TJL#19# Tale Of A Lonely Princess

Unexpected

Eugene's POV

" You know there is a bookstore and need to buy a book that I forgot to buy cause I was too lazy. Last week my professor kicked me out of the class because I didn't brought the book. If I don't bring the book this week he will get me detention I guess." She said in one breath.

" You are not in school. Your professor has some issues with you I guess. No one kicks someone out for this mere reason when you are in college." I said rolling my eyes.

" Actually you are right. He kicked me out because I was questioning him too much without any reason. He was irritated. So he kicked me out saying I am not even responsible to bring my book. Then I realized I actually lost my book. I have to buy it again." She said. " But I will seek revenge on him. How dare he kick me out of the class?!!" She said and I sighed.

I was really stupid for still following her but I don't know why I was doing that. I can't leave her alone in the street after what happened yesterday. I need to follow her until she is at home. Just for my peace of mind.

" Alright. Let's go and get your book." I said to her.

" You can go back. I will just roam around. You will get bored with me. You know how stupid I am. So, you can just ignore me. You don't have to follow me." She said.

" Just come." I said as I opened the door of the bookstore for her and gestured her to enter. She shook her head and entered the bookstore. It was quite busy. She kept looking here and there may be was searching for someone.

" Come with me. We have to catch Balthazar. Last time he wasn't there. I have something important to ask him. Very very important. Come on." She said and pulled me with her. I sighed.

" Balthazar!! Balthazar!!!" She almost yelled and people started to look at us weirdly. I shook my head.

" Hello, Crystal. How are you?" The middle aged guy said to her.

" I am fine. Sorry, I couldn't contact you. I went to Venice to see my mom last week. I couldn't get reach of you when I came here though I wanted to but I had classes the day before yesterday. Screw it. Tell me how is Mary. Is she alright now? I will go and meet her this weekend. I will buy her favorite chocolate and a big fluffy teddy bear for her." She said in one breath as always smiling brightly. Seems she loves this Mary girl a lot. The guy Balthazar looked at her sadly.

" No need anymore, Crystal." He said.

" What?! Why? She asked for these last time I saw her and I promised her. I keep my promise no matter what happens. So, I will buy her the things she wanted from me. You can't stop me, Balthazar. I agree that she is your granddaughter but she is my friend as well. You can't stop me." She whined and I face palmed. Balthazar hold her hands and looked at her sadly.

" Mary passed away last Monday, Crystal. She is no more. She couldn't bear chemotherapy. She was just a little kid, Crystal. She ..." He couldn't finish as tears blocked his sight. He sighed deeply.

" What?!!" She looked at him in shock. " You are joking, right? Tell me you are joking, Balthazar. Please tell me you are lying and it's not true." She shook him. But he kept looking down. " I don't trust you. You don't want me to meet Mary, right? Ok, I won't meet her but please tell me she is fine. Tell me, Balthazar." She almost begged him. He just hugged her and cried his heart out. I don't know what to do in this situation.

" No, Crystal. It's true. Our Mary is no more. She died in front of me. She couldn't bear the pain anymore. I...I.. I saw her dying. It was so hard for her. She was a fighter. She wanted to make it but she couldn't. I buried her with these hands of mine. We couldn't save her, Crystal. We couldn't save her." He said breaking the hug.

She looked defeated. Completely some other person from the earlier. She just sat down on the floor clutching her head. Balthazar sat next to her.

" Where is she sleeping?" She asked softly. She didn't use the word buried. May be she doesn't want to believe that she has died.

" There where her parents are and she always wanted to be." He answered. " She thanked you for helping her all these days. She gave you the most precious thing of her. Her diary. You remember she wrote her feelings in it but never showed anyone?" He asked her. She nodded wiping her tears. It was hard now to see her crying. " She told me to give that to you and you can read it. She said..." He choked. " She said she will definitely repay your kindness in her next birth." He said and left her speechless.

" Give me the diary." She asked softly.

" Come with me." Balthazar said. I helped her to stand up.

She didn't say a word. Just kept walking after Balthazar. I looked at her once. She was looking so pale. She was holding my hand tightly like she will lose her balance if she leaves my hand. I just wrapped my arm around her to comfort her. At least that's what I could do for her at that moment. We reached a small cabin may be Balthazar is the owner of the bookstore. He searched for something in the cabinet and picked out a little pink diary with Elsa and Anna printed on it. Anyone can say this belongs to a little kid.

" Here. Keep it protected, Crystal. It's Mary's love for you." Balthazar said. She nodded.

She walked out of their without her book. I didn't bother her as she kept walking clutching the diary tightly on her chest. I didn't know she can be silent like this. I kept walking with her.

" I want to go back to home." She said suddenly.

" Sure. Come with me." I said and she nodded.

I called a taxi and soon I left her at her home. I waited for her to get in the house. It was weird how she changed in a second. It was really unexpected. I didn't think she can be so sensitive. It was totally unexpected.