***
It’s almost six hours in the evening. Terrence and Daniel came to the hospital literally fifteen or twenty minutes ago. One of the nurses came to the guys to find out some information and left, not letting them go further than a certain place where unauthorized people are not allowed to go. That’s why the friends cross their fingers, go up to the second floor, and sit on tough, uncomfortable chairs in a wide hall, starting to wait for some news about Peter with excitement, whose condition has been hard so far. “Damn, what’s gonna happen to our band?” Daniel asks quietly, raising his head. “What’s gonna happen if Peter doesn’t survive? The doctors don’t give any positive forecasts!” “I dunno, but our band might be broken up if we lost our drummer,” Terrence replies thoughtfully, sitting next to Daniel, finds a pendant in the pocket of his leather jacket and nervously starts to wrap it in his hands. “Peter’s death means the end of ‘Against The System’.” “No, I don’t want it… I don’t want his death. I want Pete to survive. Even if we don’t save the band, I must see him alive and unharmed. I hoped that we’d be able to get him back ‘till the last moment… But now I’m not so sure about it…” “Now everything depends on Peter…” Terrence looks around the whole hall, still nervously wrapping the pedant in his hands. “Whether he survives… His salvation will give us a little chance for a happy ending, but his death will ruin everything to the fuck.” “Oh, even if Peter survives, it doesn’t mean he’d be back to the band.” Daniel starts to massage his neck, shaking his leg nervously at times. “It doesn’t mean he’d get rid of his depression. It doesn’t mean his problems would be solved.” “If we can’t help, we’ll go to a clinic. We’ll at least consult with a psychologist and ask how to make Rose sure to explain everything and show a wish to get therapy.” “Now we’ve gotta try even what seems worthless and stupid,” Daniel says quite confidently. “We can no longer find excuses and can’t stop ourselves from doing what we should. At least for our loyal fans… And for our sweet girls, who believe in us…” “It’s a strong motivation to keep moving on. We have a certain goal – and we’re reaching it because we know someone wants it.” “You’re right, buddy…” Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which a few doctors and patients and a couple of visitors with packets in their hands go by Daniel and Terrence. And then MacClife breaks this silence a little hesitantly, looking at his friend. “Hey, did you warn Anna that we’d stay here longer?” Terrence asks. “Yes, I told her what happened and warned her that I’d stay here ‘till the end. And you talked with Raquelle?” “I did,” Terrence nods. “By the way, Raquelle said she and Anna went to Natalia’s home.” “Yes, Anna told me. And yeah, she doesn’t like the way Natalia looks.” “And Raquelle showed anxiety… She said they were trying to distract their friend and make her have fun. But Rochester keeps being sad.” “Just something… That’s good… It’s better than being obsessed with problems and destroying oneself in all senses.” “Damn, is everything so bad about Natalia that the girls don’t like it?” “Anna said Raquelle and she tried not to talk with Natalia about what had to do with her problems and her relationship with your friend. And I think their tactic works quite well.” “Right… Maybe, the girls would make her sure to tell them everything. Someday, she’ll get sick of lying and hiding the truth that’s killing her.” “I think the most important thing is not to leave Natalia alone. If her problems are serious, and nobody knows what’s happening inside her, someone must be with her. She may go insane from loneliness…” Daniel falls into silence for two seconds, casting a tired look into the distance. “Just like Peter… Who was alone for a bigger part of the time… He didn’t almost talk to anyone lately, and his friends hardly visited him every single day. Maybe, they met one or two times per week, but no more.” “Listen, what if you were right when comparing Natalia and Peter?” Terrence frowns slightly. “What if there’s something common about their cases? Might the same situation happen to Natalia?” “Maybe, but I wanna hope she will not make his mistake and bring herself to a wish to die. I truly wish that girl happiness and want her to tell us the reason for her grief as soon as possible.” “No, Daniel, I’m sure Raquelle and Anna won’t let her do it,” Terrence replies confidently. “I’ll also try to talk to her if it’s hard for the girls to speak to her. I won’t let another suicide attempt happen.” “You think you can do it?” “At least, I’ll try. I ain’t also gonna leave her in trouble and will do my best to help her. Natalia is my close friend, and I love her like my sister. And I do care about what’s happening to her.” “It’s right. That girl has done very much for you.” “I can’t deny. I got wonderful support from Natalia when Cameron and I were close to breaking up. And she was the one to introduce me to Edward. Who, however, gave me lots of problems and will pay me if he has to do with what happened yesterday. So, I owe Natalia and must thank her.” “So…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully. “If you think she'll listen to you, do it.” “I’m sure Natalia would tell us everything, early or late. She just needs to be softly pushed to that.” “Yeah, but what should happen, so she stops being silent?” Daniel frowns slightly. “I dunno, Perkins…” Terrence replies quietly, shaking his head and setting his gaze into the distance. “But I have many other things to do. Making Edward confess how he’s connected with those bandits… Solving the band’s problem… So, I’ve got no time to be bored…” “Yay, buddy, I don’t envy you…” Daniel sighs heavily with sadness in his eyes, clapping Terrence on the shoulder. “You’ve had too many problems lately…” “I know… We lived quietly for a few months and then got problems again!” “Yeah… You enjoyed life with Raquelle, got into some shit, and have to sort it out. Through, you should talk about your wedding.” “Sometimes I think we’ve always had problems. But we didn’t know it and lived with the thought that everything was fine.” “You’re right, but something tells me more terrible events and shocking things are waiting for us.” “Maybe… And I’m getting ready to know very much that would get me deeply shocked.” Daniel says nothing and just looks at Terrence with sympathy and slightly claps him on the shoulder. But a few seconds later, the guys hear feminine heels knocking. Then the terribly excited Helene and Jessica show up far from here, almost running hand in hand and barely holding down tears that are getting out of their wet eyes. “Helene! Jessica!” Terrence exclaims, putting the pedant in the pocket and getting up from the chair as well as Daniel does. “Finally, we’ve found you!” Jessica replies excitedly, breathing a little heavily. “That’s good we met a nurse, who told us the guys similar to you were here.” “Say, do you know something about Peter’s condition?” Helene asks in a shaking voice. “How’s he? Will the doctors save him, yeah?” “They took him away about twenty minutes ago,” Terrence replies with sadness in his eyes. “And we know only the fact that his condition is hard, and he has lost very much blood.” “The doctors got some information from us and told us to wait,” Daniel adds. “Yes, we were told the doctor would come to us when something was known. We barely saw him, but didn’t memorize.” “So, we’ll be waiting,” Helene embraces herself with her arms, moving her eyes down. “But, guys, how did it happen?” Jessica wonders, looking at Daniel and Terrence with widely open eyes. “Why did you go to Peter’s home without us? Terrence explained it, but we didn’t get it due to the rush and excitement.” “When you left the café, and Daniel and I got into my car and decided to play time and then take you out, Peter called me,” Terrence confesses. “And when he knew I was with Terrence, Peter asked to turn on a speakerphone,” Daniel continues. “And then he apologized to us, said farewell, hinted he was gonna die and turned off the call.” “We thought it would be over badly and decided to go to Peter’s home immediately. And I think you would’ve been shocked by what we had to see.” “Gosh, was everything so terrible?” Helene gets horrified, opening her dumbfounded eyes wider. “Yes,” Daniel nods. “When we got into Peter’s apartment, we examined it and went to the bathroom…” “That was locked,” Terrence adds. “We barely broke the door to get in there. And we saw there were tracks of blood on the floor, walls, the bath, and the sink. And Peter was lying in the blood on the floor… His wrists were strongly cut and still bleeding. He was madly white… And it seemed like he wasn’t breathing.” “It was a terrifying thing! Seriously, girls, I never saw as much blood as I saw there. I had to see blood getting out of a little scar or being taken away for a sample. And I ain’t exaggerating. I’m telling the truth.” “We immediately called an ambulance and wrapped Peter’s wrists with wet towels, as we were told by the operator of the emergency server. Then the doctors came and brought him here…” “How awful!” Jessica exclaims, shaking her head with horror in her eyes. “I can’t believe… What about a chance that he will survive?” “We don’t know yet,” Daniel shrugs. “But Terrence and I will stay here until we know something about Peter’s condition.” “Us too!” Helene says confidently and sniffs quietly. “If we have to, we’re ready to spend a night here. I must know how hard everything is, and whether there’s a chance that Peter will survive.” “I believe everything is very serious…” Jessica pronounces thoughtfully and closely looks at Terrence and Daniel’s clothes dirtied with blood. “If your clothes are in the blood.” “We know, but it doesn’t matter,” Terrence replies, glancing at his clothes. “The more important thing is to know just something about Peter’s condition.” “Agree, and I believe the time is going to be not very fun,” Jessica sighs and sits on one of the chairs. “But I must confess that I’ve never loved hospitals. They always make me feel lousy and depressed.” “I don’t like them either…” Helene replies quietly and sits next to Jessica. “They’ve never been associated with something nice… But I must be here… Because I don’t want to leave Peter. And when we’re allowed to visit him, I won’t leave him and will take care of him like nobody else.” Daniel glances at Terrence, who shakes his head, and then sits on one of the chairs next to Helene and Jessica. “Erm, Helene, excuse me for my question…” Daniel starts hesitantly, sitting down next to Jessica. “Are you such a good friend of Peter that you’re worried about him much more than us three? And reacted so excitedly when Terrence told you about the blond’s suicide attempt.” “Yeah, we’re very good friends,” Helene replies in a little shaking voice, moving her eyes full of tears to Daniel. “I’d say too good. When we met, we began to spend very much time together and quickly got closer. I could always tell Peter my secrets and have always been open to him. But he’s never told me the main reason for his depression and thought I shouldn’t have known it.” “How long have you known him?” Terrence asks. “About three years. Jessica has known him since school time. By the way, Peter helped me well when my grandfather died three years ago. My friend had introduced us to each other some time before his death… And I’m so grateful to meet your friend at that moment because I wouldn’t have taken the loss of the one I madly loved without Pete.” “Are you living alone?” “Nope, with Grandma. My mother died during childbirth, and I’ve never seen my father. All this time, I was educated by Grandfather and Grandmother on the mother. And yeah, Peter had met Grandpa before his death and gets on well with Grandma, who loves him like her own son. And she’s really worried about what’s happening to him.” “My gosh, how many people are by his side…” Daniel says with sadness in his eyes. “And Peter did make himself think nobody needed him, and everybody gave a damn about his problems.” “I think the school bullying played a major role in the formation of his character,” Jessica assumes. “I always knew that groundless aggression would lead to some aftermath. And I was right… You see what it led to.” “Yeah, but I don’t understand why they hated him so much. Peter is a good man… He’s not ugly, he’s quite clever… Much cleverer than I am…” “They just needed a victim. So, they chose a skinny boy, who was weak, poor, lonely, and unhappy. And because the school located in the place where we lived was small, many guys studied there and knew almost everything about each other. So, the guys turned everybody against Peter. It happened that the whole school was bullying him. Yes, Rose didn’t want to be like everybody, had his own opinion and different tastes, and loved standing out against the gray mice by his clothes, music taste, or something else. But there were no reason to hate him so much… He isn’t sick and a psycho. He is a healthy man, who just needed someone to teach him to be strong and protect himself and his opinion, for which everybody disliked him.” “Sadly, it happens…” Terrence moans tiredly, running his hand over his face. “Children often love discriminating against someone by a sign that is totally fine for adult people, but something unusual for them. I’m sorry that teachers and parents can’t sometimes explain to their children that people are different. There’s nothing wrong with being kind of different.” “So, Peter became a victim of discrimination. By his appearance, his well-being, and his wish to stand out somehow. I was lucky I wasn’t showered with dirt as much as he was. Through, I was never a part of their business and was on my own. I mean, I spoke to some people for a business, but I never befriended them. Peter was the only one to be my close friend. Not at once, of course, but somewhere at a high school, but still…” “Now I’m starting to understand why he was distanced himself for some time when we just started to play in a band,” Daniel replies thoughtfully. “Yes, Rose talked to me, but I had a feeling that he wanted to get off me soon. It seems like he doesn’t trust people and spends much time getting used to them…” “But did you get on well shortly after you met?” Helene asks. “Or were getting used to each other for a long time?” “Well… Actually, yes… We always worked well and could find a compromise. And when we became friends, we sometimes began to joke about one bitchy girl, who was a vocalist in our band. Terrence will confirm that he managed to meet her.” “Yeah, and trust me, we should’ve given a lesson to that girl,” Terrence adds. “Because she was too arrogant and thought people were her slaves and owed her. She had a too high self-rating… Such a little bitch…” “Peter told me about that girl and said he wanted to strangle her,” Jessica confesses. “It reminds me of one bitch from our school, who pronounced herself a queen just because all the boys had a crush on her. They liked her beautiful face and did all of her caprices with the hope of getting the heart of the Show Queen to melt, and getting her to give in to someone.” “Hey, Terrence, how did you get into the band?” Helene asks. “I remember Peter somehow said he considered you a good man, but believed you wouldn’t stay in the band for a long time.” “First, I’m gonna tell you something: if that girl had not been so capricious and nasty, half of those, who had joined the band before I came, wouldn’t have left it,” Terrence replies confidently. “As for me, I got into it, so to say, thanks to the protection, not afraid to confess it… Albert, the producer of that band, had a daughter, with whom I studied at school, and who was in love with me. Somehow, I met her and asked her to talk to her father about a place for a guitarist. And one week later, I talked to him, and he admitted me shortly after I just sang something for him. He was so surprised by my voice that Albert didn’t audition for me. And the next day, he introduced me to my band. This is how I met Peter and Daniel, who accepted me well.” “Yes, we really got on well with him and worked well together,” Daniel confesses. “However, we could hardly be called friends, even if we could spend time together in our free days. But later, Peter and I fought with Terrence because Rachel, Albert’s daughter, turned us against him. And some time later, we found out she lied to us and realized we did a bad thing to Terrence. We apologized to him later and began to spend time together again.” “And then Daniel and Peter told me they left the band and decided to record covers of famous songs and publish videos on the Internet. And the guys suggested that I join them. So, I agreed. And… You know how it was over.” “I must confess that Jessica and I really love your videos,” Helene confesses with a slight smile and looks at Jessica, who nods confidently. “But we found one of your videos before Pete told us about your plans.” “Yes, yes, guys, you’re amazing!” Jessica agrees confidently. “You’ve got a great talent! Maybe, we originally watched all those videos because of Peter and were surprised that such a talented guy hadn’t shown himself up before. But later, we started to pay attention to you and noticed you had incredible voices and perfect skills for playing your instruments.” “Hey, how did you find us?” Terrence wonders. “We had never met before and wouldn’t have recognized you if we’d met you on the street.” “I just recognized you, Terrence,” Helene replies shyly. “I really love ‘American Love Affair’, in which you played Mason Houston. Quite a banal storyline, but seeing your acting, I forgot about it and was worried about your character so badly. And you haven’t changed at all from that time and are still an attractive man, who is able to steal the heart of any girl.” “Yes, I’m as attractive as I was when I was eighteen,” Terrence smiles widely, proudly raising his head and not noticing Daniel looking at him quite gloomily and rolling his eyes. “Or maybe, I’m more handsome now… You know, a type of person, who blossoms by adult age. So, the older I get, the more attractive I seem.” “Hey, why did you stop acting?” Jessica asks. “After playing Mason, you could’ve reached so much that you would’ve become one of the best in Hollywood and gotten all the possible awards. Oscar, Emmy, The Golden Globe…” “I just realized an acting career wasn’t my element. I started to act firstly because of money… I wanted to get out of poverty. But I had problems, because of which my acting career stopped developing