City below them

After Lanie took a bath, she went out of her room and saw that her apartment was already clean. She went to the kitchen and saw Penelope washing dishes.

"Hey, you're awake." Penelope greeted while wiping her hands. Lanie nodded and got a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Penelope handed her a glass.

"Mark already heated the food. You are the only one who did not eat." she said.

"Where are they, by the way?" Lanie asked. She put the glass on the sink and washed it. Penelope checked her phone when it rang, she sighed. Lanie noticed her sudden change when she rejected the call. Probably that was her mother. Penelope sighed before she smiled at Lanie.

"They are outside. Getting fresh air, maybe." Penelope said and signaled Lanie to join them. When they went out, it's almost sunset. Althea and Mark were near the railings. Althea was bending over while holding on the railings. Mark was also bending over and his forearm was resting on the railing. Althea looked at them when they went out and waved at them. Lanie smiled while Penelope excitedly ran towards them. Penelope stood between Althea and Mark while Penelope was on the left side of Althea. They all had smiles on their faces as they watched the city below as well as the sun that was slowly setting while it was hiding behind those high buildings. No one spoke among them. They just listened to each other's breathings as if it was their language, as if they heard each other's voices within those beathings. They were watching the sky become orange with a touch of purple, red and blue. As the sun sets, the sky slowly becomes dark. A sign of another day had passed. Another peaceful and happy day had passed. The buildings started to open their lights as the city was consumed by darkness.

Lane turned around and leaned her back on the railings, others did the same. She looked at them and smiled. Althea and Penelope can't help but to laugh while Mark shook his head.

"You guys are going home now?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you for the party. It was amazing. The best holiday I've ever spent." Penelope genuinely said. Lanie hugged Penelope before she bid her goodbye. Althea and Mark did the same. Althea accompanied Penelope home, the reason why she and Mark left alone there.

"How about you? Are you planning to stay here again?" she joked. Mark smirks at her before putting his hand on her shoulder. He turned around for them to look at the city again. Lanie holds Mark's hand that is in her left shoulder.

"I'll leave later. Just let me enjoy this view." he calmly said. Lanie looked at the city then back to Mark. She smiled when she saw Mark's serious but calm face. The city lights were reflecting on his eyes as if he was looking at the stars. The cold breeze blew as they looked mesmerizingly below.

"This is my first time celebrating the new year after 6 years." Mark suddenly said. He was still looking below. Lanie did not speak, as she always does when Mark wanted to voice out his feelings.

"It feels weird yet I am happy. I am glad that at least one day, I, we, forgot all the things that we want to forget and leave behind those and just be happy. I realized that it is possible to feel true and genuine happiness if we only let go and don't mind the things that make us sad and wreck. That happiness is a choice, that we are the one who will dictate our happiness and not the people around us nor the situations we are in." he added. Lanie was completely stunned and remained staring at Mark. Her heart ached not because he was sad for Mark but what Mark said hitting her big time because what he said was right. He was right but she can't seem to do that… because she can't… she still can't. There were still things that were left in her heart that hindered her to achieve that realization. She smiled sadly at Mark even though he was not looking at her before she moved her eyes to the city. As she looked at the city, she was hoping that one day, just one day, she will finally let herself be happy.

Mark took a deep breath and sighed. "I'll go now. Go inside, it's already cold. Thank you, Lanie." he sincerely said before patting her head and smiled in a cool way. She nodded and smiled at him.

When Mark left, she was left alone again. She hugged herself and looked at the city again.

"Someday. Maybe, someday." she whispered. She remained like that for about 30 minutes before she decided to go inside. When she turned around to walk towards the door she saw a silhouette at the stairs. She stopped and looked at it, then the person revealed himself. He walked as if that was his house and stopped in front of a stunned Lanie.

"What are you doing here, Tyler?" she asked after she composed herself.

"Hmmm. I see now that you are fully awake. Shall we discuss what you chose clearly?" he said in a serious, dark and cold voice as he looked Lanie directly in her eyes.