"I still can't believe that you're in a MMA tournament. Seriously what were you thinking when you applied?" Juliette inquired as the two were alone in the clinic. It was open but the number of customers flowing in was rather slow.
"It won't be that hard, besides it's not like I'm aiming to win. Second place will do." Andrew responded as he stood straight, right next to where Juliette was who was leaning carefree on.
Her head supported with her hands as she was donned in a light white lab coat with her grey hair tied up in a low ponytail. "Second place? Well that's truly a long way to go but given how skilled you are, I'm sure that you'll come out on top. You should aim higher than second place."
She mused as she gave a light glance at Andrew. "You should focus more on yourself first. Besides, what I need is the money really, not the flight abroad for a professional career."
Juliette couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'What kind of person wouldn't want a successful career?' Her mind couldn't wrap her mind around such a concept.
Before she could raise the thought, a customer walked into the clinic to which she had to shift her attention. "Oh hi, how cam I help you?" Her tone warm and patient as she glanced at her client.
A girl with short blue hair that draped over her face and mask a part of her face, a passive and timid air glanced all over the clinic before looking at Juliette. "Uhm, do you have some bandages and some pain killers?"
It was clear from her tone that she was fatigued. "Yes we do, Andrew, could you go to the back and fetch me some?" Juliette mused as she gave a glance at Andrew who was invested in the girl.
"Your Cassie from school. We're in the same class." Cassie was slightly startled with the fact that Andrew was able to recognize her. "We go to the same school, right? I'm sorry my memory isn't that good." A short apology followed.
"Are you doing anything else as of late? Any hobbies or anything of the sort?" Juliette was taken aback as to why Andrew suddenly took interest in a girl. Sure from their conversation she could tell that the two went to the same school but it would seem that they barely interacted which propped the question in her mind.
'Why is Andrew so all of a sudden interested in her? Maybe love at first sight or something of the sort?' She knew how apathetic Andrew was thus that notion was quickly wiped off her mind, still trying to come up with an exact reason for this.
"No... I'm free really..." Her response was plain. "Then do you mind if we could talk after I'm done here. Noon should do." Juliette excused herself from the conversation and fetched the required items herself before handing it to Cassie.
"If you think so then why not. I'll meet you at the park." To which he agreed as Juliette handed over her contents and Cassie's figure left the store. "Okay, I know how you usually are so do you mind explaining what that was?"
Her tone rather playful rather than stern and condemning. "Knowing your ideology of trying to cheer me up, I decided to actually give it a shot with Cassie is all. Speaking of which, do you mind if I left early?" His tone dead calm as always. "Of course you can you lovebirds. But who will help me run the clinic while you're gone?"
He didn't seem fazed with this problem. "There are already a couple of labelled prescriptions I've made at the back for the remaining that'll barge in." And with that, he too took his leave as he went to the back, taking off his coat and leaving the premise.
Juliette gave a light sigh as her mind raced with excitement. 'Ideology? What ideology does he mean? Provided he's finally trying to find someone he can connect with is fine with me.'
...
Andrew arrived at the described location and just like clockwork, Cassie was nervously glancing around before her faint blue eyes landed on his figure.
Her fingers constantly fidgeted beneath her grey sleeves which could be considered a little to big for her figure but given how passive and little attention she drew to herself, she was considered invisible by the world around her.
"I'm so sorry for picking this place after recalling what happened to you those years ago, Andrew?" She started off. "It's a small aspect, Cassie. You wouldn't mind accompanying me on a stroll down the park, would you?"
She hummed in unison to his idea and the two made their way down the sidewalk. The calming breeze that helped cool the two as they walked past children alike who were engrossed with their activities. The two however came to a stop at a lake, taking an empty seat facing it.
"So how have the cuts been?" Andrew sparked off the conversation which took Cassie by surprise. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" Her demeanor shook as she constantly switched her position, as if uncomfortable with the bench despite Andrew seated just fine.
"The cuts on your arms. I can tell what those painkillers are for Cassie and what you're going through. I know that it's hard but feel free to talk about it whenever you feel like it." The subject looked down at her feet as if she had lost something with a response lacking from her. 'But how does he know about that?'
"Have, have you been stalking me?" She grew wary as she distanced herself from Andrew who was calmly glancing at the ducks on the lake's surface. "No, but judging from your past behaviors, it's safe to assume that your motives haven't been all that helpful to both your mental health and your body."
