Chapter 8-Confesion

" 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20."

I might not play baseball anymore, but that's no reason to get lazy. It was never the reason I started in the first place, working out has many benefits that will help me in my future. Even with the drastic change in my life, that still applies.

I was in my room doing some simple exercises, currently, push-ups were the priority. After the battle in Limthoff, I realized my fitness was as important as theirs. Even if I'm not fighting directly I can still be useful, especially with the increased intelligence of Tolu.

" Don't ever! Do that again!"

Liza wasn't happy with me, I can't blame her. I put my life at risk carelessly, I didn't explain anything to them and went for it. . .She cried. . . The last time I saw her cry was in 3rd grade. She fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm.

The tears yesterday weren't out of pain though, at least physical, I feel bad. . . We've known each other forever so when I come close to throwing my life away of course she would cry, she almost lost a dear friend.

" . . .Freind." I rose to my feet as I finished my pushups. A thought entered my head. What if she cried for a different reason, maybe she cried because she. . .

" No no no. Don't think like that." That would be doing an injustice to her feelings.

" Think like what?"

" Ah!" Liza had appeared in the doorway to my room. How'd she get there, I had the door shut she would have had to open it.

 " Hm. . .Hey there."

" Uh. . .Where'd you come from?"

" The hallway. . .Did you not hear me open the door?" I guess not. I was that lost in thought?

Liza paused and looked me up and down once. I was standing shirtless, most people would be embarrassed in this situation but I and Liza weren't bothered. Having known each other since infancy, she had seen me shirtless many times.

" What you doing." She asked.

" What's it look like," I said walking over to my closet grabbing a white T-shirt and putting it on. " I can't let myself go now."

I heard her footsteps as she left the door, walking on the soft carpet of my room. Something cold touched the back of my neck causing me to jump.

" What the hell!?" Turning around I saw Liza holding an ice-cold water bottle, holding it out to me. I reached down slightly to grab it.

" Thanks." I walked back over to my bed, sat down unscrewed the cap, and took a sip of the refreshing ice-cold water.

Liza followed and sat down to me. . .There was something off, she seemed to be thinking about something. I wanted to ask but something told me not to. Whatever it was had her troubled, her eyes were slightly slanted and the bright color in them was slightly faded.

Her hand was trembling as well. . . Thinking back, ever since Limthoff she had been asking slightly strange. She was quieter but not enough to cause me concern immediately. I wanted to comfort her but again I didn't want to ask her what was wrong. So instead, I thought back to when we were kids, she would always rub my head gently to calm me down.

Her red hair was like silk and smelled like roses. She didn't react at first, but her eyes eventually looked up at me. I saw as the color returned and a smile appeared on her face.

" Thanks."

"Yeah, No problem." I got up quickly because I quickly found myself embarrassed. I walked over to a dresser near the door to my room allowing me to hide my face from Liza.

" Thanks, for. . ."

" . . ."

She paused for only a moment but I felt like the Earth did a full rotation around the sun, I awaited with incredible anticipation, and the world around me fell silent.

" For being such a good person. . .For being my friend, no. My. . ." again she fell silent, I felt my heart racing, though this wasn't a confession of love, but to me, a thank you was almost as great, as it was coming straight from her heart.

She sat seemingly thinking of something to say, her eyes darted from the floor to the ceiling. Finally finding mine once again.

" You're a person I care about very much. . . You don't know this but, you're the reason why I'm a Tolu hunter."

My eyes widened in confusion. . .Why would I be the reason? She's always helped people, never has she needed a specific reason too.

" To me. . . You are what I wanted to protect. People as kind as you, but. . . Threw out my years of training and meeting new people I realized that there aren't many like you."

I stood motionless in my room, the ice water no longer felt like ice. I tried to comprehend what the word coming out of Liza's mouth meant, what she was truly saying, but before I could get out my own words.

" I can't lose you Cash." Her voice sounded emotional like she was holding back more than what she was saying, but either way, those words rang in my mind. What this exactly was is still unclear but her admitting how much I mean to her at least as a friend was all I needed.

