Serena stared at the bus that has just passed by. 16.55 pm, late in the afternoon, June 24th. Her 21th birthday. For a stranger who only walked through, she looked normal. No, actually she wasn't plainly normal.
She might not realize how pretty she was. Nobody cared enough to tell her. Nobody, except Niki. But Niki has never encouraged himself to tell Serena, and Serena was too busy dealing with her fragile self to notice what she saw everyday in the mirror.
16:56 pm, her bus to Perth would arrive in 4 more minutes. Serena could not wait in peace. She kept thinking, while her earphone played the song that reminded her about the first day she saw Niki.
You could be my unintended Choice to live my life extended You should be the one I'll always love I'll be there as soon as I can But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before***
8 hours earlier... Niki sat at Potrait, a small coffee shop by the end of 4th Avenue, 12 blocks from his apartment, the place where he worked as a part-time barista every weekend. It was 24th June, Serena's 21th birthday. He was about to congratulate her and asked her out for a movie for the first time - and maybe finally told her about what he felt to her - when Serena turned on her cigarette and blew the smoke right through the cold window. The rain hasn't stopped falling since last night, and her skin looked more pale than usual. It totally matched her dark-blond-long-curly hair, which fell perfectly framed her unique face. It has been zillion times that thought came through his head, warmth his heart everytime Serena's brown-eyes gazed at him, but again he never encouraged himself to tell how pretty she was. Serena was too fragile. She looked normal for others, but he knew how fragile she was inside. He was the one who held her when she cried after finding her mother died in the kitchen's floor, accidentally overdosed and was too late to be cured. Back then, 2 years ago. That was the first time they were together without arguing out loud.And this morning, it happened again."Cigarette will kill you, don't you know that?" Niki started, while Serena took the second cigarette."Well, yeah, like you care so much. Why, your parent never let you to smoke? Have one, then. Remember. They are far away now, back there in Indonesia," Serena replied, definitely trying to make him mad."Coffee and cigarette, everyday. Serena, you're only 21. Are you sure after you collapsed that day, you still want to continue torturing yourself?" Niki reminded her about one crazy night when Serena suddenly called him, telling him she wasn't able to breathe. Suffocating. Niki still remembered how scared he was, thinking that he would lose Serena that night. She was suffocating on her bed, all alone late in the night. He took her to the hospital, and could not stop praying ever since. He could not stand seeing Serena cried along the journey. He felt like he could feel her pain too. But yet, he never told Serena about it. Niki has never known that... when he came to the emergency room that night, Serena could have never felt any happier in her whole life. Saw his cold face all about to cry... kneeling and praying.. Gosh, she has never seen anyone cared about her so much like he has done. Yet, she never told Niki how thankful she was, having him accompanying herself through her fear to medicine and her freaking oxygen mask."I got an awful bronchitis, yeah, so what? At the end I'll die too, that won't make a difference. I don't have anyone, and my life ain't perfect. I got nothing to lose if I die tomorrow." She said rudely, seeing Niki right in his dark eyes. Those amazing eyes that calmed her even when she was so lonely and scared. Gosh, did Niki ever realize how lovable he is?"You got me loosing you..." Niki whispered, and stood up. Potrait was about to open, and his manager would not be very happy if he saw Niki sat there doing nothing while people queuing in the counter.Serena knew she heard Niki said something, but she was too busy with her plan to escape to Perth this afternoon. She didn't have any destination, but still, it didn't stop her to do so. The reason why she woke up this early was to tell Niki that she's leaving, but Niki didn't even bother.Niki was still Niki. Cold, unpredictable. Serena was tired, arguing with him almost everyday, but however, she could not get over him. He was the one she got ever since her friends runaway knowing her mother suicided herself, 2 years ago."I'm leaving!" She shouted towards Niki's back. "And I mean it. Don't even bother to look for me anymore..." and by that, she left Potrait, slammed the door hardly.Niki turned around, about to open his mouth, but he knew he was too little too late to catch her. Peter, his manager, has already arrived, and he knew Serena has been there earlier. They must have crossed over earlier. Nobody understood Serena's position. Everyone they knew thought that she was a trouble-young-woman, having a mother who killed herself, and nobody to look after her anymore. Her father's family... well, she didn't even know where his father was.He could sense her loneliness. He always could. He wanted her to know that he would always be there for her, took care of her. Anything for her. But one argument after another made him felt tired, and he forgot what he meant to say right-after, hoping that tomorrow he or she would not start another stupid argument thus he could tell her what he really felt about her.One thing that he didn't know, there might be no tomorrow for them. Serena would leave this afternoon, and he probably would never know. Peter turned on the music, and Niki recognized it as one of his favorite song. Actually, Serena's. She told him about this song and how she was crazy about it, and ever since than, Niki felt the same way too. Some days, they could be fit for one another more than everyone else. But those moments were rare, and that was why Niki remembered each of them. Duffy's melodic sound still played to the loudspeaker. Took his memory back to Serena. Again and again. Warwick Avenue...
