Heyyyyyy... lm sorry for the late update.

I was busy.. amd then I was just updating the Hybrid.

Sorry.

Also, I changed Sarcoma stagelll to Carcinoma, because.. that sounds about right medically...

And GUYS!! dont skip chapters... it wont make any sense.. if you read with skipping chapters....

Anyways

Vote.comment.share.fan.

Happy reading💜

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Truth be told.... I thought things would turn out normal again... but, that just remained a thought.

The cancer that I carried within my body consumed the whole of my mind, draining all of my hopes.

Days passed since I was declared to be diagnosed with Carcinoma and ever since that day, the thoughts of giving up never left my mind. I would wake up dead in the middle of night from my never ending nightmares, just to wonder if life is of any worth now? Will it matter any more if I spend my rest of the days working hard restlessly to just end up in a ditch with some fancy coffin?

Would it make any difference if I gave up everything and accepted my fate?

"You will live a better life, my child... you will grow up to live on your own feet, you will graduate, you will see the world, you will fall in love with one... only then, you are allowed to leave this world. Only then..."

These were her last words.

My mother.

She wanted me to grow up like the beautiful woman she was. She wanted me to graduate and life a life that I would love. She wanted me to fall in love.

Yet I failed...

Although, I learnt to stand on my own feet much earlier than I had intended to... there are things that still hold me down.

The very same things that makes me run away from love... the reason, why I cant have a man in my life.

I cant take a step towards that kind of love with my nightmares lurking in my mind... with him still lurking in my mind.

God keeps putting me through tests... to see how much more I am left with to stand up, forcing my shoulders to bear the pain.

And if He is putting me through these tests for some greater good... then I might as well accept them... no matter how painful they turn out to be...

My past was a test, that I thought I had passed... but I know.. I know, its not over yet. If, this disease is my second test... then I will try to pass it.

Even though.. I know that Im dying... I wont let that stop me. I will attend college.. I will graduate... I will work.

Maybe, I wont fall in love... and maybe, I wont be able to see the world... but, I will.. in a way be able to fulfil my mother's few of her wishes...

And when Im finally relishing my last breath in the world that destroyed, betrayed and  abused me... I would still remember the rays of sunshine that made its way in, through the people I met.

"The orphans, the sisters, Father Francis, Ted, Ellie, Esther, my mother... I was indeed blessed to have such beautiful people in my life..

They are my everything.. they always were.. forever will.

I hereby declare my final will.. to leave everything that I possess, in the hands of Esther Goodswill, of Saint Anthony's Orphanage for Children,  when she will be of age.

Let there be peace.

Farewell."

I kept the pen down and sighed in peace. I folded the will and put it in a clean white envelope.

Writing my last will.. was the hardest thing I had to do.

I may have a year or two.. still to live, but I didnt want to risk the chances of something happening to me and having everything I treasured to be sold off by the Governement.

So, thats why.. I took myself to write my will.

One day... and in one blink of an eye.. I will be gone..

Sighing again, I took my bag and looked at the pile of bills I had to pay sprawled on my table.

I was already a week late with my apartment's bill and Im sure... very sure, that I will have to face him this morning.

The thought of seeing the grouchy old scary man gave me shivers.

Stay strong..

I mentally prepared myself and headed out of the door, locking the door behind me.

The apartment's bill, my college fees, the transportation fee, the few of the dollars that goes for cereal and grocery... cannot be even covered by the two part time jobs that I take up.

The lady owner of the Cafe, gives me a fairly larger sum of the pay... while the pay in supermarket is comparitively very low... but, I have to say it is very kind of the management to allow me to take a vegetable or two for free from the market when my shifts over.

I took a huge breath and walked downstairs, gripping the railing. The walls were dirty and the paint peeled off of them. I stealthily made my way to the main hallways, praying God, to not meet the grouchy man.

"Ms. Waters!"

I stopped when the name bounded down the hallway. I consoled my mind and turned around to meet the owner of the voice.

