Chapter 7 :- What the past holds

Miette and Yuki are at my house. There are cries everywhere. There is a weird peace in it, yet I don't want them to cry.

I felt a warm touch on my finger while I was sitting with my back resting on the bed and looking outside the balcony.

It was Miette. She was trying to fix my broken finger. She was still sobbing with her face all red from low oxygen.

"Let- let me at least help you."

I snatched away my finger. I don't want her to fix something I broke myself.

Honestly, I don't want her to fix anything. Even though I feel like I am overreacting, why do I even feel this much? I barely remember the last time I felt something this big.

(She's true, you are a monster.)

Whatever she said was true. If that was true then I have no right to throw her away, yet I am doing it again and again. Am I afraid to face her?

She will be in more trouble if she associates with me. Even protecting her resulted in a big misunderstanding.

(Misunderstanding? But whatever she said was correct, right?)

My brain was turning into a mess.

"Yuki, can you ask her to leave ?"

"I won't"

Before Yuki could say anything, Miette said so.

"Miette, I get it okay. I get it you want to repent, but it won't matter. I already know your honest feelings and you are finally free from me, righ-?"

I felt some warmth on my cheeks, Miette's face was right in front of mine, and I could see her eyes which were all red from crying. Her eyes were right in front of mine and I could see them shine, with my reflection in them.

"I understand what you mean Reo. We aren't good together, we fight all the time, and I messed up big time, you can be mad at me for it, and you can feel the anger. We might not be friends but I still don't wanna lose an enemy like you. I still wanna annoy you and see you peeved, just not hurt this way which breaks my own heart. Please forgive me, I swear I will do anything you will say."

Miette sure is a witch, her words are like potions that hit the soul.

Little does she know that nothing works on an empty shell.

"I'll see"

"I'll do anything to regain my dignity"

"Do what you like." looking at Yuki I said, "Should I walk you home or somethi-"

"N-... actually, yes. I still haven't thanked you"

Miette gave us a bitter smile while tears flowed from her eyes and left.

I went out with Yuki and got her at her house as it was almost nighttime.

When I started to move I felt a pull. It was Yuki, grabbing me by my arm.

"Thank you, Reo, I will never forget you."

"I am sure there is nothing worth remembering but do what you like."

"You aren't a monster for me. I know you are smart enough to know that Miette misunderstood everything, but you are still taking everything she said to your heart. Her intentions are pure, and so were yours. So please, make up with her."

Her words were true and it was evident that she wasn't lying. Even she cried when she saw me lying with blood on my hands at my house, she asked me to clean up and even helped me do so.

She sure is a reliable person.

"Thank you as well, Yuki"

When I said that, she got embarrassed and covered her face with her hands.

"I'll keep those words in my mind. Well then, goodb-"

I was bidding farewell but she interrupted me.

"Ca-can we... Share numbers?"

Heh, what is she even saying?

"I don't usually use my pho-... Wai- where is my phone?"

How the hell can I forget something so important?

"It was with me but I let Miette keep it and listen to the voice notes in it"

"Fuck, I'll give you my number but on one condition. You have to bring my phone to my house first thing tomorrow morning"

"o-okay"

When I returned to my house I saw that Miette had left the house.

(Well, I guess that's it.)

There was no school tomorrow and I intended to enjoy it a little without thinking much about what happened.

The next day started with my usual workout and a doorbell. I tried not to think about what happened yesterday but there was a thing about this room that didn't feel usual anymore. My mind could only remember her face right in front of me with her hands holding my cheeks. The bed by which we were seated. She saw me shirtless again, and not only her but Yuki as well.

The doorbell rang twice. And I hurried to the door.

(Might be mom and dad.)

When I opened the door I saw Miette. Her eyes had dark circles under them and it was evident how much she suffered because of everything that happened.

I tried closing the door but she put her hand in between. I couldn't have cared less but my body stopped on its own.

"My dad asked me to help you out, as your parents are out"

"No thanks, I will do it myself."

If this was the only thing she came for then maybe I can easily turn her down.

"Well, it's not just me" she gave a side and I saw Yuki standing there, "she's here as well"

(My day off.....)

I signaled Miette to back off a little. Yuki came forward and handed me the phone.

"Both of you are not needed, you guys can leave"

"Bu-"

"I want to cook you something as gratitude." Yuki said. Her mood changed from that confrontation I had with her.

