Chapter 23 - Crazy thinker

Mira sat on the log as Justin took attentive care of her cheek.

"I think you'll need a balm for your face."

"Is it going to be painful?"

"Who said it is going to be painful? I'll be gentle okay?" Mira nodded pressing her lip into a thin line though she ended up regretting it as she hissed in pain.

"It seems I would have to apply it immediately," Justin stated and then Mira handed him her kit bag.

"Sorry, you would have to endure the pain again," he said and then he moved closer as he applied the balm and then he blew air on it.

Despite the pain that Mira felt seeing Justin's face near and inhaling his cologne calmed everything.

Justin continuously applied the balm as he noticed that she had stopped hissing, he moved back a bit to take a look at her face.

"Oh, it seems the pain has stopped."

"I'm not sure."

"Are you serious?" He touched her cheek leaning in to take a look but then they were interrupted by the furious voice of Maddie.

The two stopped turning to her, she stomped toward them angrily.

"What are you doing? What was the-"

"Maddie, keep shut, you should know she's in pain but despite that. In fact, what do you want to say? We were all playing a game and yet still with that you slapped her badly," Justin scolded her and then her angry face reduced into an apologetic expression.

"Mira, dear, did I hurt you that bad? Oh my, I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would be that bad, I'm so sorry, to you two, I was thinking of something and when I saw both of you, ahh, I was so crazy I couldn't see how much pain I had caused you. Mira sister, I'm so sorry maybe a hug?" Maddie acted sympathetic and Mira was willing to move in the act.

Besides, what's the idea of creating fun without acting along with her?

She had a smile on her face and then she hugged her.

"I know you didn't want to hurt me though I wonder why you had slapped me. I'm not bad after all, right?" Mira asked as she released the hug to take a good looking at her 'sympathetic' expression.

"I know my dare was stupid though I knew you only cared for me and love me, as wise Justin loves me. Despite being stupid you love me right? You were only crazy at that time, isn't it?"

Maddie forced a smile as she nodded.

"Thank you," Mira said and then hugged her.

"Let's just see how you would be able to have him, I can't deny that Justin is a nice one to share, perhaps you could share him with me, crazy thinker?" Mira whispered into Maddie's ear and then she released her.

"Is night already, you both should get going," she said giving Maddie a mischievous glare.

"Thank you, sis, for borrowing me your boyfriend, you can have him," Mira politely stated agitating Maddie as she fisted her hands.

"Bye, now," she said leaving them as she entered the tent.

"C'mon, let's go," Justin said as she turned around to look at Justin

She was fuming with anger though for Justin she was able to reduce her anger into a half smile, tangling her arm around Justin's, she walked away.

**

Mira stir as she tightened her eyes, she couldn't fall asleep even with the fact she was trying to.

Her mind was disturbed by her nightmare, those red eyes, a guy falling to the ground, and then she began to hear the footsteps of a person walking toward her.

The footstep got nearer and when the feet were so close, it felt as though the person dropped down on their knees and then she could feel the breath of the person on her cheek whispering into her ear.

"You are the stronger one," the person whispered, and then she opened her eyes as they turned red.

Mira immediately sat up but then she found herself walking out of the tent to get a calm head after repeatedly hearing the voice which was intimidating her.

Standing at a nearby river, she squinched her eyes listening to the echoing sound of the breezy river.

She winced in pain as she closed her ear though it wasn't subsiding, sooner her fangs became longer as she felt hungry.

"Mira," she held a calm voice as she felt the person place a hand on her shoulder, she immediately reacted turning around to discover it was Matthew.

"You, what are you doing here?" She questioned not realizing her appearance turned normal though her face had a beautiful glow.

"I should be the one asking you that, besides, what did you come here to do?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"That makes the two of us," Matthew said with a chuckle, and then, looking at her face, he realized the glow.

"I've been wanting to ask, what do you apply on your face?" He asked calmly with no rude gesture.

"Seriously? You've been noticing these days?"

He nodded.

"Well it seems the cream I'm applying has a better reaction to my skin, better than yours," she replied sarcastically.

"You literally can't answer a question without adding rudeness?"

"Okay then, what do you want me to be like?"

"At least, the quiet goody two pants."

"Oh wow, see who's giving guidance for my attitude."

"Okay, tell me what's wrong with that attitude?"

Mira stopped to process his confronting words as she grew calm.

"Wait a minute, I thought you guys saw me as an ugly duckling with the attitude?"

"Who told you so? Who told you you were the odd one out?"

"You're saying it because you don't know anything, you don't know the pain I went through to feel separated just because I was the goody two pants, teacher's pet."

"Okay, first of all, anyone could be the goody two pants but basically you were the snitch."

"A snitch?"

"How are you gonna be behaving like a kindergarten in everything?"

"Do you know what you're saying?"

"There is a difference between saying the truth and basically being a snitch, you were like seventy percent a snitch and thirty percent a goody two pants. That's why no one was willing to hang out with you."

"Oh wow, I thought y'all threw me out because you thought I was ugly."

"Oh really? If that's what you think then maybe you're dreaming, if you would have thought to stop saying you were and just looked around you then you would see you're not the only one who feels disgusted by their appearance. Though to register, your snitching attitude basically drove everyone out."

"Okay then, what did you think about me?"

Matthew looked at her from head to toe and then he giggled sarcastically.

"How am I going to know what I want to think about you when I knew nothing about you."

"You fool, and you were giving me a whole therapy session," Mira said in anger as she raised her head to hit his back leg.

"Hey, I just bought this cloth."

"Maybe you would die along with the cloth," Mira was about to hit him again when he ran in fear for his life.

"I wouldn't spare you," Mira said running after him like she was a kid.