#jeridor

[thistrashonline]

Four Minutes Left Of My Sanity

Title: Four Minutes Left Of My Sanity

Summary: It’s a world where you have tattoos that came at the age of 12 only your soulmate could see. Jerico and Salvador are believed to be soulmates. But what happens when one claims they can’t actually see the tattoos when they obviously can?

Words: 1,456

Warnings: pain/masochism, anxiety, defenestration?

Notes: this was the fire “mixtape” y'all were waiting for. soz for making you wait so long. this is unedited for that reason. this is also really weird and dont judge me plz…

June 14, 2016, 11:58 pm.

Turning the age of 12 is always a big deal. It’s the age you get your soulmate tattoo. At 12 am, you get a slight burning sensation. (Indicating you getting your marking.)

In just two minutes, Salvador turns 12. Jerico had been hanging out at Salvador’s house for the past couple of hours waiting for this exact moment.

“It’s okay. Everything is fine. They said it was only a slight burn, right?” Jerico reassured Salvador. That barely made a difference to how Salvador felt. Jerico was a year younger than him, which meant he wouldn’t get his tattoo for another year.

“11:59,” the clock said. The red glow of the digital numbers made Salvador feel anxious. He was rocking slowly from where he was sitting on the carpet. His best friend was sitting next to him with his arm around him. In less than a minute, Salvador would face an inevitable pain.

“Aaaahh!” Salvador cried. Jerico glanced at the clock to see that it was 12 am. “It burns, Jerico!” Salvador cried before getting up and running to the bathroom. He turned the faucet lever on the bathtub to the coldest setting before jumping in.

The younger boy ran in to see what had just happened. Salvador was hunched over in the bathtub. His forearm was blotched with red and black.

A teary-eyed Salvador looked over to Jerico, raising his left arm so they could both look at the fresh marking.

It was two circles with a line through both of them. One of the circles was smaller and filled in, and the other was slightly bigger and had a thick lining.

“Do you see it?” Salvador asked eagerly.  

Jerico knew he could see it, but he didn’t know if he should admit to it. He decided to be the naïve literally-about-to-turn-eleven-in-two-days-year-old that he was and lie.

“Uh… No. It must have really hurt though. Your arm is really red. I gotta go, sorry man,” Jerico barely managed to say before he awkwardly rushed out of the bathroom door and into the surprisingly cool midnight breeze.

June 15, 2017

“Why did I think it would be a good idea to come here?” Jerico thought.

He was invited over to Salvador’s house along with some others to hang out for his 13th birthday.  

Ever since that encounter from a year ago, they never talked about it and remained friends. The real problem was, Jerico had an ever-growing guilt from that day. It had always been one of those memories where you cringe and think, “I should have done this instead.”

“Yo Tony, whaddo you wanna play? I got (insert video game here),” Salvador called to Tony crouched over a pile of video games. Tony was one of Salvador’s friends he invited alongside Jerico.

“Yeah, sure,” Tony shouted back at Salvador. “Joco, you okay?” Tony questioned. Jerico hadn’t noticed he was staring into space again.

Sometimes he wished people would stop questioning why he did that. Doesn’t everybody do that? Why does it seem so unusual?  

“Uh… Yeah. C-can I ask you a q-quick question?” Jerico barely managed to stutter.  

“Sure,” Tony said, sitting next to Jerico on the couch.

“I’m sorry for asking this but, what did it feel like, when you, ya know, gotyoursoulmatetattoo?” Jerico said mushing his words together.

“Oh right, you’re getting yours on Saturday… Um, it was just like anyone else getting theirs. It really doesn’t hurt that much, but I’m pretty sure it just depends on the person. If you were also wondering, my tattoo looks like a bunch of incomplete triangles,” Tony said then proceeded to trace the lines of his tattoo.

“Welp, imma be playin’ with Sal,” Tony broke the silence and sprung off the couch and next to Salvador on the carpet.

“Does Sal ever remember what happened a year ago? I mean, doesn’t everyone suddenly remember embarrassing memories from a long time ago? Does he just look down at his wrist and think about how much of a bad friend I am? I know I can see it. I almost gave myself away once when Sal was trying to describe it to Tony…” He caught himself staring at Salvador.

“Stop seeming so suspicious!” Jerico mentally shouted at himself.

He started to blink furiously, then moved onto watching his friends play the video game.

June 16, 2017, 11:56 pm.

“No no no no no no no,” those words seemed to play over and over again inside Jerico’s mind. He started to pace around his room in total darkness.

“Four minutes… Four minutes left of my sanity...” Jerico was now constantly glancing back at the clock.

