Worlds Apart (Completed)

Chapter 32: Acting Brave (Flash Back)

"Okay..." He says, eyeing me awkwardly. He knows I'm acting weird and he's going to find out if I don't put my thoughts together.

Focus Sarah, focus. I stood up from the ground and dust my dress off.

"So, Saturday it is? The day after tomorrow." I ask, focusing my attention on him and he smiles at me, standing up beside me with his bag in his hand.

"Yes, milady." He bows his head, gracefully like a nobleman and I bow back as a courtesy and we chuckle together. "Let's go to the Flo's. The ice cream's on me today." He utters and I clap my hands together and squeal like a kid.

"Lead the way young brat!" I tease him and run away while he runs behind to catch me.

Oh, days are just wonderful like the way they are. I want nothing more from my life if I could always live like this. I have a happy and healthy family and friends who I love and who love me back. Life's just perfect.

I and he went to the Flo's, Flo the owner of the ice cream parlor was happy to see us like always. She served us today's special ice cream.

We savored every bite of the ice cream and after eating we moved for our homes. His house was first to come in the way from Flo's so I dropped him to his door and he went inside after we bid our goodbyes. Before walking a few steps away, I decided to go back and check on him again from outside of his house. I've done it a few times already. I moved towards the wall, having a big window and stood beside it with my back on the wall, making sure to not get caught from the view inside and just before I could peek through the window, I hear his voice from afar which was getting closer to the connecting window room which is his mother's room.

"So you decided to take the money again."

"Son-" Calls his mother's weak voice.

"You think I wouldn't know this time?" He cuts off his mother. "I knew from the beginning! But each day I expected you to tell me and to not repeat what happened before!" He shouts at the top of his lungs, even I flinch a little and how bad would his mother be feeling right now.

What's happening in there? I can feel he's really angry, I haven't seen him this angry, never. Without moving an inch out of fear, I stood there listening to the voices.

"Son, it wouldn't have been easy if I hadn't accepted the money for us. I did this for you." Comes out the hesitant voice of his mother.

"We could have managed it all by ourselves as we promised!" He shouts but soon his voice breaks in the end. "I help Uncle Harris, he pays me good, wasn't it enough? We didn't need his money if he hadn't needed us." Comes out his trembling voice.

Oh no, this is bad, he's crying.

"If he hadn't been there, you wouldn't have graduated from school son, you couldn't have carried on with your studies."

"I needed not to!" He shouts again. "Don't tell me that again." He pauses. "I trusted you maa..." He said the last sentence very weakly.

"He's still your father, I can't just let him free of your responsibilities."

"You mean to say I'm a burden to you too?"

"No! never in my life, my child!" She exclaims. "What I meant to say is that he... He loves you, that he's willing to provide you the benefits which you deserve as his son on his own will, without my persuasion. Being a mother I too want my son's every wish to be granted which just being a librarian can't be fulfilled so I'm sorry if I'm being selfish for that." His mother utters.

"But I don't need this... I don't need his help, I've told you every now and then... I can manage by myself we can do it together." He pauses "If he loved me, he would've... Ah! Why am I talking about it all again?" He curses. "Mother, if you love me, don't take his help please, I beg of you." Both voices stayed silent for a while. "I'm... sorry mom for being rude to you but you know I don't want this, we've talked about it, right? Please let him go already the way I did." His voice sounded calm and soothing.

"Son he's not the culprit you assume." His mother says, weakly.

"Not again mother, please! You're saying this about the person who left you and his only son for Almighty knows some..." He doesn't complete his sentence and I hear a low whimper.

Mrs. Adam's crying... and what am I doing standing here and listening to their conversation? How low can I be? This is their matter, I shouldn't eavesdrop like this when I can't be of any help. Without hearing any further I moved for my home.

I thought things were getting normal with him and Mrs. Adam but in actual they were still five years behind.

I never thought he would have become brave enough to tolerate his insecurities, that he would have become brave enough to look tough and that he would've become brave enough to hide his true feelings. He is still the same frightened little brat inside with a difference that he has grown physically.

He never tried to distance himself from me and others again after all that happened back then but he never opened himself either. How blind could I've been? I should've noticed the havoc behind his chirpy face.

How am I going to face him again? What am I going to talk about the next time I see him? I can't pretend to not know about his situation... I can't pretend that I don't know his mother is still in contact with his father while he knew it and that's not for the first time he had found out their exchange.

With my thoughts rolling over my head, I walked to my home.