Chapter 40 - The Letter and Roses

It had been a month since we climbed the mountain where I and Dego talked about our friendship. We became reunited. I had managed to reconcile with Mayb, and she accepted my apology. It was really great to have my friends back and to have a new set also. It was also surprising that even my classmates started coming near me and talking to me. Maybe that was because the CINCO stopped bullying me. Since we went down from the mountain, they became kind to me. They did not say and do anything negative. In fact, they welcomed me to their group. I was wrong for calling them 'demons' because I failed to realize that they could change for the better, that they could ask for forgiveness, and that they could be friends with me. Plus, not all of the members of CINCO were not kind because there were Dego and Mayb who chose to step out from the wicked plans of Zen, Lura, and Marc before.

"I-I h-have something to say," he whispered, and he failed not to stutter. He could not look at me directly. He seemed nervous. I could feel that there was something that bothered him.

"Hmmm. What is it? Just tell it to me. Don't be nervous. This is just me," I said before I tapped his shoulder. We were in a park, and it was he who invited me to go with him. I could not decline his invitation since he was always with me. He was not letting me go home alone since the day he knew that someone almost raped me. My mama knew him after we climbed the mountain because he asked for permission from my mama to accompany me every time I would go home after class and every time that I would go somewhere else. Mama permitted him right away and I was not able to do anything about it. Mama also told me that she would worry less if Draco were there to accompany me. He faced me and that made me look directly on his smiling eyes.

"I am the mystery letter sender because—"

"Because what?!" I was not able to control myself. Yes, I raised my voice. I started sweating because of the tension that was growing between us. I seemed crying for his answer and at the same time, afraid of what he would say. "Answer me, can you?" I asked casually before he did not dare to answer my first question.

"Because I like you." My eyes immediately avoided his. I lost the confidence that I had earlier because of what he admitted. He just admitted that he liked me, and I did want to believe him. A handsome guy falling in love with a commoner only happens in the movies and stories.

"Don't make me laugh, Draco. Stop fooling around please—"

"I'm not kidding." I knew that he was not kidding because it was not his habit to joke about love matter. But I could not believe him saying those words to me. I just saw him as a friend, and I did not even know how to tell it to him. I got used to his presence and that made me see him as a friend rather than someone who could be my boyfriend. His confession confused me. I did not know what to react. I just found out that he was the mystery letter and he just told me that he liked me. I could not think properly.

"Tell me everything." I did not dare to look at him because I was not yet ready to see his face. I just looked down and kept quiet.

"You caught my attention the day I saw you during our first year in college. I thought you would notice me, but I was wrong. We became fourth year college students, but it seemed that I was just a air that you could not see. You did not catch my attention because you're beautiful. You caught my attention because you were so timid. Don't get me wrong. I am attracted to girls like you. But I never thought that you would own my heart that I could not appreciate other girls even they were timid also. I didn't want to let the chance fly that's why I started sending you letters and flowers. One day, I put a letter and three red roses on top of your locker early in the morning. No one saw me because I went inside the campus when no one was there except the school guards. The school guards knew nothing about what I did. I skipped my class that morning just to know if you would get the letter and the roses. But to my disappointment, Maybelle and Marc got those first. Maybelle saw the stuff first before Marc, but she just picked the roses and left the letter there. Marc had perceived the letter minutes after Maybelle went away from the locker. He picked the letter and put it inside his bag. Many students saw the letter and the roses, but no one dared to touch those except Maybelle and Marc. I hid myself because I did not want anyone to discover that I put those there. Then, the S.S. on the letters means ‘silent swear.’ I silently swore that I would take care of you until I could."

"You caught my eyes. Keep going because I'm just here for you," I uttered to confirm if it was really him. I could feel that he was staring at me.

"The two sentences that you could be read on most of the letters that I sent to you," he confirmed. Those really came from him. No doubt at all. "I also sent you a letter about Mt. Head. I saw you when you entered the fence of that mountain and it seemed that it was your first time coming there. But I did not follow you inside because you might catch me following you. Under the sycamore tree is my favorite spot and I always put three red lollipops there for ants to have some food. Fast forward...I just had the chance to finally talk to you when you went in our store. I suddenly got the courage that I needed to finally come near you. You gave me a chance to be your friend, fate let us to meet each other, and the rest followed. Now, here I am telling all of those to you. I really like you, Kaede. I really do."

"I don't know what to say..."