Reality.3

Chapter 3. The Wedding Day

Miguel's Reality

It was the 20th of June. It was supposed to be my wedding day. But there was no wedding happening. Even in the world where Miguel was the one who survived the accident, no one seemed to be bothered by what was supposed to be the occasion that day.

Everyone just accepted that there would be no wedding after the accident. And I don't have a problem with that.

Living inside two realities was enough. I couldn't be married in one world and have a dead fiancee in the other. It was useless anyway my relationship with Miguel was slowly dwindling away. The last time I spoke with him was two weeks ago.

I have moved back into my parents' house and refused to get out of my room except for the forceful therapy.

When I first told Miguel about what was happening to me, he stormed out of the room. The next time he begged me to have therapy. Though, I felt he was more mournful than I was. And it wasn't his fault.

The death of my sister in his world changed him. He distanced himself from me, building an impenetrable wall between us.

I sighed. I closed my eyes trying to get back to sleep. But it was no use. I missed sleeping. I missed dreaming. I missed being normal.

Ever since waking up from the accident, I hadn't experienced dreaming. As soon as I fall asleep I wake in another reality. It also felt like I wasn't sleeping at all.

The thing I was experiencing, I had no idea when it would stop or if it would. Sometimes I thought of dealing with it the easiest way but I couldn't put myself to do it. Somehow I was finding an immaculate reason behind my bizarre situation. That perhaps everything that happened, happened because it has to happen.

It was scary but what choice do I have?

I jumped down from my bed and parted my curtains, letting in sunlight. It was a long time ago since my room experience light. I peeked through the window at the vans parked outside our neighbor's. Someone must have bought the house, it was on the market since I got back to my parents' house.

"Are you, okay Tallie? Would you like to come down and eat breakfast with us?" My mom called out behind the door. "Com'on baby, your daddy made your favorite blueberry pancake."

I opened the door and mom greeted me with a gaping mouth. "Okay," I said.

"Tallie would you like me to do your hair?" mom offered, giving me a concerned look.

I bit my lower lip. I was trying my best not to let the tears fall down my eyes. I didn't want my mom to see how fuck I was. That I was slowly dying inside each passing day. And to make things worse, when I wake up tomorrow. I'll be experiencing another 20th of June.

"It's fine," I finally answered my mom.  I smiled at her. I sat down beside my dad in the breakfast nook. "Good morning dad. Mom said you made me some pancakes." I tuck away the loose hair on my face and started eating. The food tasted bland on my buds but I didn't tell them that. I swallowed every bite with a straight face.

"Are you really okay, Tallie?" my dad asked, worry etched on his face. "You know you could tell us everything."

"Ah-huh." I nodded. "I'm okay, dad. I'm sorry I haven't been out in my room, worrying you guys. It's just that..." I stopped, I should be comforting them too. In here, Stella was gone. She was away for eight years and when she finally got home, she died. "I'm sorry. I would try harder..."

My dad patted my back. "Aw, Baby. It's okay. Take all the time you need. And we like it that you're here."

"Thank you."

"By the way, Miguel said he'd be coming tonight and have dinner with us," mom announced.

My brows furrowed. "What for?" I bit down my teeth.

"You know today is supposed to be--"

"I know," I said stopping my mom in the middle of her sentence. "I know it's supposed to be my wedding day mom. But why does he need to come? He shut me down mom." I just then realized that I was mad with Miguel. He was the only person I thought would believe me. "I'm sorry. I had my full." I stomped my feet and walked out of the table.

I slumped my body down on the bed and forced myself to sleep.

Stella's Reality

"Are you, okay Tallie? Would you like to come down and eat breakfast with us?" The knocking of my mom woke me up.

I stood to open the door. "I'll be down," I answered. Mom has the same gaping expression as the mom in the other reality. "Where's Stella?" I followed.

"In her room," mom replied with a sad tone.

In this reality, we both went back home to our parent's house after the accident. And like Miguel, Stella was as broken as he was in the other reality. She also kept herself hidden inside her room. And would often refuse to come out. She was blaming herself for what happened.

I pity my mom. In both realities, she has to endure the trauma and the stress of putting up with her children. She must be tired.

"I'll check on Stella. The blueberry pancake dad makes would surely cheer her up."

"How did you know dad made some blueberry pancakes?" mom asked confused.

I almost slap myself. There were times I forgot and get two realities mixed up. "I smelled it from my room," I lied giving my mom a cheapish smile.

"I see. Go get your sister. She'll listen to you."

