Calendar ~ September
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama/Romance/Comedy/Minor!Angst
Summary: A year following the lives of six individuals and how their lives intertwine.
[Challenge] School. "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."
Chapter's Author: rssj1314
- September -
As juvenile as it seems, Lyn sometimes wondered what it would be like to be in Kylan’s shoes. She wasn’t jealous of him, of course she wasn’t, because Kylan and Devon were long time buddies and she just... she just knew better. What the two aforementioned shared was similar to what she had with Riya, a strong, unbreakable bond.
“If that’s so true, that why are you sitting here sulking like a cat that just got thrown in mud or something?” Devi asked nonchalantly, holding a cup of coffee in the palm of both her hands, “Even the blind can see that you’re jealous.”
Lyn wanted to cower into a corner, or lower her head in embarrassment, but Riya offered her a bit of warmth in the cooling season. “They might not look it, but they really do have their homo moments.”
“Y’know,” Devi suddenly lightened up, scooting to the edge of her chair rather enthusiastically, “Aside from Lyn, I don’t think Devon has shown any interest in any other girls.”
Riya scoffed, “Well, that’s surely reassuring.” Setting her book on the surface of the coffee table, Riya shifted herself to face her friends entirely, “Seeing as to how Devon shows so much interest in Lyn, that really does eliminate all possibilities of questionings on his sexual orientation.”
Lyn buried her face in her palms, trying hard to muffle the cry that fought to be released from the depths of her throat. She could swear the croissant she just consumed was threatening to travel all the way back up her esophagus and smack her right across the face. Oh, who was she kidding? She just wanted to slap herself for listening to her friends nonsense talk.
“It’s not like that,” Lyn tried to explain, the blood in her cheeks boiling, “I don’t question their relationship or anything, that’s not what I meant.”
Devi rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair, “Sure you don’t.”
“I’m serious!” Lyn retorted, “I just wished that Devon would open up to me a little. Friendship is important, I can understand that, so I don’t blame him for ditching me for Kylan but I just wish he would talk to me a little.”
Riya sighed, removing her glasses and returning them to its case. “Maybe we’ve all just misunderstood. Maybe he just doesn’t like you all that much. Maybe he’s just playing along to play you along.” There was a long pause and both Devi and Lyn stared at Riya wide eyes and speechless looks. Devi thought her jaw would drop to the ground. “Is that what you wanted one of us to say, Lyn? Is that what you’re getting at?”
They relaxed.
“N-no!” Lyn denied, waving her right hand in front of her, “That’s not it either!”
“Then what is it?” Riya asked. The frustration was clear in her tone, the irritation was evident in her ever-glowing expression. She was angry, but still beautiful. Devi scowled to herself. Damn, how did she do that?
Lyn shook her head. “Never-mind. I’m sorry, I must be a bother. Always resorting to you two about my romance issues, when really... they shouldn’t be issues at all.”
“I didn’t mean to lash out at you,” Riya explained, brushing her silky hair out of her eyes, “I’ve just been heavy minded lately, a little stressed out. I’m sure whatever is going on with Devon isn’t going to be a forever type of thing. He takes a while to warm up, right Devi?”
Devi nodded cutely at Lyn.
Lyn blinked at her friends with a grateful smile. Maybe she should just let things go at their own course; let time slow down a bit so every one could catch up. Maybe she was just too ahead of the game for once.
-
“I know this might come hard on you, I know it will be a big shock, I wish I could give you time to prepare yourself for-”
“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?”
The doctor stopped in her movements, her eyes laid upon Riya still and almost doubting. Riya’s calmness was definitely breathtaking. After a few moments of awkward silence, the doctor nodded with a sigh. “I’m afraid so, but you don’t seem surprised.”
