Chapter Seventeen

LIAM BENJAMIN

I jumped to my feet, startled. Who could be surprised by what this obnoxious human did? Is there a sober person staring at the sleeping person, and if she approaches close to my face, she seems to want to kiss me?

Okay, if she kisses me, but—I don't want to be kissed by this chick! She's not the kind of lady I'm looking for.

My heart was still racing after the ordeal, but the girl in front of me kept giggling. Was she making fun of me because I was taken aback by what she did? Was my outburst amusing? Isn't it funny how she managed to startle me by bringing her face closer to mine?

"Did I surprise you?" she wondered, still cackling.

Isn't it obvious? She must have noticed my surprised reaction, as if I had encountered a ghost. Then she goes on to ask me a question? Is she a moron?

Despite my displeasure with what she did, her laughter made me feel differently. Her voice was pleasant to hear, and her every giggle seemed to have the power to settle me down and make me forget about my anger toward her. What emotions does it elicit in me? I'm sure I'm upset at her for scaring me, right? But how come this is so?

She paused her laughter when she realized I wasn't pleased with her appearance. "Ahm... sorry if I surprised you; I would have woken you up, but your eyes abruptly gaped," she reasoned. She charily scratched her neck.

She then lowered her head slightly.

Seriously... She's incredibly cute. I noticed she was wearing her uniform again, and her long, reddish-brown hair was loose.

Is she going to jolt me awake? Does she imply I actually slept? I checked my wristwatch and saw that it was 2:20 PM. Isn't it almost an hour since I fell asleep in this eerie garden?

"Hey, sorry..." Aerielle apologized once more, and holy cow... She's adorable, especially now that her lip is pouting. As her head remains bowed, she kicks pebbles into the ground.

What the fudge is this? What exactly am I looking at? Is it still a person or a character from an anime? She continued to pout as she gazed up at me. Damn! Is that something she does on purpose to keep me from getting annoyed, or is it something she does on a regular basis? I'm having another bout of knee weakness. I'm not sure why I'm feeling this way.

Despite the fact that my emotions had taken over, I was still able to scowl at her. "W-what are you doing here?" I said in a snooty tone, not wanting her to think I'm weak because of what she's doing in front of me.

She was still pouting when she replied, "You? What are you doing here?" She even managed to get my question back to me. Her purpose in being here is being questioned. Is she following me around like a stalker?

My left brow furrowed as I asked, "W-what do you care?"

She moved closer to where I had previously seated. "Don't you know? This location is my territory," she said softly, turning to face me.

Her domain? My brow furrowed in response to what she said. Is she a dog? Does she urinate on that spot and claim it as hers?

"Your t-territory? I didn't see your name on it," I remarked, frowning. I don't want her to notice if I pass out in her presence. She was taken aback for a second when she comprehended what I had said.

"Hmm, yes, but..." She halted herself because she seemed to be thinking of an excuse, and then she pouted again. Why is she pouting, as if that's the only thing I've noticed about her since she bothered me? Her pout irritates me to no end. I'm so sick of her pout! "I'm ahead of you here, so this is my turf, hehehe," she explained as she sat in my seat earlier.

Was she here before this place? Does this imply she's been hanging out here for a long time? "So w-what? Just because you're ahead of me here doesn't imply this area is yours; I'll believe you when I see your name here," I reasoned, even if my tongue was twisted. How can I not stutter? My knees tremble just thinking about her staring at me.

When she abruptly stood up and took my hand, I backed away. "Come on!" she exclaimed, causing me to follow her. I almost tripped over the roots jutting from the ground.

My chest throbbed as she grasped my hand. I'm not sure why I became distracted from what she was doing, but I couldn't get my hand back from where she had it. Electricity flowed from her hand into mine as she gripped my hand. My heart rate doubled as a result... and I felt a ticklish sensation in my stomach, creeping towards my spine. What exactly is this thing? Why am I feeling this way simply because she is holding my hand?

She led me to a larger Balete tree than the one I'd previously seen. When we came to a halt, she let go of my hand as well. She climbed up to a giant root and seemed to be seeking for something in the tree's trunk. "Wait, it's here... Ah! There it is," she said as she waved for me to come next to her. I'm not sure if I'll follow her because I don't know.

I'm not sure what this jumbled combination of emotions is playing inside my chest. I am repulsed and annoyed by her, yet there is a part of me that is pleased. I feel like I'm in another world, and we're the only two people that live in this eerie but enchanting place.

"Hey! Come here!" she exclaimed one again. My foot seemed to have its own mind and moved closer to her.

I also climbed the large root and looked at what she was pointing at on the tree's trunk. "Take a look here."

There are two names inscribed on it: Aerielle and Melisa. But it was the etching at the bottom of the two names that really caught my eye.

Aerielle & Melisa

Best Friends Forever

I stared at the engraving for a long time. Curiosity arose in my system as a result of what she showed me.

Best friends for life, eh? Does this imply that she and her best buddy went to this location? My thoughts were interrupted when I heard her laugh. "See, I've got a name here hehehe."

I recall telling her earlier that I would only believe she owned this home if I could see her name. I was humiliated because she showed me proof that she was ahead of me here. Does this imply I won't be able to come here any longer? I appear to have lost my safe haven when I need to be alone.

It's true that I don't belong anywhere in this world.

I climbed off the large roots and started walking away from this ghostly garden. I didn't stand there waiting for her to push me away because I wasn't numb. She revealed it to me to tell me that I didn't belong here and that I needed to leave. I'm quite aware that no one wants to go anyplace with me. Nobody wishes to befriend me. That is my accepted reality.

-AndyThoughts-