Irene played with the spoon while the pastry on her plate stayed untouched. Ilyan had taken her to the backyard for the need to have a conversation with her demanded a place with absolutely no disturbance.
Though it had been just a couple of minutes since they sat in the chairs kept in the backyard, it was not the comfortable silence.
He had read the questions in her eyes. Even without her voicing them out, he knew them but he could not just start revealing things. He needed his own time to be able to prepare himself. He was not sure in what way she would take the entire thing.
She could misunderstand him and he quite did not know if he would be able to assure her otherwise.
"I love pineapple pastries. Do you also have mind-reading skills? How did you get to know my favorite flavor?"
"Just a coincidence," she uttered in a monotonous voice, her eyes staring blankly at her plate.
"What is it that is bothering you?" He put away his plate in the right corner on his side of the table.
"You will not understand." She let go of the spoon in her hand.
She could not give away that having so many orphan kids in front of her had unsettled her. The pain of not having a family could not be put in words.
The nightmarish life that waited for orphans was not alien to her. She was not just aware of the living hell they would have to see but she had been through that hell.
She could not give away that she was reminded of the fact that she was also… an orphan.
"I can listen and at least… try to understand." Rising on his feet, he went up to her side. "Come with me."
She did not even bother about why she was agreeing to him. She just followed him as he asked.
Occupied with the thoughts that routinely disturbed her, she was oblivious to her surroundings.
It wasn't until he stopped ahead of her; she halted on her steps and realized that it was the poolside area. The place defied the idea of traditional orphanages. It definitely did.
"Sit." He himself sat down first and tapped beside him, gesturing her to settle down.
Sparing a glance at the water, she pulled up the hem of her long skirt, slightly upward so as to not let it dip in the water. The pool was not filled to the brim. When she placed her legs inside, the water only reached until her calves and Ilyan did not bother since he had a spare set of clothing always kept in the orphanage. Besides, the pool water was always warm for kids because it was winter.
<>
"Hey. Kevin." Melissa carefully closed the door behind since her friend had just fallen asleep. She was stepping out to get some coffee for herself when she caught Kevin on the turning at the front.
She could recognize him even from his back for he still had that weird tattoo on the back of his neck that he had got during their college days.
She had asked him numerous times back then what those numbers meant but he had never put an end to her curiosity.
He had tattooed three numbers. Nine. Three. One. Three was enclosed in a circle. She had always found it weird.
Kevin had stopped almost as instantly as his name escaped her mouth. By the time he turned around to look for the voice that called his name, Melissa had already walked up to him.
"What's up?" she asked with a smile but it faltered as soon as her gaze traveled to his bandaged hand. "Oh my god, are you okay?"
Kevin gave her a nod. "Oh yeah, just a small accident. I am fine." He raised his hand and moved it a bit to show her that it was nothing serious.
"Well, okay but that still looks bad to me." Melissa's eyes were still fixed at his hands and he had to lightly smack on her head to get her to look up.
"Ow, don't do that. We are not college students anymore." Melissa rubbed her head, frowning at him like she would do during their college days when he would smack on her head.
Melissa and Kevin were quite good friends. In fact, Kevin was the first friend she had made in the college and had gradually grown so fond of him that to her, he had become her best friend.
"It's been long since I saw you last. How have you been?" Melissa sat on the bench kept out there and signaled him to join her.
"All good," he responded while settling down beside her. "How are you doing?"
That was the question Melissa had been waiting for. "Oh, you don't know? I met Katy. She told me that you told her stuff about me and it was quite updated as if we meet daily."
Kevin's face momentarily lost its color but he was too quick in concealing that to let it show up but Melissa was faster than him. She caught it before he returned to normal.
"Tell me, what is it, Kevin? Did Sam tell you to keep an eye on me? Do you know where he is? Kevin, I know there is something that you know that I don't and I feel I deserve to know. Just tell me, Kevin."
"No, I don't know where he is. I am looking after you… because I want to. I hope that answers all your questions. I am sorry but I have to go." He just got up and left. Without waiting to hear her response. Without turning back. He just left.
"You are lying, Kevin. I know you are lying and sooner or later, you will have to tell me." Melissa strongly suspected that Kevin knew something about Sam that she did not and she was determined to find out what was going on.
<>
"I have to make a confession. I don't know how you would react to it and quite honestly, I am afraid to be misunderstood but I can't hide it from you. I have to be honest with you."
Ilyan inhaled a sharp breath as he waited to get a gesture from her to continue and the quick glance from her side was enough for him to resume.
"We have met before. I know about your nightmares. I know about your scarred heart. I know about your… suffering. I am the one from the New Year's party you had danced with. I am the one who was on the terrace when you broke down. I am the one who was behind the mask. I am the one."