Chapter IX : The Past – Promised

With all that said and done, the group was expelled and was banned from entering the university again. Echo was still a child and is a woman at that.

Under the child protection policy, and women protection act, the group of men and women when to pay a fine and pay mental damage few they brought upon Echo. Then they were sentence a month in prison and one year worth of community service.

The University released a public apologies, and vow to never let this happen again.

Meanwhile, four on the rise family went into bankruptcy. While two known figured from Griffith Family was arrested from the charge of murder, theft, bribery, kidnapping and other crimes that will make them rot to prison.

Reed did not really know what Echo did. Though it was Echo's plan, he didn't really thought of going that far. He doesn't want to destroy someone elses' future, but it doesn't matter. It was done now. They disserved it anyway, and more importantly, they finally became an official friends!

After Reed went back from the cafeteria, he immediately went to looked for Echo. Reed saw her at Chem Lab, wearing huge clear goggles and a small lab coat that fits her well. She wears a pair of yellow rubber gloves and was currently busy swirling a test tube– holding it with a crucible tongs, while she carefully placed the test tube above the alcohol burner.

Reed didn't disturb her, he just sat in front watching her work on her project. And if Reed was not mistaken, Echo was currently experimenting a example from a venom of a something snake found in Africa. She really love poison.

However, after how hours of waiting. Reed found that he was still being ignored. He can't help but pout his mouth, his cheeks bulge and without anything left to do, he took out his papers and his 13 inch Apple MacBook pro and begin doing his own research project.

What Reed didn't know is, the moment he became immersed with his research, Echo stopped what she was doing and turned to watched him work. Her stone face and cold eyes, cracked and melted. She smiled thinking something deeply. Then after she gave Reed one last look, she continued on her own research.

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Spending time with Echo for a year, he finally able to get a promotion. His 'friend' tag hanging in his head, evolved into being her 'best friend'. Now Reed proudly parade his new name tag, he was now Echo's one and only best friend!

But truthfully, if Reed were to be honest. Echo was really hard nut to crack. Reed even thought that if he missed even a day of distracting her from her studies, she will forget Reed immediately.

Slowly but improving, Reed remember Echo's very tiny habits. She slowly opened up to him too. Until Reed manage to understand her circumstances.

Human was a social creature. None would not want to have a social connection. Even Echo who seems to alienate herself from the rest, also yearn a simple conversation from others.

With how much she asked questions with the professors, is how much she wanted to talk to others and made a friend.

When Reed asked her why did she try initiating the first move. She said.

"...I tried... But they... Ended up hating me in return..."

Human is really complicated creatures, she always said this. The brain always carries on complex pattern that was hard to predict no matter how long you studied it.

And it goes the same with her family too.

She said that her family was too hard and complicated. She was confused for a long time and finally decided to run away.

With the help of her uncle, she manage to apply and study abroad away from her family in secret.

Echo came from a rich family that was now currently at war of succession for large amount of heritage.

Reed even exclaimed that her family was even more bloody mess than war for throne in ancient times, which manage to make Echo sneer a smile. Reed was happy though, he finally made Echo make other expression other than her stiff stone face.

And with that, the start of their relationship.

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Echo gifted Reed a plain red rose tail beta fish on his birthday seeing that Reed was interested with marine animals this time and is currently taking marine zoology out of the blue.

It says that beta fish was the number one beautiful fish there is. It looked like a rose, so she decided this fish and gave it to Reed on his birthday. But she never thought that she was the one who will took it back.

As Echo's first gift, Reed treasures the small red fish very much. The fish bowl was place beside his bed, and he saw it before and after closing and opening his eyes whether if it's morning or evening.

As a result.

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Reed was shock awake by Echo who intruded on his room in the middle of the night. He was awoken by the shattering sounds of glass next to his bed, that he jolted and almost fall off his bed.

He saw Echo. She intensely gazed down at him unblinking with those dark and depressing mood surrounding her. Adding the dark room with that red full moon in full view at his window, Reed was supposed to feel creeped out and scared but he did not.

Disregarding her weird behavior and ignoring the fact that Echo silently slipped into his room. Reed give Echo a sweet smile while his dewy eyes shows confusion and sleepiness from suddenly being woken up.

"...good morning Echo... what's up?..."

"...umm?...it was only 3 am..." Seeing the time, Reed somehow sober up and notice something's wrong with his friend.

"What's wrong? Huh? What's that your holding?"

Reed turn on the lampshade beside his bed, and was shock still from what he had just seen.

Echo was holding– with her two hands– the small beta fish that was still alive struggling to get out inside her palm. It was flapping it's tail desperately, while it's mouth opened and closed hoping to breathe in oxygen.

"Ah! Echo let go of the fish!" Reed suddenly reacted making Echo who is watching Reed's every expression finally shows some reactions.

Echo tightly griped the fish within her hands slowly, and it struggled more desperately, thrashing it's tail and swing its body more fiercely.

Seeing her not listening, Reed grab her wrist forcing her to let go but this just aggrieved her and directly crushed the fish in her hands.

