Chapter 16: Better Late than Never

I yelped loudly as I sat up quickly out of fright. My breath was hot and heavy, sweats covering my entire body. I unconciously brought up a hand to hold my forehead as my other hand clutched my chest, trying to calm my heart down. It was racing so rapidly that it felt like it could bounce out of my rib cage at any given moment.

My body was trembling. My breathing was unsteady. My mind was all over the place. I shakingly brought both of my hands in front of me. They were not transparent anymore. I no longer felt like I was floating in the air. I was back into the reality, sitting on a bed with questions and thoughts swimming messily inside my head. I gripped my head, not caring if I messed up my already messy hair.

I'd finished my duty of recollecting my memories.

Someone could have said that it was merely just a meaningless dream, but I found it hard to believe that theory. Everything felt so real that it was scary, from every corner of the places and interactions between the people. Those events, I knew nothing of until now. And that pendant at the end, it was like a thunder striking me, waking me up from the deep slumber I'd been in for eternities. For years, I had been wondering who was the one that gave me the pendant and watch over me every time I was scared, afraid and gloomy. At last, I finally got my long-awaited answer last night.

Mr. Baldi…

Speaking of last night, what happened anyway? When I was able to embrace the truth, I tried to calm down and looked around. I knew that I wasn't sitting in my room because I had no chance to even step a foot inside my house anymore. But what I didn't expect was a more spacious and organized room with a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. Even the bed felt soft and comfortable. I didn't have a mirror at that moment, but I was sure I had on a very confused expression. How the heck did I end up in such a nice place with literally no money at all? Was I kidnapped? No no, if that was the case, they wouldn't let me stay in such a homey and bright room with no sign of threats. Plus, the windows didn't look like they were locked, and a wise kidnapper wouldn't just let their victim see an obvious escape like that. Then, was it a person who was kind enough to take me to their house? That was nearly impossible, really. It had been raining so heavily that from this view, they couldn't have been able to even see me on the streets.

"Argh!"

An exasperated groan left me as the confusion consumed my very soul. Taking in a deep breath, I tried to trace my way back from the start as I held my chin. So, to start off, I got kicked out of the house just because I wasn't a straight A student, but I wasn't going to bother getting angry about it right now. The most important thing at this moment was what went on after that. I was walking mindlessly around the city, not knowing how far I was away from the place that had used to be my house. It started raining and I fell to the ground, slowly losing my consciousness just like how I slowly let my hopes and dreams slip from my hand. In fact, I had actually passed out before someone yelled at me and shook my body. I could still remember the hopelessness I had had when I heard them begging me to wake up and the panic in their eyes-

Wait.

Their eyes… Those midnight dark eyes… They were the things that caught my attention, forcing me to focus on the person they belonged to. And then I saw… Mr. Baldi.

My heart skipped a beat upon remembering the very last thing that was kept in my mind before I entered the realm of lost memories. If it was him who saw me last night, then…

The door suddenly opened just as that line of thought crossed my mind. I whipped my head to its direction and caught sight of the man in question, who had on a very surprised expression.

"A- April!" He rushed towards me, nearly dropping the breakfast tray which he then put onto the nightstand. "You're awake! A- Are you feeling okay?"

"Mr. Baldi, I-"

I was cut off when he suddenly touched my forehead. It really caught me off-guard, but to think more about it, I was more taken aback by what I just called him.

The formal title felt strange now. Was it because I was aware of what I had once called him?

"The fever's gone now. Thank god." He let out a sigh of relief. "I was really worried for you last night-"

"I remember."

I didn't care if I cut him off. I needed to let this out of my chest. What was the point of regaining my memories if I didn't let the one I'd forgotten know about it?

He raised his eyebrow before letting out a chuckle. "Remember what, April? Remember that I'm your teacher?"

I wasted no second to answer him.

"I remember everything that has happened before."

He was oddly quiet for quite a long time. Usually when things fell into silence like this, I would fidget because of how uncomfortable the awkwardness was. But today was different. The silence went by each second slowly and unhurriedly as I patiently waited for his reply. However, what he said next was out of my expectation.

"Ah yes, that. You passed out, so I took you here."

If this had been any other awkward situation, a little laugh would have acted as a hero who just came to the rescue. But at this very moment, it made my heart shatter into millions of pieces.

So this was the feeling of true pain – seeing him trying to deny it because it took me so long to remember that he'd already given up all hopes.

Unable to control my boiling emotions, I, without any hesitance, wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace, hugging him tightly as if he would vanish as soon as I let him go. I could hear the sound of my heart beating uncontrollably, and through our touching chest, I was certain that I could feel his heart thumping loudly too. He was frozen for a while before he was able to speak up.

"A… April?" He said with a wavering voice. "A- Are you okay? You're acting strange."

I was about to say something right away when my eyes started to water, but I tried to hold it back before I lost all the courage I had somehow managed to gather. I didn't know what had gotten into me that day, but I just knew I had to tell him as soon as possible before it was too late, before my anxious and worrying self returned.

"I got back my memories, big bro!"

Those last two words were on purpose. I left no room for denial.

