Guardiana (on hold)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

   We were all in an awkward silence in the dining room. Kent was seated beside Zach while Aunt Abby was beside me. The lasagna tasted so blunt. I don’t know if it’s because of this eerily silence or it’s just not cooked well. Zach kept on giving me quick glances while chomping down his dinner. I just wish Aunt Abby just start the conversation. 

    “So um Carther, how long is Mr. Gates going to stay here?” Aunt Abby started, gesturing her fork towards Kent. It’s as if she had heard my thoughts just now. 

    “I’m about to leave after dinner,” Kent answered instead which gave me a relief. Honestly, I really don’t know what to tell her.

    “Good then, we’re about to finish!” she wiped her mouth using a tissue. It’s true, she was finish but the three of us still had our plates full of lasagna. 

    “It’s just you, Mom,” Zach interrupted.

    Kent and I looked at Zach who suddenly spoke up. It was really a relief to see Zach right now since he hadn’t been showing up in school lately. Does Aunt Abby know? Aunt Abby became silent when Zach spoke to her. I was kind of thankful to him. Around ten, we all finished our food and Kent volunteered to wash the dishes. He honestly told me that he just wanted to get out of the awkward environment. From the dining room, I can spot Aunt Abby and Zach talking about something in the living room. When I sat on the couch with them, Aunt Abby announced that she would be leaving first and called out Kent to go out also since she said it’s already “late.” Kent, acting like a good puppy as usual, followed her. I heard that Aunt Abby turned on the engine of her car. I’m just wondering if Kent rode along with her.

    “Wanna go look outside, Swift?” Zach asked.

    I nodded and went outside. Kent already left and Aunt Abby was still in the driveway. 

    “The boy left already. Someone probably from his house called for him,” Aunt Abby told me. “Must be his curfew. Zach, will be waiting at home. Bye kids!” She drove off, leaving Zach and me alone.

    We were inside the house and I have no idea what we’re going to do. Part of me wanted to ask him about the things he knew about Guardianas, but I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea so I just stayed quiet.

    “You’re awfully quiet, that’s not like you,” Zach suddenly said behind me.

    “I’m thinking about the upcoming prom,” I lied. “Have you thought about it?”

    “Not really, I don’t like them at all,”

    “Why?”

    “Girls like you getting so hyped about these stuffs. Makeovers, extravagant gowns, and spending money for just a night. They’re all ridiculous. Just a simple dance party is nice. I can’t believe you’re also getting excited about these stuffs. Why do you like them anyway?” Zach shrugged his shoulders and I punched him.

   “It’s because I get to feel like a princess on that night,” I said playfully.

    “You’re so innocent!” he pinched my cheeks. “That’s the Carther I know!”

    “Ow ow ow,” I said, trying to remove his hands on my cheeks. “I’m still me.”

    “And,” he cleared his throat and placed his hands on his jeans’ pockets leaving his thumbs out. “One thing I hate about this prom is that sometimes you can’t get the person you like to be your prom date.”

    Speechless. I was speechless. He came near me. He tucked one strand of hair behind my ear but accidentally bumped my cheek. Then he stopped. He brushed my cheek again and again. Just then, I realized that he had found out the wound. My eyes didn’t dare to look at his. It would just make me scared. 

    “What happened, Carther?” he said firmly. 

    “Last night, I broke a vase and forgot to clean it. Then just awhile ago, I tripped and landed on the shards,” I tried my best to make my voice sound calm.

    “Liar,”

    I looked at him and surprised to see that his eyes were angry and a bit worried. This expression of Zach, I’ve seen it already but it was when we were still little. That incident when we were playing in a playground. A girl about our age bumped me accidentally and I fell on the rough floor and had an abrasion. Zach wanted to fight with that girl but I stopped him that time. He gave me that expression again. But I cheered him up immediately by smiling and saying I’m okay. This time, now we’re not kids anymore, it would be different.

    “I’m fine, Zach,” I took his hand. “It’s just a cut. It could heal.”

    “Did Kent do this to you?” he asked me, ignoring my statement.

“No,” I told him straight. “He didn’t do anything. He’s not that kind of person that would hurt me.”

“How are you so sure?” his voice was now so cold, he released my grip of his hand. Zach was different.

“Zach, you’ve changed. You’re not…you anymore,” I told him honestly. Then I paused to clear my cracked voice and told him,“Zach, please come back.”

“No, I’m so sorry Carther. I have to change,” he slowly turned away from me going to the door. “I need to change. For you.” He stormed out the door.