Chapter 53: Abandoned
Lucy walked to her studio dispiritedly. After talking to Jason, she is sure that her mother has rushed out with her sister to go back to China, leaving her behind.
'Probably mom thinks that I did not want to miss the selection so much that she left me behind...'
Lucy slide her wrist to her studio door and enter.
Dragging her feet to the bedroom, she slammed her body down and picked up a pillow and pressed it to her face.
"AARGH!" Lucy screamed her lungs out, and then she cried.
She is exhausted mentally and physically. Last night was draining enough, and now her mother went AWOL. How much worse her life can be?
After almost one hour, Lucy cries died down. She lied flat on her back, and stares at the animated ceiling.
'The ceiling is a clear blue sky today...'
"So pretty." Lucy talked to herself.
"Ring, ring, ring!"
Lucy scrambles down her bed and walked out to the living room. She picked up her phone and looked at the caller ID.
'MIKE'
Lucy clenched her phone, and she gritted her teeth. Feeling gloomy and sad, Lucy almost teared up again. She has been expecting a call from her mother or Suzy, but none of them bothers to call her.
The phone rings twice before Lucy finally decided to answer Mike's phone call.
"Hello?"
"Lucy, where are you? It's almost 5 pm, come down now. The physical health examination is going to start soon." Mike went silent on the other line.
'Lucy is crying...'
Mike's face turned softer and he wants to go up to Lucy's room to comfort her.
"Lucy, the examination is important. Can you make it down here? ...If you can't make it, I will ask Dr. Nora to make an exemption for..." Mike word's were cut off by Lucy sharp NO.
"I-I am coming down. Don't ask for an exemption." Lucy hangs up as soon as her words finished.
Lucy quickly tidied up her hair and went into the bathroom to wash up her face.
Looking at the mirror, Lucy laughed.
'Look at you, your face is all puffy and red. Nobody wants you anymore. Even your family abandoned you...'
Shaking her head, Lucy smiled.
'No, I will not give up on living even though no one bothers about me anymore.'
'I must go to space...'
Lucy hurried out from her studio and rushed down to the assembly hall. She donned a sports attire complete with sport shoes and shades. Even though there is no sun inside the bunker, she thinks that her puffy eyes did not need extra attention to it. It is better to conceal the proof of embarrassment that her family left her.
Lucy walked calmly and lined up among the others. She is not late, but she is still one of the people who came just in time for the briefing.
"Greetings. I assume everyone is here? Great, so we shall start with the physical examination test for today. Everyone who has any cardiovascular diseases or any injuries that forbid you to make any strenuous exercises, or anyone willing to forfeit, may do so by going to the left side of the hall. For those who are fit and capable to take the test shall register your name with Dr. Nora." Albert walk away as soon as he finished his briefings.
To Albert, it is just a formality to ask the people to volunteer to drop, in actual the people who have any diseases are not qualified for the space program at all. They soon will be removed from the candidate list once the list of quota is out.
Lucy walked her way to line up in front of Dr. Nora. With her shades on, she strutted towards the line, gaining the attention of the rest of the people.
Lucy turned her head towards the onlookers. "What are you staring at?"
Everyone tries to scurry their way out when Lucy glared at them. Lucy looks like a hooligan to them with the shades on.
Everyone was running away, but someone was laughing at her.
"Ooi, you are scaring those people ha. Aiya, pity those people's heart. They got frightened for nothing by this paper tiger." Raymond Yu came towards Lucy with both of his hands in his pocket.
"Ha, young master Yu is fascinated with my actions?" Lucy spoke nonchalantly to Raymond.
Raymond laughed as he heard Lucy address him as a young master again.
"What's wrong with you? why so cynical today?"
Lucy shrugged her shoulder and moved forward following the crowd. She did not feel like talking to anyone right now. She is tired, and all she wants to do right now is to just get over with everything at this moment.
"Urgh, it is so cold suddenly. Don't you feel cold Lucy?" Raymond rubbed his shoulders in exaggeration. He looks at Lucy mockingly, and nudge her arm.
"Pissed off Raymond! I am not in the mood right now!" Lucy barked at Raymond Yu who has been annoying her for a while now.
"Ok fine. Why are you so cold today anyway?" Raymond propped up his hands up in the air in a surrendering motion. He wanted to talk more to Lucy, but Lucy did not even glance at him after she got mad at him.
Raymond stares at Lucy puzzlingly. "Heh, you've been crying? What's up with the shades?" Raymond tried to grab the sunglasses off from Lucy's face, but his hand was smacked away by the irritated Lucy.
"Raymond... stop." Lucy's voice turned softer and she sounded nasally. Sniffling, Lucy walked to the front and get ready to run her laps.
Raymond looked at the space where Lucy stood before. He never saw Lucy crying before. The Lucy that he knew was tough like a highschool bully. People will cry from her intense bullying, but she will never cry even once.
Those red noses, and the nasally sound from Lucy just now, surely he did not just make Lucy cried, right?
"Preet!!"
Dr.Nora blows the whistle and five people started running around the bunker. A sprint test of 5 laps under 3 minutes.
With an emotional mind, the run is just what Lucy needed right now to clear up he's messed up mind. Lucy sprinted with all her might without a care for the people around her.
After the fourth laps, Lucy felt the adrenaline rushed, and she picked up her speed. Her mind has never been clearer since two days ago till now.
Running creates the hormone Endorphines. Not long after she finishes up her run, Lucy sobers up and she did not feel as gloomy as before she ran.
Picking up her water bottle, she wipes away her sweat while she stood next to Dr. Nora to record her time.
Mike was sitting next to the booth as he is already done with his run when Lucy came over.
'What a beauty.'
Lucy's sweat drips down her forehead and chin trailing down her small face. The already flushed skin becomes redder and somehow it looks so cute that Mike felt like pinching those cheeks, her lips were parted a bit as she breathes with her mouth opened, and she panted slightly.
Mike smiled and he walked forward, snatching Lucy's water bottle away.
"Hey, that is mine!" Lucy was startled when her bottle in her hand has gone to another's hand.
Mike smiled and he swiftly twisted the water bottle cap open and he handed it back to Lucy. "I know, I am being a gentleman here to open the bottle cap for you."
"Cehh, I never asked your help anyway." Lucy blushed.
'Oh my god, why is he here being sweet all over again?'
"Why? you needed my help, so I just offered you one. No need to thank me for this." Mike smiled smugly and he went closer to Lucy.
'Her eyes are red and puffy. She has been crying...'
Mike stretched out his hand and hugged her suddenly. "You will be fine, You still have me with you..."
Lucy stood still and she felt her heart tingles with a warm feeling. Lucy blinked a few times, and she felt her eyes were pooling with tears again.
Lucy hugged Mike in return. She just cried in his arm without a care about the people's weird gaze on her.
Somehow, Mike's word comfort her a bit. The sense of loneliness disappears a bit when Mike said she still have him around.
'Right, I still have my friends here...'
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone