The Last Day - Chapter 07
Title: The Last Day
Author: Viv
Genre: drama, angst, fluff, humor
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Simple Plan [music - band]
Pairing: David/Sebastien
Disclaimer: *shakes head* of course they're mine, like, DUH!
Summary: It’s been seven years to this date. [multi-chaptered: (01)(02)(03)(04)(05)(06)]
Looking back now, I realize that whenever I would be upset about something, I’d walk around aimlessly, blocking everything out.
I found myself at the nearby park, walking along the pathway, hands in my pocket, hoodie drawn over my head, gaze set on the ground and feet kicking the pebbles along the way.
I was 20 and heartbroken.
I took no notice of how sunny it was that day, how white, fluffy and light the clouds seemed, how a gentle breeze made the green leaves of mapple trees sway lightly. I didn’t notice the grass, the colorful flowers, the small lake. I was deaf to the sounds of children yelling, parents laughing, birds chirping and the bell of the ice cream cart rolling nearby.
That was, until I almost ran over a creature no taller than a how a hobbit should have been and staring up at me with incredibly wide blue eyes. Sebastien’s name flashed through my mind at that moment and my throat constricted itself briefly. I would have walked away was it not for the tears that were brimming at the corner of her eyes.
It was then that I noticed the half eaten three-colored popsicle at her feet. She fidgeted for a while under my stare until finally starting to look around franctically, unable to hold back a sob from escaping her tiny pink mouth.
I sighed and dropped down on one knee, meeting my gaze with hers.
“Perdu?” She blinked and stared at me, her arms hugging her chest, bottom lip sticking out.
“Lost?”
Something like recognition seemed to flash through her blue eyes and she gave me a shy nod before looking back down on the ground. A small smile graced my lips and I looked around before waving up to a guy that rolled his bike over and grinned at me.
“Can I have two of those popsicles? The red, white and blue ones?”
A minute later and I was sitting on a bench, the small girl beside me contently licking away at her cold treat. I was softly sucking on mine, not really paying any attention to it.
“My name is Rosie.”
I blinked and looked down at my right, as the kid gave a timid smile. I smiled back and pat her head full of brown curls. She giggled and again, licked her popsicle before tilting her head sideway, still looking up at me.
“Sir?”
“Mmhmmm?”
“Why do you look so sad?”
Sebastien’s face appeared in my mind as I looked at her roundish, almost cherubic face, and I sighed, shaking my head and grinning sheepishly at the girl.
“It’s nothing that your little brain needs to worry about.”
“But I was sad and you made me happy again and so now you look sad so it’s my turn to make you feel better.” She insisted, her lips forming again a small pout and her tiny eyebrows knitting together as she stared at me. “You can tell me, I won’t tell anyone, not even Booboo!”
“Who’s Booboo?” I inquired.
“My puppy! My daddy gave it to me on my birthday. It was last week. I’m five years old now!” A proud smile appeared on her face and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why do you look sad, sir? Is it because of your mommy too?”
I looked at her, puzzled at her words before asking her what she meant.
“Mommy left my daddy, me and my brother last year. Daddy and my big brother said that she didn’t want to leave, but that she didn’t have a choice. They said I wouldn’t get to see her for a very long time.” She looked up at the sky, her nose pointing upward and her eyes closing briefly. “I think mommy is up there. I hope I’ll get to see her someday again and then I’d hug her like I used too.”
My heart cracked a bit more. Here I was, upset over a boy who’ve I’ve known for barely two years, while a small child right beside me had lost her mother before even having the chance to build true memories with her.
“No, my mommy is fine.”
“Oh, that’s good. I don’t want you to be sad like my brother. Sam said he isn’t sad, but he’s a boy, and boys don’t like saying how they feel. But I’ve seen Sam looking a pictures of mommy. He looks sad when he sees them. I don’t want him to be sad.”
“Are you sad?”
