In the Balcony
Luna: Wow! Nice weather today, isn't it?.
( she told and turned to Raf, he didn't say anything, sipping his coffee with a straight face. Luna pouted,.... but still smiled seeing the sky )
Raf turned to her,
Raf : "How can you always be happy?"
Luna's face brightened up as Raf started talking to her for the first time.
Luna: Ah, me?
Raf nodded as yes.
Luna: How can you always be stern?
Raf took a deep breath and sipped his coffee.
Luna: (smiled) It's life. Life is unpredictable. We don't know what happens today or what happens tomorrow. Today I'm sipping this coffee. Maybe tomorrow I won't be alive. We can't say anything is stable in life. Nothing is stable.... People, money, beauty, health - nothing is permanent. (sighed) I can feel you (she looked at Raf, who was already looking at her). Yes, I can relate my life to you. When my mom Left me and my dad for another man, my heart broke into pieces. I never talked to anybody in school. I was afraid to get closer to someone and then they leave me. So I never mingled with anyone.... But after my dad's accident, my emotions changed. I slowly understood what life is. I worked hard. (tears in her eyes) No girl in this world should have my pain. But still, I'm happy. See here, I got a mom (Agnes), a brother (Nick), and many brothers, and lovely friends in my college. I got these many hearts because of my "smile" and "warm talkings". I learned to be positive in life, so I earned this many people. Even...'you', I... think...(she told him and looked at Raf).
Raf's world stopped for a minute. His heart racing fast.
Luna: (smiled) You won't talk to anybody except Nick, but see, you started talking to me within months.
Raf didn't look at her; he tried to avoid eye contact.
Luna: (giggled and showed her hands to him to get the coffee mug).
Raf placed the coffee mug in her hands.
Luna: Ok, bye then (smiled).
Raf nodded. Luna said and went out of the room.
Raf came and sat on his bed, holding his chest and feeling his heart beat. These feelings are new and unknown for him. He blinked his eyes and lay down on the bed and closed his eyes while remembering Luna's face.
________________________
It was a fine day at college.
Luna walked into the classroom and smiled at Tessa and Mila. Tessa smiled back, but Mila didn't.
Tessa signaled to Luna that Mila was upset.
Luna gestured, asking "Why?"
Tessa shrugged her shoulders, indicating she didn't know.
Luna turned to Mila and called her,
Luna : "Mila ?"
Mila turned to Luna with puffy eyes and said,
Mila : "Hm?"
Luna : ( her eyes widened seeing Mila's fluffy eyes ) "Hey Mila, what happened? Did you cry?"
Tessa : "Oh my god, Mila, look at me!" ( with worried expression )
Mila's eyes welled up with tears and began to fall down her cheeks.
Luna : "Aish, Mila, please don't cry."
The bell rang, signaling the start of class.
Tessa : "We can talk about this later, don't cry, Mila." ( she said With a worried expression )
Mila faced down, trying to hide her teary face. Luna held her hands with a worried expression as the class began.
Harry and Ben noticed that something was amiss, but they had no idea what it was.
Ben whispered to Harry,
Ben : "I can't hear what they're saying."
Harry : "It seems like Mila is crying."
Ben's eyes widened in shock.,
Ben : "Crying?
Harry nodded as yes
Ben :Why? What happened to her?"
Harry turned to Ben with a helpless expression.
Harry : "I'm only with you, how would I know?"
Ben : " Ah.. Right. We can ask them later."
Harry nodded in agreement, and they both turned their attention back to the class, waiting for an opportunity to find out what was wrong.
_____________________
At Rafael's Morales
Nick: "So, we have a mission this week, right?" (Nick said while arranging the papers)
No reply from Raf.
Nick: "Raf, did you hear me? We have a mission this week. Are you even listening?"
(Raf didn't respond, still)
Nick walked over and patted Raf's shoulders, causing Raf to flinch.
Raf: "Yahh! What?"
Nick: "Yahhh! You're asking what? I've been explaining this for the past hour, Raf! Did you even listen?"
Raf blinked with innocent eyes.
Nick: "Aigoo! What's wrong with you, Raf?"
Raf: "What... nothing."
Nick: "Hmm..." (Nick sat beside Raf and looked at him with a smile)
Raf: "Yah! Why are you looking at me like that?"
Nick : ( chuckled ) . "You've been behaving differently lately. I think, sir..."
Raf: "Shh! Shut up... I'm the same."
Nick gave a skeptical look, prompting Raf to give him a death glare, which only made Nick smile innocently.
Nick: "Hehe... just kidding. Okay, come back to the world... I have to explain again."
(Raf's glare slowly turned into a frustrated expression)
Raf: "I'll come on this mission."
Nick: "Why? We've got enough people, Raf."
Raf: "No, Nick... I think I should join."
Nick: "But why? You're not exactly... (looks at Raf's tired state) ...in top condition."
Raf: (firmly) "I'll be fine. I need to do this."
Nick: (skeptical) "Okay, if you're sure...
Raf : Hmm
