Beauty
Simply because I'm curious about you.
I still can't get rid of what Dusk said. So even though I'm here at a gathering organized by the university, he's still on my mind. I'm just here in the corner, enjoying the punch I'm drinking. Everyone around me is in their best dress, even though the proceeds will go to the bereaved family of our university's professors.
I shouldn't be here, but Helene said I have to make friends despite having a novel deadline. They say nothing to lose if I change my schedule a little. And she said I'm not doing anything in my room but talking to myself. But as I'd said before, I'm better off talking to myself or being in the world I built in my head than here.
I'm not always a loner. I used to make friends, but those I acquired eventually betrayed me. So I decided to make my network smaller and keep fewer people who know me. It's better than the one I used to be, and I don't need a lot to talk to and listen to because the world is not as safe as the books describe.
"Are you feeling alone?" a question that halted my reflection.
When I turned around, Dusk's mysterious face immediately greeted me. I mean, Mr. Dario, simply because we're at school. "Not really. I have a companion." I showed him what I was holding, and he smiled but still looked mysterious. "I thought you wouldn't come today."
"I have to, and even I don't want it to be here."
I breathed heavily. "Likewise."
"Do you want to go outside? It's a little stuffy here, or should I say suffocating?"
I felt like I heard those words, and Dusk's words seemed to carry hypnotism. Those words get me, and I take Dusk's hand instantly. He led me out of the university hall. The two of us walked to the quadrangle, where activity was left and right.
"Are you always writing?" Dusk asked me.
"Sometimes I roll. Sometimes I breathe." I heard Dusk snort and couldn't help but chuckle loudly. "What's so funny, huh? It's all true."
"Have you tried doing the same thing in a day?"
"Breathing while rolling? Sometimes," I answered, which made him laugh, not snort this time. "Why?" He shook his head as his first response. "For a mysterious man, I've ever met, laughing suits you well. Keep it that way, Mr. Dario."
"Dusk."
"We're at school, and this conversation, it's kinda against the code that you swore when taking teaching professionally."
He nodded, and for a moment, we were enveloped in silence. Did I kill the vibe? He's my reader and a professor in History at the same time. I have to draw a line between us until I finish this crash course of mine. But being friends with someone is not a bad thing at all. It's like I'm slowly walking out of my comfort zone, just like what Helene told me to do.
"Have you -" we both said at the same time.
"You first," I urged him.
"I want to ask if you will have your book signing event."
"Not until I finish my current project. My publisher knew I would be off the grid, and they already know what to do about the request."
It seems that it will take me a long time because it is a more profound study that includes history. The vampire lead in my novel arrived at the time of Jose Rizal, when women were not allowed to vote or cast out their voices. I had a few notes taken down as I did when I finished the research paper that Mr. Darius had.
"You know, I can't help but commend your research paper. It's my first time to read something like yours with complete citation and accurately formatted." He stopped walking and faced me. "What I told you yesterday, we're all true. I'm curious about it, and I want to know you better."
"Aren't you too biased, Mr. Dario? Among your students, I am the irregular and already have a degree in journalism." I took a deep breath and met his gaze on me. "I want to know you too."
"What I'm saying is your research paper is ready for publishing. I hope you'll continue doing good work, Miss Carisi. And I'll try my best to be open so you can know me well."
"Thank you, Mr. Professor."
Dusk groaned, but we ended up laughing. I thought about inviting him to the booths and trying the food there, but I couldn't make Dusk eat with me. But I still enjoy it, and I believe walking outside is more fun than staying inside the university hall.
Mid noon when Dusk excused himself and followed Renwick, who greeted me by waving his hand. I don't know if he was afraid of Dusk or if something unexpected happened somewhere. Dusk is a very mysterious man, and I know he has a lot of secrets he keeps inside him. Secrets that I may not be able to think about even over and over again. I might get a headache if I push myself.
But he said he would try his best. And I will do the same thing to meet him halfway in this strangest encounter I have now...