There was no answer on my first knock or my second or the five consecutive times after that. I knew she was awake. She didn't want me to be there. I didn't want to be there also but what choice do I have. I was supposed to be married on this day. I was supposed to have a happy life but instead, fate let me inside a cruel joke. I had no idea if I should be happy. Because unlike Miguel or Stella I didn't need to mourn for anyone.

I sat down next to Stella's door. I hummed the lullaby our mom used to sing us to sleep when we were young.

In no time the door opened up. "I'm sorry," Stella greeted me with puffy red eyes.

"Do you want breakfast? Or do you want to sneak out? Let's have a stroll? A lot changed around here. I don't even know the kids running on the street anymore. And to think were those kids before--" I kept mumbling words without even thinking of it. I let nonsense out of my tongue just to avoid an awkward silence.

"Okay," Stella said stopping me from blabbering.

"Okay what? Okay, you want breakfast? Or okay, you wanna go out?"

"Let's have a stroll. There's a coffee nearby."

"Ow, okay. Let me just grab my jacket and you know." I pointed to the bird's nest over my head. "It could use a little combing." I smiled and hurried to my room. I picked up my phone, purse, and some elastics for my hair.

Stella wrapped a scarp over her neck and we went down the fire exit. Our parents didn't approve of it when were younger. But it was their fault for putting the fire exit on the daughter's bedroom. It made sneaking at night a lot easier.

I took a look at our house as we walked through the garden and climbed a Juniper tree. We moved in synced as if it was just yesterday night we were sneaking out to party at Karen's house.

"Tallie, are you coming?" beckoned Stella.

"Yeah," I answered. I texted mom about our whereabouts before running to Stella. She was quite energetic today. And despite not eating much, she was still plump. "Hey, you're walking too fast. Are you okay?"

She looked at me for a few seconds before casting her eyes down. "No...Yeah, I am okay."

I have words to tell instead we walked side by side without talking at all. But it was nice and calming. It was also the first time after the accident that we actually interacted with anyone coaxing us.

The coffee shop was nice it was just new. It opened up a couple of months ago, almost the same as the accident.

It was a traditional coffee shop but with a mixed eccentricity. One could mistake it for a flower shop for the assortment of flowering plants adorning the place. There were even vines growing on the walls inside and I swear it smelled may rather than coffee inside. And I love it, the strong smell of coffee always made me gag. And it was a nice change. Yet the most unique feature of the shop was the stained glass windows and the balcony that has a nice view of the mountains at the back and the highway in front. It was like being in two different places at the same time.

"What's the commotion out there?" I asked the waitress who brought our coffee. There were throngs of people huddled up outside when we came in.

The waitress looked at the window. "There was a hit and run this morning. You know accidents just happen everywhere. It is sad, the dude just moved here and was our regular too."

My heart broke. I also saw a sudden shift in Stella's face. The word accident just doesn't sit well with us. "It must be heartbreaking." I smiled at the waitress.

"Yeah, they are setting up a small memorial outside."

"Thalia, I think we should go."

I gaped at my sister. I didn't want to argue with her. "I'm sorry my sister is not feeling well." I followed Stella outside placing money on the table. "Sorry," I mouthed to the waitress. "Stella wait!" I shouted keeping up with her.

I caught a glimpse of the guy with a wide smile as I passed the road. He was too young to die.

I balled my fist and run to Stella.

"Where are you guys from?" mom greeted us as soon as we barged the inside. Stella was still refusing to talk to me. She strode through her room and with a loud thud made sure that no one was going to bother her.

Great! "I'm sorry mom. I'm tired." I grabbed a piece of pancake from the counter and smiled at my dad. "It tastes good. I'll be in my room."

My head ached. Why does each world need to be so draining? I couldn't even find solace in any of them. Instead, my problem just doubled.

I slammed my body into bed. It was a drag to walk or to move. I sighed deeply. It felt like my body was ripping in two and the doctors just couldn't find the reason why. And those two stupid shrinks in each world kept saying it was just in my head.

The pain, I swear it was real. If the two realities were just figments of my imaginations, at least the pains were very real to me.

Miguel's Reality

"Honey, it's already noon. Aren't you going out to eat?" mom knocked on my door waking me up and pulling me to the other world.

I held my head in place. There was this feeling of wanting to throw up but nothing to throw up. It felt like my body was hurling against an incoming wall.

"I'm good mom, I'm not hungry," I managed to utter. All the while, I heard our doorbell ring. I was curious to see if it was Miguel. Though he would be too early for dinner.

I walked to my window and parted the curtains. It was the exact time for the guy ringing up the bell to look up, our eyes met and goose bumps covered my body.

The fun never stops. It was the dead guy from Stella's reality.