Chapter Fourteen

LIAM BENJAMIN

Aerielle drank again from the bottle she was holding. My eyes flickered when she looked in my direction. She stopped drinking and offered me the juice. “Are you thirsty too?” Her smile gets wider.

“N-no, t-thank you …” I stutter. She was about to say something when suddenly someone called her name.

“Aerielle! Come on, we're starving!” someone at the far end of the canteen shouted, he was accompanied by two guys and a girl. I look at that lass, she was the one who called Aerielle yesterday in the room.

“Just a minute!” She shouted back. She was about to leave when I had a thought of calling her. I don't know why I want to call her name. But I mentioned something unknown name instead, calling her name.

“Erie!”

She stopped and turned to my direction. “Huh? Did you call me?” she asked while her lips still twinkling.

I couldn't speak right away. I didn't know where did I get that name I called her, it just suddenly came out of my mouth. I endeavored to speak before I could be completely stunned again by her beautiful face.

“U-uh your money, w-won't you take it?”

She glanced at the floor where the money scattered. She looked at me again and giggles, “leave that there. There's more person who needs that.” She ran towards her friends, and I… I stared at her as she ran away from me.

***

I just stared at the money on my bed. This is Aerielle's money that she didn't pick up and just left for someone else to take.

That girl is really weird. Wasn't she aware that money is hard-earned, then she just let someone else take it? Is she a daughter of a rich billionaire, so she doesn't care and just leaves her money?

I wouldn't have taken it and just let it go, in case I regretted it for eighty pesos. Even if it is a small amount, it is still money that can be used to buy food.

What am I going to do here? I don't want to include her money in my allowance. Mom taught me that when it’s not mine, I don’t take it. It just depends on if it's given to me.

If I just give it back to her? After all, it's hers, isn't it? That's all I'm going to do. Even though I don’t want to talk to her and approach her, I seem to be forced to do that.

I don't want to talk to her because I might be stunned again while looking at her beaming face. I might lose myself completely by chance. I don't want that to happen, I might be embarrassed again for the second time in front of her…

And so? What if I get embarrassed in front of her? I'm used to being humiliated, so why does it seem like a big deal if I'm shamed in front of Aerielle? Tss. Whatever.

I put the money back in my wallet and decided to go to sleep. I also finished eating dinner, and no assignments given to us yet. It's just the first week of class, so the teachers still give us spare time to enjoy.

I already feel the weight of my lids when I heard someone is knocking on my door, and definitely it's Mom. She's the only one who's with me in this house. Unless there's a ghost living here together with us.

All right, scare yourself, Liam.

The door opened, and I saw my Moms tired face. “Baby Benji, are you still awake?” she said while entering my room. Tsk, baby Benji again.

Even I feel drowsy, I sat down and looked at the alarm clock on the side table. It's only 9:35 PM, but why is she here at home? She usually comes home in the morning because my Mom always called to the emergency. She can't go home sometimes and sleeps in the hospital.

She went near to my bed and sat beside me. “Have you eaten?” Mom stroked my hair gently. Until now, she still considers me a baby, even though I'm a teenager now. I just nodded to what she asked.

“Why you came home so early, Mom? It's really a miracle,” I said as I rested my head on the headboard. She sighed and she rested her head too.

“Don't you like it?” she laughed.

Every so often it’s annoying to talk to her, I don’t know if she’s serious or philosophical? If she wasn't just my mom, I'd be really annoyed with her.

“There is a new resident doctor who came to the hospital, we have been waiting for him to come for a long time. The case is, our heads just approved his residency last week,” she explained.

“And then?” I asked and leaned on her shoulder because I was really sleepy.

“Hmm, I asked that intern to take care of the job I left. He can't say no to me, I'm ahead of him, so he has no right to complain.” She chortled.

“You're a bully, Mom,” I said, and I closed my eyes. I feel like my consciousness leaving from my body. Mom laughed out loud and put her arm around me.

“It's just a joke, son! You're really too believable. Of course, Mom won't do that. The one who insults is bad.”

“Hm…” That's all I could answer because my body seemed to be floating from the space. I felt her strokes my hair again, and she asked.

“How about you? How was my baby's day? Did my baby have a crush already, hm?”

I don't know, but I suddenly smiled at her question. When she mentioned the word “crush” I smiled even more.

Crush…

Aerielle's beautiful face came into my mind, looking and smiling at me. I felt my grin wider even more. I also suddenly felt this unfamiliar good feeling, I don't know what to call it. I feel like I'm in a cloud and surrounded by butterflies… Even if my chest is beating too much, it's okay because I feel a different beating. No chest pain, I can't explain what is this. Just wonderful, light, delighting…

“We have a nice smile, eh?”

My imagination interrupted because I heard Mom laughed, so I was wide-eyed.

And then who have a beautiful smile? Me? Am I smiling? Why am I smiling? I draw away from Mom's embrace and I sat up straight.

“No! Who's smiling?” I asked with a frown. She grinned and looked at me foolishly.

“Oh, my baby looks like already a young man, hm?” she's still grinning. “Who's that girl? Introduce her to me.”

I was confused, my forehead furrowed even more at what she said. Who will I introduce to her? I don't have any friends, and she knows that, so who will I introduce?

“Huh? Who, Mom?”

Her grin widened and she poked my waist. “Stop pretending you didn't know what I'm talking about. So, who is she, hm? “ She asked again, and she never stopped poking my side while saying, “Yiiiieeeh.”

What is that? Yieeeh? Is there a word like that? I have never read anything like that in a book. I think my mother went crazy, she's blabbering weird things.

“Nothing,” was all I could answer because I didn't know what Mom was referring to. But she looks as if she doesn't believe my answer because there is still a malicious smile on her face.

“Tell me, Benjamin. I want to meet her.”

“I said nothing!” my voice rose a little.

I don’t know, I was suddenly irritated at her insistence on saying who's my crush. I didn't even know what she was referring to. That's effin' annoying!

She still had the same reaction on her face and laughed at me. “All right, I won't ask you anymore, but I'm glad my son has a crush, finally. My baby is really a young man.” She dramatically wiped her eyes, as if there were tears dripping from it, but there were none, then she sniffed.

What's happening to her? And what did she say? Is she glad I have a crush? My mom is getting into my nerves, I said I don't have one!

“I said no, Mom! Why 're you so annoying?” I was so pissed that I lay down and covered myself with my blanket. I ignored her, but she still kept on laughing!

“Alright! As you said so. Good night baby, go to sleep," she kissed my head even though I was covered. I heard my room door close afterwards.

I lost sleep with Mom’s sarcasm, and here… I couldn’t sleep because she mentioned that “crush”. And why did Aerielle came to my mind when Mom mentioned that?

I don't like that untidy girl! She is disgusting and very piggy!

I admit, I admire her, I am amazed every time I see her cheerful smile. I want to see her always whenever she smiles. I like how her small and sweet voice plays on my hearing. Most of all, I love being next to her, even if she ignores me. BUT, it doesn't mean that I have a crush on her! It will never happen! NEVER.

-AndyThoughts-