Ecstatic, Red rushed out of the classroom with her bags slung across her shoulders but skidded into a halt when she saw Andrew just outside of the classroom. His back leaned against the wall casually.
He called her over. "Red." He turned his head from left to right. Seeing that they were alone in the hallway, he uttered her nickname, "Didi."
"Duru."
"Let's go home together."
She flinched, knowing that the majestic white carriage from last time should be anywhere on the school grounds.
"Have you been waiting for me?" She inquired guiltily. Had she known that Andrew was waiting for her, she could have sped up her chores so they could head home together sooner. Or maybe, she could have told him to go home without her sooner.
She's not exactly waiting for the carriage, but since the letter stated that it will arrive every single month, she had expectations.
Poor Andrew, he did not know that she had other plans.
"Yep." He answered curtly.
"Oh. But, Duru… I need to do something yet before I go home."
"It's alright. Just do your thing. I'll wait for you here."
"No… I mean… Go home without me…" Red bowed her head as she trailed off. She didn't mean to decline Duru's offer right now. It was just terrible timing.
"I get it." He nodded. "You're still avoiding me. I thought when you allowed me to join you and Maureen during lunch that we're somehow back to before. I guess not." He straightened his posture and walked away.
Long before he could reach ten steps away, he turned around and locked his serious gaze on her. "Didi, I'll wait for you."
"No, you go home first." Red retorted firmly.
Andrew's lips curled a tiny bit up around the corners – a hint of a sad smile. "I'll wait for you until you learn to love me. We have plenty of time."
He turned around again and walked away.
"Do we?" Red muttered under her breath.
Due to the short but serious encounter with Andrew, her excitement shrank tremendously in size. Although less than before, she still managed to look forward to her outlandish guests.
Her head turned busy searching for any signs of the majestic carriage. When she spotted it, she instantly got amazed at its splendor. Her eyes couldn't stop sparkling with delight and her lips grinned as wide as it could. She thought that she could not get used to seeing extraordinary things such as that carriage, led by four strong white horses.
"Hello." She greeted warmly.
"How have you been, Lady Red?" This time, the coachman was alone. His colleague, the horseman didn't accompany him during this trip.
Since the coachman bowed as he greeted, Red playfully rode on and bobbed a curtsy animatedly. The coachman took it to heart. Although for Red it was just a sort-of form of play, the coachman's face brightened up, signifying how honored he was to be on the receiving end of such a curtsy.
"Shall we, Lady Red?"
"Let's go!"
While 'on the road', Red called onto the coach at the head of the carriage, "By the way, Mister, I still don't know your name. I have some more questions for you, but let's start with your name. What is it?" Her voice was filled with child-like joviality and curiosity.
"You can call me Barry, Lady Red."
"Alright, Mister Barry. I like your name. It's like Barium, my favorite element. Do you know that it gives out a beautiful bright green flame when burned? It's fascinating."
She heard the coachman's amazed laughter at her chattiness. "Then, it's my pleasure to have such a name which you like, Lady Red. I have to thank my parents for giving me the name."
"How about your friend, the one who went with you the other time? What is his name? I thought I would see him again today." This time, her voice fell, and the coachman's response also seemed a bit remorseful.
"His name is Karyk. Apologies that his absence disappointed you, Lady Red. We did not think that his presence or absence matters to Her Ladyship."
"Oh, no worries! Ah, so he is Mister Karyk. Alright! I hope he is well?" She asked about him, worrying that maybe he wasn't able to join the trip because of poor health.
"He's of magnificent health, Her Ladyship! I mean, Lady Red." She already interrupted to correct him, good thing he did it himself. "He's simply preoccupied with other things."
"Awesome. By the way, it's been bothering me ever since your last trip here. How come the other students cannot see you or the carriage? Is it Alchemy, too?"
"Now, that's due to some spells. Sorcery." He retorted plainly.
"So… Magic?"
"It seems similar, yes."
"Woah. So there's magic involved. I knew it." She hammered her right fist victoriously against her open left palm. "Do you know any magic tricks, Mister Barry?"
"Uhm, no. Unfortunately not, Lady Red. My deepest apologies. Not in the world will I learn sorcery." There seemed to be fear and maybe even dread in his voice.
'He is not a fan of the art. Why is that?'
He went on with his own justification, seeing that Her Ladyship seemed fond of magic. "Sorcery in our realm… It's an art that is dangerous, Lady Red. Please stay away from it. It's for your safety."
"Uhm, if it's dangerous, why is the carriage bound by a spell to cover it up? Like an invisibility spell." She massaged her chin thoughtfully.
"I do not have the answer to that, Lady Red. I would rather prefer a remedy under Alchemy but it is not in my position to say."
"Hmm, alright. By the way, Mister Barry, have you met my father? How… How is he as a person?" Her eagerness for the answer peaked at this point.
His voice seemed much cheery on the change of topic. "His Majesty is benevolent and wise. He's a great leader. I have only seen him from a distance but it was enough for his innate charisma and wisdom to reach me."
As to how his wisdom and charisma would reach the coachman from a distance, Red could not have fathomed by herself, but she decided to let the matter be.
She found herself smiling when she realized that the first testimonial about his father from the people who had met him was that he's a good person. The huge respect that coachman bestowed upon her father sent ripples of feel-good lightness in her heart.
'I want to meet him.' She smiled at the high possibility of her wish.