Chapter 3:  Blank walls are surprisingly full of secrets

Rhea's POV.

*Two weeks later*

Huffing at the large screen, I throw popcorn at the TV where the movie, Descendants 2 was going on. I watched as Ben smiled at Mal and glared harder at him. It’s all Kyle’s fault! He made me hate all the boyfriends in the world and I know it’s childish of me but it hurts. Mom was having her ladies day with her friends while Dad was working till late. And me? I was in the same state, anger for this whole two weeks, watching movies that I hated, eating and sleeping. That was on repeat for these days.  

Eileen called five times throughout the weeks and that irritant of her boyfriend decided she had given me enough of her time as if I was a charity case. That night, I screamed at him with some harsh words that I didn’t mean and threw my phone at the creamy wall of my room. Since that day, Mom announced I was grounded for a month to which I didn’t reply anything in return because I wouldn’t be going out even if they forced me to. Dad was disappointed in me too while Rhias stayed away.

It was all too much to bear together at once. 

My doorbell rang with its shrilling noise, adding killer pain to my headache. After few seconds when I stay in my resting position, not moving to open the door, I hear it being banged open with a voice that was missing for two weeks I’ve been like that. “Hola princess, I’m home!” 

I don’t make the move to get up. I was tired, droopy and felt like punching something. Would it a good idea if I used Elias? After all, he barged into my house without any given reason.

“So moping around the house with your fat tears is your schedule for the rest of the year?” says Eli as he enters the living room where I’m currently sitting and scowling at the flat-screen.

“Probably” I mutter as I wipe my nose and snarl at him. “What are you doing here?” 

“Apparently, since El left, I’m her surrogate as your crime partner.” He grins cheekily. “Okay, this was a large ‘tragedy’, he rolls his eyes and I give him a bored look, “but which chapter do you get yourself up and greet me properly?”

“You are right!” I flick my fingers. “Let me greet you properly now, would you mind getting the hell out of the house?” 

“Tsk babygirl, I know you lack manners but this is like abusing the privilege.” He shakes his head with mock disappointment. If he doesn’t get out right now, I’ll be disappointed if I don’t bust his face. On second thought, it’s a great idea.

I raise my eyebrows while watching him grin in amusement. “You have five seconds.” I say finally, sitting up properly.

“Woah woah, seriously, your mother sent me to take you out on a date so that we could sit under the starts and make up some crap about pretty little constellations. So, what do you prefer? A large picnic or the carnival?” he smirks, placing his ass beside me on the couch. I hold my urge to laugh. He always had the charm to brighten me up.

“Those are your choices for dates? And dates are supposed to be a surprise, Eli. And here I wondered why girls hesitate to go out with you. You seriously lack in the dating department” I roll my eyes unbelievably.

“I thought girls love those shits?” He appears to be genuinely confused, scratching the back of his neck and stealing some popcorn from my lap.

“Okay so, you plan a date based on your assumptions?” I scrunch in disgust, slapping his hand away. 

“Nah babygirl, I don’t waste my time on those. It’s only a special offer for you.” He winked, getting too cozy. 

“What are you here for, Eli except killing my brain cells?” I say in annoyance. 

“I told you.” He argues  but lets out a laugh when he notices my firm glare. “Geez, chill, would you? Your mother asked me to kick you out of the house.” He shrugs.

“Anything else?” I say with sarcasm. “Yea, I’m tagging along with you.” He says.

“Why am I not surprised?” I roll my eyes, letting the rhetorical question hang in the air. Elias shrugs and sits up, motioning me to get on with my clothes. His eyes light up with a scary glint as he rushed to my room before I could stop him from doing that. 

Ugh! I place the popcorn bowl on the small, glass top table and without bothering to switch off the TV, I half run to my room. And ta-da! This idiot was ruffling though my clothes!

“Omigod, Eli! Didn’t your mother teach you not to go through a girl’s stuffs?” I scowl, removing the purple t-shirt which he threw at my, right at my face. Before he could so any serious damage, I push him away from my closet and point him the way out.

“I can get ready on my own. Get out.” I order, glaring at him.

He raises his hands up as if to surrender. “Alright woman, get on with it. Come down within 5 minutes or I’m barging into your room again and this time I will go through your diaries.” He warns while I look at him with a poker face. 

He huffs when he doesn’t receive a response but thankfully, he strides out of my room. I let out a sigh at the half hanging situation. I guess, Eli’s right. I really need to go out if I don’t to die from suffocation.

**********

“Did you know grapes light up on fire if you keep it in a microwave?” he voices.

Since the time we got out of the house and into his car, he kept voicing facts that I had no idea of. It kept getting irritating and asking him to shut up doesn’t have any effect on him. His mouth just didn’t know how to take the message from his brain. 

Well, on second thought, it pretty much helped me forget a bit about everything. Why didn’t he come over before? 

The prolonging night was some kind of merit as it provided a serene chance before going to school tomorrow. Eli and I sat at a shabby, wooden bench, far away from everyone’s sight in the Greenwood park, feeding the doves surrounding us as they made those cute noises. While I was stuck up in my mundane world, spreading bird food everywhere on the damp grasses absentminded, Eli tried to catch a dove with his free hand and judging by how the doves fly away every time he gets near, it’s clear he isn’t doing better job. I let out a snort when he cursed over and over again walking over to me. Looks like the doves didn’t cooperate.

