Lance
"Mikaela, let's visit Saint Angel tomorrow, and also, you have to come with me to buy gifts for them. I do not have any important schedule, right?" I told Mikaela while I was signing some papers. "And also, I want to check the other orphanages and see how they are doing." I added and closed the folder before handing it back to her.
"Okay, Sir. You only have one meeting scheduled for tomorrow. After that, you are free. We can also buy the gifts afterwards." Mikaela replied. "And it looks like they are here." she added, so I stopped talking and listened to see if they were really here.
I could really hear Bricx and Lizzy from the outside. It was only a faint voice, but Mikaela managed to hear it that fast. If she had not told me, I would not have known.
And they are here again. They are trying to ruin my day as much as they can. What a blessing.
The door opened and I saw the two―Aera is with them.
I got up from my chair, "You are here?" I asked Aera. "Ah, Mikaela, please order some food for her―"
"Ehem." Bricx was faking a cough, looking at me. "We are 3, though. Buy for 3 people, scumbag. Do not show your favoritism here. That is not a good attitude." he added, still with his fake coughing.
Oh, how I wish his cough would get real so that he would not have to fake it anymore. I am praying for that.
"Please order food for three people. I want coffee, and I'll order some for you too. It is still lunch. I will not call you for a while unless it's important. Thank you." I said to my secretary before taking a seat.
Mikaela nodded before going out of my office.
"How's your work? Are you from the meeting? " Asked Lizzy, who was busy looking at the folders on my table.
I nodded back at her. "Yes, why did you bring her here? Is it okay for you to stay here for a while?" I turned to Aera to ask, and she replied quickly with a nod. "How about you? What the hell are you doing here?" I faced Bricx and arched my eyebrows.
He was grinning at me. "I fetched them from their school." he replied shortly, but it is enough already to irritate me.
Why am I friends with this idiot?
How could I stay with this idiot for a long time?
"Aera was going out of the school, so I called her. She said, their class ended earlier than usual because their professor dismissed their class early after their lecture." Bricx shared. "I even introduced myself again in case she does not remember me, since we were not able to talk longer yesterday. And lastly, Lizzy requested me to stop her from going home no matter what."
"Do not be mad at him, brother. I asked him to stop Aera, so we could bother you here." Lizzy commented. "Since you met her already, I thought you guys needed to meet up more and catch up on things, you know?" she added, explaining her side.
I sighed, "I know we just met after a few years, but we have to make sure that we are not making her uncomfortable. I do not want that. She has her life and we should not bother her."
"I am happy to see her. I am happy that she is okay now, and that's enough for me. We do not have to meet every day. We have our own lives, this is not all about me and her." I told them.
I glanced at Aera after I felt someone tap my arms—not literally tap, she gently pointed her forefinger at my arms thrice.
She handed me her pad.
'Are you busy? Are we not disturbing you, as well as your work? You looked like you are tired'
That's what is written on her pad. It feels like I can hear her saying these words to me. There is a woman's voice inside my head saying it.
I smiled at her, giving her assurance. "I am okay. How about your studies? Is it going well today?" I asked and handed her the pad paper back for her to write her answer.
After meeting her that day, I had a good sleep. It's like the burden I am carrying has already gone. I do not have any dreams. All I can remember was a white background and nothing more. I slept for more than 8 hours.
My worries and undying thoughts are already gone, making me sleep and feel better. The guilt I had been feeling for years washed away after seeing her at the lounge.
'I am good, too. I also have a friend, one of my classmates. I had fun at school, I am more comfortable'
She shared it with a smile.
It's good to hear that she's making friends.
Although my worries about her missing were gone, I am now worrying about how she is at school or if she is safe at all.
"Who is she?" Lizzy suddenly joined the conversation. "Make sure to introduce her to me, Aera, okay?" she added.
Lizzy is really looking out for her at school.
That night, when I got home, Lizzy told me that she would look out for her even though they were not in the same building, or course they are taking. She even asked for Aera's schedule slip and took a picture of it to make sure she would not forget it.
Aera shook her head and looked back to her pad paper.
'He is a man, but he is kind. He is my first friend, and his name is Leus'
She wrote on her paper
So he is a man. Well, it's better to have a man friend. It will ensure her safety.
"You sure he does not have any motive? Tell him to talk to me tomorrow." Bricx commented,his brother's side is kicking in.
