CHAPTER 29

GENA’S POV

As I was heading back to my cabin, I noticed Jenny and her friends having a good time. I smiled since it was only now that I noticed mortals becoming friends with others who were not of their own kind. Because my parents’ stories about mortals were different. Even still, I remembered Shranaia’s expression when her companion was in danger. She is willing to put her life in danger to save it.

I simply sighed and turned to walk home. When I turned back, though, I was startled to see Jenny’s brother, Eliot, standing in front of me. I gripped my chest and scowled at him.

“You surprised me,” I said, then took a deep breath and started walking.

“You’ve been standing there for a while; you didn’t even come close to them,” he said as he joined me on the walk.

“I still need to study something. I’ll join them another day,” I answered, not looking back at him.

I met the man who broke my heart as I drew closer to my cabin. He’s now with a girl, and she’s the one I trust, and she’d ruin me. I was ready to ignore them when Leo grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Sye grimaced as she looked at him.

“What are you up to, Leo?” she asked.

“Yea, what are you doing? Let go of my hand,” I said, attempting to grab my hand back, but he refused.

“Can we talk?” he asked me, not paying attention to Sye.

I’m not sure if I should agree with him or separate myself because I know we’re already broken up. I bit my lower lip, then looked him in the eyes, released his hand from my grasp, and smiled at Sye.

“We don’t need to talk because, first of all, we have nothing else to talk about,” I remarked, taking a deep breath. “Do you realize you’re hurting your girlfriend? She's with you, but I’m on your mind; isn’t that what you did to me before? You don’t know what it’s like to be hurt, so you’re like that, right?”

I just walked by him and held my breath since I don’t know where the words I said previously came from. I rushed as soon as I came close to my cabin, then entered and hastily shut the door. Because of what had happened, I closed my eyes firmly and bit my lower lip. I can’t stand the situation, and to be honest, I feel weak when it comes to Leo.

“Are you done emoting?”

“Gosh, human!”

“I’m really human.”

“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” I wondered.

“Before you came in, I came in; is it any surprise that you didn’t notice me?” he said, and I looked at him, annoyed.

I quickly approached him, then pushed him and opened the door to let him out. But when I opened the door, I was surprised again when Leo’s face appeared, and my eyes widened because he wasn’t looking at me but at Eliot. I turned to Eliot, and he was just looking at Leo too. Both of their eyes never fail, and I honestly don’t know if they are fighting with their brains.

I gasped as Eliot wrapped his arms around me. “Do you need anything?” he asked of Leo.

I elbowed him, but he ignored me. Instead, he drew me closer to him, and my eyes widened once again. What is this person up to? I turned to face Sye, who was standing just behind Leo, and signaled for her to ask him to leave, which he quickly did, but Leo didn’t budge.

“Who is he?” he asked.

In the tone of his voice, he sounded angry, as if I were the one who was wrong between the two of us. I can't think straight, and nothing comes out of my mouth. I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack because of the nervousness and fear I feel, but I’m disgusted to see him in front of me as if we still have a relationship even though it’s gone.

“Her boyfriend, you?” Eliot’s remarks caused me to turn around, and I was about to shout when he winked at me.

“Boyfriend?”

“Are you deaf?” I said, and he turned to face me.

“I don’t think so.”

“What are you doing, Leo?” Sye inquired. “Why is it that no matter what I do, you are still chasing her? Why is it that no matter what I do, you can’t simply show me a little love?” she cried.

I felt sorry for Sye, and I was disgusted with Leo. But I was confused by what she said, and I didn’t understand what she was getting at. Is there something I should know that Leo should have told me a long time ago? Leo still ignored Sye, and he suddenly pulled me away, but Eliot immediately grabbed my hand. Now they are both holding my hand, and I don’t know which side to take.

I wasn’t sure what to do as I stood there and observed the two of them. I pulled my hand back after noticing that Sye was still sobbing in order to take her hand and run out of the cabin where they were. I exhaled in relief when we got close to the lake and knew that, my life would be quiet for a while. She was still crying after we run.

I don’t have the courage to comfort her because of what happened to both of us many years ago. “It’s funny to think that despite everything, he still chooses you.” I looked at her and didn’t show any expression.

“Should I be grateful for what you’re saying now?” I said sarcastically.

She laughed, then looked at me. “Did you know the truth before Leo broke up with you?” she asked, and I looked away.

I don’t want to know the truth, and I’m not going to worry about it anymore. We had a protracted breakup, and whatever existed between us is over. That type of crap is a waste of my time, and I don’t need to hear anything else from their mouths.

“Whatever it is, I don’t care anymore,” I said. “I’ve been a fool for a long time with all the things you and Leo are doing, and sometimes I just want to vanish so you can enjoy it, but do you know why I set him free?” I winced. You are aware of all my grievances and resentments. “You’re my best friend, you know all my pains, resentments, problems, and who I am from head to toe. But I’m still thinking about what will make you happy even if that thing makes me hurt.”