in the past few years. However, I’m not upset and want to focus on music. Because my real dream is to become a musician. And I’ve earned much enough money for all my roles to live well until the end of my life.” “I think you would be very successful as a musician. Your talent must not be hidden, Terrence. You were definitely born to become a performer of songs!” “I am also sure it’s my real element,” Terrence smiles shyly. “Hey, Daniel, why did you and Peter decide to leave the band?” Helene asks. “The blond said he fought with that girl and the producer because she tried to blame him for allegedly crushing the musical instruments, and he was made to give some money…” “It’s true,” Daniel confirms. “And then I fought with Albert and Marty and supported the blond, waving a hand at them and paying the money, which that girl made me pay for one destroyed thing. And yeah, Rose paid for another one that he destroyed on purpose.” “Is that why you left?” “Not only that. We didn’t also see any progress and got stuck in the same place. Our band never performed on big stages. They invited us to restaurants or cafés, but it didn’t give us any good things. And actually, we worked for so many years for money. Luckily, they paid enough, even if we had to give Albert a lot. It was hurt that the man didn’t rush to offer us a contract and just made us rehearse senseless songs and took us to some pubs. And he always said we were talentless and didn’t deserve to work in his studio. But we had no choice because he wanted to live well and eat something. And I had to fix up a house, into which I moved after my parents’ death. I thought they’d help me a little, but I eventually had to earn something by myself.” “I get it…” Jessica nods. “Peter also barely found money for the apartment he’s living in. He bought it from a man, who sold that place for a very small cost. I don’t know why he decided to sell it so quickly and didn’t ask for too much money, but Pete had no choice and had to agree.” “Yeah, he said something like that…” “Hey, let me wonder, girls,” Terrence says thoughtfully. “Do you know his neighbors? When Daniel and I go to Peter’s home, two old women always sit on a bench near the building, who don’t get well with him and may swear on us.” “Do you mean Hillary and Marta?” Helene asks. “They also swear on us when Jessica and I come. Those women love putting their noses in someone’s matter. One of them constantly fights with Peter because of something, and the second one supports her. Well… Two lonely old women without husbands and children got on well and were jealous when looking at young people, in front of whom a whole life lies.” “They do love judging everyone,” Daniel notices. “Young people didn’t especially please them. Every time I come, I hear, ‘What youth is living now! But before… Early…’ And that’s bad they literally spend nights on the bench and can exactly tell you when you come and leave. They’ve got nothing to do and sit on the bench all day long and wash their brains.” “Don’t pay attention to them,” Jessica advises. “There are annoying old women, who feel bad if they don’t judge someone and tell them what to do. Those old women are used to judging everyone. Peter isn’t the only one to be a victim.” “We don’t pay…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “Just wondered…” At this moment, a few doctors drive a gurney with a young girl lying on it and looking very weak and white. The guys and the girls throw a short, sad look at her and see some doctors pushing the gurney, another one quickly puts an oxygen mask on her face, and a third one writes something on a piece of paper. “Alright, let’s forget about those annoying old women,” Jessica exhales sharply. “Better tell us about your personal life. We’d distract ourselves from bad things and talk about those you love.” “Nice idea…” Terrence smiles shyly. “Well… Daniel has a girlfriend he’s been dating for less than six months. But I’m engaged and gonna get married soon.” “Are you engaged with a famous model?” Helene asks. “And your celebrated your first anniversary…” “Yup… And I think I’m so lucky to marry the model, who was pronounced one of the most attractive women in the show business. I am proud to know she chose me from so many men.” “And how was your relationship developing?” Jessica asks. “Erm…” Terrence thinks for two seconds and runs his hand through his hair. “Actually, it’s a long story… Maybe, I will tell you somehow later if we meet again.” “Well…” Helene looks at Jessica and shrugs. “We’re gonna stay here for a long time. So, we’ll listen to you with pleasure.” “I thought everybody knew everything about us because we don’t hide our relationship and tell almost everything about it in our interviews.” “C’mon, Terrence,” Daniel smiles slyly, slightly pushing Terrence on his hips. “Don’t be shy and tell the girls about your wonderful love story. They’re gonna be interested in listening to at least something good.” “Yes, we really need to distract ourselves,” Jessica says amicably. “So, tell us something about your fiancée and your love story.” “Oh…” Terrence exhales sharply and relaxes his shoulders. “Okay, you won, I’ll tell you something… About our relationship… I don’t want to look like a sentimental girl, but I did lose my head when I saw her. And I felt what I hadn’t felt before… It was something new, but madly ice… I told myself that girl would be mine… But it seemed unreal because we didn’t get on well and fought like cat and dog.” “That’s how?” Helene asks. “Yeah, but it didn’t stop me, and I decided to accept this challenge. And I completed my mission. Some time later, we started to date. And in May, I proposed to her to marry, and she happily said, ‘Yes.’” “Wow…” “But…” Terrence immediately stops smiling and swallows up nervously. “Our relationship got much worse at some moment, and we almost broke up. But we saved our relationship and got much closer to each other. We realized we were connected by more than just passion.” “And how long ago did it happen?” Jessica asks. “A few months ago. Somewhere in March or April… And after reconciling, we lived very well somewhere until August-September when we got many problems. Because of them, we’ve lately been so excited and nervous that we started to fight for stupid things often.” “Living without conflicts is impossible…” Helene notices. “Even if you love someone, it doesn’t mean it will save you from fights. And I don’t mean only couples in love… For example, I also argued with Peter about something and then didn’t speak to him for one week. But later, I went to his home and apologized… Nothing special happened… It’s, so to say, feminine hormones…” “Speak clearly, friend – you had PMS!” Jessica meddles. “When it gets closer, you can do any stupid thing. Crying hysterically without a reason, falling into depression, or getting wild.” “As if you don’t wanna kill everyone during your period. You might grab a mop and run after someone and scream like crazy.” “I’ve always tried to keep myself far from girls when they have their period,” Daniel jokes shyly. “There are those, who could annoy me so much that I had to save myself by running.” “Don’t worry, we don’t bite.” “I believe you.” “And you, Daniel…” Jessica glances at Daniel. “Maybe, you can tell us something about your girlfriend?” “Oh…” Daniel runs his hand over his hair, looking around the whole hall. “Well… There’s nothing special about our love story…” “Hey, you did start to be shy,” Terrence shakes his head with a sly smile and pushes Daniel slightly on his forearm. “The girls are asking you to tell them about your very, very romantic relationship with your sweet girl!” “You took revenge, well-done,” Daniel hums quietly. “C’mon, Daniel, you’ve always loved talking about your relationship! Since you made me tell about my sweetheart, be pleased to say a word about your beauty.” “Oh…” Daniel exhales sharply and smiles shyly, glancing at Helene and Jessica. “Okay, I’ll also tell you something… We met a few months ago at a nightclub where my girlfriend came with her friend, who I didn’t see and know. I was alone, but I was originally gonna go with Peter. But he either couldn’t or felt bad… So, I had to drink alcohol and listen to some good music alone and then stand the hysteria of our ex-vocalist on the phone.”***
March, 9th 2016. It’s quite lively at one of the nightclubs in New York. Different girls and boys come here to have fun, drink some cocktails, dance along with energetic, very loud music, meet new people, or just spend time with good and nice people. A young, tall man with luxurious dark, little disheveled dark chocolate hair with expressive brown eyes, who is wearing black jeans, a gray t-shirt, and a black leather waistcoat with thorns and lots of zippers in different places, is also here and spending a good time. He is enjoying the music playing in this place, sometimes watching what others do, paying special attention to a too drunk young girl, who gets carried away by two tough bodyguards holding her under the arms by force along with her loud shouts. After dancing along with his favorite songs, even if his dance skills are left to be better, he sits at a bar table, orders a non-alcohol drink, and later gets a call from someone that makes him growl irritably. When he pays for his drink, the man turns off the call, leaves some money on the table, gets up, and tries to get through a dancing, quite heated crowd. It’s quite hard, but he gets out of it and quickly goes to the wide hall, goes further, and sees two doors leading to a men’s restroom and a women’s restroom. The man types a number on his mobile phone with reluctance. He starts to wait for an answer, nervously shaking his leg and wishing this talk to be over as soon as possible. And a few seconds later, he gets an answer from a girl, who is very irritated and unpleased with something. “Finally, I’ve heard you!” the feminine voice says irritably. “How did you the fuck dare to turn off the call? You, ugly idiot!” “Listen, stop shouting on the phone,” the man moans tiredly, exhaling slowly. “I’m not deaf and hear you well. But if you have a bad mood because your father didn’t buy you some little thing, it’s not my problem.” “Where are you the fuck hanging around? Did you go to a club to drink with your pal? You can only waste your fee on drinks! And you probably go dancing and make people laugh at you after drinking to the fuck!” “Marty, why do you care where I’m hanging around and with whom?” the man asks irritably, rolling his eyes. “You’re nobody to me to watch every single step of mine and control my current location! I don’t have to tell you everything when we don’t work together!” “Yeah? Do you and Rose still remember that you play in my band? You would forget about it if Albert and I didn’t remind you of it!” “You know, I would have the pleasure to leave it because you irritate me so much. Just like you do it to Peter, who can’t stand you!” “Huh, get out of the band then!” Marty snuffs. “Albert would be happy to get off such talentless, ugly people like you!” “Sadly, we can’t leave. But I swear, when I get a small chance to get out, I will immediately do it. And the blond won’t also work with such a hysterical girl like you.” “You know, I’d bet who is a hysterical girl. You and your blond, talentless pal are worth each other. You’re envying because you’re pathetic paupers, who were just lucky to join the band, but I’m a rich future star of the show business.” “Are you hoping your mommy and daddy will pay a sugar daddy, so he makes you sorta a talented star? You’re sure that money decides everything!” “Oh, listen, Perkins, don’t start it!” Marty moans tiredly. “That scumbag Rose told me many bad things and pissed me off after he heard my voice on the phone. And I have no wish to listen to your bullshit. I would have the pleasure not to have to run after you and wait for you to come to the studio for a rehearsal. But we’re gonna have a performance in one of the most wonderful restaurants in the city. Very important visitors will come, and you two must not get confused and make me ashamed with your dirty jokes.” “Alright, self-pronounced queen, I have no time to listen to your caprices!” Daniel throws coldly, exhaling sharply and leaning on the wall with his back. “Tell me what you want from me, and why you’re the fuck not letting me have a rest during my day off!” “I just wanted to tell His Highness, Honorable Prince Daniel, that tomorrow’s rehearse will start at ten hours o’clock, not at one hour o’clock. Albert planned an important meeting at that time and delayed our rehearsal. So, he asked me to tell you and Peter about it. But I did half of the business and told you. And you will talk to your brainless, hysterical pal. I’m no longer going to call the one, who loves to wash my brains.” “Oh, dear Marty Patch, thank you so much for being pleased to spend your time and call me to tell this ‘wonderful’ piece of news,” Daniel replies coldly, rolling his eyes. “I planned to sleep longer, but sadly, I will have to leave my bed at almost eight o’clock to come to the rehearsal in time. That’s so great that we will come tomorrow in ten hours and start rehearsing! As a wonderful trio! For our dearest Albert! Gosh, Marty, I’m so happy!” “Stop showing off, brainless, plucky peacock!” Marty throws loudly and rudely. “Alcohol destroyed the rest of your brains. Instead of hanging around nightclubs and drinking, you’d better work on your self-development, bonehead. You know nothing in your head but soccer, beer, whores, and stupid jokes! You’re an adult man, but have a baby’s intellect!” “My intellect is fine!” Daniel growls irritably, understanding Marty starts to make him more and more nervous. “As well as my self-rating! I don’t act like an egoistic, hysterical girl, and I don’t tell people to treat me especially. Unlike the one, who considers people dust just because she was raised in a rich family and got used to getting everything easily.” “Yeah?” Marty wonders. “You are just envying me! You have to work hard for yourself to live at least one day and not to die from starvation. But I can have anything! And when I become a celebrity, I will have all the best, and my fans will love me and listen to my songs. And someday, I will meet a multimillionaire, get married to him, and become more powerful and richer.” “We’ll see what’s gonna happen when everybody knows you are a pathetic scumbag and terrible egoist. And I do really want to know what you would do if you didn't have your mommy and daddy’s money. I would watch the one, who has never worked as hard as a horse and always counted on someone, survive. And yeah, don’t hope you will get married with your character. A good man will not take you even for a low price. He dreams of a kind, caring, and understanding woman. Not a selfish bitch that got used to a luxury life.” “Envy, Perkins, envy! Notice that your parents were also provided people. And when they died, you lost everything. You were a provided guy, whose money would’ve charmed everyone. But you became a pathetic deadbeat cursing everyone because you lost everything after your mom and dad’s death. And Rose has actually never known what living as a rich man is because he was born a beggar and will live his whole life in an old apartment located in the building where only old women live, and where there will always be a smell of cats and dogs’ urine and feces.” “Alright, bitch, you’re starting to make me furious!” Daniel exhales sharply, putting his hand on his forehead and closing his eyes for a second. “If you don’t shut up, I will get furious and shout like crazy right on the phone.” “It would be great. Maybe, you’d be taken to a mental hospital and get some injections of sedatives for a few weeks. And Rose must go there, or this psycho would wish to kill someone.” “Shut up and listen to me, Patch, as for the rehearsal, I will tell Peter that the time changed. You can go where you want and have fun with your friends if you have nothing to say. I hope, is our talk over?” “Over! But I will keep reminding you and your dearest Peter where you belong, and what kind of bullshit you haven’t gotten out yet.” “I give a fuck. If that’s all, all the best.” Daniel turns off the call sharply, puts the phone in the pocket of his leather waistcoat, and growls irritably. “Holy shit, I hoped she wouldn't annoy me at least today,” Daniel thinks, slightly hitting the wall with a fist. “Today was the first day in a while when I could not see or hear her. But no, that chicken decided to eat my brains. She could just send me a message and say the rehearsal was rescheduled. No, she decided to read me a lecture and let me know all the people around are holy shit for her!” Daniel glances at a young guy, who leaves the nightclub. “Oh, next time, I’ll leave my phone at home,” Daniel thinks. “So, Marty can call me as much as she wants. She wouldn’t die if she didn’t make her get better and scream at me and Peter.” Daniel thinks about something for a few seconds, leaning on the wall with his back, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. And then he exhales sharply and decides to go to a men’s restroom to wash his face with cold water to calm down a little. Daniel tears his back off the wall, pulls down his black waistcoat, runs his hand over his hair, and quickly goes down the long and wide hall. At some moment, he turns back because he pays attention to quite an attractive blonde in a short dress. The man keeps going without looking ahead for a few seconds. But when he almost comes to the men’s restroom, he has to turn ahead because someone suddenly runs into him and quietly pronounces, “Ouch!” After sharply turning on and rubbing his forearm, which he hurt a little, Daniel sees a girl, who starts to massage her forehead quickly and slightly shake her leg. While she is standing with her side turned on him, he cannot look at her face, even though he notices she is quite short. “Oh, I’m sorry…” Daniel says guiltily. “I didn’t see you… I thought about something and didn’t see where I was going… I’m sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose…” “It’s alright, I’m not mad at you…” the girl replies quickly. “You forgive me for…” The girl turns slowly to Daniel and looks at him hesitantly. He immediately likes the very cute, baby face of this girl, who is the head lower than the man. She has gorgeous, bright green eyes, fury red hair, and an incredible, sparkly, knee-length lilac dress. Barely looking at this cute beauty, Daniel cannot move his eyes off the one that got him admired shortly and made him get a crush. He