Murmuring in a low voice, I felt how my stomach flipped. I looked at the young girl standing in front of me, with her arms crossed and pouting. Her body trembled and shuddered; she let out a moan of pain...
My body reacted automatically. Standing up quickly, I grabbed in my arms the body of my delicate younger sister. She wrapped her arms around mine...
Letting out a deep sigh, I held back the chills, unable to say a single word...
"Brother, it’s already very late."
My sister’s blue eyes stared directly at me. She extended her hands and gently touched my cheek:
"You look so tired," she said in a worried voice.
A smile appeared on my face.
"Well... taking care of my little sister, after all..."
My sister hugged me tighter and whispered:
"Never leave me, brother..."
"I won’t," I said while caressing her soft black hair...
She slipped from my arms and smiled energetically, but her smile faded when a pained expression appeared on her face...
"Why aren’t you still in bed?" I said as I approached her with concern to make sure she was okay...
"I wanted to make you breakfast..."
She said as she sat on my bed. She groaned, lay down, and closed her eyes:
I looked at her silently and stayed still for a few moments... my mind went blank and a confused expression appeared on my face... looking around...
"What am I doing?" I asked myself.
My head had a throbbing pain that wouldn’t let me think clearly... After frowning, I looked at the watch on my wrist...
Opening my eyes quickly, I left my room. I ran to the small table in the center and, on it, a plate of scrambled eggs. I ate it super fast, then brushed my teeth and got dressed to leave.
I hesitated for a few moments and went back to look behind... my mind clouded again...
"How strange... I feel like I’m forgetting something important..." I murmured in disbelief.
After thinking for a few moments and not being able to remember anything relevant, I shrugged...
"What a strange day."
With those last words, I closed the bedroom door.
"Brother, you look like a damn zombie."
A mocking voice pulled me out of my thoughts. Turning around, I looked at my friend from class.
"You think I don’t know?" I said with a tired smile.
"Every morning I see my face while brushing my teeth."
With disdain, I shook my head:
"In the end, you get used to it."
"I really wouldn’t want to live your life. It must be pretty disappointing to live like that."
David shook his head. He pulled a notebook out of his backpack:
"Last week’s notes," he said as he handed me the notebook.
"Thanks," I said as I took the book and put it in my backpack.
"Did you even manage to study?" he asked curiously as he walked beside me.
"I did what I could... I really hope I pass..."
Yawning, my eyes filled with tears.
"I didn’t sleep more than two hours."
"I recommend you take a look at the notes. Some problems from the test are in that book."
"If you want, I’ll give you a hand."
"I was hoping you would."
Smiling, the two of us headed to the university cafeteria...
"And how did it go?" asked David cautiously.
"I think I’m done for."
Looking at the clear sky, I felt defeated.
The test was really hard. I knew almost nothing. I could barely answer 5 out of the 15 problems... It was to be expected after missing almost every day at university...
Taking a cigarette from my pocket and lighting it with a lighter, I took a deep drag. The worries flooding my mind slowly faded away... it really makes me feel good...
"You should quit smoking, it’s not good for you."
"What do you want me to do? It’s the only way my mind completely clears," I said while watching the smoke disappear into the air...
David remained silent and said nothing more:
"What did they tell you?"
"Come on, man... don’t ruin my cigarette."
"Less than two months... unless I pay for the surgery..."
Looking at the cigarette in my fingers...
"What are the odds?" asked David.
"Less than 50%", I said calmly.
"What are you going to do?"
"Work like a bastard" —taking another drag—
"It’s the only thing I can do."
My eyes wandered across the campus... I caught a glimpse of a figure smiling, holding hands with a man.
David seemed to notice my gaze:
"They’ve been dating for over five months," he said as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"It’s okay, I’m fine," I said grimly while pushing his hand off my shoulder...
The memories flooded my mind: Camila, she was once my girlfriend. Brown hair and slightly yellow eyes. She’s beautiful and slender, attractive and cheerful. We were together for more than six years, but she left me due to the problems we had... we broke up last year. Well, to be specific, she broke up with me.
"Now only my sister matters," I said as I dropped the cigarette, which unfortunately was finished.
"Are you leaving?... Really, it’s our last year left..."
I study telecommunications engineering. I’m in the last semester before graduating, but I feel it’s more of a waste of time. It’s not like I’ve been attending classes. I always skip, and my grades drop fast... I don’t even know how I got this far.
No, of course I know: it’s thanks to my only friend, David, who was always there for me, helping me with everything he could...
"Yeah, after all, my sister is the only family I have left..."
Taking out another cigarette —the last one I had— I looked at the sun high in the sky...
"The insurance can’t cover everything, you know?"
Smiling with disdain:
"It’s really disappointing... but that’s life."
"If you need money, you can ask me," said David with compassion.
"Thanks, brother. You’re the best," I said with a mocking smile.
"Hope you’ve got lots of money for me."
With the cigarette between my lips, I turned around and raised my hand in farewell...
My eyes took one last look around campus. Unconsciously, I glanced one last time at Camila...
"I really feel like I’m forgetting something..." I said before fully leaving the university.
"Well... time to find work... two or three jobs, doesn’t matter. Whatever it takes, whatever it is... for my sister."
Yeah... anything for her.