Chapter III

The bell signalling that the final lesson of the day had ended, rang. The noise piercing my skull, making my ears hurt.

I packed my bag again and made my way out of the classroom.

The school buildings we're like a maze, sprawled across the earth.

Infesting it.

Like a parasite.

They were ugly.

As I was walking back home, I pulled the locket out from underneath my shirt.

I subconsciously fiddled around with it, looping the metal chain around my fingers.

My surroundings seemed to blur into the background.

Becoming unnoticed.

Like me.

A wave of sorrow crashed over me and I brought the warm metal up to my lips.

I kissed it softly.

Why?

I don't know.

It was something that I always did.

Every time I felt sad, for whatever reason, I would kiss this locket.

It was comforting.

I wouldn't feel better afterwards, but I felt like I wasn't alone.

A melancholy feeling.

I reached my hand into my pocket, fishing out my keys to unlock the door as I reached the top of the stairs.

I froze for a second and looked around as I realised I had completely zoned out on my walk back.

Completely lost in my head.

What was I thinking about?

I can't remember.

Once inside, I headed straight to my bedroom, opening the bottom drawer of my desk.

Pulling out the fake bottom, I took out my tattered leather journal and began writing in it.

The fountain pen, one of the only things I cherished, glided across the pages.

When I was done, I put my pen down and leant back in my chair, stretching my arms above my head.

My back ached from leaning over my desk after a full day of doing the same thing at school.

I let my eyes wander around my small room; the beige walls with no decoration in sight, the wooden floor with scruff marks from previous tenants and the grey rug I had under my bed so I wouldn't get splinters when I woke up in the morning.

My gaze landed on the old photo frame on my desk.

The silver had lost its shine long ago.

My eyes went to the black and white picture in it.

On the person standing on the left hand side with their arm thrown casually around my shoulders.

Another wave of sorrow consumed me.

I couldn't remember who this person was.

Only that I had loved them.

That I still love them.

And they had loved me, too.

A long time ago.

I sat in thought for a while, trying to remember more about this person I held so dearly in my heart.

My fingers played with the locket around my neck.

I know he gave it to me, that person in the photo.

He gave me this locket to remember him.

I know that he's the reason I could never love my girlfriend the same way she loved me.

My heart was with him, forever and always.

Even though I couldn't remember the sound of his laughter or the colour of his eyes... they were what kept me going.

They were what kept me living through this torture known as life.

I had a promise to keep.