would like to smile and say this stranger is very beautiful. To be clear, the most beautiful one of all the girls he has ever met. But the brown-eyed one holds himself down and says nothing, just looking at her with interest for a few seconds. It seems like the cute, red-haired girl also liked Daniel. She cannot move her gaze off his charming eyes, for the owner of which many girls were ready to do anything. This young man is not similar to any one of the men she has met before. She confesses to herself that Daniel is a very sympathetic man, the appearance of who makes her smile with all of her twenty-two teeth. “Wow, what a beautiful girl!” Daniel admires silently. “Very beautiful…” “Gosh, what a handsome guy!” the girl thinks. “I’ve never met someone like him…” This awkward pause lasts for a few seconds before the red-haired girl clears her throat and says in a quiet, soft voice: “Erm, excuse me, young man, are you alright? Did I hurt you somehow after running into you?” But Daniel does not answer because he is too busy looking at the girl that he liked. “Sir, I’m talking to you!” the girl exclaims and waves a hand in front of Daniel’s face. “Maybe, you feel bad?” A few seconds later, Daniel shakes slightly and moves his confused gaze aside for a moment. “Oh, no, no, don’t worry, everything is alright…” Daniel replies gently but hesitantly. “I fell into my thoughts again… Sorry…” “Are you sure you are fine? I can help you if something is not right!” “No, no, don’t need, Ms., everything is fine. And forgive me for running into you. I didn’t see where I was going because I turned back for a second. I’m very sorry…” “Don’t apologize, it’s alright,” the girl smiles shyly. “You also forgive me… I wanted to get something out of my purse and didn’t see someone going on me.” “So, is everything fine?” “Yeah…” the red-haired girl shrugs. “And I wasn’t going to be mad at you… Anything happens.” “Yeah, you’re right…” Daniel smiles shyly at the unfamiliar girl and notices that her smile is as wonderful as she is. And the young girl seems to be very quiet and shy, judging her tender voice, which is as nice as a lullaby. “Erm, excuse me, did you come here alone?” Daniel asks. “If you are alone, I could accompany you and buy you something.” “Nope, I came here with my friend,” the girl replies gently with a slight smile. “We hadn’t seen each other for ages and decided to go somewhere to have fun.” “As far as I understand, is your friend in the room?” “Yes, I left her alone because I should’ve left for two seconds to fix my hair and makeup.” The girl graciously moves some strands of her hair aside. “I wanted to come back to her, but I eventually ran into you.” “Yeah, it was awkward…” Daniel replies thoughtfully, being a little nervous while talking with this girl. “Well, alright… If you are not alone, I will not impose.” Daniel gets more nervous and acts kind of embarrassedly, literally forgetting he does not usually get so blushed for girls. The red-haired stranger also gets pleasure from talking to the sympathetic young man, whose smile slays her. He starts to spread some warmth, which is the reason why she thinks he is very good and sweet, Even though she is also terribly nervous with a feeling that her cheeks are burning, sometimes looking down and not knowing what to do with her hands. “Did you come here alone?” the girl asks. “Eh-h, yes, I came here alone,” Daniel shrugs. “Using the moment when I got a long-awaited day off…” “Hard job?” “Partly. But one girl I’m working with takes my energy, not my job. My friend and I got terribly sick of her and literally count to days when we don’t see her and can keep our nerves safe.” “Does she make you so irritated?” “Terribly irritated! We would leave this job with pleasure, but we earn great money. Thanks to this job, I got up on my feet for a few years and started to live more or less well.” “I’m so sorry for you…” the girl replies thoughtfully and tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Is working at this condition and taking it for money probably very hard?” “It is,” Daniel cracks a smile. “But it’s okay, we will overcome it. We’re working not for the first day and have experienced so much that we don’t better think about it.” “Alright… But why didn’t you come here with your friend? Do you prefer spending time alone?” “He doesn’t just feel well and decided to stay home. We wanted to go here together, but he called and said he wanted to lie to go to work tomorrow.” “So, may your friend get well…” the girl shrugs with sadness in her eyes. “And you hold on…” “Thanks…” Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which Daniel glances at a young couple in love going by him and the red-haired girl shyly standing in front of him with her hands folded in front of her. “You know, young lady, I must confess that talking with you is very nice and easy,” Daniel confesses. “I wouldn’t like to seem obsessive and look like I’m imposing on you. But I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better, and… Maybe, inviting you somewhere…” “You know, sir, talking with you is also very nice to me,” the girl smiles much wider, while Daniel can barely hide his smile. “Our meeting probably happened for a reason.” “You believe in fate?” “I believe in tales. And I believe that dreams come true, early or late.” “Well, if I could make at least one of your wishes come true, please, let me know.” “You’re tenacious! But even if we’ve known each other for barely a few minutes, it’s quite enough to understand that I like the way we talk and would keep doing it with pleasure.” “Well, I think we don’t know each other yet…” Daniel says thoughtfully. “Because I still don’t know your name. Maybe, you tell me what name was given to such a charming girl?” “Ah, yeah, sure…” the girl smiles shyly, looking down for a second. “My name is Anna… Anna Seymour.” “Nice to meet you, Ms. Seymour,” Daniel smiles cutely with a slight nod and gives his hand to Anna. “Well, I’m Daniel. Daniel Perkins.” “Nice to meet you!” Anna exclaims, shaking Daniel by the hand. Daniel keeps smiling shyly, not showing how much he is nervous while holding Anna’s hands, the skin of which is incredibly soft. A few seconds later, the young people break their handshake but keep smiling shyly at each other. “Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Perkins, but I should be back to my friend,” Anna says with sadness in her eyes. “It was very nice to talk to you, but my friend is waiting for me. I promised her to go out for five minutes, but it’s been more than ten.” “Sure, I get it,” Daniel nods. “But, I hope, is it not our last meeting? I would really like to meet such a sweet and shy girl in a quieter place.” “It would be great to meet again and get to know each other better,” Anna replies with a shy smile. “I would have the pleasure to spend time with you, but my friend is going to kill me if it’s been twenty more minutes.” “It’s okay, I don’t insist. I think we could share our numbers and then agree about a meeting at any good time.” “Well…” Anna thinks for two seconds, putting a finger on her lips. “I can write my mobile number for you, and you can give me yours.” “Sadly, I have no piece of paper, on which you could write your number,” Daniel shrugs with sadness in his eyes. “And a pen… But I can type my number in your phone.” “Don’t worry, I have it.” Anna opens up her purse, starts to search for something, and takes a little notebook and a black pen a few seconds later. She quickly writes her number, tears a piece of paper out, and gives it to Daniel. “Thanks a lot,” Daniel thanks, examining what’s written on the piece of paper. “It’s your number?” “Yes, mobile,” Anna replies shyly. “Call, message – what you want.” “Alright… Then let me write my number.” Anna silently gives the pen and the notebook to Daniel, and he writes his mobile phone for a few seconds. Then the man gives them to the girl, and she looks at the numbers written on the piece of paper with a little sloppy handwriting. “Thank you so much,” Anna cracks a smile. “I got it…” Daniel nods with a slight smile and runs his eyes over what’s written on his piece of paper in very beautiful, gracious handwriting. And two seconds later, Anna glances down for a moment, moving the pen and the notebook in her purse, the zipper of which she closes. “Well, alright, I will go…” Anna says hesitantly. “My friend is waiting for me… Have a nice pastime, Mr. Perkins.” “Thanks, the same to you,” Daniel replies with a smile. “Ms. Seymour…” Anna looks at Daniel for two seconds with a slight smile on her face, turns around, and slowly goes where the dance pool is, quietly knocking her silver shoes with high heels. The man watches his new familiar girl with a wider smile, admiring the gracious curves of her slim waist, a gorgeous view of her back, and her thin legs. He cannot move his eyes off the young beauty, and does it only when she disappears. And then Daniel leans on the wall with a slight smile, forgetting what he wanted to do some time ago. “Damn, she’s freaking beautiful!” Daniel thinks. “I never met someone like her before! Anna isn’t similar to all my exes and the gals I’ve ever hung out with. But this beauty is hardly one of them… She seems very shy and decent… This girl is an angel in the flesh with a very cute face! And what gorgeous hair she has… These green eyes…” Daniel smiles much wider and raises his head slightly. “I liked her!” Daniel thinks. “Liked! I definitely should call her and invite her somewhere. So sorry that she came with her friend, ‘cause I would spend time with such a charming girl with pleasure. Maybe, I met that girl and ran into her for a reason? Or what if Rose ‘helped’ me by staying home. Maybe, if he were with me now, I would’ve hardly talked with that beauty so well. Ah… Anna… Beautiful name… If only I knew her middle name and saw how they fit…” Daniel opens his eyes wider and shakes his head sharply. “Hey, hey, Perkins, did you go insane?” Daniel wonders. “Why did you the fuck turn into a sentimental romantic? Get nervous, blush… When has it happened to you before?” Daniel claps himself slightly on his cheeks. “Okay, Daniel, done… Get these thoughts outta your head. Don’t be like a girl… And don’t even dare to dream of the future with that girl. She is just another familiar person. Maybe, nothing will happen between you, and you’ll forget her the way you did it to the girls you’ve dated and hung out with.” Some time later, Daniel decides to go somewhere in the city and breathe in some air, trying not to think of meeting Anna too much. But this auto-suggestion does not help the man get the face of that sweet girl out of his mind. And every new second, he gets a greater wish to take a phone and type the number that she gave him.***
“As far as I understand, did you meet?” Helene asks. “Yes, I called her someday and invited her to walk in the city, and she agreed,” Daniel nods with a slight smile. “But it was hard to agree to meet because her parents were quite severe and didn’t like the fact that their daughter spoke to the man she met at a club. They thought meeting a decent person there was impossible. Only bad people went to these places.” “But did you outsmart them and walk somewhere?” Jessica asks with interest. “Yes, it didn’t stop us, and we kept meeting and often talking on the phone. We got on well and became friends quite quickly. That girl understood me well, and it was super easy for me to talk to her.” “Oh, you better tell the girls how you started to date,” Terrence smiles slyly. “Tell them how everything went wrong but eventually ended well.” “Well, yeah, my dear friend is partly right… We were going on walks or dates for some time – call it as you want. And then, during the walk, it happened that I accidentally told her about my feelings for her. I didn’t plan to confess my love for her at that moment and wanted to wait for a while because… It would’ve been awkward to talk about feelings after only one month of knowing each other. Yes, I know many people do it after two or three meetings, but I wanted to be sure everything would be alright.***
April 2016. Walking in a quiet place that is lighted up by the bright moon mirroring in a little lake, Daniel and Anna are talking about everything and enjoying a joint pastime with a beautiful view before their eyes. They often go out somewhere almost every single day and talk on the phone for hours, realizing they are getting sympathy for each other. None of them has given a hint about these feelings. But now, when they are walking, Daniel suddenly says something that hints at his sympathy for Anna. “And you know, it would be cool to date such a wonderful girl like you,” Daniel confesses with a slight smile, coming to a wooden, curved bridge placed in front of them along with Anna. “Because you are the perfect girl, who has everything I'd like to see.” By this moment, they cross the bridge and start standing on it, and the shocked Anna sharply stops and turns on Daniel, who opens his little scared eyes and gets a little anxious, starting to understand he said too much. What was too early to say. “Erm, excuse me, what did you say?” Anna frowns slightly. “Erm…” Daniel gets embarrassed, scratching the back of his head and looking around a little excitedly. “Well… I…” “Repeat your words again, please.” “Erm… No… No… I just misspoke…” Daniel bites his lip slightly and barely looks aside. “I thought about something and said a stupid thing… I didn’t mean that…” “I don’t think you really misspoke. You were absolutely true and not like the one to lie. You would’ve hardly smiled so widely and acted freely when saying it.” “Don’t think about it, Anna,” Daniel softly caresses Anna’s forearms. “I didn’t really think when saying it. I just… Have many thoughts in my mind… They’re mixed, and I started to say delirium. Just forget it…” “Daniel, stop lying and confess you really want to date me,” Anna demands confidently. “I’m not deaf and heard everything you said well.” “I ain’t lying!” Daniel shakes her head sharply. “I swear it’s not what you thought about!” Daniel slightly gets white from a little scar and gets much tenser. Confessing his love for Anna was not his current plan. But something tells him that she is not happy with it, judging her gloomy gaze at the brunet shamelessly looking at her. “Listen, Perkins, what are you afraid of?” Anna wonders with her arms crossed over her chest. “I don’t understand you! Nobody’s gonna kill you if you repeat your words!” “No, I just…” Daniel shakes his head, glancing at different sides. “It’s not…” “C’mon, Daniel, say it again.” “Do you really want to know it?” “Yes. Tell me what your words mean.” “Not afraid to regret?” “No. Speak.” Daniel swallows up nervously, being surprised that he is terribly nervous and shy when being next to Anna. Nothing like this happened to him before when he was communicating with other girls. With them, the man acted confidently, determinedly, and even a little insolently. But he was kind of replaced! Perkins can barely connect two words with a feeling his legs are shaking, is afraid to cross the borders of the girl, and hesitates much before touching her. He literally forgot everything he knew about seducing ladies! The current behavior seems so strange to him… “C’mon!” Anna smiles to encourage, pushing Daniel slightly on his hip with a kinder gaze. “If you wanna tell me something, do it right now. I think now is a wonderful moment for confessions. The time is as good, as the place… Just like in a beautiful love story…” “Erm, I’m not sure if I should do it…” Daniel replies hesitantly in a little shaking voice. “I… I don’t wanna make our good relationship worse because of… What I’d like to tell you…” “I promise I’ll try to understand you if you explain what you said,” Anna glances aside for a second and smiles cutely. “And don’t worry, I won’t be biting… I don’t attack men with fists.” Daniel says nothing for a few more seconds, finding the courage to tell Anna he has a crush on him. He has done it since the day they met. He is terribly nervous and afraid to get rejected, but he understands that the curious girl will surely get what she wants and make him answer the question. “Erm, you know…” Daniel pronounces quietly, very hesitantly, and glances at his hands for a second, but then looks at Anna again. “Those words… They… It’s the truth… But I didn’t really watch my mouth and was absolutely relaxed. I didn’t want to say it now, but…” “So, you want to say…” Anna wants to say with a slight smile, rounding her eyes. “I really like you, Anna. Talking with you is very interesting, and I get so much pleasure from the time I spend in your company. Whatever I say, you always understand me well and can find words to encourage me. Sometimes I do lack words that would push me to take some actions.” “You know, I also like to walk with you somewhere and talk about everything,” Anna confesses with a light smile. “You understand me better than some people. I really lack it, and I managed to find what I wanted in you. My friends undoubtedly support me, but talking with you is different… It’s… Special… I’m truly grateful to fate for sending me such a wonderful friend like you.” “I’m glad to hear it, but you didn’t understand my words right.” Daniel swallows up nervously, trying to look at Anna all the time. “I like you not only as a friend or someone, to whom you can talk about anything and spend a good time. I also like you as a girl that I… Could… Date… And who I could love with all my heart…” A wide smile shows up on Anna’s face, and she falls into a stupor and becomes speechless. While Daniel getting much whiter looks at her with a scare in his eyes and, taking his breath away, waits for her reaction. “Oh, gosh, Daniel…” Anna pronounces in a shaking voice, putting her hands together and bringing them to her mouth, and shakes his head. “It’s… is it true? Do you really like me?” “Since we met at the club,” Daniel replies more confidently with a shy smile. “When I just looked at you, something clicked in my head. I began to always think of you, even though I tried to make myself stop doing it at first. But I couldn’t take it. I determinedly typed your number.” “You only liked my face?” “Nope, not only. I also liked your shyness and friendliness… And I said I madly liked talking to you. Yes, of course, there are many people, with whom I speak, spend time and share something with. But I don’t feel as comfortable and good with them as I feel with you. I don’t know how to explain it, but my mood gets better after walking with you or talking on the phone. I think, if not for my job