A way towards home (chapter six)

She looks at him everyday watching his every move and made numerous attempts to have a conversation with him but no matter what she do he still doesn't give her the attention that she wants. She likes this person a lot and it's not just like because she is sure that what she has for him is love. He's a boy that looks like everyone else but his silence mystifies everyone and his few words shows his true feelings. A wall is around him and she wants to find a way to join his little world so she can tell him what is inside of her heart. He has a pair of cold dark eyes and rarely shows expression. She wants him so badly that she did what she thought is right to get close to him but all she sees is his broad back and she wonders when will be the day that this person will turn to face her with the smile that he had shown to that girl.

Rena was lying in her bed her eyes clearly shows how much she had cried last night but still she can't remove Richards smiling face within her mind. She reminisce the days when Richard would reach his hand out to help her. 

February 7th school sports festival. There was this event called scavenger hunt and to join you will need a partner. Everyone already has a partner and Rena got left out, she tried to ask some of her classmates but no one wants to pair up with her because of the issue of her getting involved in a gang fight and they fear to be seen with her. She sat down in a corner feeling sad cause she really wants to join in for the price which is a stuffed rabbit but just before she was about to give up her sunlight was blocked by a shadow that belongs to Richard. She looked at him while he was reaching his hand out for her.

"My partner ate something and now he's stuck in the bathroom, will you pair up with me?"

"You want to be my partner?"

Richard nodded his head and said no more.

"Do you have a map Richard?"

"No"

"Then let's use mine"

"Ok"

The hunt started with a teacher waving a flag they only have two hours to find and complete the puzzle and everyone has no intentions of being the looser. Rena looked at the map and she tried to figure out where to find the symbol. The map contains symbols that can be found in various area in the school it doesn't show any buildings only pathways that looks like a maze. Rena was frantically searching for the moon symbol but she can't remember seeing a building that has one so she asked Richard. He looked at the symbol and remained silent for a while then he pulled Rena's hand and they went to the gym where some stage play paraphernalia where stocked up and Richard Pointed to a large moon that was used on a play last month, underneath it was a small box containing a small puzzle piece.

"We found one Richard YAY!!" Rena was very happy.

The next symbol was a car that has a satellite on top. Richard casually walked as he tugged on Rena's hand and after a few walk around they ended up in the school garage they looked for any kind of small box but found none. Rena sat on a car seat left out on the side of the tool shelves, she felt something pricking her butt and it was a puzzle piece.

"Richard i found it!" Rena showed it to him while jumping.

"Stay quiet it seems some people have been tailing us." Richard noticed that the other students was  following them.

" What do we do?"

Richard pulled her hand and they started running. Rena can't explain the feeling whenever Richard would hold her hand and now they are running like as if they are in a fairy tale where the prince escapes with the princes.

They hid under the altar within the school chapel they were sitting so close together that Rena can feel his heart beat and his breathing. She stared at Richard  wondering why he's trying so hard to win so she ask him why.

"Why do you try so hard to win? Do you like stuffed animals?"

"No"

"Then why?"

"You looked sad and i know you'll take care of the stuffed bunny more that anyone else."

"So you're doing this for me?"

"Maybe."

Rena can't help but smile at him but Richard showed no expression.

"Let's go Rena we still have four more pieces to find." He reached out to Rena and Rena held his hand tightly while feeling it's warmth.

It took them some time to find three pieces but searching while evading their classmates was proven to be harder than they thought. They waited for their classmates to pass by and when they were sure that the coast was clear they started running to the last area where the final puzzle piece was hidden but Rena tripped and fell. Her knees was bleeding and she can't stand up Richard checked her wounds but Rena insisted that he go to the hiding spot and take the final piece but he did not respond to her. Richard wrapped her knee with his handkerchief and carried her to the clinic.

"What are you doing?! Go get the puzzle piece or we'll loose!"

"It's just a material thing i can't leave you here while you're hurt."

"I'm not gonna die from this wound so go get it!" Rena was forceful while talking.

"DON'T BE STUPID OVER A SINGLE STUFFED RABBIT!" Rena was surprised when Richard raised his voice so she stayed silent until they reached the clinic.

They did not win and Rena was so disappointed but it was fine because she saw Richard being concerned about her with that it was more than enough to suffice as a price for her effort.

The next day Rena was eating a snack alone when suddenly someone placed a pink stuffed rabbit on her table.

"I'm sorry for yesterday. I shouldn't have shouted at you." Richard was behind her apologizing before he turned away.

Rena was speechless but her chest was beating wildly as she watches Richard walk away. The stuffed rabbit was a lot cuter than the one  that the other students got and to Rena she was very happy with the gift from Richard she was smiling all day while hugging the pink rabbit so tightly.

The pink rabbit that Richard gave her was sitting beside Rena she held it with both hands while crying last night her mind was very tired. She walked to the mirror and looked at herself while hugging the rabbit and said to herself.

