"Will you promise me you'll search for us?"

"Will you find me afterlife?"

Promises.

How many times have we promised something to someone and ended up breaking it?

Let me say. A lot.

It's not that we didn't want to stick to it, we simply had no power left to fulfill those commitments.

We had no much power left to reassure the person we were committed to with that promise.

And in fact, promises are made because of a euphoric desire to make sure that things will be okay in the future. It does not always have be true, but we only make sure of letting it feel that way.

Anyone who broke their promise probably knew they had no power in their hands to fulfill that dedication. Or simply wasn't in their right mind to make such promise in the first place.

No matter what, don't ever promise someone something when you're too enthusiastic or aware of not being able to stick to that promise.

It can break someone's heart and their trust for you.

It can make them do a lot of mistakes that they would regret in the future.

Like the mistakes I did.

And now I do regret about.

...

Four days passed and I still couldn't find one clue for Mikhail's disappearance.

My mom grounded me for three days because she found out about me sneaking out to that trip.

I mean, of course she would, I've literally been missing for a day and a half so it's pretty obvious I would have got caught.

Thankfully, my dad did not know anything about it because he had travelled to New York for a business matter, which we had no idea about.

I've also been arguing with my mom a lot. She keeps calling me crazy and out of my mind for being too reckless recently. However, I blame no one but her for making me that way.

She wants me to go to a therapist so that they can be reassured about my mental state after the coma I got through. But that's just another excuse for her to keep persuading me that I'm mentally ill.

That got me a little mad for some time but I'm trying not to let her ruin my peaceful mind, now that we are that close to knowing the results of my diagnosis. 

The professor told me that I should come by his place at eight am and from there we would be going to the hospital for the results.

I have great hope for the results to be negative.

I just feel it.

...

I heard the doorbell ringing. I went downstairs to open it, finding Liam with his huge foolish smile and those dug pimples staring at me like a waking nightmare.

"Good morning, Evelyn!" he grinned wildly with the voice of a clown as he bowed his head to mom. "Miss Penelope!"

My mom let him come in, frowning at me before I was even able to quickly shut the door in his face.

"Such a delight to see you, Liam! How are you my dear?" mom welcomed him with a warm smile as I stood next to her in disgust.

"The fuck are you doing here?" I curled my lip with a neutral face.

Mom irritatingly punched my shoulder. "Language!"

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, earning a foolish smirk from him as I left them behind and stood on the corner with my shoulders folded.

"Come on, sit." mom told him, still smiling as she pulled him to sit on the couch next to her. "Want anything to drink?"

I can't believe she always gets that excited when she sees him.

It's such a pain in the ass.

"No, I'm good. Thank you." he timidly nodded, slowly rubbing his hand as he sweated a bit and looked at me. "I just came here for Evelyn."

Of course he did.

"To apologize for Mia's actions on her behalf. She shouldn't have said these things to her. They're best friends in the end, right?" he awkwardly grinned at mom, who got easily charmed by his politeness.

"She's not my-"

I then got cut off as mom started talking. "Oh, honey. You really didn't have to actually do that, you know. I'm sure Evelyn had already forgiven her. She has a kind heart. Right, Evelyn?"

My gaze dropped down to the floor as I bit the bottom of my cheeks with a tilted head and raging eyes.

I was not used of mom complimenting me in front of people like that but this has gone way too far.

I stayed silent while my feet kept tapping on the floor with much curiosity as to why would that jerk bother and pass by just to apologize instead of Mia herself.

"Evelyn?" Liam raised a brow with confusion. "Do you forgive her?"

My attention was again fixed on them. "You know it's really nice from you to come here on her behalf. But I'm hundred percent sure that she has got a mouth to apologize with."

Mom glared at me as Liam dropped his head down and shook it with a chuckle.

"It's really hard to please you isn't it?" he looked up at me and I again curled my lip at him.

"Anyway, I've done what I had to do." he disappointedly got up and shook mom's hand with a pleasant smile. "It was nice seeing you, Miss Penelope."

"Ain't no way you're going anywhere until you try some of the brownies I made last night." she pulled him back on the couch as she headed to the kitchen, giving me a warning look. "You, behave!"

"Mom!" I squealed, then rolled my eyes at Liam, not wanting him to stay any longer. I was already losing my patience.

"I guess I win after all." Liam tilted his head at me with a challenging yet annoying smirk.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" I asked, irritatedly.

"I needed to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about. Especially not after the lies you said about me during that trip." I pointed my fingers at him with a glare.

Getting up, he gave me a daring look. "I've only said what's true."

"You and I know exactly that it isn't the truth." I raised my eyebrows at him, shaking in disagreement. "I did not cheat on you. Who are you kidding?"

He licked his lips as he took few steps closer to me, shoving his hands in his pocket. "You didn't cheat, huh? So what about Mikhail??"

Suddenly I felt my heart dropping down my stomach, as my breath instantly got heavier.

If he knew who he is, then there's a possibility of Mikhail being near us somewhere, there's a possibility that he might still be alive.

