Chereads / Obscured String / Chapter 7 - Gifts

Chapter 7 - Gifts

Jennifer of 1940's Entry #6

We became close friends... I didn't even know why I befriended her... don't get me wrong... I'm still loyal to my family. This is just all part of my plan. After all, I already reported my assumptions about Jennifer and we are already planning something. I just need to fish for more information if she's a Tavora, if she is, is she the last one? How did she manage to escape the Eurythons?

Everything went back normal in our school, even her. But this time, she started clinging to me, even our classmates started noticing it... I don't want any attention, I don't want my family misunderstanding my intentions.

Annoyingly, we had a school project... and Jennifer's my partner. Of course, I can't take her home... even if she seems to be willing to go there. We ended up doing the project on her apartment... I didn't know how she can manage to provide herself with this kind of apartment. That night... she asked me to stay in her place... "I feel lonely since Cynthia died" she said. I didn't even know how she convinced me... But the next thing I remember is waking up in her apartment without her, even though I felt guilt, I still investigated some of her stuffs before I left. Nothing unusual... Just some normal human stuffs... Who am I kidding? Of course, she won't invite me here if there's something unusual here.

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The next few days, I started to give Jennifer gifts. Clothes, books and other girly stuffs... just to make her happy, which is quite effective. She is happy... but I'm not... Day by day, I can see how she's starting to get weaker and weaker. She really is gonna die... soon. And I don't know how should I feel about that.

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Her eyes sparkled as I entered her room. Her eyes instantly became fixated at the paper bags that I'm carrying.

"Another gift?" she asked with her puppy eyes expression. Then when I nodded, she cheerfully clapped.

"You're a good boy! But... sadly... it's not yet the right time to give you a reward..." she said.

"Well... don't worry... it's not like I'm doing this for the reward." I replied and slowly entered the barrier.

"Here." I said as I handed her one paper bag. She immediately snatched it away from my hand and opened it.

She grinned as she saw what it is. She winked at me and walked towards the curtained area in the corner. After a few minutes, she opened the curtain. As I saw her, my jaw automatically dropped.

The dress really complimented her fair complexion. It feels like the dress is perfectly created for her.

She smiled which made my heart stop. A goddess seemed to appear right in front of me.

"Did you like it?" she asked and twirled, her hair seem to slowly float together with her dress then she smiled, waiting for my response.

"I-I I l-like it! No! I love it! Y-you look... beautiful..." I replied.

"It's a perfect fit! And it looks gorgeous too! Good job!" she replied with a thumbs up.

"Well... You said Sophie's dress looked amazing... So I asked for her recommendations then she helped me look for a nice dress." she sheepishly smiled as I said that.

"So now you're using me to be closer to your crush!

"No!" I shouted, "I just want to make you happy..."

"But you have other intentions..." she teased.

"I used to like her..." I said and scratched the back of my head "... But now, I like someone else..."

She seemed to blush at what I said but instantly acted like she didn't.

"Well... I don't care about who's your crush!" she replied and stuck her tongue out like a child. I laughed at her response and started to open another paper bag.

She pouted as she saw what's in it.

"I thought I told you that I don't want human food. You're just wasting your money" she stated.

"Well... What kind of a date is this if we don't have food?" I asked but she didn't respond, just stared at me, "Oh come on... Just give it a try." She huffed and mumbled something.

"What?" I asked but she once again mumbled inaudibly before responding.

"Nothing. I said you're annoying, saying nonsense things." she replied before taking her seat.

I smiled and continued preparing our food.

At first she is hesitant to eat it but in the end, she started eating it as if she doesn't have any hesitations anymore.

"W-wow! This is delicious!" she said before taking another bite of the cake that I bought.

"If you don't mind me asking... Why don't you want to eat human food?" she stopped eating for a second and slowly put down her spoon.

"W-well you don't have to answ—"

"Because it doesn't satisfy my hunger." she replied in a serious tone and in an instant her expression turned back to her normal expression and she started eating her food again...

