Don't Fall in Love! (English Version)

CHAPTER 9

ㅡWhy are your eyes red, ma?ㅡI asked her, when I sat at the table. Erix was still looking at me, seriously.

ㅡ I was cutting some onions before he came ㅡ he replied and gave a smile.

ㅡAnd what did you come here to do?ㅡI looked at Erix and crossed my hands on the table. But when he opened his mouth to respond, ma intervened.

ㅡHe just came to... To ask you to take a walkㅡma looked at Erix, who in a few seconds nodded.

Even though I was suspicious of them both, I didn't question them any further.

ㅡOkay... I'll put on some warm clothes and be right back.ㅡI got up and went to the bedroom.

I wore a brown sweatshirt and jeans. I combed my hair and tied it in a ponytail. I took my cell phone and left the room.

ㅡCome onㅡI said. Erix got up and came after me. We left the house and started walking down the street.

ㅡEr...ㅡHe cleared his throat, breaking the silence between us.ㅡI'm sorry.

ㅡDo you know how to apologize? I pretended to be surprised and Erix clicked her tongue.ㅡOkay, okay. You don't need to say sorry. I just wanted to know why you showed up there.

Erix stopped walking and turned to me. I did the same.

ㅡAre you sure you don't know?ㅡHe looked into my eyes.

ㅡYes.

He seemed to be thinking about what he was going to say. Then, Erix shook her head and started walking again.

ㅡ I was just to disturb you.

And of course I didn't believe his answer, but I decided to let it go.

We were no longer on the street where we lived when we stopped walking. In fact, I still hadn't discovered why we were walking so much.

There was a playground just ahead and we went to it. We sat on the swings and were silent.

That night was brighter than usual. The moon, which rarely appeared, decided to appear that day. The stars twinkled as I looked at them.

ㅡ Erix, why do you live with Alice? ㅡI decided to break the silence. Erix took a deep breath before responding.

ㅡMy parents passed away when I was nine years old.ㅡHe lowered his head.

ㅡI'm sorry... I'm sorry for being invasiveㅡ I said. Erix shook her head.

There was an awkward silence.

My cell phone started ringing. It was Adrian.

ㅡHello?

ㅡHi, Faye, did you get home okay?

ㅡ I arrived, why? ㅡ I found his concern strange.

ㅡA sweet shop opened on the street next to yours, do you want to go there with me?

I looked at Erix. He was analyzing me with that serious expression.

ㅡ Ahm... ㅡ Erix he interrupted me by taking the cell phone from my hand and going to a corner where I couldn't hear him. I didn't go after him, because I wasn't into it.

After a few minutes, he came back and gave me my cell phone back.

ㅡ What did you say to him? ㅡ I turned around so I could look into his eyes.

ㅡNothingㅡreplied, simply.

His attitude made me want to hit him. Erix liked to irritate me and was able to do so easily.

I kept quiet. I didn't want to argue. Erix did the same.

But as I was a person who didn't like silence very much, I had to speak again.

ㅡHave you ever had a girlfriend, Erix?ㅡI decided to take a chance. Erix laid her eyes on me and furrowed her eyebrows.

ㅡAre you the enemy of silence, by any chance?

ㅡI am. Did you realize that now?ㅡI opened a smile. He was quiet for a few minutes.

ㅡNoㅡhe said.

ㅡNo what?

ㅡI've never had a girlfriend, Faye. ㅡ If he got up and started walking out of the park. I followed him.ㅡDo you want my bank details too?

ㅡ What do you mean you've never had a girlfriend?? ㅡ He turned to me, looking nervous. ㅡ Ah, of course, with that ugly face who would want you?

Erix turned to me again and began to approach. With every step he took towards me, I took one back. It was then that I ended up leaning against a wall there and he put his hand on it, stopping me from moving to the side.

ㅡWhat do you mean by that?ㅡHis dark eyes stared into mine in an intimidating way. My heart was beating so hard that I thought I would pass out at any moment.

ㅡN-nothing...ㅡ I stammered.

His face was getting closer, allowing me to hear his breathing. Erix lowered her eyes to my mouth and looked into my eyes again.

No! This can not happen!

My mind screamed, but no member of my body moved to try to get out of there.

Suddenly, an ambulance passed close to us, causing Erix to look away and take her hand off the wall.

I faced the ambulance, which stopped in front of a building a few meters away from us. Two people came out of the building and one of them lay down on the stretcher. When I saw that scene, flashbacks from that day came to my mind.

ㅡFather! Dad, wake up! Wake up, please!ㅡI screamed, as if he would hear me like that. I touched his face, which was cold and dirty. His eyes were closed and there were several bruises everywhere.

ㅡFaye! Let's go, you can't stay here!ㅡMy aunt grabbed my arm and pulled me out of there.

ㅡDADDY!ㅡI stretched out my other arm to try to reach him, but it was in vain. The paramedics covered him with a white cloth so I couldn't see him anymore.

ㅡFaye!ㅡErix had her hand on my shoulders, shaking me lightly.ㅡAre you okay?ㅡHis voice showed concern. I couldn't see him properly, because my eyes were blocked. Then, without asking anything else, he hugged me.

His hug warmed me in an inexplicable way. No, I didn't cry like that time. I just buried my face in his chest and closed my eyes. His perfume had a woodsy and refreshing scent. I felt his left hand touching my hair, while his right hand remained on my back.

ㅡI'm here, Faye. Nothing bad will happen to you anymoreㅡhe said and stroked my head.

>>>>>>