We were at Vertex for the awarding. We have no idea what will happen but Ms. Khan had high hopes. She told us that developers were keeping an eye at our project every time she came to see how ours was making.
Forest was quiet as she sat next to me. Now that there was nothing I did not know about her, I felt much more comfortable around her. Hunter exposing her past should have made me feel uncomfortable but I felt better.
It was strange that I felt this way. I'd normally avoid criminals at all cost but Forest was like magnet and I'm just simply attracted to her.
Forest suddenly stood, not excusing herself and I watched her leave her seat in confusion. Ms. Khan was as confused as me. "Where are you going?" She asked.
"I'll just head out for some air. I'll be back." She replied coldly so I stood and followed her. For some reason, I didn't trust her. Ever since she went missing for a week, I couldn't trust her to go anywhere by herself.
"And where are you going?" Ms. Khan asked me so I pointed at Forest.
"Following her, Ms. Khan," I smiled. "To make sure she comes back."
Ms. Khan couldn't do anything as we were both already walking away from our designated seats. I trailed behind Forest and followed her out of the building.
I wasn't even surprised when I saw her light up her cigarette. She turned to me, exhaling smoke from her mouth. I blinked when it hits my eyes. "Why do you always follow me? God, I'm not a fucking child."
I leaned over the railing next to her. "You made me like this. If you hadn't disappeared back then, maybe I wouldn't follow you as much as I do today."
She sighed and flickers her cigar, causing ashes to fall down the floor. "You always try to put the blame on me."
I chuckled. "As a matter of fact, I do."
She shook her head, looking away in disbelief. I watched her slowly finish up her stick of cigar. I've always tried to stop her from doing it but I learned the hard way that her bad habits of smoking won't go away in a snap. "You stare too much."
"I only stare at you so it's fine." I smiled at stared more into her eyes. "Everything else is a blur when you're near so I can't really help it."
She turned to me with an unamused glare. "You're making me throw up with those lines you're trying to pull off. It's fucking creepy."
I laughed at that. Maybe she was right. I only say things that I've heard from movies and revise them but is that so bad? "I'll try to be original next time then."
She hissed and throws her cigarette on the floor before stepping on it like it was a cockroach. "We won."
My brows creased in confusion. What? She pointed at my back so I turned and saw our project flashing on the huge projectors with a banner that says 1st Prize. I turned back to Forest, eyes widened. "We won!"
She flashed a crooked smile.
"Let's go!" I took her wrist even if I heard her protest and ran back inside the building. Ms. Khan was jumping from her seat with the administrator. When she saw us, she motioned the two of us to head to the stage where the awards were being given.
I pulled Forest with me to the stage and shook hands with the juries that were standing in a line. "Congratulations. The project was truly outstanding." The CEO of Vertex said the moment I shook hands with him.
I smiled sheepishly and replied. "Thank you so much, sir."
I don't know the other details about us winning. I just know we won and that's what matters. The project I made with Forest won first place. I only asked to work with her but winning with her is a wholesome bonus.
After they pictures of us, we both headed back down only to be hugged by Ms. Khan. She must be so happy. She worked as hard as we did so I can only imagine how the winning would make her feel.
"I told you, didn't I?! I told you!" Ms. Khan exclaimed and went in for a hug with Forest who looked uncomfortable but she doesn't push her away regardless. "I'm so proud of you two! I knew it! I knew you were going to win!" She exclaimed on top of her lungs.
I smiled. "Thank you for the guidance, Ms. Khan. It was a fun month working on the project." I said and glance at Forest.
"I will make sure this is credited to your school remarks so worry not." Mr. Joule, our head administrator, stated. "I'll prepare a banner to commemorate your victory. The pride of MESPA High owes you."
We had interviews with media people after the awarding. The hosts even talked to us about their future plans and that we would be meeting about the project soon. They also introduced us to the tech developers who were present in the event. This is truly a spontaneous day for all of us.
After a lot of interviews and briefing on what's bound to happen next, we bid each other good bye. Mr. Joule told us he was going to take us to dinner some time so he wanted to keep in touch. Ms. Khan offered to take us both home but I brought my car so I insisted to be the one taking Forest home.
"Do you want to keep the trophy?"
���No." She declined. "I would only sell that and buy drugs with it if you let me keep it."
I chuckled. "Okay then." I looked at her for a brief moment before putting my eyes back on the road. "Can we stop by the house for a while, I'll drop these off." I said pertaining to the enormous shining glass trophy we were awarded with.
She just nodded so I thanked her.
When I pulled over in front of the house, I quickly ran to the back seat to grab the medals and certificates and the trophy itself. I went inside the house and was greeted by my mom who looked surprised.
"You won? You won!" She exclaimed jumping in front of me as I tried to make my way to my room. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."
"Thank you, mom." I smiled and dropped the awards on my bed. I'll just fix this when I return.
"W-Why are you in a hurry?" Mom asked in a worried tone.
"Oh, Forest is waiting in the car. I still need to drive her home."
"Forest is here? Why didn't you let her come in? We should have a dinner celebration!"
I pouted. "I'm not sure she'd like—"
Mom lightly slapped my arms and headed out of my room to meet Forest, I suppose. "Don't be silly. Forest will be eating here. I'm sure she would like that."
"Mom…"
"Forest!" Mom yelled by the door. Forest turned to where we were from inside the car. Mom gestured her to get out of the car screaming. "Come! Have dinner with us tonight!"
