The Unforgettable Echoes Of Love

Chapter 29

For the first time in a week, I visited Gigi.

Guilt lingered heavily within me. This whole situation felt like my fault, a consequence of Bella, who used to be my friend.

Entering the hospital with a bouquet of roses, Gigi's favorite flowers, I announced myself at the reception and was guided to her room by a friendly nurse.

Upon entering, I found Georgina peacefully sleeping. Her face retained its beauty, undisturbed by the mess around her.

"If there's a problem, do not hesitate to press on the red button next to her bed, okay?" The nurse informed me, offering a small smile before leaving.

Approaching my sister, tears streamed down my cheeks. The fear that she might never wake up haunted me.

Ever since Gigi overdosed because of me, my world had crumbled. My parents' constant fighting, the gradual drift between my siblings and me – it felt like living in a paradox. What was once a strong family had disintegrated the moment problems struck.

"Hey Gigi, I just wanted to bring you this and... apologize. I'm so sorry for everything happening to you, and I hope you'll recover quickly," I murmured, observing her unresponsive form.

Overwhelmed, I left abruptly, feeling like a fucking coward escaping the weight of my actions.

******

"Baby, it's utterly fucking unbelievable. How can you not like sushi?" Zyran exclaimed. I chuckled at his surprised look, resting my head on his chest. "Sushi is essentially raw salmon with rice. It's just not my thing," I asserted.

It made want to fucking throw up.

The conversation took an unexpected turn, and he was genuinely astonished that I never liked sushi. According to him, sushi was the epitome of culinary delight, his words.

"What are we gonna eat when I'll take you on a date?" Zyran sighed.

Hold on. A date?

Noticing how I was surprised by his words, he declared, "You heard me right, I'm taking you on a date." A subtle smile played on his lips as he gazed down at me, and a surge of butterflies fluttered within.

Teasingly, I remarked, "Damn, not even giving me a choice, are you?" His response was a headshake, accompanied by a playful bite of his lower lip. "As if you were gonna say no to going on a date with the hottest motherfucker alive," he joked, rolling his beautiful eyes. "I could've," I teased.

"You wouldn't have," he retorted with a playful glint, toying with my braid. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

He smirked, drawing my face towards his for a lingering kiss. Breaking away, he inquired, "You do actually wanna go on a date with me, right?" I laughed, straddling his torso. "I do." I murmured against his lips.

You know us. It didn't stay there.

As the passion intensified, our connection deepened into more intimate realms. Within minutes, I found myself undressed, and he skillfully fingered me, eliciting my deep desire for him. "I love how wet you get just for me," he murmured, increasing the intensity. My moans got stuck in my throat as I let the feeling of his fingers pumping inside of me, consume me.

His lips ventured along the contours of my neck, provoking an instinctive response as my nails sank into his shoulder and my back arched. In a low, hoarse murmur, he said, "You look beautiful taking it for me."

Driven by desire, one thing led to another, and we fucked until the stars covered the sky.

******

Home used to be the place where you felt like you belonged the most, where you found peace. It could be a physical space or the people who made it feel like home.

But what I thought was home, it was broken.

When I walked through the door, my parents were still fighting, and my siblings were gone. From what I heard, Juju got kicked out, and Lala left because she couldn't recognize her family anymore. Isaac went to his girlfriend's place, whoever she was, and nobody knew where Levi was.

I missed how life used to be - easy and fun. I missed coming home to my mom's dishes. This didn't feel like life; it felt like torture.

Heading upstairs, my mom stopped me. "Ray? Where have you been?"

"At a friend's house," I replied, not in the mood. She complained, "Raya, you can't just leave without telling me!" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm fine, okay? No scratches, no blood. I didn't think about hurting myself on the way here. I am okay."

I was tired of being treated like a little kid. I knew I was sick, but I could take care of myself.

"It's not just that; you haven't been taking your medication!" She yelled, chasing after me.

True, I thought about many things, but the medication was something I tried to forget. They made me sick and were slowly killing me. It hurt that my own family didn't believe me.

"I've been telling you for a month they make me sick. They are killing me!" I reasoned, but she shook her head and sighed.

I went to my room. "Raya, we are just trying to take care of you, baby," Mom whispered. "That is the problem, I don't wanna be taken care of."

"I think I should just kill myself, I am a fucking burden to you," I scoffed, throwing my arms in the air. Mom's eyes widened. She approached me slowly. "Raya, you are no burden to us," she said softly.

"Don't you think I could hear the fights with Dad about how expensive Gigi's medical care, my medication, and treatment are?" I yelled.

Tears welled in her eyes. "Raya, you are my daughter, and I will always provide for you. It is expensive, but you are worth more. That's why we keep fighting." Even though what she said didn't erase the guilt, I realized that amidst the brokenness, love had left a mark.

She was my mom, she loved me.

"Sorry for yelling at you, mom. I just wanna be normal." Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I embraced her tightly.

"Baby, you are normal."

I knew I wasn't.

Something was terribly wrong, and there seemed to be no solution.

Happiness felt out of reach.

I feel bad for my girl.

(2/01/2024)