Chapter 7

CIANA

August 26

07

He went to the library again. We talked a bit but later he went home so I tailed him. His black car stopped at an ice cream parlor so I also asked the taxi to stop. No sign of Airo stepping out of his car and just racing so suddenly. Some people complained. I feel like he is not in a perfect mood now so I went home straight. If only we are close, I might have done something crazy with him. I’ve always wished to try and make him laugh. 

“Ciana! Why didn’t you text me?” I hide the phone in my bag right away. Jethro is making his way towards me and he looks a bit furious.

“S-Sorry. I--”

“I want to ride to school every school day with you.” I look at him and laugh a bit. He looks funny when he is in a bad mood. “Don’t look at me like that. Why are you in the parking lot anyways? ”

I noticed a black car which had just arrived.

“Uhh-- Jethro, you should go along. I’m going with him.” I point at Airo.

“What? I came here first.” He is obviously irritated and is complaining.

“But we are classmates.” I walk away from him. 

“Hey Airo!” He looks at me with his cold eyes. If we haven’t talked before, I will feel bad. His blank face seems normal to me now. 

“Hey.” He starts walking with me. I wanted to say something but I lost words, so we ended up walking to the room all silent. 

Sitting beside Sarah, I lazily put my bag in the front and plunge my face on it with my two arms hanging down. I just thought I could be closer to him by communication but I can’t seem to find words to start a conversation. It’ll be weird to ask him if he is okay because it is obviously not. I am not that dumb.

“Are you okay?” Sarah asks me, so I show her a thumb up with my left hand.

“Excuse me, Ciana.” I lift my head to see who is talking. He is one of my male classmates, but I can’t recall his name. I smile at him and it seems like he finds me weird.

“Why?”

“Airo asked me if we could exchange seats.” My system becomes a hundred percent charged. A very swift reflex by my feet standing up startles them both, Sarah and the guy. I grab my bag right away with no hesitations.

“No problem.”

Before I could take my first step, Sarah stopped me by holding my shirt. I look at her.

“Are you two going out?” She asks with such a confused face. A hostile look on her face erases my smile.

I shake my head a little. “No.” It’s a simple answer not needing any other interpretation but she grips tighter and looks at me intently. She is trying to read if I am telling the truth. 

“Can you let go of my shirt?” She let go at last. I can feel her gaze following me until I am seated. I feel like being stabbed by glares from the back.

“Did you have trouble?” Airo is asking as if it isn’t obvious. I try fixing my wrinkled shirt but it can’t be fixed so I let it be.

“Why do girls like him?” I murmur and look at him busy on his phone.

“Did you say anything?”

“Nothing. Why do you want me to sit here, next to you?” He stops poking his phone and gives me his whole attention. His action kinda feels weird.

“You told me I can, if I want.”

“Ha?”

“Just sit beside me. Stop asking.” Now he ignores me and never tries talking to me until the subject is dismissed. We walk to the library together after the second subject to do some quick study for the next possible topics. Then after a few moments, he is reading the book on parallel universes again.

“You really like that book, ha.”

“Yeah. I am so interested about the nature of time. How it works and how is it connected with the parallel universe.”

Time?

“I am a blank paper.” I raise both of my hands in surrender. He looks at me confused.

“What?”

“I mean, I have nothing to say.” He continues reading so I put my hands down and stare at him. He glances at me so I smile and open my book. Time seems to fly fast even when we are just sitting there, silent and reading books. I never have done this before. Jethro is not unto books so we do something else. 

I never knew books are this interesting.

I smile at my thoughts and look at Airo again. After a few minutes more, he drove me in his car. I suddenly remembered my best friend. I immediately pull my phone from my pocket and send him a message. 

Message sent.

The car stops so I check what’s going on. Nothing is in the front. 

Ice cream parlor.

I look outside to prove that I’m right with my instinct. Yes, it is indeed an ice cream parlor. This place must be reminding him for something important and worth reminiscing.

“This is where my mom always takes me.” I hear him say in his low voice. I look at him. His face is the same but his eyes are telling something else. Pain is written there and he can’t deny it from me. I open the car door and pull him out.

“What are you doing? This place is only for kids.” I didn’t listen to him.

“Shut up! I’m still a kid.” We are finally inside. The pastel colors of violet, pink, orange and white are so cute. I took a picture of the place full of little kids eating their ice cream. I also steal photos of him looking a bit rosy and is trying to cover the camera. 

I just realize he is cute when embarrassed. He tries pulling me to get out of the place but he only fails all the time. The kids are looking at us, their moms too. I just smile at them.

“Come on, what do you want to order?” I excitedly ask him. A woman mid-30’s is patiently waiting for the order. I feel his warm hand all sweaty when he tries pulling my hand.

“Okay. I’ll do it. Two ube--”

“Strawberry.” A low tone, deep voice cuts me off which makes me bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

“Strawberry flavor for two.” I tilt my body to him and cranes my head up to look at him. He averts his gaze to the side. “I didn’t know you like pink,” I whisper. He turns his back.

He sits on a chair near a window. A woman comes in tightly holding her son’s hand. Her presence is enough for me to feel my stomach drop. I know her.

“Mom?” I utter.