“I’m not. Well sometimes I am. But I try not to think of it. My daddy tells me to smile, even when I feel sad, and then I’ll feel better. And if that doesn’t work, then I should go hug someone I love, like him or Sam or Granny or Granmama or Granpapa.”
“Your daddy might be right.”
“Well, can I give you a hug then?”
“You want to hug me? Aren’t you afraid? I’m a stranger.”
“I know. Daddy and Sam and my cousin Merry told me to be careful, but I don’t think you’re a bad person. I think you’re nice person who’s sad. So I want to hug you to make you feel better.”
“I guess a hug can’t hurt.”
With that she scooted closer to me and stuck her popsicle stick in her mouth before wrapping her short arms around my waist and lightly squeezing me. I laughed lightly and hugged her back, messing her hair along the way and she giggled as a response.
“Is it because of a girl?”
“Uh?”
“Sam sometimes gets sad because of girls. He said he doesn’t understand them and then I ask him what about me and he says that I’m the only girl in the world he understands and that I would never make him sad as long as I didn’t do anything bad.”
I chuckled, completely bewildered at her incessant babbling. As young as she was, she seemed to read me better than Patrick could at times, even if he was one of my closest friends.
“No, it’s not about a girl. More like… a boy.” Her eyes widened considerably and again, images of Sebastien flew through my head.
“A boy? But most boys like girls. You like a boy?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Oh, you’re… gay? My uncle Pip is too. His boyfriend is very nice to me, they’re always giving me candies. They come visit us each week-end. They’re so cool.”
I laughed again, the second time in weeks.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, he didn’t. Well, he did, but I don’t think he meant to.”
“Oh, then he’s not a bad person then. He must be someone nice if you like him. What happened?”
“He likes someone else already.”
“Really? Did he tell you who?”
I shook my head, looking away from the intense blue orbs staring at me, and focused my attention on some birds gliding across the water of the small lake before me.
“You know, my daddy told me that if you ever loved someone, you should tell them, even if that person doesn’t feel the same way. Because then at least when they felt down, they’d then feel better because they remember you care.”
“I guess it’s true.”
“And daddy also told me that you always have to tell someone you love them whenever you can because you never know when it’s the last time you’d get to see them. Maybe you wouldn’t get a chance the next day.”
“Your daddy is a wise man. He raised you well.”
She gave me a childish grin before playing with her popsicle stick and singing. A few minutes later she suddenly jumped off of the bench and looked back at me, smiling brightly. “There’s daddy! Daddy’s found me!”
“Alright, you run off then.”
“Thank you for taking care of me, sir.”
“David.” I corrected her.
“David? That’s a nice name.”
“Thank you, Rosie Cotton.” I smiled.
“Cotton? Who’s Rosie Cotton?”
“You don’t mind if I call you that? She’s a character from some books that I really like.”
“Rosie Cotton? It's a nice name. I like that. I won’t mind being called that if it’s only you.”
“Alright, run along now.”
“Okay, thank you David!”
Her small feet took a few quick steps away from me and suddenly she stopped and turned around, running back to me and throwing her arms around my neck as I leaned down from my seat and hugged her back, to do shocked to do much else.
“You’re my friend now. I always hug my friends when I leave them ‘cause I never if I’ll get to see them again. And I want you to smile like you made me smile.”
Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes and I lightly tapped her nose, smiling. A pink tongue peaked out from between her lips.
“You’re a good kid. Be sure to tell you’re daddy he’s doing a good job.”
“But you’re crying now! Did I make you cry?”
“Don’t worry. Sometimes, people cry when they’re happy.”
“Really?”
“Really… thanks for listening Rosie Cotton. Now go, your daddy is waiting.”
She ran off and up to her father, grabbing the oustretched hand that pulled her in a tight hug. I watched on as she and the older man both turned around and waved at me before walking away. She was slightly bouncing beside him, chattering endlessly yet looking as endearing as the moment she first hugged me.
Much like Sebastien.
I knew then what I had to do.
