Chapter 36
2083 Words
Chapter 36
SPRING IS TIME FOR FRIENDSHIP V
As we go back, I realized that this is the right time to talk with James while he was alone with Troy. As I said, I didn’t want anyone to hold any grudge against me. Thinking about it made my heart heavy, and seeing how James reacted earlier, I thought that there was something that he is keeping from us… something that I need to find out. I was curious, yet I didn’t want to be forceful. He could tell it to me… to us when every time he wants to.
“I have to do something.” I excused myself from the couple and quickened my pace only to find that James’ spot was blank, and Troy was the only one watching our belongings. “Where is he?”
“Grabbing a drink.”
I caught sight of James on the left buffet table. Not sure if it was him, but he was the only one in front of the punch with a cup in his hand, and thanks to the light from the table, I recognized his mask and outfit. With tense shoulders, I approached him. He just shot me a look.
“Drinks for two.”
The server handed him another juice in a cup which he gave to me. He left the table without adding any words.
“Wait.” I caught up with him. “Can I have a moment with you?”
He did not answer. He just walked in pure silence. His invisible barrier told me to leave him alone, but if I will not use this chance, when can I talk with him? Later? In the house when others were around? My pride and held dignity said no.
Was James still mad?
He stopped when we were already far from the crowd. I thought he wouldn’t let me talk to him. A few more walk and we could have reached the entrance of the building. “What is it?”
“About earlier…” I trailed off. “I am sorry if I offended you. You know it was a joke.”
“Some truths are expressed as a joke to not hurt a person directly.”
“I am sorry.”
“It was not your fault.” He sipped from his drink. “I was more offended by Drake and Frank. They were my best friends, but they knew a little about me and called me a pedophile.” He huffed. “As if I am.”
I followed him to settle on the field, my left leg pressed on my right leg. I used my right arm to balance myself.
“Let me tell you a secret. None of my friends know about this.”
“Shall I call myself special?” I joked.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Seah.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m all ears.”
He finished his punch and played with the styro cup. He threw it in the air and caught it with his hand. When he was not contented, he two centimeters from the top of the cup and folded it. Using his finger as a stick, he made a hole on the cup, and it formed a mouthless face. “I have a sister. She was younger than me, but we were best friends. When I was young, I stopped for a year, so we could go on the same grade the next school year. We became classmates. We did everything together. Partners in crime, too. We were so close, we had each other’s back, so no one could bully any of us. We shared the same mind, but our connection ended.”
“What happened?”
“Sabrina died of pneumonia when I was thirteen. I stopped another year because of depression. When I went back to school, I had no friends because all my life, I only had Sabrina, but those guys, especially Drake and Seth, forced themselves to be my friends.”
A lump formed in my throat. “I am sorry about what happened to your sister.”
“It was not even your fault why she acquired that disease, so why are you apologizing?” he asked. “Whenever I see younger girls, I remember my sister, and in my head, I think that their siblings must be lucky to have them. Sometimes, I wish that I would have a sister again, but no one could be like Sabrina, and I also realized that even if I don’t have a biological sister, at least, I have my brother, my friends, and you, girls.”
What was the purpose of festivals other than to celebrate the culture and traditions of one place and to spread the knowledge of the citizens’ glorious heritage? It brought the hearts of the people closer, uniting family members and building relationship with the strangers who, later on, become part of our lives. In festivals, we could create special moments that we could remember forever, but we couldn’t deny that when there is crowd and temporary darkness, there is an accident. An accident that could bring us trauma for the rest of their lives. For now, what I felt was the positive effect of the festival. I loved dancing with Seth, I enjoyed my bond with them, and I appreciated that James’ told me something that his friends were unaware of to explain himself even though there is no need for that.
From afar, based on the walk, shape of the body, and the silhouette of his clothes formed by the opened lights of the field, Seth was coming. James stood beside me and lent me a hand to rise, but my leg felt numb because I put all my weight on my right leg. As he comes near, his face also became clear in my sight.
“Have you talked about it?” the man beside me inquired in a low voice.
“About what?”
“About your relationship.”
I shook my head. “It’s not yet the right time.”
“Afraid of commitment?”
“Before, I would dive into any possible relationship. This time, I want to take it slow and be serious. I am afraid he was the one who isn’t ready for that.”
