Scisces-Libquarius: Rea Lise

Prologue

One day, I was laying on the sofa at the balcony. I overheard Maria was talking to someone from her phone, "Please just let me do this," she scolded the caller, "I know it may have some changes but-" I heard the voice of the caller interrupting Maria, she was now less focused, "Oh I see but," her voice was now rising to a higher pitch, "Maybe I could set that aside for now."

Then the call ended, a buzzing sound came from her phone.

She sat down beside me, she was in a black one direction shirt and faded jeans. Her hair had grown since the summer and now she preferred to have it a mess.

She let out a sigh of exhaustion, pulled a pillow and squeezed it around her arms, she seemed frustrated, "So what was that?" I worriedly asked.

"Just my dad and some problems," She told me.

And I leaned more towards her, "So what about that 'set-aside' thing?" I asked.

"My education," She responded to me with a tone more weighed down.

My eyes widened, "What? Why?" I asked, "Is it because of money problems, because I could pay for that, I-I I mean I could buy a food truck, don't know how that's relevant," I then noticed my arm cycling like a Ferris wheel and my hand was closing and opening uncontrollably, this made Maria smile but I had to focus, I took a deep gulp "You know what I mean, I'm here for help, so you don't have to worry."

"It's not that Ron," she exhausted her voice and she crashed herself against the soft backrest of the couch, then she looked at me, "I was telling him to that I'll leave school."

"What?" I worried, my eyes panicked and leaned forward, "Why?"

She stayed silent and she gathered her breath, "It's not like I was smart anyways and my grades are barely holding on," she disclosed, then she gestured to me, "Yours got lowered during the second half of grade 7."

I gently laid back against the soft backrest of the couch.

And I started thinking about what Maria said. I mean I have no say on her personal life but I do have a job already, I have more than enough to sustain myself and her, so maybe I should help her in some way? After all, she's my first and probably the only one, so I might as well go all out.

After a few exchanges, we agreed to stay for grade 8 and I would provide for the two of us despite Maria's disapproval of me getting into her mess.

Then to change the subject, Maria got a text that made her smile.

And I got curious, "What's with the smile?" I asked.

She put down her phone to the sides, "It's just a picture my cousin Julianna sent me with her friend's dog's new puppies," she replied, "And the dad just left them since it was a from the neighbours."

I got confused at the first part but I just smiled to agree with her.

"The dogs' dad is the neighbour's dog who left?" I asked to make it clear.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Either way just keep the dogs anywhere near me and tell your friend to train the puppy into a fight the dad when they meet," I commented.

She giggled a bit, "But it's just a puppy," she responded.

"Still just keep it away from me," I replied.

"I'm just gonna text her that I'll still attend school," Maria informed, then she turned to me smiling, "And tell her to keep the pup away because my boyfriend is scared of them." she chuckled a bit.

"Thank you," I praised, "So, is she from your dad or mom side of cousins?"

"Mom didn't have siblings, so Dad's side," she explained.

We went to the living room to watch TV. I let Maria pick the channel but she stopped at a News channel.

"Earlier today, a massive battle close to the Whitehouse in Washington DC occurred between a terrorist organisation called the "Selrius" who attacked the Whitehouse with an army, tanks and Jets," The anchor announced.

Footage cut to the screen of a flying image attacking a jet, a hulking man crashing a tank, and someone projecting a dome with another one blasting beams of light. All of them wore caped suits. Then the news voice-over continued, "Thankfully a group of super-powered calling themselves Red Phoenix put a stop to it and saved the Whitehouse."

I immediately changed the channel, Maria didn't intervene, she noticed my mood and left to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, I tried processing the news. I thought the Red Phoenix members died, I saw them malnourished and judging from the beating they took from Genna and me, they probably wouldn't have survived. I still wondered how?

Anyways we spent the rest of the final days of summer preparing for school. We went out shopping for school equipment, bought our books, even bought new uniforms because we had outgrown our old ones. It was exhausting but I got most of my stuff in the colour orange while Maria's were in black. 

Joshua sent me the class lists since his mom was a teacher there.

I was an 8C while she was 8F along with Omar.

The day before school, we spent the night on my suite. 

I overheard her arguing on the phone, probably with her dad but it seemed that it still wasn't over. She argued about the same thing, 'setting aside' and about interference about 'plans' I guess her dad wanted her to be part of his plan but my girl is brave and independent (Hopefully it won't be to the point where she knows that she don't need me)

So for our final summer meal, we ordered room service and we didn't even eat properly, we just threw it on each other and just ate what landed on our mouth. 

After we got tired, we took our bath, she went first and came out fresh as jasmine, I then took my bath and came out with the scent of melons.

We both changed into our jumpers and jumped to the bed, our backs crashed like meteors on the surfaces of the mattress.

We looked straight to the ceiling, at that moment we paused, there was complete silence between us, the sound of cars honking along with other street sounds echoed from the outside. I held her hand as we took in the moment.

"So it's over, huh," she softly noted, "Summer's over."

"And a new start tomorrow," I calmly added, "And there's a school year ahead," I then took a deep breath a mix of exhaust and delight escaped my breath, I then turned to Maria, "I'm not sure if I'm ready to face the war ahead in school, my mind jammed too much... things have changed so much that I'm sure if I'll be good enough."

She then softly wiped her hand across my hand that she was holding, like a paper covering a rock, "I hope you realise that I did my to prepare you for this 'war' ahead," she calmly said to me, "I know you're good enough, and don't worry, I'll be there when you're down."

I gentle tear sparkled from my eye, I couldn't believe that I found someone as amazing as her, I am scared of screwing up and lose her. But at that moment, I'm happy to have her.

"Thank you," I heartily whispered to her.

"You're welcome," she gleefully responded, "Let's worry about the mess tomorrow, for now, let us just admire the evening sights." We both looked at the window, felt the breeze of the night and at the ebony sky... we saw stars that twinkled and softly mesmerized us.

I closed my eyes and calmy rest, ready to face ahead with Maria.