The Demon King.

Chapter 3.

I worked quickly, trying to forget all that had happened in a span of four hours. At first, I was feeling home again, then the street confusion, then witnessing two people being killed in cold blood, then...

   That demon...
The realization just hit me like a truck. He listened to me.

    He actually listened to me.
What I was expecting instead of leaving the door open was to have my body ripped to peices but he listened to me anyways.

Stop Nellyda. Stop Stop Stop Stop Stop.

     I dropped the bowl in my hand and inhaled for five seconds then exhaled slowly for another five seconds, continuing the actions and trying to relieve myself of the volcano now errupting in my head.
 
I picked up the bowl to continue serving the noodles, the last five heavier portions for the boys.

How long haven't they eaten?
They looked almost dead.

I sighed, realizing I have to stop my habit of thinking before it gets a little overbroad.

I searched the cupboards for the tray Grandma used to host a child's birthday party last year just because it was large enough. I was too lazy and scared to come down and carry the bowls because of all that had happened today and that I was exhausted.

I found it anyway, arranging all the bowls on it and memorizing which bowl was for which person before I went up the stairs.

Once I stepped into the room, I met Miley's eyes first.
  It stung my heart and demoralized my whole being just to see my best friend in such an unusual state.

  Miley used to be my better half,  but now... I don't know what to make of her. I can't blame her anyway. I might have not even had close to half a morsel of what she just had though.

   I placed the plates quietly the way I had memorized it down stairs in front of each person and dropped the tray at the farthest corner of the room. After looking around for a place to sit, I took my position on the floor between Miley and Grandma.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring it early enough, I was... "  I started to apologize because I felt bad about every single thing that had happened to them and every single second I wasted thinking about everything that had happened to them before and after I arrived but Grandma stopped me with her palm raised to my face.

"It isn't your fault. He's been a terror for some days now." Grandma said with less energy than she had when she first spoke to me.
Tears threatened me that they would fall as they stung my eyes and blurred my vision but took their threats back when I realized I had to be strong for them. All of them.

"Grandma, eat alright. So you could be back to my Grandma." I joked half heartedly, trying to make her smile, just curl up her lips and she did.
A very lopsided smile followed my dry joke. I know it was pretty hard for her to do something like that in times like this.

She was trying to be strong for everyone too.

I motioned for her to eat her food. Thankfully, she did, and when she did, I looked up from her to the others. The boys had gone more than half of their food, the girls had gone just half.
I assumed this was going to happen. So much for being a Food and Nutrition student.

How did this all happen?

Why did this all happen?

When did this..?

"Nel, you don't have any food?" Miley realized and brought me back to Earth.

Too much thinking...

"Uhh, I... ate downstairs." I said still searching for the perfect lie but no lie is too perfect for Miley to fish out, I just wish she doesn't push it. Thankfully, She just nodded and went back to eating.

I think I should ask now...

No bad idea. They look so peaceful just eating...

Actually Nel, it's now or never...

"Since... when did all this start?" I faced Miley who was about to push a fork into her mouth but withdrew it.

"Chill, I need this last energy to speak." She said before opening her mouth to pushing the fork into it and placing the fork quietly in the bowl.

At least my girlfriend is back.

I waited for her to take in everything including my question and then she started.