Homeless Vain

02

I assumed it was about an inch of dust covering the box I just remembered I had. It was a medium size but the weight could've crushed my bones if it ever fallen on me.

Carefully I unboxed it in my bedroom, the contents had lifted the corner of my lips upwards automatically as soon as they were seen, a wave of memories came crashing over me.

The yearbook.

"God, how can I be so forgetful that I have this book all the time with me?" I complained, flipping the cover open. "Many years had passed."

"What'd you have actually Ivy?" the question from Faye however had snapped me back into the reality.

I forgot that I wasn't alone.

I jolted up from the floor, peeking at my phone that was in a standing position against the holder which I placed on my working desk. Four frames of four different persons from four different places were filling up the space of the screen.

We were doing a video call.

"Here," I pulled my chair closer to the desk as I sat down, showing them something they would call a nightmare.

"Oh my god, Ivy! Don't open it, you will see my potato face inside!" Daisy, the other female I close with since childhood screamed - her loud scream was her signature.

I rolled my eyes.

If I must remind them, I'd seen them in their worst appearances and so did them.

This circle was formed by me and Faye at first. We met for the first time when we were six as we both taking part in a netball team. Yes, toddlers played netball - weird but it was the fact.

We went to the different elementary schools afterwards, so I only remembered her as the girl who threw a ball right on my face and made me trauma with netball and eventually afterwards I met Daisy who was so energetic that time. We got along well and made a great duo that the whole school know.

Until that day in middle school, the fate led me to Evelyn who just wanted to fill up the vacant seat next to me in class. And like it was planned all along, I'd met with Faye back and she simply told me that she and Evelyn were close.

Maybe that time I was playing a role of a cupid. Because I introduced them both to Daisy and suddenly they'd gotten along so well which left me quite speechless. Like they had known each other for many years.

So I told them that we should be stuck together when we attended the same high school where we got to know Jacob and Kevin.

Well that was a long introduction to how I know Kevin, wasn't it?

"It's not that worst Dee," I told as I scanned the pictures from our teenagers days. "You were cute anyways."

"Show me," Faye requested and I obeyed. "Aww, Daisy was round."

Another screeching squeal was heard that I had to put the volume down before my mother barged into the room questioning what was happening.

"I think I've lost my hearing ability," I clicked my fingers constantly next to my ear, the buzzing seemed hadn't worn down yet.

"What's with the sudden digging?" Evelyn then asked after everything had calmed, lazily supporting her head with her hand. "Are you perhaps....looking for Kevin's picture?"

"Ooh....tea," Daisy interfered, zooming herself more closer to the camera that no space was left around her frame. "Ivy honey, I've heard a story about Kevin suddenly contacting you back earlier. Is the old love has been blooming back?"

"Blooming? You guys are ridiculous," I retorted. "He was in need so I was just helping."

"Ah!" Faye clicked her fingers, gaining attentions from the rest of us. "You once told me about that quote. What was it again?"

"Which one?" I asked, considering that I've been telling too many quotes which I knew none of them did take note.

"About that old feeling."

Feelings that come back are the feelings that never left.

Now that I recalled it back, I was left stunned as well.

Specifically when Daisy said, "I don't see any reason for you to stop pursuing your feeling for him. You're single lady now and I think he is too."

"Maybe he doesn't know yet that you've back to be a hot single lady," Evelyn added before she cleared her throat that sounded so fake. "Tell him you're ready to mingle then."

I blinked.

They were rambling now, weren't they?

But I laughed it off, I simply thought that they were just trying to cheer me up. Just the same way they did a day after I broke up.

The three of them came up to me with a list of boys they thought would be a good partner for me. It was too random but it simply made me laugh.

However, I couldn't rid Kevin off from my mind right now.

It wasn't romantically - I swore. I was just curious how he handled his problem earlier.

So I sent him a message after concluding the messy video call with my girls. Just a simple message won't be awkward right.

He didn't reply but instead he call.

"Hey," he talked first as soon as I picked up, not letting me greet first. "I read your message."

"And what? You hurt your fingers that you're unable to reply?" I sarcastically joked, letting my back sink over the soft mattress of my bed.

"I'm too tired to reply," he breathed out.

"And talking doesn't use much energy?"

"Ahh.." he sounded like he was so done with me and immediately claiming his defeat. "Anyway, I didn't call all the numbers you gave."

"What?" I pushed myself up, supporting my weight with my free arm. "So how did you go home?"

"We tried to start the engine on few times and it worked, so we just straightaway go home afterwards."

"Oh... you were not alone."

"Yes, I was with my cousin. He picked me up from campus. I'm back for good anyways."

Another thing I'd forgotten - Kevin was still a student because he was a study maniac.

We were in mid 20s and the rest of us had started thinking to start working since our early 20s but Kevin built different. He had his own goals and he won't stop until he achieved all of them.

His determination was the reason of how I fell for him back then.

"What's next?" I asked and I heard him contemplating.

"I want to have a day of rest first," he answered in which I gasped.

I was expecting to hear something like 'I'll think about it later' but instead what he'd said was 'a day of rest.'

He was still the same Kevin I knew - unpredictable.

"Hey," he suddenly said in which I could manage to only reply with a hum, uncertain if he really was calling me. "Thank you for helping me."

I blinked.

A strange feeling was engulfing my heart - not romantically.

Maybe I felt satisfied?

After I concluded my feeling for him, we'd slightly drifted apart since he was busy with his study and I had a new life, new person to care of. I personally thought that I was no one to him anymore, maybe we were not best friend anymore.

However, as he called me today, voicing out his problem and I managed to help even the slightest, I felt somewhat happy.

Maybe I was still competent to be a good friend.