Chapter 77
Serious talks
"Why aren't you there, Neil?" that’s what Draek asked after he entered El Lavish Restaurant.
Neil's elbow rested on the table while his chin rested on his palm. He seemed to be thinking deeply.
He just looked at Draek for a moment as if he had heard nothing
He asked again. "Are you thinking about Pershey?" He sat on the bench next to Neil.
Neil looked at him again as if to indicate something he was looking at but he didn't say a word.
"Are you okay, Neil?" he asked again but Neil just nodded and didn't utter a word. "You're not okay," he said.
Neil still didn't speak, so Draek didn't speak either.
No noise was coming from them but from outside the restaurant.
"I'm just going back to America," Neil said suddenly, startling him.
“Why are you coming back? Don't you want to study here anymore? Will you live there? Why don't you just stay here?” successive questions by Draek.
It seemed like mixed emotions were drawing on Neil's face as he turned his gaze to Draek. There seemed to be something heavy in his chest.
He stood up as if his mind was floating. Draek's gaze followed him.
"Are you thinking about Pershey?"
Neil stopped walking. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
“Why are you coming back to America? What’s the reason?”
"I can't stop myself, Draek," he replied. "You know it is hard to avoid her and keep this feeling for her."
He let out a deep breath before sitting down on the other bench to one side. Draek stood up and sat on the bench opposite Neil.
“I know that you love Pershey but she doesn't know that. She doesn't know what's your feeling for her. She doesn't know that you love her because you don't tell her. ”
He quickly replied, “I know. She won't believe me if I tell her the truth.” he sighed.
“Why didn't you confess to her just then? We know Pershey loves you too. You both like each other. Why are you still avoiding her to this day? Are you like that forever? You love her, don't you?”
What he said disturbed Draek's mind. He was silent for a long time and thought about what Draek had said.
Gradually the memories returned to his mind. The day they first met Pershey sinks into his mind again. He knew he had been hostile to Pershey during those times.
"Why don't you confess to her?"
“I can’t, Draek. What is she going to think? - That I want her because she's already beautiful? - ”
"She was really beautiful in your eyes!"
“She will think that I just liked her because she has improved and she has changed unlike before. She won't believe me, Draek. She will not listen to me. ”
“Pershey will understand you. 'Don't lead her. Try it first. ”
He was speechless and just kept quiet. Many things go through his mind. Many things are troubling his mind and bothering him. She feels overwhelmed by the things that are bothering her mind.
He grabbed her head as he focused both her elbows on the table.
“I hurt her, Draek. I don't have the courage to confess,” he said full of frustration.
Draek could do nothing but just watch him and say what he had to say. He knew from then on that Neil liked Pershey even though Pershey was a nerd and weird back then. They both kept it a secret and still do.
“What would you do now?” he asked after a few minutes had passed.
"I'm just going back to America," he replied.
“Why don’t you just stay here? You don't have to go back to America. ”
Neil was silent again and his mind was once again blown away by the wind. He played with his fingers as if still restless and as if puzzled.
"Are you still avoiding her?"
Her spirit was aroused by his question. Neil stared at him for a moment.
After a couple of minutes, he spoke. "Why do I have to avoid her?"
He returned the question to Nel. "Why do you have to avoid her?"
“I am not avoiding her,” he insisted.
“So why did you suddenly leave when Caleb arrived during Pershey’s party? Why did you suddenly leave when Pershey was in the hospital when she was about to be raped. Isn't that avoidance? ”
"Let's just go," he said. He got up and walked ahead.
He was close to the door when he noticed that Draek wasn't even moving. He stopped and turned to her. Draek met his gaze.
"Let's go," he said.
"Answer my questions first."
"You know the reason, Draek."
He was walking again when Draek spoke again causing him to stop.
"You love Pershey, don't you?"
Neil turned to him.
"You know the answer," he replied and left. He stopped in front of the restaurant door when he saw the motor that was parked. Seems like a lot of things entered his mind when he saw that motor that Pershey and Caleb used. He thought he would have been the rider if he had just insisted on what he wanted.
He thought back to how they looked at each other. He could feel the tightness of his chest as he remembered them. He did not notice the passing students.
He thought back to the day when he saw Pershey crying while soaking wet in the rain.
Again, he sighed deeply.
"Why are you there?" a girl with blonde hair asked. She's wearing a lettuce top and a gray skirt, 3 inches square heels was in front of him. His face was gentle and he smiled as he looked at Neil.