"Im sorry Mr. Lupeź, I will pay tod-"

"This is the seventh time you are past the due date! Dont you know that I've got to mouths to feed as well?!"he yelled at me and my fingers began trembling.

"Im sorry, Mr. Lupeź...Im getting my share of pay today. I will straight away pay the bills today. Please excuse and forgive me this time..." I pleaded to the taller man.

He wasnt buff or muscular. He was lanky and tall.. but with a deep voice. Grey hair sprouted out amongst his hair on his head and on his moustache. His eyes were dense and droopy. He looked old, but his voice told me otherwise at times. His potbelly was clearly visible from the shirt he was wearing and his shoe laces were undone.

He had temper problems and at times, I could hear him yell at the very random things like.. Ms Tuffles who is a cat from the apartment below me. Lets just say... Mr Lupeź and the cat dont get along very well with each other, so the latter keeps yelling at its significant other.

To be honest, Mr. Lupeź wasnt the cause of my terror.... his younger brother was.

His apartment was on the ground floor and passing throught that door was always like an incarnation of my nightmare.

The other Lupeź, lived with his family of three. A son, wife and himself in a very small apartment. And to everyone's knowledge who lived in the building... the other Lupeź was an alcoholic, drug addict, lethargic man who was a very bad father and a very insincere husband.

Not only did he leech off of his wife's little source of income that she earned from the restaurant as a dish washer... he also brought all kinds of different women when she was out at work.

To mine and his very own son's horror, one day we both walked in on him in the hallway, having sex with a woman against the wall, right next to their doorway.

His son, Juanito.. knew that his father wasnt a loyal man... but the sight of his father groping an unkown woman's body in an unholy way,  traumatized him that I took him away right then and there.

Juanito is 7... with honey golden skin with soft brown hair who is a very sweet boy. He reminds me so much of my younger self... and I pray everyday that he doesnt ever come across the fate that I myself lived, when a man like that lives in his very home.

Juanito, speaks to me of his life and what happens in school and it's fun to listen him. Im really glad he finds it comfortable to pour his thoughts into me of what he is going through. But, being young and small... he cant stop his father.

The owner, Juanito or any of my friends except for Ellie, do not know that this very man eyes me like a sack of meat everytime I walk past that door.

I cant do much, even if he stares or tries to talk to me slurring, while trying to touch my arm or hands... considering that he is the brother of the owner.

Ellie hates me for still staying in this place when that wretched man too lives here. I always win over in assuring that he wouldn't pull up any stunt on me, since all this time he never crossed the line.

Yet, I cant be sure.

Im afraid and I feel so insecure.

Since, he reminded me so much of him.

And that thought alone, terrified me very much.

I steadied my breathing and walked past the cursed door.

I hurried down the hall and opened the door, with the fresh air hitting my face. I felt so confined in those hallways that I felt like I was dying...

The air was cool and smelled of grass.

The weather wasnt too hot or too rainy... it was perfect and equally balanced.

I skipped my way to the bustand, to get to my college.

Now, I must say... I didnt have many friends and there were none in the college. Sometimes, my next-to seat mates would accompany me, showing their decency but.. that was it. We never exchanged phone numbers or hung out like the way movies depicted college life. Im pretty sure, they are as well pretty busy with their own lives and they had no time to deal with somebody else's bullshit.

The university that I got into, wasnt as great as Harvard's or UNC or UCLA... but, it was a University I could afford to complete my education.

With saying this, my graduation is in three more months and I would be able accomplish my mother's dream.

The clock ticked away and with a blink of an eye my morning classes were finally over. I scribbled the notes on my book and the page numbers of the reference books I would have to check out later in the library.

I grabbed my bag and slowly dragged myself out the door.

I headed down to the huge campus, were students were scattered, doing their own thing.

I found a shaded region and settled down on the grass, grabbing the brown paper bag out of my backpack. I looked at the students, in a more skeptical way while munching on my stale sandwich.