"It's fine like I am hungry but I'll cook something myself"

Upon this rejection, she just showed a bitter smile and decided to leave. Miette on the other hand just stood outside my house.

I decided to maintain eye contact to make her feel uncomfortable but it backfired.

"I'll stand here every day until you forgive me and be my friend."

"Wait wait, friend? What are you saying ?"

I wasn't ready for it.

"I want to be Reo's friend, was that hard to understand"

"It surely is hard to understand. You said you'll stand here every day? Your parents won't mind right?"

I knew she was lying about her dad sending her as he was very overprotective of her daughter and could never send her to my house when he knew I was all alone.

"I lied, my parents aren't home. Let me in Reo."

She was forcing herself on me but I didn't give up.

"I'll let you in but only on one condition, you have to do every household work I say"

This was a good opportunity to make her do my errands.

"Okay"

Her eyes shone. When she tried to enter I pushed her outside.

"Whaa-"

"You are wearing a skirt right now, go wear something better"

"Bet-better? You do-don-"

"MORE COMFORTABLE CLOTHES YOU IDIOT."

"I know dummy, I was just teasing you"

Man! This girl is gonna make me mad for real but I will use her to the fullest today.

After 10 minutes Miette entered my house with a pajamaa and a sleeveless t-shirt on, it's called a tank top I think.

I told her the errands and her eyes widened with each work that got added. I am going to make her regret all this.

I made her do all sorts of things from washing the dishes and clothes with bare hands even though we had the equipment for it.

I made her use a broom to clean the house and then mop it with a simple cloth.

I made her climb the roof to clean it and even asked her to water the plants.

I asked her so many things that it took her around 10 hours to complete the work. It was now 8 pm when I got down from my room.

I saw her lying by the kitchen counter all tired and sleepy.

I went to her, picked her up, and put her outside my house.

After a few minutes, she woke up and saw her surroundings. Surprisingly she wasn't surprised. She just looked down and laughed to herself.

(Serves her right... I guess.)

I went back up and turned the TV on.

Around an hour later I heard heavy rain coming from outside. I decided to go and fetch the clothes before they got all wet.

My feet were jammed the moment I opened the door.

Miette lying there all curled up, drenched in rain.

Upon hearing the door open she stood up.

"Will you fo-forgive me now, Reo?"

(My heart just broke at the moment, how pathetic can I be? Making her do such things.)

I didn't think of anything else and just hugged her. This was something new for me and maybe for Miette as well as she was surprised. I didn't leave her and let her speak.

"I-I won-'t b-lam-e you for th-this"

Every time she said something like that I just hugged her tight. Her hands were still down.

"I am sorry, Miette."

Upon hearing me apologise she grabbed me and drowned her face in my chest.

On this day, this rain isn't the coldest thing, I am .... And the sun won't be as warm as the warm tears I feel on my chest, melting the cold inside me slowly and steadily.

Suddenly a siren started to go off. It was the curfew siren and a level 5 threat one. Miette trembled at the sound of it and fainted. The exhaustion and the rain might be a cause for it but that was not an issue, if the soldiers were to see us, they would shoot us right away without any notice.

I picked Miette up and dashed to my room where I placed her on the bed.

"Damn, she's all drenched."

I tried to look away but my eyes got stuck on her face. I gently caressed her forehead and went to look for a towel. I turned on the heater in the room.

I wiped her carefully, trying to not touch her anywhere inappropriately. I couldn't leave her drenched like that and wanted her to wake up soon. I placed a note saying that her clothes were all wet so she could wear mine. I left a hoodie and my gym joggers over there for her and left, closing the door.

(I gotta repent for my mistake. Being a friend might be too much but maybe...)

I went down and changed myself as I got wet as well.

(I will remain shirtless as she will not be coming down any soon.)

I went to the kitchen and decided to cook for her. I am not flexing but I am a really good cook. Being with someone tells a lot about their likes and dislikes and Miette usually likes everything I don't. I thought for a while and decided to make creamy pasta for her as I disliked the taste of cream. All the ingredients were there as my sister also loves eating this trash.

I was feeling a little low about the matter that has been going on for the past few days but everything is getting much better.

Suddenly I heard some footsteps and saw Miette dashing down.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"What happened? Why are you shouting?"

She was shouting as if she saw something really out of place.

"Where are your clothes you f-????"

(Oh, so it was me who was out of place.)

She wanted to say something more but stopped and looked away shyly. Things are still a little awkward. She deserves some answers.

I bowed my head deeply in front of her.