in the band, I would invite you on dates every day. Just to see you often and hear your soft voice that relaxes and calms me down. If not for you, I would strangle that girl, who sings in the band and annoys me and my friend. But you give me so many positive emotions that I don’t want to spend them on that idiot.” “Daniel…” Anna smiles shyly. “Although I’ve known I’m not indifferent to you for a long time, I’m ready to repeat I didn’t have a goal to tell you about it right now. I wanted to wait for a while and finally make sure I really… Feel a strong sympathy for you. But since it happened, I can change nothing… I had to confess it now…” Daniel falls into silence for two seconds and shrugs, hesitantly looking at Anna. “Well, something like this… Now you know everything…” Anna, getting white from the excitement, silently takes what she heard and tries to overcome the nervousness she got obsessed with after the man’s confession. Somewhere at heart, the girl is very happy to know Daniel wants to be not just a friend to her. Because she has literally dreamed of being not just his good familiar, who he spends his free time and talks about anything with, since the first days. She gets very attracted to this man. It’s hard for her to resist it. Especially when she looks into his expressive, hazel eyes. However, the red-haired beauty does not even think of hiding her feelings or denying them. Although Daniel gets a little better after finally confessing his sympathy for Anna, he still cannot get rid of an anxious feeling. She says nothing for a few seconds and just looks at him with dumbfounded eyes. That’s why the man starts to regret saying what he thought about without thinking. “Erm, I think our relationship will hardly be the same,” Daniel says hesitantly, looking quite white and tense, and swallows up nervously. “But whatever happens, remember that I’m always ready to be by your side to help or support you at a hard minute.” “You’re right…” Anna pronounces quietly and slowly glances at Daniel. “We can’t be friends anymore…” “I know…” Daniel says with sadness. “And… And… I will understand if you want to turn around and leave. But if you need time to think about everything, I will be waiting for you to…” “No, Daniel, I don’t wanna leave!” Anna smiles widely. “Don’t wanna leave the one, for whom I also feel sympathy.” “What?” Daniel rounds his eyes, feeling his heart misses a beat. “You… You…” “Hey, don’t look at me like this, silly!” Anna laughs shyly, clapping Daniel on the hand. “Did you really think I’d kill you for that and say our friendship would be over?” “But agree, after these words, people can’t remain friends,” Daniel shrugs. “One step forward or three steps back… Nothing else…” “Just friends. Especially, when you really like someone, who just confessed his sympathy for you.” “Really?” Daniel asks hesitantly, looking at Anna a little scarily. “Do you like me?” “From the beginning. When we just met, and I looked into your eyes. I couldn’t stop thinking of you and annoyed all my friends, into the ears of who I dinged about you.” Anna laughs quietly, shyly moving her eyes down. “I could be talking with them about you for hours and repeating how handsome, sweet, and kind you are. And they always told me I did the right thing when I gave you my number and got yours.” “Oh, I must confess that my friend and bandmate already started to look at me gloomily because I annoyed him with talks about you,” Daniel notices funnily. “And I’m afraid he’s gonna kill me someday for a few more mentions of how beautiful, kind, and amazing you are.” “I believe the girls are gonna tolerate me and my talks about you for a long time,” Anna laughs quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And I won’t definitely contain my shouts and whops when I tell them that… That you confessed your feelings for me…” “But before my buddy kills me for non-stop talks about you, I want to say that I want us to try to become more than just friends…” Daniel confesses with a slight smile. “I would really be happy to date such a wonderful girl like you.” “I hope you understood that you have a chance to become my partner, and I feel the same feelings for you,” Anna replies amicably with a shy smile. “It gives me hope…” After Anna confesses the mutual sympathy, Daniel is less nervous than before and starts to believe the girl, who shows that she feels very good with this man and would give him a chance to become her partner with pleasure. And now, when one of the barriers is over, the man’s smile gets much wider, and the body gets relaxed. He thinks now it’s time for more confident actions. After hesitating a little, Daniel slowly reaches his hand to Anna’s hand, softly takes it, and locks her thin long fingers with his ones, while she does not resist and looks at him with a shy smile. “Hey, that’s good it happened here, in this beautiful place…” Daniel notices shyly and glances at the bright moon that is shining above him and Anna and mirroring in the lake. “Under the moon and stars…” “Getting a confession of love under the stars and the moon at a dark time was my little dream.” Anna smiles cutely. “So, you just made one of my wishes come true.” “Glad you appreciated it. But I’m ready to make all of your wishes come true. Just let me know what you want, and I’ll do anything.” Daniel carefully tucks a strand of Anna’s hair behind her ear and runs the back of his hand tenderly over her cheek. That’s why her smile gets much wider, and she instantly feels a nice warmth that is spreading all over her body, starting to rub it against his warm hand. “All my wishes are nothing unlike one,” Anna says softly. “The wish to be with you and try to become something more than just a friend to you.” “I’m sure you and I would get much closer to each other,” Daniel expresses hope confidently. “We both want it.” “And you know what…” Anna looks her eyes down for a second and then raises them at Daniel with a wider smile. “I wouldn’t like to be too insolent, but… Would you like to kiss me? Right now…” “Kiss?” Daniel rounds his eyes and bites his lip. “Erm… Yeah… With pleasure… But… I think this is what our mutual confession of love is supposed to lead to…” “And I’d be glad if you did it.” “You’re serious?” “Yup… Kiss me.” Daniel and Anna often move their eyes aside and feel a little tense at first. But then they find the courage to look into each other’s eyes and examine them better, even though they seem to be dark at the dark time. That’s why it’s hard to say the man’s eyes are dark, brown, but the girl’s ones are bright green, with a very attractive shade. These two are standing quite close to each other for the first time. So, they feel a light nervousness, a strong heartbeat, a sudden hot flash, and a feeling of shaking legs. The slight wind is nicely blowing their faces and hair and making them feel goosebumps. However, this condition cannot make Anna and Daniel step away. Vice versa, such a close distance does its business and makes them shorten it much more, not stopping looking into each other’s eyes. And after hesitating a little, the man puts his hand on the soft cheek of the girl slowly but confidently and caresses it tenderly. She closes her eyes from pleasure with a slight smile, feeling a little weakness in her legs, and strokes his hand that is caressing her now. He is letting her know that she is the most beautiful and incredible for him with his tender gaze. At some moment, the green-eyed beauty succumbs to the temptation to caress the brown-eyed brunet on the smooth cheek and run her fingers through his dark chocolate hair that is unbelievably soft to touch. He kind of mirrors her actions and gives attention to the lady’s truly gorgeous fury red hair, over the full length of which he runs his hand slowly, noticing that it spreads an incredible smell that gets him a little drugged. And when he understands now is a wonderful moment for more confident actions, Daniel shortens the distance between Anna and himself and brings his face closer to her face. At first, he looks into her eyes and checks her reaction. But seeing that she shows her shy smile and does not step away, he focuses his eyes on her soft lips, the edges of which are perfectly expressed by nature, not thanks to lipstick or a lip liner. After a few seconds of resistance, Daniel eventually gives up and touches Anna’s lips tenderly with his lips. She closes her eyes when she feels a tender, slight touch, which causes slight dizziness, and because of which she takes her breath away for a second and feels her pulse gets faster. The man does a few more touches of his lips with slight bends of his head on different sides and then tries to give her a longer kiss, pulling down her lips tenderly, and she accepts it quite well. So, Daniel puts his hand on the back of Anna’s head and caresses her cheek tenderly with another hand, while she keeps her face in her hands and lets herself run her fingers through his hair, pull it softly, and run her palms over it along and against the grain. They seem to be absolutely relaxed and quiet, but everything turns upside down inside them during their first kiss ever, which is amazingly tender and amazing thanks to the man’s ability to kiss a girl so that she gets pleasure and wants to kiss him again. The red-haired beauty already appreciated his skills and hopes she will have a chance to feel a touch of these soft lips on her lips and give herself to the man, who gives her pleasure with just one kiss. And the brunet gave himself to his feelings and finally calmed down. Now he knows his feelings are mutual, and the chance to be left has almost been brought to zero. It seems like this kiss, which started in such a picturesque place in the dark time under the light of the bright moon and lots of little stars lasts kind of forever. Anna and Daniel will always remember their first kiss with great warmth and those nice emotions they felt during this magical moment. So, they step away from each other slowly, barely understanding what just happened, and look at each other a little hesitantly for two seconds. And then the girl shows her shy smile, letting him know she really liked kissing this man, and he answers her back, exhaling silently and raising his head proudly. At some moment, Daniel and Anna succumb to the wish to hug each other tightly. While the red-haired beauty puts her head on his shoulder and puts her arms around his neck, over the nape of which she runs her fingertips shyly, he puts his arms around her waist, runs them tenderly over her spine, and strokes her hair, the incredible smell of which he breathes in. They would like to believe this moment will last as long as possible, and they will always smile with a special gloss in their eyes and stay as happy as they are now.***
“At that moment, I was terribly ashamed and wanted the ground to swallow me up,” Daniel confesses shyly with a slight smile. “But after she confessed love, everything was gone by itself. And when we kissed for the first time, I actually stopped shaking and couldn’t stop smiling for a long time. And I suggested that we date literally on the next date, and she agreed.” “So, you say there is nothing interesting!” Jessica replies cheerfully with a wide smile. “As far as I remember, that’s the first case when a man confesses his love for a girl accidentally. My familiar people usually got ready for that to surprise girls.” “And the interesting thing is that these two are living together,” Terrence says with a mysterious smile. “Really?” Helene wonders. “Not being married?” “Yes! His girlfriend left her parents’ home because she didn’t want to be there and do what they wanted. Well, this gentleman agreed to accept his beauty at his home and let her feel surrounded by love.” “You’ve been too talkative in the past few hours,” Daniel throws gloomily, crossing his arms over his chest. “Don’t ya think, huh?” “C’mon, we at least distracted ourselves for a while!” “Oh, Terrence, let’s talk about how you barely lost the most beautiful woman in the show business? If I tell them what happened to you and Raquelle a few months ago, you’re gonna be as red as a tomato. And be ready to wish to be swallowed by the ground.” “Ha, just like you are now, yeah?” Terrence jokes with a sly smile. “You got so blushed after thinking of your first meeting with that red-haired beauty and your first kiss. M-m-m… That was so romantic… I’m touched and literally shed a tear…” “You will ask for trouble, and I will serve you up on a plate!” Daniel exclaims. “I’m serious, buddy! You thought you crewed it up, but eventually charmed your beauty, shooting your eyes and making her lower her hands.” “Now it’s not a good time, place, and mood to kick your ass. But remember, MacClife, someday I will reach you and teach you a good lesson.” “Okay, okay, I’m silent!” Terrence raises his hands in front of him. “Calm down, stud!” Jessica and Helene chuckle quietly, silently noticing they are feeling better while talking with Daniel and Terrence. “Oh, guys, I must confess that being with you is very funny,” Helene notices with a slight smile. “I got kind of easier and better…” “Yeah, you did really help us with your stories,” Jessica adds amicably. “If you get in touch with this man, you will become the same as him,” Terrence says, pointing at Daniel with a sly smile. “Trust me, this guy would tell you nothing good and turn you into something like him. The same brainless idiots as he is.” “As if you’re so good!” Daniel throws gloomily, crossing his arms over his chest. “A freaking smarty guy!” “But I’m telling the truth, my dear friend.” “Go to hell with your truth that nobody needs!” “Oh-h-h, how tough and sassy you are! Get cool, man, there is nobody to puff your shabby tail for.” “Don’t show off too much with yours, six-foot giraffe. Not to let you get too insolent and start talking about your awesomeness again, I will often repeat that you aren’t as handsome as all little girls think.” “Don’t say stupid things…” While Terrence and Daniel keep joking at each other, Jessica and Helene chuckle quietly again, look at each other, and shake their heads slightly. “I wonder, do these guys always act like idiots, or do they just try to distract from bad thoughts?” Jessica asks her friend in a whisper. “I don’t think they’re idiots,” Helene replies in a whisper. “If they were really idiots, they’d hardly be worried. And they wouldn’t have even guessed to go to Peter’s home after his call.” “Yeah… I think so…” Jessica glances at Daniel and Terrence, who are actively waving their hands while talking about something. “But agree, they’re quite funny guys and not deprived of a sense of humor.” “I don’t deny it. And I even got better after talking with them.” “And I got better, too…” “I think the time will go fast in their company.” “Well, I’d stay with such handsome guys all day long…” Jessica smiles mysteriously. “Both are so sympathetic…” “But don’t hope for something more, honey,” Helene chuckles shyly. “Accosting someone to be taken and especially married is bad. If you finally grew up for relationships, look for a single guy.” “I don’t steal guys, who date someone or are married to someone,” Jessica shrugs. “But I must confess that I wouldn’t mind dating such handsome guys, who can drive anyone crazy with just one gaze.” “Agree, these guys are really freaking attractive. Especially Terrence…” Helene smiles shyly and bites her lip slightly. “As it turned out, he’s more handsome when he’s close!” “Oh, I see you put an eye on him…” Jessica smiles slyly. “Don’t be too nice to Terrence and don’t tell him too many compliments. Daniel was really to make a hole in his head with his eyes when he smiled at you. And MacClife got a peacock tail on his back. He was showing off so much after hearing lots of nice words from you. It’s clear he loves being called God.” “Don’t worry, friend, I’m not interested in Terrence. Yes, this man is madly attractive and drives me crazy with just one smile. But he’s not my taste.” “But who’s your taste?” “No matter. I’ve got other candidates…” “What candidates?” Jessica opens her mouth wider. “Gosh, Helene, did you fall in love with someone?” “Jess…” “Tell me, friend!” Jessica begs with pity in her eyes, slightly pushing Helene on the hip. “Who’s that handsome guy? Who was lucky to steal your tender heart and get a chance to date such a cute beauty, who should’ve gotten a boyfriend a long time ago. Maybe, that is the one to make you and your grandmother, who’s dreaming of marrying you off, happy?” “Calm down, Taylor, nobody stole my heart,” Helene protests with a slight smile. “I haven’t met a man, who would make me happy.” “Maybe, Peter has a chance to get your love?” Jessica smiles mysteriously. “What if you’re worried about him because you’re in love with him?” “Gosh, Jessica, I did tell you that I wasn’t in love with Peter,” Helene moans tiredly. “He’s just my close friend, to whom I wish happiness with all my heart. That man is like my brother, whom I madly love. I have no siblings, but I consider him my brother, and you’re like my sister.” “Uh, you’re trolling the waters, Marshall. But it’s okay, someday I’ll bring you to clean water and make you confess you ain’t indifferent to Rose.” “Stop, Jessica!” Helene exclaims. “Remember once and forever – I love Peter only as my brother! No other way! Got it?” “But, Helene…” Jessica does not finish her thought because Daniel stops her. “Hey, girls, what are you whispering about?” Daniel asks. “Nothing special,” Helene finds an excuse with a shy smile, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “We just… Talked about feeling easy to talk with you.” “Well, yeah…” Jessica agrees. “And about a wish to know the news about Peter…” “Us too, Jessica,” Daniel nods. “But we’ll probably be waiting for a long time.” “So, I’m suggesting that we go to a cafeteria and buy something to drink,” Terrence says thoughtfully. “It would be great to drink or eat something.” “Oh, I wanted to go there!” Helene exclaims and sharply gets up from the chair. “My throat got a little dry, and I’d like to go to drink water. And I could take something for you.” “Well, as you decided to go, could you give me coffee, please?” Daniel asks gently and takes some money from the pocket of his coat and gives it to Helene. “Here’s money… I hope it’s enough…” “Then get a glass for me, too,” Jessica says amicably, and also gives Helene some money that she takes from her purse. After looking at Daniel and Jessica, Terrence shrugs and, also getting some money out of the inside pocket and giving it to Helene, says: “Well, as everybody wants coffee, I