Kissing The Wind

“Calm down,” was all I could mutter as I stole a glance at the railing.

Did I ever think of jumping on that odd cliff?

Anthony was still in rage when we arrive at his house. I kept my mouth shut as I climbed my way to the stairs but I halted when he called my name. I was in the middle of the stairs. I turned ahead and looked down on Anthony who was squinting his eyes on me while his arms were folded against his chest.

“Come here,” he said. I could not figure out if he was still mad but the fine creased of his forehead told me that he was still upset.

I gulped hard and descended down the stairs. I stopped in front of him and I did not bother to tip my head back to look at him.

I heard him sigh. My body tensed when he reached for my shoulders and pulled me close to him. After a few seconds, I found myself hugging him back. His strong arms were around me and sometimes, his hands rubbed the small of my back and my nape to help ease the tension in my body. I relaxed in his hold.

“Tell me what happened,” he said, voice was soft.

And I did what he ask of me. I told him the things I saw when I entered the hut and the words my mother said that made me flee the hut in seconds.

He crooked his head and looked down at me. We were still standing by the stairs and I was holding him in my arms and so was he. I cleared my throat. “Actually, I wanted to jump off the cliff but I changed my mind after seeing the scene below the cliff.”

“Really?”

I breathed and nodded. “And you scooped me like some whore on the street.” My eyes narrowed at him. “So I thrashed.”

“You freak me out, lass.” He sighed. “Don’t attempt that anymore. Understand?”

A sly smile appeared on my lips. “Yes, sir.”

He smiled and ushered me towards the kitchen. He wanted me to grab some foods before going to my room.

I did not tell him that I have no plan to go back to the hut, and he did not insist nor say something about it either. It’s like we came to mutual understanding that I should not go back to the hut. At least, not now. But then maybe in the future, I would go back to see whether my father was still a madman. And the thought of being an orphan lingered in my mind for a few days.This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

The day that I dreaded came and my mind was in haze for a day. Anthony did come to the meeting as my guardian. I did ask the principal that I would ask my teacher to represent my parents. And since the principal was under an oath with Rogie, she let me drag Anthony in the meeting.

The other teachers made fun of Anthony when they saw him attending the meeting. They asked him if he had a child and he replied with a laugh.

I was in dire need to hide myself. So I did walk out of the scene and find myself making my way to the alley where Rogie always dragged me inside. I was alone there. The wind blew outside the alley. I sighed.

I stood there for awhile before I leaned my back to the wall. I huffed and closed my eyes tight. I dragged Anthony in this mess and I was ashamed not for myself but for him. He was a teacher in the school. He was not supposed to attend some parent-teacher meeting as a representative of a student unless he had a child, a nephew, or someone related to him by blood or by law.

And we were not related at all.

I lost count of the time and only when a surge of cold wind entered the alley did I decide to step outside. The sun had finally sank in the horizon. I blinked in confusion. How many hours did I stayed in the alley? The last time I checked, it was one in the afternoon. And by looking at the sky full of orange streaks, I knew that it was passed four in the afternoon. I hoped the meeting has ended now.

My feet strode back to the populous area of the academy. I was not wrong. I saw some students with their parents walking towards the large gate, while some walked towards the parking lot. My head snapped at the direction of the school building where Anthony was supposed to attend the meeting.

I saw a number of parents walking out of the building. I should look for him, but the shame and fear blocked my feet. I let myself be a coward and just wait for him in the parking lot.

When the sun almost kissed the horizon, I saw Anthony in the distant walking towards me. I stood on my feet and anxiously waited for him. The soft afternoon rays of the sun kissed his cheek and I held my breathe. I blinked for a few times while staring at him straight in the eye.

He stopped in front of me and I smiled at him. “H-Hey,” I greeted.

His lips crooked into a small smile before he walked towards the passenger door and opened it. “Hop in,” he said.