87 CHAPTER 86-The Blas

"Boredom?" Pinna asked

"What else?" Ham said. 

"Boredom could make a man run mad." Matt said sipping the wine in his hand, "How long have your parents been gone, Ham? You must really miss them"

"Two days ago. And yes, I do miss one thing about them, their discouragement and their screams in my bloody brain"

Pinna's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her ears. Two days and he was acting as though they have been dead for like twenty years. She wanted to scream; she wanted to pick him from where he sat and shake the foolishness out of his body. But as much as the adrenaline was propelling her body, she restrained herself. The boy had gone through a lot and giving the situation of his eyes. His body was delicate at the moment. That he could still see a thing was a miracle. 

From the corner of her eyes, she could also see Matt, staring at the boy as though he had suddenly grown a second head.

"What really happened to you, Ham? These three years seemed to have eaten through your system." Matt said. His bright eyes were still on Ham, who was looking at every direction in the room but to them.

"I am okay, Matt. I just wished I could be proud of my parents like you and Jeff."

"We are mere mortals; we can only wish for our wishes to come through"

He is quoting Mrs. Jessica April again. Pinna grunted and dropped the glass on the small table. She stared blindly at it for a while before leaning away. Her palate had suddenly grown sour to the wine.

"I am not proud of my family too. They treated me badly. But I still wish them well." Matt said. 

"That makes us two then, even though we are a bit different." Ham leaned his back on the couch. Pinna could imagine him closing his eyes under the sunglasses. She had not had a good parent too, but she was too ashamed to say. Who would be proud of a father that was a race gladiator but could hardly put food on their table because his riotous life and extravagant spending would not leave his pocket until they run dry? It was on one of his nights out that he had met her mother. They were never married. Their relationship had been too jerky for them to settle down. Her mother was a street whore and the hottest in town. 

Pinna rubbed her brow as the sad memory flooded in. She was trained and brought up in a foster home. Her father had visited her for the first two years after her mother had abandoned her on the doorway of Gerald's Orphanage home. She still remembered the brown heavy mustache that lined his face, but her mother's face had long faded from her memory.

"Which way leads to the bathroom?" Matt asked.

"There, the blue door." Ham pointed weakly.

Matt nodded and followed his finger, disappearing into the door of the west wind.

Ham seemed to be lost in his own thought. His gaze was elevated to the ceiling, and the serenity that spread between them made Pinna wonder if he was still awake.

"What have you been up to, Pe?" He suddenly asked, after what seemed to be ages.

"Nothing much," Pinna shrugged, "Not everybody is born with the silver spoon and cries of boredom you see." Ham laughed.

"The rich also cry, is that what you mean?"

"Whatever Ham, I am glad you are, okay. I really missed you." 

Ham jerked his head up from his seat as if her words had pricked his skin. Pinna heaved, knowing that she had blown her cover again. Yes, it is what you are thinking. She has feelings for him. She always has and had hidden it for the past fifteen years since they met in St. Gerard's Orphanage home. He had come with his parent to help some people adopt a child. That was the first time they had met and something had sparked within her. A spark that had ignited like a wildfire that would not go out. The fact that he had not noticed her always makes her freak out.

"You miss me?" He asked. The surprise in his voice made Pinna want to melt under her skin. She scratched her hair instead.

"Yes…I mean…" She heaved this time with discomfort. Why would her voice betray her like that?

"I miss you too, Pe," Ham said and returned his head to the hand of the couch, "I miss talking to you,"

"You do?" Pinna's heart lifted. It was as if her stomach was drowning in that river of joy at the moment. The boy had never said those words to her before. Not in a thousand years.

"Yeah, I do. These three years of loneliness and pain made me realize how much I missed my friends, you especially, Pe."

Pinna swallowed. Could it be that the boy was finally falling for her? Could it be that after fifteen years he had suddenly seen the affection she had for him?

"I am greatly flattered by your words, Ham. Why would you place me high above in the list of people you missed sharing your time with?"

"Because I have known you all my life, what else?"

"Oh," Pinna hissed and folded her hands on her chest. "Well, I miss you too, the way I missed Matt and Jeff and Ema," She said, trying to conceal the frustration under a quick smile.

"You remember that day when you first taught me how to use the Roller-Board."

"Yeah, I think I do," Pinna said, no longer interested. She looked over her shoulders, hoping Matt would return to the room and save her from this awkward conversation.

"You thought I was going to fall after the first two trials." Ham laughed. "but I surprised you and hovered in the air like an expert, even though I had never soared on the Roller-Board before."

"Yeah," Pinna grunted. She wanted to get away from him. She wanted to stop feeling this way and just be all by herself. Every time she tries to pull the string and show him her affection. Every time he always seemed too deaf and too blind to notice, always making silly jokes that would bring tears and sorrow to her eyes.

"Remember what you said when I told you to soar with me?"

"I don't, Ham." Pinna said, "And why are we discussing something that had happened over ten years ago?"

"Eleven years, Pe. And we were really little"

"Yes, we were" Pinna said. She picked the glass cup which she had failed to drink initially and gulped the content in a goal. It did not stop the sadness that was welling up within her.

"I had told you something that day. I had told you I would protect you no matter what happens."

"I remember, Ham." She said and dropped back the glass, standing to her feet, "Where can I rest my head, I think I am having a light head."

Ham stood but froze when their eyes met. Pinna clenched and unclenched her fist, but the sweat that was forming on them would not stop. She missed looking at his Blue eyes. They were always bright and shining no matter the situation or however dim the light was. But now they were gone, replaced by these dark shades that were nowhere near his blue gaze.

"I kept my promise, Pe. I kept my promise."

Pinna frowned, "What do you mean?" 

"The Damned army, Pe. I think they were looking for you. They had called your name and had threatened to kill me if I failed to give them details about your way about."

"What?" Pinna chuckled, "You are joking, right?"

"No, Pe, I mean every word I say."

They were silent for a while until Pinna said.

"My God, Matt was right. Those things had haunted me but had gotten to you first."

"And I am happy they did." Ham smiled, "I am happy they had gotten to me instead."

"And see where it has gotten you." Pinna hissed. Why would the boy do such? He should have told them the truth. Maybe his eyes would still be available if the reverse has been the case.

"Yes, Pe. See where it had gotten me. Right at the doorstep of your heart."

"What?" Pinna asked, not believing her ears. Was the boy serious or was this one of his tricks.

"I was a fool not to see this all along," Ham whispered. He had walked closer to her now and she could have sworn that she perceived the wine in his breath.

"What I was looking for had been right in front of me all these while and I had failed to see it."

"You are not making any sense," Pinna said and stepped back reluctantly.

"This is what I mean, Pe," Ham said and walked towards her, but just then Matt hurried into the room.

"Guys, I think we are under attack." He shouted.

"Under what?" Ham asked, but cursed when a loud explosion echoed somewhere in the night, shaking the foundation of the house.