i only count hours that shine

Saturday, September 6, 2008 9:07 PM

Starbucks was nice. Caramel Frappuccino.
Conversation with the guy at the counter.

Starbucks guy: Here to study?
Me: Yeah.
Starbucks guy: O levels?
Me: No. End of years.
Starbucks guy: JC?
Me: No.
Starbucks guy: Then you're...?
Me: Secondary.
Starbucks guy: You look like JC.
Me: Oh.
Starbucks guy: Enjoy your drink. Study hard, good luck.
Me: Okay.
Starbucks guy: Have a great weekend.

Erm hello?! I don't even look old. There wasn't any seats left so i went somewhere else. Finished reading Debbie Harry Sings in French by Megan Brothers. It's and AMAZING book. The guy is like a emo- gothic guy with eyeliner and mascara. I totally imagine him to be tall, pale, jet black hair, eyeliner, red dress tee, black pants, black tie. And has a girl face. At the end of the book he kinda became transvestite.
Bought a white guitar pick. *Squeals* Lobelobe it.
Tuition. Brought the compo home to write since i can't finish. I was inspired by Debbie Harry Sings in French. So it's kinda like the book.

Here it is(:
Real long. 5 sides.

Truth.

Levi sat in the darkness of his room, his right hand clenched tightly around a hald-emptied bottle of vodka, taking swigs in between his interval of thoughts. His mind was a blank, he felt like crying but he held back, the same few words filling his thoughts, his mother's voice ggoing on and on. 'That's it Levi, you're going to rehab.'

Six years back, Levi was just like any other twelve-year-old boy. He enjoyed reading comic books and playing video games just like every other boy. His father was seldom home as his job required him to travel a lot, but whenever he was home, he spent a lot of time with Levi, teaching him new things. His mother, on the other hand, was an accountant in a small company. Levi loved his father a lot and perhaps like a friend too, since he did not have many friends. It was until one night when his father met with a car accident and just like that, he was gone forever.

The death of his father never really got over Levi. He was scared of what was ahead in life now that the man he always looked up upon was gone. He did not and could not talk to anyone about it, even his mother as she was never really over the death of her husband too. Levi would stay back in school, sitting alone by the stairs, reading his favourite comic books, hoping he could run away from the truth.

'Hey, is that X-men episode twenty?' A voice Levi had never heard before said. Levi looked up and saw a boy standing in front of him. He was tall, thin and pale. his spiky black hair constrasting against his almost-white complexion. Levi just looked up at him and nodded.

'Cool,' the guy answered, nodding. He extended a hand, 'I'm Terry.'

' Levi.' Levi shook his hand, while standing up. Terry started talking to Levi about comic books, fantasy and sci-fi and they realised they were very much alike. That was how they became best friends.

Terry introduced Levi to many new things. Levi started drinking to run away from the stress he felt about his father's death. He started going to Goth clubs with Terry, putting on eyeliner and mascara and made a fake ID. However, besides the whole gothic act, they still shared the same passion for comic books.

Six years down the road, at the age of eighteen, Levi and Terry were still best friends, but Levi was no more the twelve-year-old he used to be. He partied till morning, he drank and died his black black. Levi seldom spent time at home as he always fall out with his mother. His mother did not approve Levi of his actions. One night, after a trip to the Goth club with Terry, he found his mother in the living room, waiting for him to return.

'Levi, where have you been?' His mother inquired firmly. 'It's eleven, one hour after your curfew.'

'I was with Terry.' Levi mumbled in return.

'Or were you at one of those clubs again, drinking.' His mother retorted, her eyes blazing. Levi stayed quiet, not bothering to reply as he rolled his eyes. 'Now, don't you roll your eyes at me, young man. Look at you. Your nails are painted black and you put on more eyeliner than I do and you're drinking. You're not the Levi I used to know anymore after your father died.'

He stayed quiet, too angry to even reply. 'You're grounded for the rest of the week.' She turned and went back to her room. Levi fumed in the background.

