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Chapter 20

No, she didn't mind. As a matter of fact Serenity wanted for them to be alone. She couldn't explain it but she knew that she missed him and right now she just wanted him all for herself.

"Where do you have in mind?"

Serenity smiled as she answered him.

She was expecting for them to just go talk somewhere inside the rooms but Serenity's eyes widened when she saw Malkiel's safe place.

Malkiel brought her to the rooftop of the school, a place she had never been to before. The rooftop had this white benches besides an open greenhouse which had different vegetables, flowers and plants in it.

"Why had I never heard of this before?"

Malkiel laughed as he guided Serenity towards one of the benches where they both sat down.

"The teacher's rarely tell the students about this place because they might destroy the plants so only a few selected people know about this"

"And you're one of them?"

Malkiel shrugged as he smile sheepishly.

"I was a teacher's pet during my freshman year"

Serenity chuckled as she could never imagine Malkiel being a teacher's pet.

"What happened now?"

"Well, the guys happened. We were friends since grade school and they promised to behave on our freshman year here but during the second half of the school year. After we got beaten in the battle of the bands, they sorta became headaches"

"You're not included?"

Serenity stifled her laughter as Malkiel looked at her.

"Out of the four of us, I'm the nicest you know"

Serenity finally bursted out laughing when Malkiel pointed at himself. He smiled seeing her laughing wholeheartedly.

"I'm glad"

"Of what?"

Serenity smilingly asked him out of curiosity. Malkiel smiled at her before tucking a bit of her loose hair behind her ear.

"That you're smiling and laughing again"

Serenity didn't know if it was the sudden touch or Malkiel staring at her intently that made her cheeks burn.

"It'll take a while for that"

"I know"

Malkiel unconsciously said as he touch the tips of Serenity's long hair.

"I could wait Serenity, and I won't expect so you could return to how you were before"

Malkiel smiled sadly and it made Serenity's heart pound painfully.

"What?"

"I know what you're about to say and well I really don't have the heart to hear direct rejections so I just want to say it directly so it would hurt less"

Serenity abruptly stood up that made Malkiel look up at her. He was shocked to see that pain etched on Serenity's face. She was looking at him like she wanted to punch him directly in the face.

"How could you say that?"

The tone of her voice was rising and this made Malkiel panic. He abruptly stood up and tried to hold Serenity but stopped midway when he realized what he was about to do.

"I just... I could take us being just friends so you don't need to feel complicated anymore"

Serenity could feel the anger rising up her chest. She rarely feel angry and it wasn't an occasional occurrence but she hated that Malkiel jumped to the conclusion that she was already rejecting him just because she avoided the topic? He's just repeating what happened before when he told her to just forget about his confession.