Love Is Second Best — Chapter 3: SHREVAKHUK'S ENCOUNTER

Carmella's POV

The next day, we agreed to see each other at 6:00 AM, the opening of the school library. Fortunately, we haven't got a first period of class because our teacher went to a very important meeting. We both decided to go back to the library to study. Some of our classmates followed us but most of them already headed to the school cafeteria, while others loiter around the school campus.

I am sitting in front of Hope this time. I looked at her as she focused on reading our books to review for tomorrow's quizzes again as we sat on one of the long tables.

"Huh?" She looked at my facial reaction as she met my gaze. I was a bit shocked when she noticed that I have been secretly observing her.

"Is there a problem?" She added as she smiled at me. I shook my head as I awkwardly smiled back at her.

"N-Nothing."

"You seem to be bothered with something. You can tell me." She said as she still looks at the book. It seems like she's really interested in what she's reading right now. Adjusting her eyeglasses made her look charming for me even more. I wonder how she does it effortlessly.

She's reading one of our boring Literature books. I am wondering why she seemed to show a lot of interest as she reads it. She softly chuckled as she read the book silently. It's like something caught her attention all of a sudden.

I stood up and transferred next to her as I moved my face nearer to the book that she's reading. I am suddenly curious to what she's reading about right now.

"You know what? I think this poet is really a fan of nature to the point of doing crazy things about his admiration." She said, still not looking at me.

I frowned as I also tried reading which part that she meant by what she said earlier. I skimmed the exact page and I also shifted my gaze to her facial reaction.

"Oh, that...I think it is not a big deal to start with."

"I guess I should agree with you. Yeah, you're right. I just can't imagine how he ended up marrying a plant." She shook her head as she chuckled again.

"Well, you see...it's not always the literal meaning poets describe in their poems. What if he's only exaggerating?" I answered in a defensive manner. Of course, that’s what all poets do. Many readers will just be too fascinated by the words that they are saying. Most of the time, they are the ones who were adding some meanings to some of the words, figuratively speaking.

"I've read some of Shrevakhuk's poems. They were all weird. I don't believe that she could do such things for the sake of his poems." I added but it didn't change her facial expression.

She faced me and heaved a sigh. She looked more serious now.

"Well, you know what? That's also what I believed in at first. It all changed when we paid a visit at the mini-museum his relatives built to commemorate his vulgar and scandalous works."

"Wow! Really?" I said. She nodded right away as she smiled in an enthusiastic manner like what she’s always doing.

"Yep. It was one of our field trips in New Jersey three years ago."

"W-What's the feeling of finally getting to know more about his works straight from his relatives?" I said as I leaned closer to her even more. She smiled at me as if she’s highly encouraged all of a sudden to tell me more about Shrevakhuk.

"It's really a once-in-a-lifetime visit. Our tour guides almost took four months to book in advance for that trip to be possible."

I was left speechless. What can I argue more about? I only read some of Shrevakhuk's poems but Hope went straight to his place to gather meaty facts! I can't believe her so much that I am gaping in awe of the coming experiences that she already experienced. I think that’s one of the greatest things one will ever experience in his/her lifetime.

"One of his great grandmother told me that in order for him to feel his poem, he loves to experience it first-hand before he gets to put it on paper."

I am too amazed I can't help but to cover my mouth. I can’t believe I am hearing the truth and nothing but only it. I thought poets only imagine things and put them to paper. I never realized that there were actual people who put their reality and what they’re doing in print. That’s such a complete badass!

"So it means, she really killed her own wife and dressed it to the point of getting her wife's skeletal system, not missing any bone for the record?"

"Yup. That was really gory but she did it to his wife." She said almost in a whisper that I can’t help but to chuckle. Seriously, it made me feel really nervous. The way she’s telling me these things is somewhat creepy; it gives me goosebumps.

My eyes widened as I listened to Hope more. She's also a great storyteller from what she had experienced in America.

"I can't believe him. I mean, I really thought that poets do really love to play with words without applying it in actual situations."

"It is not always the case. We are all born to be unique, some, gifted to the point of doing crazy things." Hope replied, glancing a little to the book and shifted her gaze at me as well.

"I hope to meet poets with a normal way of thinking." I jokingly said that made her chuckle.

"How I wish writers were always like that. You see? He even became popular because he chose to think outside the box. Too bad he was also murdered because of his works."

"I guess he deserves it," I commented as I looked in a different direction.

"Nobody deserves death caused by other people. In fact, we don't have all the right to end our life for ourselves. For me, we don't own our own lives, either. I guess what happened to him was really bound to happen in the first place."

"You know what, you're a bit weird but on point. I like it."

"How I wish he didn't die yet. I have a lot of questions in mind for him." She answered. I saw Hope smiled mysteriously as she turned her gaze at the book that she's reading again.

"Aren't you content about the information that came from his relatives when you went to New Jersey?"

"Well, they don't tell all those detailed information about him and the things he did. I guess they still want to protect Shrevakhuk until the very end."

"Maybe. If I am related to him, I will also try my best to also protect him at all cost. Even if some of what he did was unforgivable based on what I have read from his works."

"Protecting his name from the very end is different from tolerating him and his works. I hope they are doing the first that I mentioned."

I got the book that she's holding and gently closed it in front of her as I smiled. "You know what? Let's just go to the school canteen. I am hungry already. We've been reading for two hours non-stop here. We somehow deserve a break, right?"

"Oh, sorry. This book got me hooked up. Let's go?" She said as she smiled back. She's packing everything she owns on the table as she puts it inside her backpack. She straightened the handle and put it around her shoulders. I also did the same as I neatly arranged my notebooks inside my backpack as well.

We walked happily going to the school cafeteria. Good thing it's a bit nearer to the school library that's why it's not that difficult to reach. I offered to treat her this time and she nodded. As we walked on the aisle where the tables were being placed, I noticed that a lot of guys who were in different sections were taking a glimpse of her. She just awkwardly smiled in return.

"This is my favorite." I proudly presented her the snack that I loved the most. Sugar-coated bananas on a stick. She smiled as she got the other stick from my hand. I also bought two little boxes of chocolate drinks for both of us.

"Wow! This is so nice! You're as sweet as this snack. Thank you, Carmella!" She cheerfully took a bite and when she realized it's too hot, she opened her mouth and produced some air to let it cool from her tongue.

"Oh my goodness I am so sorry! I was too excited I am not able to tell you that it is still very hot!" I said, shocked at the same time, chuckled upon looking at her.

"No, don't be guilty. My fault. I knew that it's hot but I never realized that it's too hot for me to handle. Sorry to make you worry." She said, as she now managed to chew the small bite that she took minutes ago.

"I hope you will enjoy that snack. I always enjoy myself whenever I eat that one. It's a must to recommend."

"Yeah, you're right." She answered while chewing the sugar-coated banana. She looked awkward yet cute as she fanned her mouth with her hands as she chewed our snack. It made me laugh a bit.

"What do you mean, 'enjoy myself'?Don't you have friends who usually hang out with you?"

"I have, Hope. It's just that, I am too shy to interact with them. They also knew me for being strict and serious. They even think I am a snobber, too."

"Oh my! That's too rude! I don't even feel any of what you have mentioned when we're together."

I held her hand and smiled at her.

"It is because you knew my value from the very start. You believed in me at first that I am not what they are telling me about."

"Yeah and I believe you can also prove them wrong, dear." She said as she tapped my shoulders.

"I know. I hope it will be sooner than we expect." I smiled and as we finished our snack, we talked a lot about many things. Hope is a bit funny because she also shared a lot of weird jokes that we only both understand.