ã€ŠA Step Behind Deathã€‹


 Chapter 1 - A Surprising First Day

    ¡°Good morning, dear students, both new and old.

    Today, we celebrate the beginning of classes. For some of you, it is the start of a new chapter, and as your current student council president, I welcome you, to your high school life.

    The part of your lives where you celebrate your youth, meet friends, have hobbies, relationships,

    But most importantly, become good members of society.¡±

    ¡­

    It¡¯s the same speech every year.

    Are we supposed to memorize it or something?

    ¡°Hey, Damis,¡±

    Feeling disinterested on the current events, my thoughts began to drift to the incident that occurred earlier, and the peculiar girl I saw.

    ¡°Stand up, Damis,¡±

    The way she stared at it¡­

    ¡°Damis!¡±

    It was almost as if¡ª

    ¡°Mr Simontel!¡±

    I stood up as fast as I could.

    Feeling both staggered and confused, I pulled my earphones off so fast that I thought the wires broke off. I looked in front and saw all of my classmates, no, all of the 3rd year students on stage, waiting for the one student who¡¯s still not standing with them.

    Me in the sitting area, alone and embarrassed.

    I looked at my homeroom teacher, her face bared an expression of fury and disappointment. It was almost comedic.

    Some of the freshmen laughed at what transpired, though I know most of them laughed at my teacher¡¯s ridiculous reaction. There was also my friend Noah with a smirk on his face as he gazed at me, a smirk that meant something like ¡°I tried to warn you¡±, his face also plastered with disappointment. I also began being disappointed at myself.

    Who knew disappointment was contagious?

    What a great way to start the school year.

    Moving on from what had transpired, I steadily sprinted up to the stage and joined my classmates.

    Being on the same height group as him, I stood next to Noah while he tried to hold back his laughter.

    ¡°... How long did it take me to realise what¡¯s happening?¡± I whispered, slightly annoyed.

    ¡°About five minutes.¡± He let out a chuckle, ¡°You have to stop wearing those earphones all the time dude, or at least lower the volume next time.¡± He answered, barely managing to hold back his laughter.

    ¡°How about next time you just pull my earphones off when something important happens.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good idea, but I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll be able to get to you faster than Ms Palmer.¡±

    ¡°Noah, it¡¯s okay. I trust you.¡±

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t.¡±

    We giggled like kids doing a prank.

    ¡°Besides, if I do that, we won¡¯t be able to see Ms Palmer¡¯s contorted face.¡± he wiped off a tear from his eye.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. But seriously though, pull them off next time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry my man I got your back. And your earphones.¡±

    Apparently, the point of us graduating students singing the hymn on stage was to inspire the new students.

    Ahh, I remember when I used to be a freshman and saw all of the seniors singing on stage.

    They inspired me to want to skip the opening ceremonies.

    The bored and indifferent look on their faces as they sang the hymn showed just how much they wanted to be anywhere but there. Although even with their pathetic display of forced enthusiasm the teachers seemed to be very happy.

    Also, I swear the principal was in tears while watching us sing. Old people sure are passionate.

    Minutes went by and after a few last words from the principal, we were finally allowed to leave the stage and return to our seats.

    Just as we began returning to our seats our homeroom teacher, Ms Palmer approached me and whispered something I¡¯m very reluctant to hear.

    ¡°Mr.Simontel, come the teacher¡¯s lounge later, we have something important to talk about.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    I walked to my seat, stressed out by the fact that I was about to get scolded by my homeroom teacher during the first day of class. However, seeing that most of the chairs were already occupied including my own I decided to sit on whatever chair was left.

    Noah disappeared as per usual, and I have no clue where he might have went. He¡¯s always like that. But he¡¯s always nearby when I need him so I don¡¯t really care that much about it.

    I looked for a seat that was nearest to the exit and decided to sit there, thinking that even though I lost my seat I¡¯ll be the first one to leave this place. Unless the teachers decide to line us up before going to class.

    As I prepared to put on my earphones I felt a slight chill on my back, as if someone was glaring at me. I turned around feeling terrified of what abomination was staring at me, and I saw my teacher giving me the ¡°Don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret¡± eye.

    Well, I can always wear them later.

    I sat there, wondering when the ceremony will end. Opening ceremonies are scheduled to be an hour-long event, though it is not certain when the event will end.

    As I got comfortable on my seat, I couldn¡¯t help but drift away in my thoughts and remember the accident that occurred earlier.

    A traffic accident involving a car and a delivery truck. It happened near an intersection, about a few hundred meters away from the school. I saw someone die in that accident. A middle-aged man who, judging by his attire, was on his way to work. It looked like the airbag didn¡¯t trigger during the accident, his face was full of shards of broken glass. His neck snapped from the impact. His daughter who was sitting in the back seat was out cold but was miraculously uninjured. She was in her uniform and looked like she is a student of this school. At least she has an excuse for being absent during the first day of classes, lucky her.

    While thinking about the recent accident I remembered something else. A girl named May; a classmate of mine since the first year of high school. Looking at her reminded me of myself for some reason.

    Oh, I remember now. Even though a gruesome traffic accident happened in front of her, even though everyone who witnessed the accident was shocked disturbed, she was calm.

    I never thought I¡¯d see the day where someone could be as calm and indifferent as I am during an event like that. She has been my classmate for all these years but I never knew that she was like that. It looked like she¡¯s been through worse. As though nothing can ever compare to whatever she had seen before. It was as if she was used to it.

    I always thought of her as a quiet and introverted girl, the kind that doesn¡¯t have many friends not because people avoid her, but because she just likes to be alone.

    During that moment, my opinion of her, though insignificant, changed.

    ¡°Man, the men¡¯s restroom smelled like shit. You¡¯d think it''d be cleaner on the first day of class.¡± Noah came from behind and sat on the chair beside mine, ¡°So, what did I miss?¡±

    I snapped back to reality then coughed, as if to ready my mouth for conversation.

    ¡°Well, a student fainted and was taken to the hospital. The paramedics were like all over the place. It was crazy as hell.¡±

    ¡°So nothing happened?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much¡±

    He rested his hand on my shoulder, as if he was trying to comfort me.

    ¡°Man you sure suck at lying. I mean the hospital? Really? Didn¡¯t you know we have a school infirmary?¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah I¡¯ll try harder next time.¡±

    He shakes his head as if in disagreement. ¡°Here¡¯s a tip at deceiving people, if you¡¯re going to lie about something, make sure you won¡¯t get caught.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just common sense?¡± I replied before pushing away his hand from my shoulder.

    ¡°Also, you always move your feet when you lie.¡±

    Hearing that made me disappointed. I expected to grow out of that mannerism by now.

    ¡°What if I just moved them because I was uncomfortable?¡± I argued as if trying to make an alibi.

    ¡°Saying obvious bullshit before moving your feet makes it a dead giveaway.¡±

    Well, he has a point.

    I¡¯ll just have to pay more attention to it from now on.

    Once again, I felt a slight shiver.

    It felt like someone was staring intently at me once again, probably Ms Palmers. But I don¡¯t remember doing anything wrong though.

    I looked around, trying to find the source of the terrifying gaze. Upon finding the source, my fear dissipated, and instead left me puzzled.

    The one staring at me was not a teacher, but a certain female student who shared the same recent experience as I did.

    It was May.

    When our eyes met, I suddenly recalled the calm expression she had earlier this morning. After that, she turned away as fast as she could.

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey, Noah¡±

    Just before Noah dozed off my voice brought him back to life, as if it was some sort of alarm.

    ¡°What-- no-- wait, Ahem. Come again?¡± He rubbed his eyes, trying to fight his drowsiness.

    ¡°Say there¡¯s a girl. The two of you don¡¯t know each other. But then you find out that the girl has been staring at you for some reason. Why do you think the girl would do that?¡±

    ¡°By girl do you mean Ms Frendricks?¡±

    What he said caught me by surprise. ¡°How did you--¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time she stared at you like you were some freak show. She¡¯s been doing that for a year.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, let me get this straight, she¡¯s been keeping an eye on me since last year, and you never even told me about it. What the hell dude.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I just thought it would be better to let things take its course.¡±

    Something about what he said made me scratch the back of my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What I mean is that, she''s obviously interested in you. I thought it would be better if I let things develop naturally without involving myself.¡±

    Contrary to what Noah was suggesting, she didn¡¯t look at all like she was interested in me.

    She stared at me looking like she was staring at a trash bag filled with used diapers after a few neighbourhood dogs indulged in its contents.

    ¡°I doubt that she¡¯s interested in the way you''re thinking of.¡±

    ¡°She is. She wouldn¡¯t be wasting effort to twist her neck 90 degrees just to stare at you for god knows how long if she didn¡¯t.¡± He proceeded to tap my shoulder, as if trying to get my full attention, ¡°How about you approach her after this ceremony, I have a feeling she has something important to tell you.¡±

    ¡°How''d you get that idea?¡±

    ¡°Trust me. I know quite a few things about people.¡±

    Being the socialite that he is, I decided to trust him.

    ¡°I guess¡­ I can talk to her when I feel like it.¡±

    He placed his hands on my shoulders once again. He looked oddly proud.

    ¡°I never think I¡¯d see the day when you finally decide to approach another person, not to mention a girl. As your dear friend, I¡¯m proud of you.¡± He wiped his non-existent tear off his eye.

    He does have a point. This is the first time I wanted to approach and talk to someone else other than Noah at school, much less a female.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sign of progress I guess.¡±

    Without warning all of the students stood up in unison.

    The opening ceremony has ended. Everyone got ready to leave and go back to their respective classrooms. Luckily the teachers didn¡¯t decide to line up all the students so everyone proceeded to walk on their separate ways.

    That didn¡¯t matter much for me though because even before I could walk five steps away Ms Palmers called my name making me remember what she told me earlier on stage. Noah gave me a nudge and as he left the venue, he waved goodbye. ¡°Good luck.¡±

    I appreciate the thought. Although ¡°Rest in Peace¡± would have been more appropriate.

    Oh boy did she give me an earful.

    I left the faculty room, questioning my life choices.

    I know I¡¯m supposed to be an honor student and all, but that doesn¡¯t mean my homeroom teacher should deal with me any differently than the other students in my class. I never even wanted to be one in the first place, especially when being one comes with all of these troubles.

    I looked at the clock outside the faculty room¡¯s door and saw that I spent half an hour being scolded by her, though I swore it felt like twice as much.

    Feeling exhausted, I decided to head for the nearest comfort room, hoping that washing my face with cold water would bring me back to life.

    While walking I noticed that there were a lot of students around the halls, too many for me. I reached for my earphones located on my left pocket, but ended up pulling out nothing.

    ¡°Where the hell did I put it?¡± while mentally screaming these words, I frantically looked for my earphones in every place I could think of.

    Then I remembered Noah.