will not stand out.” “Alright, I will get coffee for all of you,” Helene replies with a gentle smile. “I will try to get back as soon as possible. If a doctor comes, call me on my mobile number or send a message.” Helene quickly leaves the hall of the second floor and goes downstairs, counting the money the three gave her, and takes some of her banknotes from her purse. “She jumped off so quickly that I realized nothing,” Terrence frowns slightly. “Agree, but at least, she’ll get us coffee,” Daniel agrees. “I wouldn’t mind drinking something. I’ve got a desert in my throat.” “Yeah, I think we’re gonna stay for a long time.” Terrence runs his hand through his hair and looks at Daniel and Jessica questioningly. “Hey, how long have we been here?” “Erm…” Daniel glances at his watch. “If I’m not mistaken, about forty-five minutes. Or a little less… Sorry, I don’t understand mathematics and can barely count.” “This time, you’ve hit the bullseye and counted it correctly. It’s amazing for the one, who can barely add simple numbers.” Daniel says nothing and just rolls his eyes, humming quietly. “I think we’re gonna stay here for the same time,” Jessica says thoughtfully. “Or maybe, longer. Who knows, how long doctors are gonna be examining the blond and diagnosing him.” “It’s okay, we’ll wait,” Daniel replies confidently. “We don’t rush and are ready to wait as long as we need.” Silence settles in the air for two seconds, and then Jessica, frowning slightly and putting a finger on her lip, looks around the whole hall before she says: “Hey, guys, I remember you asking why Helene reacted to Peter’s suicide attempt so excitedly.” “Well, yeah, we don’t get it…” Terrence shrugs. “I understand she’s his close friend. But still…” “But why?” Daniel asks. “Do you know something?” “No, no, I know nothing,” Jessica shakes her head. “But I suspect something and am sure that it might be a real reason for that reaction.” “Would you share it with us?” Before answering, Jessica looks around and bites her lip slightly. “You see…” Jessica says quietly. “Sometimes I think Helene likes Peter. But she doesn’t wanna talk about it or hasn’t realized it yet.” “Helene?” Daniel rounds his eyes. “Likes Peter?” “For me, it’d be quite a logical explanation: a girl is worried about a guy she’s in love with.” “So, do you think your friend has some feelings for Rose?” Terrence frowns slightly. “I can’t be sure, but sometimes Helene is acting so strangely that I suspect that she loves Peter as a man, not a brother. She denies everything, but gets very nervous while trying to make me sure she isn’t in love with that guy.” “Wow!” Daniel gets shocked, shaking his head. “I wonder if Peter knows it. Did he talk with her about it?” “I don’t think so,” Jessica shakes her head. “Peter has always said that girl is just his friend, and he’s not in love with her.” “You know, somehow I suggested that he pays attention to Helene as a joke. But Peter said she was just his friend.” “Oh, it’s the same with my friend. Her grandmother madly loves the blond and often persuades Helene to look at him differently. In her opinion, Pete would be a perfect partner for her. The blond is the first one to have such a strong love of Mrs. Marshall that she started to match him and her granddaughter together. No other guy deserved this honor before.” “Yeah, agree, they’d really be a good couple,” Terrence replies thoughtfully, trying to imagine how Peter and Helene would look if they were a couple. “And I think Helene is very good and sweet. Quite beautiful and smart… She could be a wonderful partner for Peter.” “Hey, do you think Rose might feel something for Marshall?” “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Daniel replies and smiles slightly. “I’ve always noticed that he gets a gloss in his eyes when talking about that girl. You need to just call her name to make him smile and start to get shy. Peter literally blossoms during a talk about Helene.” “It happens to Marshall, too. Although she has a sense of humor, she rarely smiles and laughs. But with Pete’s pretense, the non-laughing queen melts, smiling with all of her twenty-two teeth and thrilling with the laughter. The blond has always known how to cheer her up…” Jessica sighs quietly, “Even if he was unhappy…” “But if she’s really in love with him, why does she hide it?” Terrence wonders. “I don’t know, Terrence. She doesn’t like talking about her personal life and always finds excuses when she’s asked about men.” “Excuse me for the immodest question, but how many boyfriends has she had?” Daniel asks. “Is she dating someone now?” “Nope, she’s absolutely single… And of course, she has had boyfriends, and I know some of them. But Helene didn’t date them for a long time. Either she met scumbags, or she just got cool for them… But she hasn’t had hard breakups.” “Do you know when Helene could fall in love with Peter?” Terrence asks. “When did you start to suspect she wasn’t indifferent to him?” “I don’t remember right, but I’ve noticed it for a long time. But I couldn’t find the courage to ask her about it. I did it today, some time before we met you. And Helene started to deny everything with a slight smile and make me sure she wasn’t interested in Peter.” “My gosh… It’s all so strange…” “But, guys, I’m begging you, don’t tell her what I told you. And try not to ask her about it. Helene wouldn’t say anything and would keep denying it.” “Don’t worry, Jessica, we’ll say nothing to her,” Daniel replies confidently. “And shouldn’t we tell Peter anything?” Terrence specifies. “Yes,” Jessica nods. “Maybe, he also feels something for her, but now it’s not time to guess. May Helene figure out her feelings, and she’ll tell us about them if she wants. Now just support her and keep her belief that Peter is gonna be fine. Or she’s gonna fall into depression and, God forbids, will do something to her.” “Don’t worry, I’ll say nothing,” Terrence promises. “Me too,” Daniel nods. “We’ll do our best to keep her fighting spirit.” “Thanks a lot…” Jessica smiles slightly and glances aside. “Oh, she’s coming here!” A few moments later, Helene shows up, holding a little plate with four glasses of hot, strong coffee, the smell of which is just incredible. “Did I miss something?” Helene asks, carefully bringing the plate to everybody. “Nobody came?” “Nope, nobody,” Jessica replies, taking a glass from the plate. “We’re gonna stay here for a very long time,” Terrence assumes, and also takes a glass. “I hope they have good coffee,” Daniel expresses hope, taking a hot glass. “I tasted and liked it,” Helene confesses, takes the last glass, sits next to Jessica, and puts the empty plate on the free chair near her. “And yeah, there’s no change – your money was enough to buy three cups of coffee.” “It was the last money I had with me.” Daniel takes a couple of hot coffee. “But I spend them for good, ‘cause the coffee is magnificent!” “I couldn’t disagree with you, buddy,” Terrence agrees, taking a couple of sips of the coffee. “That’s what I need! Luckily, my favorite drink is so incredible! And quite strong!” “Excuse me, guys, wouldn’t your girls be worried that you aren’t going home?” Jessica asks, taking a little sip of the coffee. “Don’t worry, we warned them. Besides, they feel good ‘cause they’re spending time together.” “Oh, are your girls friends?” Helene wonders truly, quietly blowing on the hot coffee. “I’ll tell you more, Helene, they had become friends much earlier than Terrence and I learned about each other.” Daniel falls into silence for two seconds to drink some coffee. “I mean, I knew who he was ‘cause MacClife was known to every single dog. But I met him personally when he became a member of the band that Peter and I left.” “Wow! Great!” “Are your girls beautiful?” Jessica asks. “Very,” Terrence and Daniel reply in the same voice and smile as widely as Cherish Cats. “My girlfriend is the best and the most charming one in the world,” Daniel says with admiration. “And my fiancée is the most amazing person I couldn’t live without,” Terrence adds confidently. “Do you have such a great love for each other?” Helene asks with a slight smile on her face but sadness in her eyes. “Your eyes got a bright gloss when we started talking about your girls.” “Yeah, but somewhere a few months ago, the love between my fiancée and me wasn’t as strong as it is now,” Terrence confesses. “I think the more time is gone, the stronger our feelings get. Yes, we somehow forgot about each other and started to get cool. But now everything is fine, and I don’t regret going to marry that girl soon.” “Excuse me for the immodest question, but haven’t you thought of a child?” Jessica asks hesitantly. “Not yet,” Terrence smiles shyly. “But I’d like to have at least one baby. But at first, we’d like to solve our problems. And then we could think of a baby.” “That’s right!” Helene says with a slight smile. “Making a child is a very responsible thing that you should be ready for.” “I know. That’s why talking about a child is impossible now.” “I’m sure you’ll have a baby,” Jessica smiles slightly. “Making children that would be beloved late is better than succumbing to someone and becoming parents when you’re literally a child or not ready for it morally.” “I agree.” Silence settles in the air, and then Jessica smiles shyly and glances at Daniel. “You can think I became too insolent, but still…” Jessica says thoughtfully. “Daniel, have you thought of marrying your girlfriend?” “Jess, why do you need to know everything?” Helene asks embarrassedly, pushing Jessica on her forearm. “You need a little bit to make the guys run away from you and your personal questions. Because you may annoy them with your questions before Peter’s doctor comes to us.” “Nope, it’s alright, don’t worry,” Daniel laughs and scratches the back of his head, stroking down his hair slightly. “Vice versa, you help us distract ourselves…” “That’s why I’m asking,” Jessica replies confidently. “Yes, I really thought of marrying my girlfriend. But now I think I should solve the band’s problems and my business before I wish to create my family. And I’m gonna be honest, I don’t need marriage so much. And my girlfriend doesn’t press on me. We feel good without any marriage certificates. We’ve lived like a family and see nothing wrong with living in the same house, being unmarried. Vice versa, I think it’s good to live together a little before a wedding to get used to each other.” “Well… Helene thinks. “If only for that… Because living in the same house and apart are different things.” “But don’t think I’m using my girlfriend as a servant, who cleans up, cooks, and washes my clothes. Someday, I’ll surely marry her, but not now. And we won’t be judged by those, who are against life without marriage.” “We believe you’re decent and serious people, who know what they want,” Jessica notices. “But sometimes we run into something that would make us confused,” Terrence confesses. “It might strike us down and push us off the right track.” “And we often get obsessed with fears and doubts,” Daniel adds. “For example, we got confused when we found Peter with open veins. But that’s good we quickly braced ourselves and did what we should’ve done.” “So, don’t think we’re invincible people that fear nothing and can do any stupid thing or start laughing at anything like crazy idiots.” “But you were laughing at each other some time ago,” Jessica laughs shyly. “Don’t pay attention, it doesn’t have to do with you,” Daniel replies amicably. “You just need to keep Terrence on a short leash and not to let him become too arrogant. Or he will become too insolent and forget who is who.” “And you should control our deeply honorable Daniel,” Terrence chuckles quietly. “If he goes on the wrong way, a hurricane might happen. So, I have to get this stud cool from time to time.” “We got it…” Helene laughs shyly. “But sometimes I also have to wash Jessica’s brains, so she doesn’t go too far.” “And I can kick Helene’s ass if she turns into a headstrong donkey,” Jessica notices thoughtfully. “In short, everybody gets kicked,” Daniel laughs shyly. “Right…” The four guys laugh shyly and then think about something, looking at everything around them and sitting on the uncomfortable chairs, because of which everything starts hurting in their bodies.***
Terrence, Daniel, Helene, and Jessica sat in this hall for more than one and a half hours, waiting for the news about Peter. They tried to distract themselves from bad thoughts, talking about everything that did not have to do with their problems, getting to know each other, and telling something about their lives. And thanks to this, the four shortened the time quickly enough and did not go insane from such a long, torturing expectation. “Listen, how long have we been here?” Jessica asks tiredly, slightly shifting in the chair and quietly moaning from a slight pain in the back. “It seems like everything hurts inside me because of these uncomfortable chairs! My back is gonna break now…” “Two hours, no news,” Terrence replies thoughtfully, glancing at his watch. “And I feel strange because nobody but fewer people has gone by us.” “Damn, may at least someone come here and tell us something about Peter…” Daniel says tiredly, raising his head and moaning quietly. “I’m sick of getting tortured by suspense…” “I think someone is supposed to come to us soon,” Helene says thoughtfully. “We’ve been sitting here for a long time.” “If we know nothing for one hour, we can come to the girl at the reception and ask her,” Terrence suggests. “What if they forgot about us, but we’re sitting here like idiots and waiting for someone to come.” “Yeah, I think we better wait for a while…” Jessica sighs quietly. “That’s good we don’t need to rush and could stay here ‘till the night.” “It’s the only thing we can do,” Daniel says without emotions, setting his gaze into the distance. “Waiting is always hard,” Terrence says, raising his head and turning his head to warm up the neck that hurts a little. “You have time to assume all variants, think of the worst things, and start to be worried.” “That’s right,” Helene sighs heavily with sadness in her eyes, leaning back in the chair. “I’ve personally thought of everything. Even about the fact that Peter might not survive…” “No, he must survive!” Jessica says confidently. “The guys came to him very quickly and got time to call an ambulance.” “We did everything we could,” Terrence throws his hands up. “And we hope his talk with us wasn’t the last one…” Helene thinks for two seconds, but then gets straight sharply and rounds her eyes. “Oh, damn!” Helene exclaims. “It got out of my head!” “What’s wrong?” Terrence shows anxiety, moving his eyes to Helene. “How I could forget that!” Helene takes her purse, opens it sharply, and starts to search for something. “Guys, I forgot to tell you that when Jessica and I left the café, I wanted to check my phone. And I found out that Peter sent me a message when you and I finished talking.” “Right!” Jessica rounds her eyes. “I also got a message from Peter almost at the same time as Helene! But I saw it when I was at Marshall’s home and then forgot about it due to my short memory. I’ll show it to you now! I didn’t delete it!” Jessica opens up her purse and starts to search for the phone in it, while Helene takes hers, unlocks it, and starts to check something in it. “First, I didn’t pay attention to it, but while I was in the cafeteria and waiting for our coffee, I decided to re-read it,” Helene confesses and finally finds something in her phone a few seconds later. “Here it is! Read!” Helene gives the phone to Terrence sitting much closer to her, and he quickly takes it and sets his gaze on the screen. Jessica moves her eyes off her phone and sits quickly next to MacClife and Daniel to read the message along with them. “Helene, you’ve always been an amazing person, who has done so much for me. I truly appreciate all the care and love you’ve given me at such a hard time. But I’m sick of fighting and holding on. I no longer have a meaning to live. No hope that something will be changed for the better. I’m sorry for taking so much time that you could’ve spent on a more decent man, who would’ve made you much happier. But remember that I’ll always love you for being so nice to me. Thank you so much for becoming the one to breathe into me and make me forget that I’m a loser, who has never been lucky. Sadly, it’s my last message. Next, I’m gonna contact Jessica, Daniel, and Terrence, whom I betrayed, and say goodbye to them. May the guys exhale with relief, because nothing will stop them from making their dream of becoming musicians come true. And you will have much more time when I die. I hope you’ll meet a man, who will make you happy and get the love of your grandmother as well as I did. And yeah, tell her not to be upset because of me… There are more decent men, who she’ll accept with pleasure and love much more. Bye. Love, Peter.” Terrence, Daniel, Jessica, and Helene look at each other and slightly shake their heads after reading this goodbye message. “So, now I understand why Peter decided to apologize to us,” Terrence says thoughtfully. “This is what people do before they’re gonna die. They ask for forgiveness to die with relief… Peter was definitely gonna do that a long time ago.” “His depression was a sign of trouble,” Daniel adds. “Sorry that we didn’t see it in time… Everything would’ve been otherwise if we’d persuaded him to tell us the reasons why he suffered for a bigger part of his life.” “I barely held my tears down while reading this message,” Helene confesses in a little shaking voice. “These words are like a knife in my heart… I… Can’t…” “Hey, I recalled…” Daniel puts his hand in the inside pocket of his coat and takes Peter’s death note. “We told you about his death note on the door of the bathroom… Read it if you want…” Helene takes the note from Daniel, opens the shabby piece of paper, and quickly runs her eyes over the text along with Jessica. Then she exhales slowly with closed eyes, holding tears down, while the blonde softly caresses her shoulder with the hope of calming her down. “My God, my heart is gonna break…” Helene makes a quiet sob and puts her hand on her forehead. “I can’t…” “Quiet, quiet, friend, don’t get nervous,” Jessica replies softly. “It’s gonna be okay…” “Hey, Jessica, what kind of message did you get?” Daniel frowns slightly. “As far as I understand, Peter called only Terrence and me, but sent a message to you?” “Erm, yeah,” Jessica pronounces hesitantly, sniffing quietly. “Here it is!” Jessica gives her phone to Daniel, who takes it quickly and starts to