Conversation From Heart

Life's synonym might be unpredictable. We just don't know what can happen next. We can find new reasons to be happy and new causes for sadness. We keep walking on this walk, in search of understanding life and its values. In the process, we tend to fall in love with it. We do fall on each lump and get hurt; the tears become the medicine. Each drop becomes an herb, and we continue walking again.We meet thousands of people; some of them push us forward, some try to pull us down, some become obstacles, and some forget themselves for us.Something similar occurred with Roman too, when Amelia was in his arms. His eyes couldn't blink until his friend smacked his back. Roman places a lady back on her feet. He glared at his friend, who was whistling and looking away."Are you ok?" Roman asked, looking back at the lady, who nodded and hugged her books."You should watch where you're running," Roman said as the lady nodded her head."You cannot speak?" Calder asked, looking at the beautiful lady closely. Roman nudged his friend."Forgive him, he's a little crack," Roman said while glaring at his friend and smiling at the lady."Hey, I'm your friend, and this is how you introduce me? Never mind, I am Calder, and this is my friend Roman.""Hello, I am Amelia." The lady whispered with shyness."Amelia," They look up to see a girl running towards them with a backpack slung over her shoulder.Students around her glance at the lady walking gracefully toward the group. "Sorry for being late," the newcomer said to Amelia. Then, she looks at the males standing in front of them."Who are you guys? Why are you talking with my friend?" She pulls Amelia behind her. "You guys are bullying?" She narrowed her eyes at Calder."We might look like thugs, but we are not," Calder said while raising his hands in surrender."What? Seriously Cal?" Roman looks at Calder. "Look, lady, we are good people. Your friend was running, and I was talking with this idiot. None of us saw Amelia, and an accident occurred."Calder leans toward Roman's ear and whispers. "Where Roman's heart is beating fast."Roman ignores him and continues. "I was just helping her. If you are still unsure, ask your friend or check CCTV." By saying this, Roman walked away with Calder.Roman glanced over his shoulder at Amelia one last time and caught her looking at him too. He became so agitated that he dragged Cal along with him, almost fleeing the scene. The perplexed man let him go until he realized something and smirked.Calder puts his arm around Roman's shoulder and says, "Don't you think Amelia was so pretty?""What was? She is-I mean, yeah, maybe." Roman quickly looks away."She would date me, right? Obviously, I need to work hard to win her heart. But it will be worthy." Calder spoke with a dreamy smile and peeked at Roman, who got silent."Yeah, you do whatever you wish." This reply brought a frown to Calder's face.Since the encounter, Roman has wanted to see Amelia. However, he didn't know anything about her. It had been nearly a month since their last encounter, and he hadn't seen the girl. He was losing hope and thought that maybe she was not the one. He would run to the canteen first, wishing to see her at least once. But nothing was favoring him.Calder noticed this and felt helpless too. He tried looking for the girl too. But it turned out that she was a fairy who disappeared from the world.Calder pats Roman's shoulder while sitting next to his friend on the basketball court. He didn't like Roman's dejected look."Look, bro, maybe--""I give up," Roman said, lying on the ground. The stadium was empty, with only the friends sitting together.Calder pressed his lips together and heaved a sigh. "Maybe she's...""Let it be, Cal. Maybe she is way out of my reach." Roman whispered and closed his eyes.⋇⋆✦⋆⋇"Hurts," a baby voice echoed in the otherwise silent classroom."Ok, I will do it slowly," the teacher replied, softly blowing on the wound."Pain," the little boy whispered as tears brimmed his eyes."I understand," the teacher says as he applies a bandage to the cut."Ayan will heal very fast now." The teacher said, wiping away the boy's tears as he nodded."Teacher Dean," The boy is watching his teacher pack the first aid kit. Dean hums, closing the box."You are my favorite," Ayan says with a giggle. Previous tears stuck to his eyelashes. Dean pressed his lips together and gave the nod. "Thank you,""Teacher will always be there, right?" Ayan asked, holding Dean's arm, who was standing up from kneeling in front of the boy sitting on the table."Teacher will always teach us," Ayan said, a bright smile pressing a stone onto a pile of his sadness. How will he tell the boy that he's leaving? He didn't get the power to inform his students about his departure."Teacher?" Dean's thoughts were interrupted by Ayan's voice."Yes, I will always be there." Dean helps the boy stand."Can you walk?" He asked as the boy nodded and limped with each step."One second," Dean said as he took the boy in his arms. He smiled at the boy, who was giggling."We'll go to class, ok?" The boy nodded his head.Following the schedule, Dean continued teaching the class. The evening arrived, and the students were packing their belongings and saying their goodbyes to their teacher. Dean smiled at each one while correcting the homework. He was writing tomorrow's homework for the kids.He saw Ayan walking carefully while lightly tapping his injured foot. "Bye, teacher." He waves and looks at the door walking carefully. His friend is walking next to him while holding his hand."Ayan," Dean says, motioning for him to stop."Today, teacher will assist Ayan," Dean said as he took the boy in his arms."Papa will be waiting, teacher," Ayan said, holding his sippy water bottle. Dean nodded his head and walked towards the exit.Roman was waiting for his son. He did, however, see a lot of kids, but not his son. This frightened Roman. His eyes focused on the entrance of the school and glanced at his wristwatch. He noticed Dean leaving with Ayan on his arm. The boy looked so happy.Roman's smile vanished from his face when he saw Dean saying something and his son giggling. His eyes focused on Dean, who was laughing with his son. Ayan looks around and sees his father waiting for him. He raised