    That sly son of a gun. He must¡¯ve taken them.

    To be honest, I should have expected this. This wasn¡¯t the first time.

    Moments later, the school bell began ringing, signalling the start of second period.

    The students who were frolicking in the hallways disappeared one by one into their respected classrooms.

    I, on the other hand, started sprinting as fast as I could to my own classroom on the second floor. Forget my earphones, if I¡¯m late I¡¯ll have to deal with Ms Palmers again.

    While going up the stairs I saw May standing in front of the steps. She shouldn¡¯t be there.

    But without a reason to care in the first place I continued my race against time and ignored the girl.

    Though admittedly, ignoring her was a big mistake.

    She suddenly grabbed my arm with such force that it was sure to stop me in my tracks, but my feet didn¡¯t want to stop moving, making me lose my balance and end up flat on the ground.

    ¡°Agck¡­ Oww... The hell was that¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Ahem. Sorry about that.¡± She said that, with a non-apologetic expression as she extended her hand, ¡°Grabbing you was the only way I could think of to get your attention.¡±

    After I stood up, she looked at me like she wanted to say something. I on the other hand was busy trying to avoid eye contact as I tried to figure out a way to escape this situation.

    ¡°The bell rang so we need to go to class now¡­¡± I said, reminding her of something she should already know.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first day of classes so I¡¯m sure that there won¡¯t be any lectures this period.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    As much as I don¡¯t like this situation, she¡¯s has a point.

    ¡°But¡­ don¡¯t the teachers usually check the attendance even during the first day?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, usually the attendance only counts for 5% of the computation of grades of a student which has no noticeable impact on the overall grades itself. Anyway, it¡¯s a bad idea talking in the hallways while classes are in session. Follow me.¡±

    She told me that like I was obligated to join her in her endeavours, which I was not.

    But by the way things are going, leaving won¡¯t help. That was the impression I got from her.

    But then again, being scolded by Ms Palmers two times in one day won¡¯t help either.

    When she began walking up the stairs, I also started to walk towards the classroom while trying to avoid her attention.

    She then let out a sigh.

    ¡°Did you know how long I waited here just to have chance to speak with you? Please don¡¯t make it feel like I wasted my time.¡±

    The words she said resonated with me for some reason, enough to make me choke a bit before going to a complete stop.

    It made me feel something that I haven¡¯t felt in a long time.

    I felt guilty.

    ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t.¡±

    Upon hearing those words, she made a gentle smile.

    ¡°Can I hear that again?¡± she said, like it was some sort of command, a command that I surprisingly wasn¡¯t against following.

    After letting out a brief sigh, I repeated myself, ¡°You didn¡¯t waste your time.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to not be here?¡± I whispered while she struggled to open the rooftop door, ¡°And isn¡¯t that thing supposed to be locked?¡±

    ¡°Instead of asking all those useless questions, would you mind helping me with this door?¡± she said while breathing heavily.

    ¡°Useless? We¡¯re going to get in trouble you know¡­¡± I tried to reason with her.

    ¡°Please.¡± After uttering that word, she stopped, still facing the door.

    Please.

    Hearing that word, I couldn¡¯t do anything but let out a deep sigh. ¡°Make room.¡±

    After a few more attempts we finally managed to open it.

    She continued to open the door, sunlight gradually crept in the doorway. The brightness took me by surprise, almost blinding me for a moment.

    When my sight came back to normal I saw May, her black hair dancing along the gentle breeze. She stared blankly at the distance and for some reason, she looked sad.

    ¡°So, what did you need to tell me?¡± I said after managing to catch my breath.

    ¡°No, not tell, ask. I need your help.¡± She said, still looking at the distance.

    ¡°Okay¡­ with what? Oh, and while we¡¯re at it, why me of all people?¡±

    She continued to stare at the distance like she was trying to look for something.

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t need to talk about it here in the rooftop so¡­ let¡¯s just go back to class, Okay?¡± I suggested, trying to get her attention. It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s listening though.

    ¡°You know, I was planning to confront you about this for a long time now. I just wanted to wait for the right time. I¡­ have a confession to make, I have been¡­ observing you¡­ for a while now¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, what!?¡± I exclaimed, looking as surprised as someone who just discovered that some girl, who is also a classmate, was stalking him.

    ¡°Since¡­ last year to be specific¡­¡±

    She glanced at me and looked as though she was surprised with my reaction, ¡°Oh come on, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± She said while crossing her arms.

    ¡°So¡­ you were stalking me?¡±

    ¡°Oh please, stalking indicates that I am obsessed with you and going out of my way to follow you around gathering as much information about you as humanly possible, which I did not. I¡¯m not obsessed with you, at least.¡±

    ¡°So you were borderline stalking me. Sorry, I need a moment to let this sink in.¡±

    ¡°As I said I wasn¡¯t stalking you, I was merely gathering information about you to test a theory I made.¡±

    ¡°And what theory is that?¡±

    ¡°An ability to foresee death¡±

    Hearing what she said paralyzed me for a moment. I took a big gulp of the saliva that filled my mouth as I desperately tried to think of something to say.

    ¡°Are you¡­ Okay?¡± she asked, looking a bit confused. Probably because I looked like I just shit my pants.

    I don¡¯t really like where this is going.

    After experiencing some light-headedness due to the stress I¡¯m currently experiencing, I regained my composure and decided to give my usual reply towards questions like these.

    Believe it or not, this wasn¡¯t the first time someone confronted me about this.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡ª¡°

    ¡°Damis, right? You know, I believe there is one constant in this world, or rather the only constant I care about. And it is that I¡¯m never wrong.¡±

    I can¡¯t believe she can say that without even blinking. That sounded so far-fetched that I wouldn¡¯t believe it even if I wanted to.

    ¡°Skeptical, I assume.¡± She began slowly walking towards be then stopped a meter away. She then proceeded to stare at me starting at my shoulders down to my shoes. I can¡¯t help but feel awkward though the situation doesn¡¯t even faze her.

    ¡°You live alone. Usually, when classes are dismissed you head straight to your apartment. But sometimes, you visit the convenience store to buy some groceries. These groceries often consist of instant cup noodles and other ready to eat meals which suggest you don¡¯t cook for yourself and don¡¯t have anyone to cook for you.¡± What she said caught me off guard and made me slightly lose my balance, forcing me to step backward a bit. After smiling at my reaction, she continued to speak.

    ¡°On weekends, you seldom leave your room. Being one of the best students in class, you¡¯re probably reading some books or working on your homework. But occasionally, you go out to buy stuff on the nearby supermarkets and convenience stores. You seem to never go out for leisure, and you always go outside when you need to buy something. Adding this with your introverted demeanor in school suggests that you really don¡¯t enjoy being around other people for long periods of time.¡±

    ¡°W-wait how did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°And right now, it¡¯s seems as though you¡¯ve lost something. No, you already know where it is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get already, you can stop now, okay?¡± I said as I started to get uncomfortable.

    She looked like she was ready to burst with laughter. She looked so full of herself to the point where it annoyed me.

    ¡°Care to know how I knew all that?¡± she said with a smug look on her face.

    After pondering about it for a moment I finally thought of an answer that was more obvious than I thought.

    ¡°Well¡­ if I had to guess it¡¯s probably because you were stalking me.¡±

    She frowned upon hearing my answer. I don¡¯t know why but seeing her face like that felt like I achieved something.

    ¡°What about that thing I said about something you lost? Hmm?¡±

    To be honest I have no idea how she could have figured that out having it only happen minutes before I encountered her.

    ¡°Well, any idea?¡± she asked, eager to hear an answer.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    She smiled then pointed at my pants. ¡°Your pockets¡±

    I reached down my pockets and saw that they were pulled out, probably because of what I did earlier.

    She continued, ¡°Plus the fact that you weren¡¯t wearing your earphones earlier, even though you usually wear them all the time. Therefore, I came to the conclusion that those were the items that you¡¯ve recently lost. Anyway, now that I told you something quote-unquote ¡®unusual¡¯ about me, how about you try to enlighten me about yours.¡±

    She stared at me, waiting to be entertained.

    Preparing to speak, I stood on my feet firmly.

    ¡°Sorry, but as I already said before, I honestly have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I declared, finally gaining the courage to look at her eyes, ¡°You still haven¡¯t even told me why you need my help.¡± I reminded her.

    She tilted her head upwards, as if trying to recall something.

    ¡°I need you to help me find a murderer.¡± She said.

    ¡°A murderer?¡± I asked thinking that I wasn¡¯t sure about what I heard.

    ¡°Ugh this is getting awfully redundant. I know you heard what I said, and I¡¯m never wrong.¡± She said while also sounding redundant. I don¡¯t know if she was being sarcastic or actually serious, though it was clear that it was the latter.

    She stared at me, waiting for a response.

    ¡°As I said before, you also have something quite unusual about you and after some observations I found out what it is. You can see people¡¯s deaths.¡±

    Just before I gave a response she cut me off and continued to speak.

    ¡°And could you do me a favor and stop trying to deny it, I know I¡¯m right and if you want me to explain how I got to that conclusion I¡¯d be more than happy to. I wouldn¡¯t have any reason to confront you if this wasn¡¯t the case after all.¡±

    I can¡¯t think of any other way to approach this situation. Even though it felt like I was going to be digging my own grave I decided to let her hear a bit of what she wanted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say I did have the ability to foresee people¡¯s deaths, how would that help you find a murderer. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be able to see what caused the death¡­¡± I replied while trying to hide my nervousness.

    After hearing what I said she began smirking at me, it was then that I realized that I said more than I should have.

    ¡°So, you can only see the victim¡¯s condition after the cause of death, interesting.¡±

    Damn it, I should¡¯ve just left her when I had the chance.

    I began to panic. Before I knew it, I was slowly pacing backward trying to reach the door and hopefully make a run for it.

    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, unless you¡¯re interested in seeing the only thing that¡¯s worse than death,¡± After threatening me with an equally intimidating voice she began reaching for something in her pocket, something that looked like a pen. She continued her threat, ¡°Nothing.¡± and with the click of the pen she began walking towards me.

    I know a lot of things, I read many books, listened to many lectures, answered many academic questions. I was good at it. I became one of the best students in my class because I was good. However, I failed to notice something crucial in the situation I ended up in.

    I never once thought that maybe, just maybe, this girl right in front of me holding a pen might be legitimately crazy. And at this moment, I think she is.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m sorry okay? I¡¯ll stop, promise. I won¡¯t run away¡­¡± I Bet the look of terror was visible on my face.

    After seeing my pathetic display, she began laughing her ass off.

    ¡°Did you really believe that I was going to stab your eye sockets?¡± she placed the pen back in her pocket.

    My fear dissipated and was soon replaced with anger, ¡°I never knew you were that much of an as¡ª rude person.¡±

    After she was done laughing she started wiping the tears on her face ¡°Well the way I see it, the more you start to know someone, the more inclined you are to tell them more about yourself.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I was starting to get pissed.