They might not live a life of party... but, they sure are living a life they had dreamt about. Their lives might not be filling upto their expectations... yet I must say, they are fortunate to live many more days... unlike me.

Dont think about it, Justice... don't.

I sighed and shifted my gaze to a group of students who were laughing and chattering loudly. Amidst the crowd, yet again... my eyes spotted a familiar face in white and curly golden hair.

My breaths stopped in my lungs as I gazed even more into the blue eyes of the unknown stalker-ghost-dude.

He smiled again.

Am I being haunted?

Am I hallucinating again?

I blinked my eyes to see if he would disappear, but he just stood there, smiling as if he can see rainbows and unicorns.

Why is nobody else seeing the dude in white clothes? Why is nobody else seeing him?!!

I closed my eyes and forced them open again.

This time he vanished.

What was this sorcery? Why appear just to vanish from my sight?

Am I going crazy? Is it because  of all the medicines I take?

I sighed and massaged my temple.

Who is he? What does he have to do with me? Why not just leave me alone?

I stuffed the paper bag into my backpacka nd hurriedly got up from the ground. Without wasting another second I made my way out of the campus.

If I'm being haunted, I might as well stop by a Church today. I cant have weird men disguised as ghosts following me around.... nope.

I increased my pace and ran into somebody, hitting right into someone's chest.

I quickly backed away when my head colloided with the stranger's chest. Without looking into the eyes, I mumbled an apology.

"We keep meeting, Ms. Waters." A familiar voice stated.

I looked up and my eyes met with his sea-green ones. He was wearing a plain grey hoodie and his hair fell on his forhead, covering half of his dark eyebrows.

"E-Essther?" I squeaked and he visibly flinched at my response.

"Are... are you alright?" He asked and I nodded, trying to hide my fingers behind me.

My fingers didnt stop trembling and my stutter came back.

He pressed his lips together and tilted his head to look at me. I averted my gaze and looked at his shoes.

God.. please help me...

Something in me irked and I felt like my soul was calling out to me... more like, begging me... to turn around. The urge was so strong that I couldnt resist myself from slowly glancing back,  ignoring the presence infront of me.

There again, was the curly haired stalker ghost in white standing on the other side of the road. Unlike all the times... this time, he had a frown sprawled on his face. More like an irksome, frusturated frown... as if he lost something important.

My heart beat wildly in my ribcage and I feared that I might get a stroke or something.

I took a step back in terror only, to realise that there was another man, standing right behind me.

I whipped my head to see at the brown haired guy in hoodie. He clenched his jaw, with a neutral face and to my very much horror... he as well, had his eyes trained behind me.

Can he see him too?

I didnt know if this was a blessing saying that Im not crazy to see paranormal things or a bad omen saying that I am crazy to see paranormal things.

Again, I turned around... but then he was gone. My eyes searched for the latter.. but he was nowhere to be found.

Did he disappear again?

"Justice... I think we should leave." Esther said in a firm voice. I turned my head to look at him and there was a tinge of an unknown emotion hiding in him.

The way he said that we should leave.... had a strange pressure in it.

I didnt say more and I walked ahead first.

I had questions that needed answers.

Starting with the most basic ones...

*********

"Am I crazy?" I blurted out to the man seated infront of me.

He looked at me and crushed his eyebrows in confusion.

The warmness of the Cafe, was not doing its job in keeping me warm, instead... I was feeling colder. Cold, as in... something... odd around me. Something, that I cant trace...

I knew Ellie was throwing questioning looks behind my back from the counter but i can worry about her later.

First.... I need to get my head straight and I already had a feeling that this conversation with Esther... would be either really long or plaint two-words short.

"What?" He asked, squinting his eyes... as if he is trying to make me unsee stuff.

"You know whatI saw back there.you know it. You saw it too." I said in a frusturated tone, leaning on the table. I did not care if I was closing in towards a stranger, who is a man at this point.... all I knew was, that i was stalked to death by some dude in white clothes.. and that is very much disturbing than anything. Not just disturbing... its scary..