Reed eyes widen in disbelief, but he somehow manage to pull himself together. He got out of the bed then dragged Echo quickly directly towards the bathroom. And Echo just keep looking at her friend without changing expression.

Echo already let go of the fish knowing that it already died, so Reed carefully examine her hand that was stain with blood and have a little bit of scratch and wounds from the fish bones.

Reed carefully and gently wash her hands, removing the fishy smell, and cleaning the blood of the fish and her wounds with big frown in his face.

He was thinking of what to say. Reed already knew what kind of person Echo is. Echo already did an example of what she can trully do. She was the one who made those people miserable in prison. She destroyed families until they can't even gathered up strength to stand again.

But despite of it, Reed still saw Echo as a child who lack love and affection from others. And no matter who she is, Reed will accept her.

Reed trully doesn't know why he likes Echo very much.

Maybe love at first sight was real. He don't know...

Reed sighed inside, but he still remain silent. After drying her hands and dressing her wounds, Reed still did not see any reaction from Echo.

He knows what's going through her head right now.

Reed clasped Echo's cheeks with his hands and turn it closer to his face and seriously meeting her dark eyes. Now that, Reed finally manage to see the dull and depressing look of her eyes, his calm and seriously demeanor collapse with a snap.

Worried flash across his eyes as he panicked. He opened his mouth to say something yet words seems stuck on his throat as he witnessed Echo with no changed of her expression. Reed felt like she went back from how she used to be a year ago.

'What if, she won't talk to me anymore. What should I do...'

'...I don't want that. I just became her best friend and...'

"...don't think... Please... Stop thinking..." he whispered.

Reed was stuck. Alarmed, he pushed Echo on the bed and hug her tightly. He cling into her waist, hugging her tightly, afraid she'd run off if he let go.

Reed kept on thinking of what to do. Echo was very different kind of a genius than Reed. She does not have those memory collection that can be viewed almost anytime like Reed's.

Hers is a chaotic brain system that continues to think as long as her sensory stimulus operates and continue sending information to her brain. She will constantly think.

That's why she was always alone. This is the only way she could think of lessening the burden she was carrying with her brain constantly whispering bunch of empty questions that did will only make her life more complicated.

"...stop thinking about those negative things..."

Reed knows that what he was saying was just nonsense. It's impossible for Echo to not think, but he just wanted Echo to not have those kind of thoughts about him.

"...I'm not the same as them! I won't leave you..."

"So, please...don't think about such a thing about me... I will never hate you! I'm just worried...."

"...please...don't hate me..."

Repeatedly saying those words, until Echo finally responded.

She moved her head and looked down at Reed that was already crying buckets of tears completely terrified and worried that Echo will never talked to him again.

"...do...you really.... know what I am thinking about?"

Hearing the almost inaudible childish voice of Echo that still carries a hint of coldness, Reed cried much harder. Shaking his head, he choke a "No" and snuggle closer at Echo's arm and continue to cry.

Echo hugged Reed back, and stroked his hair and patted back in comfort. She was watching Reed not blinking since the beginning. She knew that Reed was not like the others, he is a very unique individual and she was sure that Reed would not reject her. She was just making sure that's all, it just so happens that the fish was nearby. She was just getting an opportunity to strike two birds with one stone.

She was betting on this, and she win her gamble.

Reed accepted her even if she revealed her dark sides. Reed will never abandoned her, and will never hated her.

'If that's the case then, Don't regret it Reed.'

Echo let out a twisted smile, and whispered. "I did not know that you are such a cry baby."

"What is it? Afraid that I will never talked to you again?" Reed jolted and trembled in her embrace then tightly embrace her closer again. Reed was really scared, very scared.

"Sorry I scared you... Come on, stop crying." Echo pried Reed's head and lift it up for her to see. Even if Reed was crying full of tears and snot, Reed still maintain his beautiful countenance.

Echo kiss his swollen eyes softly and gently, licking his tears away while saying sweet words to pacify the crying baby.

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That was the first time.

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From then on, no matter how outrageous it was Reed experienced it all. Everything under Echo. And there's also that promised that Reed initiated after the first time, which will be his down fall.

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"Don't give me anything in the future ever again. We can just celebrate our birthdays together, alright."

"..."

"What about cooking something for me? You know how bad I was with anything that requires fire."

"It's the worst." Echo agreed almost immediately, which Reed never expected.

"..."

"...you were banned at the kitchen..."

Reed was shedding cold sweat recalling that eventful day and immediately defend himself.

"It was an accident..."

But was immediately silence by Echo's rebuttal; "...the chemical lab."

Reed stared at Echo in grivience and started to pout. "...how would I know that it will start a chain reaction!"

"...alright. sorry... I will sign up for culinary lesson..."

"...promise?"

"Promise."

Reed jump at Echo in delight, smiling from ear to ear. "Its a promised alright! Let's celebrate our birthdays with the two of us together."

"Mn. Let's do pinky swear, Reed."

"Okay!"

Reed offers his Pinky and intertwined it with Echo's. And together they chanted.

"Pinky promise, pinky swear. Whoever tells a lie, will sink down into a bad place. And never rise up again"

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