"Don't cry Rena it's not over yet we wont let anyone have Richard he belongs to no one but us."

Mae was cooking a special stew for her guests. Richard and Noel was at the table talking to each other while they wait for Mae. Richard was going to have dinner with Mae when Noel tagged along.

"How on earth did you knew that i was going to have dinner here Noel?"

"We are tied by the red string of faith my good friend so we always find one another anytime anywhere."

"Could you please not make it sound so creepy."

"Oh come on! It's not fair that you get to have a tasty meal made by a beautiful girl. I want to have a taste of her cooking too you know?"

"Don't you have a sister? Why don't you ask her to cook for you?"

"Bro. Last time she tried to cook a vegetable stew it became a gray colored paste instead. You do remember When we had that school sports festival right? I spend my entire week going in and out of the bathroom."

" Yeah i remember. Rena became my partner that day."

Noel's finger twitched when he heard Rena's name.

"Richard. I think it would be best if you keep away from Rena for a while."

"Why is that."

"Nothing really . You now have a girlfriend so don't get involved with any other girl."

Richard knew that Noel was trying to say something but when he was going to ask Mae appeared with their food.

"Hey guys the food is ready.."

"The world is never fair! How come Richard is the only one who gets to have a loving girl!?"

Mae smiled then blushed while she set's the food down.

"Don't worry Noel someday you'll find your own girl. You are a funny and caring guy so i'm sure of it." Mae told him while smiling.

"Really you think so Mae?!" Noel asked her joyfully.

"I doubt it" Richard countered.

"Hey don't say that Richard everyone deserves a chance."  Mae insisted.

"I can't say if i'm going to be glad or not  by what you said Mae." Noel said depressingly to Mae.  

Rena was waiting behind an old building near the highway and after a few minutes a group of four boys and six girls arrived. 

"So why did you call us out Rena is there something that you want the gang for?" Asked one of the boys.

"We have to teach someone a lesson but make sure it's clean so that no can point it out on us." Rena said in a deep voice.

"What do you mean?" A girl from the right asked her.

"She took something from me and i wont let her get way with it so we will show her not to steal anything specially from me."

"You sound angry Rena did this ''SHE'' that you are talking about snagged your precious Richard." a boy asked in a joking manner.

"Yes she did and we will make her pay."

"Wouldn't this upset Richard." the boy asked again.

"That is why we will make sure he doesn't find out who did it."

"Ok.. fine but let's make this quick. When will we do this then?" The girl from the right asked while checking her fingers.

"There will be a fire woks display on Sunday near the plaza Richard and her will be there to watch so we will take that chance to do some damage." Rena was so sure with what she said.

"Ok then.. Just give us the call and we will be there." A boy said with a smile on his face."

Rena's thought was filled with hatred towards the girl that she now knows as the owner of the store where Richard often goes to but she still remembered Noel's warning so she carefully planned out her method of revenge on Mae.

Noel was enjoying as he eats with Mae and Richard but he doesn't forget what Rena had said so even though he shows Richard and Mae his smiling face he was also planning his own course of action against whatever Rena is cooking up. He had some info about Rena's gang and he is keeping an eye out for them he doesn't want anyone interfering with  Richard and Mae's happiness. Yesterday Noel talked to some students and he tracked down each and every member of Rena's gang all of them are students in the same school that they attend to.

Even though Rena is not involved with what the gang was doing in school they have proven themselves to be a bunch of bullies that sometimes harasses other students. They call themselves the red rebellion and Noel laugh when he heard what the gangs name was because for him it's a very silly and main stream name. The gangs hangout is located behind the school near the green house but sometimes they will go to the school gate and give passing students a very hard time. Noel collaborated With the only person that he hates and it's no other than Luke.

"So Noel what do i owe the pleasure of you being here?" Luke is always suspicious of Noel because the only time that he would talk to him is when he will insult him or scare him.

"Don't worry Rusty i'm here to propose a deal that may make your papers well known by the school."

"Oh really..? And what is this deal then?"

" How would you like to be the school hero who stopped a gang from bullying other students?"

"What?! I don't want to have anything to do with any gangs they will come after me if i expose them!"

"And that is why you have me.. I will have your back. I'm planning to beat the crap out of them if they do something that i don't want and i need someone who can expose them after i floored all of them."

" I don't get it Noel?"

"I'm aiming for the red rebellion gang."

"Rena's gang?! but why? did they do something to you?" 

"No not yet but soon they will. and i am going to give you the scoop of the year. So will you hear out my plan or i'll just get someone else from your club?"

"Ok i'll do it but make sure that i wont get hurt."

"Don't worry you wont."

Noel and Luke locked themselves inside the club room to discuss their secret plan.

Noel have everything ready in case Rena's gang make their move and he looks at his friend as they have dinner Richards smile gave him more reason to protect the only happiness that his friend has.

                                   "Revenge gives pain but one has to take the fall to end it"