As I was watching her eat, I noticed something.

"H-hey! Stop that! That's inappropriate you know?" she shyly said and covered her chest. I instantly blushed as I realized what she meant by her action.

"U-uhm! No! It's n-not that! It's a misunderstanding!" I replied, trying to defend my self. She chuckled at my reaction.

"Just kidding!" she said and made a peace sign, "I know what you're looking at! Curious about this?" then she pointed at the scar on her chest. I nodded, trying my best not to blabber something again.

"Well... remember when I told you that those who possess a remarkable ability will be offered to our Deity in order to grant us powers?" I nodded, "well... This is the mark of that offering." she continued and even smiled.

"Y-you...were stabbed in there? Or something?" I finally asked and she simply nodded, "while you're still a child!?" she nodded again.

"It's a small price to pay for eternal powers... So... It's a win-win!" she replied. I shivered at the thought of someone stabbing a child in the heart.

"Hey... It's okay... Don't think too much about it." she said and tapped my hand. I nodded and stood up. Then I raised my hand, asking for hers.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked and played a song. She nodded and smiled, she stood up and held my hand.

We danced as the music started, she even hummed and sang which made my heart flutter even more.

"Why do you even like this song?" I asked her as we dance.

"Because I can relate to it!" she replied.

"Do you know what's funny about it? The song's title is Demons!" she laughed which made me laugh.

"It's just so relatable..." she said and started to sing along with the music.

"They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate. It's woven in my soul I need to let you go. Your eyes, they shine so bright I want to save their light. I can't escape this now unless you show me how..."

She stopped singing and touched her forehead. She leaned towards me as if she's about to faint...

"You okay?" I asked her and held her shoulders.

"I-I think... It's time for me to rest..." she replied and weakly smiled.

I simply nodded and assisted her towards her bed.

I quietly left the room as I saw her sleeping figure.

As I exited the room, I was greeted by my father's furious expression.

"We need to talk."

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"Just what are you doing?" father asked as we entered his office.

"I'm just doing what I should do!" I replied which even made him furious. He slammed his hands on his table and pointed his finger on me.

"Is that what you really need to do? I told you to fish for more information! Not have fancy dinners with her?"

"L-look. She's about to die, father. I'm giving her the life that she yearns for! Aside from that, she already gave me tons of information and I already reported that!"

"But that's not what I wanted! That's not what WE wanted! We want to know a CONCRETE information! We want to know if she really IS the last Tavora! We want to know how she escaped their clan's annihilation!"

"I just can't ask her that! Why do you even want to know that? Come on, father! We've been keeping her for almost a century! Someone could have saved her years ago! She told me that she wants to die to make things right! Just... Just give her a damn rest!" father's palm automatically landed on my cheek.

"What happened to you? I have a higher expectation! I didn't know that you're going to fail just by meeting one supernatural!"

"Our family did lots of bad things... I just want to make one last favor for her! Our ancestor betrayed her grandfather, right? Our ancestor broke one treaty! Don't you get it? This whole thing started because of us! They don't have any bad intentions, father..."

"So Derek told you?" he asked but I didn't answer, "do you know the reason why Derek is not here? It's because of that! He allowed himself to be tricked by that woman! So much for being a protege. What a wasted talent! And you're becoming just like him. Feeding yourselves with the lies that she gives... playing along her games" I shook my head.

"I'm done with this. I... I quit. I didn't want this to begin with!" there... I finally said it.

As I walked towards the door father stayed silent.

"You don't know how clever these beings are... I'm sure you'll go running back to me..."

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Jennifer of the 1940's (2020 Edition) Entry #3

We had a quite deep conversation last time. Having that kind of conversation with her lifted some of the heavy feelings that I had, all the pressure that was given to me. Now I know why I saw her as a child... I'm just in denial all this time. .. But now, I want to make things right. I want to give her happy moments before... before she die. As I read Maximus' notes, I realized that all she really wanted is to have a normal life, and I'm going to give her that... no matter what happen.