Down System

Chapter 12

It was totally silent behind the glittering gems in the night sky. Even a whisper of the wind could not reach my ears. The air seemed to have its rest after days of continuously coating my crust. The trees across my room's french door window were calm, but their leaves, particularly the dried ones, were falling just like my tears.

Ferno left me hanging in the field. He had constantly been cold, perhaps the reason why no one tried approaching him except for me. From the beginning of school, he had no someone with him. He was all alone, and that was why I wanted to be friends with him, but he would always try to push me away. After saving me from Keevan, he never smiled again. Was it only because he hated gals, or he just did not like me?

But, why would he shun women?

Tears did not stop from falling from my eyes down to my cheeks. I had tons of pals, but Ferno was of paramount importance. Living this second life made sense because of that young boy— he was not perfect, but he was ideal. Since the first day I met him at the lake, I had the urge to know him more because his story did confuse me.

Glancing through the window of my square, I wiped my tears and took a deep breath. There was no use of wailing. Life could be like that— not everyone you liked would like you back, so it would be better to focus more on loving yourself and setting your goals for your growth.

A knocking from the door had cracked the stillness.

"Come in!" I said, still clearing my tears because there was still left. To my surprise, it was the old woman who entered. "Oh, you're still here, Namika. What can I do for you?"

"Ah, nothing," the senior said as she walked towards me, and when she finally reached me, she asked, "Can I have a seat beside you, young girl?"

I nodded, not uttering any word.

"I requested your mother if I could still stay here for a while. I've been observing you since we're in school. Something seems bothering you. Do you mind telling me what's wrong?"

"Namika," I spoke her name, looking directly at her eyes, "what does a friend means to you?"

"Friend? Honestly, I don't think so if I have someone I can call my friend, so I don't know how to actually define it. But I think, a friend is a person you can rely on even though he is not personally with you," she said. "Can you see the sun?"

"There's no sun," I chuckled. "It's night already, you kiddin' me?"

"Alright, there's no sun when it's dark, but it's actually there, you just don't know... you just don't see. Whether it's a time of brightness or darkness, it doesn't matter because the sun is there, silently watching you, just like a friend. And I think, that kind of pal is the sweetest among all— that one who chooses to work in secrecy rather than announce the help he is giving you."

"But, how will you know he's working if he's not showing that to you? Could it be an effortless act? I mean, if he's really your friend, he'll show that to you."

"Young girl, being a friend doesn't mean being noisy of an act, I'm telling you. Perhaps you can't understand it fully by now, but the time will come that everything would reach your intuition," she smiled as she took my hands. "Do you have a problem with a friend?"

"Uhm, I don't think so if it's a problem with a pal."

Namika creased her brow. "So, what could be it?"

"I presume you already know Ferno, the one who defended me from Keevan. You know, I treat him as my friend, but he told me he doesn't look at me the same way."

"And that's why you've been crying for hours, eh?"

I nodded. "I was just hurt. I thought we're fine, but I was wrong all along. I didn't know what seems to be wrong. Or maybe, I have done something with him that he didn't like. I want to talk with him about this, but he didn't want to. He even told me he doesn't want to see me anymore."

"If he said so, then so be it. You don't know what he's going through, but you can help him."

"By what?"

"By giving him space," Namika replied. "He probably needs it, so why don't give him the favor? When he's ready enough to face you again, then take time to speak with him about your concern. Just leave him for this moment. Everything heals in time."

Namika was right— Ferno needed time; besides, I didn't know what was exactly happening with him. The old woman was truly a savior; if she didn't come, possibly I had been mourning all night.

I went to my bed and was slowly getting my sleep because of what storybook Namika was reading for me: Be A Friend. Before I could finally close my eyes, the moral of the story, fortunately, had registered in my mind:

Being a friend would come with duties and responsibilities. Not all things would work smoothly, but your part as a friend should remain in your heart and should be done with your acts. Considering, friendship was more of a materialistic need, thus, it was the bond that especially matters.

If Ferno did not fancy being with me, then maybe it was the time for me to admit that we were not friends. Notwithstanding, I would still treat him as one, no matter what would happen.