"I am really sorry for whatever I have done to you Miette. Uh, by the way... shouldn't you be concerned about anything else ?"

I pointed at her clothes, I mean my clothes which she was wearing.

She turned red and threw the pillow she was holding at my face.

"HOW INSENSITIVE! I WAS AVOIDING THAT TOPIC.... Gosh... I trust you oka-y? I forgive you, we both messed up so I guess it's fine. Don't feel all high and mighty knowing it, it's just that you are so lucky to have my trust."

What she said made me smile a little. I don't know why but it was funny.

"Yes of course mam, now let's eat."

I started to plate the dish I made for her and it looked awesome.

"I might trust you but I am not gonna eat tha-"

"Huh? What were you saying?"

She stopped completing her sentence the moment she saw the cream pasta I made for her.

"A-are you an esper?"

"Nah, but I just know what you like or dislike. I know you hate tomatoes and fruit juices. You love shakes and smoothies as they are healthy and help to maintain weight. Wanna hear more?"

I just named the things I liked and the things I hated for her disliked and liked things and ...

"My go! How did you know!?"

She was too surprised.

"Just call it one of my many abilities."

We both sat facing each other and ate our dinner quietly.

"Imagine if someone saw us like this, we would surely be considered a couple."

I said so jokingly.

"Ew, who would wanna be your girlfriend? A girl with a dying brain and suicide wish will only date you. Making such a pretty girl do your household work and then leaving her outside your house to suffer. Then let her rot in rai-"

"Oi oi stop! I-I know I messed up, I wanna apologize again Miette. I am sorry for i-"

"Heheheh, I was kidding, dummy. Now we are even... No, you are below me"

She started laughing. The mood was light and fun.

We talked about the curfew going on and one thing struck my mind.

"Why were you so afraid of the curfew sirens ?"

When I asked such an odd question Miette froze. She put on the hood and pulled the strings.

"You don't have to answer everything I ask you, baby gorilla."

I didn't want to press on anything that might hurt her so I did not pursue further but...

"It's just an old memory. When I was a kid I didn't have many friends. I never felt like I was a part of the school I was in. Maybe it was because I never tried to fit in or maybe I was just too weird. I still never understood it. I wasn't hated but I knew something was off, there was a barrier."

She smiled remembering those days.....

"As we all grew together, the class was more accepting towards me and I made a few friends."

She looked up towards me and found me looking at her. After which she continued.

"I never liked Nexus, you know. Their arrival and the destruction they caused, I never liked them... in fact, I still can't accept their rule. The sirens were pretty much a daily thing, even for a robber or a small car accident, the buzzers would go off and people were executed publicly. I remember once I was playing hide and seek with my friends in our locality and I hid in the bushes. Time passed and nobody came to find me. I thought I was winning and I completely lost track of time. I started to call out for my friends and went out to search for them. I got lost searching for them and suddenly the sirens went off. I-I was just too scared, I hid myself behind the slide and prayed that the soldiers wouldn't find me. It was traumatic for me. I still remember it like yesterday. I, th-....."

I stood up from my chair and sat by Miette.

"Continue, I am listening"

She looked over and resumed her story. I was interested and I wanted to hear more.

"My worst nightmare came true that day when a soldier found me. He looked at me and pointed his gun at me. I burst into tears the moment I saw that gun pointed at me but the soldier didn't shoot. He put his gun down and took me home. I was so grateful for that man saving me. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart but... The next day I woke up to the news that he was arrested for betraying the Nexus. He was executed."

Miette felt scared and that look... I never wanted to see it again.

I kept my palm on her hand, wrapping my fingers around her palm tightly.

"You are safe okay, his sacrifice resulted in your life. Appreciate your life."

"Nothing would have happened if Nexus wasn't there. I don't want Nexus to rule over us..."

"That's too idealistic, Miette. It's not that easy."

"You are right...."

The heavy mood was starting to lighten up again when...

"Reo? Can I ask you something as well ?"

"Hm?"

"What was that stab mark on your abs?"

She noticed it. I mean isn't it obvious? I don't like to talk about my past but right now I don't see any complications.

"I was bullied at school"

Miette's eyes widened as if asking, 'You!?'