    She looked at me with crossed arms.

    ¡°Wait. Are you seriously upset right now?¡±

    I took a deep breath then began saying the words that I hoped was enough to make her give up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I think it¡¯s better for both of us to go our separate ways already.¡± I told her while trying to be as sincere as I can.

    I felt like I had enough for today, I just wanted to go someplace quiet.

    ¡°¡¯Look, I¡¯m sorry if I seemed to be a bit disrespectful, and during our first meeting nonetheless, but I don¡¯t see any reason for us to leave already, we¡¯re only just getting started--¡±

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t like wasting your time, right? That¡¯s why I¡¯m ending this conversation here. I am not interested in helping you nor do I have the ability to see people¡¯s deaths.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡± She declared, almost shouting.

    Hearing her stern voice as she said that caught my attention.

    ¡°September, last year, our teacher had an unfortunate accident during class that caused his untimely death. A few minutes before it happened you left the room in a hurry without asking permission from the teacher or even telling anybody, which was very unusual for a student like you. That in itself was nothing worth noticing but, the thing is after the teacher died you came back with the school nurse and that¡¯s what got my interest.

    I began thinking about it even after I got home that day thinking about how weird it is for you to know that the teacher will need medical attention even before it even happened especially when there were no signs that led to our teacher¡¯s heart attack, even the paramedics and our classmates were convinced that the attack came suddenly and without warning.

    I know you were close with that teacher but judging by your reaction during that time you had no idea about his medical condition.

    So, after deciding to observe you for a while and especially after the accident this morning, I am certain that you can see something that is at least connected to a person¡¯s death.

    Let me tell you something, I never draw conclusions without any solid basis and that¡¯s why I¡¯m confident in saying that I am never wrong. I take account every variable, every possibility, every impossibility, and form my conclusion based on my observations. If you think that you can pass off my assumption as something of a misunderstanding then I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not going to work. You may give me the same reply you give to all of the people who have confronted you before but I am far more difficult than those people.

    You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t like to waste my time, so if you make me set aside the time I spent observing you this past year, I might consider stabbing you for real this time.¡±

    Hearing her long speech rendered me, speechless.

    I just stood there for a moment while she stared at me, waiting for a response. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. And having to remember that tragic event made it even harder to think.

    The long silence seemed to bother her, enough to make her scratch the back of her head.

    ¡°You know what? Fine. I¡¯ll leave you alone, for now. Seeing how stubborn you are makes me lose all my motivation to continue on with this, and 3rd period is going to start soon so we better get going. But this isn¡¯t the last time we¡¯ll speak, keep that in mind.¡±

    She began walking towards the door, I moved aside in order to avoid her, almost losing my balance in the process.

    Just before closing the door she stopped while facing the other side. ¡°You move your feet when you lie, just wanted to point that out.¡±

    She continued down the stairs, never looking back. And as she predicted the school bell rang signalling the start of the 3rd period.

    Just how does she keep doing that?

    Not long after frantically rubbing my face I followed. Though I think I left the rooftop door open by mistake, I just hope no one finds out about that.

    <hr>

    ¡°Yo, where were you?¡± Noah asked as I sat in the chair besides his.

    ¡°Somewhere I¡¯d rather not talk about right now.¡±

    ¡°Come on dude, tell me, unless you want to kiss your earphones goodbye.¡± He said while holding my earphones in front of me.

    ¡°I knew you had them.¡± I reached for my earphones but he moved it away from reach.

    ¡°If you want to get the hostage you got to give me what I want first.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± I reached for his ear to whisper about everything that happened. I could see him trying to hold in his laughter.

    ¡°Did she really say that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think that she would find out about that, I mean--¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she almost stabbed you!¡± almost failing to hold in his laughter he let out a chuckle, ¡°Dude, that¡¯s some messed up shit.¡± he proceeded to wipe the tears off his face.

    I suddenly felt the urge to glance over May¡¯s seat to see what she¡¯s doing.

    I saw her staring at the window, the same way she stared at the distance earlier in the rooftop.

    Just before I pointed my attention back to Noah her expression went from calm and collected to pissed off and annoyed, maybe she¡¯s thinking about what happened earlier.

    ¡°But seriously though,¡± he said while placing my earphones on my desk, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she seem a little bit, I don¡¯t know, desperate to you?¡± what he said made me rethink about my conversation with her, trying to re-examine the whole situation again.

    ¡°No not really, wait--¡± I stopped halfway, thinking that I noticed something that felt suspicious.

    ¡°You encouraged her, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°W-what? N-no, come on, why would I even¡­ Anyway you should¡¯ve seen Ms Palmers during first period, she looked pissed as hell for some reason.¡± The way he reacted and his poor attempt at changing the subject proved my suspicions. And HE says I¡¯m a bad liar.

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, why the heck didn¡¯t you tell me about her stalking me and wanting to talk to me about finding a murderer and all that stuff?¡± now that I think about it, encouraging me to approach May must¡¯ve been all part of his plan.

    ¡°Whoa, take it easy, I¡¯m just as confused as you are. Yeeaahh she did tell me about wanting to talk to you about something but she didn¡¯t tell me anymore than that, I swear.¡±

    Feeling exhausted I decided to let this one slide, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m actually not that angry about it, what¡¯s done is done. I just hope that our chat earlier was the end of it.¡±

    Yeah, it¡¯s better to stay optimistic. A problem ain¡¯t a problem till you think it is.

    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t count on that.¡± He said while looking towards the direction of May¡¯s seat, making me glance at her out of curiosity. She was staring at me, no, it was more like she was staring at the both of us. ¡°And she did say that she¡¯ll be speaking to you some other time, right?¡± as he said that our 2nd period teacher arrived in class, all of the students stood up to greet him and his almighty presence.

    While standing up I answered him, ¡°It would be better if it was a lie.¡±

    <hr>

    Classes has finally ended, usually I¡¯ll feel rather elated by being able to go home but today left a sour taste in my mouth, especially after lunch.

    I decided to go to the library before going home to check out some books I wanted to borrow. Noah on the other hand needed to attend to his part time job.

    I left the library with a few textbooks in hand, and an additional novel to keep me occupied during my down time. I decided to pick up an old crime fiction novel, ¡°The murder of Jason Early¡±, I¡¯m not really that much of a mystery fan but, the topic of a murder seemed to peak my interest at the moment. Might be because of the encounter I had with May earlier.

    Seriously, asking me for help to find a murderer, Isn¡¯t that a job for the police?

    Before reaching the flight of stairs that leads to the 1st floor, I noticed May standing in the corner as if she was waiting for someone, fearing that she was waiting for me I decided to use the other flight of stairs located in the left wing of the school building, even if it meant that I had to walk twice as much just to get there.

    I put on my earphones then after remembering about buying some groceries I rushed down the steps and walked to the nearest convenience store.

    It took me a while to get everything I needed but with everything I needed in hand, I continued my way home.

    Before reaching the intersection I saw May again waiting for the lights to change, she was the only one standing before the pedestrian lane waiting to cross which seemed odd, taking account the number of pedestrians walking along the streets, it was a bit unusual seeing that no one besides her needed to cross the road. But maybe I¡¯m just overthinking things.

    Seeing her again made me remember what happened earlier that morning, causing me to feel uncomfortable.

    Suddenly, I began to feel lightheaded, as if all the blood circulating around my head stopped flowing, my vision blurred and for a split second a terrible scene flashed before my eyes. I saw May, her lifeless body flat on the pavement on which she was standing. Her neck looked contorted, as if it suffered an immense impact from something considerably larger than her. Blood dripped form her eyes and spilled form her mouth, it was disgusting.

    After my vision had recovered I felt an enormous urge to vomit because of what I saw, followed by a pulsating pain from the sides of my head, it felt as though something was trying to claw its way out of my skull. I tried to suppress the image in my head as I kept the nausea under control.

    After the pain dissipated, I was alerted by the situation, May is going die today and according to what I saw it was going to happen soon.

    But the thing is, I have no idea how it will happen.

    I thought about all the possible causes for her death and found that the most logical one I could think of was by a large vehicle, probably a van or truck.

    After reaching to that conclusion I tried to think of how to approach this situation, I wanted to tell her about what I saw and because she already believes that I have the ability to foresee people¡¯s deaths then she¡¯ll be more likely to believe me, but while I was remembering about our conversation earlier at the rooftop, the death of our teacher and an old friend suddenly came to my mind, as well as my failure to save both of them.

    Thinking about it made me hesitate about doing anything. I never wanted to experience what I felt back then again.

    ¡°¡­ Should I even try?¡± I muttered to myself in hesitation.

    But then I remembered the events that happened earlier, how she looked like when I saw her before the opening ceremony, how she reminded me of, me. What Noah said about May being desperate flashed inside my head.

    I¡­

    I need to save her.

    I felt the urge to save her life.

    It felt like I needed to save her or I¡¯m going to regret it someday. And regret is an emotion I¡¯d rather die than feel again.

    I rushed to her, as fast as my legs could allow me.

    Upon reaching I was breathing heavily, and after taking a moment to recuperate I tapped her shoulder and blurted out what was going to happen to her. ¡°Hey, look, you¡¯re going to die.¡± I said rather bluntly, but I felt like she¡¯d prefer things to be straightforward. And I prefer things to be that way as well.

    ¡°Hold on, I waited for you at the stairs earlier, where were you?¡± she took a glance at what I was carrying, ¡°Oh, you went shopping then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t have time for this, you¡¯re about to be run over if you stay here.¡± I interrupted her.

    ¡°Ha! So, you finally admit it. I knew I was right¡± Distant screams could be heard, accompanied by the sound of screeching metal and after looking behind I saw her killer.

    The driverless truck had blown one of its tires and the only thing that was left was the tire¡¯s metal frame that sparked as it dragged through the pavement.

    What¡¯s up with today and all these traffic accidents? There wasn¡¯t even anyone on the driver¡¯s seat.

    Although, seeing that one of the doors are open, the driver must¡¯ve jumped out of the truck to save himself. Well, that¡¯s pretty irresponsible of him, seeing how the unmanned truck is now rushing its way towards two innocent highschool students.

    Having only noticed when it was already 5 meters away from us I felt the urge to grab her and move away as fast as I can. But unfortunately, my whole body froze during the situation and was unable to do anything.

    So, this is it, huh? The time I decided to get involved is the time I was going to die. Though the only good thing about this is that I won¡¯t have to live with regret afterwards.

    As the truck dragged closer to us it unexpectedly stopped just a few inches away from where we were standing.

    I stood there, dumbfounded. Well, it looks like I was going to live another day.

    Grinning at what just transpired I turned my attention to May in order to see how she was doing, but as soon as I turned my head towards her she pulled my arm while she ran away as fast as she could.