Aera smiled at him and nodded gleefully. On the other hand, my little sister went up to me and whispered.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
"What are you talking about?" I asked back, confused by what she was trying to say.
"Can you please make some moves aside from buying her lunch? You are too slow that her friend might steal her from you." she answered. Frustration is evident on her face after taking a glance at her.
I get what she was trying to say now.
I ruffled her hair. "Stop it, Lizzy. I would be happy if she found her happiness with someone. Do not be like that." I told her in a small voice, making her frown back at me.
She leaned back again and whispered. "Is it okay to see her with another man?" she asked. "Is it okay if one day she will never come here because she is happy with someone already?" Lizzy asked again, that made me think.
All I ever wanted for her was her happiness. So I will agree if she finds herself happy with someone. Who am I to stop her, right?
I was just her friend years ago, a friend who was guilty of not helping her. Now, I do not know what I will do for her. Whether I am her friend, which I would be glad if that is the case, or whether I am just someone she knows.
But the thought of not seeing her because of her happiness is somewhat unpleasant to hear. Friends can see each other even though they have their loved ones already, right?
That would be bad if we did not see each other after that. It will make me look like I am just someone she knows.
"What are you guys talking about?" Bricx broke the silence between me and Lizzy.
"I am kinda disappointed in Lance. He is too slow," Lizzy answered, before taking a seat beside Aera. "Aera, tell Leus to meet us tomorrow, okay? I want to know what kind of person he is. You know, I can tell whether they are good or bad. We need to know if he has good intentions towards you. I do not want you to get hurt. You seem so kind." she added, and hugged Aera afterward.
Aera must be comfortable with Lizzy. It's more like they are sisters by blood when looking at them.
"A walking human somewhere is too weak. I did not know where he got that attitude," Bricx said while looking directly at me. "I am not talking about him, okay? It's a friend of mine that I know from another company." He tried to lie, making an excuse to Aera, where Aera nodded right away, believing Bricx the liar.
Bricx can't stop grinning at me. I hope he will get busy with his hotel so that he can stop ruining my day. Damn, a*shole.
When our lunch arrived, I changed the topic. We cleaned the table and started to eat.
I noticed Aera was having a hard time with her hair.
Her hair is long and curly. My table is low since it is only for office things and visitors. She had to draw herself near the food for her to eat, and her hair was keeping her from eating peacefully.
I stood up and tried to find something I could tie her hair, but there was nothing I could tie her hair.
"Ah, right. Aera, do you want to tie your hair? You are having a hard time eating your food." I told her and showed her my handkerchief. "Can I tie it with this? I do not have anything I can tie with your hair." I added.
She nodded, a sign that she was okay and she was letting me touch her.
As much as I could, I did not want her to be uncomfortable. So, I will ask her permission every time I do something in which she is involved.
I tied her hair using my handkerchief, like I was doing before. I always tie her hair like this, so that she can eat peacefully before, too.
"There. Eat now." I told her after tying her hair.
She extended her fingers and thumb. She touched her chin and brought her fingers forward. It is almost like she is blowing a kiss out to me, but since I know what she meant, I did the same back to her.
Aera was a bit shocked after seeing me do it the same way.
"I learned this a few years ago." I shared. "I only know some basic signs." I added before taking a seat.
"Yeah, he studied hard before. I remembered him watching some videos about it. I thought he was just doing some crazy thing. Now I understand, he is studying it to communicate with you better." Bricx said.
Aera looked back at me, so I nodded at her. "I badly wanted to communicate with you before, so I tried to search for some basic signs." I explained myself, shy about getting all their attention.
Bricx did not have to share it, but he really did.
However, I was not able to do it to her since she does know about it too. I had to teach her about it first, so I stopped doing it.
But now, I am able to use it on some of the children who have the same disability as she. It was fulfilling to see children happy by making some gestures that they truly understand.
"Let's go back to eating. Our food is getting cold already." I told them, changing the topic again.
If changing a topic is a talent, look how talented I am for changing the topic in just a span of an hour.
We went back to eating, when Aera put a carrot on my food.
I turned to her immediately.
"W-why? You do not like carrots? " I asked.
She shook her head and got her pad paper.
'You like carrots, right?'
The two suppressed their laughter after seeing the note.
Damn.