MidWorld

Chapter 5 [Rivalry~]

[AN: Finally! Chapter 5 is out! Enjoy!]

    A week had already passed yet the tension between the three of them hadn’t ceased. Aeris would act like nothing happened even though the twins insisted that there was really something not right. There was no news of Trixia, and Kevin was staying silent.
    Today, Aeris was walking alone at Market Street looking for something interesting to buy. It was rare to see her just by herself. She was usually and constantly bothered by the twins.
    The reason why those two weren’t with her was because they were called by their mother for something. She didn’t want to invade their privacy so she decided she had to go by herself.
    There wasn’t really something she wanted to buy. She just didn’t want to go home just yet. She was just looking at the displays of each store window, then walk away. There was nothing much she could buy when she had almost every object that most girls love; rings, dresses, earrings, gowns, shoes, and sorts.
    She finally decided to go home and to save some time she had to pass by the alleyways, which was not safe for those who are alone. Just around the first corner, she was blocked by six men.
    ‘Why do I always get myself into trouble?’ she thought.
    To her those men looked all the same, ugly and skinny. ‘This must be the result of poverty…’ She pulled her pocket inside out, silently saying that she was penniless at that time. She really disliked bringing those huge bundles of paper that was called her ‘daily allowance’
    But those men still looked at her with those eyes, like maniacs. She sighed. Her reaction was just so wrong. She should have screamed or run for her life but, no, she didn’t.
    Two of those men pinned her to the wall. The others walked closer and closer towards her. Still she didn’t scream nor show any signs of struggling and squirming her way out. Those men started to unbutton her uniform.
    “What?!” one of them exclaimed; most likely, he was their leader. “She’s not even resisting?!”
    “You want me to scream and act like I’m scared?” She was actually being serious.
    He laughed, amused. “Would you do it?”
    “Why won’t I?”
    Then, she screamed, or should I say, she shrieked. Those men covered their ears because of the surprise. She screeched with the sharpest she could muster. When she stopped, she hung her head looking down and gasped for air.
    “Why you…”
    He stopped in the middle of his sentence, already knocked out. He was lying just by Aeris feet. She glanced upward and saw that everyone was knocked out. She smiled while still gasping for air.
    ‘Well, what do you know? I’m saved.’
    That was her last thought then she collapsed. The next thing she knew, she had woken up at an unfamiliar place. She was sleeping on something really soft that made her want to close her eyes again but she resisted the temptation and sat up.
    “You’re finally awake, I see,” said the voice that came from behind.
    She looked back and saw a guy, around her age or maybe older by a year or two. She was silent for awhile and observed him. She realized that she was sleeping on his lap earlier. Then she looked around this place.
    “Where are we?”
    “You’re in my room,” he answered as he went out of bed.
    “Oh. You didn’t take advantage of me, did you?”
    “Of course not,” he retorted then muttered something under his breath.
    He picked up his jacket that was on his chair. He wore it as if he was going somewhere. He looked back at Aeris and extended a hand. He looked at him quizzically.
    “I’m going to take you home.”
    Just then, Aeris stomach growled. She looked down at her knees and scratched her head. That was unnecessary. That boy who saved her looked at the clock on the wall. It was really late.
    “Well, just stay a night here.”
    “No, my mom would…”
    “Then just call and tell them you’re staying over at a friends place,” he cut her off.
    She looked at him. Doubtful at first but she had to agree. She made a call home. Naturally, her grandmother took the honor to scold her but they had no choice. It wasn’t safe to let a teenager roam around the streets at this time of the night. Luckily enough that tomorrow was a weekend.
    “That’s settled,” he gave her a smile. “Now, let’s have dinner since I still haven’t eaten too.”
    She just nodded in reply. She was speechless at that time. He’s too kind towards a stranger. What would he do if she was a thief? But she wouldn’t go that low.
After they went out of his room, he led her downstairs. When they reached the bottom step she could already see their dinning room. It wasn’t small. Even though their dinning room is nothing compared to what Aeris had, it still looked neat enough place to eat.
    Though he invited her, there was no food prepared. He had to cook for food because our protagonist doesn’t know how to do such things.
    “Why are you cooking? Doesn’t your mother do that?”
    Even though she was raised with a silver spoon in her mouth, she knew what commoner families usually do and eat. She had read those in novels that her ladies in waiting would smuggle. She was knowledgeable in those kinds of things unlike that Japanese rich guy who suddenly became addicted with ‘commoner’ ramen and eats it every time he gets depressed.
    “My parents are away on a trip for a few days so I have to take care of the house.”
    “Oh.”
    She stopped saying anything. She may touch some things that are private. After that she took off her school blouse because it was becoming hot. She was actually wearing an extra shirt underneath. This was also the reason why she hadn’t reacted when those thugs tried to undress her.