    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± I screamed as I tried to keep up with her.

    ¡°Getting us away from the blast zone.¡± she answered.

    ¡°Blast zone? What are you talking about? It¡¯s over, nothing¡¯s going to--¡± before finishing my sentence I realized what she was talking about.

    Something inside the truck hissed as we ran away from it, it sounded like air escaping out of a hole. The truck¡¯s tires were burning and after taking a glance at the side of the truck, I discovered that it was carrying tanks of gas.

    I tried to remember the image that flash before my eyes earlier and realized that I failed to notice how dark her body looked like, like it was engulfed in flames. She was not going to be run over but she was about to be engulfed in an explosion.

    And without a moment¡¯s notice the truck exploded, the shockwave sent us flying but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to cause us any serious injury.

    We stood up, brushed ourselves off and looked around the area. The explosion affected everything within a couple of meters but miraculously, no one got hurt.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll need to go shopping again.¡± She said, and upon hearing it I realized that the groceries that I were carrying was nowhere to be found and was actually caught in the explosion after it had fallen, probably while we were running away.

    ¡°My¡­ groceries¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then. See you tomorrow.¡± She said as she crossed the road, seemingly uninterested about what had just happened.

    She looked as calm as always, making me wonder if I even needed to save her in the first place. Hearing the sirens and the gathering of crowds, I decided to leave too.

    I guess an instant meal for dinner will do.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 2 - The Girl Whos Never Wrong

    The phone buzzed inside my pocket.

    Every time I hear that sound it always baffles me, mostly because receiving text messages for me is a rare thing, especially receiving one while walking to school.

    I am not the type of person who likes to share my personal information with other people, so having someone else know my number is unusual. There are only two people who should know my number; my Aunt Faye, and Noah, but even they rarely text me.

    After taking my phone out and checking who the sender is I discovered that it came from an unknown number, feeling curious I decided to read the contents.

    Lunch break.

    Student council¡¯s office.

    I¡¯ll be waiting.

    -M

    With the first read I immediately figured out who sent the message.

    How the hell did May get my phone number?

    Now that I think of it, Noah must¡¯ve given it to her. And what¡¯s with the M there in the end? Is she trying to be mysterious or something? I took a deep breath and calmed my mind, it¡¯s no good being irritated so early in the morning and being hungry won¡¯t help either.

    So before heading to school, I took a quick detour to the nearest convenience store. I checked for something that will be the most satisfying to eat. The selection was the traditional hotdog sandwich, tuna sandwich, and a slice of pizza, nothing surprising really.

    While pondering about what to eat, I felt something sharp touch my back,

    ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± Judging by the voice the one holding a sharp instrument behind me is a man.

    He proceeded to wrap his right arm around my neck as I tried to squirm free but to no avail. He then removed off my left earphone from my ear, before whispering the word ¡°Money¡±, causing me to panic.

    ¡°O-okay, here, just take it, okay?¡± I said, pleading to the man as I took my wallet out of my back pocket.

    ¡°Take this as a lesson, boy, and try to pay more attention to the things around you¡±

    ¡°I will, I will s-so, let me go already, I gave you what you want...¡±

    ¡°Well-- brhg-- Ahem. What if I told you-- hm-- ahaha! I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t hold it in anymore, hahaha!¡± his deep and intimidating voice faded into something more familiar as he laughed out loud. I turned around finding out that the one holding what looked like a pen behind me was in fact Noah, who almost fell on the floor laughing.

    ¡°Oh for the love of¡ª I hope you die laughing.¡±

    ¡°I just might¡­¡± he said as he struggled to take a hold of himself. ¡°But if I did, you won¡¯t have any friends left.¡±

    ¡°Just give me back my wallet already¡±

    ¡°But seriously, try to pay more attention to what¡¯s happening around you. What would happen if someone decided to rob you for real? Drown them with your tears?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure I learned something today.¡± I said while returning my earphones to their rightful place.

    ¡°You better. You can¡¯t keep being like that forever, you know.¡± He coughed to clear his throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. What are you? Aunt Faye?¡± I continued to scan the shelves.

    ¡°Anyway, since that you¡¯re going to have breakfast here I might as well join you. Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± He gazed at all the food items in front of us, it looked like he was having a hard time deciding what to buy.

    ¡°Hmm, Ah. Pizza it is.¡± He grabbed one of the slices of pizza on the shelf. ¡°Nothing beats a piece of bread with red sauce on it.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m more of a sandwich person.¡± I grabbed one of the tuna sandwiches in display. Before heading to the counter, I checked how much money I had in my wallet, and to my surprise it was empty.

    For a second, I thought that I maybe forgot to bring any, but I quickly realized that Noah was holding it just a second ago.

    I turned around and to look for Noah, I saw at the cash register handing over the cashier the money that was in my wallet a few seconds ago. After paying he looked at me with a grin on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to keep the change.¡± I held my forehead to my dismay and returned the sandwich back to where I took it. My hunger disappeared.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be buying lunch for the both of us.¡± I grabbed the change on the counter just before he picked it up.

    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you think I was going to give it to you?¡±

    ¡°Lunch. For the both of us.¡± I said in a more serious tone, making sure he knows it¡¯s a fact.

    ¡°G-got it...¡± he stuttered a bit as he replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time we headed to school, 1<sup>st</sup> period is about to start.¡±

    We exited the store and headed to the intersection.

    It was strange, looking at where we were going and realizing that an explosion occurred there not long ago. The media were all over the incident. Some say it was an unfortunate accident, others say it was a work of terrorism. The only common denominator between their interpretations was the fact that the driver of the vehicle escaped before it exploded. And as of now, he¡¯s still at large.

    ¡°It¡¯s been two days, huh.¡± Noah said, taking a bite out of his pizza.

    ¡°Yep.¡± I replied.

    May never talked to me since the accident happened, but now she suddenly texts me about going to the student council¡¯s office.

    ¡°Here¡± Noah said, offering me half of what he was eating, ¡°Come on. Take it. Or else I¡¯ll feel guilty.¡±

    I just stared at it, hesitant. I wanted to make sure of something first.

    ¡°If it makes you feel better, I¡¯m still going to buy both of us lunch.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I took it from him then proceeded to eat the piece of bread.

    ¡°God this taste¡¯s awful.¡±

    ¡°I know right?¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± taking a bite of that pizza made me remember something, although I have no idea why a disgusting slice of pizza would¡¯ve contributed to that happening. ¡°Did you give my phone number to May?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t lie to me¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t, then who did?¡± I said, scratching the back of my head.

    ¡°Well, why not ask her?¡±

    Both of us finished our meal as the traffic light changed from a red to a green, it was time to cross. There were a lot of people crossing the road, mostly students. As we walked across someone or something suddenly bumped into me, ¡°Oh, my bad, are you alright?¡± the person apologized.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± as I turned around to look at him I realized that the one that had just bumped into me was no other than Glenn, the student council president, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± I continued.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll better be going now, see you later then, Damis.¡± He sprinted to the other side, like he was in a hurry.

    Wait, something he said caught my attention; see you later? What did he mean by that? And how did he know my name? Hold on, how does he know that I¡¯ll be going to the student council¡¯s room today?

    While deep in thought, the sound of a loud clap pulled me back into the real world.

    ¡°Pay attention.¡± said Noah as he walked in front of me.

    I shook my head as if I was trying to wake myself up, then followed.

    <hr>

    ¡°So, what will it be?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°¡­ What?¡± I answered.

    ¡°Lunch, Damis.¡± He replied sternly. I looked around and realized that we were inside the school cafeteria. ¡°You really have to stop doing that, phasing out all the time.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it, I like to think.¡± I replied as I pointed at the plate of spaghetti on display at the counter.

    ¡°Thinking is different than daydreaming.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± After purchasing the plates of spaghetti we continued to sit at one of those tables that were attached to a wall. I like sitting there; I like to eat where no one can stare at you while you gulp down your lunch.

    ¡°So, are you going?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course, we are.¡±

    ¡°We?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± I took a fork-full of spaghetti a plunged it down my throat.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll like that.¡± He said as he ate a fork-full of his own.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me to go alone though.¡±

    ¡°Why do you even want me to go with you? Scared?¡± he said jokingly.

    ¡°Actually, I am.¡± Upon hearing my answer, he turned his eyes towards me.

    ¡°Oh.¡± He said. We finished up our meals then worked our way out of the cafeteria that was starting to fill with starving students.

    ¡°So, where to?¡± he asked, stretching his arms a bit.

    ¡°The student council¡¯s office.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s weird, I thought she¡¯d be telling you to go to the rooftop again.¡±

    ¡°If she did, I would¡¯ve told her that I wasn¡¯t interested.¡±

    He has a point though, why would she pick the student council office of all places?

    Thinking about it again, that would explain why Glenn knew we were coming.

    We walked up the stairs to the second floor where the room was located. We took a quick detour to the library since I needed to return some of the books I borrowed a while ago. I noticed that there were quite a few students inside the library, and most of them weren¡¯t reading but looked like they were trying to find something. The library woman was helping them while they searched, while her young assistant remained on her desk by the entrance.

    ¡°It¡¯s been three days already and we still can¡¯t find it,¡± said one of the students. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t misplaced or anything Ma¡¯am?¡± he continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working her for years young man, misplacing a book will be the last thing that could happen.¡± The library woman answered. The students continued searching for what appears to be a missing book.

    ¡°Sheesh, it¡¯s just the first week of classes and things are missing already.¡± Noah said.

    I shrugged in response.

    After placing the book I borrowed on the tray, the library assistant checked the back of the book.

    She was a frail and young looking girl. She looks to be a student because of the uniform she¡¯s wearing, although her necktie looked pretty unusual compared to the other students.

    ¡°Umm, you forgot to write your name here on the back.¡± She said as she pointed towards the card placed on the back of the book. She spoke with a soft voice that matched her reserved and timid demeanor.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± I muttered.

    As I took the card with a pen in hand, I noticed that there weren¡¯t any spaces left to write in another name.

    ¡°I can¡¯t write my name here anymore.¡± I said as I gave the card back to the assistant, who was busy staring intently at the book cover.

    ¡°Oh¡ª I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said, flustered. She took out a fresh card out from under her desk and placed it in front of me.

    ¡°Do you like that book? You¡¯ve been staring at it a lot earlier.¡± Noah said to the assistant.

    Trying to avoid eye contact, she nodded in response.

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Noah exclaimed, ¡°Damis also acts like that when he sees a book he likes.¡± He nudged my shoulder with his elbow.

    ¡°Really?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Yeah. You always look at it like you¡¯re trying to memorize the book cover or something.¡±

    Well, now that he mentions it, I do like to stare at the cover of a book I found really interesting. There were a few times where I try to see how well the cover of a book portrayed the story within. In my opinion, a well written book with an equally well made and well thought out cover can be considered a true work of art.

