23 Page 23: A Side Quest?

"What do you mean 'find his uncle'?" Dave's tone remained calm, but his eyes were saying otherwise.

I paced around the carpet finding words that could help me convince my glowering bodyguard, "I'm just saying that...okay fine," I stopped and threw my hands up in the air, "Lily told me something and I think―"

"I hate it when you think."

I frowned. "―I think, finding his uncle will heal him...her! Oh my gods I can't even refer to a person properly."

Dave shot up from his seat. He now stared down on me. You'd think my height was high enough for a toddler to climb on. Wait til you get to stand below Dave.

"I allowed you to know about Cherry to help with your camaraderie in this upcoming project. I personally invited Lily to give you an idea on how to deal with possible outbursts during shoots. But that does not mean I will approve of your plan on tracking down a homicidal runaway. Then what? Risk your life? Are you mad?"

His clarity was nerve wracking but I stood my ground and decided to explain myself as calmly as I could.

"Look," I said as if gritting my teeth could supress the irritation in my voice, "Finding a killer can help me find another killer."

He shifted backwards. He need not say what was in his mind since his face was clear as the glistening waters of the beach.

Before he could retort, I managed to supply, "However, that does not mean I would throw myself into every police station and or bureau of investigation I could find."

A sigh of relief escaped from him.

"Not unless―" I raised my index finger at him as he was about to stop me from continuing, "―it is needed."

His scowl was deadly. I was sure he was ready to bark at me but he just gripped my finger and lowered it down.

"You know I'm technically your guardian, right?"

"Correct." I nodded. "And as my guardian I am allowing you information to every move I make. Thus, I am telling you of my plans."

He sighed, "Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"You will not do anything reckless without me."

I tried dissecting that one word of the sentence in my head. 'Reckless' he said. I imagined several scenarios that might count as reckless and I hoped I had it right. I wasn't an expert on recklessness, so I nodded and shook his hand basing from the knowledge that I had.

―――――

Weekends were fun until Monday came. Is this how kids felt whenever summer vacation is over? It's awful. I wanted to spend more time in that vacation house by the beach, but duty calls and we had class.

I trudged to my seat and found a plastic box of colorful munchies set on my table.

I lifted the box. "Macarons?"

"I made those." Miya hopped in front of me with a little of her purple hair coming out from under her ear. I pointed at the group of purple hair escaping and had her tucking it back in behind her neck.

"Stupid hair. I ran out of hair spray this morning." She complained pulling out an old ink cartridge filled with gold bobby pins. Why she used cartridges as holders for hair security, I don't know. With every stunt Miya makes, it doesn't surprise me anymore.

From the front row, a whimper of alarm rattled the students. Coming in with his disheveled collar was our dear friend, Niko Stepanov who looked like he had just woken up as suggested by his bloodshot eyes. Has this kid been crying?

He plopped down to the seat next to me (his seat), and grunted at the table.

"Somebody woke up in the wrong side of the bed today." I commented as I opened my box of rainbow meringue.

I was expecting a groan of complaint or an angry reply, the usual responses of an untamed Niko, but he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a book. His expression softened as he fixed his glasses to a better angle and began highlighting like crazy. Is he for real? He's actually doing what I was doing the other day in the library. It's like I'm watching a baby toddle for the first time. Mind you, I was the mother. I wanted to pat him and praise him for being such a diligent boy by not thrashing so early in the morning. The sight must have delighted me so much that I was eating my macarons with a smile.

Then I remembered what Lily had told me. 'Niko actually believes he wanted what his uncle did to him.'

The back of my neck burned, the usual physiological reaction when I want to terribly damage someone. How can a cruel person, a family member to boot, stomach manipulating this poor boy. Not that I can say otherwise about my own family (yeesh those heaping sack of liars, but that's a story for a different time). I just can't help but feel sorry for him. Abuse at a very early age then twisted to believe everything that had happened was his fault. I swear, if I find that devil, I'm making sure he's not only going to pay for his crimes, but suffer hundred times as much as Niko had.

