Project: Socialize

I quietly exited the gym, allowing the two to have their moment. Once I was outside, I looked up at the orange sky that was transitioning into a violet, signalling the arrival of dusk, and started walking towards the front gate of the high school. I intentionally took my time, knowing that I wasn't in a rush and looked around the foreign campus. It would appear that the film crew has finished since I could see workers removing their gear from the campus and heading out of the school to call it a day.

--

Congratulations! You've completed your assignment on time.

The reward of 5000 SP has been added to your account.

Your SP balance is: 14075 SP

--

I received the notification when I was by the front gate of the school, and I took out my phone to check it before slipping the device back into my pocket. I then stood there, eyeing the dusk sky as a gentle breeze blew by, rattling the nearby trees and moving my hair. I let out a sigh of fatigue and then turned around to face the school campus.

"You can come out now," I said out loud to the person that was following me.

From the shadows casted by the wall surrounding the campus was Emilia, who leaned against the wall with her arms crossed and smiling.

"You did a pretty good job," she smiled. "A bit too enthusiastic on your end for just a simple mission, don't you think?"

"I don't know," I replied, staring off into the distant sky.

"This is the most emotionally invested I've ever seen from you," she observed. "That calm demeanor, it's almost as if you're a totally different person. Alevian, is this the real you when you're serious?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I sighed as I stood there with both hands in my pants pockets. "I've always been myself. I don't understand how you can be a totally different person."

I didn't look over at Emilia, but I was certain she had an amused smile on her face as she observed me. I didn't know her motive behind all this. She just continues to remain so mysterious, so secretive that I cannot tell anything from observing her. However, she seemed to be able to see through a part of me, like she knows that this was the first time I've taken a mission seriously, although not a hundred percent serious. However, even then, I'm still myself. Me when I'm not trying is the exact same person as I am when I do try.

"Is it because she's similar to you?" Emilia then asked. "I see that you seemed to help her escape somewhat from that state."

"That?" I chuckled. "There's already enough gloomy people in my world. I don't need anymore."

"You're quite kind," she continued saying with an amused chuckle. "Yet you do not think of yourself as so. If you were to open yourself up more, you would be able to socialize perfectly, but why do you keep yourself locked away?"

"You should be giving hints as to how," Emilia then said. "If it's so difficult, then you should help them out."

"For me, it doesn't work like that. A true heart to heart requires true effort, not some ritualistic show that's not even them trying their best."

"Even then, Alevian," she smiled. "I still think one day you will open yourself up to people."

"I hope so too," I responded. "If that day isn't a fantasy, that is..."

As I finished, I stared off into the distant sky, disappointed at myself for my pessimistic attitude. However, I understood the reason why I was so reluctant to accept that notion: I'm afraid to be hurt. I don't want to foolishly open up myself to others, devoting all my emotion into relationships just to find out that it was only one-sided. A true heart to heart relies on both sides to open up their hearts, but the scary thing is that a heart might be closed up so easily. Relationships are just so fragile, that I'm afraid to establish them....

"I'll see you later then," Emilia expressed her goodbyes to me as she walked past me and exited the school campus through the front gates. Then, she continued walking down the street outside until she disappeared at the corner not too far from where I was located.

With a sigh, I took a step towards the school gate as well, thinking to myself that maybe it was time for me to leave. However, I was stopped by a familiar voice that called out to me.

"Wait!"

I turned around just to see Irina. She had changed out of the cheerleading outfit that was needed for her part in the film and was currently dressed in her own school uniform that she wore to the set from school. She appeared quite cheerful, almost as if nothing had happened earlier. I was amazed by this transformation for that smile on her face felt real and genuine, almost as if she's removed all barriers between herself and me, or maybe with the outside world completely. I couldn't tell.

Anyways, that cheerful look on her face further told me that things went well with her and that whatever it was that had bothered her did not exist anymore. Her father had returned to replace that demanding agent of hers.

"I wanted to thank you," she said in a slightly embarrassed tone. "Sorry for doubting you all that time... I didn't know why you would help me and thought you might be after something else from me. To be honest, I still don't know even till now."

"Helping you wasn't of my own accord," I said to her. "However, I cannot say that I wasn't emotionally invested in it myself. You have no need to worry. I'm not after anything else."

As I finished the last part of my sentence, for some reason it felt as if I had just received a sting to my heart, almost as if I was lying or something. However, I was quite certain that I wasn't for what would I seek from her?

"Oh and the pictures," I mentioned the tool that I had used to convince her to let me help her once again, but before I could say anything further about them, Irina interrupted me.

"You didn't take any," she said with a calm smile.

"What would make you think that?" I then asked, curious as to why she would think that way.

"I don't know," she responded. "But... it's just that you don't look like the type of person that would do that."

"You trust me despite only knowing me for a few hours?"

"I know this might sound stupid," she laughed a genuine laugh. "But... I feel like you can be trusted."

My eyes widened ever so slightly from shock, but I did my best to conceal it.

"I just wanted to thank you for now," she said, turning around in the direction of the school, probably to meet up with her father so that they may head home together. "Thank you for helping me, Alevian."

She displayed a smile that I would admit was quite attractive and charming, almost of an innocent spirit, filled with pure innocence. It was a genuine smile like I've said earlier, but for some reason I felt as if that smile of hers was directed to the me that's caged up within my facade.

It was a genuine smile like I've said earlier, but for some reason I felt as if that smile of hers was directed to the me that's caged up within my facade

Then, I watched on as she ran off towards her resting area which was located further in the school. As she vanished after turning the corner, I could feel that faint smile on my face disappear and in its place was a look of great disappointment. My arms felt weak as they dropped by my sides and my mind was filled with anguish and remorse.

Slowly, I reached into my pocket and took out my phone. Then, I navigated to the Pictures app and opened it. Stored within it was the pictures of her that I had taken in secret of her changing. I had originally planned to use them as blackmail material, but... her trust in me made me feel a severe guilt that weighed down on my chest heavily. It pained me that I had disappointed her trust, which was weird since I barely knew her.