Clarisse just sat quietly while Luiz worked on her. After removing her glasses, he lifted her chin and looked at her face, and his eyes stopped at her eyes. The two of them looking into each other's soul.
'Oh! God! I don't want to show her best self to everyone.' Luiz thought while looking at her. He turned to look at the side and coughed drily while Clarisse felt like wanting to hide her bashful expression.
"Can you face the other side?" Luiz asked and she followed it. "Do you have a comb?"
"Are you going to style my hair?" Clarisse asked while looking inside her sling bag to get her comb.
Luiz leaned closer and smelled the fruity scent of her hair. She smelled so good. You wouldn't know that they've been to different places today because of her scent. "Just so you know, you're the second person I do an exclusive hairstyle. First was my sister and now, you."
"What about your mother?"
"My mom doesn't like us touching her hair because she'll remember our father and she'll felt sad about it. My father used to style her hair before."
"I see. I'm really sorry to hear about what happened to your mom."
"It's okay. We've accepted it as part of her fate and our fate." Luiz replied. He combed her hair several times and braided it from the top to the tail-end. He pulled some strands to make it look a bit messy at the same time sophisticated. Her bangs have grown longer now so, Luiz asked for clips to clip her hair on the side. This way, she didn't have to cover her face.
"Do you have lip stick or lip gloss?"
"Give it to me." Luiz stated which brought another blush to her face.
"I can put it on myself." Clarisse said and she did put a lip gloss by herself. She also took some oil control paper and wiped her face. She looked more refreshing now. "I always experimented myself at home but the moment I come out of my room, I still choose my old style."
"Why? Isn't it better to look this way? You can face everyone proudly and you get to show your best self. Don't let your best hide inside your room. You have to show it. At the same time, you should know your limits."
"Luiz, why are you so good to me? You know what, aside from the teacher, you're the first person who remembers my name. Most of our classmates back then called my girl with glasses, nerd or whatever they wanted to call me but they never called my name."
"It's because you're like my sister."
"I mean, I'm not treating you like a sister but you're hardworking and you're smart. And I like protecting you. I mean, I thought I should protect you from harm like what other people should do. And –"
"Luiz, have you ever thought that you're making me fall in love with you?"
It felt like the world stop spinning and the time stand still. Luiz couldn't think of anything else and before he noticed, the words came out of his mouth already. "Then, are you in love with me?" Clarisse seemed to panic and she was looking left and right. "You don't have to be scared. Just answer me honestly."
The atmosphere turned tense and the both of them kept quiet. It was so silent that a pin drop can be heard. Clarisse looked down on her hands and smiled helplessly as she shrugged her shoulders.
"I have liked you since you saved me. I liked you so much that I tried experimenting things to look good in front of you. But you, don't have to like me back, okay? You're not responsible for my feelings and you're not obliged to return them as well. It's just me own emotions."
"Oh? Then, do you expect me to forget what you just said?"
"Hn. It would be better if you just forget about it. I don't really want to become a burden to anyone. At the same time, I know this is weird, but can I ask a souvenir from you? A button of your shirt is fine, too. I'm not asking for anything special.
I just want to remember the boy who helped me during my worst days."
Luiz wanted to say something else but their ride has come to stop and they needed to get out. "Sorry, I cannot give you my button." He told her and led her outside.
Clarisse was dropping her head down once again from disappointment. When Luiz looked back at her, she wasn't looking where she was going anymore. She even bumped into someone. "Give me your hand." Luiz told her. She raised her head and blinked at him several times. "You're not looking where you're going and you might bump into someone again or you might lose me.
So, hold me hand, okay? And don't let me go."
For some strange reasons, Clarisse felt that Luiz's words held different meaning but she didn't say anything. She took his hand and the two of them continued to walk. Luiz was looking for a place where he can buy her something but since it was a rural area and a smaller park, there weren't anything so special in there.
After three minutes, they found a place where they can buy souvenirs and Luiz bought a small baby pink teddy bear which was carrying a small heart in its arms. "I cannot give you my button or my sister think badly of me." Luiz stated to continue the words he wanted to say earlier. "But, will you accept this?"
Clarisse was surprised once again with this gesture. And what was even more surprising was the little heart has words written on it. 'I like you' that's what it says. Isn't it the same thing as expressing his own feelings.
"This isn't much but I hope you will accept it. If you accept this, I will consider it as you accepting me. So, what do you say?" It was his turn to wait for her answer now but instead of replying to him, Clarisse pulled him and went to another direction. It was a photo booth.
"Let's take a picture together." Clarisse took the teddy bear from him and smiled. "And I'm accepting you, of course."
"Then, let's both do our best to pass the entrance exam in Trine."
"Hn. I'll do my best to pass the exam."
The two of them took several pictures together and after getting their copies, they put it inside their wallet. Clarisse hugged the teddy bear happily as they left the booth.