I must have been staring for too long when Niko turned to me and said, "What?"

"What?" My voice quivered to a high at the end.

He raised a brow, "Do you want to tell me something?"

"Something." I repeated then realized that was a bad joke. Seriously, I still have not gotten used to dealing with other people my age. "Erhmm, right. Since when did you highlight things? I thought you said you weren't a fan of it."

He capped his neon yellow. "I never said I wasn't a fan of it. I just never thought of doing it like...what you do."

I was positive he was referring to my multicolored highlighting that made my books look like grade school coloring materials. "Are you trying to insult my study method?"

"Which does not exist." Miya added nonchalantly.

I wanted to shove a macaron on her mouth just so she wouldn't say anything unnecessary (by unnecessary, I meant, aggravating the situation like last time). I waved her thought with my hand. "Either way, it's good that you've taken an interest to highlighting." I grinned.

"Whatever." He said and went back to turning his pages like a roadway obstruction warning sign. At least he was back to his usual cold self. I'd rather have him diss at me than cause an uproar in class. Or worse, the whole school.

Right when I was swimming in my thoughts, Miya tapped on my table. With her innocent eyes and side swept hair she muttered in a low voice, "Hey, I heard you're on leave tomorrow."

My eyes shot open. It wasn't a surprise she'd know about that. Dave managed to file a leave of absence for me like the usual and Miya must have been informed by her father as how it should be. She IS my social advisor. That wasn't my concern. At the corner of my eye, I tried to slip into my peripheral vision to see whether Niko was hearing this, praying that he didn't hear it. He did.

Despite facing down at his book, I could see his eyes glancing over to our side every now and then.

I leaned over, covering the side of my mouth where he could see, keeping my voice as low as possible. "Yeah. I'll be gone for the day."

Miya caught on to my nervouse glancing at Niko, followed my lead in covering the side of her mouth where he could see. "Make sure you'll only be gone for the day. Stepanov might get pissed that you're skipping too much and still end up at the top. He might go on a rampage again."

I winced. I realized that Niko won't be coming to class tomorrow as well being the model I'm supposed to collaborate with. Obviously the boy hasn't paid any attention to school leaves as much as Dave does. I wondered if Lily knows about these formalities or if Cherry demanded her not to bother with any of it. The latter would have been expected especially with Niko.

I leaned over once more, "Update me on things, alright?"

Miya gave me a quirky salute and I did the same.

Later that day as I was walking down the hall, ready to leave home, a shadow walked pass through me. Against the sunlit glass, it was apparent how tall the figure was behind me. Moreover, I felt it following me for quite a while now. I kept my cool and let it follow me around. I led it down to the tennis court where there where no people and stopped mid ground to see my mystery stalker.

I turned and folded my arms, "What do you want Stupidanov?"

He'd finally managed to fix his crooked collar from this morning and his eyes went back to its normal deep jade which looked like moss under the orange sun.

"Where are you going tomorrow?" He said.

I looked up to the sky counting the clouds which did not exist as of the moment. Clear skies, why have you forsaken me?

"You were listening." I managed to sound like Sherlock who had just found a clue.

"I overheard." He corrected.

"Same thing." I scowled. "Anyway, not the point. I don't see the need to tell you where I am going." I knew better not to anger him but it didn't mean I would go easy on him just like that.

His pupils swam around for a valid reason. His shoulders slacked and he kept shifting on his feet. I could tell he didn't think this through. So much for being intellectually superior. Though, I wasn't any different. I often times catch myself acting upon impulses which usually led me to sticky situations.

"Will you be out all day?"

"Yes Nicholas, but that doesn't answer my question."

He grimaced. "My name isn't Nicholas."

