HIGHS AND LOWS

SUNDAY MORNING.                                    

I didn’t get any sleep at all. Not even forty winks. I just gloomily stared at the drawn draperies with the ray of sunlight.

Mom has been visiting me from time to time, rapping at my door, asking me to let her come in. I’m skipping meals and ignoring messages from Liam and my best friends.

Today was supposed to be my whole week’s convalescence. I tried to fight the urge to stay in my room all day. But the chains are indestructible and my room won’t let me leave, like asking for a company.

In twilight, I gathered an infinitesimal bandwidth to stand up and fixed my flyaway hair. Normally, I would always wash my face up with soap but water isn’t even enough to ablute this lingering feeling of turmoil.

I wasn’t expecting some great news today, nor someone who would drop by to cure this ailment of despondency.

Then, suddenly, a pinged from doorbell emerged, expecting it would be from Liam, Blake, or Ashton. Or worse, from Dad.

To my surprise, it’s Jake, clad in a maroon varsity jacket, black gym shorts, exposing his beefy legs and thighs, and a duffle bag hanging from his shoulder.

“Wow! Your house looks amazing from the outside,” said he.

I love to look at Jake’s eyes when I’m talking to him. His green forestry eyes alleviate the wisps of smoke and doubts swimming in my vision. Their family is the literal definition of godly beauty.

“What are you doing here?” I asked wondering.

“Liam asked me to pay you a visit on his behalf.”

 Jake ambled towards his raven land rover jeep to reveal a score of fresh red roses interspersed in a beautiful configuration and a greeting letter above the juts of the flowers that says:

“I’m sorry I can’t be there with you today babe. I wish I was there with you, to hug you and kiss you.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Your love,

                                                                                                                                           Liam” 

Nobody can change my mind that Liam raise the bar of being the best boyfriend in the world. I’m not exacting for attention since Liam is also a busy guy but he makes stupendous amount of effort just to make me happy.

“Liam is with father today. Out of town. Doing some business matters,” Jake articulated.

I gave a half-smile and agreeable nod as Jake handed me over the roses.

“I’ve got to go now. I still must meet up with someone tonight,” Jake said smiling.

“Going on a date?” I teased.

I’m trying to narrow down the best possible activities that Jake could do on a Sunday night and a passionate dinner with a comely lady, as classy as him, befits his character. 

“You’re completely mistaken. I beg to differ,” he said guffawing, his hand on his stomach.

“Okay then. You take care and thank you for wasting your time on me,” I replied humorously.

He took off and bid his cordial goodbye once again in his moving car. 

I’m a deep-dyed fan of romantic movies and I couldn't believe that my time has come to become the lead of my own. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever imagine.

Thank you, Jake, deeply, for being the best fairy grandmother that I could ever have. 

The sweet gesture took the pain away and I started to become vigorous again. I placed the torn-pruned roses on a transparent vase with a half-filled water lodged in the living room. I stared at it for an unhealthy amount of time and decided to open my phone, combing the messages one by one.

Slew of messages from Liam rallied me again, giving me butterflies. 

“I miss you babe. I miss your velvety lips against mine.”

“I hope you’re doing fine today. Call me back as soon as possible.”

“I hope you loved the roses that I sent you. I’ll let Jake deliver it to you since he’s a florist at heart and he knows more about anthology than his half-brother".

“I miss holding your soft hands and I miss seeing your sweet laughter. I love you to the moon and back.”

Unbeknownst to Liam’s knowledge, I was having a demanding time today and it made me grateful to have someone who make my darkest days bearable.

I attempted to call him back, but he never picked up.

It is 6:48 in the evening. The pale moon started to radiate an ivory glow.

I was planning to have a nightly walk since mom is too zoned out, calling with his new boyfriend. I still must simmer down to neutralize my mercurial emotional status. I need to find my center.

And so, without a solid plan, I drove my way out of the house, and found myself wandering at the BNL mall. My premier reason that I travelled all the way here is to pamper myself with an ice-cold cup of frothy chocolate milkshake and warm bunch of newly-dredged oily fries.

Before I could even get inside the establishment, I saw Jake and a gaggle of boys huddled in the tenebrous part of the parking lot. 

Jake’s acting odd around them and he started sweeping his eyes in the parking lot, like he was hiding something. I stood behind the car, six cars away from mine, barricading myself from their sight, investigating a little.

Then, what followed next shocked me.

Jake stealthily handing these hooligans a white compressed pack of sugar-like products inside in his duffle bag. Is he dealing drugs?! Does Liam know?!

How is this possible? He is too innocent to do something illicit like this. 

I watched them go, one after another, and Jake, frantically, went inside his jeep, revved the car, like nothing happened.

Should I tell Liam about Jake’s cloak-and-dagger venture? It could sully their reputations as a Chivec. What if someone is using Jake to smuggle drugs?

This matter-of-fact could maim the relationship of Liam and Jake, out and out. 

There is a lot on the line here. Their lives could have a dire turnaround, and I do not want that to happen to Jake, especially to Liam.

Perhaps I'm just hungry, seeing ghosts, and seeing things.

But I pinched myself, with my fingernails, until I saw blood dribbling around my forearm, and it made me moan in pain.

This is so not happening!