HUMAN - The Son

Chapter 12

Amaury

The day had been long again. Yawning, Amaury left the bakery. It was only afternoon, the kitchen was still working, but he felt like it was midnight. Some students chatted in the gardens of the academy. He walked past them, exhausted. The weather was good. The sun was warm and it smelled of green grass and colorful flowers. Amaury yawned again.

Since he spent hours in a basement and missed the sun a bit, he spontaneously decided to explore the back gardens of the academy. He hasn't been there yet. Mara raved about the small gardens, which are less visited by students. But Amaury planned to visit another garden. One that Chloe had told him about. Her favorite place at the Academy.

A narrow gravel path led first to a herb garden, which was used by the kitchen staff, and then to the largest rose garden of the academy. Behind it, the forest began. He admired the many kinds of roses that grew here. Amazed, he noticed golden roses, silver, violet, and also midnight blue roses whose petals glittered in the sunlight.

"Magic", he murmured softly. There was no other way to explain these colors.

He kept walking until he came to some normal rose bushes. There he discovered a familiar face. It was the girl with the red hair. She wore normal clothes, not the fir green school uniform, and sat in the grass in front of some bushes. Amaury wanted to turn around so as not to disturb her, but then he saw her wipe a few tears from her face.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

Surprised, the girl looked up. "Oh. I thought I was alone."

Amaury shook his head. "I'm just... Why are you crying? Did something happen? Do you need help?"

She just shrugged and hugged her knees. "A quarrel. Nothing else. Thank you."

"Quarrel? Is there anything I can do to help you with that?" Amaury frowned. She seemed small and delicate. Amaury would have liked to take her in his arms to comfort her. But he didn't. "Or should I go?"

"Go? You don't have to. I don't think you can help me. Unless you're familiar with fights between best friends?", she replied, wiping another tear from her reddened eyes. How long has she been sitting here crying?

"May I sit with you?", he asked.

The girl blinked. "If you want to? Why? You're not a student, are you? You work here... Your clothes..."

Amaury looked at his work clothes. He was full of flour. "In the kitchen, yes. I'm a baker."

"Baker..." She nodded and watched him a little skeptically as he sat down next to her.

"My name is Amaury. And I have three sisters. One of them fights with her friends from time to time...", he tried to lighten the mood. "I'm a skilled consultant for girls' affairs, so to speak! Involuntary. That's part of the 'Big Brother' job."

"An involuntary expert, then", she murmured. "My name is Aili."

"May I ask what you were arguing about? Only if that's okay with you. You don't need to answer me. We don't know each other..."

"Hm." Aili played with one of her red curls. "If your sister is happy with your advice..."

He shook his head. "She isn't, most of the time."

Aili smiled. When she smiled, she looked all the more beautiful. "It was about my boyfriend. Nio. We have been together since last school year. But my friends think he treats me badly. And they don't believe me when I tell them otherwise."

"Oh... My little sister doesn't have a boyfriend yet... I think..." Amaury scratched his head in embarrassment. Of course. Such a beautiful person was already taken.

"Then you have no advice for me?" She was still smiling.

"I'm afraid not. But if they're your friends, I'm sure they mean well. What is he like? Your boyfriend?"

"Nio is a year older than me. He is graduating this year. He came talking to me last year. Once a week we go to a small café in the capital. He's good to me. We go for walks together, he reads books to me... We can talk for a long time. Fair enough... He is the one talking most of the time." Her cheeks turned slightly pink. Her tears shimmered on the slight blush like small diamonds. "He has a wonderful smile."

"It sounds like he loves you very much!" Amaury confirmed. "Did you tell your friends that too?"

Now she snorted a little upset. "Of course. But they say he is manipulative. Such nonsense! And Maiken claims he tries to separate me from them! He doesn't like them very much, you know? But that can still change. We have a completely normal relationship. With everything that goes with it." At the word 'normal' her voice trembled slightly. "Yes... Everything is... It's fine."

Amaury, slightly panicked, tried not to imagine this 'EVERYTHING'. Did she talk about... No... He really shouldn't imagine that. In front of him sat a sad girl... Which, unfortunately, was already taken. Why did her voice tremble? And what did she mean by 'fine'? "And you're happy?"

She nodded. But this time she hesitated a little, as if she wasn't sure. "It's a... normal relationship. My friends should be happy for me." Sighing, she stood up and nervously smoothed the fabric of her skirt. Her cheeks had become all the redder. "Thanks for listening, Amaury. I should go now... I still have homework to do."

"Good. I wish you the best of luck. If they're your friends, maybe they're just worried."

Aili nodded. All of a sudden, she seemed very embarrassed. "Yes. Or they're jealous. Thank you." And she hurried away. Amaury looked sadly after the sad angel. It seemed to him that she was fleeing. But from what? From him?

Was he able to help her?

At least he had talked to her. Only to learn that she was even further out of reach than he thought. Shaking his head, he stood up. There were other things he had to take care of. For example, the promised gifts for his siblings.

He was already looking forward to the next day. Saturday. He desperately needed a day off. Hopefully, he found suitable gifts.

(c: sasi)