Experimented Breaths

Morgan, who had earlier attempted to help her stand, relented. She rushed up and jumped on him again reaching out to his stomach when she saw the pet bird whistle tied to his waist. Morgan pushed her away mildly and the whistle fell to the ground unnoticed.




" You must be after my breathing technique, you keep reaching out to my core of energy." He said.




" But I am in love with you." She said innocently.




"You're such an adept liar. I bet that move earlier was martial arts too."




" I lived a harsh life, so I learned a few moves just to keep myself safe."




" Are you doing this for Stefan? I guess he is trying to control the torrent of energy inside him. But Stefan will not succeed even with my breathing technique. Stop wasting your time. Just get yourself treated and leave." He walks out on her. Cressida was speechless, standing there and watching him leave. She bent down to get the whistle that had fallen. It was the same as it was years ago. It brought back memories of when Morgan and Elena were friends.




"So you still remember me, Morgan." She held the whistle tighter in her fist.

Morgan had gone some miles away when he realized that the whistle wasn't with him anymore. He rushed down to the bridge in search of it only to find Cressida making a melodious song out of it. The style at which she played reminded him of Elena when they were young. He watched her play for a while before walking up to her. She stopped playing when she saw him. They both looked at themselves for a while.




"That is hard to play, I am impressed."




" I know how to do many things."




" I would like it back." 




" It looks very old. Why do you have something so old."




" It belongs to an old friend."




" Seeing that you have it instead of your friend, I am guessing that friend is gone."




" Yes. It belongs to that friend. It means a lot to me, so give it back.




" Then in return for giving it back, teach me your breathing technique. You said it was going to be useless anyways. So to me, this is just as useless. So let us trade." Morgan opted for a while and refused to say a word. " This means nothing to me, so I could even break it." She held the whistle tighter in the air as though to break. Morgan was convinced she meant what she said. He moved closer to her and placed her hands on his stomach. 

" Just three breaths." He said. Stefan came looking for her in the bridge area. He loitered all round in search of her.




"Where is she?" Just then he sighted her and Morgan at the bridge. Morgan was just leaving after taking his whistle from her hands. Stefan rushed to the bridge to talk to her. 




" What is that look on your face? That is no ordinary look." He said from behind her. Cressida slowly turned to look at him. 




" I like him. You set it up that way. I followed Morgan around saying I liked him and finally found out." She said innocently.




" I see… You're a sensitive person who kills everyone who gets near, but you decided to fancy a guy just so you could help your pupil." Stefan sounded mockingly.




" What about you? Hope you did not allow Ramirez Lewis to retrieve his torrent of energy?"




"It is safe inside me. I found out his breathing technique too. So you wasted your time." Stefan screamed.




"You found out? Do not lie to me. I bet you're bluffing just to act like you did something very important."




"I breathed the way he did, and I think I felt something moving inside me." Cressida stopped talking to observe his core. She placed her hands on his stomach and began to smile.




"The energy is surging inside you. It worked." She smiled, looking at his face.




"Were you this close with Morgan? Be careful. I can still see the mark in your eyes. 




" I kept using the eye drops. I didn't see the mark in the mirror. Do you still see it? Her smiles faded.




" I can see if I look this close. If you really like him, this is how close you will get. So be careful Who you fall for. Only I can come this close" Stefan's expression was more of jealousy than anger. 




Cressida was rather startled than angry." Fine. I will only allow it to you. I will try not to fall for Morgan." She said leaving him there.




" What? Why does that require effort?" Stefan asked surprisingly. He followed her suit




"He is handsome. It takes effort not to fall for a handsome man." She scoffs.




"How about me?" Stefan smiled, fooling himself." I guess you have been trying hard not to fall for me as well."




" Not at all." She kept moving. Stefan's smile disappeared.




"Why not, it makes no sense. Just tell me it has been hard." 




" Yes, Young Master." She kept her distance.




"Say it like you mean it." He insisted.




"Yes."




" Will you keep this up?




" Yes". Cressida seemed not interested in all he said so she kept walking her way to the room and giving the answers he wanted to hear.




" Come on. Humor me."




    While Cressida negotiated with Morgan, Stefan who had given Old Reyes a wine gift stayed all day with him until his consumption of the alcohol became intoxicating.

"I didn't ignore you because I hated you, your mother, Lady Isabel, was like a daughter to me. I am pretty much your grandfather, you little lout." Drank Master Ramirez Lewis screamed at the top of his voice from Stefan's back while pinching his neck at the same time. Stefan had carried him on his back, taking him to his room. Master Ramirez had had enough to drink for the day from Stefan's wine gift.




" Yes, grand father." Stefan answered, he stood for a while, took several breaths before moving again.  




"Your mother, Isabel, was extremely kind-hearted."




" Was she?" Stefan never saw his mother. 




" Yes, she was! You need to know that. Always remember that and ignore what everyone else says." Master Ramirez said, screaming and swinging his hands. " That poor kid…"He suddenly sleeps off on Stefan's back breathing out loudly.




" The length and depth of how much air he inhales and exhales." Stefan said to himself after Old Reyes had led out a few minutes of breath. He smiled to himself and made his way into Old Reyes' room.