“11:57; three minutes...” He then decided we would lay on the carpet in his room with his eyes closed, because it’s not like he could go any more insane than he already is. Plus, everyone in his house was already asleep.

“Okay, you need to calm down. It’s really not a big deal, right? No it isn’t. You already know exactly what it’s going to look like; it’s going to look like Salvador’s, and the next time you see Salvador he’s gonna see it and it’s gonna be really awkward and ohh…” Jerico’s breathing pattern started to speed up.

He didn’t notice that another minute had gone by in the time he was laying there.

“Are you sure that’s the right window?” Tony whispered to Salvador. The two were on a mission to console Jerico in his time of need.  

“Yeah, just try not to make too much noise,” Salvador whispered, gesturing to the side of the house. Their plan was to climb up the side of Jerico’s house and into his room. It definitely wasn’t the best of ideas, but after what had happened last year, he knew that Jerico’s parents would never let him out at this time again.

“We don’t have much time! Hurry up!” Salvador whisper-shouted and Tony then proceeded to climb up the side of one of friend’s house; something he never thought he’d be doing at any time soon. It was difficult for him to climb up there. He had climbed a few fences before, but that was nothing compared to this. Tony boosted himself with a garbage bin that had been sitting there.

“I can see him!” Tony said maybe a bit too loud. With a hand gesture, he signaled Salvador to join him by the window.

They both looked over to the clock. 12:00. Oh no.

A sudden rush came over Jerico like he was hit by some sort of bus. It was an excruciating pain, but he didn’t do anything about it. He did squirm around a bit, but nothing else.

Tony and Salvador began to knock on the window. Jerico thought nothing of it and ignored them.

“Joco!” A muffled shout came from Tony and Salvador through the window.  

It was obvious that Jerico began to tense up as his skin started to turn red, but it seemed like he was enjoying it? He was taking slow and deep breaths. Something was up.

“Aggghhh! So this is… what it… feels like!” Jerico clenched his fists. “I deserve this pain: for what I did to him. How much longer can I keep this up?”

“Jerico!”  

Oh no…

The mark was there. He knew it. It was right there on his left arm. What would happen now? Should he open his eyes? Was he going to confront them? What would he say to them?

He would do the unspeakable.

Jerico stood up from the carpet. He held out his arm with the tattoo, and with the other, opened the window.

“Jerico, are you okay?” Salvador asked with a twinge of worry in his voice.

“No,”

Jerico then pushed both of them off of the tiny ledge that his friends were both standing on.

He watched as both of his friends fell the distance of 15 feet. Salvador landed in the bushes and Tony landed next to the garbage bin he used to boost himself earlier.

Jerico didn’t speak a word. All he did was close the window, not bothering to check if his friends were okay.

That was the last anyone has heard of Jerico since then. He seemed to practically fall of the face of the earth after the experience.

Until…

Okay that’s the end of the story. I really hope you’re not mad at me. (soz) I also hope you enjoyed! Part 2 comes sometime in the future. I bet you all love me for that cliffhanger. Nope? Okay then.

[nveamanagement]

Congrats to our client Sabrina Jeridore who took a brief retirement and is now back on the court to finish out the 2017-2018 season! Safe travels back overseas! #nveasports #fiba #hoops #staypositive #stayblessed #stayhumble

[thecraftercornyt]

fake love pt. 1

If it’s for you, I can act like I’m happy even when I’m sad.

“Father! May I please go out to explore by myself?” Prince Salvador asked tugging at the sides of his father’s cloak.

“Of course, my child. Gerald! Make sure he doesn’t get lost.” The King signaled at one of his assistants, Gerald, to follow the little prince.

The prince’s eyes lit up, and he sprung off of the carriage, bolting through the village.

All that could be heard from the prince was “sorry!” and “excuse me!” as he ran past the town folk, before stopping in front of what seemed to be the village’s flower shop. Myriads of flowers in various different shades decorated the storefront. Prince Salvador couldn’t help but stare at the ruffled pink flower in front of him. Although the flower was simple, it seemed to be calling his name, as if it was trying to tell him something.

He didn’t notice the door of the shop had opened until the lady that opened it had said, “That one’s a pink carnation. They bloomed beautifully this year. Why don’t you buy one?”

The prince didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t have any money on him, and where’s—he suddenly felt something touch his shoulder.

“We’ll take one, please,” It was Gerald. He pulled a brown pouch out of his cloak and jingled it around before giving it to the lady.

The lady looked taken aback by the payment. She said, “Please wait here,” before rushing back into the shop. A moment later, she came back with a pouch that was a darker shade of brown.

