Chapter 62

Once Taria entered the teachers' room, she saw Edrian, sitting and marking some exams as usual. She greeted him normally then she sat down and started doing her paperwork, leaving him unable to understand what was going on inside her head.

"Ria.. are you ok?" Edrian asked

"Yeah, I'm ok", Taria said with a smile, then the bell rang and both of them went to their classes.

After the day ended, without any problems, Taria was going out of the school when Edrian stopped her.

"We need to talk", he said while trying to catch his breath, and so they went to the ice cream shop to talk

"Ray needs his father, so can't you consider making up with Tian, even if it was for Ray's sake", Edrian said, afraid that she would get mad at him after he took his side instead of hers

"Is that what you wanted to talk about? Damn, I thought you found a girlfriend or something", Taria said while eating her ice cream calmly

"Ha? Is that a yes or no?" Edrian asked

"I did many things for Ray's sake up until now, so I'm actually considering doing a thing for my sake this time, and Edd.. YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY SIDE AS YOUR FRIEND, TRAITOR", she said, looking at him with a half closed eyes

"I'm trying to help you, idiot. You know what my family life is like, so I really don't want you and Ray to be like that too", Edrian said, staring at her with a deep look in his eyes

"Well, I was thinking of giving him his position as a father, but I'm not sure yet. Ray was doing well without a father, yet I'm afraid that he would need one in the future", Taria said, rotating the spoon in the ice cream as that was helping her to think

"Did you ask for Ray's opinion?" Edrian said

"Oh come on, you know Ray, he would absolutely say no, especially after he saw my reaction yesterday", Taria said

"Well, how about you ask him to have dinner with Ray and you, then you can see what it's like between them", Edrian said, yet Taria looked at him with the same half closed eyes, and he could feel the black aura that started getting out of her, just like a cat facing something dangerous.

She knew that Edrian's idea was good, yet she was afraid that it would make her heart shaken. His black eyes that she would have to see, his lips that would touch her spoons, and his hands that would lay on the same table as hers. What if his presence forced a smile on her face as it used to do? What if his smiles accelerated her heartbeats just like before? Could she handle all that? Or will she lose against him once again?

Edrian was staring at Taria while she was playing with her ice cream again, and he knew what she was thinking of, so he said "I can come too if it would make you feel less tense"

"Rea~lly. Oh Ed you are brilliant. How about we invite Steven too?" she said, and the sparkles that got back to her eyes made him at ease.

Taria went to her apartment, determined to invite Tian for lunch, yet scared of everything about that invitation. However, when she entered the apartment and saw Ray reading a book peacefully, some of her fears disappeared. She knew that Ray was taking care of her all these years instead of the other way, so she wanted to give him a shoulder to lean on even if it wasn't her.

"Hello, mom", Ray said, with his normal calm steady voice that forced her to smile, neglecting all the heavy thoughts that were blowing her mind. She walked towards him, and hugged him tightly, leaving him confused and worried

"Are you ok?" he asked, patting his mother's back softly

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired", Taria said, burying her head on his small shoulder, and feeling his warm body and cold hands

"When the princess was feeling tired, the prince would always pat her head softly, which would give her soul energy to smile warmly even if she wanted to cry", Ray said, patting her head gently and filling her eyes with tears.

"I will always love you, my Ray", Taria said while her tears were wetting his shirt, then she wiped them away and looked at his face.

"Mommy will always stay on your side, so you will never be alone", Taria said, poking his tiny nose softly

After that, Taria went to the neighbor's apartment and knocked on the door after taking a deep breath. She waited for a moment that was longer than she imagined, yet the sounds of the footsteps getting closer and closer to the door made her heart faster. She closed her eyes and pressed on her fists, then she took another deep breath, and opened her eyes at the same time the neighbor opened the door.

"Taria…", Tian said after he was shocked to see her

"You can have lunch with us tomorrow at 2pm, bye", she said, then she turned around to get back to her apartment yet he stopped her by grabbing her sleeve

"How did you know that I live here?" he asked, knowing the answer yet trying to see her for a bit longer

"I didn't come here to talk with you, and that lunch is for Ray's sake so don't get any false hope", she said, with a sharp cold look that sent chills over his spine, then she left.

Tian entered his apartment again, and once he closed the door, he fell to the ground covering his mouth with his hand. He hit the ground several times then he said "eeeeeee she was so freaking cute"

His lips moved upwards, drawing a warm smile on his face, and his heart was jumping in his chest, unable to handle the happiness he felt. He didn't see her eyes sharp, but rather pretty and sparkling, and even her cold words were warm enough for him.

"I know told you you must be thankful that she is not married, yet you are lying on the ground like an idiot just because she talked to you for one minute. Ugh, disgusting", Dazai said, sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed in front of him and eating pizza.

"Shut up, you are ruining the moment", Tian said, closing his eyes and repeating that short conversation again and again, while Dazai was looking at him as if he was looking at a piece of trash.