Damon’s POV
I immediately took my phone out from my pocket as soon as Sunny went inside their house. “Edward, you want to drink?”
“Sir?”
“Let’s meet at my house.” I said then I hanged up the phone.
I couldn’t ask Sunny to drink with me, of course. She’s a woman, and I don’t think she drinks too. Well, ice cream works for her every single time. What a crybaby. For sure she’s going to cry herself to sleep again.
“Lemon?”
I stopped walking as soon as I heard that voice. I turned around and saw Eris standing there while looking at me. “Can we talk for a while?”
***
“Do you still remember the times when we used to play hide and seek when we were just kids?” Eris asked while she was leaning her head on my shoulder.
We’re at the playground where we used to play when we were just kids. “I remember that, you used to hide inside that abandoned house near the nursery that’s why all of our playmates always fail to find you.”
“Except you.” she said. “You always find me wherever I try to hide. You’re the only one who can do that.”
“You’re right.”
“By the way, how do you even do that? How can you find me so easily?”
I smiled. “Because you always tell me about how curious you are about that abandoned house. You always tell me how much you want to see what’s inside it.”
Eris sat up straight and looked at me. “And because you were always looking after me, am I right?”
I looked at her and flicked her forehead. “That’s right, because I know how clumsy you are.”
“Thank you, Lemon.”
“Thank you for what?”
“For everything, for everything that you have done for me, for protecting me, for watching over me. For always being at my side.”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to thank me for that, you fool. I did that because that’s what I wanted to do, that’s what made me happy. You know I’ll always look for you wherever you go.”
“I know that. That’s why I love you so much, you are the best best friend that I could ever have. By the way, do you also remember that time when went inside that abandoned house? When you told me that you have something to say to me, what is it? Up until now I’m still curious about what you were going to say back then.”
I laughed, “That’s nothing. You don’t have to be curious about that anyway.”
“Huh? But why? I want to know, Lemon! What is it, huh?”
“Do you really want to know?”
She looked at me and nodded like a kid. “Yes.”
I stared at her for a moment before averting my gaze. “I just wanted to ask if you could bake some cookies for me some other time.” I said.
“W-What? Bake cookies for you? That’s what you really wanted to say to me back then?”
“Yes. Why, is there something wrong with that? You always bragged about how well you are when it comes to baking cookies back then but you never gave me one.”
She laughed. “Well, that’s because I thought you wouldn’t like it! Hahaha! You are so silly, Lemon! I almost thought you were going to confess to me back then, hahaha!”
I watched her laugh. Ah, how can she be so beautiful while laughing? The sound of her laughter brings joy to my heart even before, up until now. How I want to hear that laughter ’til the rest of my life, but I guess I can’t, for sure she laughs way louder and prettier when she’s with her boyfriend, with the man that she truly loves, and that’s not me.
“But you know what, Lemon? If you confessed back then, I think I would say yes. I mean, I like you so much back then. But I was afraid that you like somebody else that’s why I just decided to wait for you to confess first, but you never did so I just moved on.”
“I-Is that true?”
Eris looked at me and smiled. “Yes. I’m so sorry if I just said it now. But I guess my decision was right. It made us become best friends up until now, even though I left you. I don’t regret not confessing to you.”
“Eris…”
“Thank you, Lemon. I’m so glad that you finally found someone who will love you. And guess what? she’s my sister. That only means that we’re gonna be best friends forever! Hahaha!”
I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly. “Eris…”
“Lemon, promise me that you’ll take care of my sister, okay? She’s a wonderful girl. She might me childish and clumsy at times but she loves truly. She’ the best woman you can ever know. I don’t want her to get hurt.”
“Take care of yourself, Eris. I know I can no longer stay beside you all the time. I know longer have to watch over you because someone would already do that for you. Just promise me that you’ll be happy, promise me that you’ll keep that smile on your face, promise me that I will never see you crying or I will take you back from that four-eyed man.”
Eris gently moved away from me and pinched both of my cheeks. “I promise. Promise me you’ll be happy too.”
I just smiled.
And that day I know I finally had to say goodbye to my first love. I finally had to let go of the love that I have been keeping to myself for thirteen years. I saw her smile and laugh, it makes me sad that I will no longer have the chance to see that every single day, but somehow, I’m happy because I know that she’ll be happy. She’ll be happy and she’ll be smiling for the rest of her life, although it’s no longer because of me.