Chapter One: Replacement

Ghost-silence greeted me as I entered my bedroom.

*Sigh*

I miss my dog, Bernard. He was the only thing that makes me happy these past few years.

Now I lost him. And I can't do anything.

Whelp. I better get used to it though. I survived without him for months.

I let out another sigh, much deeper this time, and grabbed a pen to start my loose sketch for tonight.

—

Saturday

I woke up pretty late this morning. Wondering if mom's home. She always arrive late at night or sometimes early in the morning.

I wore my slippers and stared at the miniature volcano alongside the poster of Emperor Genghis Khan.

I stood up and walked down the stairs, while walking I heard some sizzling downstairs.

"Mom?" I called out.

"Good morning Yaru, dear, let's have breakfast." She's facing her back but i can feel her smile.

Weird, mom's cooking.... Something's up. And to make it weirder, she's very cheerful today.

And usually I cook the food for myself while she's gone.

"Mom, you okay?" I asked, nervous and concerned, yet still half asleep.

She yawned in response.

"I'm okay honey, just a bit tired."

Sizzle sizzle

"You're not your usual self." I frankly stated.

She's usually drained and stressed and very busy. Most of her time is all about work and there's little or no time for me. But somehow, I understand that.

"Okay so I met this guy...." she stated

I knew it. She's eventually gonna find a replacement for dad.

But then again, I can't do anything about it. And I have to accept it.

I didn't respond. I just stared at the window.

"Oh honey." She lets go of the cooking utensil, "We're going to be a complete family again! We could even adopt a new puppy for you!" She clasped her hands together.

I don't want to.

*Sizzle*

"Oh no! The food!"

Ha. Mom forgot the fish.

—

Nothing special happened this afternoon, until my best friend Kaye texted me something.

From Kaye:

Hey Yaru! I have some tea for you! There's this boy 'Shaun Feld' from our school. He's sixteen years old, and a hottie too ;)

I cringed at Kaye's text

Anyways here's the real tea. He's suicidal and bipolar, he tried to commit suicide many times that's why he was sent to Matrimonia Hospital. Well, that's all, tee hee. :P

Shaun...

I wonder why he's suicidal....poor guy. I hope he would recover from all the chaos in his mind.

I just realized that hundreds or even thousands of people die everyday because of depression that causes one to commit suicide.

I remember the things that mom's  mentally-ill patients say.

Yes she's a psychiatrist.

I shook my head in sympathy. I can't help but to worry, even though this is the new normal.

I lay down in bed, as random thoughts wonder inside my mind.

I decided to ignore this desolate voice.