“Take this,” the lady said, handing Prince Salvador the pouch and a pink carnation.

The prince quickly thanked the lady, and walked off. A safe distance from the shop, he opened the pouch. At the bottom was a decent handful of seeds (which were presumably carnation seeds). He looked for Gerald, who was still trailing behind him.

Eventually, Prince Salvador made it to a clearing in the forest. Gerald had let him journey the forest by himself, staying at the village’s edge. Salvador lie down on the grass, staring up at the sky, the trees in his peripheral vision. A deep sigh left his lips. The prince may still be a child, but a lot of restrictions came with his position. He didn’t have very many people to talk to, let alone friends. They always said that as royalty, you would get whatever you want, but all Salvador wanted was someone.

Maybe as a kid, it’s too early to wish for something like that. Maybe this will just be one of those things you wish your life away—there was a rustle in the bushes. Salvador stood up from the grass and brushed himself off.

“Gerald, I thought you didn’t want to go—“

“Ha ha! Who’s Gerald? I’m Jerico! I guess they do sound similar...Gerald. Jerico. G-geraldco? Wait! How did you know my name?! What are you doing in my spot?” It was a kid that was at least half of a head shorter than him. He was probably way younger than him too.

“Please calm down. I don’t know your name, or who you are. I am sorry for being in ‘your spot’. I’ll be on my way.” Salvador mentally high-fived himself for responding to the kid so professionally.

“Wait! What’s in the pouch? And why are you holding a pink flower? Y’know that pink is for girls, right?” the kid, Jerico, questioned. He forgot he was holding the flower and the pouch.

“This pouch contains seeds for this kind flower.” Salvador held up the carnation. It was a bit squashed, but still beautiful, nonetheless.

“Oh,” the kid tilted his head. Jerico looked disappointed at the fact that the seeds probably grew pink flowers. “Do you want to plant them here?”

The request came too suddenly for Salvador. “Uh, sure.”

The kids began digging a hole in the ground for the seeds that would one day blossom into the gorgeous pink carnations they hoped for them to be. The prince dumped the seeds into the hole and they both dusted their hands off.

“I guess I should get going now,” Salvador sighed. He met this kid not that long ago, but getting to talk to someone somewhat close to his age seemed refreshing. What should his last words be to this kid? It’s not like he would ever come back here. It’s not like he could come back here. The prince smiled at Jerico, and ran off before either one of them could say another word, dropping the pink carnation along the way.

—

Salvador lie down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He’d been doing this for years, but nothing ever seemed to come out of it.

There was a knock on his door. “Come in,” he answered monotonously. It was his father.

“Salvador, you know you can’t just sit around all day. You are going to be king soon, after all. You need to find a partner! You’re 21 years old!” There it was again. His father had been saying the same thing for the past three years.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Father. I’m not interested in finding a partner.” Salvador sighed for the umpteenth time. He rolled over on his bed so his father was no longer in his view.

“I figured. That is why I have done it for you!”

“You wha—?”

“Silence! Tomorrow, carefully selected candidates will be coming by, and you will have to choose from one of them.”

“But Father—!”

“Hush, Salvador. You are getting at the age where you have to finally start your life, and this is the first step.” The King crossed his arms.

The prince sat up and thought. He knew this was for the good of his future kingdom. His future kingdom. The thought was scary.

“I’m going out.” Salvador grabbed his cloak and headed for the door, not bothering to glance at his father.

The village didn’t seem that much different compared to the last time he visited (which was who knows how long ago). He stopped by the flower shop. The pink carnations were as beautiful as always. They seemed to draw him in with their innocent look, yet mysterious calling.

“Excuse me, ma’am. How much for one of those pink carnations you have up at the front?” Salvador asked the shop lady.

“Four coins,”

He shuffled through the pockets of his cloak and counted four coins from the pouch he always carried with him. The shop lady took the coins and lead him outside to the carnations.

“Thank you.” He smiled as the lady handed him the flower and walked off.

He ended up in the spot he was all those years ago, lying in the grass and staring at the sky. This time, there was a huge pink carnation bush next to him.

The prince sighed once more. A pang of nostalgia slapped him on the face. Even as a child he still felt the same way he does now, only worse. He couldn’t stay lonely for the rest of his life.

Salvador sat up and stared at the pink carnation bush. “You really did bloom gorgeously.”

He figured it was about time for him to go back to the castle. After standing up and brushing himself off, he placed the carnation he bought at the shop earlier at the foot of the bush. A feeling hit Salvador. Was he being watched? Glancing around, he gave up and headed back to the castle.

part 2 comes out later this week