A gasp left his lips, his breath hitching. I kept clutching his sweater, drops of tears finally rolling down my face, but I paid them no mind just like how I didn't care how I was starting to let out small sniffs. He was still sitting there frozen in contrast to his racing heart, and I was still there hugging him close to me. Many minutes went by and none of us had spoken up yet, but it was fine. I had taken my whole life to regain the precious moments I'd lost, so giving him a few minutes to take it all in was no longer a problem.

After what felt like forever, I felt two hands on my back, their heat spreading all over my body. And then, he hugged me back, my heart skipping another beat at the sudden movement, though I didn't mind it.

My shoulder suddenly felt wet, and when I looked at it, I caught sight of tears flowing from his eyes, staining my shirt. However, on his lips was a smile brighter than the sunshine outside. I found myself lost in his beauty for a second, and I could have stayed like that if it hadn't been for his trembling voice.

"It- It's been such a long time since I last heard you call me that…" He mumbled quietly between sobs. "You remember, April. You really remember…"

"I'm… I'm so sorry for taking so long…" I quivered a little, trying my hardest to . "I- I made you wait eight long years… I'm so sorry…"

"April…"

He lightly pushed me back so that he could look at me in the eyes. Even though I missed the warm embrace, it was all worth it when I could take in his gentle eyes and vibrant smile. It was the most brilliantly radiant smile he had ever given me.

"It's not your fault, so don't feel apologetic about it." He reassured as he wiped my tears away. "And don't cry anymore. You know I don't like it when I see your tears."

I was quiet for a few seconds before doing the same for him. "You should really look at yourself too, big bro."

It felt like a moment straight out of a fairy tale, but it was indeed happening right now. Everything went by so quickly that it was unbelievable. Two years ago, I was a shy and meek girl who was afraid of everything about her new school, including the Math teacher who was said to be ruthless and unforgiving towards students. It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was still trying to keep my distance from him, getting startled by just a touch on the shoulder on my first day in his class. It all happened so fast, us gradually becoming closer as each day passed by. And all the while, I had no idea that we had used to be even closer than that. But now, that was none of my concerns anymore, because I was now reliving those good old days. The teacher that I was always scared of, he was now laughing happily with me on the first day of our reunion.

Now that all the tension had gone away, I noticed that his outfit was slightly different from usual. He wore a green turtleneck sweater, something less formal than his attire at school. The way he dressed gave out a really comfy feel.

"So my wish's been granted…" He let out a sigh as he looked at the pendant hanging around my neck. "My wish that the pendant would act as a guardian watching over you…"

"Now I know why I feel safe whenever it's around. It's because it's a part of you…" I held the pendant inside my palm. "I think it's one of the most important elements that helped me get back my memories last night."

He became silent all of the sudden, and when I lifted my face up, I caught the worried expression of his that just came out of the blue.

"April, I don't want to ruin the mood, but…" He gripped my hand as he asked loudly. "What were you doing out on the streets under the rain like that?! I was literally in panic. I was never more terrified in my entire life!"

Like a helpless child being scolded, I averted my gaze, hesitating to speak up. "You should've been able to figure it out by the suitcases, big bro…"

He thought for a while before speaking up, though he had probably known why last night.

"Did you have a big fight with your dad?"

Well, maybe not.

But could I really blame him? After all, I was the one who had tried to conceal everything up until now. I had known ages ago that this would come sooner or later, that there was nothing to hide from him now, but why did I feel so anxious?

"No, because- because he passed away when I was thirteen..."

He immediately turned pale like a ghost, all colors leaving his face at once. "Wait, what?"

I stayed quiet, afraid to look at his face. He wasn't really taking the news well, I could tell.

"B- But…" He stumbled over his words. "D- Didn't someone come to the parent-teacher conference with you last year? Mrs. Robinson said that every student of hers came with their parents that day!"

"Well, someone did come with me, but it wasn't my dad." I gulped, gripping the blanket tightly as I mentally prepared myself. "It was my step-mother."

He looked even more stunned than before. He leaned closer to me, eyes filled with concerns and worries. "Your dad… got remarried?"

"Yeah… He was probably lonely and depressed because of my mom's loss, so he needed someone by his side to help him get over the pain." I paused for a few seconds, debating whether I should add the next part or stop right there. In the end, I chose the former. "But if I'd been selfish, I'd have objected to their marriage."

"You don't get along with her?"

"Well, you can say that…" My voice was shaking as my hands clutched the blanket even more tightly than they already did. "She's the reason why I was out on the streets yesterday, after all."

His eyes instantly became fierce and furious when it eventually clicked, his voice full of distraught. "She… kicked you out?"

"Y- Yes…" I knew he wasn't angry at me, but I still felt scared somehow. "S- She said it was because I… I never got an A…"

His face was of someone who was in pure disbelief. "That's the reason?! Is this why you were upset about getting B last time?"

I just gave him a silent nod, not knowing what more to say. Or rather, I was afraid to. I kept pondering if I should continue giving him more information before he spoke up again.

"Now I know how you got these injuries."