    “Dinner is served.”
    He held two trays of food as if he was serving her in a fast food. Though, there wasn’t really much food that he cooked she was still full. For a guy, he was an amazing cook.
    “Delicious!”
    He laughed in reply. After dinner, he washed the dishes while she sat and waited for him. While waiting, they talked about many things. They got along with each other that fast.
    “I haven’t introduced myself yet,” Aeris said, in the middle of their conversation.     “I am Aeris Rain, pleased to meet you.”
    He seemed to be in a deep thought for a while then he wiped his hands with the blue-colored apron he was wearing. He extended his arm then said his name.
    “Julian’s the name, the pleasure’s mine.”
They shook their hands. They were now formally introduced with each other. After washing the dishes, they went back upstairs and went inside his room. As soon as they arrived, Julian walked towards his closet. Aeris just sat by his study table.
Julian pulled out a futon from his closet. Aeris helped in putting it on the floor because she expected that she would be the one sleeping there. For a rich kid, she wasn’t too picky on where she could sleep as long as she is comfortable enough.
    “You sleep on the bed. I will be sleeping here.”
    “But…”
    He pressed his finger on her lips to shut her up. She wasn’t able to retort because of that. She had no choice but to do as he say. But even though she agreed, she was completely uncomfortable and didn’t get enough sleep. It wasn’t the mattress’ fault.
Julian on the other hand was not comfortable with having a girl sleep in the same room with him. He was a guy, after all. He didn’t want to wake up and move into another room because she might still be awake. But because of worrying too much, he fell asleep.
    The following day, Aeris had woken up around five early in the morning. She only had three hours of sleep. She looked around the room and noticed that Julian was still asleep. Good, she thought.
    She picked up her bag that was placed on his study table. She walked tip-toe across the room and towards the door. When she was about to open the door, he stirred from his sleep.
    “Hmmm…,” he mumbled as he turned the other way.
    A bead of sweat trickled down from her forehead. She let out a sigh. That was close. She thought he would wake up. She bade him goodbye silently and left his house. As soon as she was out, she ran, wanting to go home as soon as possible.
Another week of classes came and today was the first day. Aeris came in the school gates together with the flock of students. When she came inside the school building, she noticed someone familiar.
    She doubted her self for a second. When she saw it again, she was sure what she is seeing. She ran towards that direction and tapped his shoulder. That guy looked at her.
    “Hey! Thanks for the other day,” she said smiling.
    That person turned around. It was Julian. He was talking to a friend earlier that’s why he didn’t notice when he came inside the building. There was still time before class starts so it was fine to have a little chat.
    “AH!” he shouted in surprise. “Why did you just leave?”
    “Who is that?” his friend asked.
    “She stayed at my house for a night because of some reason.”
    “Eh… Isn’t she lucky?” his friend peeked from behind Julian. “AH!!” he shouted in surprise.
    Julian was talking to Kevin. The latter was surprised that Julian had sheltered Aeris at his home for a night. What a lucky guy, he thought.
    Aeris stared at Julian who was smiling at Kevin just now. When you look at this person carefully, he wasn’t handsome at all but he was beautiful. He had the aura that when you look at him, a bunch of roses would surround him.
    And when she did look at him it did happen. She shook her head. She must have lack of sleep. She waved at him and went to her class. Julian waved back before she disappeared within the crowd.
    “Hmmm…Don’t you feel love?” Kevin teased. “Ah… LOVE…”
    Julian’s cheeks had the hint of red in them.
    “Shut up,” he mumbled as he put a notebook on Kevin’s face therefore Kevin was kissing the notebook.
    “Oi! What was that for?”
    “You’re gonna be late for class.”
    “Ah. Hey, wait for me!”
    They ran in the hallways laughing like elementary students. Everybody looked at them and even though they were acting like children, everyone admired their gracefulness. Ah, friendship! Aeris just rolled her eyes. She was one of the very few people who still had the right mind.
    Mira-sensei, Class 1-1’s homeroom teacher, asked Aeris to get send some papers to the faculty room because she had been spacing out during her class. She sighed and did what she was told. She was having a slight headache.
    She walked past the rooms and looked inside as she was going to the faculty room. She was not looking in front of her when she bumped into someone.
    “Oh, sorry!”   
    Aeris lost her balance when she bumped and her head collided with the wall. Her vision became blurred then she collapsed. When she woke up, she was already in the nurse’s clinic.
    “You’re finally awake,” someone with a familiar voice said.
    She looked to her right and Julian was there. He didn’t look happy. She wondered why and do sooner she learned the answer.
    “Aeris…”
    “Yes?”
    “I declare you as my rival!”
    After he said that, he left the nurse’s office and the twins came in with worried faces. They must have endured class and waited until it ended before they had the chance to visit her.
    “Are you alright?”
    She wasn’t able to answer them because she was confused of the words Julian left her. She just became his rival but how?