    After writing my name on the card I gave it back to the assistant and we left the library. Turning to our left and walking a few more steps, we arrived at the office.

    I hesitated to knock.

    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Noah whispered.

    I took a deep breath and readied myself. Before my fist could touch the door, it opened, and on the other side was May.

    ¡°Took you long enough, come in.¡± She said, opening the door to let me in.

    Upon going inside I realized that there was another person inside the room, it was none other than Glenn.

    ¡°Greetings¡± He said, with a smile on his face.

    ¡°You, the other one, get in¡± she said to Noah that hid behind the corner of the wall just before May opened the door.

    She closed the door, with both me and Noah sitting on the only sofa located in the room.

    ¡°Comfy.¡± Noah commented.

    The room contained two pairs of desks which were placed in the opposite of each other forming a short column, and one desk with a chair that Glenn was sitting on.

    There was a computer installed on top of each desks, with various documents scattered all over, though a file cabinet can be seen next to the left wall. There was also a moderately sized sofa located next to a wall near the door, where Noah and I are currently sitting. May sat on one of the chairs, playing with her phone.

    And before long, silence filled the room.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one they call Damis I presume?¡± the student council president asked, staring at me. He slightly adjusted his glasses as he waited for an answer.

    ¡°Uh, yes.¡± I answered.

    ¡°So that make¡¯s the other one, Noah, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Noah Mecker.¡± Noah answered with a charismatic smile.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll assume that you both already know me, seeing that we¡¯re all on the same year level as each other. But, for formalities sake I¡¯ll introduce myself once again, I am Glenn Caster the current student council president, this is my second year as the student body president and by the looks of it, this will be my last. Nice to meet you¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Likewise.¡± Noah replied, still wearing that smile on his face.

    I took a quick glance at the papers on the desk once again. They looked like club application forms.

    ¡°Looks as though the council¡¯s been busy¡­¡± Noah muttered.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ve always been busy. But that¡¯s just how it is with the council, every one of us are working students after all.¡±

    Being a member of the council sounds like a lot of trouble, more than I could ever imagine handling. It¡¯s great to be working as a student to pay up for school fees, and just being a member of the council grants you extra credit with most of the subjects, but, if you add in the responsibilities of being in the student council and academics, it just becomes way too busy.

    For the people who are still managing to stay sane while working in these harsh conditions, I offer you my respect.

    Without warning, Glenn stood up and started pacing towards the middle of the room.

    ¡°You see, May here said that she will be waiting for someone, here in the office, and having to know May as more of an, introverted type of person, hearing that was news to me. Anyways, seeing as you have already arrived, the people whom she was waiting for, I see no reason for her to continue staying here doing nothing as the rest of my council members try to solve a problem none of them have the capability of solving.¡± He said, staring at May, his voice getting louder as he finished his sentence, while May seemed to ignore his minor outburst and continued to pay attention to her phone.

    We sat there, ever so quiet. Even Noah managed to stay silent for more than a minute.

    ¡°Okay, how about if¡­ I do this week¡¯s Science homework for you?¡± Glenn pleaded, May still not moved by his display. Glenn started to tap his feet and scratch the back of his head as though he was beginning to get irritated, it seemed like he had anger issues, trust me I¡¯d know.

    After a few moments, he let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°All of your homework.¡± He said, looking defeated.

    May, who finally heard his plead looked at him and smiled, ¡°You should¡¯ve said that earlier, come Damis.¡± She stood up and hurried her way to the door.

    ¡°And Noah, do you want to tag along?¡± she asked.

    He took a quick glance at me before he gave his answer, ¡°Nope.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but slap my palm on my face.

    ¡°Well, you should.¡± She debated, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted, Damis? Why else would you bring him with you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± I turned around to glance at the cheeky guy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going then.¡± she said as she opened the door.

    ¡°To where, exactly?¡± I asked, propping myself up.

    ¡°The school library.¡± she replied before leaving the room.

    Before approaching the door, I glanced at Glenn to say goodbye.

    ¡°Go on, you wouldn¡¯t want her to wait.¡± Glenn said, sitting on his chair while resting his head on the palm of his hand.

    ¡°Is she a member of the student council?¡± Noah asked abruptly, pointing towards her direction. It caught me by surprise, but I too was somewhat eager to know the answer.

    ¡°Not really. Well, I offered her a spot before but she declined, she said it was too¡­ social.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, we¡¯ll be off now.¡± I said, gesturing Noah to get a move on.

    ¡°Good luck.¡± he smiled and waved goodbye as I closed the door.

    He was pleased, and for a second, he looked a bit too happy.

    "I didn''t expect you to come." said May, leaning against the wall in front of the closed door.

    "I guess you got that wrong then.¡± I replied.

    She smiled. I don''t know why but it ticked me off.

    "Don''t get me wrong, I''m not here because of that text you sent me.¡± I clarified, ¡°I''m acting out of curiosity is all."

    Well, that¡¯s half of the reason I decided to come here.

    If there weren¡¯t that much people in the library I would¡¯ve just read a book till class started. But I wanted none of that stressful atmosphere. Normally if the library isn¡¯t available I¡¯d read in our classroom instead. Unfortunately, staying in the classroom today wouldn¡¯t be an option since it had just been too noisy there recently.

    "Yes, I am aware of that. Let''s get moving then."

    We began walking to the library.

    "So, are you going to tell me how you got my number?"

    "There were many ways that I could get a hold of your number, but after examining all of them I chose to do the quickest and easiest one, I got it from a post in your Twitter account."

    "Twitter account? I don''t remember having one in the first place"

    "Dude,¡± said Noah, "you told me to make one for you remember?"

    "What? No I didn''t, why the hell would I even want one?"

    "Seriously? I''m sure I heard someone telling me to make an account for them..." He scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember.

    "Damn it Noah."

    "Come on Damis, it¡¯s okay. Nothing''s bad with getting with the times y''know? And you should really try to connect with people more--"

    "Yeah, but I didn''t tell you to make one."

    "You two sure are a lively duo." said May who stopped and looked at us with crossed arms.

    ¡°Anyway, couldn''t we just do this after school? I mean, there''s no need to rush." Noah asked.

    "No, that won''t do, I usually finish these before class starts.¡± She continued walking.

    "What do you actually do?" I asked.

    "I just pass the time."

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really answer my question¡­¡±

    After a few more steps we finally arrived at the library, greeted by the same scene as earlier. With the same students still busy trying to find something.

    ¡°Does this have anything to do with the lost book?¡± I asked, reaching to that conclusion after overhearing their conversation earlier.

    ¡°No not book, Books.¡± She answered.

    One of the students looked our way, he looked quite mad.

    The red tie walked towards us, staring intently at someone in particular, someone that probably forced them to come here in the first place.

    ¡°Where were you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I was in the middle of a negotiation.¡± May answered, seeming to take the student lightly.

    ¡°... Right¡± he answered wearily, ¡°Anyway, we have three missing books.¡±

    May looked uninterested at what she had just heard. The boy coughed then continued, ¡°Three books, all from the same author with the name of Jonathan Lewis,¡± he glanced at May and noticed that she still rather uninterested with what she was hearing, but after letting out a sigh he continued. ¡°They disappeared last¡ª¡± just before he could finish, May interrupted him,

    ¡°Labels?¡± she asked.

    He looked at her with confusion, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean titles, what were the titles?¡± she clarified.

    ¡°Uhmm... They were the moon and the lake, the invisible woman, and the night to surrender.¡±

    ¡°When did they... I mean, who noticed that they were gone?¡±

    ¡°The library woman, yesterday.¡±

    ¡°All of the books were gone by then?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± the library woman answered after overhearing their conversation, "We check the books regularly. In all of my years of working here I have never misplaced a single book let alone lost one. "

    "So, you think they were stolen?" May asked, glancing at her phone. Can''t she let go of that phone even for just a second? I held my forehead in dismay.

    "I know they were stolen." the woman answered, "Those books were donated by the headmaster and said to have cost a fortune. It wouldn''t be a surprise if someone had decided to snatch them all away and sell them to the highest bidder."

    "I know I would." said Noah, jokingly. The woman stared at him for a while, Noah just smiled as she glared at him. I tried to hold in my laughter at the sight.

    ¡°I highly doubt that." said May who held her phone up to show us what she had been doing with it earlier, "Jonathan Lewis is a contemporary novel writer. It''s highly unlikely for him to have such high valued books when most priceless literature are classical, not contemporary."

    "So, they weren¡¯t stolen after all¡­¡± Noah muttered.

    "They WERE stolen, ¡°she declared, "You heard the woman, she''d been working her for years, misplacing a book would be the last thing that could happen."

    "That''s what I told the other kids." the library woman interrupted.

    "Of course, you did." she put her phone away and walked towards the other student council members who were helping out.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    "Don''t worry ma''am, we''ll find those books." Noah said, trying to reassure her, I on the other hand called it BS.

    He sprinted to the same place May was heading, to do what exactly? I have no idea. The student May was talking to earlier glanced at me then made a smile, guess he wants to talk to me now.

    "I¡¯m Lawrence, nice to meet you.¡± he greeted, holding out his right hand. Wanting to be polite I decided to introduce myself as well.

    "Damis." I said with a smile.

    "So¡­ what position of the council are you in?" I asked, feeling the need to initiate small talk.

    "I''m the vice president, bet I looked like an auditor or something.¡± he said jokingly.

    "No no don''t worry, you look the part." I tried to reassure him. Though I have no idea why he thinks being an auditor isn¡¯t appealing.

    "No, it¡¯s okay. I''m aware that I''m not as smart or as good looking as the president.¡± he insisted.

    Looks like this guy is a real downer, he just can''t help deprecating himself for some reason. It¡¯s either that or he¡¯s just stupidly humble.

    "Anyway," he said, as if he''s trying to change the subject, "What''s your relationship with May?" he asked, giving no underlying impression to why he asked such a question. It felt like he was just genuinely curious.

    "Nothing, I barely know her.¡± I answered. I was thinking about saying more but I hesitated, no need to tell him what he doesn''t need to know.

    "Really? It''s quite unusual to see May hanging out with other people, especially during a time like this.¡±

    ¡°Time like this?¡± I asked for clarification.

    ¡°When she does what she does.¡±

    ¡°What does she do, exactly?¡± I hate having to ask the second time. It makes me feel like I¡¯m being ignored.

    ¡°The simplest way I can explain it is, she solves problems. She¡¯s been doing this for a long time now, but this is the first time I saw her bring other people with her.¡±

    "I can imagine why." he laughed a bit at what I said, and I let out a chuckle of my own.

    "You know, I think she''s changing." he whispered, "She used to be more difficult. But now she actually listens to people."

    ¡°¡­ Really?¡±

    I find that hard to believe.