"Well you're going to have that christened on you if you won't answer properly. You can't just follow me around like a creep and ask me where I'm going." I know I might have sounded harsh on that but I was getting frustrated. He's becoming a chick who follows the mother hen around. I mean I know I've offered to keep an eye on him but this is ridiculous.

He sighed. "Promise you won't laugh at me?"

I crinkled my nose. "I don't laugh unless it's funny." I gestured for a shooing motion on my hand and said, "Go on. Let me hear it."

He sighed and the words he mentioned next almost sent me flying to the basketball court. "Take me with you."

I felt gravity maxing out its pull. Blood from my head suddenly drained to my toes. Laughing was not an option. Crying was out of reach. So, I panicked.

My mouth felt dry as if all the dust from the tracks have transferred on my tongue. I began to imagine taking Niko to my work only to find out I was the girl he was looking for and by the way I'm also the model you're collaborating with as Cherry. Win-win? NO.

I managed a dry smile, letting out a small nervous laugh. "W-What?"

"You're going to see your grandmother right? On the countryside?"

I blinked. I wanted to dig a hole and hide. Of course that's what he assumed. Of course that's everything that Miya could tell him if he asked. He doesn't know my real life! But wait...he's―Cherry is supposed to be in the meeting tomorrow right? Why would he...

I gasped in my head.

I fixed my stance and tried to think of the right question that will be too vague but can answer the two ideas I have in my head.

"Why do you want to leave?" I said.

He lowered his gaze. "I want to escape from everything."

I assumed he was referring to his modelling career but was trying to make it look like it's academics.

"Escape? What's bothering you?"

He shook his head. "You'll never understand."

Oh, I think I understand completely dear friend. I bit my lower lip. "I might, if you tell me." My voice softened.

He walked a feet closer to me then hesitated for another. "I-I heard your grandmother was sick. I..." His voice wavered, "I grew up in a bad family and I was hoping I could get away from all the stress."

The bad family and stress weighed heavier now that I could see the whole picture even from his voice. I wanted to tell him I know what he's going through. That he's not alone. Then again I knew that all the pain will be worth it once he finds closure. But what if he doesn't? What if he'll end up more broken? Doubt swirled in my head like a milkshake.

I reached for his hand that had been closed to a fist. I unraveled his fingers and found bloody nail impressions on his palm. He must have been holding back not to spill anything that he numbed out from the pain.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to ease his worries. He'd been searching for him for years trying to solve a case he thinks he caused. How can an outsider like me find a person who doesn't want to be found? Before I could stop myself, tears rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it as it tumbled to my chin, catching it not to fall on his cuts.

"Whoa wait," Niko pulled a handkerchief from his pocket immediately placing it below my eyelids to catch the ones that were ready to fall.

"Sorry," I took over his hand. Who knew he'd be doing the exact same thing I just did to his manager.

"Is your grandmother in a bad state?" He added which made me choke on my sob. That brought a smile on my face.

If only I was crying for my grandmother. I do have one on my father's side. The one who took me in along with the rest of the family, but I don't really acknowledge her as one. I believe I also have one on my mother's side, but I've only met her recently and through a photograph.

I can't really say all that to him. Instead, I leaned over and made my head fall on his chest. He smelled of body spray. Wasn't sure what brand it was, but it reminded me of the sea I watched above the cliff as the sun dipped on the horizon.

He panicked, rambling incoherent words I chose to ignore.

"Let me stay like this for a while." I whispered and his movements subsided.

I could feel his arms all tensed on his side. His back was also straightened to anchor my weight. His breathing was rough and his heart was like a jamboree going on a parade inside his chest. I stifled a laugh, sniffing my nasal lubrication from dripping.

"What?" His voice traveled from his chest to his throat sending a wave of vibration on my forehead.

I clicked my tongue, "Will you listen to my request?"

"What is it?"

I sighed exhaling an excerpt of the words I wrote on the piece of stationary I snuck under his table the other day.

"Don't look for me anymore."