CHAPTER 6 - Your Heart is My Concern

Whatsapp's conversation shows her conversation with Mr. Bran.

“Can I have a day off tomorrow?” From the light green bubble.

“Of course, take your time.” A reply from the white bubble.

Maeve puts her phone down and hugs her knees with too much sadness in her eyes. Just what was her thinking? She then buries her head between her knees and her chest.

Tomorrow.

‘He must be going there..’ She thought as she hugging herself and leaning on the front gate of Trápaga Edward’s Residence which was written on the house nameplate.

Maeve clicked her tongue.

‘Just come home faster, won’t you?’ She continued.

‘Or is he just being a nerd at the school library?’ She narrowed her eyes thinking how troublesome she feels have to wait.

Suddenly, someone shows up from the inside. They both exchanged look for a moment.

“Who?” They said in unison.

It was a tall man with short raven hair. He’s wearing glasses and looks about Mr. Edward’s age.

“Oh no, How rude I am! Err... I am Rou’s schoolmate. I’m.. just coming back from school and have something to ask him so I stopped by.” Maeve explained herself.

“Oh, too bad he’s not home yet. Are you sure school’s end already?” The man replied.

‘What’s with the last sentence? Did he try to accuse me of skipping class?’ She mumbled inside her mind.

“I see... Never mind, I’ll just wait then.” She beamed.

“Fine then,” He responded before suddenly press the bell.

Maeve jumped.

“Eh?”

The man just smiles and walks away. Maeve just watched him go with a question mark in her head.

‘Why do I feel a scary aura around him..? He doesn’t even give me his name or who was he.. what a strange man.” She muttered.

“Yeee~s? Who might be? Eh.. no one..?” Suddenly she heard Mr. Edward's voice from the inside.

Maeve quickly emerges from the gate and waves at him. Mr. Edward blinked for like thrice before smiles excitedly.

He immediately invites her in.

“It’s been a while, right?” He began.

“Yeah, I came here sometimes but seems like you’re not home every time I came by.” She agreed.

“Yes, Rou told me if you come. I am always relieved you kids kept a healthy relationship. I mean, you guys are still in middle school, after all. Yes, really..” Mr. Edward remarked with a smile on his face.

‘The heck with that healthy relationship?’ One phrase caught her attention the most.

“Come to think, in what year are you right now, Maeve?” He questioned.

“Third year.” She replied immediately.

“I see, two years apart from Rou, right?” He guessed.

Maeve just nodded.

“Rou’s expected to graduate by the end of this Spring. But, seems like he still didn’t think any place yet to continue his further study” He expressed.

“S-still early though, mostly everyone starts to give it a thought after took exam result, so it probably important to Rou to focus on his final exam first.” Maeve voiced out.

Mr. Edward looked at her with a slightly thoughtful face.

“You’re right..” He commented.

“Maeve came out mature and thoughtful, huh? You’re just a little kid the first time we met, now you’re grown up as a fine young girl.” He complimented with a smile on his face like a proud dad.

“Eeeh~ no way~” She blushed for the compliment.

“Now you’ll definitely be looking good together with Rou, yes, really..” He remarked.

“What? I wasn’t looking good before?” She questioned.

“Eh, n-no! You always looking good and cute, Maeve. Yes, really..” He gulped.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? If only we can go like a romance novel story, childhood friends who ended up together..?” Without looking, she suddenly voiced. She put her hand around the cup of chocolate milk served by Mr. Edward.

“Huh?” Mr. Edward was puzzled.

Maeve lift her gaze to meet with his and curled up a smile on her lips.

Mr. Edward has nothing to say.

‘Damn, she’s cute. Yes, really..’ Indeed, he had something to say, but on his mind.

Suddenly the front door opened.

“I’m home..”

“Oh, he’s here. Welcome home, Rou. Come here for a moment.” Mr. Edward called to let him know Maeve was coming.

“Okay, you come home early today, dad? Did something happe- WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?!” He suddenly freaked out the moment he saw Maeve.

Maeve just smirks like an unbothered queen.

“That’s why you’re not at Coffee Stop, huh?” He grumbled.

“Oh my, you came to Coffee Stop? I just feel a little bit uneasy today, my bad I didn’t tell you. Oh yea, it wasn’t necessary to tell you, right?” She snickered. Still with a smile.

“What do you want? Just let’s go upstairs, already!” He groused.

Maeve took a final sip of her drink.

In Rou’s bedroom.

Maeve sits crossed leg on Rou’s bed flipping his educational book which laid there while Rou took off his school shirt leaving him with his black T-shirt underneath his school shirt.

‘Glad I’m not in that A class..’ She sighed when she knew she can’t understand a thing from the book.

“Isn’t you should sit properly before I say I could see what’s under your skirt?” he blurted.

