Alone Together

Meanwhile on the other side of the campus:

"It's weird without Mika", Grace got worried.

"It's alright. Knowing Noah, he doesn't do anything half-assed.", Nate said sipping his coffee.

"I hope you are right.", she answered as she was rubbing her finger on the brim of her teacup.

"tell you what? If they are not back in some time, we'll go find them. Sounds good?"

"Alright. Thank you.", Grace finally pulled up a smile.

They decided to sit in a café. There was no seat in the cafeteria campus. Grace likes these kinds of aesthetics. Cafes calm her mind. She can spend hours here, just doing her work or even just sitting and sipping her tea.

For Nate, it was the first time they both were alone like that. He didn't have words to describe his feelings. For some reason, it wasn't excitement, it was more of a happy feeling. There weren't any shock waves or rush going on inside him. Just looking at Grace's face was enough for him. He couldn't ask for more.

"Say, was there a specific time when you two met?", Nate asked.

Grace's smile lit up. As if Nate asked the reason for her happiness.

"Well, it's not as complicated as you expect. She was just there as long as I can remember.", Grace chuckled.

"You met her in high school, middle school? Or what?"

"Longer than that", Grace chuckled.

"No way! Kindergarten? Holy shit that's legit.", Nate was startled.

"I don't really have any memories of my childhood. But I remember I wasn't much of a talker. I didn't really fit in the class."

"sounds like you.", Nate scoffed.

"Yeah. All I know is, there was this one girl, who always used to sit with me. We both have short boy cut hair, so we kind of match."

"Let me guess! It was Mika!"

"Yeah", she scoffed. "She used to be a big talker. I was so comfortable with her because all she did was talk. Her words won't even end by the end of school. She always had so much to tell. From what I remember, I have this memory of someone drawing on a pink slip pad, with chalk."

"chalk?"

"Yeah! She was mischievous from the start. She must have taken it from the front. Her pictures always had a prince and princess. She used to tell me different stories about them", Grace chuckled. "But you know, from time to time, it was that innocent smile of her that carried me through all of the life's situation."

"I can imagine that."

"Yeah. She was there. doesn't matter what, she was there. Just holding my hand and never letting me be someone to sit back. If it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have even survived."

"She is a special person indeed.", Nate smiled.

"Well, special would be too underrated. She is my whole life. I used to wonder when did I start smiling? Turns out, it was when I received the greatest gift of my life, who would tell me the stories of prince and princess. I'm so thankful I found her.", she smiled emotionally.

"Prince and princess huh?", Nate pushed himself back on his seat as he looked upward.

"From what I believe, it takes a lot of pain and enduring times to meet each other. But when they finally do, it takes less than a second to realize that it was worth the wait.", Grace smiles as she looked inside her cup.

"Beautiful.", Nate said it out loud, what was going on in his mind. The sight of Grace saying those words were beautiful. It was the universe itself giving him a sign. He felt what she actually quoted seconds ago. Her small sentence was so much to feel that Nate could cry at that moment. But he held back. He just looked at Grace and though to himself, 'it was indeed worth the wait.'

"Yeah it's beautiful.", she misunderstood the words which were meant for her to her words.

"So, is that why you weren't so shocked by what happened earlier?"

"You aren't that dumb huh?", she chuckled. "Well, yeah. Maybe they finally met each other's king and queen.", she looked up at a painting of two people dancing in the snow with the light shimmering all around.

"Wow. You are amazing.", Nate scoffed in respect. "You are above this world's practicality."

"Yeah. You might find me weird from the thing I'm about to tell you but, from what I see, it's not the magic that doesn't exist in this world. It's the humans who don't really want to believe in this existence. There was a time I didn't either. But then one day, this little kitty changed my life.", she chuckled.

"Little kitty huh?", Nate smile in awe.

"yeah", she scoffed. "Sooner after that, I realized that what I had was not my imagination, it was the real thing. We all have some powers but we let it be hidden by term, 'imagination'. I have this thing to read situations and people. My intuitions are never wrong. But if you see it from a normal person's way, it's a mere coincidence. As to what I believe, coincidence doesn't exist."

Grace looked at Nate, he was not saying anything, just staring on her face with an attentive look.

"You must think I'm weird right?", Grace said as she sighed.

To her surprise, Nate's reaction was completely different.

"No, I completely understand what you said", he said with a straight look.

"Huh?", she was surprised.

"Yeah! Isn't that exactly how the world is? There's always a thin line between believing and imagination. But what people deny to know is that this thin line separates their reality and day-dreaming. What you believe is what you mould your reality, and as if you don't believe it would just remain as what you hope to be your reality but only remains in movies and fantasy. Isn't that right?", he looked at Grace.

Her eyes were shimmering. She felt like a wanderer reaching his dream place. Like she found someone who could understand her, other than Mika. Like her search was over. Like she can let her guards down. She teared up a little bit, from the overflow of happiness. "Thank you.", she responded with a bright smile on her face.

Nate couldn't take it. She was too bright. But still, so beautiful. He felt happy, he felt relieved. Finally, he was able to do something that could put up a smile on her face. 'Finally!', he thought to himself.

