My Love

"Horatio.." a voice called faintly, it's noise creeping to the human's ears.

"What is it, Petal?" He turned over to see her grinning face.

"I wanted to know if you were awake. Is that so bad?" Petal chuckled.

"Ugh, Petal, I'm trying to read. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Until I fall asleep." Petal hummed.

Horatio rolled his eyes and turned back to his book. He was trying to read after all, and reading with an annoying little sister beside you didn't help your case.

"Horatio.." She smiled. "What're you reading? You know.. It's almost time for Christmas, right? What do you plan to give me?"

"It's Christmas." Horatio said, clenching his teeth. "It's supposed to be a surprise."

"You know I don't like surprises.. Oh please, Horatio? It won't hurt to spill a bit."

"It'll hurt your surprise, now won't it?"

"But I just-"

"Petal.. Save it for Christmas, won't you?"

"Fine. I hope that I can be your best present yet. After all, you do love me, don't you?"

"I do not, you fibber." Horatio smiled.

"Horatio, that's so mean.."

"I do love you, you fool."

"Oh.." Petal came closer to her brother and pulled up a seat, letting her brown long hair fall loosely over her broad and high shoulders. Her brown eyes glistened as she saw her brother reading. "You must really love reading.."

"Huh? Oh yes, quite, quite."

"Would it make you happy.." Petal hesitantly looked. "If.. I became a novelist?"

"That's your own decision. I can't make them for you."

"I'm not asking you to do that, I'm asking you if you'd be interested in my work."

"Of course. It depends if it has meaning and not little dips of sense of writing in it."

"Of course it won't! I'll be the best writer you'll ever see, just wait."

Horatio nodded and returned to his book. He understood his sister on some circumstances, but other times.. not so much. He didn't understand why she was so childish and just..

Herself.

"Horatio, is there anyone you admire?"

He noticed she was still by his side.

"No." He replied glumly. "Why?"

"I just thought by now that you would find someone to like, that's all."

"Is this because you like someone?"

"Hmm. You're observant, aren't you? Yes it is. But.. I can never tell that person my true feelings."

"And why not? Is it bad?"

"It is. It could hurt us both mentally and physically. I never want to hurt the people I love, Horatio."

Horatio smiled and turned to his sister, looking deep within her eyes.

"Those words you just said.. now I know you'll be a great novelist."

Petal nodded and placed her head against her brother's. Petal Skimatech was truly happy that day. She cuddled next to her brother and let her arms tighten around his strong ones. Ones that she hoped could forever support her.


As soon as the next day came, Petal couldn't help but be bouncy and full of life again. Horatio thought of Petal as an imbecile who obviously just loved to annoy people, but it was truly that underneath her skin Petal was a helpful girl. She was one who people would be proud of. Horatio was a mere shy and meek boy. He couldn't help being the exact opposite of her. But deep down Horatio knew he hated her anyhow. He hated her because..

She could always find the happiness in sad situations, be a good person unlike he had.

"I know... Relief is yours.. Now I am strong.. You gave me hope, you gave all you had, and now.. I am whole..!" Petal sang.

"Your voice sounds like a dying horse."

"How rude, Horatio.. You're just jealous because I found someone who likes my singing voice. Right, Oe'et?"

Oe'et nodded and blushed when Petal wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Your voice.. is pretty distinct and I like it." Oe'et complimented her, and Petal tightened her grasp on him.

"I love you! Thank you so much!"

"Give it a rest, Petal. Would you please bring us some refreshments?"

"Oh yes, of course!" She winked at her brother and hurriedly scampered into the kitchen, leaving a trail of grace with every step.

Oe'et turned to Horatio and frowned.

"Why are you so mean to her..?"

"She's nothing but complete bubble and sunshines, Oe'et. What do you expect me to do? We are opposites after all."

"They do say opposites attract." Oe'et said aloud.

"What was that?"

"Did I whisper?"

Horatio sent a scornful look to his best friend and turned in his seat, sending shivers all over Oe'et's body. But now was the time to step up.

"What.. did you say?"

"It's about time you gave your sister credit, Horatio. She deserves to live with happiness, am I right? All you do is shove her away like she's a disease."

"Don't look down on me!" Horatio spat. "It's not my fault."

Petal stepped into the room and hummed lowly with glasses in hand.

"It's her fault for being born." Horatio finished.

Petal's eyes widened and turned to Horatio.

"I know it's my fault. Just.. take your refreshments." Petal hurried and slipped the glass into both of their hands and left the room.

"Horatio! What is the matter with you? Are you really that cruel?"

"Oe'et, do not belittle me. I can do whatever I please, and I certainly don't need advice from you!"

"Obviously not from me. But from someone who understands your bitterness. But before you dilly-dally, I suggest you go and apologize to her."

"What?! Me? Apologize?"

"Your name is Horatio Skimatech, am I right?"

Horatio scoffed and got up from his seat and stomped across the room to practically knock into the Christmas tree. He checked her bedroom and their parents room to locate her whereabouts, but she could be found.

"O-Oe'et.."

"What?"

"Petal isn't here.."

"WHAT?!"

"I said, she isn't-"

"I heard you, you numbskull! Go find her!"

Horatio rolled his eyes and walked outside to find a weeping Petal outside.

Oops.

"If only.. If only I could tell him of it. If only I could tell Horatio I loved him. I loved him as he was the greatest gift the heavens could have given me. Thank you. I know we cannot.." she silently wept. "Be together, but.. please, in another life.. make it true."

Petal turned around to come face to face with Horatio.

"I hope you heard that." Petal smiled. "I do love you a lot. You're the one I like."

Horatio's eyes bulged wider as he looked at her as if she was insane.