    We glanced at where May and the other council members were gathered, May stared at the empty shelf where the books were formerly located. She looked as calm as I remembered.

    I tried to look for Noah and saw that he was chatting up one of the female council members, both of them enjoying each other¡¯s company. That poor girl doesn''t know what trouble she''ll be into, especially after Noah gets a hold of her number.

    I''ve known Noah to be a good looking and good guy, but his luck when it comes to romantic relationships is anything but depressing. But he''s persistent, and never gives up easily. And sometimes, he just never gives up at all.

    Though he may be annoying and narrow minded, his determination is a characteristic of his that I admire, and envy.

    "So, how did you two meet?" he asked.

    "It''s a long story."

    This phrase is handy.

    It¡¯s basically synonymous to ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it¡± or ¡°You¡¯re asking too much questions¡± or even ¡°Do you really need to know?¡± It¡¯s so overused but still reliable.

    May approached one of the female council members and appeared to have said something to her, the girl then called Lawrence.

    "Looks like we have a lead¡± he said as he sprinted to their direction.

    My curiosity made me want to go and find out what their talking about so I decided to follow, after taking a few steps I felt someone walk past me from behind. Not giving it any thought, I continued to walk.

    ¡°So, what have we got?¡± Lawrence asked eagerly, he looked a bit excited. Probably because when this is all over they can finally leave this place.

    Noticing me entering the scene May switched her attention to me then asked, ¡°Ah, Damis, you like reading books, right?¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah, why?¡± I said, she asked so abruptly that it made me stutter.

    ¡°Have you read any of the missing books before?¡± she continued. The gazes of the surrounding students were fixated on me, I don¡¯t really like this sudden wave of attention I¡¯m getting.

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think so¡­ I can¡¯t remember¡­¡± I answered.

    ¡°Umm, I read one of the books¡± said by one of the female students at the library.

    ¡°Good, good. What was the book you read and when did you read it?¡± May asked, staring intently at the girl.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I remember reading the invisible woman. ¡°she answered,¡± I finished it just before summer break. The story was wonderful, it was about this widow who--¡±

    ¡°Did you notice anything weird in that book?¡± May interrupted, ¡°Or something that might not supposed to be there?¡±

    ¡°N-no, not really-- Well, if I recall, while writing my name on the card at the back of the book I saw some numbers that seemed out of place, they looked like the dates on the calendar but for some reason the year was missing.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember those numbers?¡±

    The girl held her chin while she tried hard to remember. ¡°Two¡­ and¡­ twenty-nine, sorry that¡¯s all I could remember.¡±

    May pulled out her phone then started to mess with it.

    ¡°February twenty nine?¡± I asked abruptly, causing everyone¡¯s gazes to be focused on me again, this is beginning to wear me out.

    ¡°A leap year.¡± said Lawrence, ¡°It might¡¯ve been a date for something.¡±

    ¡°Those numbers aren¡¯t dates,¡± May declared, ¡°Last year wasn¡¯t a leap year. This year isn¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe the dates were written later than that.¡± Lawrence suggested.

    ¡°The library lady would have replaced the cards by then. With the number of students visiting the library those tiny cards would¡¯ve been filled with names in just months.¡± She took one of the cards from a random book in the shelves then showed it to everybody, trying to prove her point.

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± The library woman added just as she walked in the scene, ¡°that book has been pretty popular with the girls recently, I also remember changing its card once.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Codes then¡­ or some kind of cipher¡­¡± I muttered to myself.

    I read something similar to this in the novel I recently borrowed from the library. There was one chapter the detectives found a small piece of paper that was slipped inside a book, and on that piece of paper were random pairs of numbers. They eventually figured it out to be a cipher and used the book itself to decode it.

    ¡°Pfft¡ªA cipher?¡± Noah said as he let out a chuckle as he glanced towards me.

    I didn¡¯t expect him to hear what I said. Did I say it too loud?

    ¡°That sounds a bit farfetched.¡± Lawrence said doubtfully.

    Now I regret even saying anything.

    ¡°Hold on, Damis might be on to something.¡± She replied, smiling. Lawrence and I was caught by surprise. ¡°It could probably some kind of cipher that can be decoded using the book with the card it was written on. The first number probably indicated the page number and the second number was for the word number. Unfortunately, we only know one pair of the numbers, and the book used to decipher them is nowhere to be found. But we do know that the person who wrote those messages probably had something to do with them being stolen.¡±

    ¡°And how can you be so sure about that?¡± the girl intervened.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m never wrong.¡± She replied with outmost confidence.

    Lawrence smiled as he shrugged, ¡°Can¡¯t deny that.¡±

    Well, I have to admit. From what I¡¯ve seen, her intuition is a lot better than most people.

    ¡°So, you guys found the thief yet?¡± Noah suddenly whispered into my ear, catching me by surprise.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± I answered.

    May reacted as if she noticed something, she looked around the room taking a quick glance at each person around her. She¡¯s quite the eccentric one, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°One is¡­ missing...¡± She muttered. Lawrence and the other student council members stared at her, confused.

    ¡°There is one person missing in this room.¡± May clarified.

    I remembered noticing someone walk past behind me earlier.

    ¡°Someone left here a while ago. Just as I walked here earlier I felt someone walk past behind me, seemingly in a hurry.¡± I said, making me realize something afterwards,¡± Wait, did you just count every person in this room?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that was Margo,¡± The library woman replied, ¡°She¡¯s my assistant. She said she wanted to go to the comfort room.¡±

    Without saying a word, May started to walk outside the library. Lawrence managed to catch up to her just before she left the room.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lawrence asked.

    ¡°I need to go the CR.¡± She replied, her eyes focused on the corridor ahead.

    She continued to walk to the girl¡¯s comfort room which was just a few steps away then after checking the inside she walked back to the library.

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t there.¡± She said with crossed arms.

    ¡°So, she¡¯s the one that stole it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That or she knows who did.¡± She answered, ¡°Why were the numbers written on the card? If it was me I would¡¯ve just slipped a piece of paper containing all the numbers inside the book, then I¡¯d be able to remove it whenever I wanted. It would¡¯ve been cleaner, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I replied. When you think about it, that¡¯s the best way something like that could¡¯ve been done. There must be a reason why it was written on the card¡­

    ¡°Maybe writing it on the card was the easiest way for it to be noticed.¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Noticed by who?¡± May asked as she turned towards me.

    ¡°¡­ Probably the one who handles the books, the library woman, no, the assistant.¡±

    Lawrence turned to face the other student council members, ¡°Find her.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have gone far. Message me when you find her¡± Lawrence said, instructing the other council members.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± Noah volunteered. But I bet he just wants an excuse to leave this place.

    As the students went on their way, all of us sat at one of the tables.

    ¡°How could I have let this happen?¡± The woman muttered, brimming with disappointment as she fixed some loose books on the shelf. ¡°She¡¯s my responsibility, I should¡¯ve paid more attention to her.¡±

    ¡°So, where do you think the books are now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No idea, we don¡¯t even know her motive. It might not even be her at all.¡± May answered, staring at the distance.

    ¡°She¡¯s always been by my side¡­¡± The library woman continued, but what she said sparked something in my head.

    Always by her side, huh?

    ¡°What year is she in?¡± I asked, hoping to get some additional information. I felt as though I was getting myself more involved than I should. But as much as I don¡¯t want to admit, I can¡¯t help feeling curious about all of this.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not a student.¡± The woman answered frankly, ¡°She¡¯s works here. She started a year ago.¡±

    May turned her attention towards the conversation.

    ¡°But the uniform¡­¡± I said, hoping to get some clarification.

    ¡°She had always been mistaken as a student due to her uniform, she often talks to me about it.¡±

    ¡°I did not know that.¡± Said Lawrence who¡¯s dumbfounded by the revelation.

    ¡°She looks exactly like a student¡­¡± May muttered, holding her chin.

    ¡°She looked so young,¡± Lawrence interrupted, trying to change the subject, ¡°attractive even, anyone could¡¯ve mistaken her to be a student here.¡±

    ¡°Well of course¡±, the library woman replied, ¡°she¡¯s not that old. If I recall she¡¯s in her twenties. Ah, I can¡¯t help being envious myself.¡±

    ¡°Lawrence,¡± May said, staring at him, ¡°If you didn¡¯t know that she wasn¡¯t a student here would you have considered asking her out? You said she was attractive, right?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ yeah, maybe, if things had ended up that way then¡­ I would¡¯ve considered dating her.¡± He answered, a bit embarrassed by the topic.

    ¡°Then what if she never told you about not being a student here and that she was a lot older than you while you two were dating, and you ended up finding about it yourself, what would you feel?¡±

    ¡°How is this going to help us, exactly?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Just answer the question.¡± May declared, sternly.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± he uttered, looking away while May stared at him. What¡¯s with all this tension in the air?

    ¡°I guess¡­ I¡¯d be okay with it?¡± he answered, shrugging.

    ¡°Ugh, why did I even consider asking you about this¡­?¡± May said, disappointed.

    The conversation was interrupted by the buzzing of a phone, Lawrence took out his mobile then took a quick glance.

    ¡°They found her.¡±

    <hr>

    The rest of us students walked to the school courtyard where one of the council members found the assistant sitting under one of the many trees scattered across the area. She sat beneath, on the lush green grass that grew atop the soil where the tree was planted many, many years ago.

    The tree looked as old as the school itself, its thick long branches reaching as far as it can in many directions, its leaves as green as the grass beneath it, and as still as the melancholic girl who sat under the branches it grew on, hugging both of her knees as she stared at the distance, seemingly waiting for something.

    We didn¡¯t approach her immediately. Lawrence wanted this to be as chill as possible. And she didn¡¯t seem to notice we were there.

    Noah and the few council members gathered on the walkway we were hiding in, all trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation.

    ¡°Damis,¡± May called, ¡°How about you go over there and talk to her for a bit?¡±

    ¡°Why the hell would I do that?¡± I debated.

    ¡°She looks rather dejected. I want you to go there and try to chat with her, make her open up. It¡¯ll be easier to get her to talk that way. ¡± she argued.

    ¡°Why me of all people?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll talk to any of the council members. And due to my affiliation with them, I doubt she¡¯ll open up to me.¡±

    I looked away and tried to think about it.

    To be completely honest, I¡¯m not really good at handling people. Most of them piss me off or make me look down on humanity.

    What am I supposed to say to her anyway? She doesn¡¯t even know who I am.

    ¡°Come on Damis, she¡¯s in a state where she¡¯ll accept help from anyone.¡±

    May let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s either you or Noah.¡±

    ¡­

    I guess I have no choice then.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± I slowly walked towards the assistant¡¯s location, with each step I take I tried to think about what I¡¯m going to do.

    How am I supposed to greet her? Will she even acknowledge my presence or just ignore me altogether? Man, I¡¯m starting to get paranoid.