read the message. Helene quickly gets up from the chair and comes to the man to read the text along with him and Terrence. “Jessica, I’m really very sorry about kicking you outta the apartment. I swear, I didn’t want it! I dunno what was obsessed with me… I just got nuts! You were absolutely right when you said all the same things that I had heard from Daniel for a long time. You two said I was guilty of my problems and not wishing to change anything. And it’s the truth. I can’t be mad at it. That’s why I truly want to apologize to you, Jessica, for making you disappointed in me. You’re a wonderful person, who has supported me since school. After you saw me cutting myself right during the lessons at the empty back of the school. Although you couldn’t support me openly, I knew I could rely on you and was very glad at least one person supported me. Thank you so much for that and for introducing me to such a wonderful girl like Helene. She’s always been true to me, and her kindness has no limits. I’m lucky I managed to feel a little better thanks to that girl by the end of my life. She’ll always have a special place in my heart. And I’m asking you to forgive me for doing such a disgusting thing to you. I’m really very sorry, Jess… And despite nothing, I’ll always love you as my sister and wish you only the best. Bye, friend… Best wishes, Peter.” “I didn’t know you had such a close relationship…” Daniel notices. “We’re like a brother and a sister,” Helene sobs quietly. “I’ve literally known him all my life and consider him someone to be very close to me. If I lose Peter, I’ll lose a part of me… I don’t know how I’m gonna live without what gives me happiness and make me laugh. I don’t wanna lose him…” “You won’t lose him, friend,” Jessica says softly, embracing Helene around the shoulders. “I believe he’ll survive. Maybe, he’d need time to get back to normal life and get rid of depression. But Pete is gonna be fine. He’ll do it for you. For the one that he’d do anything for.” “I believe so,” Terrence says confidently. “Me too,” Daniel says not less confidently. “We’ll surely help him with everything we can and do much more than we can do.” “I’d like to believe it…” Helene makes a sob again and quickly wipes a tear off her cheek. “But I can’t… Can’t…” Jessica hugs Helene tighter with the hope of calming her friend down, while Daniel and Terrence watch them with sadness in their eyes and look at each other. And a few seconds later, a middle-height man at the age of about thirty-five with dark hair and bald spots on the sides, who is wearing black framed glasses and a medicine robe comes to the four. “Erm, excuse me, young men, did you come with Peter Rose?” the man specifies. “The guy, who was brought here after a suicide attempt?” “Yes, we did,” Daniel and Terrence reply almost at the same time, get up sharply from their chairs, and come to the doctor. “Please, tell us, how is he doing?” Helene asks excitedly, instantly coming to the doctor along with Jessica. “Will he survive?” “Tell us the truth – we will accept anything,” Jessica adds anxiously. “I am sorry for making you wait for so long,” the doctor says quietly, clears his throat, and fixes his glass. “I got some complications and had nobody to send to you to tell everything.” “Please, doctor, do not waste time and tell us about the condition of Peter Rose,” Terrence says quietly. “Hm…” the doctor thinks, putting a finger on his lip. “So, I have two pieces of news for you: good and bad… What do you want to hear first?” “Bad,” Helene, Daniel, Jessica, and Terrence say almost at the same time, opening their eyes wider. “Alright, I will start with a bad one.” The doctor clears his throat again. “Mr. Rose’s wounds are quite deep. And he eventually lost very much blood – about twenty or twenty-five percent. So, we diagnosed hypovolemia – a state of decreased blood volume.” “Is it very dangerous?” Helene shows anxiety. “Your friend is lucky he avoided some brain damage that often happens in this case. We managed to stop blood loss and close his wounds – so, the risk of losing blood is almost zero percent. But he already had massive blood loss. And now he has problems with the circulatory system. Very low blood pressure and a fast heartbeat. The heart is trying to compensate for this loss. So, we are carefully watching his state.” “Yeah, but you have not answered our question about whether Peter will survive,” Daniel notices excitedly. “I can promise you nothing, young man… The heart is working hard and might not take such a great load. And if the situation gets worse, we will have to put him on a ventilator.” Helene sobs quietly with her mouth closed with a hand and shakes slightly, while Jessica hugs her white friend, softly caressing her shoulders. “Is everything so bad?” Jessica asks quietly with sadness in her eyes. “We are keeping the situation under control, but the state of your friend is hard,” the doctor replies quietly. “He cut his veins too strongly and provoked massive blood loss. Even though everything could have been much worse if he had lost much more. So, we still have a chance to save him because you called an ambulance in time.” “Could we help him recover?” Terrence asks. “Erm… I do not think… But I’m letting you know that Peter needs a few blood transfusions. Unfortunately, we have no donor blood because almost everything was given to another seriously ill patient. We are giving him a special solution so far, but he needs a blood transfusion. And it would be great if someone from his family became his donor: mother, father, brothers, sisters… Do you know someone of his relatives, who I can contact?” “Nope, we know nothing about his family,” Daniel shrugs with sadness in his eyes. “Very sorry… Since he is here, I must tell his relatives that he tried to kill himself as soon as possible. So, they give their blood samples and find someone to find out reasons for his suicide attempt and give therapy if he needs it.” “Say, could one of us become a donor?” Terrence asks. “Yes, we are just close friends of Peter, not his relatives, but what if one of us can do this.” “As I said, it would be better if one of the relatives became a donor. But we have no time to choose because the situation is complicated. So, I would like to suggest you give blood samples, so we can check them for compliance with Peter Rose’s blood. If one of you is can do this, we will tell you what to do before giving blood and transferring it to your friend. So, would someone like to try?” Daniel, Terrence, Helene, and Jessica look at each other, nod confidently, and look at the doctor at the same time. “I will surely do a test!” Helene says confidently. “Me too!” Daniel exclaims. “Me too,” Jessica promises. “I agree,” Terrence replies confidently. “Everybody agrees.” The doctor sighs heavily and looks at the four with a sad gaze. “I hope at least one of you would fit,” the doctor expresses hope. “If I had time to know his blood type, I would ask you who has the same one or the one that is comparable to it. But since the analysis is not ready yet, I’m asking you to give yours.” “If it helps Peter, we will surely do it,” Helene says quietly with sadness in her eyes. “Alright, if you are ready, follow me then. I will take you to the office, so a nurse can take some blood from your vein.” The dark-haired doctor turns around and leads Helene, Jessica, Terrence, and Daniel. The four guys are terribly excited and scared, and they are silently praying that they have at least someone to be able to help Peter. “At least there’s hope for the best,” Terrence whispers. “But I don’t like his words.” “Yeah, he clearly hinted that everything might be much worse,” Daniel notices. “Even if Peter avoided brain damage, it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t show up later. Who knows, what kind of consequences a massive blood loss might lead to.” “Agree, we can’t say complications wouldn’t happen,” Helene agrees. “The case is very serious.” “Did you hear the doctor saying something about a ventilator?” Jessica asks with widely open eyes. “Do the doctors think the heart mightn’t take that load if they put him on machines to support his life?” “But the doctors can keep the situation under control,” Daniel notices. “Maybe, he’ll get better after a blood transfusion. But I ain’t personally sure about it…” “Let’s just believe in the best,” Terrence suggests quietly. “And just give our blood samples.” “Easy to say but hard to do…” “Oh, let’s really hope everything will be okay,” Jessica sighs quietly. “Pray that one of us is able to help Rose,” Helene says a little gloomily. “Or we’ll have to find other people and persuade them to give blood.” “I hope we’ll be lucky…” Daniel replies thoughtfully. Some time later, the doctor silently takes Daniel, Terrence, Helene, and Jessica to the door, greeting some people from the hospital staff and familiar patients. And after coming to the door he needs, he turns to the four. “So, we have come,” the doctor says quietly. “Come in.” Helene and Jessica enter the office, as Daniel and Terrence let them go forward and follow them, looking at each other hesitantly. Every one of them looks around and feels how it’s disgusting for them to be here and breathe in the smells of cures in the air, on all the walls, and literally on every single thing. But they try not to pay attention to it and enter the office along with the doctor. A nurse with blonde hair brushed in a tight bun is sitting at a table and glances at the four. Peter’s working doctor comes to her, bends, and tells her something quietly, while Terrence, Daniel, Helene, and Jessica hesitantly look around. “They came to give blood samples to check their comparison with the blood of Peter Jackson Rose,” the doctor says quietly. “We have no time to find his relatives, and these guys do not know how to contact them. So, I suggested they check it themselves.” “Is Peter Rose the guy, who was brought here after a suicide attempt with massive blood loss?” the nurse specifies. “I was examining some notes that I got.” “Yes, that’s him. Take some blood from these four and then give the samples to the laboratory.” “Alright, I got it,” the nurse glances at the four guys, who are standing on the doorstep and looking a little scared. “Come closer, young people, do not be afraid.” “Sit on the sofa,” the doctor adds, pointing at the little sofa placed in the office. Helene and Jessica hesitantly look at each other, come closer to the sofa slowly and sit on it. Then Daniel and Terrence join them and look at each other. And then the nurse takes a piece of paper and starts to examine it closely, biting her lip slightly, while the doctor looks at them and silently notices that the men’s clothes are covered with blood. “So, as far as I understand, you are giving samples, so we check its comparison with the blood of Peter Jackson Rose,” the nurse says thoughtfully. “Born on April, 10th, 1991… Was brought to us due to a massive blood loss complicated with hypovolemia…” “Yes,” Terrence, Helene, Daniel, and Jessica confirm. “You should not be afraid, everything will be quick and harmless. I will fill out some documents based on your data, take some blood out of your veins, and give it for analysis.” “And some time later, we will get the results and know who might become a donor for my patient,” the doctor adds. “Everything is ready! So, who wants to be first?” Jessica, Terrence, Helene, and Daniel look at each other again, understanding that every single muscle of their bodies gets tense, and their hands start shaking slightly from the excitement. “Erm, well, do I go?” Daniel asks a little excitedly. “C’mon?” Terrence wonders quietly. “I can help you come to the chair and seat you down, so you don’t faint.” “Ar-r-r, here you go again!” Daniel groans quietly. “What do ya mean?” “Just because I got a little sick after what we saw in Peter’s apartment, it doesn’t mean I’d feel bad now.” “Oh, yeah…” Terrence chuckles kindly. “Little sick… You were green. And you began to slide down the wall shortly after entering the bathroom.” “Seeing how white you got when you saw that horror, I’m imagining what happened to you when you had to bring your beauty to life after what you did to her.” “Alright, plucked peacock, stop saying bullshit! I understand you’re afraid to go and don’t wanna pass out in front of us, but you have to do it.” “If you’re so brave, go first!” Daniel hums with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ll see if the inimitable Terrence MacClife is afraid of needles. Whether he’s gonna scream when seeing a big one.” “I will go!” Terrence sharply gets up from the sofa and glances at the nurse. “I will be the first one!” “Alright, sit down in front of me, please,” the nurse replies softly as she shrugs. Terrence sits on the chair placed near the table, on which the nurse is sitting, with his head proudly raised. At this moment, the young girl starts to fill out some papers, but glances at the man at some moment and frowns slightly. “Erm, take your coat off, please,” the nurse says thoughtfully. Terrence gets up silently from the chair, takes off his leather jacket, and gives it to Daniel. “Hold it, buddy. I hope you’ll complete this mission and won't get my favorite jacket dirty.” “No problems…” Daniel chants, rolling his eyes and putting Terrence’s jacket on his laps. While Terrence sits on the chair again, the nurse quickly fills something in the paper and moves her eyes off it some time later. “Call me your full name, birthdate, and current age,” the nurse says. “Terrence James MacClife, twenty-seven,” Terrence says clearly. “Born on April, 24th, 1989.” The nurse chants something under her nose and quickly writes down the data in a document. And some time later, she brings one of the pieces closer to Terrence and gives him a pen, saying: “Leave your signature where I put the dot.” Terrence takes the pen, leaves his signature on the paper, and gives it to the nurse. “Roll a sleeve, I will take some blood,” the nurse says. Then the nurse gets up from her place and takes the prepared gloves, a jar, and a needle. Terrence quickly half rolls the sleeve of his sweater, wincing slightly from the disgusting smell of cures that he cannot take. A few seconds later, the nurse comes to the man, rubs the right area with alcohol, and gets the needle into his arm. MacClife quietly reacts to this and watches Daniel, Helene, and Jessica, who look tense enough. After taking some blood, the nurse gets the needle out of his arm and puts on a little piece of a band-aid. “That’s all, you can be free,” the nurse says, filling the little jar with the red substance from the syringe, and glances at Daniel, Jessica, and Helene. “Who’s next?” Terrence quickly gets up from the chair, proudly comes to Daniel, and takes his jacket from him with a sly smile. “Your turn, my friend,” Terrence pronounces. “Show how brave you are.” “Alright!” Daniel throws tiredly, gets up from the sofa, takes off his coat, and gives it to Terrence. “Now it’s your time to watch my coat.” “Go already…” Terrence replies, taking the coat and shaking his head. “But tell the nurse to prepare ammonia for you. In case you faint from one little drop of blood.” Daniel groans quietly with his eyes rolled up, sits on the chair, and leans on the table with his elbow, being calm outside and a little tense inside due to the fear of blood that he tries to hide so hard. “Your full name, age, and birthdate,” the nurse says. “Daniel Christopher Perkins, twenty-six,” Daniel replies. “Born on August 20th, 1990.” The nurse says something under her nose and fills the paper. “Please, sign it here,” the nurse says, pointing at the specific place in the paper. Daniel quickly leaves his signature with a little crooked handwriting and gives the pen to the nurse, who nods and prepares a new needle and a jar. “Roll a sleeve!” the nurse orders. Daniel silently rolls a sleeve of his gray sweater covered with noticeable blood spots, to which the doctor being in the office pays attention. The nurse comes to Perkins, rubs the area on his arm with alcohol, and quickly gets the needle into it. The man winces slightly with a feeling he feels a little sick, immediately moves his eyes off the needle, and pays attention to a quiet chuckle from Terrence, who watches him, thinking his friend will faint at the sight of blood again. Then Perkins shakes his head and shows him a fist with a threatening gaze. Daniel does not notice that the nurse gets the needle out, puts a band-aid on the place, and fills the jar with blood. “Thank you, sir, you can be free!” the nurse exclaims. “Next!” Daniel gets up from the chair, comes to Terrence with his head proudly raised, and takes his coat with a sly smile. “I will make you pay for it, paleface rooster,” Daniel whispers. “If there was nobody here, I would kick your ass.” “I just supported you!” Terrence throws his hands up with an innocent smile. “And I was ready to jump to help you in case you fainted.” “Ha, I would’ve done it without ya,” Daniel sits down next to Terrence. “As you see, I’m still alive and didn’t die. And I didn’t faint.” “I believed in you and kept my fingers crossed,” Terrence says confidently, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. “And you won! Congrats, champion!” “Thanks,” Daniel chuckles quietly. “Friend…” “Let me be next, and you’ll be last,” Jessica suggests quietly. “No, Jess, I will go next,” Helene replies confidently. “Though I should’ve gone first.” “Sure?” “Yes. I’m coming!” Helene gets up sharply, takes off her black coat, gives it to Jessica putting this thing on her laps, comes to the table, and confidently sits on the chair. The nurse starts to fill out some papers again and whispers something under her nose, repeating what she wants to write or reflecting on something aloud. “Please, call your full name, current age, and birthdate,” the nurse says quietly. “Helene Miranda Marshall, twenty-four,” Helene replies, setting her gaze on a poster hanging in front of her. “Born on September, 10th, 1992.” The nurse quickly writes something on the piece of paper that she moves closer to Helene. “I need your signature here,” the nurse pronounces. Helene quickly leaves her signature, puts the pen on the table, and rolls a sleeve of her shirt without being asked. And when the nurse gets the needle into the girl’s arm, she does not even move an eyebrow and keeps a coldness on her face. It makes Daniel, Terrence, and Jessica admire her truly. Nobody knows if she is not afraid to do it or is just ready for anything to help Peter. But Marshall takes the process very bravely until the