Chasing Ever After
Jack.
“This is where Sadie lives?” I ask Carter. The house in front of us is white and beautiful and obviously spacious. Then I notice the family name on the mailbox: Carlson. “Carlson? Annie Carlson?”
Carter nods. “I heard it from Annie once. Sadie lives with them due to familial circumstances.”
He heads for the doorbell, but I stop him even before he takes the press. Carter looks at me questioningly.
In reply, I say, “We should let her rest or something…”
“You’re the one who persistently asked me to ask my girlfriend about Sadie. “
“I feel very nervous for some reason.”
Carter sighs and face-palms himself. He must think I’m really an idiot. Actually, I think I really am, too, lately. “Look, we’ll just pass by, give these fruits, and then we’ll be on our way. Sadie won’t even know we came. Annie said Sadie was a deep sleeper. She wouldn’t wake up even if a live band played right in her room.”
That made me feel a little relieved.
Carter finally presses the doorbell, and for some reason, my palm feels all sweaty. I can’t help feeling nervous. If Sadie found out I was here, she’d get even sicker for sure.
The main door opens and I see Annie, still in her uniform, sauntering towards the gate. She looks at me funny, as if having second thoughts in having me enter.
Then she sighs and gestures for us to make ourselves at home.
As I thought, the house really is spacious. I scan the entire place, and then notice a long mahogany table with various photo frames on top. The photos are mostly of Annie and her family, along with a young shy-looking Sadie. Her fringe covered her entire forehead, and her hair was short, like a boy’s.
Her expressions were all the same in the photos—sad and lonely.
I wonder why.
As if answering my question, Annie appears and explains, “Her mom left her under my mom’s care at a young age. I remember waking up one day having a sister that didn’t talk much. It took a quite a while before she got used to us.”
“Where are her parents?”
“Her dad left her mom when she got pregnant. Her mom’s abroad, working. She only comes home every Christmas. That’s why my mom took Sadie in.”
“Must be very hard for Sadie,” I say ruefully.
“All that doesn’t mean a thing anymore for her,” Annie continues, smiling sadly. “Sadie swallowed it all down. It’s unfair for her since she was a kid then, but she’s got this habit of accepting things as they are and moving on, no questions asked.” Annie then looks at me straight in the eye. “That’s why, Sadie doesn’t like to be pitied. She’s a strong girl. She got over you so quickly, and that’s because it’s that easy for her to accept things. She’s trained herself for that.”
After that, she points to a white-doored room. Sadie’s room.
“Go in very quietly,” Annie reminds me, and then smiles. It’s surprising that she doesn’t loathe me that much anymore.
I hesitate for a moment before entering. What if she was awake, after all? What would I do?
I shrug off all the nervousness and just get it over with. I open the door very carefully and enter the room. It’s unexpectedly messy inside. I’ve always thought Sadie was the organized, geek type. A bunch of books are scattered on the floor. A black PSP is resting on the table with UMDs recklessly placed on a nearby shelf. Some of her clothes are around the place too.
And on the bed, curled up in blankets, is Sadie.
I walk towards her, watching her. Her hair is all messy against the bed. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her without her braids and her glasses. I stare at the thick black eyelashes against her pale skin.
She squirms, and for a second my heart seems to have stopped. I thought she was going to open her eyes.
I sigh and sit down right next to her bed, still watching her.
“How could I have forgotten this face?” I mutter to no one. “Why can’t I remember helping you that day?”
Her breathing is slow, and she looks really sick.
“I’m sorry,” I continue. “For being such a jerk to you. If only I could make it up to you, Sadie. I’ll do anything just so you wouldn’t hate me anymore.”
I put a hand over her forehead to check her temperature. She groans almost inaudibly at my touch.
“Even in your sleep, you can feel my presence, huh? I’m really that hateful for you?” I smile, feeling a little sad. “You’d better get well soon, Sadie Hall.”
I get up slowly and prepare to leave, but as soon as I get to the door, she calls out my name.
