It's finally ended! The mock exam already ended!
"It's done! It's done, right?!" Jake happily said.
"Yeah. Yeah. So please, lower your voice," Kei said.
"Hey, want to celebrate?" Tiffany asked.
"Great idea, Tiffany. Let's go to a karaoke hub," Roxanne suggested.
"Do you do this after the exam?" Kei asked.
"Not really, but we do, often," Michael answered.
I just silently watched them, and all of them stare at me.
"Amelia, will you go with us?" Tiffany asked
"Yeah, can you go with us, just once?" Roxanne added.
"It will be a miracle if Amelia said yes," Jake also added.
"But Kei, you should come even if Amelia won't come, okay?" Michael said.
"Uhm... I-I'm not sure... Amelia..." Kei awkwardly said while slowly looking at me.
"You don't need to ask my permission Kei. If you want to go, then go," I told Kei.
"Okay!" Kei answered.
I was assigned as one of the cleaners for today. So my friends and Kei went ahead to a karaoke hub to celebrate. After a couple of minutes, I also packed my things and went home. Since Kei took the car for them to have transportation. I decided to ride on a bus. While waiting at the bus stop, Alexander approached me.
"It's unusual to see Amelia Chandler commute."
"You too. It seems that you don't have your motorcycle with you."
"Well, I need to fix my baby, so I need to commute. How about you, Amelia?"
"Well, Kei took the car and went to a karaoke hub with the others."
"And why you didn't join them?"
"Because I hate loud places."
Alexander giggled because of my reason. The bus arrived at the stop, and we both get on the bus.
"Amelia..."
"Yes?"
"I know a quiet place. Will you join me?" I did not answer him and just stared at him
"Please?"
"Just make sure it is not a loud place."
"I assure you."
After a 25-minute ride, we got off at the Floravia Bus Station.
"Alex, are you kidding me? You told me it's not a loud place, but we are in the middle of the plaza. Are you insane?"
"Well, you're right. But this is not the place that I wanted to show you." He just smiled at me and grabbed my hand.
"Alex, slow down. Where are we going by the way? Why hike this high slope. Let me catch a breath."
"Come on, there's no time to waste. We're almost there. Hurry," he said and supported my back to walk uphill.
"Here we are!"
"Woah!" I said in admiration and looked around the area. "Who would have thought that there was a nice place like this here in Floravia," I added.
"Uh-huh. It's quiet and only a few people know this place," Alex boasted.
I hurriedly went to the fence and looked around. It's a good thing that we went here at night. The view from up here was fantastic!
"I'm glad that you've liked it, Amelia."
"Bloody hell! I don't like it. I love it!" Alexander giggled and sighed.
"Huh? What's with the sigh. You grabbed me here but you don't seem to like it. What is it?" I asked.
"No, it's not what you think. I just remembered something."
"Ooh... I see. Is it a memory of an ex-lover that you've brought here before?"
He looked at me seriously. "Or not? Okay, I'm sorry. I think I've crossed the line," I said.
He walks toward me slowly with a serious face. "W-what? I said sorry. I-is it not e-enough?"
"Silly," he finally answered. "For your information, you're the first one I've brought here, and I don't have that kind of relationship, before and even now," he added.
"Then... Oh, never mind. I won't ask anything," I said.
He sighed again. I was just silently looking at him. "The first time I found this place is when I lost my family."
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you saying sorry. It's not your fault by the way. Amelia, wanna know me? No, just listen. I want you to listen and know me more, okay."
Alexander told me about his whole life. How he lost his family and what happened. He also told me about his beloved sister.
"It's the first time I've seen you like this?"
"What do you mean by like this, Amelia?"
"You look so charming more than ever. I mean you're charming, but you look more charming as you talk about your family. Especially when you talk about your sister. I think she's so dear to you."
"Yeah, I've missed her so much. I wanted to hug her, talk to her, and spend time with her," he said as he looked at me.
"Amelia..."
"Yes?"
"Can you please close your eyes? Just for a moment."
"O-okay?" I closed my eyes as he said. Why does my heart beat so fast? Am I nervous? Alex, what do you want?
I was startled when Alex hugged me. He hugged me so tight as if I were his sister that he misses. It was a little bit uncomfortable, and when I was supposed to tell him that, he suddenly speak.
"Can we stay like this for a moment?" he said in his deep soothing voice.
"O-okay..." I answered.
Alex suddenly hugged me tighter unlike before. Without noticing I hugged him back and patted his back slowly and calmly. What's with this tingling sensation? Why do I feel sad? Right at that moment when I feel like my tears would fall Alex let go of me.
