Val(first person point of view)

  “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOULL FORCE YOURSELF TO COME LIVE WITH ME?!” I shouted in absolute shock.

  “You heard me. And no, I am not changing my mind or going along with someone else. I want you to be the one to take care for me.” Eclipsara spoke clearly and sternly, as if nothing else would change her mind.

  “Respectfully, why though?!”

  As you can see, this was how the back and forth banter between Eclipsara and me started after she had demanded something completely crazy from me. The girl had suddenly demanded and decred that she wanted to live with me. Whats with this unexpected development?

  Anyway, I have to refuse Eclipsara. I dont know what she sees in me, but I was certain I would only just disappoint her. I wasn't exactly the most responsible person-I could barely take care of myself. I can only make simple food just to get by for myself and my life wasnt exactly stable. Plus, I had my own agenda that I had been focusing on for a long time in this world.

  And what if, one day, I just disappeared…?

  No. I wasn’t going to let her get attached to me only to be abandoned if something happened.

  "Listen, Miss Eclipsara" I sighed heavily. "I am quite sure you don't know enough about me to decide that I am the only person capable of raising you. I know my recent actions make me seem...capable, but I am a clumsy man. I am not the type of person you think I am."

  "But you are capable" Eclipsara stated with absolute certainty.

  I got startled internally at the young girls confidence and her tone of absolute certainty.

  Dr. Trauss, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "Miss Eclipsara, is there a reason as to why you want Val to take care of you?"

  Eclipsara paused and then spoke. "I felt very comfortable with him. He happened to gave me his coat when I was freezinginside the vehicle cold and comforted me. He didnt care for his own health and even gave a big portion of his own food just to feed me. I may not look like it, but I assure you-I am someone who can accurately judge a persons character through small actions and gestures. I am very capable of knowing who is pretending to be kind and virtuous when in reality that person can perhaps be despicable or has ultear motives." Eclipsara hesitated briefly before continuing. "And...no...my apologies, I have already said enough."

  As I was about to protest and start talking about my incapabilities and fws in taking care of her, Dr. Trauss spoke first. "Actually, Val is perfect for this. I agree to your demand. Ill convince him to take care of you."

  I then looked at Dr. Trauss with a mixture of shock and confusion and was about to protest, but once again Dr. Trauss interrupted me. "Listen to me Val, this is perfect for you. I am serious. I have seen how well you have personally handled people younger than you and especially the elderly. They adore you, Val, for your patience, understanding, and kindness to them. I even know you secretly paid for some of the patients treatment with the money you earned. You do even some of the most energy draining tasks for others- cleaning, feeding, dressing, even taking care of them when they’re at their weakest—without a single compint. And you do it with a calmness that would make even the best nurses hesitate before acting."

  I am not sure what Dr. Trauss even truly sees on who I am undernath my actions, but whatever is it, whatever version of me he’s looking at is wrong. The reality is... that I am...just not that good nor great at all. I am...just a failure.

  "Dr. Trauss, you dont know the real me. I am not-"

  Dr. Trauss raised his scaled hands, long, cw-tipped fingers as if he was shushing me. "I know you dont look at yourself highly Val, I know you despise yourself for whatever your past was, but please believe me when I say that you are a wonderful human being. Even now Val, you continue to care for the young miss here. You probably were pnning to give this girl to a warm loving home to a lonely family that needs love. I know your scared of messing up and accidentally making her life hell if you were to take her in because in your eyes you view youself as the worst thing ever to ever exist dont you."

  I pause. My breathing becomes quiet. Dr. Trauss knew, but how did he-

  "Dont underestimate me, I am a doctor for a reason, Val." He continued. "Observation is a key essential requirement for a man of my profession. I have known you for a couple of years by this point. You think you do all these good deeds to make up for something, that they’re selfish in a way. But I have seen real joy in your eyes whenever you help others. If you dont believe in yourself, then believe me instead. I dont want you to die alone and bottling your emotions Val in the end. That fate is far too cruel for you, you deserve a true peace, not the false peace you've convinced yourself you have."

  "But....I..."

  Dr. Trauss then looked at Eclipsara next and then said something suprising. "While I have said I would agree to your demands, I have a condition of my own. I want you to take care of Val as well. Do you understand? I can already tell your way more smarter than other girls your age-perhaps even a genius-but this is my demand. Do you accept?"

  I tried to intervene once again. "Dr. Trauss...the girl had just lost her home, I dont want her to work so much. I cant accep-"

  "I accept."

  I looked at Eclipsara in shock.

  "Or more like I had already pnned to do exactly that even before you said anything" Eclipsara said calmly and even with confidence as she looked at Dr. Trauss dead in the eye.

  Dr. Trauss and Eclipsara looked at each other dead in the eyes, unwavering.

  Dr. Trauss finally sighed and looked at me. "Well, the decision has aleady been made. I know I may come off as too pushy, but I have no choice-because I know what kind of person you are. And clearly, so does this girl. Even though she's only known you for a few hours"

  I then sat on a chair stunned, overwhelmed and shocked.

  Eclipsara then gave a sweet yet with the most chaotic gremlin expression, said the final statement.

  "Well...I look forward to being under your care."

  I then replied with a mix of expaseration and resignation.

  "I....Yes. I look forward to it as well"