My tawny hair glistened in the sun that was peeking through the window. It was another season of hope again! I rubbed my eyes before going on the underground since I forgot to visit the place the other day. I yawned and still felt sleepy, but when I noticed the door under my bed was opened, my flesh became spirited. As far as I could remember, I left it locked. I closed my eyes and tried remembering everything that had happened.

I gaped as I thought of Namika. The last night, I was with her in the room. Could it be possible that she was the reason for this?

Still thinking of the old woman's motive, I quickly went down the ground to know if something was missing. The arrangement of the shelves did not change, but the photo album I left on the desk got disappeared. I wandered every corner, but I failed to find it. I even checked the books on the shelves one by one, but it was not there.

I got interrupted by the voice that was calling out for me, so I stopped searching and exited the place before anyone could catch me.

"I'm sorry, Mommy. Am I late for breakfast?" I asked when I finally arrived in the dining area wherein Daddy, Mommy, and Namika were already sitting.

"Not that late," Mommy Morrigan answered. "I entered your room, but you weren't there, so I assumed you were in the bathroom taking a bath, but it looks like you just woke up."

"A-ah... yeah, right, I was in the bathroom. I just gave my mouth uhm... a quick rinse, Mommy. But anyway, can we just eat? I'm hungry and by the way, good morning to y'all especially to Namika," I looked at the old woman with a grin, but she was avoiding her face at my sight.

Throughout the breakfast, Namika did not talk as to how she did not use to. She could not even eat properly, and that was why she had received lots of questions from Mommy and Daddy regarding her today's weird behavior.

On our way to school, the old woman still did not utter anything, so I asked her myself what was wrong, but she didn't mind answering me anyway. Was it because she could notice me observing her about the illegal admission to my secret place?

Since the old woman would not answer even so I asked her many times, I just gave up. Anyway, who was confident of admitting her guilt?

My place was no longer in secrecy because somebody had just found it. All I had to do was to fake the purpose of the underground and to think of other strategies because I was swimming into dangerous water. And once I drowned, it would be my end.

"Hey, why do you look so serious today?" Ferelith, my best friend among all, asked.

"Nothing," I let out a sigh.

"Woah!" she shouted as she raised her hands, complacent enough of creating noise since it was only the two of us who were in the room for we were too punctual for the class. "Look who's lying! Didn't you like your breakfast today?"

"You are crazy. I've always liked the food that Mommy serves me, of course."

"So tell me, what's wrong? Is it still because of Keevan? Wait, let me think... are you crushing on him?"

My eyes grew bigger. "What do you mean crushing on him? Who would like that boy's attitude, huh?"

"Me." A gleam of adoration could be seen in Ferelith's eyes. "I don't know why you can't appreciate Keevan's cuteness. I mean, look at those gray eyes and thin rosy lips. He's perfect!"

"Perfect?" I puckered my eyebrows. "He is way too far from being perfect. Don't be fooled."

Keevan indeed had cute features. In fact, other boys were jealous of him for holding both a gorgeous face and a wise brain; unfortunately, he was too unlucky to have a good moral.

Ferelith kept on telling me stuffs about Keevan, but her words weren't able to register inside my head because my focus was set on the paper I was holding, wherein my plans were written down. Besides, I didn't care about that boy.

"Busy?"

"Can't you see, Ferelith? You're just wasting time talking about-" I wasn't able to continue what I was saying when I realized it wasn't my best friend's voice. "You?" I sharply looked at the boy who was sitting beside me.

"Surprised, eh?" Keevan smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna do anything bad to you."

"C'mon, just give me a punch and stay away from me. Just do it and now, we're quits."

"Nah. I told you I won't do bad things to you because from now on, I'm a changed man."

"Did you just call yourself a man?"

"Okay, alright... a boy, I mean. I am now a changed boy, and as you can see, I've just approached you because I want to ask you only one question if you don't mind."

"C'mon, don't waste my time."

Keevan hemmed. "Aleera, can we be friends?" he asked as he offered his hands.

I did not answer right away. I just watched the sincerity in his eyes, and it looked like he was trying to start afresh. Who was I to not give him a chance?

"Friends," I smiled as I accepted his hands.

Keevan beamed at me and shook hands with me but after some time, he squeezed my palm until I groaned in pain. He laughed out loud seeing my face turned red; when I fake a faint, that was the only time he let go of my hands and ran away from the room— like a criminal chasing away from his villainy.