Chapter 10 Look at me in the eye
The situation appeared to be quite severe as May had been slapped so forcefully that her face is now red and swollen, and the corners of her mouth were bloody. She collapsed onto the ground and had rain and mud coating her facial features, presenting a pitiable demeanor. Due to the downpour, May's attire was drenched and clung tightly to her figure, presenting an unappealing appearance.
The first time I witnessed May in deep agony, I was not only furious but also deeply saddened. I was supposed to be responsible for that. Although my tears were uncontrollable, May managed to force a smile, which seemed pleasant, and even placed her hand on my face reassuringly as she spoke words of comfort, "Don't worry, I'm alright."
As the rain persisted, an increasing number of observers gathered, with several individuals gesturing towards us. While a few recognized me, my focus solely rested on May. Eventually, I gave in to my desires and embraced May tightly while we were on the floor.
There was a brief moment of hesitation in the woman's demeanor, but it quickly dissipated as she instinctively moved towards me for an embrace which included a backhanded motion.
Larry Anderson, the person responsible for hurting May, shall not get away with it. It's necessary for him to suffer the consequences. Nonetheless, I wouldn't take action straight away. I must wait for the right moment to get revenge without him knowing. Otherwise, the whole plan might fail, leaving me empty handed.
Ever since May returned from the rain, her physical condition had considerably deteriorated, resulting in her being ill and experiencing persistent fever due to her frail physique. It had been three months now and my cousin is still nowhere to be found. Despite this being the third month, there had been no communication from him, giving the impression that he had vanished into thin air. Occasionally, I was compelled to consider the possibility that he had entirely disregarded both our family and his wife. Yet, he and his spouse have a child, thus indicating his unwillingness to care for her.
Upon my entrance to May's chamber, I observed her serene slumber accompanied by a subtle crease on her forehead indicative of some unresolved concern. My curiosity lingered as to the nature of her preoccupation. With a soft tread, I approached May's bed and settled on its periphery, delicately tousling the locks that were disheveled over her countenance.
Although I was cautious, May awoke from her slumber and her eyes gradually opened with a hazy stare. She took some time to recognize me before finally responding with, "Oh, it's you, Finn. How long have I have been sleeping?"
She was ready to stand, but her feebleness hindered her mobility. With a sense of urgency, I quickly assisted her by gently restraining her and expressed my concern. I offered my help and she acquiesced, nodding slowly and allowing me to lift her up with care. Her countenance appeared pallid and delicate, evoking both endearing and melancholic sentiments upon beholding.
Upon assisting her to stand, I proceeded to retrieve the translucent oatmeal from the surface of the table and administered it to her. As it was slightly warm, I didn't dwell on it and proceeded to cool it by blowing on it. Finally, I presented it to her lips. As I lifted my gaze, I observed a slight change in May's countenance. The pallor of her face had diminished slightly, and a subtle blush had emerged, along with a hint of shyness in her demeanor.
Subsequent to my response, I experienced a sense of embarrassed and temporarily struggled with determining the appropriate course of action. In an effort to alleviate the awkwardness, she began coughing and made a charm, quipping "The oatmeal will chill if you do not give it to me." After delivering it to May, I felt a sense of relief and perhaps exaggerated it slightly.
The temperature of the oatmeal had decreased and May consumed it while furrowing her eyebrows and beaming with pleasure, exclaiming, "This tastes good". I responded with a grin, filled with contentment, uttering, "I made it myself. Eat more, and this help you recover faster.
Glancing downwards, I discreetly observed May and was struck by her stunning appearance, featuring moon-like eyebrows, a petite cherry-colored mouth, radiant eyes, a prominent and symmetrical nose, and impeccably smooth and flawless skin that exceeded the beauty standards of countless other women. Feeling anxious, I discreetly glanced at her, causing her to quickly raise her gaze and lock eyes with me. Initially motionless, she eventually displayed a perplexed facial expression.
I blushed instantly and rushed to look down in order to evade the attention of May, experiencing a rise in body temperature and a rapid heartbeat. There was a moment of silence before May's sudden words caught me off guard.
