CHAPTER 26 - STIRRED

"Woah! You scared the shit out of me!" Mave said while wiping his sweat, "I never sweated like this when I've done nothing."

All of them laughed. Ace, Hoax, and Meta finally came back.

"We didn't mean to!" Ace continued laughing, "We almost lost direction. That was a big help," he pointed at the bonfire.

Roi smiled, "Say thanks to them," he was talking about Friean and Mave.

Rex joined them, "Really? Friean? You made that?"

"Yeah! Is it really that unbelievable?" it was the first time that she answered Rex with a smile.

Even Rex was surprised so he went to Friean and hugged her, "I am so proud of you," while brushing her hair he whispered, "I hope that we'll continue like this with each other, my sister."

Friean had never felt that happy. She even teared up, "I am very sorry for being so stubborn. I promise to be good from now on," she hugged back Rex.

Everyone is smiling while looking at the rare scenery of Rex and Friean. They have finally made up that everyone was wishing for. It was really hard to deal with someone you have a grudge. First, it was David and Ace and now it was Friean and Rex. When will Meta and Hoax be okay?

Hoax walked towards Meta and offered a cup of water. She hasn't talk even a single word since they have arrived, "Hey, are you okay?" he can see tears building up in her eyes, "I can see that you are not. I'll just leave you here."

He was about to walk away when Meta holds on to his clothes. He was shocked to he looked at her. She was still holding him, "Don't think of what had happened much. I have understood you. I was just to emotional for my friend since I also took away something special for her. And now I am here, there is no one by her side right now when she needed the most," her tears fell down, "I, too, have taken away one of her most special things. I can't just accept it so I was searching for other things to let my guilt out of my system," she looked upon him, "I am very sorry that I have let it out on you."

Hoax held her hand, "I am very sorry for that. But, the truth is I understand. That is why I am asking for your forgiveness. I will not do it again, even it's from other nations."

"You better hold on to that promise," Rex barged in.

All of them were standing beside them.

Meta smiled, "Are we all okay now?"

Everyone was stunned. It was the first time Meta smiled at them.

"Gosh! You look different when you smile, Meta! You could be a celebrity in our nation," Mave said while covering his mouth.

Meta pouted, "Stop your nonsense, Mave," she tapped her belly, "Are there any food left? Except for the bear please?"

"Here," Tosh gave her, "That's a bird, don't worry."

"Thank you, guys," and she ate.

Ace and Rex ate the grilled meat they have set aside for them. While the others continued to take their naps. Droplets of rain suddenly appeared. Droplets became bigger drops. The calm cold breeze suddenly becomes strong winds.

"We have no roof to stay!" Ace said.

"We forgot to take this into consideration," Roi apologized.

"No one is at fault," Friean ended the conversation.

Meta woke up, "I saw a small barn not so far from here. Maybe we can stay there this night."

"I think I saw that too," Hoax agreed.

"Follow me," Meta lead the way.

It took almost ten minutes to reach the barn.

"This looks good. We can stay here even longer," Rex was wandering around the barn.

"I don't want to stay here much longer. We have to finish our tasks as fast as we can," Mave said while fixing himself.

"I agree with that, I can no longer stay here either. This is such a terrible place," Friean said while shaking off the cold drops on her. Mave offered her a spare cloth.

"I didn't know that you two were that close," Rex smiled and looked at Mave and Friean.

"Well, uhm," Mave can't say a word to Rex.

"Don't need to worry, we are just friends," Friean said.

Mave was still uneasy, "Uhm, yeah! That's right," and showed a fake smile that everyone noticed.

"Relax, Mave. I don't bite," all of the boys laughed including Meta.

"You guys are weird!" Friean shouted and laid down.

Ace sat beside Mave and smiled like a father that has known something.

"You are creeping me out, Bro. What's with that look?" Mave irritatedly asked.

"Friean is a good girl, according to Rex. She just changed because of you know, their issue. But she really is a good girl," Ace said.

Mave looked at Friean, "Yeah, I know. That is why I approached her. Because I saw how devastated she is. She was wrecked when they came here but became wrecker when we lost Snow. I just felt sad about her. And there is no one approaching her, so I did."

"That was so sweet of you. Any girl would fall for your move. What a great man you are? I envy you!" Ace complimented him.

Mave looked at him and sighed, "I guess I am not worthy of that," he smiled.

"Let it out, tell me," Ace said without hesitation.

"I have this friend of mine. I have kept her around me since then. She was suffering because of what my Daddy did. She doesn't deserve a hard life so I decided to leave the palace and live with my Uncle who purchased a house in their neighborhood," he was playing with his fingers, "In that neighborhood, no one knows our true identity. I accompanied her. I go to school and walk home with her. We continued like that not until I become a popular athlete. She told me that she wanted to be a journalist to watch my games free, even though I told her that I can give her VIP passes. She said the real reason was to have connections and find out who really killed her father. I saw how angry and devastated she was when she was the President who happens to be my father. On the day my father summoned me back to the palace, she was there, and that was the last time I saw her," he was holding back his tears.

"You have nothing to with it, you were just the child of the killer. That doesn't count as you being the killer," Ace said. Trying to comfort him.

Mave scoffed, "That was just like what Mommy said. I wanted to believe that. But when I saw her that day, you can feel the anger and see resentment in her eyes. I wouldn't lie, I liked her. I really liked her, that I almost miss the shuttle just to see her. I want to explain everything but all of them stopped me from doing so."

"That's the truth, Mave! You have nothing to do with it. Let your heart rest, give your attention to others. Once you learn how to forgive yourself, it will be easy for you to accept new people in your life," Ace tapped him, "There is nothing wrong with trying new things. You just have to accept the changes. Follow your heart. I can feel that you are no longer happy with what you have in the West. Try to look in other directions, and then you may settle things that you have left and make it easier when you get back in there. Why still stick on the thing that you don't have assurance? You already have been left on your West, why don't you try to make it right on the east?"

Mave looked playfully at East trying to fool Ace but there he saw Friean sleeping soundly, "Should I?" he asked as if he was really talking to Friean.

Friean smiled. Mave smiled thinking that she was having a good dream. He went to her and fixed the big leaf that serves as Friean's blanket.

She suddenly spoke, "Yes, you should."

He was surprised. He thought Friean was awake but she snored. She was in a deep sleep.

"Why are you stirring me up?"