---
March 17, 2005.
Author: Viv
Genre: drama, angst, fluff, humor
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Simple Plan [music - band]
Pairing: David/Sebastien
Disclaimer: *shakes head* of course they're mine, like, DUH!
Summary: It’s been seven years to this date. [multi-chaptered: (01)(02)(03)(04)(05)(06)]
Looking back now, I realize that whenever I would be upset about something, I’d walk around aimlessly, blocking everything out.
I found myself at the nearby park, walking along the pathway, hands in my pocket, hoodie drawn over my head, gaze set on the ground and feet kicking the pebbles along the way.
I was 20 and heartbroken.
I took no notice of how sunny it was that day, how white, fluffy and light the clouds seemed, how a gentle breeze made the green leaves of mapple trees sway lightly. I didn’t notice the grass, the colorful flowers, the small lake. I was deaf to the sounds of children yelling, parents laughing, birds chirping and the bell of the ice cream cart rolling nearby.
That was, until I almost ran over a creature no taller than a how a hobbit should have been and staring up at me with incredibly wide blue eyes. Sebastien’s name flashed through my mind at that moment and my throat constricted itself briefly. I would have walked away was it not for the tears that were brimming at the corner of her eyes.
It was then that I noticed the half eaten three-colored popsicle at her feet. She fidgeted for a while under my stare until finally starting to look around franctically, unable to hold back a sob from escaping her tiny pink mouth.
I sighed and dropped down on one knee, meeting my gaze with hers.
“Perdu?” She blinked and stared at me, her arms hugging her chest, bottom lip sticking out.
“Lost?”
Something like recognition seemed to flash through her blue eyes and she gave me a shy nod before looking back down on the ground. A small smile graced my lips and I looked around before waving up to a guy that rolled his bike over and grinned at me.
“Can I have two of those popsicles? The red, white and blue ones?”
A minute later and I was sitting on a bench, the small girl beside me contently licking away at her cold treat. I was softly sucking on mine, not really paying any attention to it.
“My name is Rosie.”
I blinked and looked down at my right, as the kid gave a timid smile. I smiled back and pat her head full of brown curls. She giggled and again, licked her popsicle before tilting her head sideway, still looking up at me.
“Sir?”
“Mmhmmm?”
“Why do you look so sad?”
Sebastien’s face appeared in my mind as I looked at her roundish, almost cherubic face, and I sighed, shaking my head and grinning sheepishly at the girl.
“It’s nothing that your little brain needs to worry about.”
“But I was sad and you made me happy again and so now you look sad so it’s my turn to make you feel better.” She insisted, her lips forming again a small pout and her tiny eyebrows knitting together as she stared at me. “You can tell me, I won’t tell anyone, not even Booboo!”
“Who’s Booboo?” I inquired.
“My puppy! My daddy gave it to me on my birthday. It was last week. I’m five years old now!” A proud smile appeared on her face and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why do you look sad, sir? Is it because of your mommy too?”
I looked at her, puzzled at her words before asking her what she meant.
“Mommy left my daddy, me and my brother last year. Daddy and my big brother said that she didn’t want to leave, but that she didn’t have a choice. They said I wouldn’t get to see her for a very long time.” She looked up at the sky, her nose pointing upward and her eyes closing briefly. “I think mommy is up there. I hope I’ll get to see her someday again and then I’d hug her like I used too.”
My heart cracked a bit more. Here I was, upset over a boy who’ve I’ve known for barely two years, while a small child right beside me had lost her mother before even having the chance to build true memories with her.
“No, my mommy is fine.”
“Oh, that’s good. I don’t want you to be sad like my brother. Sam said he isn’t sad, but he’s a boy, and boys don’t like saying how they feel. But I’ve seen Sam looking a pictures of mommy. He looks sad when he sees them. I don’t want him to be sad.”
“Are you sad?”
