Today, Me, Pretty lady, Grumpy guy and Tall guy are going to the supermarket.
They say it's for 'New Year'.
I'm not sure what a 'New Year' is but everyone is pretty excited about it. Mama said something about this too but I'm not quite sure what she said.
I think it was something like,
''Cae, darling, do you know what a New Year is? It's something different from the present, like a new start. For some people, it's a wonder. For others, it's something to dread. But all in all, when all is said and done, a New Year means a New beginning. It's a fresh new chapter and an amusing experience.
But, it's not only a tale for me to tell. You should listen to everyone's ideal of a New Year. Everyone has different perspectives and the world is yet not big enough to hold the ideals of the starry-eyed youngsters. Promise me, when you grow older and more lovely than I'll ever live to see, that you'll learn the perspectives of man kind. Of what mortals see, rather than us.
I believe 'New Year' will be something more special to you, Cae. Keep it that way"
Yeah, mama probably said something like that. I do miss her quite alot but, I'm doing better now.. with them.
*********************************
I was soon struck back to life with a sqeak of pretty lady's voice.
"Cae! Oh thank asteria you're back. I thought you went away to the stars for a second"
"Alice, really? The stars"
"Oh shut it zay. You're just jealous you weren't able to wake up Cae"
"I was no—"
"Yeah you were. The look on your face when Alice woke Cae up" Tall guy started bursting into laugher; he always laughed at Grumpy guy's expense, "Oh how exquisite it was"
Tall guy said that as he wiped a tear from his face. Clearly he had his fun for the day.
"Ahem" Pretty lady snapped all the attention back to her, "We are going to the supermarket, so let's remember the list" she began.
"Speaking of the Supermarket, Noah where are you going?" Grumpy guy raised an eyebrow at Tall guy's way. It didn't seem like he was driving in the right direction.
"Huh? What do you mean, Zane? I'm goin—Oh fck.." Tall guy looked a little too late.
"Hey! No cursing, ya hear me, Noah? There's a kid on board!"
"Alice I don't think that'll matter. We're going to—" Grumpy guy stopped mid sentence as he looked out the window.
"Zane can you stop being so nonchalant? It's such a—OH MY GOD NOAH YOU'RE BRINGING US DOWN IN A CAR CRASH" Pretty lady registered the scene infront of us as she figured out what was going out. There was no turning back as she clutched her seat belt as if that'll us stop from crashing.
"WAIT I'M TRYING!! DANG IT I JUST GOT MY LICENSE BACK!" Tall guy whined as he hit his head on the top of the car, he is pretty tall if you ask me.
"Hah, this is the 5th time we're crashing a car" Grumpy guy got comfy in his seat and opened a packet of ships as he started to share it with me, "I actually expected this to happen"
"SERIOUSLY BRO? COME ON NOAH I DON'T THINK THE HOSPITAL WILL RENEW YOUR LICENSE AFTER THIS, NO MATTER HOW GOOD OF A DOCTOR YOU AR—" Pretty lady started to complain, her eyes full of shock and panic.
"OH FCK I THINK I'M CRASHING" Tall guy pulled the breaks and fixed the mirror thingy in the front. Turning the steering wheel with twists and turns I didn't think possible; he made it worse.
"You think? " Grumpy guy scoffed with annoyance.
I ate chips with Grumpy guy as we both sat in the back with Pretty lady in the front and Tall guy driving the car.
Tall guy already got his license—they told me it's used so that you can drive a car, legally I think—revoked 8 times already. And I don't think the dean would be happy to see he ruined another car. The 15th car given to him.
"THIS IS WHY NO ONE TRUSTS YOU TO DRIVE, NOAH. THIS IS WHY YOU'RE ALWAYS SENT IN AN AMBULANCE WITH A DRIVER. YOU FCKING SUCK AT DRIVING" Pretty lady yelled with her eyes burning, dreading the end which was yet to come.
"HEY WHAT HAPPENED TO NO CURSING? AND FOR THE RECORD, ATLEAST I DRIVE, YOU JUST USE IT AS A WAY TO DO YOUR MAKE UP" Tall guy tried to defend himself which made pretty lady even more mad.
"EXCUSE ME!?" Pretty lady shouted in offense. I think his words hurt her.
"YOU ARE EXCUSED" Tall guy looked smug and crossed his arms, leaving the steering wheel.
"Eh" Grumpy guy shrugged.
"Uh, Tall guy, the steering wheel—" before I could continue, Tall guy and pretty lady looked at each other in pure shock. Tall guy left the steering wheel which made the car go by its own rules and regulations. Not caring what it's driver thought.
We are doomed, so so doomed.
So much for a New Year I guess.
I don't think this is what mama meant when she said everyone has their own perspective of a new year but oh well.
The car crashed into many other cars, busses and cycles. Going through poles and street lights, making it's way into buildings and what not.
Soon we reached in the forests as the car raced through the trees, injuring who knows how many insects.
The animals ran away before they became Tall guy's victim. The birds flew in flocks far far away from us.
"Zane, next time you're driving. I don't care what excuse Noah comes up with to drive. You're on the wheel" Pretty lady said. I think she was done with Tall guy driving for the rest of her life and the many lifetimes after.
"Sure" Grumpy guy said as me and him continued to munch on chips, it was yummy I must admit.
"GUYS THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC. BE CALM AND—" Tall guy slammed into the steering wheel banging his head on it as he got hurt and cried out in pain.
"Noah I think it's you who is panicking. We are already going off the road an— OH LORD WE'RE GOING OFF THE CLIFF!! ZANE DO YOU STILL HAVE THOSE EMERGENCY PARACHUTES!?"
