The Blood's Elegance

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

SPRING IS FOR FESTIVAL

I wasn’t informed about what happened after we returned to our rooms. They left their friends on the field. We stayed the night in the hotel in silence. The next morning, as we went out from our room to check out, I saw them standing in the hallway. My knees wanted to disobey me, feeling weak all of a sudden. I couldn’t stand seeing them. I could still feel their p*****t stares on my skin, and with that alone, I felt dirty for being disrespected.

“They wanted to go home last night, but Reji didn’t allow them to leave without apologizing,” said Rose on our side. “Although their apologies will not be able to remove the scars they left on you.”

I tried to face them, alright. I tried to look at them, but the more they become clear in my vision, it was not human beings that I was seeing, but demons in the hallway of a grand hotel, holding their bags and ready to flee from the crime they were about to commit if only they weren’t stopped.

“I’m sorry, I can’t.”

I ran in the opposite direction where I could found the emergency exit. I cried hard and hard, wanting to forget their images, but my mind remembered their faces and their cruelty. I wanted to go out of this nightmare.

I remembered, on our way back to my home, when I was riding in a car together with my friends, Andy and Rose, I was only staring at the window, and when a building caught my attention, my eyes would follow it as if I left something on that skyscraper. Perhaps, it was innocence that I lost or my dignity or my confidence that was buried under the land. Perhaps it was hidden on the glimmering blue and red lights reflected on the building. Perhaps, I was just lost in my thoughts that anything catches my eyes, but why can't I catch again my old self that was lost after attending an event?

I was silent the entire ride, blaming myself for almost getting Andy and I r***d and blaming those maniacs for not keeping their libido on themselves. They could just buy toys to pleasure themselves, but why do they need to force humans for their satisfaction?

They dropped me in front of our house. I didn't know how they found it. Maybe, through my ID, or I unconsciously told them. What I knew was that I was so tired to even understand what's going on around me.

"Do you think we should tell Maurice?" they asked.

Reji rubbed his chin. Rose was very worried while Andy, at least, was the calmest among us.

"No need." They looked at me. Those were the first words I uttered after the long journey. "You don't have to."

"But—"

"It was an almost event." I sighed. "Filing a lawsuit against those or making it a big deal—"

"It was a big deal, Seah."

"I know." My voice cracked. I immediately wiped my eyes. Reji looked away. "I'm afraid it could change my life entirely. I don't want to look like I was eaten up by fear because of it. I want to live normally, if you understand what I mean."

They shared glances, keeping me from their secret conversation.

"I understand your worry, but please, try to understand me, too. That's my decision."

"What about you, Andy?"

Our heads turned to our other friend. I love her calmness. Sometimes, it was what keeps me sane.

"Justice will come in no time. It might not come from me, but someone out there will serve it for the victims," she said.

Rose sighed. She was problematic in our situation, but she couldn't do anything because it was our decision.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Reji staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault."

"No one is blaming anyone, so please, let's try to forget that."

"No one would like to remember such a terrifying happening," Andy added to my statement. "It would be best if you will not look at us with pity as if we lost in a war when we clearly didn't. We learned something."

After a long conversation, I finally bid farewell to them. Tired, I entered our house. Mom was not inside. She probably hangs out with other parents in the clubhouse. I forgot to tell her that I'm going home.

I stayed in my bedroom for hours until I didn't notice that it was already evening. My stomach grumbled, but I couldn't find the energy to feed myself. I felt like I lost my sense of taste. My room smelled like a rose perfume before smelled nowhere near the fragrance I am searching for. My room was dark. Everything felt so dull.

I let the event be forgotten. I went to my classes and continued learning our lessons. I enjoyed the school although nothing good has happened to me for months. There were pranks, death threats, and other events that might seem not normal for other students, but I didn't pay too much attention. If I did that, I'm just giving other people the satisfaction they are seeking from me. Other than that, I distanced myself from Seth, but he was very persistent in chasing me around the school. During lunch, he sat at my table whenever I try to hide from him. During classes, when we became classmates in some courses during the second semester, we were always in the same group. He, sometimes, treated me to the mall, but he ended up trying to find my mood, not knowing where he went wrong. I couldn't tell it was him because it was not his mistake in the first place.

One Monday morning, I stepped on our front porch, ready to go to school. I closed the door and turned around to leave, but I did not expect Seth. He surprised me with a bouquet of red roses. I accepted it and sniffed the good scent on the first day of a busy week.

"What is this for?"

He shrugged.

"Really?"

"The truth is..." He shyly rubbed his nape. His ears weren't red, but I was sure he was embarrassed. "You seemed unwell for the past few weeks, and I wanted to know if you are okay, but you won't tell me, so... Surprise?"

I faked a smile. I'd mastered it well. "I'm fine."

"I will not ask again." He approached the side of his car and opened the door for the passenger seat. "Hop in."

"I was supposed to drive today."

"Forget that. I will send you home today,too."

I grinned and went back to place the key back on the hook. "Mom, I will not bring the car today."

I rode in Seth's car, my mind flying on the romantic paradise. I forgot to leave the flower he gave.

"Honestly, I want to invite you." He threw me a glance and swiftly grabbed my left hand and intertwined it with him while driving the car. "It's time for festivals."

"Where?"

His thumb caressed my hand with eyes still focused on the street. "There are a lot of places with scheduled festivals. We might also meet our schoolmates there."