Maeve gave him a cold look.

“Even though it’s just you?” She hissed. Still changed her way of sitting.

“Now, what do you want?” He asked. Took a seat at the bed.

“Don’t you have more fun books to read?” She requested.

“I only have porn mags, a brat like you should go study!” He pronounced.

“Tch..” She clicked her tongue.

“Hey, do you like me?” Suddenly she voiced. Rou looked at her behind him.

‘This brat... she always likes this. Casually, asking a sensitive question.’

“After that kiss, you weren’t say anything... I.. just got confused. I’m not good at understanding behaviors.” She asserted with an overwhelming look in her eyes.

‘Now, mentioning about the kiss..’ He continued in his thought.

“What comes from your mouth always irritating words, like you doesn’t like me, but..”

“I don’t understand, word and act..” She continued, dropping her gaze.

“If I say I didn’t like you but keep kissing you, seeing you at Coffee Stop, staring at you with a smile, will you hate me for that behavior?” He finally responded. Maeve lifts her head.

She blinked before looking away.

“No. You’re gonna kiss me or what... I don’t care if it wasn’t because you liked me, if I do, then I won’t ask..” She uttered.

“Right? You can’t see words from behavior, you can’t see behavior from words. That’s because they’re sometimes doesn’t what it looks or sounds like. I can kiss you even if I don’t love you, I can say I hate you even if I liked you. But you’ll not see it. Now, my heart is your concern. Then..”

He leans closer and presses his lip onto hers. Maeve didn’t flinch nor move. Their lips just touching. Not any deep. She just keeping a straight face even Rou closed his eyes like in a real kiss.

He finally pulling apart. His eyes met the girl’s grey orbs which he can’t find anything there.

“Then?” She suddenly opened her mouth.

“Your heart was my concern, as well.”

“That was my answer.” He ended.

Maeve blinked her eyes and look away.

“I’m going home.” She speak sternly as she grabbed her bag and standing up from the bed.

Rou didn’t bother to stop her, he just watching her opened the bedroom door and getting out.

“Eh? Home already?” Mr. Edward mouthed when he saw Maeve walking downstairs.

“Thanks for having me, Mr. Edward. Excuse me..” She uttered and continue her steps to the front door.

“Oh my..”

Maeve left when Rou appears at the stairs, lean on the wall.

“What happened? Did it hurts her?” He guessed.

“Idiot,” Rou responded to that silliness.

Maeve stopped at the nearest park and took a seat on the bench. She seems annoyed with wrinkles on her forehead. She brought her left hand to her chest and clutched her shirt. She bit her lower lips and her eyes shut.

‘What was that? He doesn’t even try, what’s so hard about saying it?! Just say it clearly, won’t he?’

‘No matter how many kisses, how many things he does, if he didn’t say it properly, how can I understand? Or am I too stupid?’ She continued.

‘No, he is the stupid one!’ She hissed.

“What are you doing?” A voice interrupted her deep thought.

Maeve lifts her head to look at the owner of that voice. She just gave him an annoyed look.

“I’m trying to feel my own heart. Since it concerned you.” She quipped.

“Good, go on..” Said Rou.

Maeve gave him a sharp glanced.

“Whether I like you or not, it sure concerns me a lot. I’m the same with you, Wren, I can’t tell a word from behavior.” Rou began.

Maeve won’t give any reaction.

“To say ‘I love you’ or ‘I like you’ to a kind of you, feels like I’m confessing to a guy who will never be mine. That’s why you’re right about feeling your own heart.” He ended.

“So, you mean it would be a waste to say you like me since I’m into girls? You may saw me as a guy, but why did you attack the guy in the first place? Now, am I at the fault?” She snapped.

Rou just remains silent.

“We just keep circling over and over! You think we’re not meant to be, but why does it just keep going, you never stop as if you still see a meaning before us! What was that all? I don’t understand.” She ranted.

“You know, I’ll just kiss you again if we’re inside. I just didn’t like bitter conclusion.” He uttered.

“Screw that!” She scowled as she standing up.

“Don’t follow me!” She spat and walked away.

***

‘What a regretful day. On my eyes and my ears right now maybe Caroline sweet smile and voice but on my mind was that stupid Rou’s face.

Why? Why it’s so deep? I can dig up his feeling. I can’t understand anything if he won’t say.’

Caroline suddenly stopped talking.

“Are you okay, Maevy?” She questioned her. Maeve flinched.

Meanwhile, at Trápaga’s house.

“I see.. so he came earlier?” Rou inquired.

“Yeah, but don’t mind him. Like what Maeve said earlier, you should focus on your final exam first, right?” Mr. Edward suggested.

Rou just gave a stern look.

-CHAPTER 6 ENDS-