Two hours had passed since I walked out of Aya's house. One hundred twenty minutes since I uttered her name for the first time. Seven thousand two hundred seconds since I last saw her cheeks blushed.
But it already felt like decades.
I was having this strong urge to go back and see her again.
My eyes wanted to look at her and be consumed by her gaze. My ears wanted to hear her voice say my name. My hands wanted to touch her and feel her warmth once again. I was already missing her.
But I couldn't be reckless. My monster was still here, making its existence known from time to time when my thirst suddenly hit me.
I should be more careful when I'm around Aya. I wouldn't want to be the reason for her pain. I would eliminate anything that would cause her any discomfort if I could. I wanted her to be safe from the bullshits of this world and from the peril that my monster might make.
She was the light of my darkness, and I would not let anything or anybody hurt her.
"Someone's thinking too deeply." Byo clicked on the remote again and the television flashed another channel. He'd been channel surfing for a few minutes now and nothing was really up to our kind of movies.
"Hmm." I bobbed my head. That was the first move I made after I walked in the living room and sat down the couch beside him.
The door slammed open as Carmela ran towards us. She was beaming brightly, with a box on her hand. A very familiar box. Aya's strawberry cake.
"Take it back in the fridge, Carmela."
She pouted. Sitting down the carpeted floor, she sulked. "The cake isn't gonna eat itself!"
That made Byo looked at me. "You still haven't eaten that cake?"
"You know I'm not into strawberries."
"That's why I asked if I can have this a few days ago!" Carmela shouted, putting the box on the table. "But you wont let me even have a single taste."
When I looked at Carmela, she was still pouting and her eyes looked like those of begging puppies. I chuckled and nodded. "Okay. Fine. Let's eat it."
I pulled the box in front of me and took the cake from the inside. It had a lot of strawberries at the top, it looked.... Cute. Just like the girl who made it.
A smile tugged on my lips as I imagined Aya making this for me. She must be messy, with flours on some part of her face.
Except for the television, I heard the sudden silence of my companions and felt their eyes on me. When I looked up, I was right. They were staring at me inquisitively.
"What?"
"Did you just laugh?" Byo asked.
"Are you smiling?" That was Carmela.
Sighing, I leaned back on the couch. "Even a machine can laugh."
My brother scowled at me. "You stopped laughing a few centuries ago."
Carmela agreed on the question by nodding her head.
This inquisition was by far annoying.
"And I can't laugh or smile again?"
Carmela shook her head and smiled that reached her eyes. "We're just surprised. You haven't done that and we missed it. I'm glad you're smiling again, Ruki."
"Yeah, smile a lot more Prince Charming." Byo concluded.
I scratched the back of my ear. They should stop saying things like this.
Clearing my throat, I changed the topic. "Okay, let's eat this thing."
Carmela sliced the cake in three equal sizes. And we had our little "tea party", Carmela's words not mine.
They watched me as I took the spoon of cake in my mouth.
The cake tasted like.... Strawberry.
The first time I ate this fruit was a few years ago when we were in Russia.
It was sweet and I really didn't like it.
They waited for my reaction over the food, looking at me with weird expression on their faces.
"It's good." I nodded and gestured at them to eat theirs.
Even though I hate anything that has strawberry in it, I would tolerate it if it was made by her.
"Good? I thought you'll say it's disgusting." Byo ate almost half of his cake in one bite.
"Well this one is baked differently." I explained.
Carmela closed her eyes and hummed. "Hmmmm... This is really good!"
I wanted to tell them that it was made by Aya. But I kept my mouth shut. It might be better if I don't say anything, if I did - they'd drill me about it.
It was still Saturday. The last time I checked it was fucking Saturday.
I woke up at eight in the morning earlier. And my wanting to see Aya became stronger.
All I did the whole morning was thought about her.
Was she awake? What did she want for her breakfast? What was she doing? Was she thinking of me too?
I was like an impatient freak.
Our father had lunch with us. He was silent today. Usually he'd ask about school or what wrong doings have I done the last few days then his sermon was our desert. But today, absolutely nothing. This was a first.
Byo persuaded me to come with them to a bar when the sun was nowhere. I really didn't want to go. I was working on the lyrics of our song when he knocked on my door and started pestering.
"Prunier XO and a bottled water, please!" Byo shouted to the bartender behind the bar's counter who nodded at his order.
This wasn't the usual place he'd always go. The place was more chaotic with crowded sweaty people.
Carmela looked like she was enjoying herself, she ordered a cocktail and told us that she'll be at the dance floor. Byo allowed her instantly but I hesitated, Carmela rolled her eyes at me.
"I'll just be over there!" She pointed a place somewhere in the middle of the packed dance floor and walked towards it.
I followed her a look and saw some douche eying Carmela with lustful eyes. Some humans were really an ass.
My perspiring bottled water and Byo's amber drink on a little shot glass was served by another bartender.
The next few hours was me, dragging a drunk laughing Byo murmuring who the fuck knows what out of the bar with Carmela saying goodbye to her newly found friends.
Sunday.
I had less than twenty four hours to waste then I'd be able to see her again - to be with her again.
All I did this day was check on the time and became extremely frustrated when I check back and see that nothing changed.
When the fuck did the time started to move slowly?
Byo noticed my annoyance towards the time and asked me about it. I answered him nothing and went inside my room to continue and watch the time.
Monday.
Four more hours until I get to see her. I was wide awake, staring at my ceiling for I didn't know how long.
Three more hours until I get to gaze at her brown eyes. I was standing here at my room's balcony, watching the sun rose up from its sleep and coloring this side of the world.
Two more hours until I get to smell her scent. I was staring at my reflection at the mirror. He looked ready.
One more hour until I get to feel her. I was at the garage impatiently waiting for the others to get in our car.
We arrived at the school, forty minutes before the class starts.
I told Byo and Carmela that we'd see each other later during the break.
My anticipation even got higher when I step foot in the school's building.
"Good Morning, Ruki..." A few students greeted me when I walk passed them, because I was in a good mood today - I acknowledged them by nodding.
Some girls squealed piercingly, which made me regret what I did.
I reached our floor and turned to where our room was. It was already noisy at the corridor with some of the students playing around.
As I walked nearer to our classroom, my feet stopped from walking when her scent reached me.
It was close, very close.
I turned around.
Standing a few feet away from me was Aya. Her gaze found mine instantly then her lips formed a very warm smile, lighting me up.
Finally,
My wait was over.