He moved his hand closer to her eyes, as he leaned forward. He brushed his finger under her lower lashes and wiped away her tears. "C'mon, don't cry now", He smiled at her.

"Okay.", she let out a little laugh. Her body was calmed by his soothing words and gentle expressions. As if, her heart said, 'it's fine.'

He patted his head as she laughed.

It was summer going around, AC was letting out cold air to relax their body. People outside the café were sweating from the bright sunlight. Children were lined up outside the ice-cream shop. But somehow, that moment filled their body with warmth and soothing, both were longing for from a long time ago.

"Ma'am, would you like anything else?", the waiter interrupted the heartwarming moment.

Grace quickly flinched away from him.

"Y- Yeah! I- I- always wanted to try your special red velvet shortcake. Would that be available?"

"Yes, surely Ma'am!"

"Okay, can I get one here and one packed up?"

"Yes, sure ma'am! Both will be given to you."

The waiter quickly wrote in his short memo pad and turned towards Nate, "And what about you sir-"

It was as if looking in the devil's den. He was glaring at him as if he killed his love, which he kind of did. His body was beaming out this black energy, so strong that the waiter started trembling.

"I would like a refill for my coffee thank you.", he said with a forced smile.

The waiter could read the atmosphere. It was shouting at him - THANKS FOR RUINING THE PERFECT MOMENT FOR ME. NOW LEAVE WITH YOUR STUPID DAMN PENCIL BEFORE I JAM THIS IN YOUR EYE AND PLAY TABLE TENNIS WITH IT.

The waiter left the sight with a speed of light.

As their order arrived in three minutes, it was a waitress who delivered it. "Hmm, what was he muttering about assassin, serial killers, demons and stuff.", she whispered.

"Anything else?", she asked politely.

"No, this would be all.", Grace thanked her.

"You're not a sweet tooth at all right? Then why did you order shortcake?", Nate inquired as he saw the beautiful treat on the table.

"Yeah, I'm not. But sometimes I just get the craving. Back in the day, I used to have sugar crashes every now and then. One day, it was a big one that I almost fainted. So, Mika started keeping a strict check on diet. She didn't let me have anything without her approval. But it was alright with me because I had a low tolerance for sugar."

"As much as I get to know about her, I can tell she loves you more than anything."

"Yeah, you can say that. Well, the feeling is mutual for me too.", she answered as she picked up the strawberry with her fork. "Oh yeah! I never told you about my low tolerance for sugar. How did you know that?"

"Well…", he started rubbing his neck. "It was pretty obvious. Whenever you both would order something you would give your sweets to Mika and get something else for yourself. And when 'MIKA', tries to share with you, you still reject it gently. And when you were hungry you ate only half of your chocolate granola bar, after that, I saw you eating something else. So that means you were hungry but you couldn't really consume sugar. And take the evidence from now. You didn't put honey in your green tea, even after considering its bitter nature."

Grace's eyes were wide open. 'Oh no! DID I ACTUALLY MADE MYSELF SOUND AS A STALKER!?', Nate punched himself in his own imagination.

"Wow, I'm impressed you noticed that much! Your senses must be really attentive!", Grace praised him.

"Come again-", his thoughts were going round and round. He sighed as he banged his head on his hand. 'IT'S A RELIEF THAT SHE DOESN'T THINK OF ME AS A STALKER! BUT! OH, COME ON! ATLEAST NOTICE A LITTLE BIT WHY I DO THIS!', his insides were crying.

"You know when we were in high school, Mika would always take care of me. She used to drive everyone away by beating them up or emotionally torturing them.", Grace took a sip of green tea.

"I can't say I'm surprised", Nate laughed.

"We used to ditch school sometimes and go on to cuddle up in a blanket at my house. Whenever I would have any problem with my parents, teachers, students or anyone! she would come up to me and say, 'none of them doesn't matter because we're always going to be together.' and somehow those words were responsible for always cheering me up.", she smiled looking back at those memories.

'Wow, she really must love her. I really respect you for this Mika.', Nate thought to himself.

"Obviously she won't let go any chance of beating the crap out of people who were being a nuisance.", Grace laughed.

"Well, what do you expect from a black belt. If I was her I would have tortured them and locked them up.", he whispered.

"Hey this strawberry is too big, you want to take a bit?", Grace said as she was looking at her fork.

Yeah sure, Nate sighed without even listening half of what she said. He searched for a spare fork when suddenly-

"Here! Open your mouth.", Grace moved the fork in front of his mouth.

DANGER! DANGER! SYSTEM NOT RESPONDING! ERROR! ERROR! SYSTEM CRASHING! – was what was happening in his mind.

'WHA- WHA- WHA- WHAT! OH BOY, I CAN'T TAKE THIS!'

Nate had no excuse to refuse. It was fairly a dream come true. He started moving his head forward. Visually it was like a robot moving in front.

In the spur of the moment, he swallowed the whole strawberry. His face was turning into a strawberry.

Grace, on the other hand, started having the rest of the treat. She acted as if it was too normal for her. Even the waitress around her was surprised, "How dense can this girl be?", she whispered.

"Oh, there they are!", a guy pointed them out.

Grace and Nate looked in the direction from where this familiar voice was coming.

It was Noah and Mika.

This time, Mika did not look happy.