Down System

Chapter 56

ALEERA VERNIZE

"You've been asking me that many times. Didn't I tell you that I'm not afraid of you?"

I was used to hearing the same question from Ferno all over again. Even though how much I tell him the same answer that I wasn't scared of him, he would not still stop questioning me that. Did he really think he was someone to bow our heads with? It was getting annoying.

The two of us were still in the canteen because he was having his breakfast. I was also eating the salad that Mommy had prepared for me since I didn't want him to have the food alone. But after he asked me, I thought I lost my appetite.

I looked at Ferno irritatingly as I stood. I had the plan to go back to the room since my first class would start soon, but he stopped me, saying,

"I'm not done yet. Will you just leave me like that?"

"I just hate you for asking me the same question almost every hour of the day. Who do you think you are?" I mouthed, crossing my arms and never minding the people who were looking at me.

"Okay, fine. You're not afraid of me, alright. Just sit down and I promise I'll not ask the same question again. I knew it. We are friends and there's no reason for you to get scared of me."

I took my seat again but still with crossed arms. "Good thing you've already realize it."

"I'm sorry, I am just curious and that's why I keep on-"

"Okay, you better stop it," I told him. "Let me ask you this time." I put my hands on the table and stared straight at him. "What's really your agenda when you visited me in the house?"

"I wanted to invite you in the house," Ferno answered.

I puckered my eyebrows. "And, why?"

"Nothing. I guess I just want you to have a peek at it. So, do you want to come with me next time?"

I wanted to show a beam, but I was controlling myself. This was indeed a perfect time for me to get to know him more. What house was he telling to me? I didn't think so it was under the lake he was referring to.

I was still about to speak when the buzzer buzzed. "Will talk to you later," I told him before leaving the cafeteria.

When I came back to the room, everyone's gaze was in me. Some of them were gossiping, and I didn't know what they were talking but it was probably about me. I went immediately to my seat and tried my best not to mind them.

After some time, the teacher in front started talking, and that was why everyone's attention was already turned to her, except for Ferelith. That best friend of mine moved her chair closer to me and leaned her face to my ears as she whispered,

"They are backstabbing you."

I folded my brow and thought of the reason why they would do so. Then, I thought perhaps it was because I was again with Ferno. I knew it because even my other friends were murmuring the time I entered the room.

I had the plan to talk back when the instructor moved her gaze at the two of us; she was probably observing us, so I didn't speak yet to Ferelith and just waited for the teacher to dismiss us because once she caught us talking during the discussion, she would definitely kick us out.

When the morning class had finally ended, I abruptly pulled Ferelith out of the room and brought her to the field. As we arrived there, I asked her right away why our friends and classmates would talk back at me when I wasn't around. Though I already knew the answer, I still wanted to be sure of it.

"They don't like you being with Ferno," Ferelith said. "They say you're just acting brave, so everyone will fear you as well. According to them, you are just coming with him because you look strong together with him."

"What the hell?" I said in disbelief.

I was so disappointed with the people, especially of my friends for thinking in such a way. How would they come up to a conclusion without having a piece of strong evidence about it? If only they knew I was doing this for them, they would stop saying bad things about me. But what could I do? They hadn't known anything yet and I must not slap them with the truth.

I let out a deep sigh and moved my gaze away from Ferelith. Instead, I looked at the blue skies and tried calming myself. Patience was the key to be victorious. If I would let my anger rule over me, I wouldn't be able to do well on my tasks. If I had one thing to react to this kind of situation, it must be deep understanding.

"Just let them say what they want to say," I told Ferelith, which made her give me a scathing look.

"Are you damn serious, Aleera?" she asked. "You really are sure you won't do anything about it? They are so bad towards you, and I can't see any reason for you to receive those bad words."

"If I pay them back with bad act as well, I'm not making the situation more ease. Just let them talk as long as they are not hurting any of us, I won't speak."

"But how about our fake friends? What are you gonna do with them?"

"Nothing," I replied. "I'll just talk to them like how I used to. If I change a thing, they will notice it and it will surely be awkward."

Ferelith groaned. "I can't imagine you're talking like that. If I were you, I will slap them and remove them from my circle! There's no way for them to enter my life. Duh!"

"Seriously?" I giggled.

"Uh-huh! And here, you're still laughing. I'm a hundred percent serious and honest about it. Why don't you cut them off in your life? They are bad for your mental health, I'm telling you."

"I'm not thinking of it usually, after all. I don't care what they say about me, so it's all fine."

Again, Ferelith moaned and I just laughed about it.

I actually appreciate her for defending my name when I wasn't around. Before I entered the room, I heard her shouting at my classmates and told them to stop talking about me. That was the reason why the teacher got mad and just stayed silent when I came. That also explained why everyone was looking at me the very moment my foot stepped inside the room.

So, I fully understood what was Ferelith coming from. Like me, she was also disappointed by them, particularly by our friends for acting badly at me. I loved the thought that I had a friend like him— the one who would not look the same way that the majority did.

I held Ferelith's hands and stood. "Wanna eat?" I asked her as I gave her a wide and sweet smile. "And forget about this nonsense matter?"

She also beamed at me and said, "Let's go!"

