Never Again

Chapter 7

"You're not looking good today." It is Hunter Williams, right in front of me.

This was the first time I had failed to notice him with heart pounding like crazy. I guess, even my heart needs a break from all these sudden pounding and stopping.

"Oh Hunter what are you doing here?" I said trying to sound cheerful.

"I have been following you all this time." He said with a smile.

"Are you serious?" I asked, looking doubtful.

"I was staring at you in the library all along. By the way, what's with the crying?" He asked now getting serious.

"You saw that too?" I asked, astounded.

"Mind sharing?" He's looking at me straight in the eyes right now.

I really wanted to share this thing to you, because who knows? Maybe you'll free me from all these stupid feelings. I wanted to let you know that there was this boy trying to get back, and I really wanted to forget him completely. Whenever I came to think of his name, his eyes, his scent, the pain won't leave me alone. No matter how hard I try to be happy for him, I just can't. Maybe I really turned to be selfish when it comes to him and me. I never wanted to share. Because by that time I always thought "He was mine and I was his." I tried to move on by looking at you. I had promised myself to love you and to take care of you from that day last 2014. But guess how I am feeling right now? Confused and empty.

"Next time, I'll share it to you next time." I said, smiling.

"Ok then." He sounded disappointed but still painted a smile in his face.

"Thank you for the – "

"Thank you for accompanying me, whenever I needed it." He said seriously.

"Huh? When did I?" I asked, still surprised.

He didn't respond for seconds and continued with the walking. I just followed him and deliberately pulls off the question.

"Always" He finally said, now looking at me.

My heart pounded hard then it stopped and pounded like crazy again. How can I survive a day without all these mini-heart attacks?

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"We are heading to the place where I first clearly heard your voice." He said while handling me a soda from the vending machine.

I followed him silently, and I was right the mini-park in front of our dormitory.

"Why here?" I asked.

"I just wanted to breathe some fresh air with you."

"With you"

"With you"

"With you"

"With you"

"With you"

Here goes my wild heart again. If I can just instruct my heart to stay calm and help me control my feels, I have done it for a thousand times by now.

Why does Hunter need to say these words right in front of me? He really knows how to cheer up a broken me.

"Why are you so quiet? I'm not used to it." He said now gulping the soda.

"Am I? Sorry. My mind's preoccupied with thoughts." I said feeling the freezing soda can.

"I understand girls are like that. Full of thoughts, always denying they're not ok, always hiding." His eyes drifted to the horizon, the sky was pink and the sharp prongs of trees had ripped a hole in the beautiful sky.

"You really know how to read a girl's thoughts huh?" I teased.

"I've been an expert with girls you know, too many exes." He laughed.

"What? You have lots of exes?" I almost screamed.

"Calm down. I only have one." He smiled at me.

Silence covered the whole atmosphere. This is worse than talking to him for the first time. I scanned the place, gulped my soda and move my feet forward and backward.

I need to break this awkward silence, come on Kaia you can do this.

"Who's that lucky girl?" I finally broke the silence and turned my face to him.

"You really want to know?" He asked crumpling the soda can silently.

I nodded and looked at him intently to show my sincerity to hear his story.

"Ok then. I was fifteen at that time, but I swore it was true love. It wasn't a "happy crush" or whatsoever. At first she wasn't that special for me. She is an outcast so definitely no sparks and electrifying feeling at all. One time our class went on a field trip, she was hardly bullied there. Flour and milk was spilled all over her body. Her belongings are either being cut or burned by some. I was just looking like the others, she was so helpless. I didn't dare make a move. For me those stuffs are too childish." He paused to crumple the soda can again.

"And then?" My voice was too soft, I'm not sure if he heard it. But eventually he continued.

"The moment those girls tried to undress her while taking a video boys screaming as if they're enjoying the whole crappy show, that really angered me. I quickly stood up and grabbed her in the wrist. She was too helpless at that time. It's like witnessing a crime right in front of my eyes. I held her hand tight until we reached the parking lot. I yelled at her making her realize how stupid she was for not fighting back. And she only said one thing; "I'm too tired to fight." She sobbed really hard while repeating those words. At that time, I had made up my mind. I'm going to protect her from all those bullies. I'm going to help her survive that hellish school."

"I want to hear more." I said.

He sighed and finally continued while staring at the sky.

"We became good friends, whenever she receives hates I gladly took a portion of it. It came to the point that I finally fell for her." He paused. From here I can clearly see his eyes now moisten with tears. I do not want to see him cry like this. I turned my eyes away, I'm hurt as well. I feel like shedding tears right now, call it over reacting but no. You don't know how it feels until you experience it.

"Hunter Williams?" A voice startled the two of us.

It's Vera Davies.