Kissing The Wind

Then shrugged his shoulders and led me towards the kitchen where the food I cooked earlier were served. “But let me know next time,” he said.

I nodded. “So… I can work on your lawn tomorrow?”

He stopped from his tracks and lowered his gaze at me. My eyes locked with his and I saw how amusement danced across his eyes.

“You know how to work that out?”

“Yes,” I breathed. “You know… I can clean the whole house.”

His gaze darkened at my words. “Sydnee, I did not bring you here to be my housemaid.”

“I volunteered to do it.” I sighed and lowered my gaze. “My body liked to work. Can’t be idle.”

“Alright. If that’s what you want.” He cleared his throat and bore his gaze on me once again. “But when will you go to school? Examination week is fast approaching, Sydnee.”

“I know.” I played with the hem of the sleeve of his shirt I was wearing. Anthony promised to buy me clothes tomorrow. I bit my bottom lip. “I’m not ready now. Maybe next week or so.”

His brow knotted but he kept his mouth shut.

“WHEN you move your queen here,” Anthony said and gestured to a tile. “My queen will kill yours.”

I pouted and gestured him to take away my queen. He grinned and did it. I released a sigh and moved my king to a tile. His brow raised but did not say anything. He moved his queen to the side.

Five days had passed since I ran away from home. Anthony had brought me clothes to wear and I had cleaned the whole house except for his room. He said that I should not enter his room and so I followed his order.

He still kept on asking me to return home and to go to school but I refused. I did not want to see father in the house and I lost the courage to be at war with the top one student in class. All but one place did make me lose my enthusiasm.

“Isa and Rogie asked about you,” Anthony suddenly said.

My fingers stopped from moving my black general and stole a glance at him. “They did?”

He looked at me and nodded. “Rogie wanted to know what happened to you. He asked me.”

“Why should he ask you my whereabouts?” My brow knotted and moved my soldier instead of my general. Anthony’s white general killed my soldier. I squinted my eyes.

“He knew you’re staying with me.”

“What?” I shot a glance at him again. “You told him I’m here?”

He shook his head and moved his soldier before my general. A smile formed in my lips as I let my general escape from imminent danger. He chuckled and my smile vanished when I saw how his white general killed my black general. I shot him a glare but he gave me his widest grin, taunting me to think of a defense against his pawns.

My face went sour and smacked him in his chest. His lips parted in shock. “Did my cranky girl hit her limit?” he asked, grin as wide as ever. I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

“You told Rogie that I’m here,” I said and crossed my arms against my chest. “Nobody in school must know that I’m with you. Else, they will think of something between us!”

His brow raised. “Rogie is your benefactor. He should know that you’re alive and kicking and would go to school soon.”

I stood and told him to wait. I ran my way towards the stairs and I felt his gaze followed me until I disappeared from his sight. Minutes later, I got what I’m looking for in my backpack and ran down the stairs.

“Be careful,” Anthony said when he saw me running like a madman.

I grinned and sat before him. I ran after my breath as I handed Anthony the credit card that Rogie gave to me. “Give it back to Rogie. Tell him that I didn’t spend even a dime in his credit card. And I promised to pay him back the tuition when I find work after I graduated college.”

Anthony stared at the credit card for a few seconds before he shook his head. “You should give it back to him personally if you want.”

I frowned and put the little thing beside me. “I will not go to school for the next few days and I’m afraid, I’ll forget to give it back to him. At least, I remember my agenda now.”

“Sydnee,” Anthony called. “Rogie gave it to you. You must be the one who’ll give it back to him if you don’t want to use it.”

I heaved a sigh and nodded. “I guess… I’ll keep it for a few days.”

“Why don’t you go to school tomorrow so you can give it to him?” he asked.

My eyes squinted at him. “I knew what you’re playing at.”

A small smile curved in his lips. I watched him moved his queen and my breathe hitched when I saw that his queen was two tiles away from my king.

“Checkmate,” he said.

My brow knotted in response. “Did you moved my king when I’m not around?”

“No, I didn’t,” he denied with a smile.

My lips pursed into a thin line and tried to move my king in other tile. But his queen still captured my king and the game was over. I sighed and crossed my arms. My glare bore onto him and he laughed at my expression.

“Better move next time,” he said. But his words made me roll my eyes.

“You’re cheating,” I said.

He shook his head. A small smile was still lingering in his lips as he arranged the pieces. “You must go to school tomorrow.”

“How many times should I tell you —”

“The Camero threatened their sponsorship. Sydnee, they want you to study well. They knew you’re doing great for the past weeks and they were surprised to know that you stopped for awhile.” He looked at me. “You must come back.”

“I lost…” I cleard my throat. “I don’t want to be at war with —”

“Just continue doing great. You’re not obliged to trample June.”

I looked away. “But they want me to be at war with him. I’ll admit, I kind of enjoy trampling those top students but Anthony…” I looked at him again straight into his eyes. “I’m tired of everything.”

“Why are you tired?”

My eyes looked down and played with the hem of my long sleeve shirt. “My father came back and my mom didn’t want to cast him away. But I don’t like living with him. I still remember the time when three policemen came to our house to capture him.” I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply. “I begged them to free my dad but my father…” I choked. “My father shoved me away and my body crashed on the garbage bin while my head hit the driveway. My mother did not help me to stand on my feet. She ran after the police car and eventually drove her car to follow them. They… they left me alone in the house. My head bled some blood but I ignored it and tried to clean the small wound.”

A hand rested on my shoulder and I opened my eyes to see Anthony’s soft gaze. I tried to smile at him but I can’t. I bit my lower lip and continued, “When night came, I tried to cook for my own food. But… but I ended up burning our house. When morning came, Mom came back to see our house burnt down. She yelled at me and slapped me hard. Even tried to make me her punching bag if not for our neighbors who stopped her.” I sobbed as memories came rushing my mind, rumbling, and taunting me of my foolishness. “She didn’t even know that I burned my back. I cried but it was not because of the pain I suffered from my mother, but because of the searing pain at my back. Even the neighbors who left me escape the burning house didn’t know about it. I-I hide the burn and until now, the scars was left to remind me of that night.”

“Have you told her about your scars?”

I shook my head. “No. No one knew but me. I didn’t tell her and she didn’t bother to ask if I was okay or not. I just saw how murderous her eyes were when she learned that I burnt down her dream house.”

Anthony put the table between us at his side and gestured me to move closer to him. I did. I gasped when I felt his arms around me and pulled my head to his chest. He patted my head in a slow, rhythmic move. I closed my eyes and hugged him. I felt his body tense but then, he relax and his arms around me tighten.

“I understand now,” he whispered.

My lips curled into a small smile and did not say anything. We stayed in that position for a few minutes before I break away from his hug.

I stole a glance at the wall clock and bit my lower lip. “It’s late. You’re not sleepy?”

“No. But you are.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I chuckled and stood. He also stood and he put his arms around me. I did not forbid him. We strode our way up to the stairs and we stopped before the closed door of my room.

“Sydnee,” he called.

I tilted my head to looked up to him and our eyes met. “Y-Yes?” I breathed.

“Sweet dreams.”

I chuckled at his remarks. “Wake me up early tomorrow. I’ll go to school.”

His surprised looked fascinated me that a crooked smile formed in the corner of my lips.