I took a moment to function what I just heard, clearing my throat. "How do you know Mikhail?"

He playfully tilted his head with a smirk. "I thought everyone knew who Mikhail is. Or was it all just in your head like they say?"

My face went furious, I took a step closer to him as I glared into his soul. "Where is he? Where are you hiding him you piece of shit?!!"

He didn't answer me, instead he smirked as mom entered with a plate of chocolate brownies. "Here you go. I'm sure you'd like them, they're tasty!"

The room was too then quite. Mom noticed the raging tension that was spreading between me and Liam as we never dared to blink while glaring at each other.

I could hear the sound of the clock ticking and Liam's breath brushing my nose.

He took a glance at the plate them back at me.

"You have fun eating them, I know they were once too precious for you." he whispered, making me sick to my stomach.

He then turned to mom. "They do seem delicious. But I'm afraid I'm late for school. Maybe I could try them later?" he said, faking a smile.

Mom reached to open the door for him with a confused smile as they waved for each other and then he left.

After shutting the door, she turned back to me with knitted brows. "What did you say to him?"

...

As I waited for the professor to bring the diagnosis results from the doctor's clinic, I blandly leaned on the car, exposed to the sunlight's heat.

Ten minutes later, I found him getting out of the hospital as he reached down the stairs with an expression that did not seem pleasant to me.

"So?" I nervously waited for his response, still leaning on the car.

He looked at me with a furious look that only showed disappointment and shame as he harshly opened the file, picking up the paper.

"The results say that you've had an Ischemic Stroke that got you into a medically induced coma and you completely got recovered from it weeks ago since you have its complications such as Involuntary muscle tightening or spasticity, chronic headaches and you might be suffering from depression so you might as well need therapy." he uttered with an angry tone, glaring as he waited for me to explain myself.

"That's impossible! There's no freaking way I've got into this!" I explained with disbelief, I just know that none of this was the actual truth. "I told you! That doctor is clearly getting paid to fake these results!"

"He's not getting paid for anything!"

"And what makes you so sure about that?!" I glared as I raised my voice at him.

"Because he's my friend!" he shouted, his veins getting throbbed. "He'd never do such thing! He'd never lie to me!"

I paused at him, crossing my arms as I chuckled at his ridiculous assumption, remembering that my friends who I once used to trust, did actually lie to me for money. "You would be surprised, James."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Anyone who you think is loyal to you, would eventually sell you for money. That's how people are, or at least those ones with lack of dignity."

"That's not true-" he coweredly said with a shake, almost feeling doubtful. "I think I have helped you enough, so please stop asking me for more."

I surprisingly shook my head, eyes widened. "Why can't you believe that I'm the one who's saying the truth?!"

"Because you're not! How do you want me to believe you, when everybody else is saying otherwise!" the professor yelled with impatience.

"Because I'm the one who got through all of this! I'm the one who knows what happened and what did not!" I whined, exhausted of having to keep explaining every damn thing to everyone. "Don't let them trick you like that! We are too close to the truth, I just know it!"

"I've had enough of your childish problems and illusion." He pursed his lips, frustratingly. "I think that's it."

"But you promised me..." I tilted my head as I placed my palm to my heart, knitting my brows in sorrow

The professor gazed at me with a neutral face as he went silent for some seconds, looking down then back at me again. "Well, that promise is no longer between us."

I couldn't believe I've been fooled again by people, I couldn't beileve that he himself got fooled that easily.

We were too close to finding the truth and then that happens?

What a misery.

"No, no. You can't do that. You gotta trust me!"

"I trusted you enough, Evelyn." he shook his head, almost regretfully. "And all you did was lie to me."

"But the old man who was at the beach believed me though, he knows that Mikhail exists-.." I tried to convince him, I tried to convince myself. "I- I'm not lying-"

"Because that man is just as mentally ill as you!"

With a glance of shock at him, tears welled up my eyes as a sob escaped my lips. "I'm not mentally ill.." I looked down, whispering in despair.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he sighed and reached for the car's door, "Just get in the car, Evelyn." he got into his seat and violently shut off the door.

Now he thinks I'm mentally ill, just like everyone else.

I no longer have anyone to stick beside me in this, or help me find the clues I'm searching for.

Now I know that I'm alone. For good.

And I again lost everything,
I lost hope,
I lost love,
And I'm sure as hell I've lost my mind.

...

.Flashback.

Following him to the dark void, holding each other's hand, feeling the  warmth of safety I devoured from him, feeling every bit of my nerve relieved with harmlessness, I retraced his steps as he guided me to the place that was claimed to be his comfort.

It was dark, full of passion and intensity. It was the same spot that we were always used to sit on.

The moon was brightly full, it gleamed on the darkened waves of the ocean that moved back and forth as the wind fluttered both our hairs, letting the force push me closer to his side.

"I never thought your comfort place would be our favourite spot." I said, looking up at him as I tightly held his hand.

"Why? I think it makes total sense."

I giggled to his response as we both sat on the lagoon, next to each other.

"I don't know. I thought I was the only one who loved that place." I twitched my mouth, awkwardly still not able to accept the fact that he's such a romantic person.

