Down System

Chapter 27

There was silence between us for a moment. No one of us talked. We were just staring at each other.

"You never changed, too, Aleera," Keevan said, after some time, grinning at me. "You still look adorable."

My jaw dropped. I wanted to believe what he had told me, but what if he was just teasing me again?

It was just days of not seeing his face, but it seemed like something was different the moment my eyes laid on him. There shouldn't be a glimmer shining in my heart, but what the hell was this?

When Keevan walked a little towards me, I stepped backward, trying to look away. I didn't know why he appeared in front of me, but no matter what the reason was, I had to escape from him.

The moment my foot stepped forward, Keevan held my hand, giving me a scathing look.

"Don't try to run away," he said. "You'll come with me whether you like it or not."

I puckered my eyebrows. "Where will you bring me?" I asked. "Just let me go! I am so done with you, Keevan. Why did you come back, eh?"

"Because of you."

My eyes grew bigger. For seconds, I did not utter anything. I didn't even perform anything to get out from his arms.

Without my intuition, Keevan pulled me out of the mansion. I shouted for help, but no one came to rescue me. And even so, I slapped him many times, he didn't let go of me. Seriously, what did he want from me?

Keevan brought me back to the flower garden. In this place, was the only time he released my hands.

I planned to run again away from him, but his begging look stopped me. I stood fiercely at him and said, "What do you want?"

The young boy let out a deep sigh. "I just want to say sorry for everything," he said. "But since you don't want to talk to me, I just pulled you here. It's the only way I know."

I swallowed my saliva. "Did you just come back?" I asked.

Keevan shook his head. "Honestly, I didn't know you're here. This place? This is ours, and that's why I'm here. And when I entered the dining room, I was surprised to see you exited the comfort room, smelling bad."

I clenched my fist. "I thought you're asking for forgiveness? And yet, you're still making fun of me."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry. Okay, now, I'm serious." From a playful face, he turned sincere. "I won't come back here anymore. I just went here because my family is preparing our documents for naturalization. And that's why I had taken the chance to talk to you."

My mind stuttered. Did I hear it right— that he won't come back anymore? I stared at him in disbelief. I knew he was noticing my reaction, and so, I did everything to hide it.

"Forgiven," I said, affirmed. "Now, can you please let me leave? I'm losing the trip because of you."

Keevan walked closer to me and said, "Okay, but, will you promise me one thing?"

Wrinkles creased my brow. "What?"

"That you'll be safe no matter what."

My feedback was unknown. I wanted to smile at him for his sincerity, but I also didn't want to become open to him. I was about to speak when he patted my forehead and ran away, shouting,

"I finally had taken my revenge from you, Punch Girl!"

My eyes burned with what he did. I thought he was really sorry, but he just bullied me again. What a freak he was!

I was about to follow that stubborn kid when someone from my back called my name. When I turned around, I saw Ferelith, standing with her wrinkled brows.

"Why are you here? And, who was the boy?" she asked. "You disappeared in the mansion, I'm glad to find you here."

"Never mind," I said as I held her hands. "Let's just go back."

When we were back in the dining area, Mommy and Daddy abruptly hugged me, asking where did I go. I shouldn't be speaking to them the real thing, so I created an alibi— saying I looked for the comfort room.

"Didn't I tell you?" the guide asked.

"U-uhm, no. I can't find the restroom here, so I just went out. I didn't know I made you worry so much," I said. "Sorry."

The guide slightly patted my head and told me to ask him next time for ways. To avoid it from happening again, he announced to everyone the proper approaching, so no one could lose his way. If a student disappeared from the group and failed to be found, he will be sentenced to imprisonment for ten years.

While hearing the guide talk, my conscience was attacking me. I thought I had made the wrong reason. If this reached the main, he might be suspended from work because of me. I didn't want him from receiving warnings, so I just told them that I intentionally went out to see the field.

Mommy and Daddy slapped their foreheads in embarrassment and disappointment. It was just right for them to feel that way towards me, rather than feel bad about the guide, who was innocent of everything.

If I saw Keevan again, I would surely throttle him for making things complicated.

"Is Keevan really coming back?" I asked Ferelith while we were walking out of the dining room, and heading to the next destination.

I no longer trust that boy for what he had just done again. I started to doubt the words he had spoken to me for annoying me.

Once I found out that he wasn't leaving again, I would believe him no more. Starting on this day, every word that was coming from his mouth was just a lie to me.

"That's what they had told me," she answered. "Why did you ask- wait..." She looked at me in surprise. "The boy in the field, was it him?"

I nodded. "I thought he's with us on the trip, but he said this place is theirs."

Ferelith's eyes grew wider. "Really? He's really rich, huh! But, wait a minute... why are you there with him?"

I couldn't stare directly at her. Should I tell her the truth or not? I was afraid this might cause a conflict.

My mind was still thinking like a train that had no plan to end. I didn't know what to say and what to do; fortunately, the guide mouthed again and told us to be quiet for some time because he would be introducing to us the spot we were in.

I thought I was already safe with Ferelith's question, but when we started wandering the place, she asked the same thing again.

"Will you get mad at me when you know the truth?" I asked her.

"If there's nothing to be angry about, why would I?" She hugged my shoulders. "C'mon, say it."

I bowed my head a bit as I told him what really had happened. My voice was shaking. I was totally shamefaced. All I thought she would have resentments towards me, but I was wrong at all.

Ferelith laughed. "Did he really do that?" she asked. "He's crazy! He's making things for me to like him more."

