BXBX NOVEL Chapter 262: You still remember me
Frustration knitted his brows as he attempted to harness other elements, only to feel an invisible barrier thwarting his every effort.
"Sigh" Eli sighed inwardly. All he could do was wait and practice, hoping that the key to the Living form would unveil itself with time.
"A-Asher?"
Eli halted his footsteps when he heard someone calling him.
Turning around, he saw a light purple-haired girl, Marie, walking towards him with a hesitancy that added a layer of tension to the air.
"....Yes M-Ms. Marie" Eli raised his eyebrows, surprised to see someone speaking to him and his eyes nervously scanning his surroundings, expecting the Headmaster to appear at any moment and reduce her grades.
"..." Marie stood before him, her eyes tracing his unease as if he didn\'t want to see her.
"I-I am sorry If I disturbed you" Marie bowed a little, the evening sunlight casting a soft glow on her delicate features.
"Huh? No, No.... I am free" Eli reassured her, turning his attention to the hesitating Marie.
"...I...I..." Marie stammered, her fingers nervously twirling a strand of her light purple hair. Words seemed to get caught in her throat.
Seeing this, Eli frowned and said gently, "Ms. Marie, calm down!"
Taking a deep breath, Marie calmed down, her gaze meeting Eli\'s ruby-red eyes that held a genuine concern.
"T-Thank you for saving me before....." Marie expressed her gratitude, her voice carrying the weight of sincerity.
"....." Eli nodded, appreciating the acknowledgement, and waited for her to speak, sensing there was more she wished to share.
"I....N...\'Deep breath\'" Marie took a deep breath before saying, "Ash, I am sorry for leaving you that day without saying a single word".
\'Ba-Dump, Ba-D----\'
Eli\'s heartbeat stopped for a second before resuming its motion. He looked at her with widened eyes.
"So, you still remember me, Marie?" Eli spoke in a gentle yet broken tone, the rustling leaves overhead adding a poignant backdrop.
"...." Marie lowered her head.
Taking a deep breath, Eli crouched down, his gaze unwavering as he looked into her teary eyes.
Eli waved his hand, trying to break through the emotional barrier, but Marie didn\'t respond. He sensed her \'guilt\' for leaving him alone was a heavy burden on her and eating her.
"Marie?" Eli called her again.
"I..I...so--" Marie was just about to speak more when,
"I love you, Marie" Eli said with a serious face, a gentle breeze carrying a hint of a blush on his cheeks.
Marie was taken aback by Eli\'s sudden confession, not knowing how to respond.
"You know, in our childhood days, I was very shy to say these words to you..." Eli said as he stood up, the shadows of the setting sun elongating their figures, he continued,
"I was always nervous and shy whenever I was with you. Your presence itself made my heart beat like crazy, and..." Eli stared into her eyes, the ambient sounds fading as he confessed, "I also knew you loved me before".
Marie, who was staring at his eyes, suddenly averted her purple eyes.
"The day you left without even saying anything to me..." Eli leaned towards her face, the golden hues of the sunset casting a warm glow on their figures, "I really wanted to kill you" he confessed with genuine emotion, his expression turning crazy when the sunset fell on his face.
"!!!" Marie flinched when she heard those words in an emotionless voice, the sudden exclamation reverberating through the empty corridor, echoing the emotional turbulence that enveloped them.
Eli glanced at her trembling lips, a poignant silence settling between them, "Even if I kiss you now, you won\'t reject it.....Do you know why?"
Marie\'s eyes darted nervously to his lips, dangerously close to hers. She instinctively tried to back off, creating a subtle dance of hesitation in the dimly lit corridor.
"Because no matter what you do... you cannot run away from the truth you wish to forget" Eli said, his voice low and intense, as if each word carried the weight of a shared history.
\'Drip, Drip\'
Tears started to pour out from Marie\'s purple eyes, without her knowing.
"No matter how much you try to convince yourself, you know..." Eli continued, tapping gently on her upper left chest. "Your heart never forgives you for betraying your sister and me"
\'Tap, Tap, Tap...\'
The rhythmic tapping merged with the soft sound of their breathing, creating a haunting rhythm.
\'Drip, Drip, Drip\'
Marie\'s gaze remained fixed on Eli, her eyes mirroring the torrent of emotions within.
"How did you feel when the \'hero\' slapped you?"
"...."
"How did you feel when you tried to convince yourself that you love him?"
"....P-Ple..."
"How did you feel when you knew he just wanted to fuck you?"
"...."
"How did you feel when you knew your \'feelings\' were just a toy to him?"
"....A-A..."
"How did you feel when you knew... your sister\'s death and still convince yourself that she\'s living happily somewhere?"
"STOP IT!!!"
