The Abandoned Angel

Crystal had a habit of flipping to the middle page of any book she held instinctively. Anyone who knew her knew this. When she saw the picture in her notebook the culprits were very prominent.

5:30 pm.

TThe message was scrawled boldly with a pink glitter pen behind the picture she held. The picture held the still life of a cafe not too far away. She had to admit it was a pretty good shot. Neatly edited too.

She realized that must have been put there almost a week ago. She wondered if the person who put that there had shown up only to be disappointed. She tried to convince herself it was nothing important. It wasn't worth her time. It was almost always the case with the person in question.

Crystal really didn't need to think much about who put that in there for her to find. The culprit posed beautifully before the cafe.

Leona

Crystal gazed at the picture fondly. That scrawl haunted her, ripped her insides. A pit grew in her stomach. Well It wasn't her fault they broke apart. It was natural instinct to leave when the pastures were no longer green. That was exactly the case with them. Yeah, it was great once then it wasn't. She moved on. It wasn't her fault Leo stayed put.

She pulled on her sweatpants and slapped on a wristwatch. She felt much better and planned for an early morning run and that's exactly what she was going to do. No matter what.

The morning sky was always relaxing. It never failed to calm her down.

Leona

She barely noticed her anymore. She wasn't sure she still schooled in the same school as she did. She had this uncanny ability to blend in and hide like a chameleon on steroids. Crystal loved the attention she avoided. It didn't take long to know she wouldn't get that with her if they stayed together. She moved.

Crystal made a rest stop. She took a picture heads up. She captioned it 'getting fit this morning '. After giving it one more scrutinizing look, she pasted it one her Instagram account before continuing with her run. The periodic buzz from her phone curled her to keep going faster till she run out of breath. They loved it. They loved her.

Her parents had woken up before she arrived. They weren't too happy with her stunt but found peace in the fact she was back home safe. That's what really mattered in the end.

It was a Saturday, a lazy one. She scanned through the channels as she lay on the couch. There was nothing good enough to watch. That's if you rule out the dramatic telenovelas or the not-so-cheerful pop songs. Those were great to watch on some days. She frowned at the memory that crossed her sight.

Leona loved telenovelas with everything she got. She knew them all, right from the Philippine ones like MaraClara to the straight up Spanish ones. Even worse, she was a hopeless fan of Kpop, even before BTS came into the scene. Those were traits Crystal didn't mind as a kid, but as she grew she felt if she heard Leona sing 'Bang Bang Bang' from Big Bang one more time, she might strangle her. That song came out more than half a decade ago, why couldn't she just grow out of it?

Her phone rang. It was Frances, one of her closest friends now.

"Sup?" She said to her.

"It's boring. Come over. Bea's here already. Bring some popcorn."

"Sure. I'll be there in five. No, ten minutes."

"Kk. Bye."

"Bye."

The thought of going over didn't particularly excite her but it did beat staying at home alone with nothing to do. She made the choice to buy the popped corn on her way there over popping it at home.

"Mum. I'm off to see Frances. I promise to be home before night time." She yelled inches before the door.

"You better keep that promise young lady. Remember to keep your mask on."

"I will."

She took a walk. It wasn't so far away. She felt the pit in her stomach grow larger as she approached before her destination. It was right beside Krusty's. The cafe in the picture beneath her pillow. Her gaze lingered on the building longer that planned.

She rang the doorbell. Frances immediately answered and hugged her. She ushered her in.

"Mom! Crystal' s here!"

There was no response, not that it was needed. Bea sat on the carpet before the tv. Frances grabbed the popcorn out of Crystal's arms and poured it in three large bowls. Crystal plopped down on the carpet to complete the circle. She took a handful of the popped corn.

"So, what are we gonna do?" She asked.

Bea shrugged.

"We could watch a movie." Frances offered.

"Nah. It's too early for that. It's not even 12 yet." Bea objected.

The three sat, nothing on their minds for a while. Nothing suitable.

Crystal's mind drifted to Leona. They never did stuff like this. Her mum was strict when she was growing up and Leona was always sick. Crystal didn't know what kept her sick. Gossips said leukaemia. Others said anaemia. Crystal never asked.

First, she didn't want to hurt her feelings. As time passed, she couldn't care less.

Almost. If only she had brought herself to acknowledge that.

"What's up with you and Mark?" Bea asked her out of the blue.

"Nothing."

Bea gave her a mischievous look. Crystal's cheek turned a light shade of pink.

"Don't tell us that you naughty girl. We see the way he looks at you and the way you looks at him."

Frances paused to imitate the look..She raised her brows high effortlessly maintaining a hopeless love struck look. She had her lips parted slighted to create a trance-like state. She sighed dreamily to complete it all.

Bea burst out laughing.

"Like Stefan and Elena." She stated.

"That's not how they looked." Crystal defended weakly.

Frances laughed.

