DARKNESS

~~DARKNESS~~

ALICIA

It has been about two weeks since Xavier and I spoke, the only thing that happens in this room is just us brushing past each other when we find either of us are in the room. I don’t know where he has been sleeping for the past how many days; all I know is he always comes back looking stressed. Sometimes I even feel a little pity for him until I relay the events surrounding my mug and I feel my spirit flare up all over again like the event just happened. Stepping into the house and meeting it empty doesn’t surprise me because that’s how I have been entering the house for the past two weeks. It’s Wednesday, my off day, I have been outside enjoying the school’s peaceful scenery, taking some pictures, and doing some videos to send to my mum later. I just want to take my bath and sleep; I stopped to get some food when I was on my way back from school. I take off my clothes and step into the bathroom, I’m enjoying the hot water dripping down my body when suddenly the light goes off, and I immediately feel a sense of dread wash over me. Suddenly, I hear the sound of the door to the room being opened; I immediately start shivering even though steaming hot water was just rolling down my body some seconds ago. Panic rises within me, fast and sharp, I step out of the shower and wrap myself in my big fluffy towel, heart pounding, hands shaking as I fumble for my phone.

“Xavier?” I call out, hating the tremor in my voice and praying silently for it to be him. He answers immediately “Yeah, I’m here. There is a power outage, just let me get a candle”.

~~XAVIER~~

On my way home, I could hear people talking that there might be a power outage today, since there is going to be a heavy storm coming, guess I have to get everything done on time then. I can’t believe I forgot to by a torchlight and batteries. Ten steps away from my house, I’m enveloped in sudden darkness, I quickly unlock the door and step inside, when, I hear a tiny voice calling my name from the bathroom, I guess she was having a shower when the light went off, I could hear the fear in her voice so I quickly find my duffle bag that I brought from home some weeks back to search for a touch I’m praying I put there. My hand comes in contact with candles- emergency ones mom told me to put in my bag that I forgot about. I’m sure she already knew I was going to forget it. I quickly grab a lighter and ignite the little wick of the candle.

The small flame flickers to life, softening the room, pushing shadows back just enough to breathe; I light another and walk towards the bathroom, I knock and after a few seconds, I hear the knob of the door turn and see her small hands peeking out from behind the door. She grabs it and shuts the door behind her; I quickly changed out of my clothes since I had already had my bath at work.

She steps out quietly already dressed and sits down opposite me on her bed. The silence deafening, awkward but not hostile. The next thing I hear is the sound of thunder, and then rain starts pounding on the roof. The air feels slightly intimate despite the distance.

~~ALICIA~~

I offer my gratitude and he just stares at me before nodding slowly. The next thing I knew we were talking- not about feelings, not about the past- but about trivial things. Music, food, which class feels pointless, etc. I laugh when he admits he hates early mornings but wakes up anyway because failure terrifies him more. The laughter surprises us both. When the light finally returns, neither of us move away from each other right away. We don’t acknowledge it but I’m sure he knows something has changed.