Chapter 2

"Sure, why not."

Her eyes started to sparkle as she heard my words. I put my bag on my back, and we headed out of the class. As it was still raining, I took out my black umbrella, and we started to walk. After a few seconds later I realised Lily was still in the rain and she was starting to soak wet.

"Hey, do you want to go under?"

She nodded back and went beside my side. We were touching shoulder to shoulder. There was a heat of energy from her that I could feel.

"So, Lily, when did you move here?"

"I moved here two weeks ago with my parents because they found a new job here."

"I see."

I could still feel the curse of silence with me. Carrying on a conversation is complicated, and another awkward silence broke out.

"Oh! Do you want to go to a café?" As she suddenly jumped in front of me with a huge bubbly smile on her face.

"I'd love to!"

I felt another shiver coming through my body. Is this a date now? No. No. Is it only friend thing, right?

We entered a café named Yumman Café. I've been in this café many times before with Grandma and her friends. It's nice to go with a different person.

We sat down on the hand made wooden chairs and ordered. I got a black coffee, and Lily got hot chocolate with marshmallows and extra sugar.

"Are you not going to get sick?"

"I'm only a bit wet. I'll be fine!" she smiled at me across the table.

"How was your first day by the way?"

"Let me see..." she started to bite her bottom lip again just as she did at the vending machine.

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"It was great, and it's all thanks to you!"

My body started to get hot as I felt a fire starting in my stomach.

"Are you for real? I mean, I didn't do too much."

"You did plus you are my first friend here..."

Another flame burst in my stomach. It's like she's the wood and I'm the small flame. She's making the fire grow more massive.

After then I saw a tiny drop of a tear splash in the hot chocolate. Soon I realised she started to cry.

"Are you okay?"

I got up and put my chair beside her and put my arm around her to comfort her.

"Yes, I'm okay... it's just I miss my friends and my family back home."

I rubbed her shoulders more and turned her face towards me. I wiped her tears with my jumper.

"Listen, there's nothing to worry about you'll make new friends here. Don't worry. It's your first day here."

She sniffed her nose and then wiped it.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about okay? Here let's go shopping."

"Uhm, okay!"

She wiped her eyes again and then laughed for a tiny bit. We went out of the café with the weather still being awful. We were again shoulder by the shoulder but closer this time.

The rest of the day was spent going to shopping centres. We went to the clothes sections first and got some new clothes, which was mostly for Lily, but she got me a little bracelet. We got more snacks and all that great stuff.

After a couple of hours of shopping, we went to the bus station. The bus came and, Lily went in. Before the bus doors closed, she turned around and smiled.

"Thank you so much, Kairi!"

Once again, she put more wood into the fire that was burning inside of me. My heart slowed down, and the whole world did too. The clock ticked slower. Suddenly, I felt two hands covering my mouth and making me unavailable to speak. The doors of the bus closed and I watched it drive away. Without a response, the curse of silence won again.

I walked back home. Mixed feelings were all around me, happiness and disappointment, it felt like I didn't do enough. She did all the work I just watched. I won some battles but lost some in the process. This is a war with myself and the silence that surrounds me like a demon or a curse.