"I was a really thin and fragile child from the start, I haven't changed much from that time but I guess I have some experience in fighting because of those daily beatings I got. Each day was something different. It was so painful. There were times when I stayed at home because of such treatment. Hehe, I remember one time I broke my rib when they threw me from the basketball court's stairs and I couldn't tell at home. It healed untreated. I felt so much pain that it never hurt anymore. I stopped crying to their beating and never felt anything. At one point I even stopped hating them... I only had 1 friend at that time and she was the person I admired. One day I saw them talking to her and taking her to the roof. I followed them and saw them harassing her. I couldn't bear the sight of my friend getting harassed so I decided to jump in.... But rather than protecting her from them, I asked for an exchange that they would leave her and beat me. I was so eager that I even permitted them to kill me."

I looked at Miette who silently looked into my eyes.

"Then?"

I continued.

"They tortured me and called me slurs. I didn't mind but they didn't leave her either so I asked them to do so. One of them took out the knife and showed it to me but I don't know why I didn't react. He got pissed and struck me with it on the right side of my gut. It didn't hurt. They tried everything to get a reaction out of me but they never succeeded. After which they went to my friend again and started to beat her. I didn't realize it when I moved but I started to push them away. I punched one guy and he just laid there the whole time. There was an adrenaline rush in my body at that time and I couldn't understand anything I was doing so I just started to beat them all up. That guy who had the knife struck me again on my backside but I punched him too. He was big and after a push and a kick on his abdomen, he lost control and fell from the roof. He was found dead the next morning "

"Th-that must have been hard on you. What about that friend?"

She seemed to be interested in her story but I wanted to keep it short as I don't wanna remember her at all.

"She confessed to me and I dated her after we reached high school but.... It didn't last long as you can see."

"Why?"

"Well... She cheated on me with my friend in high school. Heh, pathet-"

Miette stood up from her chair and sat on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling my head into her chest. I couldn't even make anything out of it.

"You don't have to bear it alone anymore, Reo," she whispered in my ears.

Her warmth was spreading in my body. My hands wrapped around her thin waist clad in my hoodie on its own. She ran her hand through my hair.

(When was the last time I was hugged like this? Like this? When was the last time I was hugged? When was the last time I was alive, like I feel right now....?

Have you ever loved a rose,

And then bled against her thorns?

Sworn each night to let her go,

Then loved her more by dawn?

Have you ever chased a rainbow,

And been fascinated by her hues?

Sworn each rain to stay dry,

Then missed her when ...

The skies are blue .....)

Suddenly reality hit me and I stood up.... Making Miette fall on her butt.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wha-wha" I was fumbling badly.

*phew*

"Ouch-"

"Wha-what are you doi-"

"Sh-shut u-u-u-up, you dummy!!"

Miette was also red, she might have done it impulsively and realized it right now.

(Man, this was lethal. Any more of it and I would have honestly slept on her. It was that comforting...)

"Why were you hugging me?"

"HUH? I WAS JUST COMFORTING YOU, YOU STUPID. YOU HUGGED ME TOO BY THE WAY."

"WHAT? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU ARE JUST AS DUMB AS YOU ALWAYS ARE."

"SAYING LITERALLY ANYTHING? IT WON'T HELP YOU ESCAPE THIS, YOU SHITTY CLOWN"

She threw her plate at me which I caught and ironically threw back at her.

It struck her head and she fell to the ground.

"Ow-"

"HAHAHA, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO'S A SHITTY CLOWN, YOU HUG STEALER."

"I will surely kill you one day."

"Oh try me bitch."

There was a big argument which got completely silent a few minutes later...

...

"Reo, I'll never leave you okay..."

(What the hell, what was she saying.... Suddenly taking me off-guard with such a lethal line. Man, she is getting in my head now.)

"Even if we were to fight each other daily or hate each other... I will be your friend."

"O-okay"

"'OKAY?' WHAT THE HELL IS THAT RESPONSE?"

And she started shouting again. We spent another hour fighting until we both sat down to watch the T.V. She's pretty trusting for a girl, if it was some other girl, I don't think they would have liked to stay here.

Miette was different and honestly, there was a more homely feel with her at this point. I was being out of character without hating it. I enjoyed my time with her until .....

I heard a small thud on the ground and stopped for a second.

"What happ-"

I kept my hand on her mouth and signaled her to stop talking.

I went to check the sound that came from beneath my carpet in the living room. I removed it and saw a pretty well-hidden hatch. I have been living in this house forever but I never knew about this hatch. My curiosity was peaking.

I didn't know why but felt the urge to check it.... I asked Miette to stay here and not move until I came out.

Happy times end soon......Vast darkness follows.....