Two

Four years ago..

“Okay, class. For today’s activity, I want you to grab a partner; they will be your partner for the entire school year,” Our teacher announced.

I could hear some of my classmates grunting like it was some joke; some were happy and knew whom to partner with. I’m a transfer student and got a bit late to the school semester. I sighed and looked outside the glass window, it is winter, and most of the classes are early in the morning; I miss Ana—

“You must be the new student, too?”

“Yup, hi there,”

I hear her voice, “I transferred because of my bitchy best friend—Oh, hi, Eli!”

The supposedly dull last two years suddenly vanished, and I chuckled.

“You bitch, you won’t get away with me; I’ll follow you until you get tired!” Anastasia Sweet, my best friend.

“Why would you do that, Ana?” I mumbled, as our professor started to lecture, “You should have stayed there,” I’m pertaining to our old school.

“And what? To have cuts? I can’t study without you; I’ll probably be able to finish school if that happens,”

“Come on; you can do that, Ana. You know I can’t continue schooling after mom’s admission, and you still can,”

“My mom will kill me,”

“Yeah, I agree,” we both look in front, “Then don’t regret coming here,”

“Bitch, I’m prepared,”

Three years ago.

“Fuck it! I can’t take my quiz! My hangover is killing me; just let me sleep, Eli. Please?” Ana was trying to make herself comfortable in her bed,”

“No, take that quiz, fix yourself; I’m giving you ten minutes; ready or not, I will drag you out of this house!”

“Ugh!” she shouted in annoyance; I went down and continued preparing for breakfast; no less than ten minutes, I could hear her grumpy footsteps.

“I regret running after you; I hate going to school with a hangover,”

“I told you, you shouldn’t come along with me; now eat; you’ll do my assignment for a week if I get marked as late today,”

“Bitch?! I hate you!”

“Miss Marquez?” I returned from my reverie upon hearing, “I’m sorry to say this, Miss Marquez.” I was shaking, but I was trying to comprehend what this person in front of me was saying, “We are able to save your Mom today, yes. But the next time, this will happen again,” he fixed his eyeglasses and removed his stethoscope, “We can no longer promise that we will be able to save her.” I heard him sigh, “She needs an immediate operation.”

I nod, trying hard to grasp the information I heard, “I-I’m already working my way up to earn that money.”

“If you can make it faster, we need it next week to proceed with the operation.” He was looking at me, guilty, “I know this kind of health care in Reviya; I’m sorry, I can’t do anything about it.”

I nodded, and he bid me goodbye, but I was not able to answer. My mind is far from this actual world. I’m thinking about where I should get that large sum of money. I don’t want to do illegal things. I don’t want to push what I was thinking.

I went to the comfort room, washed my face, took a deep breath, and like what I was always doing, I practiced my smile. When I knew I got myself, I grabbed my things and went straight to my mom’s room.

It’s been five hours since her cardiac attack, and the doctor said she would wake anytime soon.

“Hey, Eli.” Jane greeted me; she was busy doing her homework. I am thankful, at their age, they are trying to understand the situation. They are trying to cope with the sudden changes in our lives.

They don’t rebel; they give back all the hardship I decided to make and all the risky things I did for this family.

“Hey. Have you two eaten your dinner?” it’s past seven in the evening, and both of my siblings are not wearing their uniform, “Dan. Come here, baby.” I chuckled when I saw how his face crumpled upon hearing my endearment.

“Eli, I told you, I’m not a kid no more; stop calling me baby; I’m fifteen, for Pete’s sake!” he was so annoyed when I was calling him baby. What can I do? I love calling him that. He’s the youngest, and he resembles Dad.

“She won’t listen. Go get your ass out of that place and go to Eli.” Jane said; he just rolled his eyes and walked in my direction.

I opened my bag and gave him something he wanted when he realized what I had given him. His eyes grew to widen, “Eli!” he almost shouted. I motioned him to tone down his voice, “I badly wanted this one!”

I nodded; Jane just smirked; she knew about this one, I asked her where I could buy that, and she was so excited to film that Dan, the coolest man in the world, was now jumping out of so much happiness.

I let out a small smile on my lips. Their happiness is my happiness. I stood up and went to Mom’s bed. I held her hand, trying to avoid the IV pierced in her hand; this fluid is the only thing that sustains her body without in taking food for years; I looked at the apparatus attached to her feeble body that kept her alive for years,

This drained the savings that Mom and Dad had accumulated for years. I’ve kept her in this room since her first cardiac arrest five years ago. I can vividly remember how scared I was that night.

She suddenly fell while clenching tightly to her chest, trying to grasp some air. That was the last time I saw her moving, smiling, and doing things she used to do.

I have to take responsibility for my two siblings; I worked while studying. All the possible yet legal jobs that I can have. I did it for them; I’m all they have, and I promise they can always rely on me.

“Eli, your phone keeps on ringing.” I heard Jane speak near my ears, so I shook my head and grabbed my phone.

Ana calling.

“Hey, Ana,” I said. I answered her call.

“Eli! I have a piece of very, very good news for you! Let’s meet at the nearby café!” she chirps.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be there.” She ended the call. I grabbed my bag and looked at Jane, “Jane, where are my clothes?” I asked her to bring some casual clothes for me; I’m practically living here. I go home two to three times a week to check on them.

“Oh, here.” She said and handed me a paper bag. Jane was a God-sent. She stood up like me for Dan when I was not around. She cleans the house, cooks food, helped Dan while I’m not home.

“Thanks. Look after Mom briefly; I need to meet with Ana.” They nodded, they were busy doing their school stuff, so I just went to the comfort room and changed my clothes. I also washed my face and put on some powder and lip balm before leaving.

I decided to walk since it was near the hospital; when I arrived, I saw Ana’s car parked in front of the establishment. She stood up when she saw me, smiling and waving both hands. She acts like this when we are together but beats me; she is a monster for work and business. She’s the epitome of professionalism and perfectionism.

“Eli!” she brushed her cheek on me, and so did I. “Omg, you won’t believe what I’m going to say right now!”

That must be excellent news; she rarely got excited like this. “Oh, I ordered your favorite,” this cheesecake looks very enticing, “You can eat while we’re talking.” I nod and drink the tea she ordered.

“What is it?”

“I got invited to a wedding this weekend!” she said and handed me a blue envelope with an engraved name on the center of it. “And guess what? It’s an exclusive wedding, and my friend Josh was looking for a wedding singer! And I recommended you!”

My eyes grew wide when I heard that, “Really?! Thank you!”

“And guess what again?!” I can’t hide my smile; she was ecstatic to tell me good news like this every damn time, “They are offering seven hundred thousand for you!”

I halted when I heard that, “Wait, what?” I said; I wanted to ensure I was not hallucinating.

“Yes, you heard me right.” She said and took a sip of her frappe.

“S-seven hundred? What the fuck is that? Is that even legal, Ana?”

“Of course; when did I get you in trouble? I’m your best friend; of course, it is legal.”

“I’ve never been paid that much money,” I said with honesty.

“I know. I sent samples of your actual performance, and the bride loved it! Also, it’s an intimate wedding, and most guests are business tycoons and people with names in different industries; that wedding is their faces too. It will be held in an exclusive venue,” she looked at me and handed me a photo from a magazine, “It will be held there,” I looked at the picture; it’s the place every woman wants to step in. “The Elysian Island.”