    I stood in front of her, no response.

    I coughed as if to ready my mouth for conversation.

    Just before I could say something my phone started buzzing, I took it out then checked for messages where I saw one, and it was from May. Sit next to her, it said.

    Why the hell do I have to do that?

    I glanced at where all of them where hiding and saw may staring at me, the way she stared at me felt the same way Mrs. Palmers stares at me when I¡¯m on the verge of doing something irresponsible. Without much of a fight I held my forehead and decided to do as she says.

    I sat beside the girl, a few meters away, avoiding the patch of dirt at the side of the tree.

    I received another message from May. Sit closer, it read.

    Not having much of a choice in this situation I moved closer to the female beside me, inch by inch, as if trying to avoid her notice. I stopped when there were only a few inches separating our shoulders from each other.

    I just sat there, quiet. I still have no idea on what to do in this situation. Maybe an introduction would be a nice ice breaker.

    Before I could twist my neck to look at her she suddenly rests her face on my shoulders as she made unintelligible noises of sadness. I felt the cloth on my shoulder moisten as her tears began to soak it.

    Still, I just sat there, trying to fulfil my role as a shoulder to cry on.

    She started making more weird noises, little did I know she was actually trying to talk to me though I couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying because of her constant sniffling. With my shoulders starting to wear out I offered her a handkerchief to mush her face on which she gladly accepted.

    ¡°I¡­ never asked for this¡­¡± she said, managing to get a hold of herself.

    I waited for her to calm down before I asked the question, ¡°Did you steal the books?¡± I said, trying to be as gentle as possible while trying to get a grip of the situation.

    After a sniffle she replied ¡°Yes.¡± I moved a few inches away from her to give her some space.

    ¡°So¡­ why did you do it?¡± I asked inquiringly.

    ¡°I¡­ I just had to.¡± She answered.

    Seriously? That¡¯s all I get?

    Here I am sitting my butt flat on fertile dirt trying my hardest to get information from you and you won¡¯t even give me the pleasure of knowing your motive. Why am I even here?

    This is starting to wear me out. I let my thoughts drift away for a few moments, wondering what would happen if I just suddenly walked away, if I stopped talking to her altogether and just sat there all silent, what if I farted.

    Damn it. Noah¡¯s bad jokes are rubbing off on me.

    ¡°Sometimes¡­ I wish people can choose¡­ what they want to remember¡­¡± she muttered weakly.

    If people did indeed have the ability to choose the memories they wanted to keep, life would be a bit easier.

    I myself have a lot of memories I¡¯d rather forget. And having to remember them from time to time can be excruciating to go through.

    ¡°That¡¯d be nice¡­¡± I said, not noticing that I was thinking out loud. Feeling a bit embarrassed I glanced at her to check if she heard what I said, thank god she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, feeling that she was beginning to open up to me and might finally provide some explanation to this mess.

    Suddenly, I began to hear footsteps behind us. They became louder and louder in quick succession.

    A figure of a female student stood beside me, crossing her arms as she glared.

    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long?¡± said May, she looked irritated.

    ¡°I do things at my own pace okay.¡± I replied. I stood up to whisper what I¡¯m about to say to her, ¡°I thought you were letting me handle this?¡± I continued.

    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t expect you to take this long, I mean, all you had to do was ask her why she did it.¡±

    ¡°How about you give it a try?¡±

    ¡°No thanks, I find drama appalling.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you think I¡¯m going through right now?¡±

    ¡°Did she say anything involving the missing books?¡±

    She just ignored my question.

    I let out a brief sigh, ¡°Well, she admitted stealing them.¡±

    ¡°Then our job here is done.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, we don¡¯t even know why she did it in the first place. We don¡¯t even know where the books are. ¡±

    ¡°I would like to know about it myself but our job is to find the thief, and we found her. The council will handle the rest, and considering that she¡¯s a faculty member, the principal and the rest of the faculty authorities will join in so there¡¯s really no need for us now that we got a confession. ¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ excuse me,¡± Margo said, she stood in front of us, ¡°I¡¯ll go. I know that what I did was stupid, I¡¯m ready to face the consequences for my actions.¡± she reached for my hand as she gave back my handkerchief, ¡°Thank you.¡± She made a smile so bright I feared it might blind me though her nose was still a bit red and a few tears still linger along her eyelids.

    She walked past us and headed to the direction of the council members where she apologized.

    ¡°You already know her motive, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked May. She just shrugged in response.

    ¡°There are two things that can make a person do stupid things, Love and Fear.¡±

    ¡°How would you know that?¡±

    ¡°I just do. Just like how I know the bell will ring a few seconds from now.¡±

    She walked to the covered walkway as all the others walked back inside the building. And without fail, the school bell rang, just as she predicted. To be honest, I was beginning to get sick of it.

    A gentle breeze suddenly blew across the courtyard seemingly from out of nowhere, as if telling me to get a move on. And because I know better than to disobey the call of nature, I began to walk.

    <hr>

    It¡¯s that time again, the time where all of the stuff you learned from school all day fade to nothingness as you cherish the moments where you don¡¯t have to sit in a room with dozens of others while all of you try to listen to a blabbering adult calling itself a teacher.

    Not that I despise teachers or anything, it¡¯s actually quite the opposite. But I was exhausted. And I tend to get irritated quicker when I¡¯m tired.

    Before leaving like all the other students I noticed Noah still on his seat messing with his phone. I found that sight unusual knowing that he has a part time job after school he should¡¯ve left already. Before walking towards him I saw him smile at his phone. It was a sight I¡¯m quite familiar with, and it gave me an idea on what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°You look happy.¡± I said to Noah, ¡°No work today?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have a job today.¡± He replied, looking all smug. He stood up and continued, ¡°A job to mend a girl¡¯s broken heart.¡± He made his signature grin as he basked in his non-existent glory.

    ¡°I knew as much.¡± I replied, ¡°Let me guess, she¡¯s a member of the student council?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I felt sorry for her after I noticed she was looking all depressed which was not what a girl as cute as her should be looking like, so I approached her chatted with her for a bit. Can you believe she threw away all the gifts her ex gave her? Like the clothes he bought her and even a journal that they shared with each other. When I heard that I just knew that I had to help this girl. And it looked like she was more than happy to let me help. So now, I¡¯ve got a date. ¡°

    ¡°Wow, you work fast.¡± I replied, unimpressed.

    ¡°I know right?¡± he replied, ¡°Well, I got to go now, wouldn¡¯t want her to wait.¡±

    ¡°Sure, good luck.¡± He picked up his bag and sprinted outside the room to wherever he decided to meet up with her. I looked around and noticed that I was the only student left in the room. I fixed my chair and after checking my bag, and pondering if I should put on my earphones or not, I left the room as well. By the way I decided not to wear them.

    I headed to the stairs where I saw May again standing in front of the steps, waiting for someone. This time I¡¯m sure it¡¯s me she¡¯s waiting for, and this time, I don¡¯t really care anymore.

    As I approached her she seemed to not notice me, mostly because she was paying attention to her phone, unsurprisingly.

    ¡°Waiting for me?¡±

    ¡°No, I was actually waiting for Glenn¡± she replied, her eyes still glued to her phone.

    I started walking down the steps.

    ¡°I was also waiting for you,¡± She said stopping me in my tracks, ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve said that earlier then.¡± I replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to lie.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie when I said I was waiting for Glenn.¡± She clarified, ¡°So for now, let¡¯s wait.¡±

    ¡°I hate waiting.¡± I muttered, leaning on the same wall as she is.

    ¡°We have that in common, but patience is a valuable trait. You know the saying, ¡®Good things come to those who wait.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Maybe not for the prisoners waiting in death row.¡±

    ¡°To them, death might be the best thing that could happen. Having to wait may be worse in comparison.¡±

    ¡°I find that hard to believe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll never know unless you become one of them.¡±

    We stood there, waiting.

    The school was quiet. It felt like we were the no other people there other than the two students who are having a chat about death row prisoners while waiting for the student council president.

    Fortunately, I didn¡¯t have to wait any longer because Glenn finally blessed us with his presence coming down the flight of stairs in front of us.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Said May.

    They continued to walk down the steps as I followed. I walked behind, mostly because they kept talking to each other.

    It looked like they were having a serious conversation but I think I overheard something about May¡¯s uncle and the homework she made Glenn take care of. We reached the gate where both of them parted ways.

    ¡°Take care then.¡± Glenn said, glancing at both of us. He went in a cab he called then left the premises, leaving me alone with May.

    She began walking to my apartment¡¯s general direction though she¡¯s probably heading to the train station near the intersection.

    We continued to walk together. She was silent as she walked, but after a few moments she finally spoke.

    ¡°So, how is it?¡± she asked, ¡°The visions, I mean.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine, I mean, haven¡¯t had one since, you know¡­¡± I answered. Then, a brief moment of silence.

    She cleared her throat, then she said something I never expected to hear from her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, ¡°I appreciate your help last Monday. And for that, I offer you my thanks. Although if I didn¡¯t grab you and ran off we¡¯d probably be dead but¡­ you did save my life. And I¡¯m sorry about leaving so abruptly afterwards, I had an urgent meeting that day.¡± She stopped and turned to face me, ¡°If it helps, how about I buy some groceries for you as replacement for the one¡¯s you lost?¡±

    She¡¯s acting a lot different this time, compared to how she acted earlier. It wasn¡¯t bad at all, but, like all things that goes beyond my expectations, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already bought some yesterday so there¡¯s really no need.¡± I replied and heading to buy groceries again would be a pain at this hour.

    I felt the need to change the subject, this is starting to feel weird.

    ¡°So, was the library assistant really behind the missing books?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re still doubting what you heard yourself?¡± she answered, irritably, ¡°Well, she officially confessed stealing the books and she told us where she hid them, but in the end, she never told us why she did it in the first place.¡±

    ¡°At least we know she really did it I guess¡­¡± I replied, ¡°So, where are the books?¡±

    ¡°While you were busy talking to that girl in the courtyard earlier did you notice something unusual?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ not really¡­¡± I tried to recall the events that occurred that time as well as the courtyard itself. Attending school there for three years made it easy for me to paint a mental picture of the place.

    Then, I came to a realization. Unlike all the other trees in that courtyard, the one we were sitting on was different, more notably, the ground beneath the tree itself.

    ¡°I¡­ we were sitting next to them the whole time.¡±

    She smirked.

    ¡°So, they were under our asses this whole time,¡± I continued, ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    ¡°She was let off with a warning, though things might have ended differently if the books were never found. The head librarian backing her up helped a lot in her case.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ to go to such lengths as to bury those books inside school property, what could¡¯ve pushed her to do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°I already told you, remember? Although she never told us her motive I already came up with a theory as to why she did it, but it¡¯s only a theory. Without hearing it from her we can never be sure.¡±

    ¡°Has it something to do with love and fear?¡± I suggested, after recalling what she told me earlier.