When I get to Warwick AvenuePlease drop the past and be trueDon't think we're okay just because I'm hereYou hurt me bad but I won't shed a tearHey, Serena...Don't you that... even though you hurt me bad, I'll always be here for you. I don't care how these differences tear us apart. I want to fall for you, only you.***
I'm leaving you for the last time baby you think you're loving but you don't love me and I've been confused outta’ my mind lately you think you're loving but I want to be free Baby you hurt meMaybe Warwick Avenue defined how she felt to Niki lately. She wished so could tell him, but she couldn't, remembering how rude she has been, nevertheless Niki was always there. How could she deserve such a perfect person like Niki?She turned to her left, seeing a couple whispering to one-another. And she missed Niki. Naively, she hoped Niki would come, saved her, like he used to be. She didn't want to leave, but she needed one reason to stay between people who hated her. Niki?And their confusing relationship? And their never-ending argument?No, that would not be a good reason.Non-sense!Serena stood up. Her bus was supposed to arrive now. It was 17:02 PM now. Time to say goodbye. To Niki, even though he wasn't there.It hurts to say goodbye, Niki... it really doesOne thing that she didn't know, Niki was there. In the station's main gate, looking at the bus schedule. If only she had turned around...She missed the change. And, probably, so did Niki.
All the days spent together, I wish for better and I didn't want the train to come, now it's departed I'm broken hearted, seems like we never started All those things here together, when I wished for better and I didn't want the train to come ***
2 blocks from the bus station, 16:56 PMNiki almost running out of breath while running on the sidewalk. He totally forgot that he should pick his sister thirty minutes ago. By the time he reached there, a bus has just arrived, blocking his sight.Darn it! He couldn't see his sister.17:06 PM. What if her sister has already left? Geez, she has never been there before! And remembering how careless she was... she could be anywhere right now! Darn it!!"Niki... ! Niki... !"He turned around, recognizing his sister's voice. She ran towards him in a rush, looked furious and confused."I'm sorry, I know I'm late. I was...""Where did Serena go to?" She cut his words directly. Of course, she knew exactly what Niki felt about Serena, but refused to be in between, seeing how fragile their relationship."What? I don't know. She came to me this morning, and we had a fight, and she left, and...""Didn't you ask where she would go?""No, I was mad at her 'cause...""You shouldn't be. Know what? It's ridiculous. I saw her took off just now. I was about to get out from my bus when i saw her buss leaved. So, do you know where does she go?"Niki paused. He looked at nowhere, knowing that his last chance to tell Serena has gone. Knowing that he didn't know where she would be. Or why she left. Or the reason why he should stand here.For who? Serena wasn't even here anymore...
When I get to Warwick Avenue I'll tell you baby, that we're through
***
Labels: my own fairy tale
did you get my message?
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