Chapter 7 - Bienvenida

"Is this how you usually introduce yourself?" Mrtyu inquired, fixing her unruly hair and attempting to turn her gaze away from him while flashing her piercing green eyes towards Aaron.

Aaron refused with immediate response, “No… definitely no. I don’t have any intentions, it’s an accident.”

“Mister, can you say what to call you than a Pervert?” Mrtyu asked him with anger bubbled red face.

Aaron backed a little with protesting palms, “Woah… Madam. Please handle your words with care. Don’t break any innocent heart with your piercing words.”

Mrtyu eyed him, “I am sorry that I wanted to call you a pervert…”

Aaron smiled at her, “Apology accepted.”

Mrtyu continued her words ignoring him, “…You are more than a pervert.”

Aaron shrunk his smile beamed face, “Seriously, Mrtyu, do I look like a pervert? Do you know who I am?”

“Hum hum, don’t tell me you are suffering from memory loss…” She chuckled at him.

Aaron calmly observed her happy-faced expression and remarked, "Amusing by mocking me? Are you pleased now? Can you please stop treating me as a criminal who committed a terrible crime?"

“Anyway, you stole my first kiss. Your action is not forgivable.” Mrtyu rolled her eyes at him.

Aaron tried to explain, “It doesn’t count… it is merely an accident.” He exhaled some disappointed breath.

Mrtyu continued nudging him, “You don’t even have the courtesy to apologize to me?”

"I don't get it," Aaron said, crossing his legs on the seat. " Why should I seek for an apology when you are also a co-conspirator in the crime? I can tell you that you had a good time."

"No one is inviting you to get involved," Mrtyu said, her eyes ablaze. " Mister, Take your hand from my head. "You are occupying me," she said angrily.

Aaron took his hand away from her which he was placed to protect her head, “Fine, Mrtyu, I'm sitting in that corner; if you like, you may come..."

"I'm not going to come to you anyhow.” Mrtyu shifted her gaze to the windows before abruptly turning to face him, "Hey, did you just call me by my name?"

“What you have?” Aaron pulled her right ear, “Are those dummies?” he mocked at her.

"My ears hurt," Mrtyu smacked his hand. “I'm not interested in learning how you know my name. You're taking advantage of me as if we've been in a relationship for a long time. Just... get away from me." She directed her rage towards Aaron rather than Seyfert, who was sitting with his girlfriend, the real reason for her enraged temper.

Aaron softly moved to the furthest corner of the seat as her rage flared. After a time, Mrtyu noticed him out the corner of her eye; he was tall and had the appearance to captivate the girls. Because of the weather, he folded his arms and sat with his legs crossed, his hood covering his head. "He's probably faking to sleep. Yet thinking about how to flirt with me," she reflected.

"He initially wants my permission to sit next to me, but I don't remember my reply," Mrtyu remembered how he gets introduced to her. " Then, all of a sudden, he blew on my eyes like a madman and put his hands over my head. He drew me up to his kiss. Oh my God, this is insane."

While staring at him, Mrtyu stroked her lips and cursed him in her head, "He took my first kiss, damn, which I was saving for... (Her gaze was drawn to Seyfert, who was wrapped in a blanket from head to toe with his lover Dmitri, and Mrtyu sighed)... never mind. Let me focus on the man sitting next to me, who has the ability to do anything to me at any time. I must be cautious."

To curse her fate, the bus made a sharp right bend, and Mrtyu clung to her seat, afraid of hitting her head and damaging her face. She looked at Aaron, who was still asleep with his head down.

When the bus hit a speed breaker, Mrtyu lost her balance and fell over him, who had given access to his arms to restrain her. Unfortunately, she collided with his skull, and he exclaimed, "Ouch... Mrtyu, you have a strong skull. Is this your method of punishing me?"

"I'm sorry... it was an accident. I don't do it on purpose." Mrtyu instantly sought his apologies.

Aaron smiled at his corner lips, “Apology accepted. I know you didn’t do it with any intention to punish me since you have all the possible ways to shout at me and to get your friends attention. But you never do anything like that. You have my respect”

He continued, “I can understand that you are upset. You vent your frustration and irritation at me. That is understandable. And I won’t blame you for that.”

She mumbled inaudibly, “Thank you, Ron.”

Aaron continued, “Let’s get introduced properly. (He extended his hands expecting a handshake) I am Aaron, grandson of your lecturer Alex.”

“Whoa… What… Grandson?” she asked with a big question mark on her face.

Aaron raised his eyebrows and moved his index fingers in direction of Mr Alex, “don’t we share any resemblance?”

Mrtyu looked at Mr Alex and looked at Aaron and said, “When did you come?”

“Can you please honour me with your handshake, Mrtyu… it won’t consume much time.” Aaron intended with the handshake to feel her chilled hands.

“Sorry… (She gave her hand to him) I am Mrtyu, a student of your grandfather. I wanted to know how you knew my name. I guess this is our first meet.”

“It isn’t our first meet. We know us… I mean, I know you. And to answer your question, I am residing with granddaddy on the campus.”

"Are you with him? However, I didn't see you yesterday." Mrtyu sat in a more comfortable position so that he could engage more effectively. Aaron was too conscious of her enthusiasm and smiled at her to remark, "My cute little angry bird," internally.

"Are you sure you don't see me?" he asked her. I was the one who switched on the fans when I noticed you sweating. But I'm still puzzled as to why you yelled at the fan."

“Oh, that’s you. I thought weirdly that…. That …” Mrtyu tried to recall the stalking chilly wind thinking inwardly, “Will he laugh at me if I say a wind stalked me?”

Aaron continued to talk, “I saw you entering the washroom, so I went to take a towel to help you. And when I came back to the living room, you were explaining my granddaddy from the portrait. So I stopped, only to listen to your architectural view on ancient buildings.”

Mrtyu smiled at him sheepishly and Aaron continued, “After you have gone, my grandpa never stopped praising you. It was like my ears pleaded with me to stop hearing my granddaddy’s speech about you.”

Mrtyu was holding his arms and listening by leaning her head on his shoulder, “Are you praising me or cursing me?”

“Haha...” Laughing a little, Aaron lends his shoulders to her in a comfortable way.

Mrtyu asked while yawning, “So you know about me.”

“Yeah, little I hope. Rest you can tell by yourself.” He tried to look at her face.

“Will definitely, and about you?” she asked with raised eyebrows.

“I am Aaron grandson of Alex…” he told her with enthusiasm.

Mrtyu chuckled with half-closed eyes, “Uhm, I mean other than you are Aaron, grandson of Alex… Who are you?”

Aaron took a breath to introduce himself to Mrtyu, but before he opened his lips to say anything, he tilted his head to gaze at her. Mrtyu was dozing off in her profound sleep.

"Darling, get some rest. There is a huge leap ahead of you that you must take." Aaron cradled her head in his laps. "You don't know how my soul jumps in delight just seeing you again," he said as he brushed her hair and reached for her ears in whispers, "Bienvenida.”

Happy tears streamed from his eyes and landed on her cheeks. He brushed the tears away from her soft cheeks by plating his kiss.

*****