“I’ve looked into it for a while, as you know it’s been in the family,” Riya admitted, sitting in her seat stiffly. “Doctor, I know there’s no cure for it and that it’s a chronological disease, I’ll slowly lose my ability to-” Riya paused when she realized her emotions were starting to lose control. She had to stay calm. “My ability to do anything.”
It was true. Riya would probably first lose her ability to control her fingers, then her hands, then her arms, and then her legs. She will twitch, cramp, her muscles will grow stiff. Eventually, she wouldn’t be able to move or speak, she wouldn’t be able to do anything. “It could be over a course of a year, ten years, or maybe even twenty years,” The doctor attempted at comforting, the one thing all doctors failed at.
“Or it could be a month, or even a week,” Riya added.
The doctor nodded, “You’re young, but the symptoms are already progressing in you quite quickly. We can never be sure if it’s truly ALS until you start losing major muscle controls, there’s no definite way to diagnose it. So you don’t have to lose all hope yet-”
“Yet,” Riya laughed.
“We can have you on Riluzole, it will slow down the digression of your motor neurons and prolong your muscle health. I’m afraid that ‘s all we can do.”
Riya looked into the doctors eyes, her gaze unwavering. “It’s alright, Doctor. I’d rather have it quick and straight up then to give myself a longer time to suffer through it.”
“I’m afraid that’s not an option, Riya,” The doctor replied, “Watching you allow this disease consume you is no different than assisting you in suicide.”
“This isn’t suicide, Doctor,” Riya smiled sadly, “It’s homicide. I’m not killing myself, this disease is killing me. And there’s no way around it; no matter what I do, in the end death is what will take me.”
The doctor parted her lips to reply, to try to persuade or convince Riya to not give up on her life just yet, to do anything but just stand there speechless, but no answer formed on her tongue. She could only watch as Riya turned as strut out the door, seemingly unmoved by her condition and situation. “I fail as a doctor,” The doctor groaned to herself, “I couldn’t even ease her grief.”
-
Another day at school, another day to mourn. Jayin sprawled himself on a bench by the park, as he always did, with a book over his face. Riya was on her way off campus, with no textbooks in hand or backpack on her shoulders, when she spotted Jayin’s lanky corpse on the wooden furniture. She smiled.
“Hey!” Riya shouted, nudging Jayin’s leg with her knee.
Jayin immediately jumped in response, his book falling to the ground. “Riya? You caught me off guard. What are you doing here?”
“Just got out of class,” Riya laughed.
Jayin scanned her over. “But... you don’t have any textbooks.”
“Obviously,” Riya chuckled.
“Nor do you have your bag,” Jayin observed.
Riya nodded.
“You don’t have any books on you at all.”
“And?” Riya rolled her eyes.
“Alright,” Jayin took a deep breath, making space on the bench and seating Riya beside him. “Tell me. What happened to you?”
Predictable. Riya suddenly found everything in the world to be so predictable. Jayin’s reaction, the way the sun would always rise, how classes always ended several minutes too late, how she could never stroll down a street without receiving looks from perverted old men or hormone driven young boys. Jayin was always somehow unpredictable to Riya, but now even he seemed predictable.
“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
Jayin lifted a brow at her. “What?”
“I mean,” Riya laughed, “I just needed a change in life. I was always either reading, working on school, hanging out with Lyn and Devi, and listening and giving suggestions. I need a change.”
“Like... a man?” Jayin asked, giving himself some distance from Riya.
Riya rolled her eyes, “No. Like... being opposite of what I was before. I’m not going to read anymore. I refuse to work on schoolwork, I won’t hang out with Lyn and Devi - as hard as it will be - and I will not listen to any ones trouble or give anyone suggestions anymore!”
“You seem determined,” Jayin smirked, “We’ll see how long it lasts.”
The expression in Riya’s eyes changed and her determined expression turned into a weak smile. She shrugged shakily, “Not for long, I don’t think.”
