As Of Now [Editing]

As Of Now Chapter 7: Unravelled

"Have a good days, kids." Dad parked our van beside a tree planted on the parking lot. Dawn gingerly reached her arms out from the passengers seat and wrapped them around dad and muttering a bye on his shoulder. Giving dad a hug of my own, I wrapped my arms around the leather chair of the driver's seat. My voice was probably gonna be muffled because of my chin resting on the headrest, my throat pushed onto the cold material, but I managed and said, "Bye dad, love you." 

I grabbed my bag from the handle and hitched it on my back, getting outside the van. The window rolled up on dad's side to wave us off. Slipping on my earbuds, I continued my soundtrip and synced my finger tapping on my knuckles with the beat.

'Forget me not, forget me now.

I've come too far to turn around. I'm here tonight.

Because I'm never going down, I'm never giving up,

I'm never gonna leave so put your hands up.

If you like me, then say you like me.'

A voice hovered over the eerie morning silence and drowned the music coming from my earphones. I squinted my eyes a little over to the front gate and saw a figure there that's waving at me, messy hair, long face, lean figure.

I quickened my pace to the gate and brought up a hand to smack him silly on the head as soon as I reached him through arm's length. "It's too early in the morning to call for someone twenty meters away from you in the morning, Demitri." 

"I was only trying to start the day right, greet you this morning, geez." He muttered disappointedly. 

I gave him my bst apologetic face and nudged him lightly on his sides, thinking of jokingly tickling the idiot. "Oh, let it go, Demitri. Good morning."

"Watch it, Camille. Good morning too." Demitri returned the nudge and pushed me inside the building to the halls. But seeing his relationship with my best friend is sort of undescribed, I took this opportunity whether to ask him or just keep quiet. 

'Do you want to know so you can help Or just keep quiet and let them secretly suffer?' Of course I want to help them, but I also respect their privacy. 'Just take the risk, you ninny.'

"Uh hey, Demitri?" I stuttered. I dug my nails deep in my palms, regretting that I ever tried to ask about it. But I still wanted to know, for the sake of my best friend and her relationship. 

"Hm?" Demitri raised an eyebrow at me, turning his head to face my side. I have to ask, I have to ask, I have to ask. It's for their sake, not to fill my curiosity. "Uhm, can I.. Ask about," I kept pausing every now and then. What if he thinks I'm so nosy? He'll eventually tell Carol and she'll think I'm such a horrible friend. And I can't lose my girl. More so, Demitri can't lose his girl. Or her, lose him.

"Go on.." Demitri instructed, rolling his eyes at me once more at his impatience. "How are you and Carol?" Tucking both my hands above my mouth, I closed my eyes as soon as those words escaped my mouth. 

 I dug my nails onto my forearms as I held my hands to them, bracing myself for sudden outburst of emotion. I scanned his face for any sign of annoyance or irritation due to my touchy question, waiting for him to speak up or anything. He brought one hand up to dismissively run it through his already messy hair. He gripped the top of his head for a few seconds until he heaved an exasperated sigh and let his hand fall numbly to his side.

"She's doubting me. The girl.. my girl, is doubting me." Demitri chuckled quite uneasily, in an attempt to shrug it off like he isn't hurt. His face fell slowly after every nano-second, a depressing frown settling on his lips.  The guy who always wore a goofy smile, for her, has frowned. The guy who was never serious, has turned more serious than ever, about her. And she simply doubts him. I'm so gonna get a reason out of Carol.