"Why are you hesitating to tell me?" I pleaded.

Esther, folded his arms and leaned back into the chair "Im not hesitating anything. I do not know what you're talking about..."

"What Im talking about?" I huffed at the brown haired man "you know exactly what Im talking about!" I retorted, placing my palms on the table.

"And how can you say that what you're implying about is true?"

I grit my teeth. I was annoyed beyond my limits and now this strange man who knows what we both saw... was real, why is he trying to hide it?

"Because I saw your eyes!" I partly yelled and his eyebrows raised at me, while his eyes studied my face carefully.

"I clearly saw your eyes! you saw him! You saw that dude with curly golden hair in white clothes." I stated looking directly into his eyes. "Dont lie to me... please." I pleaded.

"Im already having too much in my life.... I cant.. I cant have myself going crazy."

He sighed and leaned in forward keeping his hands on the table, in that very span of time, I quickly drawed my hands back to avoid any touch with him.

I played it cool and he didnt catch my move.

Sighing in relief, I looked back at him.

"Look... I do not know what to say to you... you are not crazy, but there was nobody there. Okay? No goldilocks in white suit."

I frowned upon his reply and burried my head in my hands.

"You need to take rest. You fainted the last time I saw you... so, you should probably visit a doctor or something. You are stressing out too much, thats why you are seeing things." I heard his soothing voice and my body calmed down a bit.

"Im sorry.. for being so... so... weird." I peeked upto see him.

A small smile danced on his pressed lips, while his eyes turned to little crescents.

He smiled.

He smiled at me.

"Everyone is weird at least once in their lives. " he shrugged.

I cracked a smile and looked out the glass window. The cars were moving around and few people were walking on the sidewalk. It was a busy day afterall..

I sighed and turned my head to look at Esther.

He was simply looking at me, with his lips chapped together.

His sea-green eyes were so alluring.. so inviting... that I couldnt tear my eyes away from the sight. For some reason, yet again.. I felt like I was being pulled into some void... the same way, how I had felt when his friend, Ian met me...

Except for... the void didnt terrify me this time... I felt lighter... It didnt feel like I was succumbing into darkness... it felt.. so.. so..

"Ummm Justice?"

I flinched, blinking away. A weird sort of feeling creeped up my cheeks that heated them up and my gaze averted itself to the floor.

Was I staring at him all this time?

I quickly swiveled on my chair and turned to look at Ellie who was wearing a  what is going on look plastered on her face.

"Can you.. can you give me a hand?" She squeaked eyeing Esther behind me.

I tigged my hair behind my ear "yeah.. yeah.. sure."

I looked at Esther with an apologetic smile. "Im sorry again.. for all the trouble.. and for, practically dragging you all the way here" I laughed sheepishly, getting up from the chair. I ran my my gingers through my hair and gently tugged onto it.

"Its... my shift now... so.. I gotta go." I explained.

"Umm... while you're here... do you need something. We've got the best coffee and baked goodies?" I shrugged.

He paused and tilted his head, passing a confused funny expression. Despite his cold and hardcore demeanour... he looked pretty cute in thay hoodie and funny face.

"Umm.. sure?"

I straightened up "umm, what would you like to order?"

"Iced Americano will do fine" he said looking at the board of menus.

"Great choice. I will be right back" I assured and walked to the couter.

Ellie shot me so many questions through her eyes but I mouthed a later to her.

I handed her over the order and she began preparing it. To keep myself occupied, I began setting the new cups below the counter.

"Psst" Ellie whispered at me.

I looked back at her and raised my eyebrows.

"Is it just me... or Captain Hoodie is staring you all this time?"

"Huh?" I went to turn around but she gripped my shoulders.

"Dont fuc- dont turn around! Why you crazy?!" She hissed at me. "God you are so oblivious that you want to make it obvious."

I scrunched my eyebrows at her "I did not understand a word you said."

"Doesn't matter. Just stay aside and I will deal with things maturely... lemme get this drink to his table. And Justice. Dont move." She instructed, shoving me to the side.

