I walk into the apartment that I used to call home, but it just doesn't feel like that anymore. It just feels like another place where I'm temporarily living. I trudge up the steps and open the door into the actual apartment. Immediately, I see tons of bouquets and pots filled with brightly-coloured flowers lining our apartment. They are sitting on our countertops and tables and some even are on the floor.

I can hear Holly in the kitchen, humming softly to herself.

I was just let out of the hospital. I was in there for two days and was finally let go, though they want me to come back on a schedule in order to "talk" with someone. Though, I'm not sure how well that will go since I no longer talk. 

If I don't talk anymore, will I forget how to? 

Maybe.

I silently walk into the kitchen and appear next to Holly's side. That's another thing I seem to be doing more: silently walking up to people without them noticing before I'm right next to them.

"Oh! Hey hun, didn't even hear you!" Holly smiled at me, giving me a quick hug. 

I let her hug me then I go to sit at our counter. I sit there silently with my hands clasped together on the counter, my legs swinging a little. 

After a day of me not talking in the hospital, Holly figured that I'd rather not talk and she hasn't really bothered about it. Which is fine with me. Not like I could explain it anyway and even if I did want to talk, I still couldn't explain it. 

Holly looked over her shoulder at me, smiling. "Are you hungry?"

I give her a small nod.

"Okay!" she chirps then turns around and finishes cooking whatever she was. She sets it on a plate then sets it gently in front of me. It's eggs, hash browns, and toast. One of my favourite breakfast meals, even if it is the middle of the day. I look up at her and give her a small smile which seems to make hers even bigger.

She sits down next to me and starts eating her own, talking to me about her work and any gossip she's had in the past few days. Before, we'd talk about this together since we'd each have our own gossip to spill but now, I've got nothing. 

"Oh, and Tianna told me that Trisha told her that Winnie told her that Austin is going out with that blonde bimbo who walks around town like she owns it. Isn't that so ridiculous? Like, dude, you've got the looks and the brains, why do you need someone like her with you? Actually pick a decent person out, jeez."

And she keeps going.

It's all petty little things that have no bigger connection to anything outside a girl's little world. How one person did this to another and how they got revenge. Or how this one person is going out with someone, something no one saw coming. Or how another person did this to someone else and now they're rivals. I listen politely since I have nothing else to do, but it all goes in one ear and out the other. I probably won't remember much of it in an hour or so. 

Finally, Holly finishes up and takes her plate and mine to the sink, rinsing then placing them in the dishwasher. "I have to go out shopping. Do you mind staying here alone?" She gives me a wary look.

I shrug then nod my head. 

"Okay, I'll be back soon." Holly gives me a tight hug then walks out with her keys, phone, and purse. 

I sigh and look around. The flowers are nice, I suppose. They're really bright and colourful and they sort of hurt my eyes when I look at them for too long. There is a set of flowers, though, that are a deeper blue, and I walk over to them. 

I pick up the card in the middle of it.

I'm sorry for not helping.

What? 

I place the card gently back in between the flowers. Bending down, I smell the delicate petals, and they have a pleasant scent. But who are they from? No one signed it and the message is confusing. 

I walk back over to our living room and sit down on one of the couches. It's really soft and comfortable as any couch should be, but I suddenly feel grateful for it. I stare out the window across the room at the endless sky. It's so blue. The puffy, white clouds just roll lazily across it, no worries at all. How peaceful it looks up there. What would it be like to just lie down on a cloud and let it carry you far away? To forget every problem and worry and stressful task. To forget all your mistakes. To forget every bad thing that happened to you.

To simply... forget.

Wouldn't that be nice? 

I bring my legs closer to me, wrapping my arms around them. I feel really warm right now just staring up at the sky. If only it could be like this forever. But it can't, and I know that. Just when things start to get better, something always pulls you back down. Just when you think you might have a chance at happiness, something happens to tell you otherwise. Just when you believe there is a sliver of hope for you, something rips it away and leaves you empty. 

And after a while, after it just keeps repeating, you lose the hope that you'll be happy and things will get better. Sometimes, it may. But sometimes, it won't. I suppose it all has to do with how someone deals with pain. How they manage to get back up from a fall. 

I slowly stand up from the couch and walk over to our counter. I scribble down on a piece of paper that I'll be out for a walk and will be back soon. Hopefully.

I slip on a pair of shoes then walk out of the apartment into the openness of the world. For now, it seems to welcome me with its warm arms, but I know that behind every warm smile is a brewing storm. 

A few birds whistle through the sky, and I can hear the sounds of people talking; otherwise, it seems like every other sound is blurred. I walk slowly down the sidewalk, keeping to the side so others can pass by me. No one pays me any attention. But why would they? Don't I look just like any other person out for a walk? 

