🌻-4- The Mistake

                                    

                                          
"You don't have to follow me, you know." You said after you heard footsteps behind you, without turning around. "I know this place more than you do."
                          
"I am not trying to show you the way." Stephen shrugged, "Just suddenly have the mood to read."
                          
You tried to hide your smile, you hated to admit it, but his presence strangely gave you comfort.
                          
What's wrong with you? You shook your head.
                          
You walked into the library, took a deep breath. You missed this smell so much. You picked a book from the shelf, Stephen leaned on the shelf beside you, crossed his arms in front of his chest.
                          
Before you left Kamar-Taj, you came to this library almost everyday. You love reading, enjoying the smell of the ancient texts, listening to the silence. Everytime you walked into this library, you felt like your soul was completed. The silence always calms you down, even during really hard times.
                          
You used to come here with Nessa. Your heart sank. Nessa. She loved reading like I do, maybe even more. You thought. She read much more books than me.
                          
There are traces of her anywhere. You looked around you. You saw a girl picked a book from a shelf, asking the shorter girl beside her if this book is suitable for her. The shorter girl said something seemed silly and laughed with her, then they shushed each other immediately, holding their laughter with all their efforts.
                          
Like he was reading your mind, Stephen asked, "You said you made a mistake before. What was it? Can I know?"
                          
"I thought you were interested in the books." You dragged your gaze from your younger self, flipped the pages. The two girls disappeared.
                          
"Hmm, more interested in your past."
                          
You look into his eyes. Different from his tone, you only saw sincerity.
                          
Normally, you would avoid this topic if anyone asks you. But something in Stephen made you feel like you could tell him anything.
                          
"I..." You took in a shaky breath then exhaled, "I couldn't protect my younger sister. She died in the fight with Dormammu."
                          
Stephen started, "That's not your fault—"
                          
"Yes it was! She was just 14 when she died!!" You yelled, then remembered you were in a library and kept your voice down, "Before my mother died, I had sworn to her that I would protect Nessa. I failed her." 
                          
You remembered how your mother died. She was lying on her bed, trying her best not to go into the darkness that crept on her. Little Nessa was sobbing in your arms. You were 12 and Nessa was 8 at that time.
                          
Take care of Nessa for me. Please, Y/N.
                          
I will, mother. I swear. I will protect her at any cost.

                          
Mother!! Don't go!!
                          
I am sorry, my sunshines. Remember, I love you two more than anything.
                          
"Nessa? That's your sister's name?" Stephen's voice brought you back from your memories.
                          
"Vanessa. I called her Nessa." Past tense again.
                          
"But you certainly couldn't protect her at that situation. You were busy fighting Dormammu at that time."
                          
"I shouldn't have let her joined the fight in the first place." Your hands balled into fists, "I came to Kamar-Taj to train myself to be stronger, to protect her. But I failed. Nessa was such a lovely girl, she deserved so much more..." A lump formed in your throat and your words faded into the silence.
                          
"Don't blame yourself for your sister's death." Stephen said, simply and softly.
                          
"You don't understand...I should be the one who died..." You lowered your head, tried to blink back your tears.
                          
"Don't say this nonsense." Stephen immediately said, put his hands on your shoulders. "Hey, look at me."
                          
You looked up, stared into his eyes. You felt like you were drowning in the beautiful blue ocean in his eyes. Even your tears blurred your vision, you saw that he cared about you.
                          
"I don't know, but if you need any help, just...I'll be there, okay?"
                          
Your cheeks burnt, his hands were like burning into your shoulders. Why do you care? You just met me. You barely know me. You wanted to ask him but you didn't, because you didn't want to break that moment.
                          
"...Thank you." You whispered. Before you knew what you were doing, you tiptoed and kissed his cheek. 
                          
His expression told you he was completely taken by surprise, and your heartbeat was so fast that you thought it would leap out of your chest. 
                          
"Hello there—oh." At this very moment, Wong appeared from the shelf behind you, then sharply halted. You and Stephen immediately separated. "OH! Are you two—" Wong's gasped, eyes widened.
                          
"No, no! We're just...discussing about this." You held up your book, hoping the darkness in the library could cover the blush creeping up your cheeks.
                          
"Oh. Then you two go on." Wong said, then slipped away. Before he left, you could see the evil smile on his face. Great.
                          
You and Stephen stood there for a moment, and you finally broke the silence. "I've got to go. I'll...see you later."
                          
Stephen scratched the back of his neck, seemed to be embarrassed. "Sure. Bye."
                          
You walked away, a silly smile remained on your face for the whole day.
                          
As a matter of fact, I always smile like an idiot everytime after I watch Benedict Cumberbatch's clips. I don't think I'm alone haha😏😏