Chapter 28
Bruises start to appear in every part of my body. I first noticed it on my leg, right after I nearly drowned. I have more than three big green-purple bruises on both of my hands and countless circles of the same colour in my legs. My skin also starts to feel itchiness especially on my ears, arms and neck; even my scalp feels itchy that I can’t concentrate on my studies anymore. I lost a lot of weight too, I can even see my spine coming out of my back.
“What’s that? Are you okay Keesha?” Nympha asks when she noticed a big bruise on my back as I changed my white tank top to my school uniform.
I immediately put my polo on and cover my bare skin with my long sleeves suit. “It’s nothing. Aren’t you going to change? We’ll be late.” I say firmly trying to change the topic.
Nympha is from Erda and whether I like it or not, her curiosity about my health will not be ignored in an instant. “Turn around, let me see it.” she orders. “Don’t make me use my powers against you, turn around. Now.” She says firmly this time.
“I’m so sick of everyone threating me with their powers just to get what they want!” I shout. Lucia who is waiting for us in her bed suddenly stands up, unsure of what to do. “I get it, you’re all powerful, but will you just leave me alone for once! You are so irritating.” I slam the door and head to our first class by myself. I am so frustrated with everything going around me and the least thing I care about is hurting someone’s feeling because of my words.
I haven’t heard a word from Professor Wood about my brother’s condition. He ordered me to stay clear from the laboratories for a while since James could transform any time soon. He’s sparing me from watching my brother turn into something he never want to become. And the fact that I haven’t felt any side effects yet makes me more frustrated. Professor Wood told me that just like my brother’s transformation, it would take time since I have a strong immune system and it’s the first time my body receive such dose.
“Keesha!” shouts Terence from behind.
I want to stop and look back at him, but I don’t. I continue to walk to the hallway and adjust my phase into running when I heard his footsteps coming closer. “Just stop for a second, will ya?” he asks shouting.
I sigh deeply and stop without turning my back at him. I wait for him to catch me and as I do, my heart tightens like a damp cloth being twisted into knots. “Not now, Terence.”
“Why are you avoiding me?” he asks panting.
“I’m not.”
He scratches his forehead in irritation just the way I do with my skin when it feels itchy. “I’ve known you for years, I know when you’re mad, when you’re avoiding something. And right now, I’m that something. Tell me what’s wrong, please.” He pleads. He holds me by the arm and notices how thin I’ve become. “Have you been eating?”
If you’ve known me for years, why can’t you tell that I’m hurting? That’s what I want to ask him. But of course, my guts can’t do that, so instead I say “I’m not used to this situation; you having a girlfriend, maturing all of a sudden, I’m left behind. I can’t keep up with that. And yes, I’ve been eating. I’m just stress with school stuffs lately, I need to redeem myself.”
“That’s it?” he asks.
“Yes” I answer. Stephanie’s devilish face suddenly pops inside my head and the thought of shaving her head still makes me excited.
“You don’t have to keep up with that,” he pats my shoulder “I’m still the old Terence; I still do the things we enjoy the most before. Stephanie is an addition to my life, but that doesn’t change anything. Nothing should change, Keesha.” He assures me.
“Everything has changed.” I whisper.
“No!” he demands “How many times will I have to tell you, it’s you first before them, no matter who it is. You’re my best friend, my partner.” he holds my hands tightly, assuring that I had understood every word he said.
“Then why didn’t you save me back then?” I ask him. He helped that liar Mermaid instead of me.
He lowers his look to the ground, embarrass of what he did. “Because I couldn’t.” he whispers.
I’ve been thinking irrationally ever since Stephanie came into the picture. I’m jealous, that’s all I know. It never occurred to me –well, not until now – that the reason why Terence didn’t jump at the pool is that he can’t swim. “You could have stayed at least.”
He looks surprise. He didn’t expect that I’ll demand something so selfish from him. “Stephanie was unconscious, I needed to take her to the infirmary. Are you by any chance making me decide between you and her? Don’t be like that, partner.” He says instead.
“I want you to know, that if you ever ask me to choose between you or anyone else, I’ll definitely choose you. You’re my best friend and partner, and like what you said, you come first.” I hug him for the last time. I know I can’t do that again, now that Stephanie is in his life. I close my eyes and seize the moment. This will be the last time that I will be near him. I need to keep my distance from him or else I’ll hurt myself more than he can ever hurt me. But no matter how long the distance that I’ll put in us, I will not stop caring about him. I will be the partner that watch his back.
Just watching his back.
