"Bacchus, is your ear alright?" I have noticed the frequent rubbing of his left ear, I cannot help but worry, what if there's some infection?
He shifts uncomfortably, "Sure Carmelo, don't worry," he changes the topic quickly, "Where's your brother?"
"Oh, him? He's getting detention this whole month, that idiot."
I take a peek at his concentrated look on the road, both hands gripping on the wheel tightly, his veins visible along the tanned skin, his muscles bulge and tear beneath the black sweater. His green eyes focusing on the road, his brows frowning a little, his pink rosy lips pursing into a tight line, he seems stressed.
"Is there anything wrong?" I ask carefully.
He seems shock that I even asked him, but coldness and emotionless masks his face immediately, "Nothing, Carmelo."
Oh, and I thought there's something between us.
It's alright, I will make him fall for me one day.
Oh, my dignity and pride are eaten by dogs.
But it's alright, I will be able to receive my fruits, right?
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
"Can you help me video my dance for me so I can see for myself?" I ask over his spaghetti.
He chews on his lips, "Sure."
In the dance studio, he plays the music and I get into position, my heart thumps faster than usual, performing in front of him. I never told him that I have a camera stand. But he doesn't need to know. I want to show that I have skills, and I am talented and not brainless.
After the music ends, I quickly escape the room for the bathroom.
I forgot to take my medicine.
Emptying my stomach's contents, with Dionysus knocking outside. "Carmelo? Are you alright? Carmelo?"
"I-I am fine," Pushing myself from the toilet bowl, I quickly flush the toilet and rinse my mouth several times, checking for any bad breath, I am satisfied.
"Hi."
"Carmelo, what happened?"
"Some sickness, that's all."
He squeezes me into a hug. "I thought I am going to lose you."
"Dio-Dionysus?"
"Yeah?"
"Dionysus?"
"Yes."
Dionysus."
"Yes."
"Don't lie to me." I contemplate, he just had some feelings for me, does that sound too much of a command? What if he doesn't like it? I change my words quickly, "you can lie to me, just... not too often?"
He nods into my neck, huffing warmth into me.
"Give us some time, Carmelo."
He said 'us'! You hear that? You see that?
He is going to accept me!
A blush found its way up my face, I notice a suspicious tint of red on his ears too.
Seems like we're quite equal.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Everyone can see a spring in my steps, Dionysus pecks my face gently, "You're like a little bunny."
"I am as happy as a bunny!" I kiss him back.
"What the f*ck did I miss last night?"
"I don't know man, maybe if you're not out, you wouldn't have missed it?" I snap back, unhappy at his attitude with Dionysus.
"I-" Karl glares at Dionysus who snakes an arm around my waist.
"Let's go, Carmelo."
"How's your Biology exams?
I think I got Question 43 part b wrong, humans' DNAs are stored in 23 pairs of chromosomes, I think I wrote 23 and missed out the 'pairs'! Oh shit, this is our prelims exam! What if I flung it? How am I going to find a job...mhmm!" Odi rattles off like a machine gun with a neverending supply of bullets.
"Geez, we both know you're gonna rock the exam Odi, have some confidence, look, I didn't even study, and I am still an airhead. Don't think so much, nothing will change anyway, so just be happy." I roll my eyes, stuffing a few Nipps chocolate into her mouth.
"How much for a night?" A sandy-haired man plops down on the seat opposite me and speaks with an air of arrogance and impassiveness.
Hey look, I know there were many celebs who sell their bodies for money and fame, but I forking did not need it. Not now, not in the past, not in the ever! Got that?
And maybe try flirting or gratifying me before even attempting to get in my pants. And listen up dude, I have a man at home.
"Well, darling, are you too cocky to get friends or too poor to buy a toy? You know, if you need any assistance, I can help call for a fundraise with so many kind fans and people who will definitely get you a Barbie at Toysrus." Pushing down fury, I manage a fake smile at the handsome man who can definitely make it big in the entertainment circle.
"Because I am not any booty call, and I had never paid my way up here with my body."
I signal for Odi to leave, not wanting to get her involved. She hesitates before giving me a clenched fist to cheer me on and throws her sandwich wrapper in a nearby bin before leaving the canteen.
