After Xav came back down from Vian's room, he patted my back to ease my uneasiness and asked me to talk to Vian.

I nodded my head at him and climbed the stairs hesitantly. I don't know if it was my fault or not, but I was feeling guilty for some reason.

As in, he had suffered because of me... before, too.

Reaching the door, I knocked lightly on the door and heard Casey's voice. Turning the doorknob and pushing the door a little, I peeked my head first to see Vian awake and Casey by his side.

She got up from the bed and made her way to move out before flashing me a reassuring smile.

I smiled back at her and shifted my gaze to the guy, for whom my eyes started to shed tears.

I took slow steps towards him, not shifting my gaze from him for a slight bit of a moment, and walked near the bed.

His eyes were glued on mine, sweat glistening on his forehead, I took another step towards him and hit my pinky toe with the corner of the bed.

It hurt like shit, but I kept my pain to myself, sewing my lips shut, so I don't make any noise. He leaned forward immediately to see if I was okay, but I quickly moved towards him and carefully let him lay down, and pulled the duvet a little more over him.

We laughed a little at my sudden clumsiness. But soon silence took over as no one said anything.

Apologize once. Even it's your fault or not, just let him know you didn't mean anything for this to happen.

"Sorry..." I said as a slight whisper. My eyes focused on my fingers.

"You don't have to apologize, Joe, it's not your fault and besides nothing happened, I just freaked out on my own-" he stated, but I cut him off by holding his hand in mine.

"Just let me apologize, Vian. I don't want to explain why I'm sorry, but just accept it, please... for me," I sobbed and thought that this would help me to lessen the burden engulfing in my heart.

"I accept your apology, okay? Now stop crying, you are my cute friend, you know?" He said smilingly and slide his thumb to weep that tear away.

"WHAT AM I?" I heard Casey from behind the door, and immediately we detached our hands and sat straight.

"Don't eavesdrop!" Vian shouted at her and I heard her squealing for a moment and next she was laughing with Xav.

Then it clicked to me, why was Xav here?

Xav and I bid them farewell after making sure he was completely fine, and Xav dropped me at the dormitory. We didn't talk about what happened but to cheer up my mood which was not so good, he asked me to come for shopping as well as arcade with him.

As only a day was left for my trip, I had to do some shopping and pack my bags too, so I agreed.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

🎈Mall.

"This blue one or this black one?" I asked Xavier holding two dresses in my hands, who was busy on his phone doing God knows what.

"Hey! I am asking you something!" I said again getting frustrated.

"Blue one. No black one. No! I don't know. Blue one," He remarked.
What the hell!

"You are confusing me more, Xav," I whined as he was jumbling on his own words.

"Fine, blue one."

"Black?" I asked sheepishly.

"Are you dumb?" He said, making a priceless moody face.

"Fine, Blue it is," I chimed proudly and walked towards the counter. I had bought almost everything, I thought I could need there, and most of the stuff was at the dormitory anyway.

"Now shall we go for bowling?" He asked, dropping his shoulders in a huff.

"Let's go!" We played for an hour or so. It was a tough competition, and he won in the end. That bitch knew how to play.

Well, they say you can't be good at everything.

"Take this before I forget," I said to him seriously, and handed over to him an H&M bag.

"What's this?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"That's for you. When I saw it, I knew it will look good on you. So I bought it when you were busy on your stupid phone."
It was a grey sweatshirt, his favorite color.

"Awe thanks kiddo."

"Don't call me that, you little creature!" I spatted.

"Fine, sleepyhead!" He laughed.

We had our dinner which was a freaking pizza which was enough for me. Not to forget the memory lane, we clicked some pictures.

While munching on the pizza, I knew what exactly what I wanted to ask.

"So? You and Casey?" I asked, a visible smirk plastered on my face.

"Shut up!" His cheeks were red, his eyes wandering everywhere but at me.

"What? Are you going to hide from me now?" I asked dramatically waving my hand at myself.

"We just watched a movie together, that's it, she's my friend," he sheepishly said, a smile forming on his face.

"Just? Also, I didn't ask for any clarifi-" he didn't let me complete my sentence and shushed me as he knew where my mind tracked off to.

Whether he tells me or not, I knew there was something between the two, and I was genuinely happy for him.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

Reaching the dormitory, I took a quick shower and get back to finish my final packing.

Keeping everything and checking once everything was sufficient for a week's trip, I lastly put my pen and diary on top, which was the main reason for the trip.

I was contented that Vian and I had already planned half of our plot, and we just had to prepare the report based on that and start with writing the draft until we reach the final one.

Speaking of him, I took out my phone to check up on him because of the incident that happened yesterday.

Inbox

Joe
Hey!

Vian
Hey..

Joe
How are you feeling now?

Vian
Much better.

Thank you for what you did for me. I was scared though when you were driving rashly...

Joe
Believe me, you weren't scared more than me.

Have you packed...?

Vian
Uhm... about that... sorry Joe...

Joe
Sorry? For what?

Wait- you are coming, right?

...

Well, I understand if you're not...

Vian
Woah, Woah, wait-

I...

Casey wants to talk to you... she's not settling and pullisjdjng my haiir44

Jeez, privacy!

Joe
Damn!! What's going on? XD

Sorry for laughing xDD

Vian
How can you laugh at me? Well, you can because you are you...

Joe
I'll take that as a compliment *flips my hair dramatically*

Yeah bitch, tell him.

Vian
You don't have to take it because it was a compliment.

I like you...

My fingers struck at the screen as I saw those words. My heart wasn't expecting this.

Vian
That was from Casey... she says she likes you... look, just forget my existence in your life... I-

I exhaled the deep breath that was unknowingly caught up in my throat.

Joe
I don't know much about her, but she seems nice. I like her too.

Vian
Hey Jo, Casey this side! After sending a huge pillow on his head, I have successfully snatched his phone to talk to you. Wait, I will text you from my phone, otherwise, I'm dead *skeleton corpse of mine emoji*

Joe
B-bye?

Message from unknown
History of Tiveden Forest, Sweden.
Everything about the lake.

The lake?

─•❉᯽❉•─

Thoughts?🦋