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- 3 -

I guess it appears that my part in Christa's research is over. Well, the answer is no.

It was the Sunday before the new semester would start when I decided to visit my family before I get busy. Therefore, the afternoon was when I dropped by. 

Aunt Emma, my dear second mother. Wise, beautiful, strict but tender. I have already mentioned she raised us up after my parents' incident. She has always noticed how different they had been treating Christa and how have this affected her. I remember once she advised my mother to keep an eye on Christa more, explaining that not because they've been waiting for a boy who came seven years after Christa's birth that caused our mother serious problems they should treat us unequally. Nevertheless, mother never listened. 

Accordingly, after everything had been settled according to my parents' will, aunt Emma knew exactly what to do. She tried hard and forth to give Christa what she had lost - which was time. Christa was already a teenager, while I was just a boy. My aunt was fair, she knew we didn't need equality yet we needed justice. She gave me all what I needed but she knew that Christa needed more. She has been her secret keeper and her source of confidence for good, the only problem was that aunt Emma didn't always explain her plans for everything. This annoyed Christa, not because it was wrong - I mean grownups aren't obliged to explain themselves every time they see something better for their children, the real knot was how impatient Christa has been. I guess this explains why had Christa been kept an assistant till she decided to break her leader's unfair rules - as she saw them -.

For me, I always had different way of life than my family. I mean, I moved out of my aunt's house after high school yet Christa didn't like to.. they worked together and they have been more attached, so that was better, I guess. 

So I paid a visit for them that afternoon. I hugged aunt Emma REAL tight and we had a long conversation about my upcoming plans and routine. Christa was asleep all long, I didn't see her until aunt Emma decided she has some work to do. That was when I tipped toe through my sister's room and shocked her out of her really peaceful long nap..

Skipping some useless details of her chasing me like a wild cat and all.. we had our talk, too.

- " Oh dear, you haven't visited us here for so long ".

= " Yeah. I'll try to come wake you up more ".

- " Very. Funny! ".

= " Ha-ha! Anyway, I'm glad I spent time here today I.. really needed that. I guess it's time to leave so.. ".

- " Hey wait.. where's aunt Emma? ".

= " At her office, I guess. She said she had some files to check ".

- " Cool. I listened to the recorder ".

= " Oh. Was it useful? ".

- " Well.. yeah I never approached a patient that close. You were my eyes. I need to thank you a lot, and tell you what to do next.. ".

= " GOD! YOU STILL WANNA.. ".

- " TUT-TUT-TUT! Calm down! she may hear you, I don't want her to ask! ".

= " I can do no more Christa, college starts tomorrow.. ".

- " That's the point! She's studying with you, don't you remember? Just listen to me. Here's the recorder, try to approach her again as much as you can, I don't ask you for great effort. I'll come for you  every weekend so you can handle me this nice and easy, and I'll come leave it every Sunday night. It's so simple, don't worry! ".

= " I'm feeling we'll get into trouble. I don't know if I'll meet her again, and I don't think she is interested to meet me for a second time ".

- " No don't worry about that, she just never shows her feelings. That doesn't mean she didn't accept you. Besides, I'm sure you can meet again. I'm lucky you are in this position, Ed. I'm relying on you.. just.. try, for once, at least. For me.. ".

I sighed. 

= " Okay, I'll try, sister ".

I mean I really cared about my sister, but I always did this out of how passionate I am. Huh, ego. Ego is sometimes awful.

Eve. Will I ever meet you again for real?

When I realized it wasn't over I.. was not really angry.. yeah I.. I was nervous but I've been already thinking if we would ever talk again. You made me curious, ambitious, and kind of satisfied.I don't even know you, yet something is telling me I have to.

Two days have passed since college started in a boring series of actions, but no, I didn't find her. I actually didn't seriously look for her, I have my classes and of course my boring friends. I'm not being mean, it's just that the three of us were really boring; Andy Sky which was my very first friend throughout the past year who was noticeably aggressive, curious.. I strongly trusted him anyway, Yuna Cherry was the Asian short chubby girl who was fun and really careless, and then it was me.. well we made a pretty awful team.

The third day went on as usual, until our class ended then Andy started unbelievably begging us to go with him to the library. 

= " Andy, are you trying to show us you can read for example? You've never held a book since I don't know when! ".

* " Funny.. that's nothing I'll brag about! I'm searching for someone ".

** " Don't tell us you're having a date at the university library! ", we started mocking him.

* " Shut up, Yuna! She's just a student whom I bumped into yesterday. She's pretty.. strange! I'm- just bored, everyone is talking about how outstanding she is - I'm curious, you know? ". 

** " Andy you know we ain't buying it.. Are we, Ed? ".

= " .. Huh? Oh sorry, I didn't concentrate, what were you saying? ".

* " Okay, hold on now both of you, can you? We're inside the library so we need to be quiet ".

Andy was searching for someone and I didn't, what a joke! 

= " Hey, Andy.. ".

* " Hush!.. ".

= " I'm whispering, what's wrong with you! I have to leave I.. have something important to do.. ".

* " Look! She's there, I knew I would find her here! You know I figure out if someone's a nerd, just like when I met you Yuna and our friendship started that exam.. ".

** " I don't know about you telling the story of how you cheated that day here.."

Ignoring their conversation, I kept staring at what I saw. Eve. Eve was Andy's crush whom he had met by luck. Yes, sometimes life is so vague, just like her..

She sat there with a new book, a ' bun ' was up her head and her eyes were shielded by her glasses. She seemed indulged with the book.. she was- actually. 

Out of the blue, I should switch on my recorder again and move, leaving my friends behind! 

In fact, I don't need to describe Andy's facial expression when he noticed I had gone up to her and started speaking saying " I told you I should meet you again! ".

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