Francois stared at his girlfriend suspiciously. A lot of things were going through his mind at once. It was things like, " Can I trust her? Will she truly tell me the truth as she implied she would? What if this is only a way to lure me in the wrong direction?"
Angelica could read her boyfriend like an open book. Without even asking, she could predict what was going through his mind simply based on his suspicious expression.
" You don't believe me, do you?" I cut through his thoughts with this phrase.
" Angelica, that's-----------" He was so embarrassed that I had seen through him that the words just couldn't come out of his mouth.
" Francois! Oh, Francois! You can fool anyone you like but not me. We're childhood friends for a reason after all. Who would know you better than me?"
…
" You're thinking something like this, aren't you? * Will she truly tells me the truth or, Will she back out at the last minute by luring me out in the wrong direction?* Isn't that what you've been thinking, Francois? Correct me if I'm wrong!"
…
Francois was puzzled by his girlfriend's deduction skills. He was stunned by how easily she guessed everything without batting an eyelid. He knew Angelica was special ever since the first time he met her in their childhood, but this was just another level of *special*.
" You got me, Angelica! Sorry for thinking that, but I have the right to be doubtful, right? After all, you've been avoiding me since yesterday which is why those kinds of thoughts kind of crossed my freakin mind. Please, forgive me for being doubtful of you!" He apologetically apologized to me. He felt so adamant that I couldn't go on being insensible.
" I forgive you, Francois. How could I ever be mad at you?"
Having forgiven him, Francois felt joyful which he expressed by pulling me into a warm embrace. I was shocked by his sudden action, but I didn't push him away. I just stood there trying to process what was happening.
After holding me into his arms for a while, he pulled back from me. Staring at me with the brightest smile I have ever seen from him, he said: " Let me accompany you to your house!"
I looked at him as if proposing to accompany me home was surprising. I retorted:" It's unnecessary! I can get home by myself".
" How can that be? I can't let a lady walk home alone. What if something were to happen to you? I could never forgive myself". He was persistent in walking me home and he wouldn't back out from it.
" What could happen to me? I'm three minutes away from home. Go home! It's already late as it is. I'll see you tomorrow at school".
Realizing he wouldn't succeed in changing my mind on walking me home, he said defeatedly:" I'll call you to make sure you got home safely".
" Have a safe way home!" I smiled, happy that he finally gave up the idea of walking me home.
Whichever person saw my joyful smile at this very moment would say that I was being cruel to Francois for having declined his request. What I was doing was surely for safety measures. I didn't want those two to meet just yet, not until I'd explained the whole situation to him in detail.
" Thank you!" He walked away in the opposite direction.
Three minutes later
Higurashi Residence
Angel heard knocking on the door and got scared. He was way too afraid to go to the door or even ask who it was. He didn't have the strength as his whole body was trembling from fear.
( Who's knocking at the door? Should I open the door or not?)
The incessant knocking continued. Angel's frightening state increased as the knocking went on and on.
( Who could it be? Maybe it's Higurashi-San! No, it can't be her. It must be someone else. I'm so scared).
Angelica who was outside wondered:" Why isn't he opening the door?" Which is what she was thinking through her mind.
She continued to knock repetitively. The knocking sounds were astounding for Angel to bear any longer. Every time he heard the knocks, he moved backward in an attempt to escape the sound.
( The knock is so repetitive. I'll hide somewhere, but where to. I know! I'll hide in the wardrobe).
Angel went on and hid in the wardrobe for safety. Angelica, having knocked long enough, decided to unlock the door using her keys which she had in her bag.
Having successfully unlocked the door, Angelica searched for Angel which she could find anywhere in the house.
Meanwhile, in the wardrobe-----
( I'm safe now! No one will ever find me here).
" Angel! Angel! Where are you?" I called out to him, being unable to find him but to no avail.
( Where could he be? I've checked everywhere except the wardrobe, but which closet. I'll check his room first).
"Angel! Are you inside?" I went through his room and opened his wardrobe in the hopes of finding him inside, but he wasn't. I started to feel anxious all of a sudden and a thought crossed my mind then.
( He's not in this wardrobe, which can only mean one thing).
In the wardrobe, Angel was muttering the following words nonstop:" Please don't find me! Please don't find me!"
Angelica entered her room. She walked straight to her wardrobe and before opening it, she had a moment of hesitation. She feared not finding him inside when she opened it and felt even more anxious. After staring at her wardrobe for a minute, she decided to take the step.
" Angel! Are you inside?"
Inside my wardrobe, there were piles of clothes, so at first, I couldn't spot him. As I looked more attentively, I spotted his long blue robe in between my garments. As I pushed them aside, I finally saw him.
His head was lowered and covered by the palm of his hands. He was trembling all over and muttering something I couldn't quite hear.
"Angel?"
Hearing my voice, he lifted his head and glanced at me. Realizing it was me, he jumped off from the wardrobe and ended up in my arms as a result.
" Higurashi-San! Higurashi-San! I was so scared! I was so scared!" He held on to me tightly. His febrile body was still trembling due to fear.
" It's okay now! I'm here now! Don't be afraid!" I comforted him to the best of my abilities by hugging him back.