Anyone can look at someone and see what they look like on the outside: just another human. But that human probably has scars that will never go away. They might have a storm raging within them. They might have a horrible story about their past that would put anyone in tears. They might have an absolutely blissful childhood. They might just be out for a walk. But no one can simply look at a person and think they know what they're all about. 

Often times, people just know someone's name and not their story. Why someone is the way they are. What made them into the person they are today. Who helped them. Who pushed them down only to realise that that made them stronger. Or who hurt them so completely that they'll never be able to put themself back together. 

Some people are who they are. And no one can change it. While others would like to believe they can change someone, it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes plans change. And all because of one decision. A decision can save a life or destroy it. Depends on how someone uses their powers. Sometimes we take a wrong turn and leave everything behind us in flames. 

I soon find myself in front of that ice cream shop again. There's barely anyone inside since it is a bit cooler out. I walk in and sit down at one of the tables in front of the large window. 

One of the employees comes over to take my order, but I kindly wave them away. I just wanted to sit.

I suppose these will be the rest of my days for a few weeks. There's nothing much to do and the only real friends I have are Dave and Holly. I remember a time when I had so many friends I could hardly keep count. I couldn't walk through the streets without stopping to talk with at least five people. But that was before last year's incident, of course. 

Suddenly, I feel someone sit down across from me, but I don't look. I don't mind sharing. I'm too focused on looking outside up at the sky to bother looking in the person's direction. Maybe they'll figure I'm not into talking and they'll just leave. Or maybe they'll just sit here with me. 

"Hi."

It's a deep, rough voice. Obviously a man's. And then I feel the booth seat dip as someone else sits next to me. But it couldn't be another grown person since the seat barely moves. A small hand appears in my vision. Whoever it is sets their hand on top of mine. 

Blinking, I finally look at the two people. 

It's that one man whose eyes I could never forget and the little girl who I often see with him. 

"I'm Bella," she says in her cute, little girly voice.

I nod and give her the smallest of smiles. 

She tilts her head to the side. "I saw you in the window and you looked sad. Why are you sad?"

I looked sad? I thought I looked thoughtful. I wasn't really thinking of anything sad. 

I simply shrug.

"Do you not talk?"

I shake my head. 

"That's okay. I like talking. This is my big brother, by the way. His name is Isaac. He takes care of me." she shifts a little so she's sitting down on her bottom now. She lies her arms on the table, her chin barely reaching the tabletop. I can feel her legs swinging beneath the table. 

I look at Isaac and he's watching his little sister. He looks up at me, and I can almost see the smile in his eyes even though there isn't one on his face. 

Bella looks at her brother. "I'm hungry."

Isaac huffs then calls over a waiter. I watch silently as he tells the waiter what she wants. 

"Thanks, big brother! Anyway, what's your name? Oh, wait, you don't talk, right? Or do you just not like talking? I had this one friend in my old school who wouldn't talk but she was the most fun. I miss her."

I shrug my shoulders and give her a small, sad smile. 

"Oh! I know. What if you wrote out your words instead? I have a pen with me. I always carry it since I never know if someone wants to get my autograph. Someday, I'm going to be famous, you know?" Bella grabs a few napkins then pulls out a little girly pen with butterflies and sparkles on it. She hands it to me.

I take a napkin and scribble my name on it and a simple hi.

"Oh! I like your name. It's very pretty. Look, Isy, isn't her name pretty?" Bella holds out the napkin for Isaac to read. He glances at it then nods, shrugging.

I suppose neither of us likes talking. 

"How old are you? You look like my brother's age. I'm six, by the way. And I'm very grown-up and mature, just ask Isy," Bella says, sitting up straighter and giving me a toothy smile. I like her. 

I kind of smile and glance at Isaac. His intense eyes are watching me, and I can't help but shrivel underneath his gaze. I lean back into the booth and sink down into it a little.

Bella, of course, notices and laughs. "Don't mind him. He does that to everyone. Deep, deep down inside, and I mean like deep inside he's really cute and sweet. But he doesn't show it a lot. I keep telling him to, but he never listens. Boys, am I right?"

She acts like a high school teenager. 

"Come on, Bella. We have to go." Isaac stands up and reaches for her hand. 

"But—"

"If you come, I'll get you ice cream." 

Bribery. The best way to convince a kid to do something.

"Fine. Bye, Angie! I want to see you again soon, okay?" she gives me a sideways hug then slides out of the booth. I watch as her brother orders her ice cream. She happily licks away at it then waves at me before they exit the little shop.

She was nice. Her brother, though, was very... intense.

I kind of liked it.

I suppose there are a few good things in this world still.

~~~

❝Sometimes we take a wrong turn and leave everything behind us in flames.❞