"Omg, wait! Are you? C-crying?" Alex did not answer my question. Instead, he hurriedly tried to hide his face, but I was fast and held his face and then looked at him.
"You know, you're annoying. You're crying but your face still looks handsome. Can you make yourself ugly?" I told him jokingly.
He smiled, and I smiled too. I wiped his tears and say, "Whenever you miss your sister you can tell me. I'll let you hug me like earlier."
He holds both my hands that were in his face. Looked at me with a sweet gaze and spoke, "Really?"
"Of course!" I answered.
"Then, that's a deal." He patted my head as if he was my brother. I did not notice that I started to cry. It must be the tears that I've tried to hold back from before.
"Amelia, you're..." Before even Alex can finish his sentence, I hurriedly tried to wipe my tears but Alex stopped me and this time he was the one who wiped my tears with his hand.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I don't know what's happening to me. It was just I felt sad all of a sudden and... And..." I did not finish my sentence again and more tears flow down my eyes. I just laughed it off and so Alex laugh as well.
"Here I am started to think that you already grew up, but you're still a crybaby after all," he said while patting my back to comfort me. After a while, when I calmed down, we headed back to the bus station. Almost 45 minutes have passed until we reached our neighborhood.
"It's almost 8 o'clock, you've think they're gone home?" Alex asked.
"Oh, you mean, Kei and the others?"
"Yeah."
"I guess it depends. If they went all out I think they're still at the hub, but if they're not, probably they're on their way home," I answered.
Right before my house's block. I stopped at the front of the convenience store.
"Yeah, we're celebrating too. Want to buy something inside?" Alex asked.
"Call! But let's make it more exciting," I answered. "You are going to choose anything from there for me while I'll do the same for you. You know, like a surprise exchange gift. What do you think? Deal?" I added.
"Deal!" We both entered the convenience store and roam around for what we should get to each other. After 10 minutes we've exchanged what we bought.
"I'll go first," I offered and took out all the things I'd bought in the convenience store.
"Well... I've got you a bagel, donut, sandwich, and coffee. I choose these because these are the things you've always eaten at the cafeteria. Your turn, what you've got for me?" I excitedly asked. He smiled at me and took a little container from the plastic.
"A strawberry shortcake?!"
"You don't like it?" he shyly asked.
"Of course not! Because..." he suddenly looked down. "...I freaking love it!" I continued.
Alexander sighed. "You got me there silly. I thought you won't like it." I smiled at him, and I took the shortcake and put it back inside the plastic.
"You won't eat it?" he asked.
"Nope!"
"Why?"
"Because if I eat this here right now, I won't be able to savor it."
Alex giggled at my answer. "Then, I'll walk you home. So, you can savor your shortcake all you can," he said. Alex walked me home. We exchange goodbyes, and he didn't walk away until I entered our house. I was skipping happily when Kei blocked me at the staircase.
"So, how's your date with Alexander?" Kei asked.
"It's not a date, okay. By the way, how's your celebration with the others?"
"Really, Amelia? Changing the topic huh! Well, it's nice. Your friends have a nice voice. Especially Jake. Who would've thought that he was a singing prodigy."
"Yeah, right. I was stunned when I heard him sing the first time as well. Oh, you should remember now that you are also a part of our circle. So, it's not your friends instead it's our friends, okay?"
"Okay. Okay. So, I guess sooner or later Alexander will be a part of our circle as well?" Kei said with an annoying tone.
"I told you, it's not what you think."
"Yeah. Yeah. Alexander brought you home twice, you're with him inside the boy's restroom once, and what's with the tricky encounter between..." right before Kei finished his sentence someone butted in our conversation.
"Who's this Alexander?"
"Amelia's boyfriend, our classmate," both Kei and I said in unison after we've turned our heads to see who spoke to us.
"I see... He's your classmate and Amelia's boyfriend. W-wait... What?! Amelia got herself a boyfriend!" Father said in a very happy loud voice. "Come here, my sweetheart. Now that you have a boyfriend, I think this calls for a celebration. I think I might add some new surprises for you at the basement," he added.
"But father it's not really what you think. Alexander's..." Before I finished my sentence, Kei's father shushed me.
"I know you're just shy, sweetheart. I understand," father tapped my shoulders and left with a smile on his face.
"Congratulations on your relationship, miss Amelia," Mr. George added while he follows Kei's father to his office.
Kei stood beside me whistling as if he was teasing me. "Congratulations, Amelia," he said.
"Kei Chandler..." I said while slowly turning my head towards him. He bolts into his room and locked his door.
Just wait until we've met in the basement. You're dead Kei Chandler.