-
Jayin couldn’t decide whether he should approach Devon and Kylan first, or ask Lyn and Devi about Riya’s recent activities first. He didn’t want to reveal anything that may cause them to worry or wonder, that’s probably not what Riya needed at the moment, but he had to ask. She was just too out of the ordinary. Extraordinarily.
He decided on the latter because Devon was one of the brighter tools in the shed, so he would probably catch on pretty quickly. He reasoned that Devi would probably say something about it to her cousin, but the probability of her cousin taking her seriously to any extent was doubtful. So, Lyn and Devi it was. Oh right, Lyn. He would have to keep himself in check while he was around Lyn as well.
“Riya? I haven’t seen her around these past two days and she hasn’t seem to be at home either. No one opens the door when I go knocking,” Lyn sighed, holding a hand to her chin. “Why?”
Jayin shook his head with a shrug, “Was just wondering, I haven’t seen her around either.” God. Jayin hated lying.
“She’s been reading an awful lot the past two weeks, books for her health and science classes she says,” Devi added in between checks on her outfit and jewelry on the table top.
Health and science?
Jayin grinned at the two ladies before excusing himself. “Well, she’s probably busy studying right about now, then.” Of course she wasn’t, she said she wouldn’t. “So, I’ll just entertain myself like I always do. You two ladies have fun, alright?”
Before the girls could reply, Jayin was already far out of sight.
-
Jayin truly contemplated with himself for a long while before he made the decision not to consult to Devon and Kylan. First of all, Kylan was probably still hung up on his “broken heart” that he never even had to begin with, and Devon just didn’t know anything about anyone aside from Devi and Kylan so it was a lost cause.
“Darn it,” Jayin hissed under his breath. He ran around racks of books in the library, hoping to find trace of his once book-friendly friend. “How am I supposed to find someone who vows to be someone they’re not? It’s like trying to find a fish that doesn’t want to be in the ocean... it could be anywhere.”
“Actually, in that case the fish would obviously be on land. And considering it can’t walk or live outside of the water, it would only be lying on the shore. There are only so many places a fish can be, so that was a terrible metaphor.”
Jayin smirked. “It’s actually a simile.”
“Right.”
“I thought you were through with books,” Jayin accused, catching glimpse of a thick book in her hand. She hid it behind herself like last time, except, this time he was sure it wasn’t a cook book.
Riya shrugged with a shy smile, “I told you it wouldn’t last very long.”
“What is that?” Jayin asked, trying to reach out for it.
“Let’s not go through this again,” Riya pleaded. She actually pleaded. So who was Jayin to reject a pleading Riya? Riya never pleaded.
Jayin nodded.
“You were looking for me?” Riya asked, urging him towards a desk as she placed the book in a random slot on a random rack.
Jayin nodded again, “I wanted to hang out. You know, catch up.”
“On what?” Riya laughed, “We were never really that close that we talked to each other about our individual problems.”
Jayin slammed the table with his fist enthusiastically, “Which is why I wanted us to start!”
“Do you know something?” Riya asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Jayin shook his head.
“Good,” Riya smiled politely, “because I don’t have anything to tell you and I have no intentions of allowing our friendship to take another step forward because I simply don’t have the time, will, or ability.” She paused briefly, letting the reality of her words sink in to her mind. She was being so honest unintentionally that it was sort of ironic. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to run.”
“That was brutal,” Jayin laughed it off, “Catch ya later.”
Riya stopped in her steps. Her mind stalked for a moment as she, once again, allowed his words to make an imprint on her mind. She wanted to keep those words, write them down and hug them to her chest or something. Somehow, she believed in him when he said catch you later. Only, she realized although she had already fallen, he really never had any resolve to catch her.
“Sure,” She easily replied and then she made her exit.
Jayin waited until she was fully out of sight before he began to head towards the rack he saw her set the book down at. After a minute of searching, he finally found it. Of course, he couldn’t be sure that was the book she was reading. At least, he hoped it wasn’t.
