peter's here, I'm pretty sure he would volunteer to sleep on the ground again just to let us girls take the nicest places. Sadly, he isn't. It's still hard to think that he vanished that easily and that fast.

It was just like yesterday when we last talked and he last teased me about my celebrity crushes. He began doing that after he figured out that I have a crush on all Marvel men. It's supposed to insult me but because he's my best friend and he knows how to throw his jokes right offending no one, I take them as compliments. It doesn't hurt. What actually hurts is losing him.

Maybe if he could have been in the hands of responsible parents, then he didn't have to suffer from pain from the abusive things his dad did to him, which I don't want to recall anymore. At least his dad was in the prison now and would stay there for twenty years. Perhaps he would die there and can ruin no one's life again.

Our lives have never been the same since he has been gone. We don't have anyone to drive us to places anymore. No one makes us laugh when we're sad, and what we miss about him the most is the way he sacrifices everything just to make people around him happy.

"Have you guys been shopping for school supplies already?" I kept my eyes closed while running my fingers through my hair. I do this most of the time when I want to relax. Sometimes when I'm stressed. I read in an article on Google that it helps to relieve pressure.

"I have," Charlie answered with her head leaned on her knees together with arms wrapped around herself.

"Already did," Britney responded. School starts next, next week. We're just really too excited about it making us shop for supplies early. I'll just use the uniforms I used last year since they still fit on me and I don't see any problems with re-using stuff. Except for my mom who hates wearing things for a second time. She only wears clothes once and throws them away after that.

I didn't get that behavior since she's not my real mother. So as Kobie though they're a real family. "This is the last year of our senior days. Next year, we would finally be college students, OMG!" Britney almost screamed her lungs out. It's already night time so I know that she's trying to hold her voice down to not wake anyone.

We're supposed to be sleeping but instead, we're still wide awake talking about our school lives. "I remember when we used to fantasize about our days as seniors and now, it's about to end." Charlie reminded me of the days we gossip about things we would do in our senior years like the extra-curricular activities we will join, and the teachers we want to have.

"Those were the best times!" I sighed and finally opened my eyes.

Darn! this huge light above me just made my sight blurry. It's too bright. When I took my hands off my eyes, I felt like I sliced seventy onions without any shades or googles. It hurts. Maybe because of the too much force, I put on it. "We should all take the same major so we can be classmates for sure!" I recommended though I still can't see things clearly and I can barely see the light.

"I'll take Creative Writing." I knew she would say that.

"Same" I supported.

"So bad, I would like to take Social Sciences." We both rolled our eyes at Charlie's statement. Finally! I didn't know all that they needed to see clearly is a statement they could roll about. My sight has been clear. "You seriously want a never-ending stress?" I sat beside Britney and she leaned her head on my shoulder. I hope my hair isn't bothering her.

"I've been stressed the day I started going to school." That reply is more savage than talking back to the principal. Well, she's spitting facts but I don't agree. The pressure we get in school is nothing to be compared to the pain of seeing your mom and dad fight every single day. So I still prefer studying.

"You hit the facts, girl!" Britney laughed.

"The real fact is that I'm so sleepy now," I called.

"What? Sleepy? It's so early!" I checked on my watch and found the time saying 11:37

"How can you say that 11:37 is early? It's almost midnight. I need to sleep." I get sleepy easily. I'm not like Charlie who can afford to not sleep for five days. And she said that coffee could help me stay up too late like what often happens to her but unlike her, it makes me sleepier.

"Okay, then go. I think you prefer sleeping than watching a Marvel movie tonight." My eyes widened the moment she mentioned Marvel. I would rather not sleep for days just to not miss one movie from them though I already watched all of them so many times before.

I shoved her off me as it startled her then climbed to the bed right with my feet crossed and a thick smile on my face after wrapping a blanket around me. "Play it now! I'm wide awake!" Then I flipped my hair while hugging a huge pillow. "See, that's all she needs to stay up late." Charlie winked at Britney and they both laughed. Marvel would always be my weakness. Especially its sentimental value to me.

The lesson I learned from the movies a few years ago was when I first experience an ugly breakup. "What are you guys waiting for? Halloween? That would be four months more so let's go now!" I rested my back on the headboard.