"Nicholas!"I turned towards the voice. Mrs. Grater calling my name in her style and her arms spreading towards me. I don't know why she would call my name from afar and yet, walk up to me. She could've walked up and tap me into her presence and save her faint voice for emergency. It is equally laughable to think she expects I run like wildfire into her embrace. It is nice to see, but no, she isn't my mother and I am not her toddler to welcome her the way she envisaged.I stood without moving and she lowered her arms in return. I decided to move my cheeks up a little when she alternatively give her full smile to me. Getting tired of standing, I leaned on my bike and wait for the end of her slow walk to me. I didn't fail to notice the parcel in her hand. Cookies. This is the best part of having her home."Nicholas!"She called on a close reach. Oh! Mrs. Greater has tenderly aged. Her steps have gotten slower and her voice, fainter."Hi, Mrs. Grater.""It's been ages. Look at you, all g

GREG:I continued tossing on the bed despite many failures to get extra sleep. My body calls for a wake, yet I coiled under the duvet Granny had provided last night, chasing for more. With the chilly weather, anyone could wish nothing but to lay and snore in laziness. It is a relief that Granny had left me the night without supper. I'd thought she would nag and cry me out of bed to have some dinner with them.Having lunch with Granny and Mr. Ben yesterday was doable. It was the first time I ever use the same table with anyone who isn't blood-related. The familiarity was new to Mr Ben too, he awkwardly ate his food and kept his face lowered to his plate until I voiced against it. That exact reaction is one of the two I dislike seeing in anyone around me, but I have come to reasonable terms with it since most of the employees at home who happens to see my masked face act that way, while few suddenly become respectful and loyal. I could differentiate the two reactions and the latter is t

NICHOLAS:Despite the long night, my sleep was short and restless. I was plagued by unwelcome thoughts of Greg Waldeen, conjuring various images of him in my mind without settling on a single one. The curiosity to know him proved difficult to handle, and as I rose from bed at sunrise to have coffee, I resolved to pursue him relentlessly, undeterred by any obstacles in my path.The chilly morning sent shivers through my body, prompting me to bundle up. I adjusted the window blinds in an attempt to keep the cold air at bay, but it persisted, fueled by the nearby woods and river that turned the surroundings into a frosty zone with a mere gust of wind. Such conditions often tempted me to consider selling the woods to a timber factory; the trees could serve a more practical purpose than exacerbating the cold.Returning to my room, I changed into track pants and a cotton vest, tied back my hair and banded it round my skull, and ventured outside the building to gather firewood for the heart

NICHOLAS:Walking away from Vain, I took in some deep breaths and quickly adjust to the reason I came."I am here for Brenda. Send me to her.""I missed you, Nico. Do you not miss me at all?"Ignoring my words, Vain began to show his softest feature again. Times in the past, I won't believe a tough figure like him will ever speak so weakly to anyone."And why should I miss you, Vain?"He walked up to me again and stood so I could feel him breathe, "and you didn't?"Vain kept staring at my lips. Something must have gotten into him. He is behaving differently and ok, this is not Vain."Is everything ok with you Vain?"I may be angry at him but I care. I love him. Yes, Vain is my first love. Vain walked past me to grab the dwarf glass which holds some liquid in it."What do you care?" He asked and sipped some of the liquid."I don't.""Hmmm.""Enough Vain, take me to Brenda.""There's no Brenda, not yet.""What the fuvk!?""How else would I have brought you here. You were being so unreaso

Greg:He had suddenly disappeared without a trace. In just a matter of days, he ceased coming over for meals or riding his bike around. His absence cast a somber shadow over my days. I kept a vigilant watch from my window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but there was nothing. No visitors came to see him either, making me doubt if anyone besides myself noticed his absence or cared about his whereabouts. My longing soon turned into worry, and asking Granny for information was out of the question; I was certain she had no knowledge of his whereabouts.I had intended to give up my game of hide-and-seek, and now he had chosen to become invisible. I had imagined we would become friends, and perhaps, just maybe, something more. I miss him dearly. I yearn to see him outside the building every day, making his way to Granny's place. I genuinely hope he is safe."The handsome boy hasn't been around for a while," Mr. Ben mentioned during lunch, acknowledging that I wasn't the only one who ha