Inch closer

(Rorim's POV)

"Shu— No no no no!" I jumped from my bed the second I saw the light from my window. I rushed to the bathroom, no longer checking the clock, no longer minding the wave of blood rush in my head.

Times like this I wished that I allowed Gilbert to wake me up to my alarm. Because I refused to have Gilbert assist me in most of my daily life ever since I blossomed into adulthood (it took quite a while before he willingly agreed to it), he began investing his doting energy on plants instead. He was only allowed to keep the house clean, cook a meal for the both of us (I tell him when I'll eat alone), and buy groceries. He was basically a father figure to me now, a father that refused to call her daughter with her name or drop the formalities. He must be fetching his nephew by now, never noticing that I haven't gone to school. How can I when I was heavily asleep after I enthusiastically plotted a death note on Norman the whole night. Was writing my revenge plan more important than sleeping? Probably so.

It was almost lunch that I figured I should eat before leaving for school. I ate the leftover shrimp udon pasta in the fridge. Heated it in the microwave and helped myself.

cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo

I was brushing my teeth when my phone rang, Sam's name appearing on my screen. I forgot we exchanged numbers yesterday like how I forgot about everything that happened yesterday.

"Ro!" Her voice almost deafened me. "Which room are you? I'll fetch you."

"It's okay, you go without me." I can't tell her that I overslept again and was only about to attend class in the afternoon.

"Hey, no. We're eating together. I don't wanna be stuck with the guys. I already feel like a third wheel around them."

How do I do this… "I'm just about to get there." I rinsed my mouth and washed my brush with water.

"Where? I don't see you."

"I meant I'm just about to leave the house for school."

There was a long pause of silence until she broke it with a hearty laugh.

"Third strike tomorrow for being late and I'll bring you a cold turkey."

I chuckled. "I don't think you're using the right idi—"

"This isn't the time for that. Can you get any later?"

"You wouldn't want to imagine." I closed the door and walked out.

"Try me, Ms. Hourglass."

"Later Sam."

"Text me when you're close!"

"Mmm." And I dropped the call.

I made my way to the bus station and waited for the next load.

..........

"You're here!" Sam waved her arms high from afar and I waved back.

I ran to her and both brisked to the cafeteria together.

"Do you have any first impressions of Norman yet?" I raised my eyebrows at her. "Y'know, for the paper?"

Oh, I already wrote and it was not just a paper. "Hmm.. I have somehow. You?"

"Well my first impression about Gillian is that he seemed to be the serious, studious type of person. But having talked to him, he seemed chill and easy to talk to. I might actually be surprised that he's a bit fun."

"You can say that he's Norman's polar opposite."

"Really? I think Norman looks as he is."

"Which is?"

"Well he's like—-"

"Where were you guys? We're starving." Gillian complained.

"We needed a bathroom break." Sam looked at me and we exchanged grins.

"You might wanna hurry up next time." Norman smiled and turned.

I would want to punch the smile off your face.

We went to a random table and sat, except for Gillian.

"I'll order the food. What do you guys want?"

Sam stood up then. "It's okay, we can get our own food. I'll get our food." Sam winked at me and they both went to the counter, leaving Norman with me.

I looked at him and leaned forward to the table. "How was your class?"

"It was fine." He met my eyes.

"What do you usually order here, aside from pizza?"

"Keen eye."

I gave him a curt smile.

"Tteokbokki." Huh.

I looked at the counter to check on them only to find that they were still on queue. This should be a stroll in the park.

"What are you thinking?"

He raised his eyebrow. Minutes have already passed but he never left his sight on me. "When you told me I looked like someone you knew, that applies to you too."

I froze. He has never recognized me.

"Something tells me that I met you somewhere." He crossed his arms and squinted at me like when he stared at me yesterday.

"Oh? And where might it have been?"

He leaned forward this time and traced me with his eyes from head to toe. I shifted in my seat, feeling uncomfortable, like looking at myself in the mirror. I could say that because I hated mirrors. Investing in a memory that will only last me for a short life is trifling.

Then he shook his head. What does that supposed to mean?

"They're taking a while." I commented and took out my notepad and pen. "Do you mind if I asked, for the activity?"

"You can do as you please."

"So Mr. Norman uhmm.." Hyde.

"Hyde."

"Hyde, what's your philosophy in life?"

"Too deep too quickly?"

I chuckled, realizing that I know too well of the trivial things in his life that asking them would be like a memory test. "Okay. What interests you then? Like things, hobbies, leisure? Topics? Music? Books?" Spare me the boredom.

"Myths and legends." Oh.

"What about myths and legends?"

"Well," this time it was his turn to shift position. "It's just fascinating that, from before civilization to the present, humans create an abstract to lean on. Imagine being so bored that you had to invent entertainment for yourself. To make matters out of something. Can you picture hunting as majestic and graceful? Can you explain how it suddenly rains after a long period of drought? Can you manage to write the details of a gruesome, blood-stained battlefield, of war? You can't. You can just make it up. And people have created them. Stories became myths and legends that humans believed. Stories bring life to reality."

I didn't notice how long the silence sat between us. I have learned about this just now. I might have overestimated my memory too much, because I never remembered listening to him elaborate about such things would make me want to hear the rest of his trivial life. He can talk about his favorite stories and all the fiction I've read in the world and I would be spellbound.

"How about you? What fascinates you?" He asked, somewhat nonchalantly.

You.

"Sorry for the wait." Gillian appeared and laid the tray on the table. "Sam didn't know what to get you—"

"I wanted to give best snack options for you, Ro." Sam handed me the frozen yogurt, small cup of peanut butter syrup and fruit bowl filled with mango, kiwi, banana and strawberry slices - all sorted and sectioned per fruit.

