Chapter III

Eustone strode towards Sasha and lift her chin. "Where the hell did you--"

Before he could finish what he was about to say, she shoves his hand away. "I tripped," she lied and look away.

"You're a bad liar. You have the same cut I do now. I bet that someone who punched you was wearing a ring too."

It surprised her. This guy was just too stubborn and he wouldn't listen to what she tells him. He even does the opposite of what she tells him.

"How annoying can you get?" She asked all of a sudden with her brows knitted.

The expression of Eustone dropped to something serious. "Why didn't you put a plaster on it?"

"I used the last one on you. I'm going home so it doesn't matter."

Sasha was about to leave when he took her hand and drag her with him. She tried to pull back and resist but he wouldn't let go at all.

They enter a store and Eustone bought some ointments plus colorful plaster strips with different designs. She even tried to argue and said the ones with no design were cheaper but knowing him, he goes for the best. After paying they left the store.

At a bench somewhere along the street, they sat down. Eustone opened the ointment and place some on her cut before putting the colorful plaster strip.

"There, all done." He said and gave the paper bag to her. "It's yours now."

"Thanks..."

"What really happened out there?"

"Nothing to be concerned about," she answered and got up. "I have to get home now. Thank you again."

Eustone leaned back and watch her leave. It's not like it was a bad farewell so he let her go with a sweet smile on his face.

"I'm home!" Sasha yelled when she finally got home at 7:45 in the evening since she has a part-time job at some sweet shop. She brought a ready-cooked food for her five years old brother and her mother.

Her brother, Yuki, run to hug her from their mother's room to her. "Welcome back! What're we having?!" He's always like that, getting excited for the dinner she brings.

"Why don't you give it to mom," Sasha smiled and gave the paper bag to her brother. Yuki happily took it and ran to their mother.

After that, she went inside her room to change. She sat down at her study table and sighed opening the paper bag Eustone gave her. Her eyes widened when she saw money inside. It was her money that she gave him. I guess, he didn't like to compensate. He's nice, she thought.

Taking out the money, she put it back in her wallet. Then she took out the ointment and plasters. The plaster strips were all cute. They were what she always wanted but never bought since it was expensive for her. She hid some of it away and some she put inside her bag.

At dinner, she was just smiling as if nothing happened at school. But her mother knows what had happened to her face again this time. Her mother would always blame herself for not being able to give her children the life they deserve. She would always say sorry to Sasha for being too dumb and unable to get a job. In short, a useless mother was what she always thought she is.

Sasha knows better and the struggle her mother is in. She was just grateful at how loving her mother is and for that, it's always enough to her.

After dinner, she and her mother had stayed to talk for a while. This was always their setting while Yuki is sound asleep in their mom's room. He sleeps in their mom's room.

"What happened to that?" Her mother, Yellena, asked.

"There's a new student and he's trying to get close to me..." Sasha started. "He's nice but everyone isn't."

"Awe, poor you." Yellena hugged her daughter. "You shouldn't let them hurt you. If I had the authority, I would've--"

"It's okay. I have this year and one last year left. I can manage to graduate and then I won't feel anything like this anymore." Her voice was persistent and full of hope.

Yellena sighed and smiled worriedly. "Alright then, you go get some rest. I'll have to patch up the hole in the kitchen again. Our house is so old."

"Don't worry, soon enough when I get a real job we'll rent a nice apartment," Sasha told her mom before standing up. "Good night mother. I love you."

"I love you too," Yellena kissed her daughter goodnight.

Sasha went to school early than usual to avoid a crowded hall. In her classroom, she did nothing but stare outside the window and envy the birds.

Moments later, their class started. In the middle of a lecture, some crumpled paper was thrown at her. She couldn't care about it since she considered it "normal" a long time ago.

"Anyone who'd like to volunteer on tutoring this weekend?" Their instructor asked after her lectures.

"That's a waste of time," a boy in class stated.

A bunch of them agreed. Sasha wanted to do it but she has a job so she can't do it. Perhaps some other time, she thought.

"I assume there's no one," Prim, their FABM instructor sighed. "Have a great lunch everyone."

Sasha was about to get out of the room when Miss Prim asked her to stay for a while.

"I'm sorry, Sasha. I can't do anything--"

"It's okay, Miss Prim. It isn't really your fault that this is happening to me. I shouldn't have trusted too much, I know." It was better that she states it all first. Sasha can't do anything herself so she really can't blame Prim.

Prim sighed heavily. "Do you want to have lunch with me?" She invited.

"I don't really go and have lunch at the cafeteria."

"Then let's go outside. I have a lunch box right here." She then showed her floral designed bag. "I heard the weather's nice."

Sasha brightened up and nodded.

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