Chapter 6

She only looked at me for a moment before quickly pulling her hand away again. I couldn't read her... I didn't know if she was angry that I dragged her out like that, or angry simply because she saw me. A sharp pain settled in my chest. Yes, it hurts knowing everything I've learned... but it hurts even more to see her trying to avoid me.

"What? You're going to tell Dad? Tell him I'm here in some bar, drinking and trying to forget?! I don't even know what I'm doing anymore! I've done everything just to get his attention! I follow everything he wants! But fuck, I feel like I'm about to explode from all of this!"

That's when my drunken haze completely faded...she was crying... Alina was crying, right in front of me. I could see her finally breakdown and let out her anger, just like the very first time I ever saw and talked to her ten years ago.

"I do everything he asks! I always follow him, even if it means giving up what I truly want, because it's been drilled into my head that I have to be a good daughter! I don't even know who I am anymore! Am I still myself? Or am I just a puppet, blindly obeying his every command?!" 

She cried even harder, I could feel the anger and pain in every word she let out... and it reminded me so much the way she cried that very first time I heard her, all those years ago, in that quiet park no one really visited.

I was just running from school. I didn't even know where I was going... I should've been at a restaurant or maybe an amusement park like my classmates after getting their report cards, whether they had honors or not. But here I am, crying and sobbing as I ran. The moment the rankings came out and I saw I was second, Dad stormed out of the room. I followed him, and I regret that I did, because all he said to me was

"Is that really all you can do? You're completely worthless. At least your brother always comes first and he doesn't even have a tutor. You have every advantage, and you still can't manage to be number one."

I kept trying to push Dad's words out of my mind. Even though I was used to how he'd react, I still couldn't stop myself from feeling hurt. While I was running, I noticed a girl standing not so far from me. She was wearing a different uniform, nothing like the ones worn by the girls at my school.

I noticed her run fingers through her hair in frustration and... was she crying? She quickly wiped the tears off her cheeks, but it looked like they just kept falling no matter how hard she tried to stop them.

"Why do I even have to go through this? Even the course I want to take he still has to decide that for me? It's like he's one step away from telling me I'll end up worthless if I choose Architecture!" Architecture? SInce when did that become a nonsense course? I even saw her pick up a small stick and throw it in frustration. She was about to grab another one when she noticed me watching. I quickly looked away, afraid she might think I was some kind of creep.

I glanced back at her, and she was still looking at me. Even though it was already getting dark, close to six in the evening, I could still see how red her eyes and nose were from crying.

And even with the fading light, I could still see what she looked like. Her thick, slightly wavy hair was a bit messy, and she had brown eyes. I'll admit it too, she was beautiful. Not just the kind of pretty people because she's fair-skinned, but the kind of beauty you wouldn't get tired of looking at.

"Staring is rude. And who are you? Why are you even here...have you been watching me this whole time?"

"Oh no, no...I was just passing by. I'm leaving now anyway." 

Nice, Leon, now you really look like some creep spying on people. I was about to turn around when I noticed her looked away, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't get the words out.

"If you want someone to talk to...uh, I'm here to listen. Looks like you also needed it. Oh, and I'm Leon, by the way. What's your name?"

"Alina..."

"I'm not here to report you to your father. I'm here because... I'm here to take you home." I told her awkwardly, not really sure what should I say. I couldn't exactly admit I was really here because I'd been drinking myself numb over the fact she's marrying my brother and because I couldn't stand seeing her surrounded by those assholes. Just remembering the way those guys stared at Alina made my blood boil again.

"Why don't you just stay out of my business? Do I have to listen to you too? What are you now? My father?"

No, if I left her there, some other guy might come up to her and do something bad. She was completely drunk and already swaying. She was about to walk away again when I took her hand once more. This time, i didn't hold her tightly... just enough so she could still pull away if she really wanted to.

"Alina, please... just come with me. You're too drunk right now. I won't tell your father... I promise. Just... come with me, okay?" She looked at me for a moment and raised an eyebrow. Same old Alina, she still had that little habit, and it hadn't changed at all.

In the end, she nodded and didn't pull away from me. She didn't say anything as I held her hand and walked her toward the parking lot.