He slowly turned his gaze to the woman in front of him. It was as if he was not on his own consciousness. The woman was in front of him but it was as if he could not see or notice the woman who was just in front of him.
The woman was still smiling. When he noticed that Neil looked dazed, she called him. "Hey!"
He blinked a few times and then noticed the woman.
"Did you hear me?" she asked in a soft voice just like an angelic voice.
Neil's forehead furrowed slightly as he looked at the woman.
The woman laughed a little and weakly because of the reaction on her face.
"Hi," she greeted and extended her hand to shake hands.
Neil smiled for a moment and was about to speak when Draek came out of the Restaurant. He stopped beside her and immediately turned his gaze to the woman. He points to the woman as he remembers the woman's name. He struggles to remember who the woman is.
"Ahh!" He already remembered who the woman in front of them was now.
The woman was still smiling at them.
"Cecil?" Draek asked to make sure he was Cecil. "Cecil, right?"
"Do you still remember me?" a girl asked.
Draek nodded and was delighted. He was so happy when he saw Cecil that he suddenly hugged Cecil with joy.
He even stroked Cecil's back while saying, "Long time no see."
He stepped forward to Cecil and there was still a trace of excitement in his reaction as he smiled looking at Cecil.
He even teased Cecil. "Get taller!"
Cecil laughed slightly and covered her mouth.
Neil just watched them, standing still.
"Just a little," she replied and laughed slightly again. She turned her gaze to Neil. Neil was still deep in thought especially when Pershey was called.
They were about to leave when Neil stopped. He wants to go back to the covered court and watch but he is restrained by himself. He doesn't notice what Draek is saying.
His spirits returned when Draek tapped her.
"You haven't been on your own before," Cecil commented to him. "Are you okay?"
Neil nodded in response. Cecil just forced a smile and Draek noticed it.
"Why you're here?" Neil asked.
"Just watching," she replied.
"Ahh, who's with you?" he asked again.
“My friends. Amm, I have to go now. ”
She left and waved as she walked away. Draek waved as well.
“Bye,” Draek whispered. Neil looked at him and as if saying something in his mind. "I didn't like her, okay?"
"I'm not saying anything," Neil insisted.
"You don't say anything but I can read it in your eyes," Draek also insisted.
"Why did you hug her?"
"Amm-bec ..." His tongue growled. He couldn't say why he hugged Cecil.
“You just want to hug. Your style is rotten.”
“Hey, no ah! She’s our old friend, remember? ”
Neil nodded. “Don't let me in anymore. I already know that style. ”
“I'm not what you think I am. I didn't like her. She's not my type because I want Leighden and not Cecil. ”
Neil suddenly laughed at Draek's reactions and his explanations.
“You like Leighden but you hugged Cecil? You are really a two -timer,” he insisted and laughed.
“You’re wrong, Neil. I can't even type Cecil. ”
Neil laughed some more and stepped away.
"Love Leighden before anyone else gets ahead of you," Neil said as he walked away. Draek followed. They went to the library instead of to the covered court.
They went at the end of the library. He laid his hands on the table as his mind flew back and forth.
Draek noticed that he was stunned. "You will drown," he said. Neil stared at him for a moment and then looked back everywhere.
Earlier he was selfless and always an idiot. It seemed like he's thinking too deep. He later took the cellphone out of his pocket.
He turned on his cellphone. Its lock screen popped up. At that moment, as he stared at lock screen wallpaper made him smile bitterly. The wallpaper of her lock screen is a woman with her head down on the table and a book covering her face. That woman was Pershey.
Draek noticed the bitter smile on his lips, so without hesitation, he snatched the cellphone from Neil. He blushed at the sight.
"Who's this girl?" He looked closely at the wallpaper and wondered who that woman was. "Who is she?" He tried to type the password but the password he typed was wrong. "I know her!"
He took his eyes off the cellphone and turned his gaze to Neil. Neil looked at him too. They seem to be talking mentally and understanding each other. Draek nodded when an idea entered his mind.
Neil snatched the cellphone from him and Draek immediately snatched it from him.
"What's your password?"
He was stunned suddenly when he remembered the incident when Pershey lost his cp. He recalled that he also asked Pershey what his password was. It was so fresh in his mind that it caused his lips to smile spontaneously. He no longer notices what Draek is doing.
He soon regained his composure and noticed what Draek was doing on his cellphone.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"What's the password?" Draek asked.
He did not answer and immediately retrieved his cellphone then he stood up. “Why don't you tell me? I'll just see if you're hiding something. ”
He slipped the cellphone into his pants pocket and then looked back at her. He replied, "It's a private."