How We Die : Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter
Genre: Drama/Romance/Comedy/Minor!Angst
Summary: A year following the lives of six individuals and how their lives intertwine.
[Challenge] School. "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."
Chapter's Author: rssj1314
- September -
As juvenile as it seems, Lyn sometimes wondered what it would be like to be in Kylan’s shoes. She wasn’t jealous of him, of course she wasn’t, because Kylan and Devon were long time buddies and she just... she just knew better. What the two aforementioned shared was similar to what she had with Riya, a strong, unbreakable bond.
“If that’s so true, that why are you sitting here sulking like a cat that just got thrown in mud or something?” Devi asked nonchalantly, holding a cup of coffee in the palm of both her hands, “Even the blind can see that you’re jealous.”
Lyn wanted to cower into a corner, or lower her head in embarrassment, but Riya offered her a bit of warmth in the cooling season. “They might not look it, but they really do have their homo moments.”
“Y’know,” Devi suddenly lightened up, scooting to the edge of her chair rather enthusiastically, “Aside from Lyn, I don’t think Devon has shown any interest in any other girls.”
Riya scoffed, “Well, that’s surely reassuring.” Setting her book on the surface of the coffee table, Riya shifted herself to face her friends entirely, “Seeing as to how Devon shows so much interest in Lyn, that really does eliminate all possibilities of questionings on his sexual orientation.”
Lyn buried her face in her palms, trying hard to muffle the cry that fought to be released from the depths of her throat. She could swear the croissant she just consumed was threatening to travel all the way back up her esophagus and smack her right across the face. Oh, who was she kidding? She just wanted to slap herself for listening to her friends nonsense talk.
“It’s not like that,” Lyn tried to explain, the blood in her cheeks boiling, “I don’t question their relationship or anything, that’s not what I meant.”
Devi rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her chair, “Sure you don’t.”
“I’m serious!” Lyn retorted, “I just wished that Devon would open up to me a little. Friendship is important, I can understand that, so I don’t blame him for ditching me for Kylan but I just wish he would talk to me a little.”
Riya sighed, removing her glasses and returning them to its case. “Maybe we’ve all just misunderstood. Maybe he just doesn’t like you all that much. Maybe he’s just playing along to play you along.” There was a long pause and both Devi and Lyn stared at Riya wide eyes and speechless looks. Devi thought her jaw would drop to the ground. “Is that what you wanted one of us to say, Lyn? Is that what you’re getting at?”
They relaxed.
“N-no!” Lyn denied, waving her right hand in front of her, “That’s not it either!”
“Then what is it?” Riya asked. The frustration was clear in her tone, the irritation was evident in her ever-glowing expression. She was angry, but still beautiful. Devi scowled to herself. Damn, how did she do that?
Lyn shook her head. “Never-mind. I’m sorry, I must be a bother. Always resorting to you two about my romance issues, when really... they shouldn’t be issues at all.”
“I didn’t mean to lash out at you,” Riya explained, brushing her silky hair out of her eyes, “I’ve just been heavy minded lately, a little stressed out. I’m sure whatever is going on with Devon isn’t going to be a forever type of thing. He takes a while to warm up, right Devi?”
Devi nodded cutely at Lyn.
Lyn blinked at her friends with a grateful smile. Maybe she should just let things go at their own course; let time slow down a bit so every one could catch up. Maybe she was just too ahead of the game for once.
-
“I know this might come hard on you, I know it will be a big shock, I wish I could give you time to prepare yourself for-”
“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?”
The doctor stopped in her movements, her eyes laid upon Riya still and almost doubting. Riya’s calmness was definitely breathtaking. After a few moments of awkward silence, the doctor nodded with a sigh. “I’m afraid so, but you don’t seem surprised.”
