To Endure A Little More

TEN

*Aelia's Point Of View*

In my head rushed a thousand thoughts, in my heart raced a million feelings. I felt odd. As the scenes from the night before replayed in details in my mind like a record on loop, like a song one cannot get over, there was no sense of repentance working in me; nothing which could have me regret over the fact that I had given myself away to something that I had labeled for me as forbidden. There was no part of that didn't like having him against my skin, oh so close, and that had me feel odd. At thinking back to every small detail of that night, the familiar feelings that yet still felt very new which I was getting overwhelmed by, had caused bristling of the hair of my body in goosebumps and I felt odder than ever. Through the blur caused by my tears that started to escape my eyes unceasingly, as my mind drifts off away from all the emotions I was seeming to drown in, my eyes look around to find anything to distract me from how I was feeling. My eyes settle on a box made of cardboard few feet away from me. Only when I was about to look away to find anything else to use to put off my emotions from devastating me, my eyes notice a name drawn on the box in a doodle-work which piques my interest. The name turning out to be Luan's, I later realise as I look clearer. Curiosity never letting go of its capture on me, I bring it closer to me while wondering what I could possibly find inside.

Despite knowing it is an unethical behavior to touch the belonging's of someone without their consent, I don't hesitate to add one more wrongdoing of mine in my list of delinquencies. Luan was never someone to let his belongings lay around for it to wake and attract anybody's spirit of curiosity, ever since he changed. It was quite unusual of him and that fact tempted me more to find out what the box contained, now that I had my hands on it. 

Far from anything I had expected to see, my moment of aha is disrupted as I find for the box to be containing nothing but several pieces of crumbled paper. I take some of the damaged paper in my hand and fix it so that I can discover what it has in its contents. I'm not surprised by the sketches Luan drew but rather by the fact that he never lost his talent of art. He was always fond of art and his interest was carved deep within his heart. Starting with paintings and drawings to music and poetry, he was always touched deeply by the extensive meaning everything carried. Something about him that I always found charming.

As I skim through the crumbled balls of paper and straighten out each to be mesmerized by the piece of art per one carried, I start to notice a similar face to be observed in each artwork. Each artwork being defined by poetry. I get dazzled in enthrallment by the beauty of all the works of art created by the artist who I was starting to feel impressed by and that distracts me from any skepticism my curiosity was growing in me at noticing the familiarity in face of the women in each sketch.

Buried deep within the paper pieces, I find wooden carvings of horses and soldiers. I grow nostalgic of old times as I look at the little miniature works I find in the box and I hark back into my memories of the days Terran, Luan and I used to make carvings together. As I begin to take a trip down the memory lane, the image of a gift Luan once presented me with casts its image on my third eye. A gift that meant to me more than words could ever define for it to be. It was a carved off wood miniature of a crescent moon covering a shining sun which he called it our mark.

My hands dive inside the box and I attempt search for the little work of art I used to cherish a lot back in the days. While I'm digging inside the cardboard box, searching for the precious item, I get distracted and my attention gets distracted by the noise of glass shattering followed by the sound of heaviness meeting the ground which breaks the bizarre and peculiar silence in the room. I flinch at sudden offbeat noise meeting my ears and I look around in concern to see Harvey sprint out, slamming the door behind him.

My eyes have a look-see around the small room with my brows furrowed in to figure what created the obscure noise and I realize to see Jeremy out of sight which perplexes me. It was quite a small room for him to be in a corner where I couldn't see him and I was free from doubt that he didn't leave. I stand up on my feet and turn about, looking for the burgundy haired man as tension grows thicker in the atmosphere by the second.

The visible suspension of carbon and other particles in air that had been emitted by the amount of cigarettes that have been smoked in this room caused me to feel an exhaust in my lungs and my eyes hurt. I rub my eyes and blow the smog in the air away to see clearer to finally notice a figure laying on the ground. A gasp escapes my lips as I fear it to be Jeremy. I scurry to him, heart caught in my throat, as I notice all the shards of glass pierced through his arms and back although his face wasn't injured much. 

His conscious is far gone and he shows no sign of moving or make any actions. My eyes water up as I start to panic. I look at him in pure fright and I fail to stop anxiety from catching the best of me. I look at him, unsure of what to do as he helplessly lays on the floor, bruised and bleeding, reeking of alcohol, his body cold and pale and I can't help but sob, throwing myself at guilt for I know it is my fault he brought this on himself.

"No-no...no...Jun, what did you do this to yourself?  God...It's all my fault." I speak to his senseless body, mentally beating myself as I become panic-stricken. My hands dash into my back pocket, hands quivering as I dial in Terran's number. He hears my cries and it's not long before he shows up without any idea of what phenomenon I'm caught in.

"... I-" I wept, opening my mouth to try speak through my sobs but not a words leaves my lips and he quickly takes my trembling form in his embrace, shushing me. He caresses my back soothingly and I try catching my breath but the foreboding feeling of worry, nervousness and unease overwhelms me.

His hands reach down to Jeremy's bloody, senseless body and focuses his fingers with pressure on his neck nerves to check his pulse. Terran's face lightens and he lets out a small breathe realizing Jeremy is alive although his heart beat his faint and low.

"He needs to be taken to the hospital immediately." Terran says, approaching his body to pick him up in his arms.

"No!"

"What?" Terran exclaims at me. "He might die!"

I stay silent.

"B-But how do we escape everyone in the academy. If words get out to his family that this happened to him because he drank his senses out here... and-and what do we tell the hospital, they'll file him a case-"

 We had no choice but to take him to a hospital immediately. But there were more risks at taking him to the hospital than for him to die and I knew without doubt that Jeremy wouldn't want himself to be taken to the hospital because the consequences of word getting out and getting a file cased on himself could bring Hell on him. He came from a family filled with complicacies. After his father remarried and his family came in bond with Thiago's family, he has been compelled to live under certain obligations at all times. Thiago being the older in the new family and coming from the step family, he got to decide his future for himself without having to abide by the obligations. But since Jeremy was his father's legitimate son which made him the only suitable heir for his father's great fortune, if he had shown to have any feature in himself that unqualified him as the successor, he'd even be tortured to fix himself if need be. Not many knew of this reality of Jeremy's except a few of us and being his trusted one, I cannot let myself bring him more pain by saving him through a hospital.

Terran hugs me, caressing the back of my head to calm me down. But I couldn't help but panic more. I try breathing to calm myself down and think of a solution before it is too late.

 "Let's take him to my house." The male's eyes widen at my words. I take in a deep breathe, showing my determination through my bold voice. I look at him with sincerity and seriousness in my eyes.

"No way! We worked so hard to bury your past, now you want to bring it to your present?!" Terran speaks with lack of conviction, perplexed.

"If it means it can save Jeremy... then yes. I bet he can keep a secret or two."

Terran finds nothing to argue back with me and finally agrees along.

"Fine, lets take the back route then. No one will see us that way. You go throw the main exit with my car keys and drive to the secret exit, I'll be waiting there with Jeremy's body."

I agree with Terran and both head out, taking a big risk to save Jeremy.