Project: Socialize

We left the lingerie shop after I paid for the expensive undergarment. Luna was carrying the plastic bag containing that purple lace lingerie in her hands, probably thinking that if I was seen carrying the bag that has the store brand [Victoria's Mysteries] printed on it we would draw plenty of unnecessary attention. On her face was also a pout of anger, probably stemming from the fact that I had countered her attempt at making me flustered.

She walked before me without turning her back to face me. Even then, I noticed that she might be somewhat angry. However, it wasn't all that serious or else she wouldn't be walking around with me anymore. Rather, her anger was one that's quite childish, and it was actually very cute to see her like this.

Like I had expected, that angry state of her didn't last very long since after two minutes of leaving the lingerie store, she turned around to face me and there was that same lively and charming smile on her face from before.

"You wanna get something to eat?" she asked me with an enthusiastic look on her face that gave me no other option but to accept her decision.

"Sure," I said, looking away from the road to check the time on my phone. Seeing that it was 6:20 in the afternoon, I was actually pretty happy with the suggestion to find something to eat because I was starting to get hungry as well.

"Then let's head to a cafe on the top level," she said, pointing at the escalators. Then, she started walking towards the escalators with me following behind her. "The cheesecake here is very good," she said, explaining to me her favorite dessert. "I would sometimes come to this mall just to eat the cheesecake at the cafe."

"Then it must be pretty good," I answered halfheartedly so that she wasn't left rambling about on her own.

We switched escalators plenty of times as we slowly climbed up to the top floor, which was floor eleven. Even though there were elevators in the mall, Luna insisted that we use the escalators. I wasn't too against it after seeing how happy she appeared just looking over the edge of the handrails as we moved further and further away from the ground level.

The very top floor of the mall has its emphasis on consumables. There were plenty of restaurants, cafes, and also a food court on this level. The seats in the food court area were mostly taken, but we weren't eating there anyways. Rather, we walked past the noisy seating area towards the cafe that was situated in the corner of the building and entered. We quickly secured window seats and a waiter came by for us to place our order.

"I'll have the sandwich and a milk tea," she said as she read off the menu to the waiter.

"Alevian."

I heard my name being called. Looking over, I saw that it was Luna who was seated in the seat opposite of mine. Then, my eyes wandered over to the waiter who waited patiently next to my seat, and when combined that with the fact that Luna was handing me her menu, I realized that she must've finished ordering and it was my turn.

After ordering a simple pasta dish and milk tea as well, I handed the menu to the waiter who then left to retrieve us our drinks. He quickly returned not a few seconds later, thus beginning the longer wait which was for our food.

As we waited, Luna looked over the stuff she had bought, digging through the many plastic bags and smiling as she checked the contents of each bag. Seeing that happy smile that seemed to be mixed with a deep understanding of her inevitable fate of death once again brought a frown to my face. I didn't understand why someone like her, someone who's so enthusiastic about life, would die so soon.

The waiter returned with the food we had ordered, eliciting a happy reaction from Luna. She held up her sandwich, smiling as she took a tiny bite out of it. Seeing how happy she appeared as she chewed made me smile slightly, but within me, my heart was still disturbed by the fact that she'll soon die.

With a silent sigh, I started eating my pasta, using the fork provided to deliver the pasta into my mouth. I was also careful to not allow any of the pasta sauce to drip onto my chin or onto my school uniform. The warm pasta was quite delicious, but I couldn't really enjoy my meal as the thought that the girl before me only has a few months left filled me up and made me lose my appetite. However, I still finished the pasta by force.

Then, the waiter returned with a cheesecake and placed it before Luna. Her countenance was even more excited as before as a big smile appeared on her face as she saw her favorite dessert placed before her. In all honesty, the cheesecake did appear extremely appetizing, and seeing that almost intoxicated smile on her face as she delivered a portion of the cheesecake using her fork and into her mouth made my mouth water slightly.

She then continued to consume her favorite dessert until she suddenly stopped and opened her eyes wide.

"I almost forgot!"

Luna reached into her school bag and took out a necklace. However, instead of a jewelry for decoration, it was a simple silver key. She smiled as she checked the condition of the item before handing it in my direction.

"Happy birthday," she said in a soft and gentle voice, attracting my attention away from the milk tea that I was sipping.

"What is this?" I asked as I reached out a hand and accepted the gift. As I did so, our hands brushed against each others.

"A key to my heart," she said, smiling.

"Stop messing around," I sighed as I held the gift by the chain, allowing the silver key to dangle in order to observe what it was.

"It's a key to my diary," she then said with a simple, longing smile on her face.

"..." I looked past the key and at her face, allowing my eyes to focus on her.

"When I die," she continued, "I want you to be the only one to see my diary."

She then reached into her school bag and produced a square diary. On its surface was a metallic lock that when clipped to the back of the diary, will be unable to be opened unless the lock is unlocked. The diary she held in hand at the moment was still unlocked.

"That's the only key to it," Luna explained as she gazed at the diary in her hands with a hint of sadness. "Before I die... I'll lock it so only you can open it."

"..." I stared at her, eyes wide open in horror.

Why... Why did you have to do this?

I slowly lowered the hand that I had held up the key with and allowed it to rest on the table surface.

Why do you have to take up so much of my mind...

"What's inside," she continued to explain, "is a record of what I did and what I was thinking... I want you to be the only one to read it after I die." She then smiled as she looked up from the diary and into my eyes. "Can you promise me that?" she said in a soft whisper.

"..."

No words formed from my gaping mouth, but I nodded to convey to her my promise. It would appear that she was satisfied with this silent vow as she placed the unlocked diary in her school bag.

My head slowly lowered as I tried to conceal my look of melancholy from her. Deep within me was a feeling of sadness that lingered about no matter how hard I tried to lift my spirits. It was as if a calm tornado as it tore away at my train of thought, leaving destruction behind in the most tranquil way possible. I... I can't feel anything other than this mysterious and suffocating sadness.

"Alevian!"

I heard a cheerful voice call my name, and as I looked up, a fork reached towards my mouth, delivering with it a sweet sensation that, when combined with that cheerful smile on Luna's face, cleansed away the bitterness in my heart.

"It's good, right?" she said with a happy countenance on her face that made the earlier sadness appear as if it was an absurd lie because how would such negative emotion appear on the face of such a pristine and optimistic girl?