Honesty

"I wonder how I will carry this to my house," I said, looking at the large, seven-rats-stacked-on-top-of-each-other tall box. "Maybe I can call a cab?"

"We apologise for not having a delivery system." The store owner said, looking uncomfortable.

But it really isn't her fault. Not all the stores think to have something like that.

I have my license but not a car. I didn't think to bring my car because the market isn't too far and I needed some air. I should have brought it.

Ding!

"Zion!"

I turned to the familiar voice, making eye contact with a black-haired girl, waving at me as soon as she took her sunglasses off.

"Oh, Cherry."

"Fancy seeing you here." She said, walking to my side. "What are you doing, thinking so intently? Ooh~. Are those for Yale?"

"Yup. I am just wondering about how I will carry them all home."

"They don't deliver?" She asked, eyeing down the already nervous store owner. "Shame."

"I'm so so-"

"Stop making her nervous, Cherry," I said, annoyed. "What are you doing here anyway? You are not one for vintage wear."

"True. I like fast fashion more." She said, raising her hands in the air to show her entire wardrobe. "Besides I am not here for me. I happen to see you in the window and had to come say hi. How's the missus?"

"She's fine," I said, turning back to the box. What can I do? Maybe I can just carry it home? It will be easy but … annoying.

"You know," the girl said, wrapping her arms around mine as I felt something round and with the consistency of pudding, "if anything goes wrong, you can always come to me."

"I appreciate the offer," I said, pulling my arm from her grip. "But I would rather fall dead in the middle of the street than date you."

"Loyal as always I see." She chuckled, biting the ends of her sunglasses. "You see, I brought my car with me. So, why don't I give you a lift home?"

"No thank you, I will manage," I said, turning to the store owner. "DO you have a better box I can keep these in?"

"I do." She said, running to the back as quickly as she could.

"Why are you so mean to me, Zion?" Cherry pouted, her glossy red lips sparkling with the reflection of the light.

I couldn't help stare at them for a little longer than I intended to.

"Oooo~. Where are you looking at?" She asked, hand on her face, voice turning sultry. "Have I finally gotten your attention, Zion?"

"Your lips," I said, pointing at her.

"They are pretty, aren't they?" She asked, blowing me a kiss. "They are smudge-proof too."

"Cool. Could you get me the same ones?"

"What?" Her eye twitched, disappointment written all over her face.

"Could you tell me the brand? Yale might like it."

"You are still thinking about her?? When I am right in front of you??"

"Shouldn't I?"

The back doors opened and the store owner came out with a large box that looks like a present. The sides were a baby blue and the 'ribbon' a dark pink.

"Is this ok?"

"It's perfect. Thank you."

Opening the lid, she carefully put the stuffed animals into the box one by one.

"Zion. Why don't you pay attention to me?" The girl said again, pulling at my shirt sleeve. "Don't you think I'm pretty? Am I so repulsive to look at?"

"You're pretty," I said, not looking at her. "But you aren't my girlfriend and you won't ever be. Please leave me alone."

"Bu-"

"Go," I said walking to the store owner and began helping her as I heard a huff of annoyance and the door of the store slamming close. Sighing, I apologise to the store owner. "If she or I caused any disruption I sincerely apologise."

"No. It's alright. You did nothing wrong." She said quickly, closing the lid of the box. "But she offered you a ride … it would have been easier to take this home. Your girlfriend would have understood."

"I guess," I said, looking at the box at my feet and then at her. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"H-how did you know??" She asked, growing flustered.

"Just a guess," I said, shrugging. "If your boyfriend turned up with her, what would you feel?"

"I guess … uncomfortable? But if he explained about the gift then I wouldn't mind." She said very quickly.

"Yale wouldn't too. She wouldn't even question it. She trusts me too much." I strapped the bag of groceries around my shoulder, getting ready to pick the box up. "But it would not sit right with me if I knew I was making her feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"I don't want to put her in that position. I'm sure you understand."

The store owner only looked at me for a second before nodding.

"Great." I picked the box up in my arms and walked to the door that she opened for me. "Thank you. Do keep in contact about that dress set."

"I will."

"Then, I will take my leave."

__________________________

Leaving the box at the door of my house, I sighed, leaning my head on the door.

What do I do? A lot of things happened only today and … I hope he is alright. I've been gone a while too.

Need to cook something easy.

I reached for the doorknob but it swung open with Rumant standing there, wearing one of my shirts, his hair in a bun.

"We need to talk, Zion."

That we do.

"Alright."

_____________________

"Could you cut this for me?" I asked, placing a bowl of washed spring onions, carrots, tomatoes and spinach in front of him.

"Sure." He folded the long sleeves up and began chopping the onions first up on the dining table.

He has improved so much from the first time I asked him to chop potatoes up. Let's just say … the potatoes were nowhere near cut and I needed to buy an entirely new set of knives.

But look at him chopping them with ease. I am so proud.

Taking a bowl of potatoes, I sat opposite to him and began dicing them. "What did you want to talk about?"

"About … about what happened in the bathroom." He paused for a second and then went back to cutting. "Sorry. I must have made you uncomfortable."

"You definitely did," I said, looking at him. "I was so concerned. What happened anyway?"

"Well … after I saw Alexis's condition today after losing Wendy, I thought, to lose someone you hold so close to your heart must have hurt so much."

He finished chopping the onions and threw everything into the pot I placed beside him.

Grabbing the tomatoes, he started chopping them up. "And I remembered our situation. Death is something we have to worry about every day.

"We almost died several hours ago." He sliced the knife into the tomato while I started slowing down on my cutting, putting more of my attention on him to make sure he doesn't cut himself. "It made me think. We didn't even get to sleep with each other yet.

"If we died then or if one of us died … the connection … won't it weaken?"

I stopped cutting altogether, placing my knife down as I looked at Rumant as he stopped as well, looking intently at me.

"That is what you are worried about?" I asked, trying to sum it up. "That one of us will die without making a proper connection to the other?"

"It sounds ridiculous, I know." He said, blushing but he still kept eye contact with me. "But that is my concern."

Wow. He is really honest with me right now. If it was before, he would have just left and gone to his parent's house and I would have to go there to coax him out.

His growth is astounding.

Then again, did he forget that once your partner, your other half dies, you will too? Because your partner is like your other soul.

A person cannot live with just half a soul. Not as a sane person or a complete life anyway. Most would rather just die.

Still, I am honoured that he worried that far. It just shows how much he likes me.

A gentle smile came on my face as I took his hands in mine, squeezing them.

As much I feel happy, sleeping with someone because you are scared you are going to lose is not right. It is just like a man getting a woman pregnant against her wishes so that she does not enlist in the army. To keep her safe though she has the qualifications to be there.

"Ru," I said, taking his hands to my lips. "I want to honestly ask you this, no beating around the bush or anything like that, did you really like me? Or are you just afraid of being alone?"