"Festivals like?"

He quickly took a look at me and laughed as if mocking my ignorance of their culture. "What do you know about Imperial?"

I scrunched my nose. "Next to nothing."

"Spring is the time for festivals," he said, "and love."

He wiggled his eyebrows. I shook my head at his playfulness and avoided his gaze.

"So?"

"Of course, I'm down for it if you're there," I answered as I stared at the street, but when he didn't speak, my eyes flew to him, and I found him smiling widely. "You're weird."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Nah," he insisted. "I'm just thinking about something. "Whatever."

My hands already felt numb, but I didn't complain. It's only a few minutes when we reached the institution and students rushed to different buildings. We separated after he sent me to my room. His was at the end of the hallway. In a blink of an eye, I heard chatters of wandering people more pleasant than the talks of the students meeting their friends at the hallway and the sceneries of the classrooms and students faded into a wide vast green field occupied by humans in their fancy dresses, masks, and canes, and a carnival so huge that it attracted the attention of the visitors. My head turned to my sides and saw our company in the car. Seth brought Ayuna with us. There was another guy whom I had seen at the Orientation and talked to once. If I could remember it correctly, his name might be Gab or Gabriel. Aside from that, there were two guys and four girls who I didn't know the name riding in the car behind ours. They must be Seth's classmates. I never got the chance to invite Adamaris. She avoided me ever since, and a few months had passed since that Acquaintance Party happened—she seemed like an outcast. Until now, I wasn't able to understand her reason, so, in this event, I didn't have someone I am close with as my company. Only Seth.

This was supposed to be celebrated with our families. It was Seth's parents who invited us to their other house which was still located near their main residence, but all of them were busy, and even my mom.

When we reached the location, the boys helped Seth unload the bags from the cars. They brought two, and of course, I rode on Seth's. He attempted to give me my bag, but his hands stopped in the mid-air and put my stuff on his shoulder.

“That's mine,” I uttered as I try to grab my property from him, but he dodged me. “What are you going to do with that?”

“I'm helping you carry this. It's kind of heavy.”

I could only say my gratefulness to him. I removed my shoes and placed them on the rack before I followed him from behind as he gathered the people in the living room of their huge house. Paintings of flowers can be seen everywhere. At the end of the marble staircase, near the two posts, stood three feet antique vases. We all sat on their couch. Some rubbed their butt to feel the seat even more. I scratched my toe on their red carpet and lied my back, enjoying the warmth and comfort. Someone, feeling at home, took the remote for the television and turned it on. He opened the website to play music and maximized the volume, earning a glare from Seth.

“Please, don't touch anything valuable in this house.”

The others complied and sat straight. I saw Ayuna in the kitchen grabbed a can of soft drink from the refrigerator. She sipped from it and returned to our group. Seth didn't mind him though, so I wondered if he would react the same if I do something similar to her.

“I welcome you, guys, to our house, but as much as possible, do not touch anything without my permission,” he said.

Some threw him ‘boo,’ but one of their friends retorted to the people who showed their disapproval.

“Stop it, Troy. Do not forget that you broke the screen of our television because you played soccer inside the house.”

The other boys hid in their nutshells after that comment.

“And you, Mary and Ann, you broke the two antique vases in Ayuna’s house,” she added.

She was like a mother scolding her children or a leader reminding her members. The sound of disagreement earlier had become silent.

“Thanks, Les,” Seth muttered to her gratefully. “I had assign your rooms beforehand. That means you cannot pick which is yours, and I based it on your attitude.”

There was grunting now. These people always had complaints, hadn’t they?

“There will be someone who will stand as a leader in every room, and that is to keep you moderated. Knowing how unmannered you are―”

“Foul!” some shouted with their thumbs down.

“Just kidding. You get to pick your own rooms, so let’s go put our stuffs there and have fun!” He raised his fist in the air, and the others shouted. “Let’s go!”

The boys ran to the next floors. We, the girls who were left behind, shook our heads in embarrassment. They carried their remaining bags upstairs and occupied the rooms with their friends. I searched for mine, but it wasn’t there. He must have brought it to our room.

I found him standing at the end of the hallway of the third floor and talking with Ayuna. I approached them, and he smiled at me.

“We have three vacant rooms: Two downstairs and the one that is the largest is in this floor. The first room can fit at most four people while the other room has a double-deck. All the girls wanted to stay together in the largest room. Aside from the king-sized bed, I bought two portable mattresses if you want to lie on the floor,” he explained.

I walked to the door of the room and surveyed it. The girls were already inside and playing cards. It was very large. It had its couch, flat-screen television, fireplace, bookshelves, and walk-in closet. I went back to them. “Why is such a large room here?”

“That is where my parents and I used to sleep when I was young. The second floor rooms were all for guests since this place is near the festivals, our relatives loved to stay here,” he said. “My room now is under this room. My parents renovated the house and built another room on the first floor for them.”

I laughed a little. “Tell me you’re rich without telling me you’re rich.”

“He’s not the rich one. His parents are,” Ayuna mumbled after her silence earlier to which Seth agreed as if mocking my shallowness when it was meant as a joke.

He looked at me, and I saw the tenderness in his eyes that fluttered my heart. "She's right. By the way, if you need anything, just say it to me.”

“Alright.”

With that, he left me with Ayuna to check the others.

#