Story from Aaron//FriendLove 1//

She waved her hand and shouted, “Bye, Aaron! Don’t dare to disturb Hebe just because I’m not there!”

I chuckled when heard what she said. She and Hebe were like soul mate. Sometimes I thought what I am in her eyes, since what she thought always about Hebe. I knew they’re best friends, but than worried Hebe, it’s better to worried about her. Everyone always bullied her; I wondered how she can still smile like that.

I turned around and walked back to the school. Hebe must wait for me. But I couldn’t let Gui Gui went home by herself. What if someone started to bully her again?
I remembered that time. A few days I, she and Hebe became friends. When she went home alone, a few girls waited fro her already in her way to home. They harassed her just because she became a close friend of two famous people at the school. What kind of reason it was? I knew Gui Gui wasn’t a weak girl, but overcame a few girls by herself, it was impossible. I was glad I saw them in my way to go home and rescued her. Since that time, I never ever let she went home by herself.

I entered the music room and found Hebe played alone. She closed her eyes, so engrossed in her play. She even didn’t know I came already. I watched her carefully. I admitted that she’s so beautiful. A talented girl. I smiled. Lucky for me to be her friend.

“Why do you smile like that?” suddenly she stopped played and opened her eyes.

I was surprised.

“Because your face is so funny?”

Aaron…what kind of excuse that is?

“Funny?”

I nodded, “Like clown.”

“Hey! How dare you say me like clown!” she protested.

“Why? I’m not like your fans, pestering you, say you beautiful and begging you to be their girlfriend,” I said honestly. I’m really not like them.

“Are you jealous?” she gave me tease smile.

“Don’t say that! I want to vomit,” I shook my head.

She pouted. She turned around and showed me her back. Angry again. She was like a child, got angry so easily.

I walked towards her and wrapped my arms around her shoulder.

“Hebs, don’t angry…why do you get angry so easily?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Why are you so annoyed?” she snapped back in a cold tone.

“Look, you mocked me but I’m not angry to you…”

She turned to me and smiled, “Okay…okay…I’m not angry anymore…’

I smiled back. “That’s good. Let’s practice!” I said and walked to the piano, started to play it.

I closed my eyes, engrossed in my play. I played was about an hour, but suddenly I felt like someone stared at me. I opened my eyes and saw Hebe was noticing me. Her eyes were like…admiring? No, Aaron! Don’t be so confident! She was just thinking!

“Hey…back to the earth, Hebs?” I said to snap her back from her thought.

She looked so surprised, I chuckled. “Catch you are musing…”

“I’m not!” she said.

“Yes, you are…”

“No…”

“Yes…”

“I’m not!

“You are!”

She didn’t argue back. She back to her seat and took her cello. Was she angry again?

“No…you’re going to mad at me again? You were just angry to me an hour ago…”

She turned to me, “Because Aaron…you’re so annoyed! You always disturb me! Just see and I will tell Gui Gui about it! She said already if you disturb me, she will defend me!”

No! She’s going to tell Gui Gui? Hell, no!

I protested, “What? Don’t confront to her! She’s going to kill me if she knew I disturb her soul mate, Hebe Tian…”

She laughed, happy because she won. Ugh, she knew that my weakness was Gui Gui!

“If you know she’s my soul mate, so don’t you dare to disturb me again!” she tried to threaten me.

“Try to threaten me…” I .

Suddenly she stood up, “Okay, I’m going to confront to her now!”

Was she serious?

I quickly grabbed her hand to stop her.

“Don’t!” I said. “She will be mad at me! I can’t stand when she ignores me so many days!”

I always couldn’t stand when Gui Gui ignored me. It’s just like something missed in my life.

“So…don’t disturb me again! I want to practice seriously. This is my first performance…” she shook her head. “I hope I don’t faint on the stage…”

That’s Hebe. Sometimes she could be confident, but sometimes she could less her confident just like now.

“It’s okay. You perform with me. I always there…” I gripped her hand tighten, tried to encourage her.

But she pulled back her hand and then turned around.

“I…I want to buy drink. I’ll buy for you, too…” she said as she rushed out from the room.

What’s wrong with her? Why did she just…leave? Did I do something wrong?

Wait, she was gone. I could continue to write my song!

I took a peek outside and couldn’t see her. I sat back on the chair quickly and started to play the song that I made for someone. I must finish this song as fast as I could. Her birthday was getting nearer and I wanted to give her this song for the present.

Between the song, I saw Hebe was hiding behind the door. She...caught me? God...please...she didn't hear anything...please...

“Hebe…?” I called me, tried not to look so nervous.

She walked in.

“Why do you hide there?” I asked.

Gosh, why I must be nervous?

“I’m not…” she said. “Why are you so nervous? It’s seemed like I catch you do something wrong?”

Oh, Hebs…why must you ask like that?

“That’s…” I couldn’t answer.

“Great song, Aaron!” she said as she sat down on the chair. “Do you make it?”

She said it was great?

“You like it?” he asked hopefully. She nodded.

