So it's been quite a while since I updated, and I'm sorry for the delay, but here is Chapter 10.
Wedding Dress
Chapter 10: Waking Up
Sometimes it is in those pre-dawn hours that your mind embarks to understand the complexities of life. During these hours, countless questions flutter across your thoughts as you drift in and out of consciousness and reality.
"Did Ren really die, or was it just a bad dream?
I had woken up with a start this morning and turned to the side only to find the bed beside me empty. I reached out and grabbed the cold, soft pillow, and embracing it, I closed my eyes. It still smelt like Ren. Tears threatened, but I managed to blink them away. Again I questioned whether Ren was really dead, or if the twisted nightmares of the night before had managed to shake me up just that badly.
Confused, I sat up and let go of the pillow I had been holding so tightly. The large bed seemed more enormous than ever before, and it only magnified the feeling of loneliness that had been plaguing me. There was no use trying to find sleep again, the growing brightness of the room was too much. And then again, I caught myself. "Why are the curtains open?" Only Ren ever opened them in the morning…
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a light coming from my phone. I ditched the covers and shifted so that I could sit on the edge of the bed, my legs dangling. At first I thought I must have left my phone on silent and that I was receiving a call, but upon further inspection I found that the light screen was only the glare from the sun.
I opened the phone to reveal a picture of myself and Ren from a premier we had been at sometime in the previous weeks. It was so nice being able to walk in with my hand on Ren's arm, showing the press- and therefore the world- that I was the one he chose. The longer I looked at the picture- myself in an elegant red dress, and Ren sporting a tuxedo- the harder it was to hold back the tears. The depression made me feel sick, and I clutched at my stomach as I tried to avoid the wave of nausea that overcame me.
Oh what I wouldn't do just to hear his voice… and then it hit me, I would call his private phone- one that's caller ID was not hidden- and listen to the voicemail.
Slowly dialing the number that I knew by heart, I waited in anticipation as I heard each of the rings. It did not even faze me that I should be hearing the phone somewhere within the apartment- it was probably on silent. The final ring sounded, and then his voice reached my ears. It was such a simple phrase, but nevertheless, it was his voice. When the recorded voicemail had finished, I hung up, and called again. After the third call, I placed my phone next to me on the bed, and fell back, my legs still dangling off the edge.
I closed my eyes once again and listened to the faint humming of the air conditioning in the apartment. The soundproof walls of the high-priced building prevented me from hearing any of the outside noises from the city traffic below. It was for this reason that I nearly jumped out of my skin when my phone began to vibrate- quite loudly- and interrupt the silence of the room.
Regaining my senses, I picked up the phone and casually glanced at the screen. I nearly dropped the phone when Ren's name and picture appeared. "Was this some kind of evil joke?" How could Ren be calling me… he was dead, wasn't he? Even with the doubtful thoughts about the identity of the caller, my curiosity won, and I picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Kyoko! Is something wrong? You called me three times… I'm sorry I didn't pick up at first- I should have known that if you called me it was important." The flustered voice of Ren was like music to my ears.
"Ren… is that you?"
"Yes it's me, Kyoko. Is everything all right? Do I need to come home- are you home? Where are you? I can ask the director to let me leave early- I'll work late tomorrow… Kyoko? Kyoko? Are you crying? What's wrong?!"
"Ren… I"
"Kyoko, what is it?"
"Ren, I'm sorry, I'm just so happy."