Black Waters (Frank Ocean Love Story)

Chapter 二十七

Christopher’s View.

It has been only two days now. I’ve been suffering from nothing and everything, feeling fragments of different random emotions every minute. Mia seemed to have taken my sanity with her when she left. But I’m not the only person who was beginning to lose their mind—Lucas was apparently enrolled into a mental institution recently. A doctor told Clancy that Lucas has schizophrenia and something called ‘Peter Pan Syndrome’. Poor kid.

But there is good news, though. The police found Ajahni and returned her to Cedar Gardens Mental Institution. That still puzzled me. I just couldn’t imagine why she would be in a mental institution. What could be so wrong with her?

I would go to the institution to look for her, but I already called them. They told me that she wouldn’t be able to receive visitors for a while, and the police prohibited anyone who doesn’t work at the institution or isn’t a patient from going into the building. It’s a bit of a crime scene.

Since I couldn’t stay at home all day and be miserable—well actually, I could, but I’m choosing not too—I decided to drive over to Hodgy’s house. I wanted to see if he knew the good news about Ajahni. Maybe that would make him feel better, and make him see that we could finally be friends again.

The drive to his house was nerve-wracking though; I didn’t know what to expect when I got there. I pulled into the driveway and turned off the car, sitting in there hesitantly for a few long moments. Finally, I got out of the car and headed to the front door. It was locked, but there was a sign on the front saying:

If you’re lucking for higasha, I’m either in the back or purposely ignoring you.

Shaking my head, I went around to the back. Indeed, Hodgy was sitting on one of his balcony chairs. He had a white bandage over his right ear, and I remembered hitting him there with his golf club. It was self-defense.

“Hey,” I said. He turned around to look at me and then turned right back around. I sat down on the chair beside him.

“What do you want?” He asked.

“To apologize for my behavior the other day. I shouldn’t have hit you. I should have tried to calm you down.” I replied. Hodgy stayed quiet, but only for a little while.

“Whatever. I’m still mad at you.” He said at last. I was confused now.

“Why?”

Hodgy paused. “I don’t know,” he started. “Maybe it’s not you that I’m mad at. Maybe it’s the world. I feel like it’s the world’s fault.”

“Hodgy, you don’t have to keep blaming the world. She’s not dead—the police found her alive and well.” I said, hoping that revealing the news would cheer him up and steer his attitude in the opposite direction. But he didn’t look much happier when I told him.

“I already knew that. I’ve been watching the news consistently. That’s not why I’m upset. Even though she’s alive, she’s still gone, Frank.” Hodgy’s voice cracked as he spoke, and I could tell he was about to cry by the glassiness of his eyes. There was nothing I could do but watch, fascinated. “I really did love her. I don’t think she loved me at first, she just liked me. But she was so close to loving me one night, and then these random guys came and just snatched her away…Since then, I haven’t gotten over it.”

Hodgy was right. He hasn’t gotten over it. I can tell. I haven’t gotten over Ajahni either. And that’s why I’m going to find her—soon.

“Look man,” I said suddenly, staring Hodgy in the eye. “I promise you on my grandmother’s grave that I will find Ajahni. I’ll see her again, and so will you. I promise you that. Okay?” He appeared to have faith in my words; I could see it in his eyes. He nodded, and shook my hand, as if agreeing on a deal. Now I had made a commitment. I had to fulfill it.