|Chapter 13: Pretty|
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|KADENA CHAIN|
I became busy in the following days that I didn't have the chance to think about what I dreamed that night.
But I can't forget how my back hurts when I fell on the floor.
"Zaraze's at the gym, Kad. You want to see him?"
I was busy arranging and finalizing my report tomorrow when Foren takes a seat in front of me. It's like I'm going to have a defense for research when it's just a report. I mean, I need to really be hands-on with this because my professor in one of my majors is really keen and too smart to let a single mistake pass.
It's hard but I'm learning.
"What?" I ask because I didn't catch what she said.
She sighs loudly enough for me to look at her from browsing on my laptop.
"It's been days that I'm not seeing you fantasizing about your ultimate crush, Kad. You have many chances to do but it seems like you're done with it," instead of repeating what she said, she says otherwise.
I don't think that's how long her words that she tried to say earlier to me.
"What?" I ask in confusion.
"I mean, yea. Just continue, Kad. Don't mind me here,"
I watch her get her favorite mystery book from her backpack and flip to the page she stopped at the other day. She's been reading that book over and over again and I wonder, does she loves the book that much that she's reading it many times?
But it reminds me, she really loves to read books that have a mystery. Even before she became my friend.
"Okay," I breathed out and continue what I was doing before she interrupts me from it.
I know what she means.
I've never had time to visit the place where Zaraze was in the past few days. It took me an act of great courage to do that, of course. But I need to focus on my studies for now. I'm graduating soon and finals are approaching. I couldn't just jeopardize my studies just to look for him every day even though it's been a part of my daily activities whenever I have time.
I really needed to focus or else it'll be hard for me to catch up. I can do the chasing again after this hell month. Of course, in secret.
"You look busy,"
Shock is an understatement when I heard that voice in front of me. The fingers of my hands which are busy tapping on the keyboard nonstop puts on an abrupt stop before I know it.
I expect to see Foren in front but an unexpected person replaces her at the back of my head.
"Raze?" I ask, it's almost a whisper I'm afraid it doesn't reach his hearing.
I unconsciously pull my hands and put them on my lap as my fingers start to tremble. In nervousness, perhaps?
"Hi!" His eyes are smiling together with his lips that if I don't know he doesn't have feelings for me, I'll assume he has something for me.
"You're here? Why?" I casually ask him a question despite feeling my heart trying to escape from its cage.
It seems like it's my first time meeting him. My heart would beat crazily whenever it recognizes his presence as it had always been. I can't think of anything that it seems like he's the only thing that is on my mind right now.
"Your friend told me you need help with something. What can I help you?"
My mouth goes agape with his unexpected reason for being here. Seriously? Why would Foren do that? And where the hell is that girl?
"Oh! Uhm," I bit my lower lip as I look at my laptop on the table to find words to say.
What will I say? Damn!
"I need help to, uh... I need to report in one of my majors and...," my voice is lower than my height.
Dang! This is frustrating me!
I look at him who's patiently waiting for what will I say. My eyes accidentally look at the lips that he's biting. It looks, soft. Before he can notice my stare, I look into his eyes, and it has something.
His eyes are telling me something that I can't put into words.
"I wonder if you can help me explain a certain topic? Look at this,"
I bit my lower lip as my stomach churns. Not because of hunger but because it feels like butterflies are playing inside of it that I can't help but suppress a smile.
It's a good thing I'm having a hard time on something in my report. It helps me find an excuse for my friend's reckless decision to talk to him and pretend like I really need help.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you. You're busy with your training for the championship, right? I'm sorry that my friend called you for this-," he raises his right hand, palm facing me. It causes me to stop talking.
"Don't worry too much, Kadie. I was done training for today and I have the rest of the day free,"
I was just watching him talk while he was busy reading the topic on my laptop. I casually put my right elbow on the table as I rest my cheek on my palm. I stare at his refreshing visuals. He seems like he came out of a shower. Maybe he was done taking a shower after his archery training when Foren approaches.
Just like what I'd heard from her earlier, he was in the gym. Probably doing his training that I love to watch even before. Maybe that's also why Foren was curious as to why I was not there doing my crazy plans.
He's an Archer. One of the best and he is one of our top archers to be put in a fight for the Championship.
I have always loved that sport for him. It really suits him the best.
"What's on my face?" I suddenly hear a sound of a shattering glass after a second while staring at his face.
"Uh, what? Ah, I'm sorry. There's nothing on your face. Yea,"
I'm practically panicking inside because he almost caught me deeply looking at him with adoration in my eyes. I scratch my nape as I smile at him. I bet it looks awkward that's why I look away and survey the students who are also busy taking their papers and books inside the Library.
I've been taking my time inside the Library for days and it looks like it's more of my classroom rather than the real one.
My head moves as I glance at him when he laughs all of a sudden.
"You're cute. Did someone already tell you that? I bet none,"
I can feel how heat spreads on my cheeks after hearing him say that. I purposely furrow my brows to hide my flushing red face with his chosen words.
"Why do you think so?"
I ask him, acting like I'm curious when in reality, I'm dying to release how giddy I am at this moment. I want to jump in glee like I always do but he's in front of me. He shouldn't see that. It's embarrassing enough to look like a tomato upfront.
"Because they will only see how pretty you are, putting aside the probability of you, being cute. I'm right, right?"
He shows his lopsided smile that took my heart on a rampage. What is he doing?! Is he aware that he's affecting me too much already with his words?
I hope he is.
"Stop flattering me. That's not true. I can accept that I'm cute but pretty? Nah, never did I think of myself as one," I act like it's just a natural reaction for something like what he did.
Complimenting me with something I didn't expect him to do.
My friends and classmate often say I look like a doll but whenever I look at my reflection in the mirror, I can only see my scars. That despite having this kind of face, it can never change the fact that I'm not perfect.
I have scars that I needed to hide in order for me to go on with my life without pulling other people with my miseries. I need to protect it from further damage.
"Then start thinking that you are one," I lift my head, eyes straightly looking at his pair of green eyes that first made me admire him.
"Why?"
I ask, trying to protect and stop my fragile little heart from falling too hard than before. I'm starting to look for reasons on how to stop a heart from getting more than what it takes from its first fall.
"Because I said so,"
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A/N: This chapter made me smile. I hope you do, too. Despite having a bad day, I hope I made you smile for at least a second. Have a nice day!