A New Start

“I’ve lost them all...” She let out through all the tears. I didn’t know what to do. I just stood there, watching her cry her eyes out. I left her room. It felt like betrayal.

I did nothing to console her. Nothing. I didn’t enter her room, I didn’t call her to eat, I did nothing. I just sat in my room with a blank mind. Hours passed and I didn’t even notice until I heard faint footsteps outside my door. “Who’s there?” I asked. They disappeared just as soon as they came.

She didn’t come out of her room the next day. Or the day after. I left the food outside her door and decided to stay at home instead of going to school. The house seemed lifeless, as if it hadn’t seen anyone smile in a long time. Without her, everything was bleak. Boring. Useless. It had been two days since she went invisble to her friends. “Lately, she’s been going invisble to everyone. Wait, does that me-” I careered to her room. Without knocking, I jumped in. I took a sigh of relief and headed back downstairs.

She finally came out of her room. I saw her in the living room. She looked perfectly normal, except she didn’t smile. “Hey! You’re looking much better. Breakfast is ready. Want some?” She nodded and sat down. We sat in silence. She seemed like a different person. I couldn’t even talk to her!

I went to school the next day. “Aiden! You’re here? I thought you weren’t going to come back,” he exclaimed. I laughed it off and sat down. Everyone looked at me as if I were new. “Alright class, we have to take a te- Oh? Aiden? You’re here? Where’s Ethel?” My silence gave her the answers she needed. I looked at Ethel’s “Friends”. They looked perfectly normal, like Ethel didn’t exist.

I skipped school. I couldn’t handle it. At home, things seemed dull. “Aiden! Check th-” Ethel tumbled down the stairs with a box in her hand. I laughed as she came crashing down. She made a quick recovery, handed me the box and motioned me to open it. The smug grin on her face triggered every red flag possible. I took a deep breath and hesitantly removed the top. “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” She shouted out while putting on a hat on and trying to put one on me too. “Now, I know you’re wondering how I figured out today was your birthday. I... erm... looked through your phone... It had today marked as ‘birthday’, so I assumed today was yours. I’m sorry that I looked through your phone!” She could barely contain her excitement. Even I forgot today was my birthday The box had a small cake that had been destroyed, probably due to her fall on the stairs. I hid from her so she wouldn’t feel bad seeing it destroyed. “This was unexpected. Thank you, Ethel! This is amazing!”

“We aren’t done yet. Come on, I have something else prepared.” She said, grabbing my hand and leading me upstairs. I peeked inside my room and was horrified by what I saw. My room, my sanctuary, my place to get away from things had been turned into a place with bright colors and balloons. With decorations and lights. My room had been destroyed.

About half an hour later, Ethel was really tired, so she went to sleep. I was left to clean up my destroyed room by myself. I decided to go to sleep and leave my room as it was until tomorrow so she can clean up the mess she created. I was about to lie down when Ethel suddenly barged in. "Oh, you were about to sleep. Don't worry, I'll clean it up quietly. You can sleep," she said as she started to quietly remove the decorations. "I-I'll help!" I jumped in to help.

The next day, Ethel came to school with me. She was back to the Ethel she used to be. We saw our homeroom teacher walking by. "Aiden, you're here today as well. That's new. Anyway, I have a job for you. Take the empty desk next to yours and put it outside the class. It's taking up space."

"But Ethel sits there!"

"Who's that?" Those cursed words. I've heard them too many times. I hated them. "I guess I'm invisible to one more person now. I guess I'll have to sit on the ground now." She laughed it off.

Ethel had to sit on the ground next to me. I didn't want her to sit like that. Why is she even coming to school? No one can see her. No one but me. However, she was happily taking notes. She looked perfectly fine with the way things were.