“I’ve looked into it for a while, as you know it’s been in the family,” Riya admitted, sitting in her seat stiffly. “Doctor, I know there’s no cure for it and that it’s a chronological disease, I’ll slowly lose my ability to-” Riya paused when she realized her emotions were starting to lose control. She had to stay calm. “My ability to do anything.”
It was true. Riya would probably first lose her ability to control her fingers, then her hands, then her arms, and then her legs. She will twitch, cramp, her muscles will grow stiff. Eventually, she wouldn’t be able to move or speak, she wouldn’t be able to do anything. “It could be over a course of a year, ten years, or maybe even twenty years,” The doctor attempted at comforting, the one thing all doctors failed at.
“Or it could be a month, or even a week,” Riya added.
The doctor nodded, “You’re young, but the symptoms are already progressing in you quite quickly. We can never be sure if it’s truly ALS until you start losing major muscle controls, there’s no definite way to diagnose it. So you don’t have to lose all hope yet-”
“Yet,” Riya laughed.
“We can have you on Riluzole, it will slow down the digression of your motor neurons and prolong your muscle health. I’m afraid that ‘s all we can do.”
Riya looked into the doctors eyes, her gaze unwavering. “It’s alright, Doctor. I’d rather have it quick and straight up then to give myself a longer time to suffer through it.”
“I’m afraid that’s not an option, Riya,” The doctor replied, “Watching you allow this disease consume you is no different than assisting you in suicide.”
“This isn’t suicide, Doctor,” Riya smiled sadly, “It’s homicide. I’m not killing myself, this disease is killing me. And there’s no way around it; no matter what I do, in the end death is what will take me.”
The doctor parted her lips to reply, to try to persuade or convince Riya to not give up on her life just yet, to do anything but just stand there speechless, but no answer formed on her tongue. She could only watch as Riya turned as strut out the door, seemingly unmoved by her condition and situation. “I fail as a doctor,” The doctor groaned to herself, “I couldn’t even ease her grief.”
-
Another day at school, another day to mourn. Jayin sprawled himself on a bench by the park, as he always did, with a book over his face. Riya was on her way off campus, with no textbooks in hand or backpack on her shoulders, when she spotted Jayin’s lanky corpse on the wooden furniture. She smiled.
“Hey!” Riya shouted, nudging Jayin’s leg with her knee.
Jayin immediately jumped in response, his book falling to the ground. “Riya? You caught me off guard. What are you doing here?”
“Just got out of class,” Riya laughed.
Jayin scanned her over. “But... you don’t have any textbooks.”
“Obviously,” Riya chuckled.
“Nor do you have your bag,” Jayin observed.
Riya nodded.
“You don’t have any books on you at all.”
“And?” Riya rolled her eyes.
“Alright,” Jayin took a deep breath, making space on the bench and seating Riya beside him. “Tell me. What happened to you?”
Predictable. Riya suddenly found everything in the world to be so predictable. Jayin’s reaction, the way the sun would always rise, how classes always ended several minutes too late, how she could never stroll down a street without receiving looks from perverted old men or hormone driven young boys. Jayin was always somehow unpredictable to Riya, but now even he seemed predictable.
“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
Jayin lifted a brow at her. “What?”
“I mean,” Riya laughed, “I just needed a change in life. I was always either reading, working on school, hanging out with Lyn and Devi, and listening and giving suggestions. I need a change.”
“Like... a man?” Jayin asked, giving himself some distance from Riya.
Riya rolled her eyes, “No. Like... being opposite of what I was before. I’m not going to read anymore. I refuse to work on schoolwork, I won’t hang out with Lyn and Devi - as hard as it will be - and I will not listen to any ones trouble or give anyone suggestions anymore!”
“You seem determined,” Jayin smirked, “We’ll see how long it lasts.”
The expression in Riya’s eyes changed and her determined expression turned into a weak smile. She shrugged shakily, “Not for long, I don’t think.”