Forest stepped out of my car. Before she could even walk to the front porch, mom already ran after her and started pulling her inside the house.
I can't tell if Forest was irritated by my mom but she doesn't say anything.
"You can eat dinner with us, right?" Mom asked.
Forest turned to me for a second before looking back to my mom. "I think I've had too much from your fridge, Mrs. L—"
"No, no! We have more! And Mark doesn't eat much so you can eat as much as you want." Mom clung onto Forest's arms as if they were best friends. It was a little weird to see but I didn't complain. "I'll make a full dinner meal to celebrate!"
"I really…"
"I'll make sure you won't regret it."
Forest looked a little forced but she smiled a little before saying, "Okay then, Mrs. Lee."
I sighed and locked my car as I followed her and mom inside the house. I was a little glad that I thought of dropping these first before I drove her home. I didn't think mom would be here but it was fate that she was. Forest seem to can't say no to my mom that I sometimes wish I could be her.
"Will you two help me in the kitchen to prepare the dinner?"
"I'll help you mom. Forest can stay in my—"
"I'll help, Mrs. Lee."
Mom looked like she was happy as she clapped her hands in glee. "Great! You two can do the cake while I go get some of the ingredients I needs for the pork."
"Y-You're leaving?" I asked mom watching her grab her bag from the couch.
"It'll be quick, sweetie. I'll be back soon." She grabbed her coat from the rack next to the door. "You can just Google how to make it if you don't know, okay? Bye!"
"B-But mom—" The door shuts. I heaved a sigh before I turned to Forest in worry. "I'm sorry. My mom's a little too," I looked up unable to think of words I can clearly describe my mom. "Energetic, I guess."
"It's fine." She looked at every ingredient mom prepared for us beforehand. She sighed. "I'll mix the wet ingredients, you mix the dry ones." She pulls up her hair and ties them with her scrunchy and I couldn't help but stare at her. "What are you standing there for? Go work."
"O-Of course." I blinked and gathered the dry ingredients after searching online. Flour. Baking powder. I nervously measured the amount I need to another bigger bowl. It said to sift these with a strainer so I did.
When I was done, I turned to Forest who was missing more things than me. She looked like she knew exactly what she was doing and she's not even looking at anything. I smiled at the sight of her. "Can you get the mixer?" She said.
I opened the cabinet where mom usually kept the mixer and took it to the counter when I found them. "Here."
"Put the one you mixed there." I followed her instruction and waited. When she finished battering the ingredients, she turned to me and poured a little from the bowl she worked on. "Turn it on."
I flicked the switched and frowned when the mixer didn't start. "What?" I looked at the mixer in different angles. "Why isn't it working?" I scratched my head in confusion. Mom just bought this so there's no way it's broken. I was sure it was the power switch so why is it not—
My eyes closed in shock, my whole body flinched when the mixer suddenly turned on and the flour exploded everywhere including my face.
"You bring the mixer without plugging it in, how stupid."
I hear Forest laughing next to me. I stood back up wiping my eyes that were covered in flour. I turned to her and watched her laugh at me. I wasn't even mad that this happened. Seeing her laugh makes everything not worth caring.
"You're a disaster." She continued laughing. "Clean the mess you made before your mom comes back."
I wish she's always like this.
After eating and helping mom clean up, Forest and I sat next to each other at the backyard, our feet sunken down the pool like how we did the other time she was here. She looked up, staring at the bright moon and I just watched her do that.
Will I ever find every piece to finish your puzzle?
"There's not much piece you need to find before you see the complete picture."
My eyes widened. Did I say that out loud? I cleared my throat awkwardly, looking away in embarrassment. How can I recover from this conversation? Oh god, I'm stupid. "I—"
"I liked a guy before. Connor." She said. "He was as persistent as you were. He followed me everywhere I went. He was just like you."
"You were just like Connor."
So that was what Hunter meant.
"I despised men even before but I gave him a chance. I was foolish because I thought he would finally make me appreciate men again after everything I've been through with my fathers." She sighed. "But he just proved me they're all fucking the same – rapists, abusers, liars. They're all fucking pieces of shit."
I gulped. That hurt me even if I knew I wasn't any of those she just said. Rapist? Abuser? Liar? "I hope you can see that I'm neither of those."
She turned to me.
"I'm cute."
She chuckled and my heart immediately melted.
"And smart, and irresistible, and funny, and I can't plug mixers too apparently."
She nodded, her laugh fading. "Sure,"
She's laughing a lot tonight. No matter how much I try to convince myself that maybe mom cooked something great for her to feel this way, I can't not assume that my relationship with her has gotten a lot better.
"I didn't mean to start the fire."
I looked at her surprised that she was bringing up the thing Hunter mentioned about her.
"I was only trying to save her."
Save—
"If I was a little wiser with my decisions then, I would have saved her. I ended up killing her because I was too weak-minded – too stupid. If I could go back, I would do things differently."
"You wouldn't prevent it from happening even if you jumped back in time a million times." I shook my head. I didn't want to oppose to her but I had to. "The fate of someone's death doesn't lie on your palms, Forest."
"I did it. I caused the fire because of my recklessness. If I turned the flames down before I tried to take it away from them, the fire never would've happened."
I didn't even know how to respond. I felt too bad for her. Seeing her blame herself for something she had no control over was infuriating. I wanted her to always feel happy when she's with me and if it means I get to never learn anything about her, I'd be willing to give that up. I'd give up anything just for her smile.