Chapter Ten: Story Behind The Red Hair

Lesley's POV

I was sitting under a tree and braiding my hair when a small dagger landed in front of me. I gasped loudly and automatically held my rifle when I noticed something. There was a white piece of paper in the dagger's handle that was tied up in a thin string.

I looked around me suspiciously but seen nothing. Curious, I get the paper. Something was written in it.

Babe,

We actually still stranger to each other, but my heart believes I know you all my life. I hate it, but I can't get you out of my mind, especially your eyes. They're beautiful. You are beautiful. I'm not good at words so maybe we just have to settle with these.

Your babe,

G

My heart thudded violently. Different emotions crossed in my face. Joy, doubt, confusion, fear. But in the end, I just shook my head and smiled.

"I never thought you could be more beautiful when you're smiling." Gusion said, walking towards me. His hands were on his pockets. The man obviously never combed his hair, yet he looked dashingly handsome for me.

I raked at him, amusingly. "And I never thought you could be this sweet."

He sat down beside me. "I've never been sweet to anyone. I'm not the type," He shrugged casually. "Or so I thought. Maybe it was just hiding within me. You brought that out."

I'm melting with his words. I teased him to hide what I felt. "Are you really this G?" Raising the piece of paper.

He frowned. "Of course. Are you expecting someone else?"

I rolled my eyes. "Why you are raising your voice?"

"I asked first."

This brute. I should get irritated, but surprisingly, I found him cute. And I wanted him to be cuter.

"I thought the letter came from Granger." I uttered before I laughed. But he remained serious.

"Granger? The Death Chanter?"

My smile faded. "I don't know. Maybe. Why? You know him?"

"We've met once." No need to mention he's a total jerk. They fought one on one once, long time ago and no one wins since that jerk vanished in a thin mist.

I blinked when Gusion muttered expletives.

"You're expecting him to give you love note?"

Okay. How did a good start of conversation went like this?

"I was just teasing you awhile ago. I know the letter came from you. No one would ever dare calling me babe, except you."

He sighed as he rubbed his temple. "I'm sorry."

"Okay."

Awkward moments follows after that. No one spoke again.

I'm thinking what topic we could talk. But when I raised my eyes on him, the heck. He was staring at me. Blushing, I immediately looked away. "Stop that."

"Stop what?" He seriously asked.

He really don't know? "No one told you that staring someone is impolite?"

"I was absent in school when they taught that."

This is embarrassing. He was still gaping at me. "I am telling you now."

"Okay."

"Then stop staring at me."

"Okay."

Jeez! I was about to shout with embarrassment when he laughed. A whole and masculine laugh. The tension finally broke out. He was enjoying this , wasn't he?

When his laugh ended, he spoke, his eyes still shining. "Your lucky for having a long silky hair." Obviously he wanted something safe topic to talk to.

"Thank you." I touched my hair. I didn't finished braiding it a while ago since he surprised me so it's just flowing down to my back.

I stiffened when Gusion touched it. I never allow anyone to touch me in any part of my body. Even the nails nor the tip of my hair. "Why don't you cut it short?"

I sucked in air. I may leave the question unanswered like I used to do, but I don't know why my mouth open to speak. "My hair is the only memory left by my mother." I took a deep sigh and darted my eyes in the clear sky. "When I was young, she often say that when she was conceiving, she really loved to see and smell roses. That was why she and my father wasn't surprised when they saw that my hair was as red as rose' petals. My mother stopped her weird addiction to roses afterwards but she give heed on my hair instead. She often combed my hair. She always checking. She doesn't want to cut it out." I laughed at that memory. A laugh that suddenly replaced by a sob. "I never protest because at my young age, I wanted to please her."

Gusion hastily hugged me tight. "I'm sorry I asked that."

"It's okay."

"You missed your mother?"

"My mother, my father, my sisters. All of them. No one left for me."

"I don't know what happened exactly but you got Harley." He held my chin and raised. His stare probing into my soul. "And you have me. Remember that."

I sobbed. "Thank you."

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