-
Jayin couldn’t decide whether he should approach Devon and Kylan first, or ask Lyn and Devi about Riya’s recent activities first. He didn’t want to reveal anything that may cause them to worry or wonder, that’s probably not what Riya needed at the moment, but he had to ask. She was just too out of the ordinary. Extraordinarily.
He decided on the latter because Devon was one of the brighter tools in the shed, so he would probably catch on pretty quickly. He reasoned that Devi would probably say something about it to her cousin, but the probability of her cousin taking her seriously to any extent was doubtful. So, Lyn and Devi it was. Oh right, Lyn. He would have to keep himself in check while he was around Lyn as well.
“Riya? I haven’t seen her around these past two days and she hasn’t seem to be at home either. No one opens the door when I go knocking,” Lyn sighed, holding a hand to her chin. “Why?”
Jayin shook his head with a shrug, “Was just wondering, I haven’t seen her around either.” God. Jayin hated lying.
“She’s been reading an awful lot the past two weeks, books for her health and science classes she says,” Devi added in between checks on her outfit and jewelry on the table top.
Health and science?
Jayin grinned at the two ladies before excusing himself. “Well, she’s probably busy studying right about now, then.” Of course she wasn’t, she said she wouldn’t. “So, I’ll just entertain myself like I always do. You two ladies have fun, alright?”
Before the girls could reply, Jayin was already far out of sight.
-
Jayin truly contemplated with himself for a long while before he made the decision not to consult to Devon and Kylan. First of all, Kylan was probably still hung up on his “broken heart” that he never even had to begin with, and Devon just didn’t know anything about anyone aside from Devi and Kylan so it was a lost cause.
“Darn it,” Jayin hissed under his breath. He ran around racks of books in the library, hoping to find trace of his once book-friendly friend. “How am I supposed to find someone who vows to be someone they’re not? It’s like trying to find a fish that doesn’t want to be in the ocean... it could be anywhere.”
“Actually, in that case the fish would obviously be on land. And considering it can’t walk or live outside of the water, it would only be lying on the shore. There are only so many places a fish can be, so that was a terrible metaphor.”
Jayin smirked. “It’s actually a simile.”
“Right.”
“I thought you were through with books,” Jayin accused, catching glimpse of a thick book in her hand. She hid it behind herself like last time, except, this time he was sure it wasn’t a cook book.
Riya shrugged with a shy smile, “I told you it wouldn’t last very long.”
“What is that?” Jayin asked, trying to reach out for it.
“Let’s not go through this again,” Riya pleaded. She actually pleaded. So who was Jayin to reject a pleading Riya? Riya never pleaded.
Jayin nodded.
“You were looking for me?” Riya asked, urging him towards a desk as she placed the book in a random slot on a random rack.
Jayin nodded again, “I wanted to hang out. You know, catch up.”
“On what?” Riya laughed, “We were never really that close that we talked to each other about our individual problems.”
Jayin slammed the table with his fist enthusiastically, “Which is why I wanted us to start!”
“Do you know something?” Riya asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Jayin shook his head.
“Good,” Riya smiled politely, “because I don’t have anything to tell you and I have no intentions of allowing our friendship to take another step forward because I simply don’t have the time, will, or ability.” She paused briefly, letting the reality of her words sink in to her mind. She was being so honest unintentionally that it was sort of ironic. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to run.”
“That was brutal,” Jayin laughed it off, “Catch ya later.”
Riya stopped in her steps. Her mind stalked for a moment as she, once again, allowed his words to make an imprint on her mind. She wanted to keep those words, write them down and hug them to her chest or something. Somehow, she believed in him when he said catch you later. Only, she realized although she had already fallen, he really never had any resolve to catch her.
“Sure,” She easily replied and then she made her exit.
Jayin waited until she was fully out of sight before he began to head towards the rack he saw her set the book down at. After a minute of searching, he finally found it. Of course, he couldn’t be sure that was the book she was reading. At least, he hoped it wasn’t.
How We Die : Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter