"Sherry! What are you saying?" Her parents panicked in confusion.
"Mom. Dad. I thought this through the night and decided that I will follow Zack-sama."
"But you should have told us earlier. It's too sudden for us." She said firmly. Her parents looked upset about her sudden declaration. Knowing that this matter would take time dad asked us to come to our house and talk it over a cup of it.
We sat in the living hall. Dad and mom served everyone tea. Michael-san too joined us for another cup of tea and to watch the drama which was about to unfold.
"Sherry, How come you came to the conclusion to follow Zack"
"Zack-sama is my master who gave me another chance to live, so I decided to follow him. And I want to see the world too"
"But I don't think that you have to follow Zack just because he is your master, right?" Dad raised a question.
Everyone looked at me waiting for my clarification, "That's right there is no problem even if she is not near me. Regarding me as her master is not required too."
Sherry looked disheartened. Dad and mom looked a little agitated by my words. (Maybe I was too harsh. But what I said was right. I just revived her in the heat of the moment. That's all. I never wanted to be master.)
Sherry's dad's face looked strained. He was thinking hard about what to do. "Have you thought this through?" He asked in a serious tone.
"Yes," She looked confident. Like she could bet her life on it.
Her dad looked at her mom. She nodded at him. "Okay, we allow it." He said with a sigh. She was jumping with joy but...
"I don't want her to follow me" I said.
"What!"
"I don't want her to follow me she will just be a burden."
"I don't think so, She is quite strong." Dad protested.
"Even if she is strong what if she stabs me in the back again... I can't trust this girl" I said in disagreement. ( I can't let this girl be around me. She is dangerous. I don't want to taste betrayal ever again.)
Sherry was looking intensely at me. She felt wretched with grief. She ran out of the house, breaking down into tears.
Her mom could not bring herself to look me in the eye. Her dad felt ashamed. Mom and dad looked fuming mad.
"Why did you say that?"Dad said, clenching his fist.
"What did I say wrong? It's obvious that I can't trust a person like her."
"Why the hell did you say it's so rudely."
"Rudely? What I stated was the trust" I kept the cup on tea down on the table.
"Enough Zack! Don't you care about other's feelings." He stood up boiling with rage.
"What the problem. You want me sugar coat and say it"
"Your way of dealing with Sherry is simply pathethic. Why are you so hung up on the past."
"What does that have to do with you? If you want to send her just send her separately. I don't want to associate with her any further." (What is his problem? Why is he pushing me so much? Everyone has their likes and dislikes. This is making me angry.)
"I don't care," I said as I looked away.
"You f*cking piece of shit" He smashed the table.
"What the hell is your problem! I don't want her near me. I don't give a damn about her." I stood up pushing the broken pieces of the table. (So hateful)
"I am gonna kick this bastard's ass" He punched me on the face. He had made me furious now. I kicked him in the gut and pounced on him. Exchanging a few punches like mad dogs, we were stopped by mom. I walked out of the house in anger.
I was so busy cursing dad that I didn't realize I had walked quite far from the house. To distract my thoughts I decided to take a walk in the forest. I was walking around aimlessly, trying to figure out what I had done wrong. (Isn't it justified for me to be wary of a person who had once betrayed me.)
"Hey, Zack wait, don't walk so fast," I turned around to see Ash walking behind me.
"Ohh! you were behind me, I didn't realize"
"I was worried about you, so I followed you. By the way are you okay Zack? You flipped out there" I didn't reply to her question. There was an awkward silence.
"Say, Ash, what did I do wrong?" I was looking up. The trees were fluttering.
"I can't answer that. You will have to find it out yourself."
"What should I do?"
"Talk this out with Sherry, I suppose"
It again went silent. The forest felt too quiet. There were no monsters, only the little sound of fluttering trees. After walking a little further, I could hear water flowing. It was up north. I walked through the bushes to reach a lake banked by beautiful flowers. The scene felt nostalgic. As I walked near, I heard someone weeping. I looked out to see Sherry sitting at the bank crying. I looked at Ash. She showed me thumbs up and left. It was the signal to talk with Sherry.
After building up some courage I reached out to her.