Lua Nova, 03 de Maio de 2011
"My stomach hurts..." The boy growled. "I don't think I can eat anything else for the rest of my life."
The girl that was helping him to walk scoffed. "I warned you earlier to not go and challenge Mike to an eating contest!" She reminded him while thinking of their friend. "All he ever does is eating." And is skinny nevertheless. She furrowed her brows and muttered. "Stupid super-high-speed metabolism."
Charles looked up. "Did you say anything?"
"Errr... No, no, no... Are you feeling better?" She asked a bit concerned.
He slouched down again. "Not much, Beth... I'm sorry I'm being such a pain in the ass and make you almost carry me all the way home." He turned to face her with a very pale face.
"It's not like there was much of a choice... You couldn't make it in this state." He tensed only a little but it was enough for Beth to notice. She was making him feel guilty. "Besides, I would never leave you when you needed help... Think of it more like a payback for all the times you protected me back then."
He averted his face to the side. "What are you talking about? You... Don't need protection."
"Maybe not now... But I know what you did in the elementary and, probably, in high school." She smiled to him. "You sticked up for me and threatened a few boys and girls who mocked me because I was the new girl in town."
He huffed and turned to her looking apologetic. "Tell me... Are you... mad? 'Cause I... Didn't mean... To..."
Beth halted her step and sat on the sidewalk with him. He was pausing his speech way too much. "Hey, Charles? Are you alright?"
"No. I think I need... To..."
She knew what was coming. "What?! Don't do it on me! Turn to the other side! I'll help you out." And so, she tended to him while he emptied his stomach from all the food previously eaten during the contest.
When Charles felt better they resumed their way to his house. "I'm sorry, B."
"Don't worry! Maybe now you'll feel better... But next time warn me earlier that you want to throw up and don't do it on me." She reassured him with a soft smile. "Come on. We're almost there."
They remained silent the rest of the trip. They got to his apartment and let him in his bedroom to change clothes while she headed for the kitchen and prepared a light snack and some tea so he didn't slept without eating nothing.
"Beth, you didn't need to cook..." He said at his arrival to the kitchen.
"I know. But I wanted to do something for you... Or else you'd starve!" She flashed a grin in his direction. He smiled back looking a little better.
"Well, if that's the case I shall eat this superb meal that was prepared with so much love and care by milady." He said with a mocking tone.
"Don't be so excited it's just a meaningless snack so you eat before sleep." Beth told him.
Charles stop laughing and said in a serious tone. "It's not meaningless. Eveything that is done in order to help someone it's not meaningless."
She was shocked by her friend seriousness.
"Okay." Was what she managed to say after his speech... Then an awkward silence fell upon them.
Charles spoke up first. "It's late. You should go home: your mother must be worried."
"Yeah... Well, you know what to do if you feel worse?" She asked smiling again.
He sweatdropped. "Call 911?"
"No need for such drastic measures... You just have to get up from your bed, go to the win-..."
"Window, open it and knock on yours... Yeah, yeah mum. I also won't forget to brush my teeth before going to sleep. Can you tell me a sleep-time story?" He said non-chalantly.
"Ah ah ah!" She went to him and kissed him on the cheek. "You're a very good boy, but I guess I really have to go now. Bye" Beth waved him while leaving his apartment.
Now he was all alone. How could she be so dense? If it wasn't for her... I sure wasn't here right now.
What he told her was the truth... All that was she's done for him wasn't meaningless.
Before drifting off to sleep, the last thing on his mind was her. Only if she knew what she means to me.