Great.

"You overprotective mother.." I chuckled and got back to cleaning the counter.

Ellie returned and she had a funny look on her face. "Captain Hoodie, is on a good mood today. He said thankyou." She said giggling.

"You are in love." I muttered.

"Im in love with every beautiful man out there.. but, Im not stealing this one sister." She whispered and I threw her 'what? It doesnt make sense any at all' look.

"Whatever you say fam." I shrugged.

"Yeah yeah.." Ellie muttered.. but I could swear there was a hideous smirk hiding behind her lips. I wanted to ask her what she was actually talking about but then I thought it was completely of no use and she wouldnt tell me eitherways, without twisting her statements into riddles and prophesies.

I glanced at Esther and watched him sip his drink.

God... now I must be a paranoid weird person to him.

He just recommended me to visit a doctor... does that mean Im crazy?

I cant believe I just dragged him all the way here!

This is... just... so.. so.. unbelievable Justice!

What were you even thinking?!

I think all those medicines are getting the worst of me... Amazing!

He got up from his seat and walked upto the counter. I immidiately straightened up and looked at him with watchful eyes.

"Oh.. I just remembered I had some place to be." He said pulling his hoodie down. His lush oak brown locks fell on his forehead and I was in an awe.

"And.. umm.. heres a tip." He said smiling sheepishly.

Is it just me... or is this myseterious hard hearted stranger that I've been bumping into for the last few weeks.. is actually smiling again?

"Huh?" I mumbled

"You guys are raising charity fund... arent you?" He paused and looked above me "... Fund for Esther's birthday Party...... St. Anthony's Orphanage for Children..." he then looked at me.

"We even have the same name..." he crackled.

More like.. you named yourself.

"Uhh.. yeah.. " I played along "thankyou... thats very nice of you." I said with a sincere smile.

He exhaled slowly and with pressed lips he looked at me once, before heading out.

I watched as his figure walked away from my sight.

I sighed and looked at the windows.

"He didnt even say bye." Ellie whisoered into my ears and I squeaked.

"Why you?!!" I yelled.

She laughed in return and shook her head.

I huffed and ignored her.

She was being pointless anyways.

I thought about those sea-green eyes and brown haired hoodied person and smiled to myself.

What is your name?

And what are you doing to me?

End of Justice POV

*********

Esther's POV:

What are you doing to me?

Was the first thing I thought the moment I stepped out of the Cafe.

She was... different.

She would be scared and fragile... but unimaginably strong and firm at the same time.

I do not know.. I just cannot embrace these.. feelings

Its weird and I want to run away from it... but.. I cant.

I groaned in frunsturation and kicked the air on the pavement.

She made me name myself... and this is why Im chained to her... this is why, I cant run away from her.. no matter how hard I try...

Why do you trust me? Why do you trust me so blindly?

You wouldn't want to be near me.. after you learn who I am.. after you see my untold truth by your own eyes...

You wouldnt see me as the person as you see me now...

You would just see the Devil..

The Devil.

I sighed and looked at the sky. It was oddly sunny today... but I already had a feeling in my bones that I would meet someone..

And like, the phrase...

Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear.

I frowned upon the person dressed in white clothes.

His golden curls fell majestically on his forehead. His blue eyes blazed in power and the white halo around him glowed in an intensity that I had to look sideways to shield my eyes from melting down.

"Sorry about that" I heard the figure say.

I looked back and passed a lazy glance at the figure. The white halo had beem lowered down a little and I was able to see him properly.

His skin was glowing with perfection.

I scoffed.

"Its nice to meet you again.." he said in a calm voice.

I sighed, shaking my head and looked back at the figure.

With a deadly smirk and a cocked eyebrow,  matching his same tone I greeted him.

"Its nice to see you again as well.." I paused to look at him. My voice darkened and there was an undeniably tinge of hatred and spite in them
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"Gabriel."

Authors note:

Thankyou or reading.

Love you.

Have a great day❤