“I’m not. Well sometimes I am. But I try not to think of it. My daddy tells me to smile, even when I feel sad, and then I’ll feel better. And if that doesn’t work, then I should go hug someone I love, like him or Sam or Granny or Granmama or Granpapa.”
“Your daddy might be right.”
“Well, can I give you a hug then?”
“You want to hug me? Aren’t you afraid? I’m a stranger.”
“I know. Daddy and Sam and my cousin Merry told me to be careful, but I don’t think you’re a bad person. I think you’re nice person who’s sad. So I want to hug you to make you feel better.”
“I guess a hug can’t hurt.”
With that she scooted closer to me and stuck her popsicle stick in her mouth before wrapping her short arms around my waist and lightly squeezing me. I laughed lightly and hugged her back, messing her hair along the way and she giggled as a response.
“Is it because of a girl?”
“Uh?”
“Sam sometimes gets sad because of girls. He said he doesn’t understand them and then I ask him what about me and he says that I’m the only girl in the world he understands and that I would never make him sad as long as I didn’t do anything bad.”
I chuckled, completely bewildered at her incessant babbling. As young as she was, she seemed to read me better than Patrick could at times, even if he was one of my closest friends.
“No, it’s not about a girl. More like… a boy.” Her eyes widened considerably and again, images of Sebastien flew through my head.
“A boy? But most boys like girls. You like a boy?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Oh, you’re… gay? My uncle Pip is too. His boyfriend is very nice to me, they’re always giving me candies. They come visit us each week-end. They’re so cool.”
I laughed again, the second time in weeks.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, he didn’t. Well, he did, but I don’t think he meant to.”
“Oh, then he’s not a bad person then. He must be someone nice if you like him. What happened?”
“He likes someone else already.”
“Really? Did he tell you who?”
I shook my head, looking away from the intense blue orbs staring at me, and focused my attention on some birds gliding across the water of the small lake before me.
“You know, my daddy told me that if you ever loved someone, you should tell them, even if that person doesn’t feel the same way. Because then at least when they felt down, they’d then feel better because they remember you care.”
“I guess it’s true.”
“And daddy also told me that you always have to tell someone you love them whenever you can because you never know when it’s the last time you’d get to see them. Maybe you wouldn’t get a chance the next day.”
“Your daddy is a wise man. He raised you well.”
She gave me a childish grin before playing with her popsicle stick and singing. A few minutes later she suddenly jumped off of the bench and looked back at me, smiling brightly. “There’s daddy! Daddy’s found me!”
“Alright, you run off then.”
“Thank you for taking care of me, sir.”
“David.” I corrected her.
“David? That’s a nice name.”
“Thank you, Rosie Cotton.” I smiled.
“Cotton? Who’s Rosie Cotton?”
“You don’t mind if I call you that? She’s a character from some books that I really like.”
“Rosie Cotton? It's a nice name. I like that. I won’t mind being called that if it’s only you.”
“Alright, run along now.”
“Okay, thank you David!”
Her small feet took a few quick steps away from me and suddenly she stopped and turned around, running back to me and throwing her arms around my neck as I leaned down from my seat and hugged her back, to do shocked to do much else.
“You’re my friend now. I always hug my friends when I leave them ‘cause I never if I’ll get to see them again. And I want you to smile like you made me smile.”
Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes and I lightly tapped her nose, smiling. A pink tongue peaked out from between her lips.
“You’re a good kid. Be sure to tell you’re daddy he’s doing a good job.”
“But you’re crying now! Did I make you cry?”
“Don’t worry. Sometimes, people cry when they’re happy.”
“Really?”
“Really… thanks for listening Rosie Cotton. Now go, your daddy is waiting.”
She ran off and up to her father, grabbing the oustretched hand that pulled her in a tight hug. I watched on as she and the older man both turned around and waved at me before walking away. She was slightly bouncing beside him, chattering endlessly yet looking as endearing as the moment she first hugged me.
Much like Sebastien.
I knew then what I had to do.
---
March 17, 2005.