They Say Opposites Attract

XXII. As They Say

One day, I met a girl. We had so much fun together. We could tell each other anything and everything.

Where was that sweet girl now?

It's been weeks since I transferred to this school and it has been an experience no different from my previous ones. I guess that brings me back here.

They say that people do irrational things when they're feeling intense negative emotions,  but that wouldn't explain why I'm here. This was beyond irrational.

Even now, drenched in cold water that just happened to be spilt all over me... though, that wasn't my main focus.

"Look. I know I haven't been all that good to you. And I deeply apologize."

It wasn't even half an hour ago, that these words were spoken to me. I immediately understood what those words meant, but it didn't mean I would take them to heart.

I doubt I could even if I wanted to.

"I can tell from your expression alone that you don't forgive me. Not like I was expecting you to or anything."

Of course I don't. Who would? But that's not the part that left me in shock. Of course not.

"If there is anything. Anything at all that I can do to make it better..." she paused. It was as if she was forcing herself to say these words.

And that brings us here. Raven. A girl I know well. A girl I don't know at all. The girl I knew years ago. It's amazing how much a person can change over time.

For the first time ever, I could see that she was nervous. Nervous for what I had in mind? Nervous for what's to happen? Two more questions I could never answer.

But it didn't take long for her nervousness to turn into uncertainty.

I held up my notebook. Raven barely took a look at it before she understood what it meant. The message that expressed my hate for the ones who have been "bothering me" lately.

You'd think that telling a teacher or the principal would be enough...

"Look, Sumiko," Raven spoke up, staring down at the floor of the empty school hallway. "I know that I said anything,  but this is beyond my ability."

Despite our terrible relationship that could be seen as bipolar as Raven herself, I found myself staring back into those w̶o̶n̶d̶e̶r̶f̶u̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶w̶a̶r̶m̶ brown eyes.

I couldn't help but sigh at that.

They say opposites attract, but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Those were the thoughts running through my head. The thoughts I wanted to voice, but couldn't.

She grinned at me in my helpless state. I looked up at her with eyes that I regret to say were quite akin to those of a pleading dog.

I would've used 'begging' instead, but this... this was a higher scale.

"Fine, I'll do it. Only because ......."

Those last words were drowned out by the beating of my own heart as relief flooded through me like a tidal wave. As if to pull me back up to the cliff I'd staggered off of.

As if giving me a second chance.

After all, that's all we need. A redemption.

And mine is standing right in front of me. Like that majestic being she is.

Even if she doesn't show it, we both know that Raven has that side of her that actually cares. We all have it. But why does she ignore hers?

Raven blew out a sigh as she noticed my relieved expression. "Look, Sumiko. After I do this for you," she paused again. Except this time, it seemed as if she was debating with herself whether or not to continue.

"After I do this," she repeated before finally continuing. "We should have nothing to do with each other."

When I looked up at her with a confused expression, Raven shook her head and looked down at the floor. "What I mean is... we should avoid each other. And things will be back to how they should be."

As she spoke those last words, she had turned away from me. She hesitated for a moment before walking off, not leaving me any chance to communicate my side.

"How things should be."

How should things be?

More questions. Zero answers.

I.... I'm confused.

More so than I've ever been.