The Prank


    ZOE’S POV


    When we got inside the hospital, and inside Helios’s room, I fell on the floor, crying incessantly.


    They were all inside Helios’s room. Helios is already covered with a white nket. The apparatuses


    are also gone.


    I no longer knew who had pulled me up and led me near him.


    He gave up!


    He didn''t fight for me... for us.


    God never answered my prayers.


    Why?


    Why do I have to feel this agony?


    Why do I have to experience this epic romance? I thought things like this would just be in a movie.


    I immediately hugged his corpse.


    Corpse?


    No. I didn’t know what to feel as I hugged his body. Why didn’t he fight for me… for us? Why did he


    let this happen? Did he not miss us? He promised me. He’s a fighter, but why?


    “Why?! I screamed. “Why did you leave us? Why did you let go?! You promised that you were going


    to marry me. You’re being unfair! You’re leaving me alone again while I deliver our child. I want… I


    also wanted to you—"


    “Zoe, calm down. Breathe, sweetie. Slowly… Something might happen to your baby—"


    “Mommy, why?” I roomed my eyes inside. I don’t care how I look. All of them were holding red


    roses. I nced at mom, and she had one in her hand. She reached it out to me, “—everything


    happens for a reason. No matter how hard life is, life must go on. Helios will always be there for


    you… watching you… and loving you. I want you to be happy, sweetie,” she said and held the


    rose to me.


    I cried again. Damn, it hurts.


    She stepped aside, and Aunt Millie went closer to me. She’s also here, and he was holding a rose


    too. She hugged me and slowly tapped my back, and loosened the hug.


    "Zoe, sweety... I know it is hard to forget a boy who added so many meaningful moments to your


    life, but if things are not working anymore, you should start to ept them. We don''t know how long


    it will be. Maybe, it is for some time or maybe forever. And I know Helios is always with you. I love


    you, my dear, and it’s too hard to let you go,” she paused. I frowned. "I mean, Helios will never


    leave you and still love you until the end. I love you, and we always will," he said and gave me the


    rose he was holding.


    He hugged me again and walked beside my mom. Cindy followed. Even though I was crying, I


    managed to raise an eyebrow. “Where’s my daughter?” I asked.


    “My friend. My best enemy, so as my bestpanion, I know that you’re already having a hard


    time. I know that you’re hurting, and it’s too much. But I wanted to tell you that I’m always here for


    you. You can chat, and you can call me anytime you want. Even if I’m at the peak of pleasure to


    someone—” I beat her. I’m already grieving, and she’s dragging nonsense things. “What? I’m telling


    the truth. No matter what I do, I can stop it for you. So, cheer up, gorgeous. Remember that better


    things happen at the right time, in the right ce—er… it can also happen in a wrong time and


    ce like this.” I frowned again. “Hey, don’t frown. Do you want your baby to be ugly and never


    inherit her momma Cindy’s beauty?” she joked. Our colleagues insideughed. Cindy shook her


    head. “I always want the best for you. So,” she handed me the rose, “Be happy, my friend,” she said


    and hugged me. She let go and stood beside aunt Millie.


    My forehead wrinkled. Wondering about what’s going in. Aren’t they supposed to say condolences?


    Next was Grant. He’s holding two roses, and he gave them to me. “The other one is from Sam. She


    can’t make it.” He scratched the back of his head. Seems ashamed. Did he blush? “We also wish


    you the best. I volunteer myself to be a godfather of any of your kids,” he said and smiled.


    Confused, I just nodded.


    Grant stood beside Cindy. Next was Ali. “I thought there was no hope. But damn!” he shook his


    head, “he’s something and even made a way to have you.”


    What is he saying, again?


    “Best wishes,” he said and smiled. He gave me the rose and stood beside Grant.


    Best wishes? Can’t they see that I’m mourning? What kind of circle of friends do I have? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Next was Grant’s twin brother.


    “I hope you will forgive me. And I wish you the best,” he said and smiled. The dimple o his left cheek


    appeared. Even if I’m mourning, I manage to smile because of his dimples.


    “Hi, Zoe,” Calyx greeted. “For you, from that jerk—ah, never mind—"


    “Can you pleasepose yourself, stupid?!” Cindy shouted at him.


    Calyx pinched the bridge of his nose. “After you get married, I will marry my stalker,” he joked, but it


    didn’t escape my sight when Cindy blushed.


    What’s going on between them?


    “I don’t know what’s this gimmick of yours all about, but you can all see that I’m mourning because


    of the death of my beloved. If this is your way offorting me, thank you. But it’s painful—” I didn’t


    finish my words when the door suddenly opened, and my daughter went in.


    She ran to me. “Mommy, mommy,” she said while she tugged the hem of my dress. “I saw daddy,


    and he’s with me,” she said, making me cry even more. It’s probably Helios''s soul that she saw.


    With one hand, I lifted her while the roses were in my other hand, “Baby, daddy’s gone.”


    “No. Daddy is away,” she insisted, and she got down. She ran out. I walked to follow her. And I


    gasped. My heart started to thump fast because of what I saw.