"It's exactly how he looks at you dearie. Tell us, how did you get the poor boy so smitten?"

Crystal raised her chin with mock professionalism.

"Just throw on some pink gloss, extra lashes and they'll do whatever you ask booboo." She ended with an over-the-top wink and a pleasant chuckle.

The two rolled into fits of laughter.

"That's how you get his lunch money out of him? Damn. I should try it too. You girls know how much I need that extra money."

"Mmhmm." Bea chimed in.

They laughed.

Leona

Just the thought of her made Crystal feel alien to herself. She didn't feel proud of the moment. It wasn't like her. She wasn't this lewd 16 year old girl Leona wouldn't recognise. But she was. She had to be.

"Seriously though, do you like him? Like like him-like him?" Frances asked her.

"Uh...Not really. I mean he's got the dreamies eyes and the cutest smile I've ever seen but..."

"But?" Bea pressed.

"He's way too short!" Crystal exclaimed, embarrassed.

The two gasped.

"He's taller than you." Bea pointed out.

"Yeah by a centimetre. I like my boys tall. With dimples. And pointed canines." She confessed shyly.

"Go marry a vampire then." Frances said.

"When Edward drops Bella, I will."

The whole day was a waste. They talked on and on about boys and nothing much in-between. At least it helped to while time away. She had to leave. It was getting a bit dark already.

"I've gotta go. It's 5:00 pm already." She said to them as she stood.

"Can't you stay a little longer?" Bea whined.

"Nope. You know how my mom gets sometimes."

They needed no further explanation. They saw her to the door. They didn't offer to walk her home. Not that she had expected them too, but it would have been nice if they did.

She flexed her neck. She turned to walk back home when she saw a skinny frame walk of the stairs of Krusty's. Crystal would have rushed back in if she hadn't been spotted already.

Leona's lips curve up into a little smile.

"You came." She said softly.

Crystal forced on a polite smile.

"You waited for me?"

Leona shrugged.

"I knew you couldn't ignore me forever."

Crystal crossed her arms.

"Why did you want me to come here?"

Leona walked to her. She stretched her arms in the direction of the path ahead.

"Let's walk. I wouldn't want your mother to give you a hard time." She said nicely.

She was right. It was getting late. Too late.

Leona walked beside her with composed silence. It was the kind of silence that dangled over the edge of awkwardness but never fell into that definition.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Crystal asked her.

"Yes. But first, I want to give you something."

She handed a little bracelet to her. It was so small, Crystal wasn't sure it would fit a toddler's wrists. She took it with tensed hands. It looked strangely familiar.

LLeona smiled warmly at her.

"We made that together. Do you remember? "

Crystal nodded. She did now. The road to her home seemed stretched that night.

"Why are you giving me this?"

Leona dug her hands into her pocket rather boyishly, a part of her Crystal had never seen. She lifted her shoulders heavily.

"We made that because I wanted a gift for my little sister. I wanted a sibling so badly..."

I knew what came after. Her little sister had died a week after being born. Her birth took her mother's life. Crystal took a deep breath.

"I'm going away. I want you to have this. I know it's a bit too late for a sibling but... Promise me you would give this to your daughter. Or son."

Leona smiled briefly. Crystal felt the heaviness of her words. They hit her heart hard. She wished she could comfort her but she didn'tknow how to. The gap she created was too large.

"Promise me." Leona repeated.

She stopped at the entrance of her house. She looked at her friend.

Bathed in the pale orange light, Crystal could see the tears in her friends eyes. Crystal couldn't bring the words out.

Leona hugged her.

"I don't know what I did to push you away but I'm sorry. I'm happy I had a friend like you. Goodnight."

Leona didn't say anothe word to her when she let her go. She gave a small wave, the exact replica of what she used to do as a kid.

Crystal tossed the bracelet on her study table. It looked like it was made by amateurs, by her once little hands. She wished she could hate it but it held a part of her. A part of the friend she abandoned.

She could hear her voice. So small yet brave. They used to think they would be together forever.

Forever and ever and ever

She smiled at the memory. Her eyes burned . They were so naive. So innocent. She hugged her knees tightly.

Leona was dead in the next three days. Crystal finally found out why she was always so sick. She had a hole in her heart.

She hadn't let that stop her. She had fought a good fight and impacted so many lives. Crystal realized that after her death at the wake keeping and many memorials held by the community.

She had lived her life well, knowing it was short. While she hungered after popularity and praise, Leona had found solace in bringing out the best in others. She knew there was no hope for her, but there was hope in her for others. She started fundraising activities to raise funds for kids like her at the hospital to fund their surgeries. She knew she could only do so much but she did it anyway.

She had helped many get past traumatic events and find the good in every situation. Just like her.

Crystal wiped a tear. She held the bracelet in hand. She lowered her head.

"I'm sorry. "

She couldn't promise Leona what she wanted her too. She didn't have a womb. Not anymore. She let her tears water her grave.