young nurse gets the needle out of her arm, puts on a band-aid, and fills the jaw with blood. Then she lets Helene know that she may be free by nodding and glances at Jessica. “Go, Jess!” Helene says with a slight smile and takes the cost from Jessica. “You’re the last one.” “You’re so brave, Helene!” Jessica wonders, gets up, and takes off her dark pink coat. “You didn’t even move your eyebrow when she got a needle in your arm.” “It’s not as hurtful as it seems.” Jessica gives her coat to Helene with a slight smile, comes to the table confidently, sits down, and rolls a sleeve of her knit oversize sweater. “Full name, birthdate, and age?” the nurse asks. “Jessica Samantha Taylor, born on March, 3rd, 1991,” Jessica says. “Twenty-five…” Some time later, after the nurse fills out the papers based on Jessica’s data, she gives one of them to the blonde. “Leave your signature, please,” the nurse says. Jessica quickly leaves her signature, guessing where it should be. And then the young nurse confidently rubs the area with alcohol and gets the needle into the blonde’s arm. Peter’s schoolmate winces slightly, but stays quite brave and quiet. And two seconds later, the hospital staff member gets the needle out, puts a band-aid on the place, and lets Jessica know she is free. “Thank you, you all did it!” the nurse encourages with a smile. “We will try to do our best to check your blood as soon as possible. It does not usually take much time. And when we know if someone fits, we will tell you what to do.” “And now you better go to your home,” the doctor says, who has been in the office and watching the process of giving blood. “Excuse me, can we visit Peter now?” Helene asks. “At least to look at him barely!” “No, miss, I am sorry, but you are not allowed to visit Peter. He is now in intensive care, and nobody is allowed to visit him due to his hard condition. Let’s wait until tomorrow: if something changes, I will just show you his room, and you will watch him through the window. But now go home and come back here tomorrow for the results after lunchtime. “After lunchtime?” Daniel specifies. “Yes, any time. I hope we will have the results by that time,” the doctor looks at Terrence and Daniel carefully, frowning slightly. “Ah, yeah, you two should wash the blood off your clothes and hands. And have a good rest. You look white and exhausted.” “We know,” Terrence nods. “We got a little scared and nervous.” “Anyway, we have your numbers and will tell you if something happens.” “Alright, thanks a lot,” Daniel replies gently. After taking their stuff, Jessica, Helene, Terrence, and Daniel leave the office. And when they end up in a long hall where the light is turned on, they start to go down it in a slow step, glancing at one of the windows and seeing that it got quite dark outside. “Oh, I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Daniel says thoughtfully and tiredly. “I do want to know the results as soon as possible and the name of the one, who will be able to save Peter.” “Yeah, but there might not be the one to be able to become a donor,” Helene sighs quietly. “But I hope we’ll be lucky,” Terrence says confidently. “And there would be at least one to be able to become a donor.” “I don’t also think everything is lost,” Jessica assumes thoughtfully, embracing herself with her arms. “The doctor hinted that there was a chance for salvation, and Peter is able to get well.” “I’m sorry we got anxious too late. We were cowards and excused it by not being ready to talk… And when we got a kick, we quickly found words. And a wish to run from problems was gone…” “Agree, we should’ve gone to his home much earlier,” Daniel says quietly, inclining his head slightly. “I’m sorry that every one of us delayed this visit ‘till the last moment.” “Would something have changed?” Helene throws her hands up. “Peter refused to explain something and withdrew himself from everybody on purpose. Even if you and Terrence hadn’t decided to go without Jessica and me, we would’ve hardly saved Rose.” “But we could’ve tried to prevent this suicide attempt much earlier and made him stop always cutting himself.” “Yeah, we shouldn’t have left him…” Terrence says with sadness in his eyes, glancing at the doctors going by him. “At least, I shouldn’t have really left him alone. I didn’t fight with him and could do something to avoid the suicide attempt. I’m not a psychologist, but I think I would’ve found the words and made him sure to tell me everything.” “I also did a bad thing to him,” Daniel notices in a low voice, running his hand over his hand. “If I’d known Peter was harming himself, I would’ve tried to help him. And I wouldn’t have talked to him about what hurt him. I didn’t think it hurt him so much. I can’t read people’s thoughts…” “Don’t blame yourself, Daniel. To some extent, I’m also guilty of him and could’ve done what George told me – to get you and Peter to reconcile and save our band. But I made myself think I could do nothing. I could have done it! If I had really wanted.” “Nope, buddy, you’re guilty of nothing. And don’t forget, it’s not the only problem of yours. You’ve got so many of them. And you have to tear yourself apart…” “You know, Daniel, honestly, I’m almost used to living with problems. Seriously, it’s really hard for me to imagine myself having no problems and keeping everything under control.” “At least, you’re running into such serious things not for the first time. The most shocking thing I experienced was the sudden death of my parents, who died by one.” “The most important thing is that you aren’t running from problems and are ready to solve them,” Terrence notices, clapping Daniel on the back. “We can learn to fight with it and teach some lessons by running into a problem.” “Well, yeah, I agree…” Daniel shrugs. A few seconds later, Helene stops somewhere in the middle of the hall, and then Daniel, Terrence, and Jessica do the same. “Erm, so, we can go home and put ourselves in order,” Helene says thoughtfully. “There’s no point in staying here.” “Yeah, I think we should have a rest after such a tense day,” Daniel nods. “And tomorrow, we’ll meet again to get the results of the test.” “See you tomorrow then,” Jessica says quietly. “Goodbye, guys.” “See you tomorrow,” Helene says goodbye shyly. “Goodbye,” Daniel and Terrence pronounce at a different time. Helene and Jessica slowly turn around and quietly go down the hall, starting to talk about something on the way. The men keep standing in the same place and watching the girls until they hide somewhere. “Yeah, it’s been a hard day!” Terrence exhales sharply, running his hand through his hair. “I can’t deny it, I’m gonna see it in my nightmares for a long time,” Daniel replies thoughtfully. “Me too. Experiencing some bad stories for two days is too much. If only something else didn’t happen tomorrow… I dunno what I’m gonna do.” “Well, we have only one plan for tomorrow – to get the results of the test.” “Well… Actually, I have another one – a plan to bring my friend to clear water. If it’s so, I’m afraid I won’t avoid something shocking. Because Edward may say and do anything.” “Sorry for ya, old man. But if you wanna end this weird story and find out who’s gonna hurt you, you’ll have to do it.” “I know. That’s why I have to bite a bullet…” Daniel shakes his head, silently looking at Terrence with true sympathy for a few seconds. And then he looks around and pulls down his coat, saying: “So… I think it’s time to go home, to our girls… If they’re there, of course… The gorgeous ladies may be walking somewhere…” “Yeah, let’s leave this place,” Terrence replies tiredly, putting his hand on his forehead. “These hospitals make me sad and depressed… I mean, I hate them…” Daniel and Terrence go down a long hall to the stairs, on which they go down to the first floor. “I think there’s nobody that loves them,” Daniel assumes. “Anyway, you successfully completed a very hard mission and took it quite strongly,” Terrence chuckles kindly. “I thought you screwed it up, but you surprised me.” “Hey, are you starting to remind me of what happened today?” Daniel resents. “Are you kidding me?” “Nope, why do ya think I’m kidding you?” Terrence smiles innocently. “Vice versa, I wanna support and encourage you! Because you passed such a hard test!” “If you wanna support me, stop saying you believed I was ready to pass out at the sight of blood.” “No, Dan, you did really almost pass out. That’s why we always need friends. While one is out, another braces themselves and brings them to life quickly. And when you’ve got three or more friends, that’s much cooler.” “Listen, Terry, why do you have such a long tongue? Or didn’t I notice it before? Did I realize it now when I began spending much more time with you?” “Okay, okay, relax, tough guy. If you want, I’ll try not to remind you of that again.” “I doubt you’ll keep your word, but I hope the word of Terrence MacClife himself means just something to you.” Terrence says nothing and just leaves the building of the hospital along with Daniel, going through the hall glassy door and seeing many doctors and common people standing not far and doing their business. And a few seconds later, the friends end up in the hospital parking lot for automobiles, where MacClife’s car is placed and still getting much attention. When he unlocks it, Perkins sits in the passenger's seat, and Terrence sits in the driver's one. “So, I’m afraid I won’t leave my car for a repair,” Terrence says thoughtfully, closing the door, getting a key into a switcher, and seeing someone amazingly staring at his half-crashed car. “And people will still keep staring at it and thinking it’s an old thing.” “Oh, yeah, your crushed swallow is like a museum exhibit that people are so interested in,” Daniel replies funnily, putting on a safety belt. “It’s okay, it’s gonna be fixed and look like new soon.” Terrence turns on the first speed with the gearbox and presses the gas pedal. His car slowly gives a start, leaves the parking lot, and goes to the main road. The friends are trying to distract themselves and talking about something that does not have to do with what happened today. Everything that they will not forget soon.***
It’s about half past nine. Edward is sitting in his room at Rebecca’s home. The man just had dinner with his mother, being happy with a chance to eat well-cooked food, and went to his room, excusing it with strong tiredness. And while the woman is doing her business, Edward is lying on the bed, setting his dead eyes on the ceiling, and putting his hand under his head. “Early or late, I'll have to find the courage to reveal everything Terrence should know,” Edward thinks, biting his lip slightly. “And I can’t and don’t wanna hide like a coward forever. Someday, my friend will know everything and press me to the wall to get the truth outta me. And I’d better do it before that bastard Michael finds him and makes his pals do something to him or Raquelle. We’ll hardly solve this problem, but they’ll at least know what they should know and remember that they’ve gotta be careful.” Edward swallows up nervously and closes his eyes for a second, exhaling slowly. “But if this problem is solved, I need to start to think about what to do,” Edward thinks with sadness in his eyes, shaking his legs nervously. “I’ve gotta get a good job to provide for myself… Rent a low-priced dump… And forget everybody… I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay here after what happened. I’ll have to run away… Anywhere where nobody knows me…” Edward glances aside and sighs heavily. “Ah, if everything was so easy…” Edward thinks. “I can dream of going to the Moon or space. But I have no opportunity to… And especially money… But if I wanna change my personality, I must find a way to get new documents legally. Yeah, I’ve gotta find out what I need for it, and whether I should pay money… Maybe, I’ll have to save money… To start my life over again…” Edward thinks about what to do for a few seconds before the phone starts to vibrate. But it makes no sounds since the man turned off the sound. Despite a reluctance to talk to anyone, the brunet lazily raises himself, reaches the bedside table, takes the phone, puts his head on a pillow, looks at the screen, and moans quietly when seeing a familiar number. But MacClife exhales sharply and answers the call. “Alright, what will you tell me tonight?” Edward asks coldly. “Yeah, you called just in time! I am going to fall asleep. Maybe, you can tell me a tale for a night? I haven’t lately slept kind of well!” “It goes without saying, my dear Edward!” the stranger laughs evilly. “I shall tell you a story for a night, like in the old times… Like in your careless childhood, when you were sucking a pacifier and playing a car… Ah! Or you did not have it! Listen, my dear, I’m sorry, I forgot!” “Ha, you weren’t the one to tell me tales,” Edward throws gloomily, doing something to his hair with his fingers. “Right, nobody told you tales for a night! But I will have the pleasure of telling you a story about me getting everything I want very soon. I’m sure you will get lifeless insomnia because you will be afraid to fall asleep and see nightmares with me.” “You know, I’ve heard this story thousands of times. And I am fucking sick of this! Maybe, you dream up something new? I am so hungry for new tales!” “Alright, as you wish! I will tell you something you would like to know. About my life after I get everything I want and destroy you and your pathetic family.” “Damn, did you lose your memory, my dear?” Edward makes fun. “You have told me this story! Thousands of times!” “Really?” the stranger simpers sarcastically. “Oh, what the heck! I got so old! I guess I got so exhausted after destroying your daddy and searching for your pathetic relatives that I forgot about myself. Alright, when I solve it, I will buy a ticket and go somewhere to Cyprus or the Caribbean Islands and have a good rest.” “You can get out somewhere. Forever. Far from here. To a desert island where you would do dirty tricks to trees and monkeys that would be much smarter and slier than you are.” “You are snapping at me again, pathetic boy! I understand you are envying me because I can buy a ticket, get on an airplane, and fly anywhere at any time. But you have no money or opportunity to do it. You will never be able to go abroad and see the world.” “Do not worry, respectful, when I get everything you stole from my family and share it with everybody, I will live a beautiful life. Because whatever I get, it will be good for me anyway.” “Keep dreaming, romantic, you do it way better than anything else.” the stranger thinks for two seconds. “Let’s better talk about something different. I see you haven’t told your friend that you have great problems.” “It’s none of your business, got it? He will know everything when I believe it’s time.” “Oh, Edward, do not act like the situation is under your control,” the stranger says confidently. “You have not had control of the situation for a long time, and you understand you are less able to fight with such a strong man like me.” “You are not a strong man. You are an insolent and shameless bastard, who stole everything that belonged to me and my family. And you are a killer! The killer of my own father that suffered because of your fucking fault!” “It’s just the beginning, sonny. Much more murders and attempts of attacks will happen soon. For example, I am going to deal with your freaking attractive girlfriend, with whom you have a very, very bad relationship.” “No, no, you won’t dare!” Edward sharply sits up, rounding his eyes that are running nervously from one side to another. “I swear I will not let you touch her, at least with a finger! Don’t dare to get closer to her – or I will break your neck!” “Oh, Edward, think up something new!” the stranger moans tiredly. “I’m terribly sick of your ‘I will not let you’. Wreck your stupid brains, what you can do against me. Is the meaning of this game your wish to show off and prove to everyone that you are not a little brainless boy, who can only be barking?” “I told you everything, the bastard named Michael!” Edward throws rudely. “That girl does not have to do with our business. And I will not let you hurt innocent people. I understand why you need my friend, his fiancée, and everybody, who surrounds me. But my girlfriend must not suffer because of a pathetic bastard. I will not forgive you for it!” “Oh, boy, honestly, I do not understand you… Why do you worry about the girl, who has never loved you and is dating you just because of fear of staying single? I’m sure she got sick of being a brainless blonde, who men could only fuck. So, she decided to hold you tightly and make you marry her by force. Time is going by, and her beauty is not infinite. When a girl loses her beauty and gets old, nobody needs her.” “Do not change the subject! I repeat, I will not let her suffer because of you! If your people at least touch her with a finger, I will skin you alive!” “But she is suffering, my sweetie! Because of you! Do not forget that you humiliated and showered her with mud. And I don’t think she will love to forgive you someday. The one, who did such a disgusting thing to the poor girl.” “You don’t have to do with our problems,” Edward says rudely. “And they will not impact my wish to protect those, who mean just something to me.” “Oh, did you forgive her for the insolent lie?” Michael wonders. “You are sure that girl lied to you! And we both know if you have one reason to doubt someone’s sincerity, you will pronounce them your number one enemy.” “Fuck, how much you love meddling in someone’s life! You cannot live without rumors! It’s as interesting to you as stealing money that does NOT belong to you.” “I will tell you just one thing, Edward… Someday, your hate for a lie and reluctance to find out if it’s true might lead to something bad. You might realize you made a great mistake, believing something and getting mad at someone, who you did not ask to tell you all the truth.” “You better remember you might regret everything you are doing because of a too great greed and a wish to revenge on those, who did not please you somehow.” “Alright, maybe you will not understand my words now,” Michael replies confidently. “Because you are mad. Explaining something to you is worthless. But someday, trust me, you will know what will change your attitude to a lie. And before believing it, you will find out if a person could betray you.” “I told you everything and do not want to talk about it anymore,” Edward throws coldly, breathing heavily enough and feeling a strong tension