2 - Won't See Him Anymore

It's one of those days that Eara's interest was on Sidhiel's favorite teddy bear again. She kept on taking the stuffed toy from Sidhiel.

What happened was the two ended up holding each arm of the toy and kept on pulling on it. Eara managed to take the toy from Sidhiel but her arm swung towards Diehl's expensive and favorite vase. The vase fell on the floor and broke into pieces.

Kalyx clearly saw everything that had happened. Diehl also heard it because she immediately went where her son and daughter were, followed by Alena.

"What happened here?" Diehl asked, eyes darting to her son and daughter back and forth. Diehl's face darkened upon seeing the broken vase. "Who broke the vase?" She asked angrily, eyes focused on Sidhiel.

"M-Mom-" Sidhiel tried.

"I-I just want to borrow his toy, Mommy. But then-" Eara tried to explain.

Diehl turned to Sidhiel, cutting Eara off. "Since before, you always cause headache to me!" Diehl said as she grabbed Sidhiel's arm who is shaking in fear. "Do you know how expensive that vase is!?"

Sidhiel is just crying silently while looking at his mother. He's obviously scared of her. He didn't even sob loudly even when Diehl spanked his leg.

“Diehl, wait a minute,” Alena said, holding on to her friend’s arm which was clutching Sidhiel’s arm tightly.

"Aunt Diehl." Kalyx can't help calling her attention.

His voice was loud resulting in everyone looking at him. "It is not Sidhiel who broke the vase. It was accidentally hit by Eara." He said.

Diehl seemed embarrassed by what he said. She looked at Eara.

"I was about to tell you, Mommy," Eara said in a low voice.

"It's all right, darling. Let's forget about this." Diehl turned to Sidhiel. "You can't blame me. You'd always break expensive vases in the past." Diehl covered her mistake.

It's like nothing happened when she called for the maid and instructed her to clean the broken vase. She invited Alena to go back to the living room, bringing Eara with her.

*****

Sidhiel thought that everyone had gone back to the living room. He was surprised to see that Kalyx is still standing there and staring intently at him.

He was about to say 'thank you' when Kalyx's face darkened.

"Until when are you gonna keep quiet, Sidhiel? You're already twelve. Yes, your stuttering had lessened, but for God's sake, you should learn how to defend yourself." Kalyx said angrily.

"Until when are you gonna expect other people to do what you have to do? Your Daddy is still there, yes, but what if he's gone? Like now, why didn't you said that it was not you who broke the vase? You just let Aunt Diehl blame and spank you." Kalyx added.

Sidhiel's tears were already forming in his eyes while listening to Kalyx's words.

"It was partly your fault why you're scolded. You are too scared to reason out and stand up for yourself. Why did you let them think wrongly of you?" Kalyx sighed in exasperation. "Grow up, will you?"

After saying that, Kalyx turned around and walked away.

Sidhiel's tears fell when Kalyx turned his back on him. His words were cruel but they were true.

He was a coward.

*****

Sidhiel just got home from school. He quickly changed his clothes, then took out a picture that he was hiding under his pillow.

He sat in the middle of his bed and stared at the boy in the picture who is none other than Kalyx.

He secretly took that picture from their big album in the living room. Whenever he is sad, he will just look at that picture and he will feel slightly better.

Even though he doesn't talk to Kalyx when he's in their house, it doesn't mean that he doesn't notice the older boy. The truth is, he admires him so much.

Aside from the fact that Kalyx is handsome, he also knows that he is smart. When his mother and his Aunt Alena are talking about Kalyx, he listens intently even though he shows that he is busy playing with his favorite stuffed toy.

He knows that Kalyx is also good in sports. So how will he befriend him when he is so different from him?

Kalyx annoys him most of the time, maybe because he thinks that he is dumb. He's already thirteen years old and he still stutters sometimes. Even he wouldn't want to befriend himself.

For him, Kalyx is very unreachable. He knows that Kalyx wouldn't want to have a friend like him.

"See? I knew it, you're crushing on Kalyx."

Sidhiel almost let out a scream when he heard Eara speak behind him. He did not notice her entering his room.

He quickly hid the picture under his pillow again.

"Too late for that, Sidhiel. I already saw it. Besides, I already know that you have a crush on Kalyx. Yuck, he's too old for you." Eara teased annoyingly.

"T-That's not true."

"Aww, what are you gonna do now? Kalyx is about to leave you. You won't see him anymore." Eara continued.

Sidhiel is older than Eara by two years only but they'd never been close. Even though he wants to get close to her, it feels like their mother won't allow it. Why he thought that way, he had no idea.

"Mommy said that Kalyx will study in New York. He will leave you now. How pitiful." Eara kept on teasing him.

He doesn't believe what Eara was saying because he hadn't heard anything like that.

"You still don't want to believe me? That's why we are going to their house later- for Kalyx's farewell party. Kalyx will leave you." Eara taunted.

He learned that Eara is really telling the truth when their father told him to change his clothes because they will go to the Brier's house for Kalyx's farewell party before he goes to America.

Sidhiel told them that he feels sick so that he doesn't need to go with them that night. He knows that his mother won't complain because she really doesn't want Sidhiel to go with them if not for his father.

Maybe he is still young at the age of thirteen but it was not a hindrance in knowing that he feels something special for Kalyx. He knows that what he feels for Kalyx is more than just a simple crush; more than just a simple like.

That's why his tears just kept on flowing. That's why he can't breathe properly. That's why he's mad and scared at the same time. And it's all because of Kalyx's departure.

He kissed Kalyx's picture and placed it over his heart. "I love you, Kalyx. Be careful where you're going. Take care of yourself. Even though you don't know it, you're always in my prayers."

After saying that, he closed his eyes.

*****

Kalyx can't deny the hole in his heart when he saw that Sidhiel did not arrive with his family. He almost wanted to confront his Aunt Diehl if she did not let Sidhiel go with them.

He felt like his night was not complete and a big part of him is missing. He doesn't understand the heaviness in his heart when he realized that he will leave without seeing Sidhiel.

He looked up at the night sky and stared at the moon. "Please take good care of Sidhiel while I'm away. Tell him to be strong and that I won't be long."

He whispered pleadingly to the moon.