The next day, Levi spent the entire day home after school. When night arrived, he put on a black dress shirt, jeans and eyeliner. He made sure he had all the essentials with him and went to check if his mother was asleep. Then, he grabbed his coat and jumped out the window of their one-storied house and headed towards the Goth club. He was supposed to meet Terry tonight and he was definitely showing up. He met up with Terry at the entrance and they showed the bouncer their fake IDs. They headed to the bar and got a drink and started talking about the new Spiderman movie they caught a few days back.

Just then, Terry took out a little ziplock bag with a few little blue pills in it. Levi knew right awy it was Ecstasy which Terry started taking a few months back.

'Want one?' He offered. Levi shrugged and took one, gulping it down with the tequila he was drinking. One would not hurt anyway. After finishing their drinks, they headed out to the dance floor. A headache started to form in his head, every throb thumping in time with the blaring music. Levi felt drunk and sick all of a sudden.

'You okay?' Terry shouted over the music. Levi wanted to shake his head, but before he knew it everything went black and the music stopped playing. Instead, it was his mother calling his name.

Levi opened his eyes, only to see his mother and someone next to her who was probably a doctor from the way he was dressed. Levi tried to keep his eyes open and a throbbing headache pounded in his head. Levi could tell that she was angry and worried at the same time. The doctor started explaining to Levi how he actually got to the emergency room. A guy left Levi on the sidewalk outside the emergency room and drove off, without staying to bother if Levi would survive. Then came a police who asked Levi what happened and what he took. It was only after a long time did the doctor and police left, leaving Levi and his mother alone in the room.

'Levi, do you know how disappointed I am in you? What were you thinking when you took that pill?' His mother spoke and Levi could tell she was about to cry. Levi wanted to say something but his throat felt too parched. 'Do you know you could have died?'

Levi took a sip of water from a glass he found on the nightstand, feeling much better. 'Come one, Mum. It was only one pill!'

'Do you know what's going to happen? They're going to put you in jail but since you do not have any drug on you, they're going to put you in rehab.' His mother continued.

'What?!' Levi practically shouted. 'It was just one pill and I have to go to rehab?! That's so melodramatic. It's not as if I'm going to die or something.'

'I have had enough, Levi! I was going to talk to the doctor and police and see if they could reconsider the sentence of being shorter than three months.' Her voice was getting louder. 'But that's it Levi, you're going to rehab. Three months, flat!'

'Just my luck,' Levi mumbled. That evening, Levi went home. His mother drove him home in silence. Once home, he went to his room and slammed the door shut, a mixture of anger and sadness filling his thoughts. He took out his cellphone and dialed Terry's number, not bothering to turn on the lights.

'Hey.' Levi heard Terry greet from the other side. His voice was tired and Levi knew he was still suffering from a hangover after waking up a few hours ago. He did sound distracted too.

'Hey. I'm going to rehab.' Levi finally spoke. 'Can you believe it? Three months!'

'Oh.' Was Terry's reply and he fell silent for a while. 'I found X-men episode seventeen in mint condition on Ebay.'

'I'm going to rehab and all you can think of is X-men?!' Levi fumed. 'For your information, I did not tell on you when the police asked me who gave me the pill.'

'And for your information, I sent you to the emergency room!' Terry retorted.

'More like you were leaving me to die on the sidewalk!' Terry fell silent. 'Dude, get a life. Gosh.' Levi jabbed on the 'hang-up' button and looked under the bed for the half-emptied bottle of vodka he stashed there a few days back. It was probably the last time he was able to drink. He closed his eyes and took a swig, thoughts and emotions mixed up inside him.

A tear tricked down Levi's cheek. He was going to rehab and he just lost his best friend. Anger rised in him as he thought of Terry and how he thought of him as a friend. Now that he had seen his true colours, he practically hated Terry. Levi needed his father, the only person in this world who understood him. He continued drinking till the very last drop, his mother's words playing in his mind like a tape.

Levi closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do now but sleep and await tomorrow. He was accepting the truth, his needed to change.

That took me like forever to type. 10.02 now.
That's all.

Need to study. No mood.
Bye(:

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