Marie, overwhelmed, closed her ears as she shouted in anger. The echoes of her voice reverberated through the empty corridor.
They were inside the corridor of the building so no one was there.
"NO!!" Eli\'s voice remained steady, piercing through the emotional storm.
"W-Why?" Marie, her eyes now swollen with tears, asked with a hoarse voice, the shadows playing across her tear-streaked face.
"Because you are her sister.....A prostituted\'s sister"
"DON\'T CALL HER A PROSTITUTE!!" Marie, with bloodshot eyes, grabbed Eli\'s collar and shouted, the desperation in her voice clawing at the air.
"Why?" Eli simply tilted his head, maintaining a calm facade despite the storm of emotions around them.
"BECAUSE SHE IS NOT!" Marie\'s voice cracked with defiance as she shook Eli.
Eli raised one eyebrow, his smirk morphing into a contemplative expression, as he asked, "Then why did you run away?"
"T-That\'s...." Marie loosened her grip, her eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and hesitation.
Seeing her vulnerable look, he called her again,
"Marie"
"...."
"How did you feel when you knew I was alive?"
"....P-Please S-Stop.."
"How did you feel when you knew I was alive?" He asked again.
"...."
\'Drip, Drip\'
Tears continued to cascade down from her eyes when she saw his broken yet love-filled eyes.
"...."
"Tell me, Marie!!"
"I-I....I was s-scared and.... h-happy" Marie answered with a sobbing voice, her fingers tightly clutching Eli\'s dress as if seeking an anchor in the tumultuous sea of emotions.
After a few minutes of silent crying, Marie moved away from him, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Without saying anything, she quietly retreated to the restroom, seeking solace in the momentary refuge it offered.
Eli stared after her, a sense of regret settling in. He knew he shouldn\'t have expressed himself so candidly in a public place. Even though he never anticipated things would escalate this much just because his emotions took control of him.
\'Sigh\' He sighed deeply, frustration evident on his face then, \'SLAP!\' he impulsively slapped himself.
It had been half an hour since Marie entered the restroom, and Eli grew increasingly concerned. Frowning, he decided to call out to her, but there was no reply.
There was no one else around the premises, and Eli was certain no one entered the restroom after Marie. Ignoring any potential social norms, he hesitantly entered the ladies\' restroom, the urgency fueled by worry.
"Marie?" he called her first in a husked voice, his eyes carefully scanning the surroundings as he moved deeper into the restroom.
"Marie!!!" Eli\'s shock was palpable when he found her lying unconscious on the floor. Reacting quickly, he gently picked her up, his concern etched on his face. He checked her breath, relieved to sense her calm breathing, but the worry lingered.
Swiftly carrying her in his arms like a princess, Eli ran towards the healing department.
After handing her over to the old nurse, she examined Marie and assured Eli that she had merely fainted due to stress, emphasizing there was nothing to worry about.
Eli sighed in relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. He couldn\'t help but think he had pushed her too far. Despite the strong urge to stay by her side until she woke, the old nurse advised him to leave, having already informed the class teacher, who happened to be none other than Aadya.
She would definitely feel unease if Eli were to present now so he decided to leave.
"Sleep well" Eli said warmly to Marie before walking out, leaving the healing department.
\'And it seems like that old bastard only comes during school time\' Eli thought about how the HeadMaster didn\'t come to stop her from speaking more.
.....
...
..
Just as he was about to enter his house, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Eli"
He turned to see Mariel standing in front of him, her expression serious.
"Mariel? What happened?" Eli responded, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"He wanted to see you" Mariel said with a serious face.
"Hmm" Eli nodded in acknowledgement. Without further explanation, Mariel initiated a teleportation, enveloping Eli in a sudden shift of space.
Eli and Mariel arrived at the clandestine underground section of her Duke House. The air was thick with an ominous atmosphere, and shadows danced menacingly on the cold stone walls.
"Come" Mariel gestured for him to follow, leading Eli through dimly lit corridors into what appeared to be a prison-like structure. Eli\'s eyes scanned the eerie surroundings, taking in the unsettling sight of torture devices and broken remnants strewn lifelessly on the unforgiving ground.
Mariel, discreetly watching for his reaction, found Eli walking alongside her with an almost indifferent demeanour. His unreadable expression left her both intrigued and relieved.
\'Sigh\' Mariel sighed in relief, her earlier apprehensions gradually subsiding. She had half-expected Eli to recoil at the grim reality of her underground chamber, but his stoic acceptance spoke volumes. It seemed he could embrace every facet of her, except her daughters.
Mariel eventually led Eli to a point where she stood before a heavy wooden door.
\'Thud\'
She opened the door, and Eli with blank eyes entered.
"Heheh...."