"There's no need for self-blame, Finn. The incident from that day wasn't your fault." She reassured me and added, "It's merely a common cold and will likely go away soon."
My perception was that May was entirely genuine in her discourse with me, with no falsehoods detected. She genuinely absolved me of any culpability. I experienced two moments where my words got stuck in my throat, as I was struggling to express myself.
Upon witnessing my stutter, May displayed a grin and commented, "Finn, you are so kind." Following that, her actions caught me off guard and created a feeling of shock, as she unexpectedly reached out to grasp my hand.
As I observed her, it became apparent that while she too possessed a degree of timidity, she displayed greater courage than I had anticipated. She had an incredibly warm and gentle touch, and I felt absolutely content when she held me close. The sensation was so delightful that I never wanted to let go.
My hands seemed slightly moist, prompting me to quickly interject to conceal my anxiety. "Please don't say that, May. I am the one who should be blamed. They sought trouble with me specifically, and without my rush, you would not have been involved..."
May prevented me from speaking by covering my mouth, causing me to be unable to continue. However, she spoke softly and reassured me," I would never forget that you defended me against Patrick. And please don't hold responsible for doing anything wrong. I would never forget your caress for me these days"
She gazed at me intensely and uttered a grave "thank you" following the statement.
I could not explain the reason, but May's words caused my heart, which was still resonating and passionate, to abruptly turn frigid and obstructed as though it was impeded by an obstacle. It was difficult to determine why she expressed gratitude towards me and her mannerism seemed melancholic and vexed. Why is she being so... cold with me, like a stranger?
I released her hand and averted eye contact to appear casual, "Eat your oatmeal before it grew cold." She remained quiet, and I wasn't sure if she noticed my annoyance. She murmured and moved her lips as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately opted to let me feed her obediently.
Sustaining May, administering her medication, I continued our conversation for a few moments. She then expressed her tiredness and wanted to have a rest. I couldn't say anything, leaving the room.
Although it was already late into the night and I intended to get some rest, I opted to take a shower and retire to bed. However, I struggled to fall asleep as my mind kept revisiting the image of May and the situation involving her. Although I considered reaching out to my cousin, I found myself unable to muster the courage to actually dial his number every time I attempted to do so. What frightened me is the presence of a voice within me that strongly opposed the return of him.
It had been nearly three months and I had not seen my cousin return, causing me to temporarily forget about his absence. The health of May appeared to be sluggish lately. It appeared that her physical condition worsened significantly after his departure resulting in a week-long illness. After recovering, she seemed to have significantly lost weight.
Lately, I've been quite irked as ever since I assisted Tina, she had been incessantly lingering around me. Whenever I entered school premises and take a seat, she made a beeline to initiate conversations with me, and even frequently presented me with chocolates or snacks, displaying utmost care towards me. Initially, there was a void, but after 2 days, our peers took notice and gave us peculiar glances. I was even questioned by some students about the feeling of being in a romantic relationship with Tina.
It must be acknowledged that Tina was endowed with remarkable physical attractiveness and academic prowess, thereby garnering the admiration of numerous classmates. I didn't just take a seat in the classroom upon arrival today, as she approached me.
I breathed in an aromatic gust of wind before anyone else showed up. She approached me, standing in her customary position, full of joy and a hint of timidity, and uttered in a soft tone, "Finn, good morning."
Tina possessed a pleasantly melodic voice, and I confessed to previously harboring romantic feelings for her. However, those emotions had dissipated since my affection had shifted towards May.
I chose to ignore her and merely responded with a lackluster, non-committal sound. Despite my cool demeanor towards her, she seemed oblivious as she concealed her hands behind her back and gazed at me with a smile and narrowed eyes, "Guess what I've brought you today." Looking back at her, I could tell that she was eagerly anticipating my reaction and surprise.
In truth, refusing her was not an option that I could tolerate, however, I aimed to prevent any misconstrued perceptions from both her and my fellow classmates. Despite coughing twice, I attempted to sound more genuine, "I was passing by that day and I didn't mean anything."
However, her once pleasant expression promptly became rigid.