Chapter Thirteen. 'Trip'

Alicia sat down at the table to have dinner with her grandmother,her friend Maya and Mrs Chen. She could now and then give Maya a glance to see if she could give her a hint on what was going on but the girl the other side gave nothing away, infact Maya was throwing her annoyed glares so Alicia eventually stopped and just ate in silence just like everyone else. Until her grandmother talked and she was shocked at what she heard.

"So, Alicia dear, how did your trip go?" she asked and Alicia just stared at her grandmother, confused. " you don't give me that look child,I know everything because Maya here your friend told me" she continued as she smiled at Maya and Alicia was quiet for a moment as she took in the information to grab on to a few hints. So,Maya had said something to her grandmother! But what could it be that she had told her? She was sure whatever it was,it must be a complete lie as she knew very well that she hadn't told Maya anything before she got lost in the forest! She could only have lied and Alicia panicked at the thought. What would Maya have said to her grandmother that got her to smile like that as she talked as though she had the best news ever? She didn't even know what to reply to her grandmother's flooding questions as she had no hint what trip Maya had made her take to her grandmother's ears. Still trying to get a hint from her life savior Maya, Alicia looked at her one last time and this time Maya looked so annoyed and frustrated at her. She put down her cutlery and grabbed a napkin to wipe her lips off as she finally heard her silent call for help.

" Grandmother was worried about you,so I told her about the art trip that we talked about and decided you would take for you to gain more ideas for your art work" she explained shrugging her slender shoulders without breaking her annoyed look from Alicia.

Alicia then got what it was all about after Maya's explanation and quickly wracked her brain for what on Earth she should say to her grandmother. She had been to such a trip once before and had gotten a lot of ideas but she just never wanted to go back there again. She just wanted to view something realistic and paint her own work out of it rather than staring at someone else's work. But one thing was clear to her now, Maya was definitely mad at her for something! But that would come later,if Maya had decided to help her out that way, she now had to fix everything here and now at the table before she goes on to explain everything to her friend whom she was sure she now knew the reason as to why she was displeased with her. Alicia did her best to answer her grandmother's questions about everything in detail until her grandmother's curiosity was fed to the realm. Alicia felt guilty for lying to her grandmother and now she was telling her that she would manage the dishes alone and advising her to go ahead and get to bed because she must be very tired. Now Alicia felt even more guilt for lying to her poor old grandmother. She had never lied to her before and she didn't if she could carry on with all this for even a while. She wasn't feeling at peace with herself at all. After arguing her grandmother to let her wash the dishes for a long while, she eventually agreed as Maya told her that Alicia had rested enough and must have been revitalized and her grandmother finally agreed to wash the dishes together with her,still not satisfied that her granddaughter would have rested enough for her to be able to wash the dishes after that ' quick nap ' she just had. Maya joined them in the kitchen after sending Mrs Chen off. It seemed Maya was staying for the night. Alicia was sure to have a long night of explanation tonight..

.....

Maya announced her stay for the night as the duo washed the dishes,so when they were done, she just headed on to Alicia's room after wishing Alicia's grandmother good night. But she did not sleep, instead she patiently waited for Alicia to come.

Alicia headed to her room after saying good night to her grandmother who was very happy to have her back from the ' trip ' . Alicia felt continuous guilt whenever that ' trip ' was mentioned but had no choice other than going on with the flow of things at this rate. And as she held the door knob to her room, she took an extra deep breath and prepared herself for what was to come tonight as she opened the and entered only for her friend who was seated at her bed holding a book in her hand to slowly place it down on the bedside table and turn her gaze to the other side of the room, silently telling Alicia that she was in for no nonsense tonight and wanted full explanation.

" Maya, I...." Alicia started but got cut off by Maya's controlled enraged voice as she sneered at her.

" You what, Alicia? What are you going to tell me now? Are you even going to tell me the truth,or will you just continue to lie to me just like you have been doing this whole time? Do you even care if I know anything about you or even where you go without telling anyone? you must enjoy watching as you make a fool out of me, right?" She rapped without stopping to even take a breath and Alicia was both scared for her to faint mid rattle and also for her own fate waiting at her friend's mercy.

" Maya please, let me explain." Alicia begged but instead of granting her wish,Maya rattled on!

" And what are you going to explain? What are you going to explain to me for leaving me in the dark and going your way without telling me a single thing only to make a fool out of myself as everyone looks at me expecting me to at least know something about where you must have disappeared to without a word? Why? Why did you do this to me Alicia? I thought I was your friend." Maya finished almost breaking down at the end and Alicia felt more than just guilty now.

"Maya" She tried again and this time, Maya who was on the verge of tears said nothing as her gaze remained glued on the other side of the room.

"...Let me explain, please" She pleaded and Maya finally looked at her but just for an instant before she once again turned her gaze else where in the room again.

" I did not mean to do that to you." she started. Now that she had her friend's ears, she would explain. she knew she could hear her even as she kept looking all the other sides of the room apart from where she stood.

" After we parted, on my way back from your house I....." Alicia went on and on to explain what had happened and when she reached the part where she couldn't find her way back home from the forest and her foot got badly hurt, Maya finally turned her attention to her with curiosity and later annoyance as there was no wound at her so called 'wounded foot' and she glared at her accusingly but Alicia beat her to it as she was about to open her mouth and complain. " Maya, please listen and let me finish, please..." she added only for Maya to look away from her once again.

Alicia explained everything to her friend making sure not to leave out any detail except for the part where her savior had sucked a live squirrel dry of it's poor blood and finally Maya looked at her with something like interest and understanding. Finally!! Alicia was relieved. She was getting her friend back but she also knew that this wasn't over yet.

"So, you are saying you woke up without a wound and you don't even know how that happened?" Maya asked looking her direct in the eyes and Alicia nodded. "When did you wake up again?" she asked.

"After two days,he told me" she responded and Maya thought for a moment.

"At least you are fine" she said finally breaking down as she let her tears flow and Alicia slowly held her hand out not sure whether it was now okay to comfort her friend or not. But when Maya not so gently pulled her in for a tight hug, Alicia smiled and hugged her friend back. They were okay now. They were finally okay again!!

" Am okay now, Maya. Please don't cry" Alicia cajoled only for Maya to sob once more. Louder this time.

"I was worried about you Alicia. I thought maybe something terrible happened to you. Maybe someone kidnapped you. Everyone was relaxed because of my reassurance but I wasn't. I always went to the place where the gumiho disposes off the bodies and checked it out to see if he had brought you,but he hadn't because you were not there. I thought maybe he had....he had killed you.... Alicia. Never do that again to me. Never leave without telling me where you are going... Alicia? " she continued.

" I won't. " Alicia promised.

"Promise?" Maya continued. she wasn't giving up on this yet,it seemed.

"I promise" Alicia could only comply and it was finally over as Maya finally stopped sobbing and just held on to her before she completely turned to someone else, the interrogation had just started now. But Alicia was glad none the less. She had her friend back now.

"So,how was he? This guy that took care of you like no one has ever done to me in my whole life?" she asked cheekily and Alicia instantly shied away from her friend's impending look which earned her a knowing smile as her bedroom turned completely into an interrogation room with Maya being cheeky over everything and every single detail all over the place as she shamelessly asked her every single detail about the young man she had just told her about.