***
I decided to drop my History class to avoid inevitable events affecting my career and Dusk. I don't want another series of complications because sometimes I cannot understand my heart. I am attracted to my professor, who also expressed his curiosity about me. I told Matt that I could do research here at the library.
And here I am now in front of many books about the history of the Philippines. I have a headache, so I have an ointment to remove the thread next to me. I don't care if it smells around this place I'm in now. Everyone has used it, so they know what it is for.
"You input the wrong date here. The cold war happened in 1961 when the US failed to invade Cuba. The same year, Berlin Wall was built." I looked up and turned to your voice, correcting my input in my notebook. "Dates were a headache, but you must be careful about that."
It is Dusk, and he's wearing again his mysterious aura that I'm getting used to seeing every day. He's in his regular attire, a black suit and a slightly loosened tie. Dusk is with his remarkable bag, which only older people use. If he asks for advice, I will say his fashion is a bit tacky now.
But I will never give a piece of unsolicited advice.
"Thank you for adding another ache to my head," I complained and held my head with my two hands.
"You shouldn't drop my class then. I am the most friendly History professor you've met."
I want to laugh, but being too loud is not allowed in the library. I look where the attendant is; she is busy talking to someone borrowing a book. I'm always here, so she already knows me, but that's not enough reason to make noise.
"I think I can learn alone. It's just the date which I can't easily remember. I'm bad with numbers."
Dusk put a small notepad there, and when I opened it, all the important dates I needed were there. "H-how did you -"
"Know?" I nodded. "I have ways." Whatever his reason, I hope it's in a good way. But I have a feeling that he can read my mind. It's also possible that I imagine everything. "So, how can I help more?"
"A tub of taro ice cream. A tub, not a pint." I have received no response from Dusk. "You don't like ice cream?"
"I'm not into sweets,"
"No way. Come on, let's eat ice cream outside. I know a place where we can eat delicious ice cream." I gathered my things and then led Dusk out of the library. It's not late at night, so we can still go there without worrying that the establishment is already closed. "Ice cream calms me down. Sometimes it helps my brain to function."
"My brain functioned well when I drank my special juice."
"We each have our type of sedative."
But ice cream is not just for calming my nerves or brain. I also eat ice cream when I remember my parents.
"You're missing someone?"
I looked at Dusk. He's reading my mind!
"No."
"With the way you pause, I think I'm right, and you're allowed to do it, Beauty." I smiled. He is very good at talking, and he captures me. I never knew that I would meet a guy like him in my entire life. "Ha! That's the ice cream shop you're telling me about."
I laughed softly, and when I recovered, I shook my head. The ice cream at the shop he pointed to was delicious, but he pulled me despite me. The taste of every ice cream flavor here always hits home. Even if I hang out here all day, there will be no charges against me. I can live with ice cream alone.
"What flavor do you want to try?" Dusk shook his head in refusal to answer my question. "You don't want to?" I repeated, but his attention was not on me. It was on the attendant of this ice cream shop where we were. It's like they knew each other, if I'm not mistaken. "Hi! Can I have cookies and cream flavor in a sugar cone?"
"Hello! Since it's our re-opening day, you can pick another flavor of yours from here, and it's on the house," said the guy with mysterious eyes like Dusk.
But Dusk's is deeper and more attractive than the attendant's eyes which I realized after I compared them. The attendant's smile is a bit mischievous, but he's friendly. I looked at Dusk, and he still looked the same.
"I'll take chocolate mint flavor for the free one."
"Great choice of flavors, Miss?"
"Beauty."
"I'm Midas."
"It's nice meeting someone new in this old place." I looked around until it landed on Dusk again. The expression on the face was still so profound that it was erased when the TV blared inside the shop. "It's a blood moon tomorrow," I said, hoping it would be the same moon event as before.
"You can watch it here if you want, Beauty," Midas said as he handed over my order.
I hope nothing peculiar happens tomorrow night as the moon turns bloody for long hours.
"She will watch it with me, in my house." I looked at Dusk when he said that. Did I hear correctly? He invited me to his house for a special moon event. Why am I feeling so excited? What is this kind of feeling?
It's a little peculiar at some point...