The Blood's Elegance

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

SPRING IS THE SEASON OF LOVE

The second day of the festival closed my past with my old best friends, opened a door for my new friends, and enhanced my understanding and attitude. Seth was the key to all of this. As our group walked back to the parking lot with the visitors and students, I matched Seth’s pace. He only smiled upon seeing my face beside him. Good thing that our cars were on the other campus; we wouldn’t get separated. We spotted Liam’s car first. They went inside and drove away, leaving us on our spot. We searched for our ride among the shining vehicles positioned in the nearly dark space. As soon as we saw the car, we hopped inside and drove. It turned out that the guys waited for us outside the gate because they didn’t know the direction to go home. I was hoping for a quick journey. However, we got stuck in the traffic. Some drivers kept beeping; it annoyed me. I called out my patience, both internal and external disguised in the body of Seth, to not shout at the impatient drivers. As if it was somebody’s fault that we were all stranded at the moment. If they wanted to go home early, then they should have left the event earlier, too. They were making noises like it was going to help the traffic move. Alright, it would somehow help them feel better.

I lost my last string of patience. I rolled down the window, placed my hand on the horn, and pressed it hard as I shout, “Shut up, bastards!”

The people inside called my name, but I didn’t stop.

“Go buy a flying car, idiots!”

“Seah!” Seth uttered in a dangerous voice, his forehead furrowed. He pulled me to sit while Ayuna rolled the window back. “Are you looking for a fight with them?”

I saw Ayuna staring at me through the rearview mirror. I rolled my eyes that I saw the aggravating face of Ayuna behind me and scoffed. My breath formed a fog on the window. It took forever before the cars moved quicker, and later on, I found ourselves in the middle of the traffic again, but this time, the flow of the vehicles went smooth. I got more on the road than the festival itself. Upon opening the door, I headed to the couch and slammed my drooping eyes on its leather.

“Girl, you’re still dirty, so take a bath first.”

I lifted my head with my half-awake eyes. Liam was standing in front of me. His arms crossed and raised chin, though I am lower than him, managed to intimidate me. “I’m sleepy.”

“We all are.”

I grunted and hit my face back on the couch.

“Just kidding.” he muttered. “Seth, I knocked down your girlfriend here.”

I slightly tilted my head to speak. “I am not his girlfriend.”

“Are you drunk?”

“No,” I mumbled under my breath, “I was just tired climbing the stairs.”

And the tiredness only crept in now. An hour of being in the stream of traffic didn’t wash it away, and now, in the darkness of my closed eyes, the god of sleep appeared and waved at me. His voice, calling me to permit him, hypnotized me when I felt hands on my waist and arms on my back. I moaned to resist, but I couldn’t find my energy.

“I can do it,” I whispered.

“You’re like a very drunk woman,” said Seth.

“I am not drunk.”

What was this tiredness that overpowered me? I had not experienced being this weak before, but I should admit, I was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I felt so little to be in his arms. To avoid my head from rocking because of his movements, I clung my right arm around his nape and laid on his massive chest. The movement stopped a little while later. My back touched the soft mattress, captivating me to a very long deep slumber with sweet dreams of rainbows, foods, and fancy clothes, and nothing to worry about but hunger because foods in my perceived reality would make me starve.

In my dreams, I was hugging my mother and muttering how much I missed her. I freaked out upon waking up and finding out what I was hugging. It was not some pillow but a human body, and I was enclosed in his arms, my head facing his chest. I felt like a young child in our position―innocent and need love and security, and he gave me all of it with this hug. Was this what they called cuddling? If it was that, then I would like to trade all my vacant hours for this thing. Guessing that Seth would stay away from me if he sees that I was awake, I did not remove my arm wrapped around his waist. I closed my eyes as his breathing hits my nose and fell asleep again, forgetting the question of who initiated the hug first.

The blinding light was trying to pass through the gray curtain. I fully opened my eyes and panicked after realizing that this was not our room. Roaming my eyes inside the four corners of the room, the recent image of what Seth’s room looks like rushed to me, and my panic subsided. I was alone in bed. I glanced at my clothes, and from the difference in style, I knew that someone changed me in my sleep. I was wondering who can it be when Seth knocked on the door and entered the room.

“Morning,” he greeted.

I returned his greeting. “Who changed my clothes?”

“Oh, I ask Leslie to change it because you were in a deep sleep, you wouldn’t wake up.”

I nodded my head and hopped from the bed. Remembering about last night, although it seemed real, my head still said it was a dream, my face flustered from embarrassment. “Uh…”

“What is it?” he said while he remained standing on the door. H frowned and placed the back of his palm on my forehead. “You are red. Are you sick?”

