She's My Sleeping Pill

The last words weren't asked but it was stated calmly. He already had a gist of what might have happened to her in the past when she asked about being bullied. He had different views when it comes to bullying because he didn't experience an extreme bullying in his life and he didn't let other people to bully him physically either.

Rissy put away her phone and faced him. "I was bullied when I was in primary school. At first, I thought that I was friends with my classmates because they hang out with me. I shared my things with them and I bought lots of food to give them. I was really having fun at first. Then, my father was hospitalized due to some illness. We had to save up and had to cut my allowance. I couldn't buy them foods anymore. I can't hang out with them because I need to come home early and help my family. The friends I had, they weren't my friends at all. They were actually just hanging out with me because I have lots of money. Then, people started making fun of me. They pulled pranks on me. They left marking on my tables that I had to spend so much time cleaning. They tore my notes, put my bag inside the trash bin and lots of stuff happens. It happened for several years. I endured for years and I started to write down words on my walls. I scraped off the wallpapers and bought lots of coloring materials. When bad things happen to me in school, I didn't retaliate. I kept everything to myself and waited for the class to be over. I'd come home and wrote things or drew sketches of what I'm thinking and what I'm feeling. My parents didn't know of this until high school. I've always told them to never come inside my room but they accidentally stumbled down upon this secret of mine."

Chris looked at her intently, not looking away even for a second while she talked. He listened to everything she wanted to say. It must have been hard on her to say all these things.

"Basically, that room was your original room and the first room you showed me was the second?"

"Hn. My parents were worried and they even asked a psychiatrist to come and check on me. We showed my room to her and I felt so vulnerable at that time. I thought I'd be deemed insane and will be sent to a mental institution. But you know what, she praised me. After a long time, someone still praised me even after seeing all those things in my room. She was proud of me for not hitting back my classmates. She was proud of me for staying strong all this time. Writing those words didn't mean I was crazy or something. It was just my way of venting because I am not someone who resort to physical violence. And she said that the right colors that I use still represents the kindness in me because no matter what I wrote or no matter how gruesome the sketches were, they will all remain on my walls. She knew that I can't put them into actions."

"I believe she's the one who told you to become a teacher?"

"Hn. When I was about to graduate in high school, I asked her what course I should take. She told me that I'd be a very good teacher, someone who can guide students to stay in the path of goodness. So, here I am now. I became I teacher and this profession led me to find you."

While she talked, Chris was also getting up from bed. This time, he was already sitting face to face with her. There was a proud smile on his lips as he took her hand to hold them. "She was right about you. You're indeed a good teacher. And the proof is the love that your students have for you."

"Uhm…are you still going to stay with me after knowing all these?"

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Chris stated. "In truth, I felt so bad for you. I pity the girl who suffered so much but I am also proud of that same girl for being so brave to withstand all the bullying. I am so happy that she remained kind after what happened. And my feelings for you wouldn't change because of that. As I have said, we all have dark pasts that we didn't want the world to know but I still want to share all the good things and the bad things with you."

Rissy smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"Thank you for trusting me, too. Thank you for sharing these secrets with me."

"Do you mind if I keep that room? May parents had been asking me to renovate it but I don't want to. How about you?"

"Are you happy keeping that room?"

"Hn. It reminds me of my sad past but it also reminds of my journey to who I am now. Those words and those sketches, they're all part of me. I don't want to get rid of them yet."

"Then, just keep it."

"Okay. One day, I'll surely get rid of this room once I'm ready to let go of everything."

"That's right and I'll stay with you until you get to that point. I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Then, do you want to become my official boyfriend now?" Rissy asked all of a sudden which stunned him but it didn't take long for him to respond. He's been waiting for this day and it's been over two months. Although it was a short period, he didn't expect that he'd pass her last line of defense.

"You won't take back your words, right? If I say 'yes', we're really official, right?"

"Hn. I won't take back my words."

Unexpectedly, he pulled out his phone and check the time and date. He took a screenshot and sent it to Stefan and Cayenne. "I won't be envious of you now."