The Tree's Girl

Chapter Thirty Two

"What are you still doing here?!"

"You've got a problem with me?!"

"Of course I do! You were mean to me the first time I tried to talk to you!"

"Is it my fault you look irritating?!" 

"Ugh! Joseph! Why is he still here?!"

So early in the morning and I already feel like a tired mess. I woke up earlier than this two, so I decided to make breakfast, just a simple toasted bread and coffee. Then in a few minutes, Jian woke up too. He just went straight to the kitchen table and drank the coffee I made for myself! I glared at him, but he didn't seem to take me seriously -probably because I had a bedhead and massive eyebags. I just made another one. Soon after, Maria woke up and went inside the kitchen yawning. She was immediately shocked when she was greeted by my - our brother sitting in the table so casually drinking coffee and reading a magazine. Thus the shouting.

"Does she seriously live here with you?" Jian asked me as I sat down, and I just nodded.

"I asked her to sleep here, considering that I live here alone, and her house is really depressing. I'm aware that you know what I'm talking about." I said in monotone, looking at him boredly. He was rather irritated with my statement.

"Joseph, did you let him sleep here last night?!" Maria then asked with a high pitched tone. I don't know if it's just because it's morning and I'm tired, but it's actually the first time I heard Maria's voice like this.

"It was late. He was soaking wet. Of course I let him sleep here." I answered her the same way I answered Jian. I drank my coffee afterwards.

"I plan on staying here from now on."

I suddenly choked on the hot coffee. It went all over my mouth and chin. It was painful! Talk about a wake up call!

"You plan on doing what?!" Both Maria and I shouted in shock.

"It's much more cheaper and more comfortable than staying at a crappy apartment, and considering that you two live here alone and you know how depressing a crappy apartment is." he raised an eyebrow at me and I just grunted. Is this revenge for making that remark earlier?

I got the nearest table cloth and wiped it on my face, "Fine."

The two at them looked at me confused. "What did you say?"

"I said 'Fine.' Stay if you want."

The two of them seemed surprise. That reaction was expected of Maria, but to see the same reaction from the one who wanted to stay is a little surprising also.

"I thought you wanted to stay?" I raised a brow at him too.

"I-I do... I just didn't think you'd actually say yes."

I finished my coffee, stood up, put it on the dishwasher and walked away. "Hurry up and eat Maria, we still have school you know." 

I went straight to the bathroom. As I laid down in the bath tub with water slowly filling it up. I suddenly hear a shattering sound.

"What the hell is your problem with me?!"

"What the hell is your problem with me?!"

I facepalmed as I sank down in the water. Why didn't I think that it was not a good idea to leave the two of them alone in the kitchen filled with breakable furnitures and utensils?

"Here are Mom's keys. You keep it, just in case you come home earlier than us." I gave them to Jian. He was wearing Dad's old suit. Seems like he was going to work.

"Uh... thanks." he awkardly took them from me and pocketed them. Seems like he's not used to me being so nice to him. I'm pretty new to this too.

Maria couldn't stop glaring at him, which I think is going to be normal from now on. We went our separate ways. He went to the busy street, got on a taxi and left, while Maria and I started walking to school.

Like before, we walked hand-in-hand. From a quiet street, people and students started appearing. Some ignored us, most still look at us. You'd think they would get used to it by now, but no. Seems like Maria and I are those type of lovers that people couldn't believe really happened.

We got to the school and the first thing that greeted us was the principal! How surprising. Surely, he's here for Maria and not me.

"So I'm here to remind you, just in case you forgot..." he looks from Maria then to me, eyeing me from head to toe as if I'm the one who made her forget whatever she has to remember. I just glared at him. "Tomorrow's the last day of the experiment, right? So starting tomorrow everyone can enter the back of the school again."

I was shaken by his statement, I turn to look at Maria to find her equally shocked. 

"Ms. Clara." he called her name again, and Maria just snapped out and forced a smile.

"U-uh I got it Sir Jenkins. I'll check the tree later and see if everyhting will be ready for tomorrow."

He leaves looking a little unassured. Maria and I immediately went dashing to the back of the school. She did do some checking, a little more anxious than usual.

"I can't believe I forgot!" she said out of frustration as she leaned on the tree with her hand on her forehead.

"What's the problem Maria?" I asked, "What was the principal talking about?"

"Remember how I told you that you were connected to the tree and that we could hear and feel anything around it?" I re-call that memory very well. "I told you that the tree was undergoing observation that time that's why we couldn't hear any people there. The observation time ends tomorrow!"

"So what? I mean, it's just hearing voices every break time and maybe a few minutes after school. I don't think it's a big problem." I lied. I think it would be a huge problem. It would be irritating! Hearing multiple voices at the same time talking about things that I don't even give a care about! But, I'm sure I could somehow manage, somehow.

"No, Joseph. It's not as easy as that!" she shouted filled with worry, "I already told you how your intent to kill can control the tree... but the truth is... even the littlest of emotions can trigger the tree to attack!"

I couldn't believe her every word. What did she mean?!

"Hearing voices can make you crazy... it'll drive you insane!" fear was mixed in her voice as it started to shake and break, "Y-you'd just want to end it... and... and everyone who's near the tree would-"

I stopped her from talking with an embrace. "Shh. Just breathe." I comforted her. 

"What are we going to do Joseph?" she asked feeling so hopeless. "I chose to plant the tree here because there were a lot of students and teachers here that were gullible. I wanted to make the back of the school off-limits up until I can move it again, but it's too late now."

What a predicament we are in. With the littlest of emotions... we could kill, not just one, but a lot of people.

How will we be able to solve this?