He nodded. “Even though he is my friend, I can’t tell what is going on inside his head. You would be his first.”
“Not Ayuna?”
“Ayuna?” he exclaimed. “No, no―”
I laughed. “Just kidding. I know that they are just friends.”
“She was friendzoned.”
We both chuckled.
Seth stopped in front of us and thew us glances. “Have you, two, made up?”
James and I looked at each other. “Yeah, we’re good.”
“What about Frank and Drake?”
“Nope.” He popped his lips as he answered. “Let them.”
“They went overboard this time.”
James agreed. “Do I look like a pedophile?”
“What?” Seth looked at his friend as if he lost his head. “No, dude. They just jump to a conclusion because you don’t like any girls in our age. Right, I have something to tell you as an additional reason why you should beat up our friends.
James’ eyes were shining in curiosity. “What is it?”
“Remember one day when you go in our house when we were in the middle school and the boys were acting weird?”
He tilted his head and squinted his eyes. The long strands of his brown hair covered his right eye. “Yeah?”
“And they won’t tell you what’s wrong?”
“I remember.”
“That is when we were betting whether you were still a virgin in your age.”
“Who started it?”
“Frank.”
James’ sinister smile curved on his lips. “I think they would die if I tell them that I lost it when I was twelve.”
Seth’s eyes nearly popped out of their socket, but he hid his expression quickly. “You are a bad boy when you are younger.”
“I’m still young.”
“Tell that to someone who would believe that a crow turns pink when they are in love,” he said. “Anyway, you didn’t hear it from me. Let us go back because they are serving now the main course.”
“Main course?”
“Your eyes just lit up brighter than the star,” Seth teased, causing me to roll my eyes.
I gave him my sweetest smile. “Maybe you are right because only food can make me that happy.”
I flipped my hair and left them behind, ignoring Seth’s reaction and James’ laugh. I stopped at our table and requested Drake to stand up.
“I thought you were good?”
“Something happened.”
Nevertheless, he obeyed me. Seth’s face was indescribable upon seeing who was sitting beside him as he eats the main course for the night. I shared eye contact with Seth, and intentionally showed him how I ate the food. I licked my lips and avoided looking in his direction again.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I just want to bond with you, guys.” I turned to my right and saw Ayuna staring at us. “Not you though.”
She rolled my eyes, and I laughed. See? She was a fake. Acting nice as if that was her nature, but she was a wolf in a sheep’s clothing.
The host was off his job for half an hour. Jokes and words revolved around our table despite what happened earlier between the boys. If James would his mouth, the awkwardness would envelop the group. Good thing, he kept his thoughts to himself as the girls share stories that they heard about other students in our university. In hope that I would hear something about Adamaris, I only disappointed myself.
Thirty minutes was enough time for ourselves, and we were blinded again by the darkness only if weren’t for the light from the fire.
The host returned with his microphone. “Aracebellos aims to illuminate one of the darkest history of the Aran, formerly known as Presiarella. The smoke of the fire behind me will send the soul of the dead who has not yet slumbered to their world of peace, and tonight, ladies and gentlemen, with this burning flames behind me, we will renounce one of our possessions. Acceptance is a virtue, greed knows no limits. Whatever you feel after forsaking what is yours, considering its value, can determine your character. Whether you shall be one of those dead that shall attain tranquility or a man that shall suffer in the hands of the monsters, but remember, humans act more cruel than monsters themselves. I will start.”
He removed something from his hand, a ring I bet, and threw it in the blaze. The people started rising and forming a line, and one by one, they discarded a thing from them. I was still torn about what to dispose of. Seth hadn’t told me about it. Our group stood and lined up behind others. Earrings, necklace, and anklet… were what I have. In the end, when it was our turn, I removed the anklet given by my best friend in primary school. Our relationship was trashed easily, and this was the only item that I have to remind me of them, but then, I guessed if I am to choose whether to throw the earrings bought by Rose, the necklace as a gift from my mom, or this anklet, I have to let it go to free the memory of something that not fixable. The fire waved at me as I tossed the ornament. The heavy burden was off my chest. It was not my fault. My innocent self was still clinging to them, but now, I finally bade my farewell.
“Good bye, Jesse and Kyle.”
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- Writer