his arm while looking at Dad, which caught Dean's attention."Bye, Ayan." Ayan waved at his friend who was following them.They stood in front of each other. Dean had wide eyes, and Roman didn't give any reaction. Roman's eyes fell on the bandage on his son's knee. As he took Ayan from Dean, his eyes widened."Baby, what happened? How did you get hurt?" Roman asked, walking towards his bike. He placed Ayan on it and held his son's leg. He wants to check the wound, but his son would get hurt if he ripped the bandage."Papa, I'm fine," Ayan said, holding his father's face, just like Roman does. Ayan looks at Dean, who is standing in front of him."The teacher said I'd heal quickly," Ayan said, beaming. Dean forced himself to smile.Roman looks back at Dean. Dean froze and didn't know what to say or if he should just walk away. He remembers their previous conversations. The man looking at him was not happy. He talked back to someone higher than him.He noticed Roman walking towards him as he looked down, preparing to apologize again. He is trying to become better. He doesn't want to disappoint anyone on this second chance at life. But life is always unexpected."Good evening, sir." Dean quickly greets him, still looking down."I'm-I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize...I-I," Dean felt at a loss for words. His throat is not working as fast as his heart. It's beating so hard against his chest."Thank you," Roman said, taking Dean off-guard as he looked straight at the man."Thank you for taking care of my son," Roman clarifies, noticing the confusion on the man's face.Dean widened his eyes and quickly nodded his head. He looks away, and Roman took this as a point to walk away."Sir, I had a question." Roman halts his steps and looks back at Dean."Yeah?""A few days ago, Ayan was talking about his mom staying in star. Is she an astronaut or something?" Dean asked, looking curious.Those big eyes and a tilt of the head reminded Roman of someone. He shook his head and heaved a breath. "His mom is no more. This is just...just to...""I understand, sir," Dean quickly says with a warm smile. He saw the gloomy sadness forming on Roman's face. He thought to change the topic instead."Ayan is a good boy. He is a very smart and curious kid," Dean said, glancing at the boy, who was playing with bike keys.Roman looked at Dean as the male took a step forward and smiled, "His curiosity will make him a biker now," Dean said while pointing at the boy, who was sitting on the fuel tank and twisting the key."Baby, you shouldn't do it," Roman said as the boy pulled his hands back after being caught red-handed."I did not do anything, Papa." Ayan defends himself.Dean raised his left eyebrow. "Lier, I saw everything,""No," Ayan whines while crossing his arms. "I was checking if the key was correct.""The key is always the same.""No, the teacher said; a lock only has one key, but there are two here."Dean quickly approached the boy and said."There can be two keys too. One is the master key, and the second is a spare key.""Spare key?" The boy asked again, and Roman didn't interrupt the teacher and student's conversation."Yes, it's used when a master key is missing, but my words are correct," Dean said with a smirk at Ayan.Roman looks at Dean with curious eyes. "Because even if they are different, they hold the same pattern to open the lock.""You'll get different things in life in the same way. But we should see what makes us happy." Dean looks at Roman and immediately looks away from the unblinking eyes.Ayan had a question mark on his head, as though everything went above his head. "Teacher, I didn't understand anything.""If you didn't, then it's not for you," Dean said, strapping the helmet on the pouty boy's head."Have a good day, sir," Dean said as he returned to school. Roman's piercing gaze made Dean's breath hitch as he stopped and glanced at Roman looking at him. He waves at Ayan and glances at Roman while running inside."Your teacher is good. He teaches life values to kindergarten kids." Roman chuckled while imagining a class of confused kids listening to their philosopher teacher."Tell me something I don't know.""You're becoming too naughty."⋇⋆✦⋆⋇Who would have thought that during a match with another university, Roman would get injured, hurting his right arm? The opponent pushed Roman as he jumped to basket the ball while Roman was dodging incoming attacks from another player. He fell to the floor with a groan, and immediate medical attention was provided. He was sent to the medical department, with Calder and others helping him.After a week or so, Roman came to college again with Calder, who was worried about him. The goofy male was cracking jokes, forcing Roman to laugh along with him. Roman's arm was plastered, and he was walking carefully in the hallway. Calder stopped laughing while looking at the front. Roman furrowed his eyebrows and saw Cal gesturing for him to look forward with his eyes.Roman saw the lady standing in front of him. The same lady who caused him grief for nearly a month and then vanished into thin air as if everything had been a dream. If not for Calder being there, Roman would have surely thought everything that happened was just a dream."Hello," Amelia whispered while standing in front of them."I-I remember I need to finish my assignment," Calder said before fleeing before Roman could object. Calder gave a thumbs-up to Roman and a toothy smile as he ran away from there."Hi," Roman replied, looking at the shy lady, who still didn't look straight into his eyes."How are you now?" Amelia was scratching the books with her nails."I'm much better, thank you.""I-I saw the match." She closed her eyes and opened her book, picking a lily between the pages. "Wishing you a speedy recovery," she said as she handed him the flower."Thanks," Roman takes the flower and smiles, as it looks as innocent as the lady in front. He looks up and doesn't see her. He narrowed his eyes."Is it hurting?" He noticed Amelia standing a foot away from him. Roman nods his head.Calder, watching everything a little away from them, narrowed his eyes."Oh, hurting? You said you are strong, and nothing hurts you." Calder whispered, peeking behind the pillar. Nevertheless, he smiled at seeing his friend happy.