——

-fin

[AN: "Hmmm....What should be next? Chapter 6 or the Character profiles?"]

Chapter 4 [Kiss and Make Up?!]

    Trixia had been crying ever since he said that. Well, it was just hours passed, sitting under a tree, but her eyes were already swollen from shedding tears. She must have really like the guy, huh?
    She skipped the classes for the whole day because she felt so hurt. It was almost to the point that she didn’t want to move on with her life and just die. Isn’t that just wrong?
    Somebody came from behind her. Without even looking, she felt that person’s presence.
    “Go away,” she said, not even trying to hide the fact she is crying. “Leave me alone. Can’t you see? I’m sad…”
    “No… I can’t see,” he answered.
    She looked up and saw an unfamiliar face. She thought he was just being mean but, truthfully enough, he can’t see. Why? Simply because he was blind that’s why he can’t see.
    He sat beside her and handed her a handkerchief. For a blind person, he can certainly know where one person is. He didn’t say another word.
    “Why are you still here?” she asked while wiping her tears with his handkerchief.
    He pointed to the piece of cloth she was holding and replied, “That’s mine.”
    She felt stupid for that time. Of course, it was his but he offered it to her, so she thought that she had to keep it. Before she could return it, he said something she could not forget.
    “There are still so many things in the world that we do not know of.” He tilted his head upward. “Even though I cannot see the world, I am still hoping, until now that I might see its beauty someday, even for a second. I won’t mind if it would only be for a short period of time. I wanted to see the faces of everyone I knew.” Then, he faced her and gave her a smile. “So, whatever happens, continue to hope and never forget what you are aiming for.”
    He received his handkerchief and just left like that. She felt stupid, the second time, for thinking of dying because of what the person she loved had said.
    ‘No, I shall not give up!’
    New surge of strength was burning in her eyes. She stood up suddenly because of excitement. And because of it, she hit her head with a branch of tree. It was the third time that she felt stupid. Maybe it wasn’t her lucky day, but tomorrow she knew it would be.
    From afar, somebody was watching from their classroom window. Aeris could not stop worrying about what happened earlier. It was good news to her that someone was clinging to him; that guy.
    But, she saw him whisper something into that girl’s ears. Then, that girl just suddenly burst into tears and ran out of the building. He had that sad face. It was the last thing she saw because the twins pulled her out of their sight.
    She didn’t want to think about him anymore. She wiped those memories in her mind and tried not to think about it. It would just give her headaches, anyway. She was walking out of the lobby, escorted by the twins, when suddenly somebody grabbed her by the arm and made her drop her books. This made the twins notice she was gone and, truthfully enough, when they turned their heads she was no longer there; only her books were left.
    Where was our protagonist? Well, she was pulled into some secret passage and was led to some kind of cult-room…or something like that.
    The room was only candle lit and dark, thick curtains covered the window preventing the sunlight from peeping into the room. It was creepy, though it didn’t have what you can usually see in haunted houses. There was really something in it that makes you feel uncomfortable.
    Aeris coughed because of the dust. “Where am I?”
    Somebody spoke up from behind, “Scared?”
    “Yes…much.”
    There was sarcasm in her voice, and indeed, she wasn’t. There was not hint of fear in her voice, just annoyance. That was because, her grandmother still wanted to talk to her about something—their business.
    “Why did you drag me here?”
    “I wanted to talk to you.”
She could now see a silhouette of a guy sitting in front of her, arms and legs crossed. She sensed that he was getting amused as she was losing his temper so she calmed herself down.
    “What do you want to talk about?” she answered his request.
    She was silently counting from one to ten to remain calm. Somehow, his voice sounded vaguely familiar but she shrugged it off. She must have imagined it. The presence in front of her seemed to have disappeared. She tried to look behind her but… he was already there. He had his arms wrapped on her waist, his mouth just centimeters away from her ear.
    She could hear his steady breathing. She was now losing her patience. She opened her mouth to speak up but the person behind spoke up first.
    “Listen to me…” he said. “I li-…”
    The tune ‘Just the Girl’ began playing in the background. He stepped away from her and sighed. ‘Just my luck’, he thought. He left the empty classroom immediately.