As I looked down, I felt the heat of his body brushing closely over me. "I can hear your thoughts, you know."

I leaned backwards, as I raised my brow at him with confusion, shaking my head. "No, you can't"

"I do. You're still not convinced I'm an emotional person." he chuckled, looking at the ocean.

"Don't blame me." I looked away, blushing a bit as I felt his gaze suddenly on me with an affecting smile.

He leaned in and kissed my cheek, sending shivers down my spine.

I tilted my head to his direction, finding his dark green eyes closely gazing at me with much passion.

"Was that romantic enough?" he murmured, our nose brushing together.

"I guess it was." I choked out, feeling my breath heavy for a second.

He smirked a bit, then gazed back at the ocean. "This morning you asked me what I wanted to be in the Afterlife."

I was pretty surprised he could remember that conversation I talked to him about, I thought he found it ridiculous.

"And you still never answered me."

I noticed him taking an irritated glance at me then back at the ocean, which made me giggle a bit.

"I was waiting for the right moment." he said, pointing his finger up to the sky. "This is what I want to be."

I gazed at the sky. "The moon?"

"Yeah."

It never came to my mind that he would choose such mysterious and giant thing existing in space.

I thought he wanted to be a large tree or a mountain, or anything earth included.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to live on it. I kept encouraging myself with all the painful odds I couldn't handle back then, that If I don't give up, I would soon be living on that moon, were everything is peaceful and quite. No harm and no pain."

It broke me how dreamful his heart was. Even after all the difficulties he suffered through since he was too young, he still held on to something that could bring him hope for the best to happen one day.

I was so proud to see how he became now, successful and mostly at peace from all the pain he once had to face alone.

Lovingly gazing at him, I caressed his cheek and tucked the flowing hair behind his ear. "And why the moon exactly?"

"Because it's large, and dark, very dark. You don't expect what might be wandering on it. And it's really beautiful to look at." He said, gazing at it. "Even though the sun is the one reflecting it's light on it, the moon never fails to impress me with it's shown details."

Exactly what I said about the ocean, he said about the moon. We were too similar in a lot of things even the words we choose to say.

"You should give these credits to the sun." I teasingly told him, receiving his attention. "You wouldn't have seen all of the moon's perfections except for it."

He rolled his eyes with a sigh of irritation. "Everyone needs someone to be their light, to be the reason of showing every detail of perfection they have to the whole world."

I nodded, quite convinced with his theory.

"Just like I need you. The moon needs the sun." he smiled, gazing at the moon with delight, he then reached for my hand as he gently caressed it. "You are my sunshine, Evelyn."

It felt heartwarming how he could admit his vulnerability and weakness to me, how he could let me dive deep into his emotions and reassure him with every thing I have.

If felt comforting how he let me protect him as well as he did.

"Will you promise me something?" I asked, feeling worn out as I slowly rested my head on his shoulder.

"Anything."

"If one day we no longer had each other, if we died or if we were distant. Promise me you'll find me once again. Promise me you'll protect our love."

His eyes were somehow sorrowful. For a moment I felt him looking down with despair and angst. He then took a deep breath and gazed up the sky.

"I'd never let death do us apart, love.
I promise, I'll search for you in every afterlife and in every damn universe."

He promised.

...

My grip tightened to the pillow I was holding. A tear of misery fell down my cheek. I couldn't stop thinking of everything he said when I saw him back at the camping trip. I couldn't convince myself that he was an illusion at that moment.

Do not search for me, ever again.
I remembered him saying.

It felt real, so real. But I also couldn't accept the way he gave up on me that easily.

I know he would never do that. And that's why I should not believe that it was anything but hallucinations.

As I rested on bed, I gazed out the window, deeply isolated with my thoughts. "You promised me, Mikhail." I murmured to myself. "Don't you dare give up on us."

Then I remembered how it was too awful, getting ditched by my foolish professor. He made me feel so hopeless and angry.

Now I can't ask for anyone else's help because they would think I'm insane. I never thought he would believe such crap, but it's already too late. He did.

Everyone decided to give up on me, they all decided to choose the easy way and think that I'm a fool.

But who am I kidding? I know exactly what happened. I was there.

Even if they don't believe me, I don't need them anymore.

If I'm gonna find Mikhail, then I will be finding him alone, by myself.

And I would never depend on anyone, again.

Fine then. As soon as I get out, I'll tell everyone about your secret absurd laboratory.

I suddenly remembered my threat to the professor when I was asking him for help.

Now that he decided not to help.

Now that I don't need any of his help.

I think it's no longer important to keep it a secret.

I furiously grabbed my phone and called Olivia.

"Hey Evelyn! What's up?" she said.

"I've got tea."

______

[Lunamovas] (n.) : The deep down yearning to live on the moon.

...

Kinda feel that Evelyn is starting to become the bad careless guy. What do you all think?

If Mikhail promised to find Evelyn whenever they got distant, why would she think that he wants to give up on them?

Don't forget to vote and comment!

xoxo <3