A/N: Hey! This update is kinda-sorta on time! You people should be happy with me. Do you know how you award you give authors you're happy with? Reviews, people, you give them reviews!
B/N: I apologize if the Spanish is incorrect, but I don't speak Spanish. I used Google translator.
My fingers twirl around the rosary and, for the first time since I was so little, I pray.
"Creo en Dios Padre, Todopoderoso, Creador del cielo y la tierra:" I whisper. The words tumble from my lips naturally as my right hand moved to cross myself; in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. "Y en Jesucristo, su Hijo unigenito, nuestro Senor, que fue concebido por el Espiritu Santo, nacido de la Virgin Maria: bajo Poncio Pilato, fue crucificado, muerto y sepultado: decendio a los infiernos: el tercer dia resucito de entre los muertos: subio a los cieliosy esta sent ado a la diestra de Dios Padre Todopoderoso: desde alli ha de venir a juzgar a los vivos ya los muertos: I creo en el Espirito Santo: yo creo en la santa iglesia catolica: la comunion do los santos, el pardoned de los pecados: la resurreccion de la carne: Y la vida eternal. Amen."
I continue the prayer with the dictated Hail Mary's, not sure why I bother.
But when I reflect, I find that if Mello can find some comfort from these beads, then so can I.
So I hold the beads tightly, almost unaware of the tears slipping down my face.
A soft voice whispers behind me.
"When did you learn to pray with a rosary?" Mello asks in a small voice, walking up to me.
"My mother was heavily catholic," I whisper. "She did a lot of… extreme things, but she always prayed for forgiveness… until a few years back."
"What happened then?" he asks, grasping my hand lightly in his.
I stay silent for a moment. "She gave up," I finally say.
He squeezes my hand, remaining silent.
"I don't want to give up on you, Mello," I say, looking out the window. "Are you ever going to tell me about your past, or do I have to rely on hints from people I barely know?"
"What did he tell you?" Mello asks after a terse silence, his hand going cold and immobile in mine.
"You're involved in something very dangerous," I whisper. "Something so dangerous and strict that you won't tell me about it. It probably has to do with the father you don't talk about. You're going to get hurt soon if you don't stop."
There is a long silence.
I squeeze his hand three times silently, knowing I was the only one hearing the unspoken word behind each twitch of my hand.
'I.'
'Love.'
'You.'
…
Mello and I go on as if we live in a world where we never fought over a game of 20 questions and I was never caught praying with a rosary. Where there are no problems with us, with anything.
We both spend as much time together as we can, savoring the other's company as much as is possible. It's an unspoken agreement to hold hands and sneak kisses at every opportunity.
If some asks me why we're acting like this, I wouldn't be able to tell them.
I have a sneaking suspicion and a gut feeling. God, I hope I'm wrong. But... It just seems as if…
As if we have a very limited amount of time together. As if this is too good to last. As if something's going to happen at any moment.
Everything has that pressing quality that the air has right before a storm.
…
"Mattie," Misa whispers from beside me during class while the teacher continues to preach.
"Yes?" I say.
Instead of saying anything, she reaches out her hand and hands me a note.
Raising my eyebrow at her and answering Mello's confused look with an amused one, I read the note quickly, watching Misa passing something to Mello, who's sitting behind her. It's written in Misa's unmistakable loopy cursive.
Mattie,
I'm going to act sick in a few minutes, with Mel-Mel following to take me to the nurse. Wait about five or ten minutes before asking to go the bathroom, please? We'll be waiting outside the front door.
I have something I want to tell you! Please come.
XOXOXO, Misa
I nod lightly to Misa, incredibly curious to see just what this was about.
In the next few minutes, I watch Misa stumble up to the teacher and give him a few shaky but brilliant smiles and a pleading expression.
The poor man looks absolutely dazzled. He nods dumbly, and Misa calls out to Mello in an overly sick-sweet voice.
"Mel-Mel? Will you walk me to the nurse's office?"
He nods lightly, sending me a small smile and following her out of the classroom.
8 minutes and 37 seconds later, I decide to just do it because I'm already agitated without Mello there to distract me from the stupid man's lecture.
I raise my hand.
"…Yes?" the simple man drones.
"Can I go the bathroom?" I ask.
He spares me a small nod before continuing his lecture, and I take the time to escape.
Mello and Misa are waiting for me as I step outside, and I immediately stand next to Mello, grabbing his hand.
"Well? What was it you wanted to tell me, Misa?" I say, smiling.
The look she gives me is completely serious.
"Mattie?" she asks in a small voice. "You know I love you, don't you?" Her eyes are watering as she hugs me tightly.
"What's wrong?" I deadpan, looking at Mello, whose face has adopted a grim expression.
There's a kind of pain in his eyes… I squeeze out I love you with my hand, giving him a searching look.
"What's happening?" I ask, a pleading note to my voice.
Mello sighs, looking above my head and slightly to the right instead of meeting my eyes.
"We have to leave," he whispers.
So... you may not think I'm very review worthy for that ending... But reviews also make me write faster, so remember that! :D