Rising to her feet, she felt probed and stripped naked of any secrets she had. "I'm not going to keep on pressing this matter any further and I think that all of this is a mistake. I thank you for taking your time but it's best if I leave."
"Just promise me that you won't try to claim your own life." Her body tensed at his statement. Her breathes getting raspier by the minute as she glanced at the body peacefully seated.
His attention shifted now to her as her black obsidian eyes never faltering or showing any sign of emotion, only robotic beady eyes that held something more beneath them. "..." She fell silent as he made himself more comfortable.
"You've certainly been a lot and for that I'm amazed by your persistence but throwing it all away just like that seems like a waste. Cassie, a girl who lived her life in a dark and lonely corner. No friends, no close blood relations with a huge mountain of problems in your life."
"Your life has been nothing short of a slide of motions of which compromised of observing those around you, never fully experiencing life first hand." He stood up and drew closer to her as he pulled up her sleeves showcasing multiple scars running on both her arms.
'Self infliction.' He concluded as he traced his fingers ever so lightly on her marks. Some had already healed while others seemed fresh. Tracing his fingers further up, he raised her chin before brushing her short hair aside to reveal a purple mark running around her neck.
Her body shuddered with his touch however as if springing back to life, she withdrew from his embrace as she hastily covered her body. "You don't know me Andrew and don't bother talking to me." Her tone full of rage before storming off, leaving him alone at the scene.
He didn't seem disappointed or conflicted with what has transpired but rather he seemed unfazed by it all. 'Despite their worries and struggles, I'm unable to feel it. The curse of this abomination of apathy and perfection.' When it first dawned on him that his emotions had been severed, he thought that he could put up an act and downplay it but as time flew by, the more pointless he saw it all.
It was an act, not his true response to the world around him and shortly after, he was diagnosed with Congenital Analgesia thus he had to drop his acts. Sure this made him less relatable with others but it didn't bother him given that he was showing what was on his mind.
He looked at the direction she went in blankly before making his move.
...
*Thud*
The sound of a door could be heard being forcefully slammed shut as Cassie threw her purchases onto the couch as she caved in with the emotional turmoil that was playing out in her mind. At first it came off as indifference before resorting to tears which led her to collapse onto the couch, her tears staining it before she cried herself dry.
With nothing left, she tilted her head towards the kitchen that wasn't far from where she was. She had been bringing herself up thus she catered herself from the age of eighteen given that she was an orphan.
It was thanks to her good grades that she was able to find a scholarship but after a while, her grades started to take a dive. It wasn't that she grew lazy but saw no point the more she dedicated to her studies.
Days would meld into each other and before she knew it, time flew by in a matter of seconds, as if she was being robbed of it which in the long term demoralized her. After trying to regain her will to go back to her books, it failed to lack the grip that she needed to keep going thus she dropped the whole notion all together.
After that, more provocative muses would run through her head which ultimately lead her into suicidal trail. The idea of actual suicide was just too much for her but the will to live was lacking. What she wanted at the end of it all was just to fall asleep an never wake up.
Making her way to the kitchen, she grabbed a knife out of the rack before inspecting it. It trembled in her hands and after contemplating for a while, she callously dropped it on the floor and went to bed.
...
Waking up hours later, she realized that it was night however that fact didn't stick with her as she walked out of her apartment. Like a mindless drone, she made her way towards towards the top floor of the apartment complex she was in before reaching the roof which was completely empty.
The starry night sky or the pretty lights of the city despite their splendor failed to captivate her as she made her way towards the edge of the roof. Teetering at the edge of the roof, her faint whimpers could be heard as tears could be seen fall down her cheeks.
With a resounding sigh, she closed her eyes, resigning to escape the fate that she was in. "Hello Cassie." A familiar voice rang behind her back which forced her to open her eyes. Andrew as if on cue made her way towards her.
"I don't know what you're doing here but...just fuck off and don't complicate this! I don't need to hear some bullshit empowering speech, okay!" Her tone fierce making it clear that the situation wasn't up for debate. Andrew however seemed oblivious to her statement as he drew closer to her.
"Andrew, I'm not fucking around! Head back or I'll jump!" The subject in question treated it all like air as he kept on walking closer to her, his hands pocketed in his black coat. "Then jump. Better yet, let's do it together." His voice dead of any of excitement and before she knew it, he was standing right next to her.
The two figures dangerously close to the edge of a ten storey building and wig just one more step, their figures would be sent crashing hard onto the street below. "Don't stop now, let's jump." He urged which made her skeptical whether any of this was part of his plan.