Happiness came into my heart. She liked it…

I smiled. “I make it…for someone…” I told her honestly.

Why must I lie to her? She won’t know I made it for whom, right? And why I must be afraid if she knew?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I saw Hebe took a glance from the backstage to audiences who was sitting on their seat, watched the performance from music club at the other school. I shook my head. She must be so nervous. What should I do?

“Are you okay?” I asked her. She just nodded slightly.
She wasn’t seemed okay.

“You’re like want to vomit,” I tried to joke, hope it would help her.

“I really want to vomit,” she said. I could feel she emphasized the ‘really’ word.

I quickly patted her back several times to make her better. “Hebs…don’t vomit now…we’ll perform after this one…”

She nodded, swallowed her saliva.

“But…there are so many people there…” she said nervously.

I glanced to the audiences.

“You’re right…” I agreed, but I didn’t look at her. My eyes swept all of the audiences, looked for someone.

Finally I found her but when I saw her, I chuckled. Gui Gui was sleeping on her seat comfortably. I must after this. I knew she never like this such thing.

“What?” Hebe asked me.

I pointed to show her.

“She’s so cute…” I mumbled unconsciously.

Wait, what I just said? She’s cute? Aaron, she’s Gui Gui! She’s the naughty ghost and the only one girl who was so brave to ignore you for a long time…

“How can she sleep between the shows?” Hebe said. Was this just in my head or she was angry? Maybe just in my head…

I looked at Gui Gui again and widened my smile automatically. “That’s she is. She never interest about this such thing, but she still comes here to watch our performance.”

“But she sleeps…it means she doesn’t watch us…for what she comes, then?”

I turned to Hebe but she walked leaving me and sat on the chair.

What’s wrong with her? I thought it’s better to let her alone for awhile?

Suddenly our teacher gave me a signal, told it was our turn. I walked towards Hebe. She was closing her eyes. I smiled. That’s the difference. When Gui Gui slept, she looked so innocent and cute, but when Hebe slept or just closed her eyes like this, she looked more beautiful.

Suddenly I back on the earth. What are you thinking, Aaron? Admiring your own friend…

“Our turn,” I told her.

I saw she inhaled before stood up.

Was she still nervous? I must do something for her…

I stopped her without thinking when she was about to walk.

“Hebs…it’s okay…I’m here, okay?” I gripped her hands tightly. I hoped she would be more relax.

She nodded. But I still felt worry. I tightened my grip as we walked on the stage. I let her go finally when we took our position.

I glanced at Gui Gui. She was still sleeping. I sighed. I really wanted her to see my performance…

I and Hebe started to play and I kept staring at her. I really worried it she fainted or vomited? I guessed.

She glanced at me and smiled. I smiled back, encouraged her.
I tried my best to perform perfectly, not to make everyone thought I was great, but to show Gui Gui that I wasn’t just handsome. I had plus except it. She always said I was just handsome and it was nothing, never wanted to praise me.

We ended the song. I sighed in relief because I played it without make any mistakes. Everyone clapped. I stood up and walked towards Hebe, took her hand and we bowed together, said thank you.

I glanced to Gui Gui’s seat again, but she was gone. Where was she?

I started to worry…

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

I gathered my things quickly, walked out from that room together with Hebe. I still worried, where was Gui? Why was she gone when I showed?

I looked around, searching for her. But there’s no sign of her. Gosh, why did this ghost always make me worried?

“Where’s Gui?” I asked Hebe, my eyes still searched Gui Gui.

“I don’t know…” Hebe shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe she’s home already?”

I shook my head. “No…it can’t be! How dare she leave me?”

Or…what if that’s true? No…Gui Gui won’t leave me! Even she protested at first why she must wait for me every want to go home, she still waited for me.

“Must we look for her?” Hebe suggested.

“You’re right. Let’s go,” I walked quickly, started to travel around the road. I didn’t want to waste my time. I must find her soon, or I’m going to die of worry.

I and Hebe entered the park. God, I hoped she was here…

I looked around. Where is she?

“Is that Gui?” suddenly Hebe pointed to the person who was sitting on the bench.

I noticed her and realized it was Gui Gui. I let out a relief sigh. My mood came back but it disappeared just too sudden when saw a boy sat beside her. Not just that, he caressed her hair? Who was he? How dare he touch her?

“Who’s that boy?” I asked Hebe in a cold tone.

“I don’t know,” she answered me.

“Maybe her boyfriend?” she guessed, made me was getting angrier that before.

“She doesn’t have boyfriend!” I raised my voice.

“Who knows?” she said.

I grabbed her hand and led her walked leaving that park. I couldn’t stand what I saw anymore.

“Let’s go,” i said. “I’ll send you home.”

“What’s about Gui?” she asked me.

What’s about Gui? I couldn’t hide my anger anymore, “Seemed she has someone else to send her home…”

While walking, my heart filled with anger. I thought I would explode. I wanted to shout in front of that boy. Who was he? Why was he with her? I’m the only boy who closed with her, am not I? Was he really her boyfriend? No…it couldn’t be! It never could be!