"PARACHUTES? SINCE WHEN DID YOU GUYS—"
"Yep, I kept them in the back" Grumpy guy gave the whole chips packet to me as he started cleaning his hands.
"GREAT, TAKE EM OUT AND WE ARE GOING TO JUMP OUTTA THE CAR AS SOON AS IT'S OFF THE CLIFF" Pretty lady tried to come up with a plan. That's what she is usually good at though. Working under pressure I mean.
"Sure" Grumpy guy muttered as he launched himself in the back of the car to look for the parachutes.
"UM ZANE, SORRY TO HURRY YOU BUDDY BUT CAN YOU LOOK FOR THEM A LITTLE FASTER. WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR THE CLIFF. THE CLIFF IS WAITING FOR US" Tall guy panicked as he tried to slow the car, it wasn't working. He broke the car's break system. The 4th time I think.
"NOAH IS THIS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE A BAD DRIVER?" Pretty lady squeaked, putting her hands together in a small prayer. No one trusts Tall guy's driving.
Grumpy guy was still searching for the parachutes. "Torch? No. Candles? No. Ew is this Noah's dirty socks, what is it doing here?"
"ZANE CAN YOU PLEASE HURRY UP, YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT MY SOCKS ALL YOU WANT BUT PLEASE FIND THE PARACHUTES SOON OR WE'LL DIE!" Tall guy shouted out as the car closed to the cliff.
We are so doomed
"IN CASE THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE EVER SEE EACH OTHER" Pretty lady sniffed as she wiped the tear off her face.
"Oh come on. Alice, my driving isn't that—"
"I JUST WANTED TO SAY" Pretty lady cut Tall guy off, "I WAS THE ONE WHO USED ZANE'S BUBBLE CIGRATTES"
Everyone, including me, gasped.
Oh no. Grump guy is gonna be so—
"You what?" He snapped, "That's it I'm taking out the parachutes. You are so not going to die"
"Seriously Zane? You were hiding the parachutes this whole time?? We could have die—"
"I'M SORRY I WAS JUST SO STRESSED, I HAD TO USE IT" Tall guy, yet again, got cut off by pretty lady.
"Stressed out doing what? Using the elevator?" Grumpy guy scowled.
"It was very stressful" Pretty lady tried to defend herself.
"GUYS CAN WE WORRY ABOUT THAT LATER WE ARE GOING OFF THE CLIFF—"
Grumpy guy gave Pretty lady a quick glare and soon took out the parachutes. He fastened one on me and gave the others to them too as they all fixed it on themselves.
"On the count of 3"
Pretty lady assured, her eyes calculating and secure.
We all nodded.
Three...
The doors opened
Two..
Tall guy held me, cradling me in his arms. I think he thinks I'm still very small.
One.
Fireworks
So so many fireworks.
It was so...
Beautiful...
Here we all jump, to reach the top of a cliff, where no trees or animals made there way. Stars in the galaxy shone with shimmers and sparkles. An aurora spread across the sky, in a pink and dreamy colour, giving the usual dark sky a lovely edition to its canvas. The fire works made it even more spectacular, it was a marvelous sight.
Since we were still in mid air—thanks to the parachutes which were saving our life—we all stared with awe at the sight right around us. Mama was right, flying feels so magical. Ethereal. Even if we were flying only with the help of the parachutes. This beautiful sight was one I'd never forget. Mama said New Year would be special to me, always. And I feel the same way.
With them, it's always special. Every small moment that leads to an occasion. It's the small things in life that count. Those small moments which leads us to the important ones. And that's a lesson that'll stay close to my heart for the rest of eternity.
"Woah" Pretty lady said as we all slowly touched the ground, "Maybe Noah's driving was worth all the hazard"
"I know right... " Tall guy was too captivated by the sight in front of him to care about the insult pretty lady threw at him.
"I suppose you're not wrong" Grumpy guy whispered, adjusting me to show me the fireworks properly.
"Happy New Year" I whispered.
They all looked at me with that warm smile they always do.
A happy new year indeed.
********************************************
"You what!?" The dean sighed, "Dr.Noah, in all due respect, do you how many times you ruined a car?"
Noah gulped, he knew this was coming but he still couldn't help but fidget his fingers in fear. "15 times" he whispered in a soft voice.
The dean closed his eyes as he clutched his heart. Noah was a spectacular doctor. But a driver? Not so much.
"It's my fault" Alice spoke, "I let him drive. Even though I knew it was going to end that way. Punish me instead"
"Yeah, punish her. She knew letting me drive was a mistake" Noah agreed with a nod.
Alice looked at him with a glare he'd never forgive. He shivered and flinched, quickly turning his gaze away.
"Dean, let this go, just this last time. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again" Zane sighed. He still gave Alice a glare for using his bubbles every now and then but overall, he forgave her.
"Since it's New Year, I guess I can let you off the hook" the dean sighed, "But never again. You hear me Noah? Never again"
Noah gulped, "Yeah, never again"
"Please tell me you atleast got the groceries" the dean looked at them with eyes full of disappointment. They definitely wouldn't forget to atleast but the groceries.... Right?
Noah's eyes looked at the floor while Zane's went to the ceiling. Alice looked at the door.
"Woah, I never noticed this floor below us, pretty impressive" Remarked Noah
"Was that ceiling always there?" asked Zane, not sure what to say.
"Damn" Alice let out a whistle, "Since when was that door made out of wood? I thought it was made using plastic"
"Enough" the dean looked right through their act, "Did you or did you not get the groceries?"
Alice and Zane nudged Noah. They covered enough for him.
"Uh.." Noah began, a huge awkward smile on his face, "Happy new year?"