A Tale of Two Worlds ii : Cursed Wheel

Chapter V : Voiceless

"I wonder if he's here..." Milly said to the cold wind that brushed her hair as she unplugged her earphones off. Last night was her concert and it bugs her that Albert didn't went to the backstage as he has always did on her last three concerts. And just now when she was hit by a writer's block so she decided to meet Albert since his phone was off when she tried to call him. Ever since Milly liked Albert, all of her songs were about him. She thought that if she saw him, it might speed up her writing process.

She was about to knock to the door of Albert's house when the door opened. And inside it was a small girl who wears a flu mask, a white shirt that looks like Albert's. "Hi there... is uhnmm.... Albert here?" A part of her thinks that she went to the wrong house.

The little girl yawned. Somehow, she could see a little Patricia infront of her. "Melicia is waiting for him with Patty." Melicia gave her a piercing look with her brown eyes. "We ran out of ice, I'm sorry. It's still waterry." She closed the door with a soft thud.

"What?!" Milly knocked once again. The same girl opened the door. "I'm not here to buy ice." She said with a forced smile. If you're not a cute little girl, I already slapped that fucking attitude out of you. She thought.

Melicia stared at her with the same look. "No solicitation please." She closed the door once again.

This made Milly angry. She knocked once again. Once she saw her target, she grabbed her cheeks.

"Ughhhh.... Yet me gowww..." The little girl said, as her face was being streched.

"Now tell me. Where is Albert."

"Albert is gone." It was Patricia with her white shirt that's been tied on it's side, showing her stomach. "We visited him since he wasn't answering my calls and shit. But yeah, he was gone."

Milly, placed her hands inside the pockets of her pink hoodie, seeking for little warmth. Underneath that hoodie was her uniform. And underneath that uniform was a white shirt. And underneath that shirt was a tank top. "Where could he be? He wouldn't miss my concert for a stupid reason..."

"There's indeed a stupid reason." She laughed.

Patricia invited her in, so she let go of the small girl's cheeks.

"Who's this little girl?" She asked as she removed her school shoes.

"Melicia. My little sister." She sighed. "I just sneaked her from the hospital."

Milly looked at the little girl once again. She had long hair and dark grey eyes.

"You look like her."

"Duh."

Out of instinct, the two went straight to Albert's room. Melicia, however went to the living room and slept on the couch, tucked in two layers of thick sheets.

"Claire said that he went to Thear or something. He misses his blue haired Princess and went there to pick her up." Patricia said as she gestured a sachet of coffee to her. Milly nodded her head as she sat on Albert's bed. "I find it hard to believe but... It's Claire."

Patricia took two mugs from Albert's desk and there she poured the coffee powder, then the hot water. "Tell me," She said. "why did you like Albert so much?"

"Where do I begin.....?" Milly took the coffee that Patria handed.

.....

...

.

It was a hot summer day. Since she doesn't have a uniform of her new school that she transferred to, because the uniform was out of stock, she was forced to wear her previous school's uniform. It made her stand out. Not to mention her pretty face. And her being a popular singer.

She was introduced by the teacher and everyone was star strucked by her. Except for one guy.

Recess came when she was surrounded by everyone. Asking her questions and for autographs and making her sing. But this Albert guy was on his chair, scribbling on the back of his notebook.

Albert was always alone. She noticed. He never cared about anyone. Nor does anyone cared about him. His eyes were empty black pools. And his ears were always plugged with his earphones. Doesn't he know me? She thought. I can't believe this!

Days after days. Until it became weeks. Then two months. It was already December yet he still didn't talked to her. She wanted him to notice her. But in the end, she didn't care.

It was a cold afternoon and her group was assignned as the cleaners. "What do I do with this?" Milly said as she showed everyone the Algebra book in her hand.

"Just put it where you found it." A female classmate said.

And that's what she did. She was the last one to go home as she was the one who checked if everything was in order. Then two of her male classmates entered the room. She doesn't know their names and only knows them by face. "Hi guys! Aren't you going home?"

Then, five more emerged from the other door of the classroom. The orange sunset was the only light in the room. Everything was cleaned. She was about to take her shoulder bag until two guys took her arm. "Uhmmm...? Guys? This hurts, you know?" But they didn't say anything.

The guy who looks like the boss of the group walked slowly. Milly was so scared that she was froze on the spot. She wanted to move and scream but just looking at the guy's face scared her. He was about to place his hand on her cheeks until he was sent flying. By a fist. It was Albert. She looked around and saw the two other guys on the floor. The two guys holding Milly was shocked. They let her go and they already had their fists ready.

