CHAPTER 49
This is the first time I am going to face Skip after what happened in the duel. Even in our training, he doesn't show himself. Stacey told us he was still recovering. Though I hated him for a bit, I kind of feel that it happened to him because of me.
Skip’s house wasn’t that far from the convenience store where I saw Gwen before. I didn’t know he lived this near me because we rarely see each other other than during training with Chaz.
Gelo, as the best friend he could be, was the one who told me that Skip wanted to see me. If he doesn’t say so, I wouldn’t be. There’s no way I am going to see him again after all the things he told me. It hurt me. I’m still a human who can’t be as nice as always.
I'm not sure what Skip will say to me. Is he going to apologize? Is there a deep reason why he did that to me? Does he want to fight again with me? Hell, I am not going to give that to me. I don’t want to be violent again. I don’t want it to happen to me—being an uncontrollable force.
It smelled like salt air as we inched closer to his house. It’s only me and Gelo. As a huge reader, I could imagine us walking toward a haunted house. The thought of doing this is a mystery because I don’t have any idea why.
Gelo knocked on the door as soon as we arrived. I thought Skip’s parents were the ones who would open it for us. I don’t know why I still think of him as bedridden. The door cracked open and showed Skip in a perfectly fine situation. Is he still recovering from something?
"Hi?" I forced a smile before I entered. It sounded rude to enter a house without giving him a lighter feeling. It’s fine to be mad at him, but it will never be okay to rudely enter his home.
"I’m glad you both came." He smiled at me as well. The kind of smile that was telling me, ‘I hope we’ll be okay’.
We followed him inside. He appeared to be the only one in this enormous house. At first, I thought he was living alone, but family pictures were everywhere in the living room.
"Your parents?" I don’t bother to ask.
"Working. Busy working." He emphasized the second phrase. "They stopped working while I was still healing."
We sat on the couch, Skip and I beside each other, while Gelo was alone on the other one. I avoided his gaze. I can’t look directly into his eyes. Though I despise him, what I did to him wasn’t doing any good. I was still kind of regret doing that.
My hand was crippled on the couch as my eyes traveled toward pictures of him. He seemed to look like a great child. One who has medals all over his neck. One in which he kissed his mom’s cheeks.
Then I accidentally touched his hand!
"I’m sorry," We blurted out together. Our eyes fixated on each other. Then we both chuckled, and Gelo did as well. This seemed to be a not-so-expected but great way to end our beef.
"You don’t have to apologize. Really. It’s me who forced you to do that. It’s me who attacked you verbally and hurt your feelings. I do like you as a friend, Cath. I do like you for Angelo. I only made everything up because I wanted to help you unleash what you could do. Gelo told me you don’t have control over your other side. So I did what I did."
"W-What? You almost killed yourself for that!"
"And it’s fine to me. I also want to thank you for doing that to me. I spent almost two weeks with my mom and dad."
I glanced at Gelo. He was listening too. I’m glad he’s giving Skip and my space.
"You could’ve told them to spend time with you without hurting yourself."
"Trust me, it won’t happen. So we’re good?" He grinned at me. The kind of grin that feels like a great war has ended.
I shake his hand. "We’re good, but are you back next Saturday?"
"I am."
…
"I cannot believe Skip is that person," I told Gelo on our way home.
"What? Sweet? Stubborn? Spoiled?"
"Loving. He’s the type of person who needs love from his family. He is loved. But he needs time with them. He wants to be with them. Unlike me, you get to spend a lot of time with your brothers and now your mom. Unlike you, who is surrounded by your loving family."
"That is why the two of us were friends. He wanted a family. He wanted comfort. That’s why I gave that to him. Why are you saying such things? You wanted to be his mom?"
He laughed it off, and I pinched the side of his waist. He’s such a fool! He’s crazy! How could I be the mom of someone who is months older than me?
Gelo’s kind of annoying sometimes. The kind of annoyance that assured me. His sweet smiles and laughter. His likable presence. Also, this is the first time I get to noticed his scent. Not the sweet cologne scent but a hasty one. It smells like a wolf. Dark wolf.
"You have a new perfume?"
"Why?" He looked at me weirdly. He leaned in close to me and wrapped my back with his hands. "You’re smelling me, huh?"
"That’s not it. I noticed you differently." I pulled his hands away and dropped them in the air. It swung around into his pockets."Smells werewolf-ish."
"What is that smell?"
"I don’t know. Something manly and dark?"
He looked at me in confusion. We came to a halt, our gazes were drawn to each other."Do you know me as someone manly and dark?"
"No way! You’re sweet bunny pie."
"Hey! What kind of nickname is that? Gross."
"I mean, you’re the sweetest grandson Nana could've had. You’re also my best friend in this town."
"This town only?"
"I don’t have any friends out of this town."
"So I am your best friend?"
"Why do you sound so pissed off? It’s cute, by the way."
"Do I look cute with an angry face?" He turned to me with a frown and heated cheeks.
He is not cute. He’s too damn attractive. Hot. Oh my, God! My words are coming out of my mouth like an automated teller machine!
He spoke again: "You’re not answering."
I smirked. "I refuse to answer that question." I proudly walked past him. It’s not because I’d like to keep my pride. My body will explode if I ever come into close contact with him again. Damn these feelings!