There was an awkward silence in the room, with a mysterious tension looming over us. We both refused to make eye contact, every time we looked at each other's direction we would quickly look away.

" So. . ." Finally, Liza broke the Ice. " Don't ever do what you did yesterday again." I looked at her attempt to look super serious, acting like she was mad at me when really she was trying to move on from the words she just said. I let out a short laugh as it was humorous

" Hm. . .Understood."

" Okay. . .Good, I'll be testing you today then." She got up and quickly walked out the door grabbing my wrist on the way by.

" Huh. Wai-wait." 

She rushed me to get ready and didn't even explain where we were going or what the mission is exactly. I'm standing outside her house waiting for her currently, looking around I saw a sorrowful sight, Tolu hunters covered in blood and battle wounds. Whatever is happening is serious.

I heard the door creek open and saw Liza in her red outfit, the same she wore at the school. . .Wait? If she was so quick changing at the school then why does it take her so long here?

As she walked down the steps from her elevated porch she saw the science taking place behind me. I turned and looked back on it as well.

" What's going on?"

" That's. . .It has nothing to do with us. Come on." She again pulled me along by my wrist which was starting to turn red. She was leading me in the direction we meet up with Mina, Xavier, and Kala.

" Dam rouges." I heard one of the wounded Tolu hunters speak as we went by. "They're attacking as a group now. Argh. . .How annoying."

Roughs huh? I have figured that not all people with the power of Tolu hunters would be good people. I mean the human race by nature is quite evil. . .Working in a group, implies they have a goal.

" Cash," Liza spoke grabbing my attention. " You should know. This is my last mission as a Tolu hunter."

". . .Huh." What's she talking about!? After that whole speech only moments ago.

" After this, I'm leaving."

" Wait Liza-"

" Wanna come with me."

I dug my heels into the pebble path as best I could forcing Liza to stop. She didn't turn to face me immediately, letting go of my wrist she slowly turned to face me. Her eyes had lost their color again, her hand trembling.

" What are you talking about? You just said how I was the reason you are a Tolu hunter, to protect people like me, and now you're saying you're quitting. . ."

She avoided eye contact and I could tell there were words she wasn't saying but needed to. I reached out and grabbed her trembling hand.

" Liza, what are you trying to say?" Her hand fell motionless in mine.

" I-I don't know. . .What I said in there wasn't true entirely. I don't. . . I don't know what I'm feeling."

My eyes widened as I let go of her hand, a feeling she didn't understand. I'm not trying to stop her from quitting, if she wants to then she can, but I want an explanation.

" What I said about being a Tolu hunter because of you is true, but. . .Remember I said there aren't many people like you."

" . . .Liza that-"

" I did want to protect people like you, but like I said there aren't many, and if I have to choose between protecting the few that are out there that I don't know and you."

I understand what's happening, I don't know if Liza does so I won't say anything, but this is indeed a confession of feelings greater than friendship, and I am beyond happy. . . Still, it feels wrong to be happy. I'm taking her away from something she worked hard to achieve.

" Every time, " She continued. "Every time we get into combat and a Tolu attacks you, I feel so scared. Scared to lose you. . .I don't know exactly what to call it but. . .As long as I keep doing this you'll be put in danger time and time again. . .So-"

" Liza"

She finally looked up and our eyes met, they were full of confusion and pain. Trying to figure out exactly what she was feeling must be wrecking her mind, but I can fix it.

" I'll be with you. . .All the way."

" The color returned and a smile appeared across her face, again a look of confusion like she didn't understand why these things were happening, but that didn't matter. She understood what she wanted at least.

She walked up to me placing her face into my chest, this time no tears though. . .Then, I had a thought. . .If I do go with her. . .How will I feel knowing that people like Xavier and even Mina, Kala are out here risking their lives while I live my dream life?

I'll be watching from the sidelines again. . . From a happier point of view maybe but. . .The sidelines.