One charged. He yelled loud as if it would make his punch stronger. However, he did not hit Albert. Albert grabbed his right arm with his left hand as Albert twisted it and made a fatal blow on the back of his opponents neck with his right elbow. It happened in one swift motion and so fast that Milly didn't see it that much. The other guy just ran.

Albert didn't say a word. Neither did Milly. When Albert saw the boss looking guy about to get up, he kicked him hard in the head as he's kicking a stray ball that went his way. He didn't looked at Milly. He went straight to his seat at the back and took an Algebra book. He placed his book in his blue backpack and tucked both of his hands in his pocket. Albert was about to leave the room until Milly called out to her.

"You never notice me!" She shouted. "Did I do something bad to you?"

Albert looked at him with his blank eyes. "Everyone notices you. Isn't that enough?" Then he left. A soft thud was heard.

"What a jerk." Milly said. Then she grabbed her bag and walked towards the door. That was when she saw a cellphone on the ground. Probably Albert's. A very expensive looking one. I'm going to look at his porn stash and show it to everyone in class tomorrow. This would be hilarious. Milly thought as she giggled evilly. She pressed unlock but it did nothing. Maybe the battery is low. She thought as she pressed it long enough to see the boot animation. Instead of being turned on, it turned off once again. "Fuck."

Instead of changing her clothes, she took her charger from ther study desk's drawer and plugged Albert's phone. After a few minutes of waiting, she unplugged it and turned it on. "I wish there's no password."

And there wasn't. Albert's smartphone's home wallpaper was an anime character with ponytail and a potato in hand. She was wearing a brown jacket and she seems to be happy just holding that potato. Milly didn't care. She went straight to the gallery and was shocked. There was no porn. There were anime girls. But most of the pictures was her. Her album covers, her music videos and her live concerts. She pressed home and went to the music app. She found that most of the songs in his phone was hers. It made her heart skip a beat. Until it vibrated. It was just numbers who's calling Albert's phone. Due to shock, she didn't answer it. And then a few seconds later, the same number called. She cleared her throat before answering it.

"Hello?"

"Oh. Thank you for answering? I'm Albert. The owner of that phone."

She covered the mouthpiece of the phone and yelled "What the fuck should I do!?"

"Do what your heart tells you to." It was her mom standing on her room's door. Before Milly could even ask a question, her mom already answered it. "I was calling you earlier but you weren't answering." She smiled. She looks just like Milly, but already in her forties. But it doesn't show on her face. "Dinner's ready." Then she closed the door.

"Fuck." She whispered. "Oh... hey Albert..."

"Emily?"

"How did you know?" She smiled.

"Nothing. Just don't touch the gallery. Filled with boy's stuff."

She laughed. "I'm not like Miley Cyrus in my concerts. I don't see me doing weird porn-like shit there as far as I could remember."

"You already saw it? Damn."

"Everything." She said as she smiled as if Albert was seeing her. "And thank you for earlier. The guard already asked me if I'm fine. I believe that it's you who called them, yes?"

"Yes, I did." His voice sounded like he was shy.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

"See you tomorrow."

What happened to them yesterday spreaded to the whole school like a very contagious disease.

That was when they started to become close. They talked about music and movies and anime. There were times that they even watch it together in Albert's house. Just the two of them.

A week later and she started to hear the whisperings of the people around them. It was recess and Albert was the one who bought their food at the canteen. Milly was sitting on the stairs next to their classroom when a group of girls approached her.

"Emily! I heard you and Albert were going out now." A girl with long hair said.

"Is it true?" A short girl said.

Everyone was giggling as they surrounded Milly.

"No... we're friends." Was all she said.

"I know right! You wouldn't date a loser like him, right?" A girl said.

"Right!" The other girls agreed in chorus.

"Emily." It was Albert. With his poker face that he wore weeks ago.

"Girls, let's go." A girl said as she walked away. The rest of the girls followed, murmuring to each other and then laughing out loud

Albert handed her a hotdog sadwich and a coke.

And since then, Albert became cold towards her.

........

....

.

"I don't know. He looks so cool, I guess." Milly smiled.

Patricia smiled as she took a sip on her coffee. "I know a liar when I see one." She said, inviting the angel of awkward silence unto Albert's room.

Thanks to Bakemono for the edits