Rex the Period and Silence

# 19 The Out-of-Reach Socks

He walks ahead of me. With coconut waters in his both hands, he walks as if nothing ever happened. No burden, his steps are as light as a feather.

 We haven't done yet, we both know that, but he seems careless about it. He comes back, he starts the conversation just to break it. I hate the fact that he simply showed his teeth between his chuckle, out of concern, and I hate the moment he acted like his disappointment and the way his attitude has changed toward me are not a big deal. But one thing about him I can't deny is I still need him and I want him. him, I wish I can ignore how beautiful his eyes are. 

I give them the coconuts, "I'll go change," I say, trying not to act annoyed. 

"Okay," thankfully, they don't notice it. 

One part of me want him to follow me but the other part of me just want to call it off, the other part of me have of him. 

I walk into the rest room furiously. Under the running water, I close my eyes and exhale all the air inside my lungs. I ain't gonna wait for him anymore. That was his chance to explain everything to me and he missed it. I turn the water, wipe myself, and wear the clean cloth. Before I open the door, I promise myself to steal any glance toward him, never ever again. 

I open the door. No one, just like my expectation. I walk straight forwardly.

"Is that how you perceive me?" someone says it. I turn my head and find him .

"What?" I say annoyingly.

"Am I a person who can't differ the difference between confuse and genuine feeling to you?" once again -- his eyes paralyze me. "Am I that shallow to you?"

"No," my throat is hurt, I can't make any sound, he makes me lose word. I always aware that he isn't a shallow person. But, it was hard to believed at that moment and the way he left me three years ago has confirmed that he was joking. So, did what he just do. How could he ignore me then simply smile at me, when I was busy completing the word he left unspoken. "Then where you were all this time? Three years__giving all your love and support to her?"

"No, not at all," his eyes never left mine, even for a second. He darts it right to mine. "We__have never___ever__ dated," he spells it word by word. He emphasizes it clearly. "And I never __ ever__ have any feeling toward her. I can't and I won't," he moves closer.

"Are you sure that I'm not merely your__,"

 "I wasn't confuse and I'm not confuse."

I'm too stunned to speak, so he continues, "I like Rex. I like Silience. Never have I think I misinterpreted my own feeling," he's still the only one who do the talking. "I know exactly my own feeling __ how about you?"

"Where the hell were you? How could you leave me if you really want me?" the emotion gets the best of me. 

He stares at me wordlessly. He sighs and says, "I'm sorry." He gets real close. I look at the ground and my head touches his chest. I'm not crying but the way he puts his hand on my head, it cools me down. Therefore, the undetected tears come out.

"Are you crying?" surprisingly, he is laughing, while caressing my head. "I didn't leave you entirely, though," he says between his giggle. "You were so close to get the first place."

"What?" I shed some tears and look above, I look at him. 

"I watched your last match," he lets his grip go. 

"Is that really you? I saw you but I thought you wouldn't be there. What are you doing there?"

"My dad told me that you had a match. I had no reason to go there, but I ended up there. That's how much I'm sure about my own feeling." 

"Why didn't you just__ call my name?" I always wait for this time. "If you called my name, we don't have to waste these whole time."

"I thought you hate me. I don't want to ruin your moment."

"I'm waiting for you for this whole damn time. I was always hoping you text me, but you never did," I stop. "I _miss you." 

He moves forward, "I'm sorry,"he hugs me again. "For your information, I can't stop asking May about you." After staying like that about one minute. "Do you remember what I said about a hug, three years ago?"

I tilt my head, "A hug is a big deal?" 

He smiles, "Good girl," and caresses my head. "I won't give my hug to anyone. It's yours and always been yours. So ___ can I have yours?"

I halt for a second before I pluck up my courage to pour it out, "Is there something between you and Prisca?"

"She's been bothering me for three years, up until now. I deleted her, I blocked her, but she always finds her way to find me. And I really want to give you the authority to tell her to stop contacting me, to tell her that it's always been about you and not about her, tell her that I am yours."

I find no way to replay him, until he calls my name for the second time. "Rex,"

"Umm?" I respond and he raises his eyebrows. "Well__I guess__it's such a good opportunity for me," I end it with a smile while streching my right hand, waiting him to shake my hand.

"My pleasure," he blinks. He shakes my hand and intertwines his fingers to mine. We  walk while holding each others' hand.

The mermaid had never forgotten about the socks. The socks seemed out of reach. It seemed but it wasn't.