Sye was staring at me and didn’t know what to say. I’m glad to see him happy with the person he loves, but I’m irritated that he’s making a mockery of her.I don’t want her to be like me, and I don’t want her to be abandoned unexpectedly. It was excruciatingly painful, and I will never forget it. Even though I feel sorry for his situation now, I feel even more sorry for myself, who always indulges just for the happiness of others.

“Are you done talking?” I turned to the person who had spoken.

I frowned when I saw that Eliot had a wound, and I immediately approached him. “What happened? Are you alright?” I asked him with a hint of concern.

“I was not that hurt. Maybe I just assumed too much,” he replied, and then I glared at him.

Leo arrived just in time, and he also had a wound on the side of his lip, but Eliot was more hurt than him. I approached Eliot, then touched his face, and I don’t know how to heal him. I held his hand, and I pulled him out of there, then we returned to my cabin. When we arrived, I sat him down, then I took the first aid kit. I put it on the table, then I looked at the wound on his face. His anguish was persistent while I was treating him, and I pressed harder and harder to make him experience it more. He seemed to be much more enraged with me.

“You’re hurting me!” he said hurting.

“You won’t get hurt if you’re not the one who makes a move, right?” I said, annoyed.

But at that point, he just smiled at me as if there was something funny in what I said even though there wasn’t. I just sighed and after putting ban aid on his face, I went into the room and lay down on the bed. With what Sye and I talked about earlier, I feel like I have released the resentment I have been hiding for a long time. But there’s so much I want to tell her that I just can’t.

From what I can see on her face, it looks like she is not happy with what she and Leo are doing right now. I keep thinking about what happened to the two of them. I looked out the window, and then I looked at the bright stars. I slowly closed my eyes because I was sleepy and tired from what had happened earlier.

I woke up because of the breaking of something that I heard outside the room. I immediately stood up and saw Eliot wearing an apron and holding a spoon. He looked at me and smiled, then I looked at the broken plate on the floor.

“What are you doing?” I asked, annoyed.

“Cooking?” it answered with a question.

“I see I’m not blind!”

“I didn’t mean to break your plate…”

“Fuck it!”

“I didn't mean to—” what he was going to say was cut off when I approached him. “Ahh…”

“If you don’t know how to take care of things, don’t mess with things that don’t belong to you!”

“Sorry.”

I bit my lip and then scratched my head. I just sighed and saw how pitiful Eliot’s face was. Honestly, I don’t know why I feel sorry for him, even though I should hate him because he can't do anything else but be annoying.

“Just finish what you’re doing, and I’ll take care of the mess,” I said, and then I turned around and got a broom and a dustpan.

He did what I ordered, and when I finished sweeping the mess, I looked at what he was cooking. Actually, it’s been a long time since I tasted home-cooked food, especially since I’m always out and I don’t have any cooking skills.

“I don’t know what you want to eat, but I think these are enough,” he said, then put the food on the table.

“Everything you cooked looks delicious, and another thing is I’m not picky about food,” I answered, then I sat down at the table to eat.

“I’m glad to know that.”

We ate together, and to be honest, I have just recently witnessed a normal person sharing a meal. Perhaps I misidentified them as a result of my mother’s story. I thought they were horrible at first, but they weren't. There will always be horrible human beings, but there will also be nice ones.

“Aren’t you cooking?” he asked me causing me to look at him.

“No,” I replied, then he smiled.

“I can cook for you whenever you want.”

Because of what he stated, I grimaced and shook my head. “I don’t need a chef since I can take care of myself and have money to buy my meals; also, I like raw meat because I’ve never eaten cooked meat like this,” I explained.

“Raw meat? What does it taste like?”

“Maybe it’s not good for you, but for us, it’s good,” I explained, then I saw his face disgusted by what I said.

“Eeeew…”

“So I won’t need anyone because I can live by myself.”

I noticed how he remained silent while I spoke, and I also heard his sigh. I just ignored him and kept eating, but I stop since he was gazing at me. I scowled at him, then he smiled sweetly at me, and I frowned. Is there nothing else he can do but trip me now? I lifted the knife and aimed it at him, and he quickly raised both hands as if surrendering. It even snorted at me.

“Aren’t you returning yet? Aren’t your parents looking for you? Don’t you go to school? Perhaps you won’t be in danger since you’re not like us.”

“We’re on holiday, so there’s no need to return; nevertheless, I enjoy this world; it's like I just got back from a vacation in the province,” he responded, and I agreed.

It’s like a youngster who just had a few months off from school. When I looked outside, I noticed Rara and Ron practicing. I looked at him, smiled, and he frowned.

“Why do you think of me that way? You have a crush on me?” he made me irritated, and I scowled at him.

“In your dreams, after all, you have no intention of returning to your world, I will teach you something so that you don’t look weak,” I remarked, and he scowled.

“Do you believe I don’t know how to fight?”

“Remember that your world is different from ours.”