Sleepless Nights

Azaliah Krimson

Insomnia: a term used for when a person cannot sleep or suffers from sleeplessness, restlessness, or tiredness days or nights.

And here I was again acquainted with an old friend. It was still the early hours of the morning when I had spotted a meteor shower. I climbed out the window and then to the roof. I counted the many stars that began to fall. I knew they were just rocks but for me, they were shooting stars… stars that were shooting across the galaxy.

It was nights like this where I spent my night's stargazing. Making wishes to orbs of gasses billions of light-years away. I closed my eyes, to make a wish upon those falling stars with my hands clasped together.

I wish for Felix to get better and for his desires to be granted. I pray to whoever may hear this lonely human's prayer, please give Felix the strength and will to live and for this disease to go away.

Every night, for the past five years, I wished upon those stars, every wishbone, every 11:11 wish, anything that could grant my silent pleas. When Felix was eleven years old, he was diagnosed with an unknown disease. He was the first person in the entire world to contract such a disease. It was even worse than cancer.

Every day and every night, I prayed to the gods to heal him. Felix, my younger brother, was the person I cared about the most in this world. More than my own life. I would do anything for him.

My eyes still remained closed as I listened to my surroundings. I breathed in the scent of the damp earth. The scent of the oncoming slaughter of rain that would soon wash the earth in a few hours. It was only recently when my senses became heightened. I could hear the cicadas hidden in the grass, the sound of the breeze as it flew by, and the delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee that my mother was making in the kitchen.

And then there was my annoying alarm clock that began to ring. I opened my eyes and took in the light of dawn as the world began to stir.

"Azaliah! Wake up! You have to get ready for classes!" My mother called from downstairs. I climbed down and jumped inside my room landing with a thump.

"I'm awake!" I yelled back and rubbed my arm. I slammed my hand on the clock breaking it once again. This should have been the 6th clock that I've broken. With a heavy sigh, I dragged myself into the bathroom to get ready for a new day.

After spending an hour in the bathroom, I wrapped my body with a towel and went to my room, just as I was about to pick an outfit, my phone began to ring.

The familiar ringtone of my favorite game began to play: When you walk away, you don't hear me say, please oh baby! Don't go!

Before checking the caller ID, I was already contemplating whether to answer or refuse the call when I spotted who it was. With another heavy sigh I answered.

"Hello?"

"Bloody finally Liah, I've been waiting here for 30 seconds for you to answer!" My best friend Jade yelled into my ear. I had to pull the phone away just to save my hearing. I scowled; it was too early in the morning for the giddiness. And my poor senses just had to get heightened.

"Good Morning to you too Jade, what do I owe the pleasure to this wonderful morning that I have to be graced by my ears almost bleeding out." I then put the phone on speaker as I ransacked my closet for clothes.

I could hear her laughing in the background as she shuffled around her room, "Wow, who got your knickers in a twist so early in the morning? Was it Deolan, did he upset you again? Must I knock his brains for you?!"

I chuckled softly at her antics and then I sat on the bed pondering over the boy named Deolan. He was supposedly my boyfriend. But for the past couple of months, things haven't been the same between us. And all the signs of cheating were there...

Deolan and I had been going out for over a year now. He was the hottest most popular boy on our campus. I wasn't always popular; it was only two years ago, that jade and I stepped out of the shadows. Our campus hosted the battle of the bands. With all the bands coming together, our campus never would expect that we would win first prize.

Everyone was impressed when my band- 'Scarlet Shadow' won first. From that time we were all noticed. Even Deolan noticed me. He was my crush ever since 9th grade in high school. It was quite a shocker when he first asked me out. But I never wanted fame. It was so much of a hassle being popular. Everyone had an image to maintain.

Being with Deolan made me happy because I finally had the chance to be with the person that I liked. But the more I thought about him, the more my thoughts began to question everything. The only reason he noticed me was because of my fame.

"Jade... I'm going to end things with him once and for all..." I replied softly as everything became silent on the other line.

Jade exhaled, "I was wondering when you were going to break up with him. He's a lying, cheating scoundrel. He deserves what he's getting." She huffed.

I hummed in response, "How is everything with you and Daniel?" I asked has I pulled the towel out from my hair and began to brush it. Jade and Daniel have been together for a long time. I've never met the guy but I know that he loves and cares for Jade a lot.

There was silence on the other line again...

"Jade, did something happen between the two of you? Must I prepare a casket and a grave for him?" I playfully asked and she sighed on the line again. Immediately I knew that something was indeed wrong.

Before I could press her for details, she spoke, "Liah, don't worry about it, everything will be okay. It's getting late and I have to get ready. I'll see you at the concert." She quickly responded, ending the call before I could say bye, leaving me to ponder on those thoughts alone.