"Well, what do you need exactly, Mr Jasons, your urm... girlfriend bugged me about you a few days ago, shouldn't you console her?"
He thought for a while. "I have no girlfriend. I don't do girlfriends." Alec Jasons' brown eyes are crinkles in curiosity.
"Alec! Alec!" Brittney (the one we saw a few days ago, with the face job, remember?) stalks over, clinging on Alec's athletic arm.
"F*ck off! Britain Trump!" Alec shoves her away roughly, patting his sleeves as if it was stained of dog poop.
Now that's better.
"You still can't remember my name? I am Bellany Spears! Is it because of that slut? I will kill her!" Brit-Bellany screams, hitting her Gucci purse on my table repeatedly.
LMAO, what a brat.
"No, stop annoying me and feast on other guys instead!" Alec shoots her one last dirty look and pulls me away with him.
Gosh, and Karl can't even save me from all this crap, he got into detention for hitting on his Music teacher. Great! Doe ray mi! Excellent! Fantastic!
Wrong.
Ugrh and what's up with guys and deathly grips? And excuse me, I have a man at home.
Come on Mel, just chill for a day, you're not cheating on him, dude.
I--
Alright then.
"Stop! You're damaging my skin cells at ten million thousand every second!" He drags me down the hall out to the gold gate where a monster was parked at.
He lessens the grip but tugs me as he pushes a helmet over my head and carries me on the seat.
"Hold on tight!"
"Wait, you're riding? No, I want to ride!"
"What the f*ck?"
"Or I will dial the cops' hotline and flash my face at the crowd real quick!"
_____________
"Whoo! Rock yall suckers!" I shout, embracing the call of liberty, feeling the slaps of the winds on my face, throwing my hair in every direction, I am pretty sure some got into Alec's mouth, but I didn't really care. I let my hands go off the killer handles. Oh, how I wish for this. This freedom that never belonged to me.
"F*ck, Ilocia! Get your hands back on them, or we'll f*cking fall!" He lets out a string of high-pitched shriek that I had never imagined a guy being able to do that. I can't help but let out sprits of joy. This guy is extremely manly.
Note the sarcasm.
"Good Lord, stop screaming like a little girl. This is an Ecosse Spirit for god's sake, enjoy it the right way and learn from the bestest!" I roll my eyes and slap his hands pinching my waist and my poor pliant muffin top can swear it is getting slimmer from all that squeezing, not that I mind of course. I swerve around the corner according to his seeddy directions.
I know, I have a cool balance right!
"So, here?" I drop the bike into the thick forest of cattails, watching Alec Jasons emptying his stomach's contents, to which I spare him another eye roll.
"Seriously dude, you can't even handle a bike?"
"You know what, I'll just ride us back." Alec straightens his back and gurgles his mouth with a Listerine in the bike.
Don't ask me why he got that on his bike. I don't want to know.
We make our way through the never-ending field of cattails that stretches out for almost a kilometre until we reach a cliff. Looking downwards, waves churn and splash on the isolated beach.
"Here," Alec sits down by the edge of the cliff, dangling his lean long legs covered with some black jeans. The weather had gotten warmer each day, and it was just cooling here. Better than mundane classrooms.
"You're scared of riding on a bike yet you're not afraid of falling into that shark-infested waters?" I scrunch my face up, looking incredulously at his wind-ruffled black hair, reflecting on the dim sunrays with a tint of similar sadness and loneliness that he tries so hard to hide behind his brown eyes.
"It's alright, Alec," I sigh, lying on his back, patting his chest.
Don't ask me why I did that, but you know, I can feel that loneliness I had, that emptiness I had, that fear and confusion I had.
I saw me in him.
Me in him.
_________
"Heehorr, heehorr, neighhh, neighhhh! Old MacDonald had a farm, eeiya eeiya orh!"
"Shut that f*cking cow, Ilocia!" Alec grumbles, swatting my stomach gently.
"Ugh, sorry, my phone," I roll onto my stomach and pull my phone out of my back pocket.
Caller: Bacchus
Frick.