School ended as usual, and Ning was busy wondering how she should talk with Feng.
Will he be angry at her? Will he blame her for his condition? All these questions kept rising in her head until someone knocked at her desk, gaining her attention.
.
"Earth to little Ning," Yuan said as he smiled at her. Ning looked at him, confused, as she raised one of her eyebrows.
"That expression must mean, What I am doing here?" Yuan asked as he tilted his head. while Ning nodded her head.
"Well... I just wanted to let you know that Feng ge won't be able to practice with you for the time being---"
"Why?" Ning asked as she stood up from her seat, startling Yuan.
"Calm down Bunny! You almost gave me a minor heart attack." Yuan said as he placed his hand on his left chest.
.
"I'm sorry.... but can you tell me why he can't come for practice?" Ning asked, her voice as small as that of a gentle wind with a wave of nervousness and sadness in it that, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Yuan.
.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked, while tapping her head.
"He has to clean the auditorium for a week as his punishment and that's the only reason he is cancelling the practice nothing else, do you get it?" Yuan said as he smiled while looking at Ning's face which still showed uncertainty but still she nodded her head.
.
"Now be a good girl and go back home. I will leave for cheerleading practice, too."
"Okay," saying that, Yuan picked up his bag and walked out of the room.
Ning looked around and sighed. Ling was busy with her practice, which means she had to go back alone and that was quite a hassle for Ning.
"What a day.." she muttered while looking at Feng's desk one last time and walking out of the classroom.
.
"I am home..." Ning said as she entered her house with a tired voice and dull looking eyes.
.
"Welcome---" Her Mother said with a smile which soon disappeared while looking at her face. Ning too busy in her thoughts didn't notice her mother and just went inside her room while slamming the door a little more loudly than usual.
.
"What happened to her? She was so happy this morning.." she muttered while switching off the T.v and then knocking at her door.
.
"Ning, What's wrong? Why are you closing the door?"
"I am changing"
"Don't lie to me! I saw your face just now. Open the door and tell me what's wrong."
"Mom, nothing's wrong. I am seriously changing my clothes!" Ning said with a minor frustration visible in her voice.
.
"Why are you raising your voice against me now? I was worried about you, but looks like I am disturbing you even more. Okay! Fine! just keep yourself looked in that pit of darkness and never come out!" Her mother said angrily while banging at the door whereas inside the room Ning was lying on her bed putting her arms over her eyes listening to her mother's scoldings..
.
" (I almost forgot....in this house I can only smile....)" Ning thought as a warm tear rolled down her pale skin and landed on her bedsheet.
.
Feng was home after cleaning the whole auditorium, which almost took 10 years of his lifetime.
"Ha, did I return back to past just to do this?" He talked to himself while looking at the broom and the bucket full of water.
"My whole body is going to ache today, God knows if I will be able to even walk tomorrow."
.
"Huh? Feng what are you doing here?" Ling who ran into him asked as he scanned him top to the bottom.
"Cleaning..."
"I can see that but why?"
"Punishment..."
"What!?"
"Yeah now excuse me please." Feng said as he tried to walk past her when she suddenly came infornt of him again.
.
"So you mean that bastrad senior escaped and you got all the punishment?" Ling asked as she looked at him with disbelief in her eyes.
"Isn't that obvious?" He said with a little irritation in his voice that made Ling to flinch a bit.
.
"Now if your questions are over, I would like to leave."
"Okay but----Please don't blame Ning---She is innocent--"
"Why are you giving excuses in her place?" This time Feng completely lost his mind and was clearly furious as his eyes were cold and his voice was harsh.
.
"Feng!"
"Ling, she is your friend and you care for her, I get all that but you should understand this too that you won't be with her always to talk for her, she needs be responsible for her actions!" Feng literally bought out all her frustration out on Ling who didn't complain and listened to all of it.
.
"Feng, I am doing what I think is right, and Ning isn't irresponsible. If I am standing here taking with you even after that attitude of ours is all because Ning taught me, to understand others viwes, or else you would have long gotten beaten up from me.
.
And, it may sound rude but none of us told you to come and save Ning everytime. So if you have so much problem with Ning then better stay away from her, I have taken care of her for the last 10 years and I will keeping doing it until the end." Ling said as she galred at him before leaving him there standing dumbfounded.
"Shit!!" He shouted in frustration.
.
"And here I thought *thinks about Ning's smiling face* fianlly someone other than me understood you..." Ling muttered as she sat on a bench sighing.
.
"No....Go...go..." Ning was having a nightmare again and this time she looked worse than she did before. Her hands and legs were both being curled up with tears flowing down non stop alongside her heavy breathing.
"Please..." She begged before opening jer eyes all of a sudden staring at the black roof with the red and fuffy eyes.
.
"...So, I am back to square one again..." She said while wiping her tears.
"...I hate it...I hate it..." She muttered while clenching her fists and digging them deep into her skin.