CHAPTER 13: A night with you by my side…
Reaching Yellow's small apartment several minutes later, Lance hesitated on knocking the door. But thinking on how he had reached this far had made him act without actually thinking anymore. He's worried for her, that's for sure, and he had come to make sure she's okay. And he's not leaving until he gets the answer.
With these determinations in mind, he knocked on the door.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Lance sharpened his senses, hoping to hear something from inside, like probably,"I'm coming." But after waiting long enough, the expected voice didn't come. He could only hear the loneliness of the night, and probably a few neighbors around talking or shouting or singing. But he could hear nothing from her room.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Yellow, it's me, Lance." He called out.
No answer. Lance gritted his teeth, hoping that something bad didn't happen to her in there. His anxiety had gotten the best of him, however. He can't even hear anything worth listening. Is she asleep? Getting impatient this time, Lance pounded on the door with his fist.
"Hey Yellow, you're in there?" Lance called out louder this time. But when he heard no reply, he cursed in his mind, "Damnit Yellow, if you're okay and in there, at least tell me, so that I don't have to worry so much like an idiot!" He shouted this time. Getting more and more impatient by the second, Lance gritted his teeth again when he heard no reply. He reached out for the handle and turned it, to check if it was locked or not. And it wasn't…
He sighed as he heard the soft clicking noise of the door, before he turned it in a full rotation, and pushed open the door. He warily looked around, before he took a step inside, bracing himself for a sudden hostile action from someone, but none came.
The room was utterly dark; the lights were switched off and the curtains were drawn closed. His hand slowly but steadily reached out for the wall next to the door, in hopes of finding any switch for the lamp. When he felt something that seems to be it, he took a deep breath, and turned it on.
The lamp in that small room lit up; giving him a clear vision of that room. And he nearly gasped at the sight before him. Everything sure was in a total mess, the small table was pushed to a corner by force – it seems – and the futon was thrown into a bundle near the corner of that room. Glass pieces are scattered on the floor, various papers was torn to shreds and was scattered about.
Lance's dull golden eyes widened at the sight before him. It took him a few minutes to process his environment, before he closed the door behind him and took a step inside that room. He looked about warily, hoping to find her.
However, his gaze fell suspiciously on the futon in the corner of that room. Then, he just realized, that someone is wrapped around it. Not further thinking of what it might be, Lance took steps toward it, and kneel down before it. He could've sworn he heard sobbing coming from there. He slowly and gently began to open the futon and what he saw before him really shocked him.
Yellow was sitting in that corner, with her knees pulled to her chest and her face buried in it. She uses both of her hand to cover herself using the huge blankets she has. As Lance pulled away that blanket, she released her grip on it and wound her arms around her knees. She didn't look up to him or say anything else.
"Yellow?" He asked, in a much softer and soothing tone. He placed both of his hand on her shoulders and gripped it gently, "Yellow, can you hear me?"
It took her a lot of time to response. She slowly looks up at him, and Lance was surprised to see her face. Trails of fresh tears are there on his cheek, her eyes shimmered with tears she was restraining, and her face was filled with sadness hard to comprehend. However, that empty looks in her eye could only mean one thing…
Tears keeps on rolling down as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her whole body shook and trembled.
"Yellow?"
"U-u-uncle W-Wilton… h-h-h-he… he… d-d…"
Lance puts a finger on her lips gently, "Don't say it if you can't," He whispered to her soothingly.
Yellow trembled harder, before she wound her arms around Lance, and breaks down on him. She hugged him tight, and keeps on crying, and crying, Lance tried his best to calm her down; by running his finger gently through her hair, and whispered to her soothing words.
He had been having bad feelings about this, but never thought that it'll be this bad. Uncle Wilton is Yellow's only relative left, the only one who still cares for her welfare, the only one who earns for her and took her as his own daughter. He loves her very much and so does she. And to have him suddenly…died like this might not be good news for her.
Lance didn't bother to ask the details of what happened, but all he knew was that she needs someone she can hold on to right now…
She keeps on crying and crying. Lance pulled her to his side as he leaned slowly against the wall. He pats her head gently, trying to calm her down…
Several hours later, by far into midnight, the two had fallen asleep; side by side, embracing each other…
Sunshine shone through the window and curtain of that small room, and Yellow slowly woke up. She felt the trails of fresh tears on her face and realized what she had been doing last night. Nothing is in her mind, not even Red, except for her dear Uncle Wilton. Her mind went back to him, and she was about to cry again when she heard a faint rustle noise in her room. She slowly adverted her gaze…
She saw Lance, picking up some shredded papers that was scattered around. He looks up to her when he noticed her, and smiled, "Good Morning, Yellow."
"L-L-Lance?" She stammered, voice cracking.
"Well, it's me alright," He replied, still smiling.
There was an awkward silence between them. Yellow looked down, while Lance decided to continue on his work. The room had been really cleaned and re-arranged thoroughly – the small table was put back in place, glass pieces had been cleaned, the futon and all other stuffs had been put back to where it belongs, except for the blanket, and most of the shredded papers are in the rubbish bin now.
