Destined
By Nya
.: Chapter One :.
"Life is cruel."
"Mother, is something the matter?" a brunette girl asked as she was brought into a room by a nurse. Her innocent eyes wondered around the hospital room; at the blinds covering the sunlight, at the funny bed that always had a roll of paper on it, at the little man in the white coat, and at last, at her mother who sat rigid in her chair.
Yuka sadly gazed at her daughter. "Can you tell her?" she feebly asked the doctor. It frightened the girl at how weak her mother seemed to be. She turned her innocent hazel eyes towards the doctor.
The doctor faced the girl's eyes and felt a hole in his heart. Poor girl, he thought, she's still so young. The doctor gulped, although he had told many families of bad news, he never got used to it. And this situation was most unfortunate: a single mother whose only family was her young daughter.
"My dear, you should brace yourself," he began. The hazel eyes widened but the girl made no other movement. "You're mother; she's been diagnosed with leukemia."
Silence.
"Mom, it's not true is it? It's a mistake right?" she asked as she went over and tugged on her mother's blouse.
"Oh, Mikan, I'm so sorry." The woman broke into tears.
The girl stood there, unable to process everything that happened in the last few moments. The room seemed to whirl; colors and noises seemed to be spun around; her mother's sobs, the doctor's pitying look, and the light that was blocked from the room by the blinds, which, in return, seemed to glow.
The day my mother was diagnosed, I was only nine years old.
-
-
As I sat in the car, watching the familiar streets whiz past, I can still vividly recall everything on that day. Afterwards, I remember the hopelessness I felt, the loneliness of spending nights in the hospital when my mother's condition worsened, the fear I felt when my mother cried, the desperation for money to pay for treatment. Every time my mother went through major treatment, I would dread the bills that would come, with zeros that seemed to last forever. I wished I could grow up earlier, then I could be there for my mom, then I can support her.
I remembered how happy I felt when I finally turned thirteen, a year where I can finally go out into the world and get a job. While other people my age was going to the mall and hanging out on the basketball court, I was working at McDonalds or staying up, chatting with my mother.
But the worst thing was, even after seven years, my mother's condition was not improving, she wasn't responding to the treatment; she needed advanced treatment that our hospital couldn't provide. That's the reason I'm on this car right now, moving to Tokyo. It's all for mother.
"Sweetie, I'm so excited to go to a big city! I've only been to Tokyo a few times before," Yuka said. She turned around so abruptly that the brown locks from her wig spun around and hit the seat.
"I can't wait to see it too," I replied. I could never get used to the wig, every time I saw it, it made me wish that mother wasn't sick, it made me wish that I'll get to see her natural locks that used to be mom's love and pride.
She smiled at me, "Are you nervous for your new school? Don't worry, it'll be great. I've heard that there are awesome water parks and shops in Tokyo, we'll have to check them out in the future."
In the future. Everything was 'in the future', a time where mom got better and recovered. Over time, I've come to despise those three words. I didn't want it to be in the future anymore, I wanted them to be right now!
But of course, I've never told her.
She reached over and took my hand. I smiled at her, "Of course we have to. It's a must do when we get there."
Lots of people struggle to find a definition for life, but I've long found my reason to live.
It didn't take long to arrive at the train station. We got out of the cab and attempted to pay the driver who insisted that we didn't need to pay him. "You can pay me by having a fresh start over there," he said. By then, the morning frost cleared up a bit and I could hear the 7 long bangs of a nearby clock. The conductor let out the steam from the train which made a 'choo-choo' sound.
"Mikan, don't be a slowpoke!" she said as she dragged her suitcase to the train.
"That's not fair mom, I have more luggage!"
My mother laughed and started to board the train. It was then that I turned around to look at the village I grew up for 16 years. I felt something tug at my heart; it was officially good-bye.
"Come on Mikan! Whatcha waiting for?" a voice shouted from a window.
"Coming!" With that, I took a last peak and turned away from my village, rubbing my tears away.
Chapter One: End
-
Hello! I spent sometime thinking up of this plot and decided to give it a shot. I'd be happy to receive some comments on this chapter soo feel free to review! Thanks.