Chapter 21 Friends

[Today is our final exam after the weekend. And I couldn't study at all. Not only I couldn't study, I also couldn't sleep. That face Sain made keeps flashing before my eyes. And several questions can't be helped but pop up in my mind.

"I never could understand Sain. But now I'm scared of him. He's absolutely colourless."

"Colourless? What do you mean?"

"He appears to be a very gentle guy. He's polite and respectful. Good to a level that he almost resembles a psychopath. But again he shows self consciousness and feels sad. He can cry or genuinely feel happy. I've also seen fright and worry on his face which are very much human. He appears so normal and humane than most of us that its scary."

"Aren't you just overthinking it, Eclise? Perhaps he's just dumb."

"I hope I am. Sain is frail and it looks like he's trying to improve himself. But I can't shake off this feeling that he's too normal. Not clumsy neither perfectionist. There's just no way to describe his personality."

"If you're scared of him why don't you avoid him?"

"I want to, but I can't. I'm the first friend he ever made in his life according to him. I don't want to click him by telling him that I can't be his friend anymore."

"Why do you care what happens to him?"

Eclise sighs. "There's also this thing with his mother. He already gets tortured at his home. I don't want him to feel lonely at school."

"There goes his righteousness. Honestly, Eclise. You're more of a perfectionist like a psychopath. I'm telling you. You already look drained out of life. Stop hanging out with Sain."

"No. I can't."]

"Yay! Our midterms end today!" I stretch.

"Yaay." Replies Dew.

"Where's Eclise? He said he'd be waiting for us at the cafeteria. I don't see him."

"I'll go and look for him. You wait here in case he returns."

"Okay." I put my bag on the table and wait for them. A few minutes later a group of girls and boys approach me. It isn't the same group that tried to harass me earlier.

They are..

I smile and wave at them. "You're Eclise's friends, right? Do you think I can join your group?"

"You're Sain, right? That shabby-baggy uniform. Dishevelled hair and.. your eyebags got lighter."

I purse my lips. "Yes. That introduction.. sure belongs to me."

"Don't be disheartened with the truth."

Agitated, I say. "Okay. What do you want?"

"Stop hanging out with Eclise." Says a girl.

"Why should I?"

"Eclise says he's scared of you."

"Why would he be scared of me? We're best buddies."

"Eclise doesn't think of you that way, sorrowfully." She averts her glances. "I guess because of that thing with your mother."

"What about my mother?!" I stand up.

"I've heard there's some problem in your mother's head. What was it again? Psycho?"

I pull in a quick breath. He broke our promise. "My mother isn't a psycho! Where did you even hear that from?!"

"I suppose your mother's disease left an impact on you. Your obsessiveness is a bit scary."

"Obsessive?"

"Yes." Says another boy. "Eclise is a good guy. That's why he worries about everyone who's a slightly bit close to him. But you're taking advantage of it and clinging on to him."

"You're just like a parasite. Sucking his life out."

I heave out of surprise. "A parasite?"

"Of course Eclise didn't say that because he's a good guy. But you are causing him trouble."

I yell. "You guys are lying! How should I trust you?!"

A boy pushes me, not too harshly. "Don't yell in the cafeteria."

"I don't trust you guys!" I clench my fist.

"We don't even care if you don't trust us. We just want you to stop hanging with Eclise."

"Eclise is my first friend. He said he sees me like his brother. There's no way he disclosed our secret. There's no way he's annoyed of me. If he was, he could've just told me."

"He will never tell you because it will hurt you. Even though he's suffering he's being considerate of you."

My eyes start to flush out tears. "That's.. not true.." a crack has already appeared in my trust. "I believe Eclise. He would never do that to me."

I look up to find Eclise standing at the back with surprise full gazes. I can't face him now that I know he only sees me as an annoyance. I can't stand before him when he's scared of me. I'm starting to hate him because he disclosed my mother's situation to them. I tilt my head and say with my cracking voice.

"Why did you do that to me, Eclise?"

I notice him trying to say something. But I clutch my bag and walk past him.

"Sain?!" He looks at his friends. "What did you guys tell him?"

"Nothing much. We just told him not to hang out with you anymore."

Eclise aggressively says. "Why did you guys do that?! I'm sure Sain has a wrong impression of me now!"

"Don't let it bother you Eclise. With him gone, you'll be just fine."

"I need to find him!" Eclise rushes out to look for me.