172 Who He Is (1/2)

[Luna's Perspective]

”So can you tell me why you're having me act that way yesterday?” Loyd said me. ”And me pretending to be your boyfriend and stuff.”

”That's something for another time,” I softly chuckled and smiled. ”Besides, you'll probably find out not too long from now...”

The latter part of my dialog was kept in a silent whisper, one that was hardly audible for Loyd. Like I had expected, he wasn't able to pick up on the content of that soft mumble as his countenance was one of confusion.

”What's that?” Loyd inquired.

”It's nothing,” I shook my head and responded, smiling as I was quite amused by that look of confusion on his face.

”You know this is the most frustrating part, right?” Loyd sighed and smiled weakly. ”People muttering something and when you ask them they just say 'Nothing'.”

”I can see why,” I chuckled.

”I'm guessing this whole thing is about Alevian?” Loyd then shifted the subject as he took a seat in that chair by my hospital bed and crossed his legs and then his arms. ”I can tell that the two of you are particularly close.”

”You could tell? How?”

”Just by observing you two and catching up on the atmosphere around the two of you,” he smiled and commented. ”Besides, didn't the two of you just hug in front of everyone on the station platforms at Saroff when we're heading back from our school trip?”

”Right,” I laughed as I recalled that embrace I had shared with him. A smile appeared on my face as a comforting sense of warmth swelled in my chest following the kindling of that soft, and gentle fire that was the memories.

”So is it because you're trying to make him jealous?” He smiled and then asked. ”Because if so, I think it was working cause he comes by and visits you so often. But,” he leaned back on his seat and on his face was a difficult smile. ”I'm not so sure about what you had planned yesterday if that was your goal.”

”Why so?” I asked, going along with it for the time being as I was rather interested in why Loyd might think that.

”Well,” Loyd leaned forward once again, resting his left elbow on his left knee as he used his right hand to rub the back of his head. ”I can see how he would become jealous, but...if I were him, I would be...devastated instead.”

”That is if he has feelings for me,” I added in for him.

”Right,” Loyd nodded. ”But even if he doesn't, it'll just make it so that you're marked as taken, causing him to become even more cautious when around you.”

”Why's that?”

”Because he's not the type of guy that would do such a thing,” Loyd looked up from the ground and at me. ”If he knew that you and I are dating, he would just shut himself away, eradicating all possibilities that any accidents could happen. Even if he did have feelings, he would simply seal it away like all the other emotions that he's kept sealed away and just live life as usual.”

”So he would keep everything hidden deep within him,” I nodded. ”And would rather endure the dull pain that it brings.”

”Right,” Loyd nodded.

”Loyd,” I looked over at him. ”How do you know all this? Like how do you know him so well?”

”Well,” Loyd sighed and smiled in a sad manner. ”I wouldn't say that I know the current Alevian well, but if it's the Alevian that I knew up to middle school, then I can say that I know him extremely well.”

”What's the difference between him then and now?”

”Well,” Loyd frowned and smiled in a difficult manner as he tried to differentiate the two Alevians. ”I guess you can say the two are pretty similar. Like even back then, he's not the most talkative. However, I think the main thing is...how do I say this?...his mind?”

”Isn't it obvious that when one matures their mind does so too?” I chuckled.

”It's not that,” Loyd shook his head. ”It's...well...he just has a different focus than he has before. I promised him that I wouldn't tell anyone about it, but what I can tell you is that something happened, and it changed him to be who he is today.”

”...” I remained silent while I stared at Loyd as he paused momentarily.

”I really don't know how to say exactly how he's different,” Loyd sighed and just gave up. ”But...all I can say that he's a similar yet different person than he was before. I can still see the ghost of the Alevian that I knew in him, that same boy with the kind heart.”

”Kind heart?” I smiled in an interested manner. ”Did something happen between the two of you?”

”Well, I can tell you this since it's about me,” Loyd chuckled and then stared at the ground before him in a reminiscing manner. ”Back in elementary school, like first grade, I was actually bullied. Like back then, I was quite feminine in appearance and wasn't the biggest guy in the class.” He looked up at me and laughed in a self-deprecating manner. ”I was just shunned by the other kids and often would get the living hell beaten out of me by them. Well this one time those bullies stole money from the charity fundraising event and they all conspired to blame me for it.”

”That sucks,” I frowned.