    ‘Just my luck’, Aeris thought the same but not in emotion. She was happy that she was finally out of the PERVERT’S hands. She left the room as quickly as that boy did.
    She passed by the row of lockers in the hallway and saw the twins waiting for her there. When they noticed her, they waved at her simultaneously. They had her books in hand.
    “Where were you?” they said in perfect synch.
    “Just went, uh, somewhere.”
    Of course, they would be stupid to believe that but they just nodded. She was glad that they didn’t ask anymore questions as they walked home together.
**********
    Kevin banged his head softly on his bedroom wall. He missed his chance just because somebody called. He wanted to turn back that time but that is impossible. He jumped in his bed and decided he would just go to sleep. There was nothing else he could do for that day.
    The following day started normally. To elaborate what normal is, it’s to start the day by waking up, doing your personal necessities then going to school, like most students would do.
    While Kevin was busy sulking over yesterday, most of the female group of the school was admiring his state. He was, after all, the campus idol. But he couldn’t miss seeing Aeris as she passed by him, because he was walking too slowly. And Aeris being herself can’t help but ignore him. He wanted to call out her name but he was held back by his admirers.
    As class started, he continued to space out and was constantly scolded by the teacher. Trixia looked at him with those eyes of jealousy and love. What was he thinking at this time? Can’t he take his mind off a single girl?
    But that wasn’t the reason he was spacing out. He was listing all the possible chances that he could talk one to one with this girl. And somehow, he just can’t get the thought of his arranged marriage off his mind.
    Finally, the chance came during lunch break. Aeris was alone in the rooftop, eating her lunchbox where no one could see her. Just suddenly, the person she didn’t want to see the most came.
    Kevin himself was also taken by surprise. He also usually ate his lunch at that same place.
    “Sorry,” he said.
    Even though it was his chance, he wasn’t ready so he had to retreat. He was about to walk away when Aeris answered.
    “It’s okay.”
    He was left speechless but she regained his courage. He took the perfect moment. He had to ask this question.
    “Can I sit with you?”
    “I don’t mind.”
    “Why do you eat all by yourself?”
    Aeris looked at him. Isn’t he going to friendly with her right now? She did not bother answering him and continued eating. Kevin wasn’t at all annoyed which was her motive. She wanted him to stop bothering her yet he didn’t stop asking questions.
    “Oi! Answer me,” he said in a whiny voice.
    She gave in and answered, “I don’t have friends to eat lunch with.”
    “What about the twins?”
    “They have their own group so I won’t bother disturbing their time together.”
    He laughed, “Ha ha, you’re such a cute underclassman.”
    Kevin gave her a pat and a smile. Her cheeks had the rush of blood and were now rose colored; in short, she blushed. To cover it up, she looked down at her food and continued to eat.
    He had enough fun for that time. Now, he likes this girl even more. If only…
From afar, someone was watching the two schoolmates that were happily eating their lunch together. The person who was watching bit a part of her handkerchief. She transferred her frustrations by releasing her anger on the helpless nonliving thing.
    That girl noticed that the guy she loved laughed once again at the freshman who she thought stole her lover. Suddenly, through what she had seen, that guy leaned over that freshman. The rest of it was blocked. She was now trembling in fear.
    ‘It couldn’t be…’ she told herself. ‘It couldn’t be that they kissed…’
    She covered her face hiding the fact that she was crying once again. That girl from behind the rooftop door was none other that Trixia. She closed the door with a bang then ran down the staircase that leads to the rooftop.
    When the two notice this, it was unexpected that Aeris ran after her. The two of them knew by instinct who it was that saw them. It was too obvious to be not noticed who it was.
    Kevin ran after Aeris to stop her. He wanted to pull her back when she was just inches away from Trixia. But she was too fast that he was not able to catch up to her. Instead of pulling her back, he accidentally pushed her forward just when she touched Trixia, who turned back to see if it was her boyfriend who sadly wasn’t.
Aeris wanted to clear up the misunderstanding between the three of them but now, she thinks that her chances of convincing her are getting slim. Why? Because of the accident Kevin caused; Aeris accidentally kissed Trixia; and that was her first kiss, which would matter to some person.
    Now, will they ever make-up with each other or will the situation get worse?
———-
-fin
[AN: Till the next chapter!! JA NE!!]