Once Upon An Us (Completed)

chapter thirty one

Visiting Casper had become a regular thing, he was doing so much better now, his mother couldn't thank me enough, she looked more alive than ever. Yes I had destroyed and ruined some things but I discovered that I had also saved and created some, they never tell us that we can break and heal at the same time.

“How is Brandon doing?” Casper asked, it was the first time he had brought up Brandon, I was usually the one who initiated it first.

“We're still trying all we can, the doctor says he has hope for a heart donor in a week or two but the longer it takes the more critical the situation gets”

Casper remained silent, his eyes were fixed on the glass but if anyone took the time to observe they would realize it was actually fixed at nothing at all, he was swimming in his own thoughts.
“Casper” I tried to draw back his attention.

“I never knew it would get this serious” he replied but didn't turn to look at me.

“And if he doesn't have a heart donor?”

Then he finally looked at me and with the stare we shared, the reply didn't need to be said... It was written all over with the grim expression my face wore.

“When can I see him?”
Casper had made two shocking statements now, first he had asked of Brandon and now he wanted to see him.

“Are you sure you want to see him?” I had a worried expression, Casper was doing so well now and I didn't want anything that would lead all the recovery in vain.

“You we're never ready to face me but at a point you just had to” that was one of the best replies he could give me cause deep down it was true, I had to face my demons at a point, and he too had to and I don't have the right to take that from him.

“The doctor says you're doing so much better now, but he isn't sure whether to let you go yet”

“Tell him it's just a visit, I just want to go back home for a while, I just want to visit Brandon and apologize for everything, I just want to correct all my wrongs... I haven't fully recovered and am scared — scared that I may hurt you all again but this one time I just want a chance to fix things”

The words from Casper's mouth felt so sincere and I couldn't turn him down, I had to speak to Dr Clarke, we all deserved a chance to do the right thing.

***
It had been months since Casper had been in his room, he had almost forgotten what it looked like, what his life was before all this drama, he had forgotten what it felt like to be the good boy, the star pupil, the golden apple of every teacher.

A red dog chain had brought some sentiments on his expression, during my last visit I had forgotten that Casper used to have a dog — yes used to, it wasn't a mistake, he used to cause now the dog was buried few fts in the ground, Mrs Jones had at least given the dog a proper burial, he had been too sad and miserable about Casper, and she was also too weak to give him attention, so he laid quietly all day in a dark corner until he just didn't wake up anymore.

Casper held the chain to his lips and whispered some words, like maybe a last message and then kept it on the table once more. This was the first time I had seen him on normal clothes that weren't the hospital wear and it looked good on him, he had lost some weight I wouldn't lie, his collar bones were bare and my fingers could wrap around his arm but that's why he was home now to recover everything he had lost and even pounds of flesh were included, the doctor had let him go for a week, and then he would come back for a final evaluation before he can decide whether to just let him come one day in the week for a brief talk and check up or not.

“Are you really sure you want to go to school tomorrow?”

“It's now or never right?” I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze, “we'll face it together”