I distanced myself. “No, no. Uh, did I hug you first?” I asked with uncertainty.

He stared at me and gave an affirmative answer.

“Oh, my goodness,” I muttered as I protected my face from his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“I tried to remove it, but ou keep saying how much you miss me even though we were together for two days.”

“It was not for you. I dreamed of my mother.”

“You miss her?”

I took off my hands and put them on the side to assist my balance. I gazed at the floor. “Yes. I miss her hugs and her kisses on my cheek, but as we grow older, we tend to realize that we are drifting away from our parents to build our own identity.”

“Do you want a hug?”

My face heated again. Seth came closer and opened his arms. He bowed a little and wrapped me in a hug. I enveloped him in my arms, and using the strength of his arms, he lifted me from his bed. I snaked my legs around his waist to keep my body from falling and rested my chin on his shoulder, letting the calm moment with no one speaking pass between us.

Everyone needs a hug from something or someone, and it is one action that can save us from stress, loneliness, anxiety, and depression, so if you see someone struggling in their lives, hug them. It did not base it on gender and had no age boundaries. Just like how greed knows no limit, kindness also must be unlimited. It was something that could make every heart united, but this spread slower than evil. Nevertheless, the hardest bread does not stand a chance when dunked in a hot coffee. Everyone softens in a hug.

“Are you feeling better?”

This hug meant everything just now, and everything had just come to its end. I let out a groan but did not utter any additional complaint. Seth put me down and stood in front of me.

“Great, it is the last day of the festival. Last day of rest before we meet hell week again.”

Man, he was happy. I did not even say ‘yes,’ Should I hit him?

I unconsciously rolled my eyes, but he laughed at my action.

“Still not feeling better?”

I got off my butt and turned my back against him.

“What about this?” In one swift move, he pulled me by the hand and gaped the space between our lips. He created a sound as he separated his face from me. “Feeling better?”

“Not enough.”

He smirked playfully and locked my lips again with his. The way he held my back, touched my face, and softly grazed his lips against mine, I melted. To be in his arms and to drown in his kisses became my two favorite things.

He put one last kiss on me and placed his forehead on mine. The lips that I enjoyed curved into a smile. I returned it and stepped backward.

“I will take a bath.”

“Sweet,” he replied. “The main event of the closing of the festival will start by six in the evening, too, so we will eat breakfast and lunch here, and we’ll leave by five.”

I nodded and left his room. I climbed upstairs and reached our bedroom. I slowly opened the door because they might still be sleeping, but Leslie and Ann were both awake.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Ann said. “Did you have a good night sleep?”

I nodded. “Have you eaten breakfast?”

Leslie shook his head. “I met Seth earlier, he said he will cook.”

“Alright.”

We were climbing downstairs when we heard the unstoppable noise from the boys. Their laughs echoed up to the third floor of the house, and their shouts defeating girls’ pierced our ears. The five of us shared a look.

“What’s going on?”

All of us shrugged, unaware of the happiness oozing from the males living in this house. Our feet touched the last step of the stairs, and they weren’t in the living room. We walked towards the kitchen, and their voices got louder. My eyes twitched as their noise penetrated my ears. Do you know how it feels when you wake up, and everything was peaceful, then somebody ruins it? I had it right now, but seeing that James was chatting with the other boys with a smile, I forgave them without them asking for it. Seth turned around and was surprised to see us.

“I was just going to ask someone to call you,” he said as he put down the plate on the table. He motioned us to sit. The boys were together, so we, the new arrivals, sat together and minded our own business. He placed the last dish on the table. Sniffing the savory smell of the chicken curry served in front of my face, I gulped my saliva and asked my stomach to calm down. These homemade dishes made me crave more for food. “Let’s pray first.”

Ayuna led the prayer. When done, Seth allowed us to eat, so I scooped food to satisfy my hunger until lunch.

I gently pushed the platter to the center table and smiled at James when I caught him looking at me. Without any warning, I dove into the pleasure these foods can give me. I chewed it carefully and showed a thumbs up to Seth. He was looking at me expectantly. “It tastes good. When did you learn how to cook?”

“His mother enrolled him in a cooking class with me,” Ayuna spoke beside me.

I asked for my patience again. Seriously, Ayuna could piss me on her ways like this. I wasn’t asking her, but she answered as if telling me that she became part of his life first before me. As if I care about that. I didn’t want her to act like she knows it all. Like she’s a goody-two-shoes in the eyes of others. She showed me her color on the second day that I was here, and the first impression that she created will forever linger in my mind.

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