Chapter 8

Cades is leaving

Cades doesn't feel okay. The thing is, it's bothering me. He's fine and weird when we arrived here. Aunt Liza shouldn't really bring up the topic about his family. What do I do? I can't blame Aunt for that, she doesn't know what life he has in Canada.

“Are you done?” I asked, trying to feel what's the matter with him. He gave me a sweet little smile and nodded. When I realized that he's not going to say anything anymore, I sighed secretly and closed my eyes deep. Gosh, it's so awkward. Why is he not talking?

Well, I'm avoiding him earlier.

“Do you like SpongeBob?” Elizabeth asked out of nowhere while her eyes are too focused on the television in front of her. This one is also hard to read. Elizabeth's expression is always plain. I can't even tell anything in her face.

Sometimes, she will just ask me out of nowhere. Just like this.

“Yeah, I love his personality. He's full of joy, I think. “ I answered when I realized that she's watching SpongeBob now.

“I love Squidward.” I raised my eyebrows and turned my eyes on the television. What does she like to Squidward? I don't really like his personality on the show. He's always against everything and I think he doesn't want to have fun, unlike SpongeBob and Patrick.

“And why?” I asked.

“He's lonely, that's why he can't have fun with SpongeBob and Patrick. Even if wants to, he doesn't know how he will have fun like them. He's character is different from all of them.” She eyed me and smiled at me before she stood up. “I'll get these plates.” She said and walked away with the plates where we ate the carbonara that Aunt Liza cooked for us.

I watched Elizabeth leave.

Squidward. She's right, he's different among everyone. I eyed Cades that was still looking outside the window. From the side of his face, I can see sadness from his eyes. No, sadness with pain and hatred, not just sadness.

“Look what I have found!” Aunt Liza's voice echoed in the house. She got all of our attention.

“What's that, Aunt?” Elizea asked and walked near us.

“Is that their album?” Grandma asked, not so sure about what it is. She's getting older. Even her eyesight is not that clear anymore.

“Yes!” She giggled. My eyes widened.

“Cades, come on. Look at Elizea, Elizabeth and Margel's old photos. Their parents kept this.” She winked at us. Cades smiled and grinned at us. My heart raced in nervousness because of that. I saw those photos of us, and it's really embarrassing! We even have photos where we were just wearing underwear!

Before Cades take a look...

“Cades, No!” I stopped him with my eyes widened. His eyebrows raised at me. Now, he's playing at me.

“Just don't look at it!” Elizea yelled.

“Aunt, it's a private mat--”

“What? You were all so little here. Does it matter if you see them just wearing their underwear?” Aunt giggled and grinned at us. I blushed as I met Cades' hazelnut eyes.

“It's okay, I'm an infant there. I don't have scandals.” Elizabeth said in a chill. Is she serious? Is she taking our photos as scandals?

“Scandals?!” Elizea yelled unbelievably.

“Those are not scandals!” I pouted and rolled my eyes. Cades is now smiling from ear to ear at me. So I looked away when I felt my heart racing and uncomfortable with his eyes on me.

I gulped.

“Shut up, look.” We didn't do anything when they started looking at our photos. We can't do anything but to watch them laughing at us.

“Look at Margel!” Elizabeth laughed so hard along with Cades, Aunt and Grandma.

“She's asking for milk that time.” Grandma said. I bit my lower lip in embarrassment. I just want to disappear. Why is she doing this to us? They're ruining our images!

While watching them, I stopped while seeing Cades laughing. He's hard to read, but this time, I can see the real him. He's laughing like he didn't have the chance to laugh before. Why does my heart also feel happy while seeing him like this? Maybe because I am aware of what life he has.

Maybe.

“Aunt!” Elizea yelled while her cheeks were so red. Even me is embarrassed by that photo of us, but from the moment I saw Cades laugh for the first time, my heart flutters. Until now, I can feel how it flutters. Out of nowhere, while my eyes are too focused on him, I put my hand on my chest, feeling my fluttering heart.

“Okay, fine! I'll leave you guys now.” She laughed before she left with the album.

I sighed in relief. Goodness, Cades just saw it.

“I'm going to eat!” Elizea walked out with irritation. That's the photo we don't want to be exposed to anyone. Aunt Liza just exposed it to Cades. How can I face him without thinking of that embarrassment?

“I love the color of your underwear!”

“Elizabeth!!!” I yelled, but she just giggled and teased me while running away.

“You're cute.” My eyes widened when I heard Cades voice behind me. My cheeks turned red when I eyed him. As my eyes met his, I can't stop thinking of how I look in the album. That is the secret he shouldn't see. “When you're blushing, not in the al--”

“Oh, shut up. Don't bring it again, please!” Gosh, I'm ashamed of myself now.

“Okay, okay.” He laughed at me.

“Are you okay now?” I asked, that made him stop from laughing. Wrong move. I shouldn't ask him that.

He smiled sweetly. “I can always be fine.” He winked.

“By hiding.” He's just hiding what he truly feels. Just like my photo, Cades doesn't want to be exposed too. What Elizabeth said earlier about Squidward, that hits me. Cades is just like him, he's lonely. Maybe, he doesn't really know how to have fun. Who would? Cades grew up lonely.

I pity him.

“Even my birth was hidden.” He laughed like it was hilarious, but it's not.

“Your parents must have their reasons.” Maybe? Of course, they have. I'm just hoping that their reasons are valid, because Cades doesn't deserve to be hidden from the world. No people or kids deserve to. All of us deserve to be happy. Until now, it's still unclear. His parents' reason for hiding him was still a big question to me.

I eyed him again. The moment he just smiled and didn't answer anymore, I realized something while looking in his hazelnut eyes.

Cades knows what their reasons are, he just doesn't want to tell it. So he's keeping it all by himself, he chose to be hurt by that.

“Kids, you should go back home. It's near 6 pm.” Grandma said to us. I looked outside and didn't know that it was already a bit late. My parents must be on their way from work.

“Thanks for the food, Aunt!” Elizabeth said.

“Bye grandma, bye Aunt.” I kissed them both in their cheeks.

“Thank you, I enjoyed it.” Cades smiled at Aunt.

“It's nothing. When you come back here, I'll make many for you. By the way, you should rest, you're leaving tomorrow.”

My smile vanished as what Aunt Liza said hit my mind.

“Tomorrow?” I asked unbelievably. Cades just eyed me. Why didn't he tell me? Why are they leaving so soon?

“Yeah, his Mom told me that they are leaving tomorrow.” Aunt Liza answered my question, but my eyes were meeting Cades eyes, and I didn't even break it.

Did I enjoy it a lot while he's here? Why did I even forget that he's not living here? Why did I forget that this day will come?

My heart is aching.

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