Roses and the Face of Pain

A boy silently sleeping on his bed. Mikael has medium-length brown hair, the same color as his slit brown eyes, he has a good build body for a high schoolboy. On his side was Ericka sitting on the floor while her head leaning on Mikael's hand.

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I was kicked out of my dream after I felt something heavy on top of my right hand. As I opened my eyes and looked at it, I saw Ericka peacefully sleeping using my hand as a pillow.

“Ericka?” I called her but it seemed she was in the middle of her dreams.

I carefully pulled my hand and gently left my bed, I don't want to disturb her sleeping.

It's been a while since Arisa left for her study, and I missed her so badly. Fortunately, Ericka was here with me.

But I didn't expect Ericka asked me that thing...

A few weeks had passed since we do that thing but I couldn't take it out of my mind. Why did I accept her request? is it because of the loneliness I felt when we were on the playground?... The thing that always bugging my mind.

Do I like Ericka?....

No, that was not it, that was not the case. I didn't say that it was impossible for me to like her but...it was because I already had someone I liked and it was her sister.

I looked at Ericka who was peacefully sleeping, I pulled a blanket and cover it on her back... she might catch a cold.

While in the bath, I reminisced the day that the three of us were still young. My classmates used to pick a fight with me, they always teased me and we ended up hurting each other.

One day I went to the playground alone. I hid in the playhouse and watched people pass by. A girl caught my attention as I saw her enter the playground. She had a sad yet upset expression on her face. She just sat on the swing and didn't even try to play on it.

A few minutes later, the rain started to fall. I watched her freaking out while looking for a place to shelter from the rain.

She started to walk towards me, however, she stopped midway.

‘Did I scare her?’

I reached my hand to her and smiled. She must be felt shy after she saw me here.

She hesitated at first but gladly, she accepted it—or else we would get soaked in rain.

“Are you okay?” I asked after we got in the playhouse.

“......”

“I'm Mikael, what's your name?”

“E-Ericka,” she stuttered.

I tried to talk to her again but she didn't answer me except nodding and shaking her head as a yes and no.

It was already dark when the rain started to stop, I was the first one to get off the playhouse and helped her by holding her hands.

“Geh! It's already dark my mom will be angry, I got to go!"

I took a step but I stopped as I felt Ericka's hand on my wrist.

“What's wrong?" I asked her but she just looked down. It felt like at any second, she would cry.

She took her hand off my wrist.

“...too dark," she answered in a low tone.

I grasped her hand firmly and started to walk while gently pulling her.

Even if I hurriedly go back home and left Ericka here, I was sure my mother would still scold me. At least, I could use her as an excuse if ever my mother see me.

“Hey, where do you live? I'll take you there. Besides, I am too scared to go home alone.”

She told me where she lived, other than that she didn't say a single word and started to walk by my side while holding our hands together.

After a few left and right directions, we made our way back home. I could already see my house— but still, I couldn't believe she lived near me, I didn't saw her face before.

“Mikael!” I heard a familiar voice, my mom was running towards me.

—I'm doomed.

I expected a scolding from her but I was wrong. Instead of scolding me, she hugged me tightly.

“Where have you been? I'm so worried about you" I was left dumbfounded.

This was the first time I saw my mother make such a face.

“I'm sorry.” I hugged her back. I glanced at Ericka who was standing at my side. At some point, I released her hand from mine.

—Oh! I almost forgot!

I slowly pushed my mother and had her look at Ericka.

“Oh, Ericka?” my mother looked at Ericka confusedly. “Oh! what are you doing here? Your sister was looking for you.”

“I met her in the park earlier, I thought she was los—” I was about to complete my sentence but I was startled after I heard someone shout.

“Ericka!!"

The loud voice I heard was coming from a girl who was a bit older than me. She was running towards us with tears forming at the corner of her eyes, she held Ericka between her arms tightly, burying her face on Ericka's shoulder.

After that night, Arisa started to treat me like a little brother. Whenever the other children tried to tease me, Arisa was always there to protect me.

Good times...

I glanced at Ericka who was still sleeping in my room.

I finished preparing for school but she's still sleeping? I think it's about time to wake her.

“...Ericka?" She woke up as soon as I called her name, she looked at me with a face—wondering how did she fell asleep.

I reached my hand to her. “Let's go?"

She accepted it and smiled. “Hum, okay."

It seemed like she had a good dream, I thought.

We were on the road, walking straight to the school when I felt my phone vibrate.

My eyes widened after I looked at my phone.

...A message from Arisa

I quickly opened the mail and read its content. It said that after a few weeks, Arisa will return here for a vacation. A mix of excitement and nervousness roused in my chest.

...What should I do? I can't wait for a few more weeks to see her again

But something was stopping me from just thinking about Arisa. Ericka—on my side had the same expression as mine, her eyes wide open, mouth agape.

“Ericka, did you already see it? It's been a long time since we saw her but she says she'll return here for vacation.”

I excitedly waved my phone to her while showing a wide smile. I can't hide my excitement...

“Oh, I see.” she simply replied.

“Man, I can't wait to see her. Remember the days before she moved to the next town? those days that she was here were the best days of my life, I guess... I guess I just want to see her badly...”

It might be sounded pretty corny but I felt my heart bursting as I thought about Arisa's return.

“Hey, Ericka what should we do? should we go to the market to..."

My voice slowly faded and ended up stopping speaking after Ericka grasped my hand firmly. I looked at her but she was facing down preventing her face to be seen.

“What's wrong?"

“Nothing...”

She loosened her grip on my hand and continued to walk, but I pulled her arm and made her turn to me but that was the thing that I should have never done.

She was looking at me with a shocked expression. There was some kind of wet swelling on the corner of her eyes, and at any time it could burst into tears, her eyebrows furrowed while she was biting her lower lip.

“Ericka...” I muttered.

She pulled her arm back and started to walk but before she disappeared into my eyes she looked at me and said, “Let's go or we will be late...”

She smiled before she walked away.

All I did was watch her—wondered why she looked at me like that...