That really startled me, because we were yet to get to that topic yet. I felt his stare on my arms and looked down. That was when I came to the realization that I wasn't wearing my long-sleeved shirt. The one I had on was a short-sleeved one, revealing all the bruises on my arms. However, they were all covered by bandages. He carefully held one of my arms, staring at it before talking in a quiet but enraged tone.

"I'm sure your dad would never ever hit you like this, so I told myself to believe you and tried to think that you're just not careful with things. But from the first moment you said that your step-mom kicked you out just for a grade lower than A, I'd already figured out that she was the one who hurt you. These wounds are new, and there are even some faded scars, so this mustn't be the first time."

I wanted to say something, but words were on the tip of my tongue.

"H- How could someone so heartless be a mother?!" He then looked back up at me, his eyes filled with firm and showing no sign of hesitance. "Moreover, she kicked you out for such a ridiculous reason. This is absolutely unacceptable. Tell me, do you want me to do something about this?"

"B- Big bro-" I stuttered. "I'm eighteen now, so…"

"Really?" He had a calmer tone now, for some reason. "Well then, this is easy. Move in with me and don't ever come back to that woman again."

My heart thumped loudly at that offer, my face reddening a little. "M- Move in with you? I- Isn't that a little… too expensive for you?"

He raised an eyebrow. He had his elbow on the edge of the bed, propping up his chin. "What do you mean, too expensive?"

"Well…" I trailed off as I thought. "For starter, you'll need to pay for food for another person, as well as other necessities. And not to mention, I haven't finished high school yet, so my tuition fee is still a problem. Of course, I have a job now, but I don't know if it'll be enough."

Instead of worrying, he just stared at me for exactly five seconds before laughing out loud. Meanwhile, I had a very bewildered look.

"What's so funny about it?" I pouted, rather offended that he wasn't taking this seriously. "I know I'm eight years younger than you, but that doesn't mean I can't think about my expenses!"

"You worry too much, April." He rubbed my head once he was done laughing to himself about it. "Let me ask you, do you think this house is nice?"

I looked around the room, though I had already had my answer ready. "Yes, it is. The bedroom is already so big as it is."

"Do you know how long I need to save enough money to buy it?"

I shook my head and saw a mischievous grin on his face.

"Eight months."

If I had been holding something, I would have dropped it right away.

"E- E- Eight months?!" I exclaimed in surprise and disbelief, my hands gestures going all over the place. "N- No way! That's not even a full year. T- This house must be at least, like, three hundreds thousands dollars! H- How-"

"A little more than five hundred thousands, actually." He corrected me as if that was the most important thing here. "The point is, the school pay me really well. Working there already means having insanely high salary. My college professors always said how good my teaching technique was, and I also do noticeably in my first five months, the principle was kind enough to give me a raise."

"Wow…" I gasped in astonishment. "That's incredible, big bro."

"Thanks." He grinned. "Anyway, what I'm saying is, you don't need to worry about money. Just leave it all to me."

"So… it's okay to come live with you?"

"Of course! However…" He suddenly got stern once more. "That just solves one of your two problems, which is to get a place to live. I still can't forgive her for the abuse…"

"B- Big bro, although what she did was wrong, but…" I hesitated. "Now that she no longer sees me as her daughter and kicked me out, I don't have anything to do with her anymore. So I don't want to get involved with her again, even if suing her means she'll be punished for her wrongdoings. I'd like to keep things like this."

He looked at me for a while, thinking really hard about it before sighing. "Okay then, but promise me that you'll cut all contacts with her. I want you to keep yourself safe from her."

"I know, big bro, and it'll be quick and easy." I said before looking around. "Where's my hoodie?"

He didn't answer, but stared at me instead. "Don't tell me that ancient flip phone in your hoodie pocket is yours."

"Uh… yeah." I replied as I scratched the back of my neck.

He face-palmed. Hard. "It's freaking 2020, April. Where the hell can you even get one of that kind?"

"I… uh… My step-mother never bought me a smartphone, and I never asked for it either." I fidgeted with my fingers. "I knew she'd never get me one, as she said it'd 'affect' my grades."

He was so speechless that he wouldn't even remove his hand away from his face. I glanced back and forth, thinking of something to break the silence. "Oh, and speaking of hoodie, where are my clothes. I figured that my clothes were wet from the rain so-"

I stopped midway before I could even finish my sentence. If my clothes were wet, then he would have to change them for me. And if he had to change clothes for me, then he would have to-

"D- D- Don't get the wrong idea!" He frantically cut my line of thoughts. "Y- Yes, your clothes were wet, but I didn't dare take them off you so I just dried you with a towel and put on new clothes for you! I know it's bad to sleep in wet clothes but it's better than-"

His words were literally jumbled up and all said in a rush, but I could somehow understand him pretty clearly. Seemingly too flustered, he cut himself off and ran out of the room.

"F- Forget it! I'll get your hoodie and that damn flip phone!"

He slammed the door close, on his face was a bright red blush. "I didn't dare take them off you"…?, I repeated it in my head.

Looking down at the rather baggy T-shirt, I inhaled and took in its scent. This was definitely his shirt, and I liked it.

Even a gentleman like him could get so bashful.