"You weren't lying." Sam gave me her brightest smile.

"Ya, That's barely even lunch." Gillian pointed with a mouth full of his food. "You can have some of—"

"Just eat your fill." Norman interrupted, no one complained.

I watched them eat as I slowly noshed on my yogurt. Then I found Norman looking at me again.

"What?" I mouthed.

Shaking his head, he smirked to himself.

Don't forget.

I gulped a heavy weight pierced sharply on my chest and ate.

__________________

The next day, I juggled my brain with worries of how to take care of the eggs and of how to approach and apologize to Norman. The box was still under my bed and I made sure not to pull it out when the kids were around. That one was simple. Approaching Norman on the other hand was a challenge - kids were always around him. Whether during the learning session or lunch, he was surrounded. The idea of apologizing to him was already embarrassing, how much more with them around to witness. No, I need to be alone with him to do that.

So I waited. I followed him wherever he went and stayed close enough without drawing attention. I could tell that he knew because he stole glances from between spaces in the crowd.

"Raven!"

Ms. Hipher's voice came from our room's direction. The eggs!

I strided carefully until I reached the doorway. From my bed, she held a broom in one hand and a box on the other. The wrinkles on her forehead were more emphasized as she scowled at me. Her almost gray hair was braided to the side, her blouse and dress pants were clean and crease-free despite all the moving she does at the strike of sunrise. I looked at her and then at the box, fearing what she might do to it.

"What are these doing here?"

"I'm hiding them."

"Why?"

"I didn't want the other kids to see it."

"This should be on the tree, where they belong." I know that. It wasn't me, it was Norman.

"I—"

"I took them from the tree." I turned and found Norman standing behind me.

"Why?"

"The kids were gonna destroy it. I heard them plan to poke it with sticks until it falls during learning session." I pursed my lips, annoyed at the idea again.

Ms. Hipher breathed deep and thought for a moment. I turned to Norman again. If not for Ms. Hipher finding out the eggs, this would be the right time to say sorry. But why was he here?

"Taking care of this is different from taking care of chickens. This came from a wild creature and should be taken care of in the wild." She stated, more of speaking to herself. "You are not capable of handling this. It needs its mother."

Norman and I exchanged looks. "I've never seen its mother." She must know that I should know, I climbed the same tree every day.

"Well we can't leave it to you both, can we? You're both too young to be its guardian." There was a hint of concern in her tone. Ms. Hipher was our guardian but she has so many in her hands to include in her list of burdens, with us young ones on top of the list.

"We can ask Gale for assistance." Norman suggested.

"We can take care of it." I insisted.

"And if they hatch?"

"We'll look after it until they're old enough to fly." The idea of seeing them hatch and grow excited me.

Ms. Hipher crossed her arms and thought again, hopefully considering.

"Norman, go to Gale and tell her to come here." And Norman left.

I was left there with Ms. Hipher, which was awkward because I have never been alone with her.

Gale was the one who mostly raised me, fed me and bathed me until I was capable on my own. Ms. Hipher was the one who taught us numbers and letters, reading and writing. She taught us manners and good values. She wasn't a bad teacher; she was attentive and persistent, making sure that everyone, at the very least, doesn't hit each other's head in front of her or acts spoiled or forgets manners. She treated everyone fair, according to each other's personality but never doted, never with special attention. After all, she was only doing her job - as our guardian.

Gale arrived beside me with Norman behind her. We all looked at each other and then to Ms. Hipher.

"The two insist on looking after the eggs. I can't allow myself to shoulder another responsibility so I give my permission for them to do so. My only condition," her eyes on Norman and I then to Gale, "is that they do it with your guidance. Assist them until they are able to hatch the eggs, as Raven promised."

My lips curved in a silent victory.

"But," - But what? - "if you agree to assist them or not is your choice." Ms. Hipher reached out the box to Gale, as if handing it to her for consent.

Norman and I reflected the same worried face and raised our heads to Gale. Gale breathed, probably absorbing the pressure from us.

Please Gale. I pleaded in my head, closing my eyes and holding my breath.

"I'll assist them." She finally said and we both exhaled.

She took the box from Ms. Hipher's hand and smiled at me, which I returned twice as much.

"You better start searching how to take care of it. The longer it stays without warmth, the less chances it has of hatching."

"Thank you, Ms. Hipher." Norman bowed lightly.

"Yes, thank you." I followed.

"Off with you two now, I still have a word with Gale. Take the box as well, it's your responsibility after all." And I obeyed.

Norman and I scrurried to the playroom, with me holding the box like my life's treasure. I almost forgot that I still owe him an apology when we sat on the mat on the floor.

I breathed in deep and faced him. "Norman."

Norman raised his head, from the book on the ground, to my eyes.

"I-I'm" This is so hard.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry!" I might have said that too loud, and I couldn't look at his eyes.

Why is he silent again?

"I forgive you." He finally spoke. "I don't know what you're sorry for though."

"For yesterday." My finger traced the corners of the puzzle mat. "When I shouted at you even though you're just being good."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I didn't want the kids to hurt them." He reasoned and that made me smile.

"Thank you for saving them." We finally met eyes. Seeing him up close was, surprisingly, refreshing.

I stood up and pulled more books about birds from the shelf. It would be better if we found something about taking care of them.

"Oh, did you know that they were Raven eggs?"

"Yeah."

"That's so cool! They're like you. It's like you've found your flock."

Somehow, for unexplainable reasons, my chest grew warm. The same warmth I felt when I saw his face brighten while playing weeks ago. Whether it was because of the word flock or because he said the same things I thought when I first knew, I didn't dislike it. This warmth can be the hearth for every cold of winter. This warmth can be home.