“Jack…”
I look back in surprise. Is she dreaming of me? Does that mean that she still—
“…you freaking bastard…go away…I hate you…”
Carter nods. “I heard it from Annie once. Sadie lives with them due to familial circumstances.”
He heads for the doorbell, but I stop him even before he takes the press. Carter looks at me questioningly.
In reply, I say, “We should let her rest or something…”
“You’re the one who persistently asked me to ask my girlfriend about Sadie. “
“I feel very nervous for some reason.”
Carter sighs and face-palms himself. He must think I’m really an idiot. Actually, I think I really am, too, lately. “Look, we’ll just pass by, give these fruits, and then we’ll be on our way. Sadie won’t even know we came. Annie said Sadie was a deep sleeper. She wouldn’t wake up even if a live band played right in her room.”
That made me feel a little relieved.
Carter finally presses the doorbell, and for some reason, my palm feels all sweaty. I can’t help feeling nervous. If Sadie found out I was here, she’d get even sicker for sure.
The main door opens and I see Annie, still in her uniform, sauntering towards the gate. She looks at me funny, as if having second thoughts in having me enter.
Then she sighs and gestures for us to make ourselves at home.
As I thought, the house really is spacious. I scan the entire place, and then notice a long mahogany table with various photo frames on top. The photos are mostly of Annie and her family, along with a young shy-looking Sadie. Her fringe covered her entire forehead, and her hair was short, like a boy’s.
Her expressions were all the same in the photos—sad and lonely.
I wonder why.
As if answering my question, Annie appears and explains, “Her mom left her under my mom’s care at a young age. I remember waking up one day having a sister that didn’t talk much. It took a quite a while before she got used to us.”
“Where are her parents?”
“Her dad left her mom when she got pregnant. Her mom’s abroad, working. She only comes home every Christmas. That’s why my mom took Sadie in.”
“Must be very hard for Sadie,” I say ruefully.
“All that doesn’t mean a thing anymore for her,” Annie continues, smiling sadly. “Sadie swallowed it all down. It’s unfair for her since she was a kid then, but she’s got this habit of accepting things as they are and moving on, no questions asked.” Annie then looks at me straight in the eye. “That’s why, Sadie doesn’t like to be pitied. She’s a strong girl. She got over you so quickly, and that’s because it’s that easy for her to accept things. She’s trained herself for that.”
After that, she points to a white-doored room. Sadie’s room.
“Go in very quietly,” Annie reminds me, and then smiles. It’s surprising that she doesn’t loathe me that much anymore.
I hesitate for a moment before entering. What if she was awake, after all? What would I do?
I shrug off all the nervousness and just get it over with. I open the door very carefully and enter the room. It’s unexpectedly messy inside. I’ve always thought Sadie was the organized, geek type. A bunch of books are scattered on the floor. A black PSP is resting on the table with UMDs recklessly placed on a nearby shelf. Some of her clothes are around the place too.
And on the bed, curled up in blankets, is Sadie.
I walk towards her, watching her. Her hair is all messy against the bed. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen her without her braids and her glasses. I stare at the thick black eyelashes against her pale skin.
She squirms, and for a second my heart seems to have stopped. I thought she was going to open her eyes.
I sigh and sit down right next to her bed, still watching her.
“How could I have forgotten this face?” I mutter to no one. “Why can’t I remember helping you that day?”
Her breathing is slow, and she looks really sick.
“I’m sorry,” I continue. “For being such a jerk to you. If only I could make it up to you, Sadie. I’ll do anything just so you wouldn’t hate me anymore.”
I put a hand over her forehead to check her temperature. She groans almost inaudibly at my touch.
“Even in your sleep, you can feel my presence, huh? I’m really that hateful for you?” I smile, feeling a little sad. “You’d better get well soon, Sadie Hall.”
I get up slowly and prepare to leave, but as soon as I get to the door, she calls out my name.
“Jack…”
I look back in surprise. Is she dreaming of me? Does that mean that she still—
“…you freaking bastard…go away…I hate you…”