Secrets

2 - Last Farewell

The dining room was silent. And awkward. I saw everything -- mum "discreetly" sneaking glances at dad, nudging him to say something while my fork scraped across the plate, picking at the food, back and forth.

Mum cooked smoked salmon. Aria, she loved the dish. Why did mum choose to cook smoked salmon when she knew that it would remind me of her? It certainly didn't make me feel any better.

Inside, I felt empty.

Someone cleared his or her throat. I looked up, making sure that my face was void of any emotions.

Dad spoke up, "Son, you have to eat something. Aria would love to have you do the same too. Regardless of where she is right now."

I stared at him blankly. It hurt to know that Aria was gone. Gone. Missing.

Mum flickered her gaze between me and dad a few times worriedly. Laughing nervously, she said, "Well, I'll clear up the dishes. Daniel, I think you've got some work to do, right?"

They looked at each other. Dad deciding whether or not to agree with mum's lame excuse as she glared at him in warning. Before they could say anything else, I sighed and pushed the plate away.

"I'm heading up to my room."

Skipping a few steps as I walked up the stairs, I thought of Aria.

I miss you, Ria.

I slammed the bedroom door shut and flounced myself onto my bed carelessly. Then my mind started drifting off to the last time I saw Aria.

We were at our secret hideout.

"You know what they always say, Ad?"

"What?" My eyebrows furrowed and I let my eyes settle on Aria's pettie figure, my back against the tree.

She looked at me in the eye, her eyes shining with unshed tears, then wrapped her arms around my neck. I held her. 

I swore I heard a soft sob escape her mouth before she reponded. "They always say Ava has the prettier smile, the prettier face and a better personality, my best friend." Ava was her younger sister. Aria had always had this insecurity that she wasn't cared for by her parents and others, seeing how they had their attention fixed solely on Ava.

I allowed her to continue.

"I'm sad, Ad. I wished Ava was never in my life but I can't have that because I love her, truly, even if she receives all the attention I can never get," Aria started crying, clinging onto me so tight like I would disappear any time. "I don't want to feel like this anymore, I'm sick of it."

I comforted her, "It's all right, bunny. Everything will be okay."

"Adonis, I'm sick of feeling insecure. I feel ugly. No, the truth is I am ugly," she swallowed her cries, "And everyone's right when they make comments of Ava being the more beautiful one..."

I was angry. How could she think like that? Didn't she know the boys in school were always looking at her with such hungry looking eyes till I had to teach them a lesson to make them stay away from her?

My eyes softened at the sight of her vulnerable state. She rarely let her guard down and showed me this side of her. "Oh, squishy bunny. The others can say whatever they want about Ava or you. But please know, Ria, please know that what you think of yourself is not true, because in my eyes, all I see is this beautiful girl who is always smiling magnificently."

Aria's mouth curled up into a smile. She was so adorable, so pretty.

"Thank you, Adonis. You're the best."

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I drove Aria back to her house. As we stood at her doorstep, she flung her arms around me and said, "Thank you so much, for today. I hope you know that I'm always here for you too. Good bye."

She pecked my cheek and smiled at me sadly then went inside the building.

She lied. Aria lied when she said that she'd be here for me. She wasn't here. The dejected face she had showed me was all clear now -- she had planned to leave. I couldn't get the last farewell of ours out of my head.

But one thing was clear now. 

I will find her.