However she didn't care much about it. The memories from last night came back to her, and she remembered everything now… He had come, somehow, and comforts her through all the night, and…. She had been crying on him all through the night as well.
"I came here because I was a bit worried… you didn't come for that Spring Festival last night…" He muttered loud enough for her to hear, breaking the awkward silence, while throwing out the mess, "And…" He hesitated, lowering his voice, "I feel sorry for your Uncle…"
Yellow went quite; she felt she had cried enough last night. However now, she felt rather empty; as if a part of her was missing, and it felt so hollow – dark, deep, endless… Is it how it really feels when you lose someone?
Why? Why should it be her? Why her Uncle?
She was kind of surprised when he felt Lance putting his hand on her head, "Please don't cry again…" He whispered, "Don't…" He kneeled down, and put his eye on the same level as hers.
However, those words make her wanted to cry even more. He sighed as he sits down next to her, and pulled her head to his shoulder. He patted her head gently, "Last night… it was another matter… but actually, I can't stand someone crying on me…. So please, don't," He whispered, somehow almost pleading.
It's either his words or his tone or both that made her restrained her tears. She looked down and bit her lower lips sadly.
He stroke her back gently, "Just please… calm down," he whispered again by her ears.
"H-How c-c-can I?" She stammered shakily, "How? Uncle W-Wilton… he-he j-just… he just died!" She blurted out the bitter truth, a bit too loudly, as she pushed him away. Tears welled up in her eyes now.
Lance looked a bit surprised by her action, but regains his composure almost instantly.
"He died! In a fishing accident! He went to the sea, but didn't return for a month! His friends called up to me last night, telling me he died!" She shouted at him, as she hugged her knees closer to herself, burying her face in it, and crying again.
Lance eyes softened as he looked down to the floor. He didn't say anything, except to let her cry on. Probably this is for the best, right now…
Clair wasn't happy, panic or worried can be the right word to describe her feeling right now. How can she not?
Her beloved cousin went missing and doesn't attend school. His whereabouts is unknown until now, and he didn't answer his good-for-nothing phone!
Not only that, her future sister-in-law just flew out from Viridian this morning back to Blackthorn, with god-knows what had happened to her, and what made her changed her mind. She didn't give her a good reason, just a few words of thanks and goodbye. Clair tried to stop her, but to no avail – she seems to have made up her mind.
How could things turn out for the worst like this? Her grandfather wouldn't be happy about this….
Yellow clung to Lance as if he was her lifeline. As Lance tried to calm her down with his gentle touches, she closed her eyes and tried her best to restrain herself.
"…I'm really sorry…" Lance whispered by her ears, smoothing down her hair as he did so.
Yellow cuddled closer, trying to make that empty feeling go away… that feeling which made her want to cry and scream and shout… She felt his warmth seeping into her. She holds on tight to his shirt, not wanting to let go anything that makes her feels better right now…not wanting to let HIM go…
"You know Yellow… I really understand how you actually feel…" Lance trailed off, "These sorts of things happened to me too, once, probably twice, probably more…"
Yellow looked up to him as she heard those words coming out from his mouth. He looked at her as well, and at first, both of their gazes meet. She saw in his empty rigid eyes an emotion that ease her mind somehow; care. As if he'll be caring for her, no matter what happened…
He smiled slightly, the smile that never reaches his eyes, "Sorry, just babbling off…"
"May I know… what is it?" She weakly asked, not knowing what she's saying herself.
He looks quite surprised at first, but smiled again, "Memories of distant came back to me, it seems… And I remembered very well, the feeling of losing someone you love…"
Yellow replied not, wanting to hear more, wanting to understand what he meant…
"You know… once, I know this woman. She's beautiful, no doubt and charming… she's caring and loving, no other woman can be compared to her. She's really something… special, for me, and for everyone who knew her…" Lance trailed off again, looking at the wall across him. He looked back at her again, looking at her reaction – nothing specific.
Lance sighed as he continued, "She really loves cherry blossoms, and she used to take me to the cherry blossom park every day in spring. We would spend time together there, enjoying ourselves… However one day…" His voice began to crack slightly. He took a deep breath and regains his composure, "We were in that Cherry Blossoms Park, together, admiring the view… At that time, her condition doesn't seem too well… I was worried for her at some point, but she always assured me that she's okay, by smiling at me... The smile that hides her pain…"
Lance pulled her closer to his side, wounding his arms around her shoulder, "I… don't exactly know what happened next… She just collapsed and… never got up, ever again… She died, before my very eyes. I witness everything; her pain, her sorrow, her grief, and yet… her happiness."
There was a long pause, before Lance took a deep breath, "She died, just like that, leaving me alone…"
Yellow hesitated, "Is she… really such an important person to you?"
"Just like Uncle Wilton to you…" Lance replied, "Or maybe even more…"
Yellow shed a tear, "I-I'm sorry…" She barely whispered as she quickly wiped away the tear, "But… who exactly is she?"
Lance smiled to none in particular, "My mother…"
Author's note:
Hey there, I guess I went a bit overboard eh? All with the dead people and such…
Feel really bad for Yellow :P
Please Comment, Critic and Review.
Love, Eleria-chan.