Eternal Malediction

I first met Brock when I was around 13-14 years old, so nearly Mira’s age, I think.

I’ve known him because we were in the same English class and a few times around the school, but those were the only times I’ve ever seen him, to be honest, and every time I’ve seen him, he was alone and always doing something.

It could be reading a book, writing down on paper, or playing on his phone under the desk, as you weren't allowed to use phones during school time, but other than that, he was always doing something, by himself.

I had my own friend group by then, and I started hanging out with them, then one day I was going through the cafeteria getting my hot lunch, and I saw him eating on a table, with ¾ of the table being a group of girls and him sitting in the other seat by himself.

Mind you, there was nothing wrong with him, like he had no bad odour, or he was rude or anything; in fact, everyone in the class was alright or even rated him, but for some odd reason he was just always alone.

I was just walking past Brock, who was sitting literally at the end of the table, and I noticed the group of girls were snickering and laughing at him and the girl next to him, as the girl who was closest to him kept on pushing herself away from him into the girl beside her. He, of course, noticed it but didn’t do anything and just kept eating away at the food on his table.

However, this group of girls started talking shit about him right in front of his face, and he still didn’t do anything, but I did notice on his face that he was getting hurt by what they were saying about him.

But remember, I wasn’t really his friend, so I walked past, as I really didn’t want to get involved in an issue that was not mine. But they said one thing that pissed me…

“Your cancer-ridden mom is better off dead than alive.”

The whole group of girls started laughing loudly as if the joke was hilarious to the entire world, the worst part was Brock, with his head down, kept on eating away at his food and not doing anything, and I don’t know why, but that broke something within me.

I then turned around and walked up to him, and he raised his head to meet my face.

I then told him. “My name's Tanaka Ewu, and I and my friends have our own table over there. Come with me and sit with us.”

Brock was stunned as he looked at me, and he responded, saying, “Is that really okay?”

I simply replied, “Yeah.” As I nodded.

“But only if you have nothing against Asians.”

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He just shook his head sideways, and I smiled, and we started heading over to my table. Brock got up with his tray and started walking behind Tanaka.

Then the group of girls started laughing even louder now, and so I turned around and went back to the table where the girls were, and I said one thing, and they didn’t respond to me because they were all stunned as to what I said.

What I said was, “How about treating fellow human beings with some respect, you ugly bitches?"

I just shook my head with disappointment, and my face was full of disgust, and now that I think about it, I don’t even think that change any of them; all I remember hearing about them is that they mostly date older men or have babies now while being a single mother, so it suits them, you know…

But I felt that I couldn’t leave him alone for the rest of that day, so we just spent time together and hanging out, and we ate fried chicken and played some football until he said he wanted to visit his mum, and I asked if I could come as well. He was initially surprised at first and smiled at me and replied with a simple sure.

When we got to the hospital, we found out his mother passed away just before we arrived, and he was devastated… And… I felt like I was to blame, you know…

If I just left him alone that day, he would have just gone to the hospital and had his final moments with his mum, but no… I ruined it… because I felt bad.

My pity killed his last moments with his mum…

I was outside of the room as I saw him run towards a weak woman in a blue gown lying down in the bed as he cried his heart out; his wails filled the whole corridor, nurses and a doctor rushed in and started doing something that I couldn’t even wrap my head around to explain.

The only thing I truly remember was the deafening and constant hum of a deadline from the heart monitoring machine.

I just sat there and watched all this take place and… I didn’t know what to do. I also received a message from my mom texting me to come back home as well, but how could I… you know, leave a guy like this in pieces?

I texted her saying, 'My friend’s mum just died; is it ok for me to bring him home for a sleepover?' and after a while she responded with yes.

I somehow was able to take him home, and I also had to text his dad that he was coming over to my house, but I think I was left on read. My parents tried everything they could to help, but what could we do, you know…? So, we just gave him time and space.

By then he wasn’t crying; he was just still like a robot with a fallen face, and as the end of the day came, the sleepover didn’t happen; he just got up and thanked me and my parents and left.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night; I felt like I was to blame, and the worst part was I believed that Brock was going to blame me for him not seeing his mother’s last moments.

My heart ached the whole night, and I couldn’t sleep.

And the next day came, I found out where he lived through classmates, and I brought over food that my mum made for him, and I knocked on his door; my heart was pounding thinking he was going to flame me or anything because of what I have done, and he opened the door…

He never blamed me; in fact he thanked me… What a weird guy, huh? Who would thank a person who stole your last moments from their own mother… This guy was truly amazing; he was the first thing I thought… While I was truly a disgusting loser.

I blamed myself where as this man thanked me?

I still couldn’t get my head over this.

And I was always there beside him, as I felt like I owed it to him, and that was when we graduated and got into the ‘elite’ college, which was only selective based on getting decent grades to get in for the subjects you chose.

And yeah, that was how I became friends with Brock, my true best friend, a friend I owe nothing and everything to.