~Lester~
While I was sitting in front of my old laptop at the study table doing schoolwork, there was a knock on my bedroom door.
"It's me. Hyacinth already left."
After hearing it was Gab, I removed my wig and went to the door to open it. Gab's tight hug greeted me, which I didn't expect.
She was sobbing, so I immediately patted her back. She must have been really worried about what had happened to my face. "Why are you crying? It's just like a cut on my lip. It's nothing serious." I tried to calm her down.
She shook her head. "L-lester... S-sorry..."
My forehead furrowed. "Why are you saying sorry? You aren't the one who hit me." I even laughed jokingly at her.
She lifted her face from my chest. "So now you admit that someone really hit you?" She was still sniffling.
I didn't say anything right away and just scratched my head. She got me there. No matter what I did, she really had ways to know the truth, even if I tried to hide it.
"Why are you crying?" I changed the subject.
She let go of me in her hug and wiped away her tears. "I'll tell you later. It's not a good time. We need to check your wound first. "
I helped her wipe her tears with my hand. "But it's already fine. You treated it earlier."
"No, it's not. I was not able to completely clean it. Hyacinth stopped me, so I couldn't finish it. Come here." She pulled me to my bed and we sat on the side. "You're doing your schoolwork instead of continuing to treat yourself. I already know you'll do this. That's why I checked on you."
She took the small bottle of alcohol and damped the cotton with it. Then she started making me frown again by dabbing that on the cut on my lip. "Who did this to you? Is someone bullying you again at school?"
"No one. I just had a small dispute with someone, but Bobby helped me, so that person won't touch me again."
She was already smiling. "That's great then. I'm now relieved that even though I'm not there to protect you, Bobby took over to keep you away from those kinds of people."
"You're right. Oh, by the way, I have good news to share. "
"What is it?"
"One of my professors offered a job at his friend's restaurant in Las Vegas as a chef, which I can take after my graduation. He said that he would take care of all the expenses of going there as long as I could help them with my skills, which is cooking."
Gabriella's eyes widened with excitement. "Really?! If that's the case, we can live together there since I'll be in L.A. too!"
"That's what I thought. It's really awesome that I'll have someone I know there and I can still cook for you abroad."
"Hey! Now that I think about it, I was offered for only a year. I'll make sure to extend my contract if you plan to stay longer than one year there. If I don't, who'll take care of you there?"
I smiled broadly and ruffled her hair. "You do like me that much, huh?"
Her smile slowly faded and she blinked excessively.
Next thing she did, she pressed the cotton she was holding onto the cut on my lip.
"Ouch!" I freely complained.
"Stop being a baby. I can't even imagine what will happen to you if I will not be there with you."
I smiled. "Fine. I'll admit it. So stop bullying me using that cotton ball. It stings, you know."
There, she cackled, and so did I.
She continued cleaning my wound and I started to think things.
A few months from now, I'll be leaving this place... as well as my persona as Terry and... Hyacinth.
I smiled at Gab who was telling me her plans when we are already in L.A, but the stinging pain inside my chest started to bother me again.
Evening...
I was cooking in the kitchen the dinner we would be having, and I was the only one here at home right now.
After Gab treated my wound, she let me know that she was just going somewhere, which was a very important meeting, and Hyacinth left earlier than her, so I was alone here.
I was busy cooking when I heard someone opened the door of the house, so I looked in the direction of the kitchen entrance. I could see from here that Hyacinth walked towards my room's door, thinking I was there, and knocked on it.
I made a noise here in the kitchen by knocking on the wooden cabinet above the sink to get her attention.
She looked here, and when she saw me, she immediately headed here.
I smiled at her and she stared at the small band aid on my lips as she got near me.
"Does it still hurt?" She gently touched the bandage on my lips.
I shook my head and smiled so she wouldn't have to worry. I showed her what I was cooking and she nodded when she understood that I was doing something, so I went back to cooking because it might get burnt.
I was just busy cooking when, all of a sudden, she gently put her arms around my waist and hugged me from behind. I automatically stopped what I was doing and looked at her hands she had locked onto my stomach.
"Terry..." she said softly as her face was buried on my back. My heart started to hammer inside my chest with this unusual behavior of hers. I was like a statue who couldn't move.
She must be hearing my heart beating loudly from my back right now.
"Terry, you know, I miss my mom. Do you miss your mom too? "
Her question was out of the blue... and I couldn't answer.
She obviously noticed that I wasn't breathing anymore, so she let go of me in her hug. "S-sorry."
I really wanted to speak up to ask her what was happening. It was as if she wanted to say something she couldn't say. But I don't have my phone to talk to her now.
She held my arm and made me face her. She was looking at me straight in the eye and there was this different glow in her eyes. "What do you think of Gab?" she asked again, and that made my forehead to crease.
The depth of her gaze on me was as if she was reading the answer in my eyes. "I know she's your cousin... but not by blood, so..." she couldn't continue what she was going to say as if she was restraining herself.
There, she seemed to decide not to pursue that question and let out a deep sigh. "It's so hard, Terry. I can't even ask you about it because it's weird."
I was just looking at her, who was scratching her head, seemingly getting frustrated. "All right. You can resume with what you are doing Sorry for the bother." She walked away, and I could only follow her gaze.
What could be happening to her? She looked like she was being burdened by something.
I just sighed, and to calm myself down, I resumed cooking just like what she said.
She should stop doing that so suddenly or she would kill me for making me hold my breath.
"How about me, Terry?" Hyacinth asked again, peering into the kitchen from outside, so I looked at her. She walked towards me again. "What do you think of me?"
With that, she started to stir my heart again, flattering it and bringing a weird tingling sensation in my stomach that she could only stir. I didn't know what to do with that question.
She leaned closer to me while our eyes were locked on each other. I held my breath as I could smell her sweet rose-like scent.
Her aura became very different compared to earlier. She looked like she was already decided about something.
"I like you, Terry." All of a sudden, she confessed.
My eyes slowly widened.
"No... I don't think it's only 'like' because I wouldn't risk our friendship just because I only like you. I could feel it's more than that."
What she was saying still wouldn't sink in my mind. My mouth was even left ajar.
"I love you, Terry." Her eyes were glowing with affection and those words seemed to make the time to stand still between us at the moment.
She slowly brought her face closer to mine as she looked at my lips and back into my eyes. "I really do."
She closed her eyes, and there, our lips met.
To be continued...
Will Lester be able to admit how she truly feels for Hyacinth?