I gave her an uncertain look.

Was Ferelith serious about what she had aforesaid? She was crazy, too. She matched Keevan well, no doubt.

I took the bottle inside my bag and drank as we continued. I was exhausted from walking. I felt like sleeping, but it was afternoon only. I would like to go to the room that they prepared for us, but it would mean being rude. So, I just waited for the trip to end.

When darkness ruled over the sky, the guide already escorted us going to our respective rooms. In every square, there must be two persons of the same gender. And as usual, I was with Ferelith.

Meanwhile, Mommy and Daddy were in another room. Before sleeping, they visited me first and gave me snacks in case hunger would visit me in the middle of the night.

It was already ten, but I and Ferelith were still sharing stories on the bed while eating the food my parents handed me.

I was stupidly looking at my best friend as I listened to her stories. I didn't know she was suffering more than I expected the first time she told me the separation that had happened between her mom and dad.

"Why didn't you tell your mom about it?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?" Ferelith puckered her brows. "It was just a game. The only thing I was ranting about was the exhaustion."

Tears started to fall from my eyes while hugging her. I pity her for not knowing the real thing about what she had been through; how would his dad say that rape was just a game?

Ferelith was only eleven, and she was still innocent of human s****l desires. She was smiling while telling me how his dad played every part of her just like a little mannequin. She even told her dad was the best father in the world for making her happy every night.

Disgusting!

"He's been so good to me that I didn't expect him to hurt Mom," she said. "Sorry, I just can't stop myself from crying while remembering all the good times with him. I missed him dressing me and fixing my hair."

"Ferelith," I cried, still hugging her.

My best friend noticed me wailing more than her, so she asked me what was going on; however, I didn't answer.

If only I could speak things the way that she would understand, I wouldn't be enduring this pain. Besides, I might hurt her for telling her the truth. But, I shouldn't be letting her enjoy a lie as well.

"Ferelith." I faced her. "Please, let your mom know about the game as soon as possible."

"But, she would just think of my father and hurt even more. I don't want that, Aleera."

"No," I said, affirmed. "Trust me, okay? Tell her about the game."

I had a hard time convincing her, but in the end, she accepted my request. I was glad that she said yes, but the stench of fear in me was greater. I knew the truth will be revealed to her, and it might alarm her, but it would be much better than letting her be blinded.

In the following days, I was still thinking of my best friend. I wonder how was she doing; did she already tell her mom about the rape? Though I wanted to call her, I didn't do so, since I wanted her and her mom to have space.

On the first day of class, Ferelith greeted me with a face that seemed to be scared after the trip. She was sitting on her chair with tears in her eyes.

I abruptly ran to her and hugged her, asking her what was wrong.

"Aleera," she said, "it wasn't a game, was it? It wasn't a game..."

Only the two of us were in the room, causing her loud wails to arouse in the whole area.

I knew it would happen— that she would soon discover the real color of her dad. It was hurting me seeing her undergo such kind of situation, but I couldn't do anything to change it. If only I could erase her memories with her father for her to not feel the pain anymore.

I didn't let go of Ferelith until she finished crying. I could not take my stare away from her during the lessons, especially that she looked dumbfounded.

Ferelith wasn't speaking nor moving during the lesson. It seemed like she was already being ruled by phobia. Until when lunchtime came, she wasn't uttering any word. Our friends were asking her what was wrong, but she would just give them a sharp look. She didn't even eat her food, making me worry more about her.

"Do you want to stay at the playground?" I asked. "Only the two of us."

Gladly, she nodded.

We left our friends in confusion. I told them we would be leaving, but I didn't answer their question on why.

When we were already at the said place, Ferelith started eating, fortunately. Nonetheless, nothing had changed in her emotion. She was still muted and looking afraid of everything that surrounded her.

I was trying to hold back my tears. I couldn't bear seeing her like this, but I also didn't want her to notice me crying because of her.

Ferelith remained quiet in the following days. She became even more awkward towards people. She was not the same person anymore— the loquacious girl who turned muted. The whole class had noticed the changes in her, that even our teacher was affected by her actions.

She survived a week of attending school carrying the burden at her back, but the next day, her presence was nowhere to be found; the teacher told us she was sick.

On that very day, I visited my best friend and found out she was really having a bad fever; it wasn't only her that looked weak, but also her mother, who still had marks of healed wounds in every part of her body.

I was in Ferelith's living room with Mommy and Daddy while waiting for her mother, who was preparing food for us.

"Eat first before you leave," Ferelith's mother said as she put down the meal on the desk. "Don't you worry about my daughter, she's now doing fine."

"Aunt, I'm sorry. I think it's my fault why Ferelith suffers." I bowed my head a bit. "I'm the one who told her to inform you about-"

"You don't have to be sorry," the mother said as she held my hands. "It's a good thing that I know now how evil her father is. If not because of you, I am still blinded. Time will pass and we will both heal."

I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes.

Since that day, I was always visiting Ferelith and her mother. My twenty-four hours weren't complete without checking on them.

The sun was rising, and since I had no class, I had decided to come again to my best friend's house, but Namika arrived in the house, stopping me.

"Let go of my hands now, Namika. We have to go," I told her.

"You're not going," the old woman said. "Cancel all your appointment for today."

"B-but, why? Ferelith needs me."

"I know," Namika said, "and the whole Hades needs you, too."

Wrinkles creased my brow.

"Young girl," she mouthed as she held my hands, "he is now returning."