We didn't go to the cafeteria, but outside the campus because we wanted to hang out there. Besides, we have a two-hour-vacant this afternoon. We had a small talk there about our families, and I just found out that she was doing better day by day.

According to Ferelith, her dad was trying to change himself to build a stronger bond. She told me that the very reason he came back as he was missing her and her mom. But still, she was doing her best to move on and accept her dad again in her life.

But if I were her, it would be hard for me to embrace again a father who did terrible to me. It would take me long years to forgive a dad who almost ruined my whole being. However, after all, I wasn't Ferelith. I wasn't her who had a very soft heart for her father. I wasn't her who had the strong eagerness to obtain a family restoration. Most especially, I wasn't her who was in this miserable situation.

"By the way," Ferelith mouthed, "what did Ferno say to you again? He's already pissing me off, actually."

"Don't be," I told her. "He just asked me to stay with him during his breakfast."

"Can't he stand alone?"

"Sure, he can. But, I don't know, maybe he just wanted me to come with him. You know, since he came back, he always likes me to be by his side."

"And that's a bit annoying."

I nodded. "I won't deny it. Honestly, I've been thinking sometimes if he felt the same way before. Remember, he didn't want me at first to be his friend and he was like always annoyed by me."

"And now, the world reversed."

"Ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Funny you may think, but he's still getting into my nerves. If he will always be like that, I'll just wish he never came back," Ferelith rolled her eyes. "Until now, I'm still curious and confused about his return. Have you known a thing?"

I shook my head, but obviously, I lied again to her. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what to say, honestly. But I think, he wasn't the kid we saw on the trunk. It might be someone else. Since the face of the students was filled with blood, we had a hard time recognizing him, right?"

"So you think it wasn't him?"

"Yeah, but, Ferno's family told the whole campus that they were happy about his death. What if he was really killed and he just raised to death? And when he came back, he killed his family?"

"So, you believe in resurrection?" I asked her.

"At first, I didn't. But now, I'm hesitating."

I hemmed and thought of a new topic since she was having a good point at it. But before I could say something, Ferelith had it first.

"I missed Keevan," she said.

I didn't know how to react to what she said, but since we already had something fresh in the conversation, I just chose to be happy about it even though I didn't really like the subject that much.

Before I could speak again, I took the glass of water and drank a bit. But again, before I could talk, Ferelith went first and mouthed,

"But, there's no reason to be sad because I'll be seeing him again." She gave a wide smiled and as high as heaven.

I creased my brow and ask, "What do you mean?"

Ferelith bowed her head a bit. "Sorry, I think there's still a reason to be sad."

"I don't understand you. Care to tell what about it?"

She lifted her gaze again. "We are leaving Hades as soon as possible. Mom and Dad already talked about it. It's planned, Aleera."

I looked stupidly at her. I wasn't able to speak right away because I was trying to process in mind what she had told me.

"Are you serious?" I asked her.

"Do you think I'm joking about it?"

"No, but why didn't you tell me about it earlier?"

"I'm not still sure about it at first, anyway. I confirmed it first before telling to you."

"So, you're gonna leave me and what?"

"I'm really sorry, Aleera." Ferelith held my hands. "It isn't my desire, but my parent's. I don't want it because I don't want to be far from you, but I can't do anything since the two of them already prepared for it. They are packing things now and we're gonna leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" My eyes grew wide. "Why so sudden?"

"I told you, it's their plan. They don't want people to know about it. Honestly, they told me to not tell you this, but I just can't."

My tears started to shed down through my cheeks. "I can't believe you're doing this to me. You're all that I have now in Ragwarths, and now you're walking away?"

Ferelith also began crying as well. She stood in her seat and went towards me to hug me.

The two of us were both wailing in the restaurant, which caused the customers to look at us. One of the crews approached us and asked if we were lost. The manager even reached us and thought we didn't like their food and that was why we were groaning.

When they were finally gone from our sights again, I continued to talk and convinced Ferelith to not go away. I loved her and I didn't want to be separated from her. What if she found another best friend there? It would surely pain me a lot.

"Are you really leaving?" I asked Ferelith once more, hoping she was just kidding about it.

"I will, and as I've said to you, I have nothing to do about this anymore. My school paper and requirements are now ready for my out."

"W-when will you come back?"

"I still don't know. But I promise when I arrived there, I'll call you right away. We will still talk every day. Do you understand it?"

I nodded and forced a smile, but deep down I was so hurt.

On the next day, I got up early from my bed and asked Mommy and Daddy to escort me going to Ferelith's house. I wanted to hug her before she would leave. I also wanted to give her the letter I had made, so whenever she'd read it, she would think about me.

"Ferelith!" I called out for her name and abruptly went down the car as soon as I saw her come out of their gate. I gave her a tight hug as tears fell again from my eyes.

"You should stop crying now, Aleera," she told me as she let go of me. "I might cry, too."

I wiped my tears and firmly faced her. I was still teary, but I was trying to hold back my tears since I didn't want Ferelith to wail throughout her travel. This was so sudden and it was still surprising me, but I would do my best to cope with this. One of the best ways I could do was to smile in front of her and while doing it, I told her,

"May we meet again, my best friend."