in every single muscle of the body. “No matter if I left my girlfriend, you do not have to do with it.” “Alright, as you do not care about that girl anymore, I can quietly do anything to her. Moreover, you and I have not talked about your friend and his fiancée, whom I can get off easily. I can kill them for a second.” Edward getting sharply white rounds his eyes full of fear and horror and shakes his head. “No, no…” Edward pronounces in a shaking voice, clenching a hand into a fist. “No, you will not do it! Not my friend and his fiancée! Do not dare to hurt them!” “M-m-m, you are worried about your buddy,” Michael smirks evilly. “I guess you got attracted to each other very quickly. But I will see what will happen if Terrence knows what kind of trouble you got him and his gorgeous fiancée named Raquelle involved. If he knows that you can tell him about his missing younger brother.” “Do not even dare to hurt Terrence! Only over my dead body! I am not going to lose my friend because of one nasty bastard, who must be burned for all the things he’s done.” “But you have already lost your father, my dear! He became the first one you lost. And as I said, he is not the last one…” “Maybe, you get me out of your way? If you kill me, you will have no barriers, and I will not stop you from killing my whole family! What are you waiting for, Michael?” “Do not worry, Edward, your time to die will come soon,” Michael laughs evilly. “I will not let you grieve for the people you will lose too much. You have a little time to live, sweetie. So, I advise you to enjoy your life. Because someday you will come into my house alive, but you will be carried away dead.” “And I shall use this time! I will be enjoying my life and find a way to stop you.” “Alright, Edward, alright,” Michael hums contemptuously. “But you will get nothing.” “We will see.” “Yeah, I forgot to tell you… I do highly recommend that you ask your friend about the adventures that he recently had to experience.” “What?” Edward sharply gets frozen, opening his eyes widely and literally stopping breathing with a feeling his heart misses a beat. “What are you talking about? What kind of adventures? Did you try to kill my friend?” “And when it happened, you were hanging around for nothing.” Michael simpers quietly. “So, boy, do you still think you can foresee all my actions and pretend to be a hero for those, who will die anyway?” “I swear, I will kill you if my friend suffers because of you,” Edward says rudely. “You, scumbag, will pay me for that! Hear me, PAY!” “Do not scream, idiot!” Michael throws loudly. “Your friend is alive yet. Just like his charming fiancée is. Who, as my people told me, almost died from what her beloved fiancé did” “Wow…” Edward rolls his eyes. “I didn’t know you had such a rich fantasy. I thought it was limited only by wads of dollars.” “It’s not my fantasy, Edward. My helpers would be happy to tell you everything. But if you want, ask your friend and his fiancée. They could tell you very much. And I do not doubt Terrence madly hates you and wants to press to the wall to know all the truth as soon as possible. My people already told him that you could tell him everything.” “They will know everything, early or late.” “I did not make you stay silent – you decided to do it. But if you want to tell them about their forthcoming death, I leave it to you, dear.” “They will understand me. And I will prove that I’m doing all of that for their best. For the justice that I must restore.” “So, then, I wish you luck in getting your close people ready for the death,” Michael smirks contemptuously. “And I will see if you fight with them after what they hear. But if they knew much more about your life, they would turn their backs on you forever.” “They love me and will not believe your stupid stories.” “Do you think so? So, we will live and see… But now you should go to sleep, my sweetie. It’s almost ten, and all the little babies are supposed to be in bed and fall asleep. So, go to your bed now, baby Edward. Or the one, who you are living with, is going to swear. Sweet dreams from your uncle Mikey.” Michael sharply turns off the call, and Edward hears only beeps. The man hums quietly, turns off the phone, and exhales sharply, breathing heavily and getting much whiter from the great excitement. “I can’t hide it anymore,” Edward says excitedly in a shaking voice. “Terrence suspects me of something… Michael wouldn’t say it without a reason. If he said he tried to threaten Terrence and Raquelle with the help of his accomplices, it could happen. And my friend wouldn’t get off me and would tell me to confess everything. I can’t be silent anymore… I’ll have to tell them everything… And I’d better do it as soon as possible before they decide to press me to the wall. At least, about the threats. It’s too early to tell him about the information about his brother. Too early…” Edward closes his mouth with a hand and looks around the whole room with a little scared gaze. “Tomorrow…” Edward pronounces. “I’ll do it tomorrow… Yes, I’ll go to Terrence and Raquelle’s home and tell them everything I know. It would be better if I did it at my wish. Maybe, they wouldn’t get too mad at me… I dunno… Anyway, I’m risking making my relationship with them much worse. And if that old bastard tells them something, my friend and his fiancée will hate me. But I don’t want… I don’t wanna lose my close people because of that scum.” Edward thinks for two seconds and rounds his eyes. “Damn, that man said something about Natalia!” Edward gets horrified. “Did he decide to defeat her? But how does that scumbag know about her? How does he know about our conflict? Michael said it like he knew something I didn’t know…” Edward shakes his head. “No, even if I’ll never forgive her for the lie, she shouldn’t suffer,” Edward says confidently. “Natalia shouldn’t have to do with what has to do only with me, Terrence, his mother, father… My parents…” Edward exhales sharply. “Damn, Rochester should know everything is happening,” Edward says. “We could expect anything from that bastard. I’ve gotta admit, I lost control of his actions and don’t know what to expect from him.” Edward thinks for some time and frowns slightly, rubbing his forehead with a hand. “Okay, I’ll tell Raquelle and Terrence everything, and they’ll explain everything to her,” Edward decides. “I don’t wanna meet that girl to tell her about Michael and ask her to be careful. If Cameron tells her everything, Rochester will understand it. If that blonde has brains… In another case, it’s not my problem…” Edward sits up sharply, puts one hand under his head, and runs his fingers through his hair, putting his phone on the bedside table. “What if I get better after telling someone everything?” Edward asks himself. “Honestly, I am so sick of keeping everything inside and saying nothing to nobody. I do wanna get rid of at least one burden and exhale with relief. And I hope the business between Michael and me won't make my relationship with my friend, his fiancée, and his mother worse. I don’t want them to think I’m a stinker, who got them involved in trouble. I wanna let them know that I don’t have any bad plans.” Edward thinks for some time with sadness on his face. “And Natalia can live as she wants,” Edward adds. “Since she’s never needed me, she can go to hell. Yes, I don’t wish her to die, but I no longer want to know or hear anything about her.” Edward sighs with sadness in his eyes and looks at the whole room with dead eyes. “But there’s a great problem…” Edward says quietly. “I still love her… And I still can’t take the fact that everything is over between us. I’m trying not to love her, but I can’t. I… I can’t… Can’t fall out of love with that girl… But I must find a way to forget her. To meet the one, who will be much better than Natalia Emily Rochester. The bitch, who did a disgusting thing to me.” Edward slowly sits up and glances at the window. “Just because Terrence couldn’t fall out of love with Raquelle doesn’t mean I couldn’t fall out of love with Natalia,” Edward says confidently. “He couldn’t do it because Raquelle loves him, but her friend used me and was lying to me all the time. So, I must do it.” Edward closes his eyes for two seconds. “Now I won’t think of my future because my plans might not come true,” Edward says. “But I’ll have to think about it later, when everything gets better. I will probably have to break contact with those I love. I’m afraid it’s the only way to start it over again and become a different man. Even if I don’t wanna say goodbye and stop speaking to anyone…” Edward thinks about what is going to expect of him in the future for some time with horror in his eyes, and gets ready for tomorrow's talk with Terrence and Raquelle for some time. And then he decided to get ready to sleep, being a little nervous because of what his idea might lead to and whether it might become the reason why his relationship with his close people would get worse.***
Natalia is not going to get ready for sleep, even if it’s now about eleven o'clock. The girl is sitting in her room in silence that might be broken by the sounds of driving cars, loud talks of people, or the bark of dogs. She is viewing some photos she found with sadness in her eyes. They were all made in different periods. Some pictures mean very much to the girl, and she keeps them carefully, recalling the moments that happened when these shoots were taken with a slight smile on her face. For example, Natalia is now viewing some photos, in which the happy Raquelle, Terrence, Natalia, and Edward are posing and smiling truly. The men look serious, confident, and happy in photos with the girls. But they let themselves play the fool with each other in shoots, in which there are only both of them. And the ladies are charming and wonderful in pictures with the men and each other. All of these photos are bright, positive, and live. Nobody tries to pick up a good pose and put on a smile to look good in a shot. They are absolutely natural and do what they want. Viewing these photos, Natalia starts to cry at the realization that she will never experience those wonderful times. At least, she and Edward will never experience something good together because everything is over between them. Even if they keep loving each other at heart, no matter how hard they try to forget about their feelings. “I was really happy when spending time with these people…” Natalia thinks with sadness in her eyes. “Much happier than I am now… In these photos, I’m happy about my life and having fun… And as far as I remember, there were Peter, Daniel, and Anna on that walk. One of our first together walks… When Raquelle and I got on well with Rose and Perkins.” Natalia sighs heavily, taking another photo, in which she sees the truly happy Daniel, Anna, Peter, Terrence, Raquelle, Edward, and herself. “Gosh, I’m so sorry Peter tried to kill himself,” Natalia thinks. “I’d feel very sad if such a good guy died.” Natalia moves her eyes off the photos and makes a quiet sigh. “But I understand him…” Natalia thinks. “Because I have less and less straight to keep my emotions and feelings inside. I can’t be silent about the real truth anymore. If Edward knew all the truth, he wouldn’t hate me so much and think I’m a liar and a whore. It’s madly hurtful to know he thinks so, but I can’t say anything to him. And there’s no point…” Natalia glances at the photos in her hands and starts to feel tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. “Edward and I can’t be together,” Natalia thinks with sadness in her eyes. “Even though I still madly love that man, our relationship will never be the same. Firstly, because of my lie… I did really lie to him… Everything is not what he thinks. There’s a different, real reason for my suffering.” Natalia sighs heavily and looks around the whole room. “I’d give much to get him back,” Natalia thinks. “But I think Edward lost trust in me. And even if I tell him the truth, he will still doubt my loyalty and sincerity. And he will reproach me for that during every single fight.” After sighing heavily again, Natalia puts the pictures on the bedside table near her bed, gets up, comes to the window, and starts to watch what’s happening on the dark street lighted up by lamps and the light from buildings and headlamps of cars, buses, trams, and other transport. “I don’t like a dark time…” Natalia thinks. “Although this time is very beautiful, it’s quite dangerous, and I can’t stop thinking of what I get obsessed with when the darkness comes. I feel a little better in the morning or in daylight. I don’t have such terrible associations with daylight.” Natalia sighs again and lazily scans everything behind the window. “My God, I have less straight to pretend that everything is fine,” Natalia thinks. “I’m sick of all of this! I wanna get rid of this disgusting feeling that I’m obsessed with. I wanna tell everybody the truth and prove that I’m not a liar and can love and be loyal. Wanna let them know I didn’t betray anyone and was just slandered… Framed…” After standing near the window for two seconds, Natalia steps back from it and slowly goes to the bathroom, wiping tears off her face. The girl lazily opens the door, turns on the light, enters the room, slowly comes to the mirror, and starts to closely look at her reflection. Her eyes no longer shine with a special gloss and have circles under them, and her hair got dim and lost its first shade of blonde. Although Natalia has been a natural blonde since she was born, she often dyes her hair to the golden blonde that she has loved for many years. But now the long hair that is carelessly brushed up lost its gloss and become lifeless. “Yeah, I don’t like what I see in the mirror,” Natalia thinks, noticing her cheeks got too shrunk, and her face seems to be slimmer. “Damn, it can’t be happening anymore! I must change something and stop being a vegetable. If it keeps happening, I’ll do something terrible and actually wanna shoot myself. And the most important thing is that I should find the courage to say what I’m worried about, at least to someone. I must stop obeying this freaking voice and tell myself I wanna do it for my best.” Natalia swallows up nervously and sighs quietly, leaning on the sink with her hands. “When Raquelle and Anna came to me and distracted me from bad thoughts for a few hours, I got much better,” Natalia thinks. “I must confess it. Without the girls, I would go insane. And I think they deserved to know everything first. I must talk to them and reveal what I’ve been hiding for a long time.” Natalia thinks for two seconds and nods, setting her gaze in the distance. “Yes, I’ll do it,” Natalia decides confidently. “I dunno when, but I have no strength to be silent and hide the truth. The truth that’s killing me inside and poisoning my soul. Like a poison that kills a person slowly but rightly, destroying them more and more every day until they lose their strength to fight and dying.” After moving her hair aside, Natalia looks at her reflection for a few seconds. Then she slowly steps back from the mirror and leaves the bathroom, turning off the light and closing the door. The girl walks into the whole apartment for some time, looking into every single room, examining some things, or looking through the windows to see what’s happening outside. It seems that now it’s time to go to sleep, but Natalia does not want to do it. She has lately had some problems with it. The girl sometimes has pain in her stomach that literally eats itself. Just like it is now. The blonde feels quite a familiar, unpleasant pain in her stomach and understands she feels vomit in her throat, which she tries to hold down. “Oh, shit, these waves of pain in my stomach,” Natalia whispers, wincing strongly and grabbing her stomach that hurts from hunger. “And I feel sick…” At this moment, Natalia comes to the living room, sits on the sofa, and doubles over. “I need to do something with it, I can’t take this anymore,” Natalia thinks. “I know I eat nothing and don’t almost sleep, but it’s hard for me to make myself do it. Sometimes I can’t even look at a piece of bread or a glass of water… I get sick at the sight of food…” Still sitting on the sofa, Natalia slowly leans back, raises her head, closes her eyes, and exhales quietly. She tries to breathe quietly as she feels her whole body starts shaking strongly from fear and nervousness. “No, I must stop it before I bring myself to some illnesses and have to go to the doctor,” Natalia decides silently, shaking her leg nervously. “If only I haven’t gotten sick with something else. Oh…” Natalia moans quietly, grabbing her stomach tighter. “I’m surprised I’m still alive after so much time is gone…” Natalia wonders. “And I didn’t die on the day I overcame the nightmare…” Unfortunately, Natalia cannot calm down and stop shaking and being afraid of something that happened a long time ago. She is still obsessed with a great, uncontrolled hurricane that is ready to kill all the good emotions and strength she still has. Terrible thoughts get into her head and do not let the girl exhale with relief. They do make her say nothing about what is a secret to everybody. “Oh, no-o-o, I’m thinking about that again!” Natalia moans quietly and makes a sob, breathing heavily enough. “I don’t want… I don’t want… I can’t be silent anymore! Stop terrorizing me! Fighting with some people is enough. I can’t lose someone else! I must tell them everything! Must!” Natalia looks around the large living room with her wet eyes and passes her shaking hands over her hair. “I still have people, who love me and would support me anyway,” Natalia says quietly. “They’re worried about me, but I’m acting like an egoist, pretending that everything is fine and obeying the voice. The voice of the one, who I will hardly meet again… Who will not hurt me and find out someone knows my secret. I do need a close person, who will listen to me. Raquelle, Terrence, and Anna are the only ones, to whom I can trust my secret. I trust these people more than myself. And I know they’d support me and wouldn’t turn their back on me. They can’t do what my parents and Edward did… I won’t take it…” Natalia sniffs quietly and embraces herself with her arms, wishing to have someone, who would be by her side and give her the support she needs so badly. She understands she can no longer keep her secrets inside, and silence is killing her more and more. But the girl wants to get the long-awaited peace and feel happy again. It would be possible if she got the help of her close friends, who, as she is sure, would surely help her.