The Tree's Girl

Chapter Twelve

Our date ended just like that. I asked her a question and she answered. She answered "there are somethings that are better off not knowing", Better? Better?! I don't want what's better! I want answers! That's all I ever wanted!

Yesterday, I said everything would turn back to normal today. I'll start to hate her and she'll start killing again. Is it happening? am I hating her again? I feel hatred, but not towards her.

Now, I'm standing in front of the tree, at the back of the school. I fel hatred towards the tree in front of me. This monster sustains my life, and because of that I hate it. I only depend on one person and one person only, and that's my mom. I never asked help to anyone else since I got out of the hospital, I started to learn how to live by myself. And now, their saying that I have to depend on this tree for survival?!

I punched it's bark, I punched it hard. It was painful, the vibration of pain covered my arm, and still I kept at it. My anger overflowed me, I don't care if I'm breaking my knuckles, I don't care if I'm creating bruises for myself as long as I know I'm hurting the tree, I'm fine with it.

Finally, I fell on my knees. The pain reached my whole body. I looked at my knuckles, it was bleeding and it was covered with bruises. I feel enlightened, knowing that I can do anything I want with my body and no human, tree or animal can control me.

I stood up, I felt something. I vibratin on my side. It was Painful, I feel like I've been punched myself. I raised my uniform and I was shocked.

I had a bruise. A big one on my side. Where did I get this? I didn't have a bruise like this before I left home. I looked at the tree, I looked at it's damaged bark. Could it be that-

"Dude! Are you stripping here?"

As soon as I heard his voice, I immediately let down my uniform.

"You're out of your mind, Denver" Once again it's him.

"If you say so" he said as he puts his arm on my shoulder, then he whispered "You know, I'm not the only one who's eavesdropping on you"

He's not the only one?

I rapidly turned around, then I saw a glimpse of black hair and I immediatly knew that I need to get away.

"I'm cutting classes Denver, want to come?"

He was shocked with my question, why? I thought he liked cutting classes.

"How about the teachers? You'll get in trouble if you cut class"

"I couldn't careless about getting in trouble, the worst thing my mom can do is scold me, so I don't really care, and by the way.. when did you start caring?" I glared at him coldly.

I think I hit him when I said that. He balled his fist, stomped his way to me and pulled me at my collar.

"You know I have had enough of your coldness, I'm just trying to make friends with you dude!"

He's trying to make friends with me? This way? What a laugh. He threatens someone just to makes friends. He said I'm cold too. I won't deny it, cause I am cold. And if he couldn't accept that, then he won't take me as a friend. He should just stop now, stop this friend business.

But, I would I want him to stop?

"I want to be friends with you! So I care for you! Don't treat me like the people who thinks you don't exist, cause I'm different!"

People who thinks, I don't exist. He was one of them back then, cause he knew nothing about me back then. Many people know you don't exist. People from other countries, people from other towns, heck, even some relatives don't know me. So I'm used to only a few people knowing me, but know, why is that everything that Denver is saying hitting me?

"Prove it to me! Prove that you're no different!" The words that came out of me. Here goes my selfishness, I want answers to my questions, right now my question is 'Why is Denver so different?'

"Proof? Fine, you're using me right? To get a girl jealous, it might sound gay but I agreed to it, I said that I would play this game with you, cause what is the fastest way to make friends? It's with a game right? But it seems it's not working"

"That isn't enough proof!" It was enough.

"Fine then! I'll just leave!" he turned and started to walk away.

"WAIT!"

I stopped him from leaving by pulling on his arm. He was the second person I remembered twying to make friends with me and the first one was-

" What's your name?"

A girl asked. We were at the roof top of a hospital. She was ten years-old, the same age as me.

"Why do you want to know my name?" I answered with a question.

She innocently smiled and looked to afar. "Being trap in a hospital like this gets rather lonely, don't you think? I mean, you've been here too many times, I always see you here"

I don't know if what she said was true, cause I just woke up from a week long coma, and I have no memories. But when I woke up, I felt that the room was too familliar, so she could be telling the truth.

"Well, do you know me already?" I asked

"If I did, would I ask your name?" she pouted. Well she had a point, what's the use of asking if you already know tha answer.

"So how can knowing my name get rid of your loneliness?"

She looked at me and smiled, there sun shined, her face was shadowed.

"I want to be your friend!"

She wants to be my friend? If that's the case. I smiled too.

"Well, I'm Joseph, Joseph Strauss!"

"What?!" Denver shouted, and I think he's really angry.

Friend huh? Do I really need them? I've been a loner all this time, why am I needing friends now?

"Denver.."

"WHAT?!"

I stood up and gave him a pat at the back.

"You can't take a joke. I'm going to the roof top, see 'ya there" I said as I walked away. Knowing Denver, he bought what I said. Everything he said earlier somehow created a meaning to me.

Somehow, Denver can be a friend. One way or another.