Chapter 8: Bunch of twigs

Lyrie's P.O.V.

"I miss you, Cath"

I'm still focusing my ears on him, not making any move.

I may not know who Finn's talking to but it felt like my heart was squeezed when I heard it from him. He sounds so sincere, with his pretty calm voice. I've never heard that before.

"Maybe I was just driven by my emotions…" he continued, having his hand in his pocket while walking back and forth.

"Hurried things up..."

He's leaving silence in every phrase he's saying.

"Cath…" he called her name again.

…

He paused.

Now I can't wait to hear what he's about to say.

"I still love y--"

…

I did not hear the next thing he said, someone covered my ears and didn't have a chance even seeing his mouth to know what he just uttered.

Though I know what follows those words.

I don't know who she is. I even don't know if she's a she. But my mind gives its own conclusion.

I'm very aware of it.

A little long after, I got my hearing back. It uncovered and there I felt someone's hand pulling me away from that place. My sight was just stapled to one place, it's where Finn was standing. I saw myself getting further and further.

I don't know…

I don't know, but...

It pisses me off.

I looked up and found myself beneath a dark sky. I knew I was out of that place. But now I'm surrounded by someone's arms.

Cal…

Calypso's P.O.V.

I shouldn't have brought her there.

I shouldn't have let her hear all of that.

Even though she didn't know everything about Finn, she's intelligent, she knew what she heard.

"Who's Cath?"

I was stunned when asked that. She didn't move and still remained in my arms.

I don't know what to say to her...

Half of me is badly happy for what happened, but half of me is worried about what she's going to feel about it.

Should I lie about it?

"I'm I getting it right?" she said that so calmly, she almost whispered it.

I don't want to…

I don't want to answer you…

I don't want you to get hurt.

I took a deep breath before pulling my arms from her. I held both sides of her shoulders with both of my hands and looked straight at her.

It would be easy for me if I'll just tell her what she just saw, until I saw her face. I knew it shouldn't be coming from me.

Why does this have to happen to you?

I took a gulp before uttering a word.

"Talk to him… I think it would be better if it will come from him. Just…" I removed my hand from her shoulders and stood straight,

"Don't think too much"

"C-Cal..." she uttered.

It even made it hard for me to breathe in annoyance when I saw a tear drop down from her eyes.

I cannot stand seeing her like this. I hurriedly pulled her closer to me and hugged her tight. I can clearly hear her from here and it gets so irritating to hear her sob quietly. I hate it that of all people, I'm the one witnessing her like this.

"It's ok… you need to make that little heart of yours brave"

My chest felt so heavy, but I know it's not a good time to release this in front of her. What she feels is what's important now.

I heard her sigh deep. I pulled myself away from her and looked at her. Her eyes and nose are almost red while her face was full of tears. I stood straight and took my handkerchief out of my pocket and handed it over her.

She just forced a smile and took it from my hands.

I lost my respect to Finn making her cry like this.

"Lyrie..."

I looked at where that voice came from. It was...

Finn.

I looked at Lyrie, she's now having her head turned to him where he's standing.

"Lyrie" I called her name.

She looked at me, still noticing her quite teary eyes.

"He's here" I smiled,

"I'll just leave the both of you for a while..." I took just a few seconds gazing at her face, noticing tears down her cheeks. I raised my hand and pointed it to her. She responded and wiped her tears.

She nodded.

I tapped her shoulders and started stepping away. I turned around, carrying the tied bunch of twigs.

…

"Hoooooooo,haah..." I released two deep breaths the moment I knew I was far away from that place.

Now I can release what I feel. I can't help but to feel so bad and… annoyed.

You don't know how this made my knees weak, Lyrie.

I hate to think I'm here just to comfort you from the person who hurt you.

I was like...

A pain killer.

Little by little, I get to notice my eyes getting blurry. My tears are building up on my eyes like they really wanted to flow out.

"Hayyy.." and as I released my breath, my tears dropped down to my cheeks.

I think I'm really into you now…

I'm into you, Lyrie.

I figured out that this was built through those times, when I'm alone with you. You're someone I'm comfortable talking to. I thought you would be just my friend. But that moment digs deeper feelings for you.

And when I see you and Finn, I thought I was just teased seeing sweet couples. But it won't stop there, it is more than bitterness. I'm jealous, it irritates me so bad.

…

My feet stopped automatically when I saw in my blurry sight, the light coming from the campfire.

I'm really feeling weak now. I don't want them to see any of this. I don't want to get there without taking this feeling out of my system.

I let go of the twigs and let it fell on the ground. Then so I fell to my knees. Letting every single drop of tears fell from my cheeks, pouring what I feel through it.

I told myself to stop.

But here I am, look what it made me.

I know it's wrong but it revives the hope that she will know what I feel for her.

Hayyy… this is crazy.

…

When I felt my heart weight lighter a bit, I raised up my hand and wipe my tears.

No time to be selfish...

She matters more.

Lyrie's P.O.V.

I watched the sun rise, having my hands held both my waist.

Sunrise also look beautiful from here.

"T-That's my sister. W-We had a little before we drove here, and she called me - crying, apologizing. She's asking if I still love her, of course as a brother."

I remembered what Finn said last night. He even stress the word 'brother'

"..s-so I forgive her and said I love her, still." He stopped saying things and suddenly looked at me,

"Lyrie, stop thinking like that...

She's just my sister"

Tss.

Who would fall for that.

"Let's go guys! Let's pack up" I heard Ate Jade from behind.

I turned myself around and walked to our tent. Calypso's also there, disassembling one of the tents. While I was picking up some trash scattered and fixing things in my bag.

I take a look at him.

He look busy, folding the tent, having his brows almost stick to each other. I also noticed her eyes. They were like he just woke up.

"Calypso" I called him.

A few seconds later, he made it to glance at me.

Huh?

"Don't think too much"

I just remembered what he said last night. He's serious yet I can still reflect how his tone is seems so worried. The opposite of what expression he's wearing now.

It feels… cold.

"Ahm.. I just want to say thank you"

"For what?"

I stood straight, put my hands in my pockets, and faced him.

"Last night, for being there. I… appreciate it a lot"

…

He nodded and went back to what he was doing.

Ok…

I brought back my eyes to what I'm doing--

"How was it?"

Huh?

I looked back at him.

"How was what?"

"You talked to him last night, how was it?"

Ahh…

"He said it was his sister, asking if he still love him becau--"

"Tss, you really buy that reason?" He looked straight at me like I did something bad to him.

"Ahm.."

I'm really curious at his expression rather than answering the question.

I took a few seconds to observe him but then he suddenly removed his gaze on me and brought it back to what he was doing.

*ziiiip*

He zip the bag and again, took a glance at me.

"I think you should know, Finn's only sister is Eva" he said, turning himself around and walking like nothing happened.

Eva...

"Is everything complete? Have we forgotten something?" I heard Ate Jade asked loudly.

"Complete ma'am!" Ralph cheerfully yelled. James and Kent made a thumbs up.

"Ok, all clear. Let's go guys it gets dark on the way"

…

We went down, and it was easier and faster than when we climbed up.

I often see myself taking a glance at Calypso keeping his eyes on the way.

I just brought my sight to Ate Jade, she walks next to me. Already noticing she's quite exhausted.