We and Us

Chapter 14

"I'll call you Aria, now do your job and be my protector." I holds the lion close to my face. Using a French accent.
"Je serai votre protecteur, si vous le souhaitez." Benji came from behind. TRANSLATION : I'll be your protector, if you wish.
I gasped. "Luckily, I didn't fall to the ground by my knight's yelling." I replied and make a space for him to sit.

"Alex can be annoying, but he's right. Are you okay? You're getting thin. You can't just eat fruits for the whole week." he holds my wrist and compare it to his. I pulled it back.
"I'm fine, If I'm want to look pretty, I have to lose all the weights I gained since that day."
I look over to where the moon hid behind the clouds.

"Vous êtes belle." he said. TRANSLATION: You are beautiful.
"You really mean that?" I look straight into his eye.
"Oui. Sincèrement." he nodded. Translation :,Yes. Sincerely.
"Thanks, I wish I hadn't been annoying to you as well."

"You're not annoying, don't feel so down. Wear this. I'll go in first." he gave his jacket before going in. "Benji!" I shouted.
"Yes?"
"Merci d'être mon plus vrai ami." I said. TRANSLATION : Thanks for being my truest friend.
He smiled wildly. "Same goes to you." he went in. We took the same French class when our parents took us to France. Although my favourite language is Japanese, French is romantic.
.............................................................
"Yomei,
(my remaining days)
Ikubaku ka aru?
(how much more is there to live?)
Koyoi hakanashi,
(the night is brief)
Inochi mijikashi,
(life is short)."
.............................................................

As I sing the song that holds my heart, another voice came from behind.
" Are you sure you're an actress? More like a singer." he swings the swing back and forth.

"I had selective mutism until I reach 6 years old. I finally could say something on my birthday. My mom is afraid that too much singing will make me mute. So she had me learn acting."

"Nice"
"Excuse me?"
"No, I mean, your voice is nice. It's sweet." Alex flustered.
"Thanks, not many people have heard me sing before. Mom said I shouldn't cause it sound horrible." I hugged the lion.
"Meet Aria." I shake his hand with the doll.

"I'm sorry, that I forced you to eat. I hate to see your health worsen." he hold my shoulder. I hold it back.

"I understand, nobody want their sister like friend to die."

"I don't think of you like a sister." he look away.

"Am I just a friend?" I asked. He smiled and shake his head. His hand is still on my shoulder but he's sitting right next to me.

"More like, special. Someone who I wish nothing will harm you. Even your own mind." he flick my hair behind my ear.
"You don't know how much I've changed in such short period because of you."
He laughed. Considering that we've only met for dinners but hardly communicate with each other before the incident, I tilted my head in confusion.

"I was antisocial, to be honest, I disliked those noisy meetings. Everytime you and your mom came to our house, I could only think 'I should locked the door', I really hate noisy. But I saw how you want to go home too. I thought that you hate our home too. Remember that day?" he asked. I could only shake my head. There's so many days in my life, I don't know which he meant.
"You passed out in this very swing, I thought you were sleeping, but you didn't move for 3 hours, I could see you from the window of my room. When I checked on you, your body is completely frozen." he paused.

"Were you the one who bring me to the hospital?" I asked. Its a bit shocking that he already saw me before. He nodded.

"I ran up to your mom, holding you in both hand, and she brought me to the hospital to carry you. After you got hospitalised, she told me you had pneumonia. Your mom cares for you, but she has been very close friend with my dad, she trust that we can take care of you." he wrapped his arm on my shoulder.

"I never got to thank you when that happened, thank you, you saved my life then and now." I pull him in for a hug, he rest his chin on my head.
"When I start noticing your presence, I felt the need to know you. You had so many hardship and survived all of it. Now it's time we take care of you."

"Almost like a group confession."
I joke. Pulling away from the hug. "I always thought Benji was the only one who's okay with me being here. Thanks for accepting my presence."

"Watashi wa anatagasuki" he holds my chin up.
"Don't joke like that, it's not funny." I hit his stomach with my elbow lightly.
"I'm going up. Is there anything you else? If there isn't, I don't have to go to your room at 1 am tonight right?" I take the little note out of my pocket and show it to him.

"I'm not joking, I'll wait for your answer tonight. Go on in." he take the note and crumple it. I stood up and walk to my room as fast as I can. Once I got in my room, I locked the door and jumped on the bed.
He likes me? Why on earth would he say he like me if he doesn't like me except he say he like me just like he like his friends or girlfriend, does he not have a girlfriend? He's just kidding me, pulling my string. Right? Right? It's 11 pm now. 2 hours till 1am. He might fall asleep when its time. I guess I should go, I'm curious, why would he like me when all I do is troubling them. I put on the movie Carrie. It's about a girl who had telekinetic powers that got suppressed by her mother, Carrie finally had the chance to like someone even when the guy was forced by his girlfriend. In the end she killed everyone even herself, except the girl who asked for forgiveness, the girlfriend.

The movie was 1 hour and 40 minutes, leaving me with only 20 more minutes before 1 am. Throughout the movie, I couldn't focus except for the scary part. Not long after the movie ended, I'm reminded back of Alex's confession. I do like Alex and Benji. Whenever I get the butterflies in my stomach like when Benji found me in the car park and saved me, or like Alex when he gave me his attention whenever I do something, I always throw the thoughts away. I don't even know if Benji like me or not. But if Alex do like me, will that destroy our friendship?