Stranger To Kind ✔

EPI 31

The warm air got knocked by a chill. Without visual, the seeming frigid atmosphere forbid any colour on my cheeks. One of my perplexed hands rose to my temple, touching the eensy moist exuding from the surge of fright. My lips parted once then twice yet no words permissible.

After a while in the mute showdown, Alfie eventually broke the silence. "Say something," he let out in a whisper.

His face somehow looked sad and innocent, it wasn't the expression of what I expected a killer would look like. But how could anyone be sure about their judgement only by looking on the outside?

I was in a war, either to continue speculating or to ask him directly. But I would shatter if I let the question dragged me much longer, so I decided on the latter. "What happened to her?"

He ripped his eyes away from me, the floor took the shift to bear his intense gaze. His mouth opened then closed at first, airing his hesitation. But following his sighed was his statement, "I found her dead in her room. I don't know what happened to her."

A heavy gasp made a run out of my mouth, placing a lucid charge for my shock. I scanned his face, searching any sign of falsity, but none. Could it be that he was good at deceiving? I was utterly confused.

"You won't lie to me right, Alfie?" I asked him earnestly.

He looked up at me, his eyes were teary and his lips were pressed into a thin line.

"I would never lie to you, I have no reason to. I only have you now, please trust me," he replied, a tear dropped from his eyes along the line.

My heart ached at his heartfelt words. Although I knew each tale had two sides of the story, I wanted so much to believe him. I couldn't find the right word to say about the matter at the time, so I nodded and gave him a smile.

"I need to go somewhere tomorrow. So I'm going to bed early. Good night," I told him.

As I got up, his eyes tailed me. An asymmetric smile with an expression of deep sorrow pasted over his face. With it, I let conjecture to devour my mind yet again; the meaning behind his sadness was grief for Amy.

So after washing my bowl of unfinished spaghetti, I quicken my pace to sanctuary, I needed the closed space of my bedroom wall. It was part of my jealousy that led me to end our converse. Another part of it was a shame that I even felt that way about a dead person who couldn't possibly compete for my Alfie.

The hallway leading to where the bedrooms were in line sight with the kitchen, somehow I knew he was still watching me. When I arrived at my bedroom door, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor made me halt.

"Charis," he called.

"What is it?"

"Don't leave without telling me tomorrow."

I nodded, then entered my room and closed the door.

***

Morning didn't come easy the next day, not without the hours of staring at the ceiling, twisting and turning. As soon as the hint of dawn seeped in through the window, I got out of bed.

After taking a quick bath, I put on the only dress under my possession. It was the same one my mother packed for me years ago. I brushed my hair and let it lay on my shoulder. I sat for a moment, staring at a piece of paper with an address written on it. It was a chance, and probably a risk that I had no choice but to take.

When I exited my room, the sight of Alfie sleeping on a bed welcomed me. He was in the room adjacent to mine, and he didn't close the door. With light steps, I walked to him, and for a moment, I relished his beautiful face while he was soundly asleep. A smile forced its way to my lips. I realised that I had missed it so much.