"Petal! You need to get inside, it's cold out here." He rushed over to her but Petal shook her head.

"There'll be no need for that."

"Petal, come on.." He lifted her up into his strong arms and pulled her inside. "I can't believe you, staying out in the cold. It's winter!"

"I know that, silly. I'm aware.. By the way," Petal wrapped her arms around her brother and kissed his cheek. "There will be a surprise tomorrow."

"Is that really all your worried about? Oh, and.. I'm sorry for saying that."

"It's fine. I forgive you.."



It was Christmas day and suddenly every single alarm clock in the house started to blare. Horatio's eyes opened quickly as he heard his mom and dad shouting it was Christmas to practically the whole entire universe.

"Kids, get up! GET UPP!!"

Horatio rubbed his eyes and placed on his glasses and shook his messy black hair. Jeez, it was so annoying to wake up to such eager parents. He was the only sensible one in his whole family.

Horatio jumped out of bed and climbed down the stairs and hurried to the presents and saw his father smiling.

"Ready for the presents? I bet you are!" His dad said.

His mom looked around and asked, "Where's Petal? Please, go get her."

Horatio mumbled and went back up the stairs to barge into his sister's room.

"Get up. Go. Presents." He explained and turned back around to the doorway only to see a lifeless body gazing back at him.

Petal's body and face was pale, and her eyes were huge.

"H-Horatio.."

Horatio rushed over to his sister and asked her what was the matter but she shook her head as he sat on the bed.

"We got to tell mom and-"

"No, no, no. Here," Petal rose a weak smile from her lips and immediately pulled out a book. "Your present."

Horatio glanced down and looked back to see Petal's still gleaming face. It was truly beautiful, and for an instant he went to kiss her out of love but Petal's eyes were dimming.

"I love you." She tightened her grip on his hands. "Don't kiss me either. I don't want to die leaving behind regrets, no matter how much I want to."

Horatio's eyes suddenly blinked and he clenched her hands tighter.

"Your dying? No. You can't, I.." love you, he wanted to say.

"I know you do," Petal said. "You were never good at expressing your emotions. But I hope my death can teach you something in the least. It's almost time.."

Horatio blinked away tears, tears he should've dropped a long time ago.

"No. I'm good at expressing my emotions! I love you, Petal. I just never knew it! And the present? You were my best present yet. And you won't leave with regrets. You were.." a tear escaped his eyelid. "So good to me but I.."

He was emotionally broken now. He couldn't stop his tears from leaving his eyes and he couldn't stop looking away from her. He was shameful, and he wanted no one to see his shame. He was moreover embarrassed because..

He loved her exactly the same.

"Its fine. Just eat your vegetables and please be nice to mom and dad and get a girlfriend that can love you for you.. Horatio."

Her eyes closed as her breath was final.

Then it went completely silent.

Horatio's lips trembled and shivered at the cruelty he had brought her. He could almost die right now, tons of regrets muddling his mind as he didn't get the chance to be kind to her. If he could, Horatio would correct his mistakes, every action up until now. Horatio never knew that every second mattered.

He rubbed his eyes and picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he let his hair cover his eyes. He stepped out of the room and let his eyes look over her lifeless body. The body that was just breathing seconds ago, the lips that told him that she loved him, the eyes that looked with kindness. But most important of all...

The soul that just changed his future.

Horatio cried as he stepped down the cold and rickety stairs. He saw the excited faces of his parents dissipate as they saw what was going on.

"Hey, is Petal still asleep?" His dad asked. "I'll wake her up."

Horatio looked up at his father, tears staining his cheeks.

"You can't wake her up. You can't."

"W-Why not?" His mother asked.

Horatio whispered, "She's dead."

His mother gasped as Horatio calmly walked over to the Christmas Tree filled with presents. He knelt down and propped her body against the couch, and smiled. He opened all of her presents in front of her and gave her the last one.

"T-This.. is a present from me, Petal. I think you might like it.." He rubbed his eyes again this time. "It's a teddy bear."

He handed her the teddy bear, and for some reason the teddy bear was holding a box.    It had a dancing ballerina inside holding a ring, and sadly next to it all..

Was him and her together holding the same ring.

It was all because she lost it earlier during her birthday. To think that she was only 13 when she died, and her birthday was only a few days away.  

"What did she die from?"  Horatio looked back at his parents with resent in his eyes. "Please tell me. Don't lie."

His mother cried as his dad stepped up and shook his head.

"She died from Leukemia. We wanted to make her birthday extremely special, especially since... you know.." he ended regretfully.

"I understand."

Horatio pressed his head against her pale and fragile one, looking down at the book that she had given him. It was titled, 'Book Of Memories'. Him and Her were on the cover, and Horatio realized that this was her novel. Her diary.

He opened the first page of the book. He could read her beautiful handwriting and pictures were plastered everywhere of them. All of THEIR memories were there. Memories that Horatio didn't even seem to remember or care about it at all.

But he would treasure them forever.
________________________________________________________________________

                                             20 years later

"Hey honey, I'm home from shopping!" She glinted, but noticed that he was in the same position before. She grumbled as she stomped over to him and said, "Are you still reading that book?"

He was silent.

She huffed and clenched her bags tighter as she went upstairs.

He let his mind wander for a second as he looked outside the window, and he looked back at his book. Wait..

He saw her. He saw her standing..

Right.

There.

Horatio's jaw dropped as he saw Petal's 13-year-old self come into view, almost digitally.

She looks down and closes her eyes, a single tear escaping as she smiled.

She said something so quietly that he couldn't hear. It was muted. Petal's body began to fade as her body turned into cherry blossoms.

Horatio looked down in shock as he noticed he was at the last page of their memories. It was freshly written in pink, "Well done, Horatio. Well done."