“How are you?” I asked suddenly, remembering his situation before all this.

“What are you talking about?” He looks bewildered, “Has something happened to you?” 

“Shut up” I mutter in annoyance, “I was asking about your grandmother’s death.”

“Oh” was his response. I wrap my arm around his shoulders while he looked away, smiling weakly. “It’s just too difficult to stomach she left me suddenly without any warning. She promised me we would celebrate the New Year together. I was planning to shift as soon as possible.” He says quietly and I listened. “It feels like my fault, you know, like I abandoned her alone in that house with just a housemaid to keep her company.” 

“Eli look, we all make mistakes and repenting is great but regretting won’t take you anywhere except pull you deep into your dark black hole.” I tell him, feeling everything together. 

“Yea” he says softly, squeezing my hands in response. 

He grinned out of the blue, glancing at me as I waited for his trap.

“Did you know that –”  Oh, not again! 

“Oh god, Eli! Shut up! What the hell am I supposed to do with your stupid facts?” I groan, warning him with my eyes. If he speaks one more one word about his facts, I’m punching him.

“Chill out! I just meant to say your sorrow’s too contagious!” He laughs, pushing me away. I glare at him and huff like a child throwing a tantrum,

“The facts are my way of diffusing your sorrow.” He says and I had to let out a laugh at the words since those are the words I repeated to Eileen and that explains why I’m back to square one, deep grief. What’s wrong with me?

“Seriously Rhea! She’s gone, accept it! Crying a bucket won’t bring her back. Goddamn, how much tears can your tear ducts hold?” He asked, nudging me hard. I don’t speak not do I pay any attention to him. Who’s he talking to? 

“Ugh! You’re boring!” He suddenly whines. 

“Didn’t ask anything.” I mutter. Eli plopped down beside me, on his former seat. His phone rang loudly with the music “Dance monkey by Tones and I” while I raise my eyes at him to ask, “Seriously?” He grins sheepishly in return.

Glancing at his phone, his mouth contorts into a taunting smirk. “Okay Rhea, I would have told you something amazing but since you are basking in your sorrow instead of under the stars like we planned, I won’t” 

“Do I look like I care, Eli?” I scoff, watching the couple a few distance away from us whispering to each other while they walked around. I roll my eyes. Weirdoes.

“So you don’t care if it’s Eileen?” he asks then, making me snap my head at him within seconds. What? His phone stopped ringing a moment ago. 

“What are you talking about?” I frown, searching his face for any secrets. 

“I guess I forgot to mention it was El who called right now.” He speaks with his usual normal tone as if that didn’t mean anything. 

I widen my eyes in disbelief. Is he serious right now? He smirks and that’s when I twist his pinkie finger as he yelps out loud, gaining the attention of passerby.

“Ow, ow! Oi, what the hell, RHEA! You are breaking it!” He screams, trying his best to snatch his hand from me. Yea, that’s what you deserve for mocking me.

“Why was it you thought best not to tell me? Hmm?” I hum, bending it a bit more. He lets out another scream,

“Ugh, Ow, hell, seriously, leave- ouch! Rhea!” He grunts. “Fine! Call her back!” he yells finally. I leave his poor finger alone as I snatch his phone from his other hand.

“God Rhea! Why do I hang around with you?” He groans, glaring at me while rubbing his sore finger. “But hey, at least, I got to bring the abusing Rhea back from the devastated one. And trust me when I say, I hate the devastated Rhea.” He proclaims. I snort.

I ignore his pep talk to himself while I dial Eileen again, watching Eli blow on his finger.  

“Do you want me to question your sexuality?” I inquire, I’m sure my eyes are gleaming with amusement. “That was literally nothing.” 

He displayed an ugly scowl, scooting away from me. “Shut up.” 

After a long, dragging call with Eileen, I managed to go back to my usual self, the most annoying human on earth. I could the sagging relief on Eli’s face as we ran around the park, squealing and catching each other as kids. I pushed him to the rigid ground twice and both times, he cried out dramatically. 

“I guess you broke my ass.” He grunted, holding his back while I laughed. “Oi! It’s not funny! My ass hurts too much and if I can’t wake up tomorrow, you’ll be carrying my bag to school tomorrow.” 

“Sure, whatever you say.” I wave him off as we walk back to his car with Eli whining about his back throughout the way while I tried to help. After dropping me off by 8.45 pm, he huffed a goodbye and drove off into the night. 

“Hey honey, how did it go?” my mother called out softly from the couch as I entered the living room after kicking out my shoes. Isn’t she supposed to be sleep?

“Great, mom. Thank you.” I reply, moving to sit beside her. “Why are you up?”

“Can’t sleep.” She smiles, wrapping an arm around me, “I’ll stay here for some moment and watch something while you need to go and get ready for your sleep. You got a big day tomorrow!” 

“Eh, it’s not like my first time going to school.” I shrug. “And I ate already with Eli at the park, thank you for asking.” I huff.

My mother let out a laugh, shaking her head, “Oh I know honey, Eli promised me he would make you eat. His exact words were, ‘I’ll shove the food down her throat even if it’s the last thing I do.’ A charming boy, he is.” 

I nod in agreement. I kiss her on her cheeks and set out for my bed. Stepping into my dark room, I smile tiredly. I can manage without Eileen.  

Maybe, things are looking up… I sure hope so. 
            ***********************
Author's note:
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