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°So¡­ are you going to tell me or what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just leave it to your imagination.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re seriously not going to tell me?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not what I wanted to talk to you about¡± she said, ¡°I wanted to tell you this during the first time we met but I¡¯ll just do it now.¡± She stopped in her track just as we arrived the intersection.

    ¡°I have a proposal. I wanted you to come to the student council office and join me for a reason. I wanted to show you what I do and how I do them.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said, feeling confused. She let out a sigh.

    ¡°I want you to help me, and I¡¯ll help you in return.¡±

    ¡°Help me?¡±

    ¡°Your visions.¡± She said, ¡°I can help you learn more about them, how to control them, maybe even remove them completely. You¡¯ve seen what I can do, I¡¯m sure I can help you with whatever that is.¡±

    I can¡¯t deny being amazed by her quick wit, deductive reasoning, and her reliable intuition. But compared to what happened during our first day of class and our recent trip to the library, my visions are on a league of its own.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll help you with solving problems in return? What do you even do exactly?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been studying in this school for quite a long time now so I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with the student council¡¯s advocacy, right? The student council promises to help any student in need, no matter what the problem may be. But, even though the council is built up by hardworking students who are more than capable of managing student affairs, they are not perfect. When a problem arises that even the mighty few cannot solve, they consult the one student who can. At least, that¡¯s what they did at first. But now they decided to let me handle everything directly. They even offered me a spot in the council but I thought it was far too¡ª¡±

    ¡°Social?¡± I interrupted, I didn¡¯t even notice saying it out loud.

    I continued, ¡°I find it hard to believe that you¡¯d agree to help in the first place.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing it for free. Of course. At first, they offered to do some of my homework and take-home activities for me which they still do up to this day but, I found the job to be quite enjoyable. Well, at least it used to be.¡±

    I imagined it¡¯d be enjoyable for her.

    She looks like the type of person who always wants to do something yet doesn¡¯t want to do everything.

    For someone like her who has a distant and discreet demeanor, doing the stuff she does fulfils a purpose. Whatever purpose it may be.

    ¡°Anyway, what do you want to do about that murderer?¡± I asked recalling our conversation on the rooftop days ago.

    ¡°Murderer?¡±

    ¡°You know, the one you told me to help you find? Honestly, I don¡¯t even know why the hell you¡¯d want to find one.¡±

    She held her chin as she tried to remember, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. I just used it to get more information.¡±

    ¡°You mean it was a lie? Why¡¯d you even think mentioning a murderer was a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Look, I really don¡¯t like explaining everything I do, I want you to remember that. Because starting tomorrow we¡¯ll be working together.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, I don¡¯t remember agreeing to this.¡±

    ¡°Come on, I know you want to get rid of those visions of yours. Having it made you what you are today. A pathetic, weak willed, lazy waste of space radiating with hate for the world.¡±

    I clenched my fists with anger, though I wasn¡¯t ready to stoop low enough to hit a girl.

    I wasn¡¯t angry because of her searing personal insults. I was panicking to the point of anger, because she was able read me my like a book. Those were the last words I wanted to hear.

    May notices this and changed her expression, ¡°Insulting you wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± She said, she lowered her head and took a deep breath, ¡°Let me ask you this. Are you satisfied with living your life the way it is? Because during all the time I¡¯ve been observing you, it¡¯s as if you¡¯ve always lived with regret. And to be honest, I¡¯d go as far as to say that you¡¯re whole being is so appalling that just being around you drains me.¡± The way she spoke was full of emotion in contrast to her normal calm demeanor, as if she was scolding me.

    She let out one more sigh, ¡°Help me, then I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll let you think about it.¡± She said, ¡°I just hope you do actually give it a thought.¡±

    ¡°Wait. I just want to clear up something. Did you really stalk me this past year?¡± I asked her just before she went to cross the intersection.

    ¡°I did.¡± She answered, with not even a glance she crossed the intersection.

    I stared at her as she disappeared in the crowds of crossing people. And to my surprise, one of the crossing pedestrians was Noah, and he was alone. He began walking towards me.

    ¡°Yo¡­ so a new noodle shop just opened around the corner,¡± he said. He looked as happy as always but I knew him long enough to realize what happened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± I replied.

    We headed to the newly opened noodle shop near an old pawnshop and bought a pair of noodles.

    They were good.

    Good enough to waste my money on.

    As we ate I recalled everything May told me earlier. What was that all even about? I know we¡¯ve been in the same class for years now but how can she even yell at me like that? Why did I just let her yell at me like that? And I still haven¡¯t gone over the fact how she went as far as too bring me along with her just to convince me about working with her.

    The way she scolded me earlier, she was really into it. And for some odd reason, maybe it was the way she articulated her words but, the way she said it felt like I was talking to another person, almost as if she was only relaying some message.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re thinking about a lot of things again.¡± Noah said.

    ¡°Same as always, I guess.¡± I replied before taking a forkful of noodles into my mouth.

    ¡°I bet it has something to do with May.¡±

    ¡°Hey, if you start prying I¡¯m gonna ask about that student council girl.¡±

    ¡°Okay okay, I kid.¡± Noah held his hands up with a nervous smile, ¡°I don¡¯t even want to talk about it. Anyway, what do you think about this new shop?¡±

    ¡°You said this shop was new but, the noodles here taste¡¯s familiar.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡± He said with a grin, ¡°We ate here on our first year of high school, remember?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the noodle shop near the city¡¯s park?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, they¡¯ve moved their establishment here near the train station. That¡¯s why it looks a lot different.¡±

    ¡°Why would they even do that? I thought being near the park was a good spot.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Noah said as he laid down his utensils beside the empty bowl, ¡°Maybe they thought it was about time for a change of scenery?

    A change of scenery, huh¡­

    ¡°I think as a business, it¡¯ll allow them to grow more. Then again, they might¡¯ve left because the rent became too high.¡±

    ¡°Well, the reason why I never went back there was because it got too crowded.¡± I replied, finishing off my bowl of noodles, ¡°So it might be a good thing.¡±

    ¡°You still hate being in crowds, do you? I thought you would¡¯ve grown out of that mind set by now.¡± said Noah.

    ¡°For the record, I don¡¯t hate being in crowds, it just makes me feel uncomfortable.¡±

    After all, the more people I see, the more nervous I get about seeing a person¡¯s death.

    Hearing a truck pass by, the both of us turned towards the shop¡¯s window to the right.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark out,¡± said Noah, ¡°I heard it¡¯s going to rain tonight.¡±

    That¡¯s unfortunate.

    I didn¡¯t have an umbrella with me, and I doubt Noah has one too.

    ¡°We better get going then.¡±

    As we finished our meals we went on our separate ways.

    And as I walked back to my apartment, I took out my phone.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 3 - The Assistant Does Her Dirty Work Pt. 1

    ¡°My name is June Grey, I¡¯m a second year¡­¡± the girl introduced herself, beaming with nervousness.

    We were inside the student council¡¯s office with all the other members, each doing their own things.

    June sat on the sofa which means she needs help. Noah and I sat on the chairs while May remained standing. I offered her my seat but she declined instantly, saying chairs kill you faster than old age. I did not understand what she meant by that and I did not care to know. I figured she just likes to say profound phrases like the smartass she is. But as long as she does her end of the deal, I can put up with her blabbering.

    I mean, she did give me a choice, I could¡¯ve just rejected her offer then go on with my life. But, what happened yesterday stuck with me. Mostly because it¡¯s the first time anyone had the nerve to say those things to my face. As much as I was aggravated by it, the things she said to me made me think.

    Among the things I thought about was the fact that she now knows that I can see dead people, and how because of it, I¡¯ve grown somewhat reluctant to refuse her.

    I mean, she knows my secret. A secret only one other person should¡¯ve known, a secret I kept for as long as I lived. She knows I can see dead people.

    And she can use that information as leverage, not to mention the fact that quite a few people place their trust on her, influential people, at that.

    I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if she decides to blackmail me using that secret of mine if I continued to go against her wishes. And I¡¯m certain she¡¯s the type of person to do just that.

    So, no matter how you look at it, the best course of action for this situation is to become her assistant and hope that she actually does something about my visions.

    ¡°Damis.¡± said May. The three of them stared at me.

    ¡°Uh-- sorry, carry on.¡± I said as I rubbed my face.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± June replied, ¡°About the reason I came here. You see, I think I¡¯m being followed.¡±

    ¡°Followed? You mean someone¡¯s stalking you?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Yes, I only found out about it a few days ago. I was quite surprised actually¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can imagine why¡­¡± I muttered to no one in particular.

    May coughed as if to interrupt the conversation. ¡°Anyway, tell me more about this stalker you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯m being stalked by three different people.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Really?¡± May commented. I noticed her taking a quick glance at her skirt.

    ¡°Maybe they just want your phone number¡­¡± Noah said, ¡°I mean, someone as cute as you should be used to being followed around by men.¡± Noah smiled at the girl.

    It had no importance to the conversation whatsoever, typical Noah.

    ¡°Uh¡ªthanks but, I don¡¯t think their following me just because of that¡­.¡± She answered, flustered.

    ¡°Having three people follow one person can be troublesome, ¡°I said.

    May let out a sigh, ¡°I agree but, they weren¡¯t following her at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± June answered, ¡°Since Monday I felt like I was being watched every time I go to school in the morning and come home after classes. I noticed three different people watching me from afar on three separate occasions, the first one was a guy with sunglasses and a black cap, the next day it was a girl in uniform, and the last one was a guy wearing a suit.¡±

    She stopped talking to look out the window for a moment, then she continued, ¡°I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t know what they want from me. I watched some late-night news on the TV yesterday and saw that there were a few cases of high school girls being kidnapped in a nearby town¡­ W-what if they¡¯re planning to kidnap me? I don¡¯t want my body to end up in a briefcase¡­¡± She held her arms as if she was hugging something, she closed her eyes as hard as she could. I can almost see her shiver in fear.

    ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡± May asked, staring at her with crossed arms.

    ¡°¡­Y-yes.¡± June answered, looking away for some reason.

    May stared at her for a while.

    Just before things got awkward, she continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but we can¡¯t help you.¡± May said, eyes on her phone.

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± June asked in disbelief.

    ¡°What?¡± Noah and I asked in unison. The council members stared at us for a moment. Lawrence made a nervous smile as he shook his head, while Glenn rubbed both of his temples.

    ¡°Damis, please show her outside.¡± May said, turning her attention to her phone once again.

    ¡°Are you seriously not going to help her?¡± I asked, undeniably aggravated at how May treated her. Mostly because if she decides to reject every request given to her, there would be no point in being here.

    I hope she realizes that I¡¯m going out of my way just to be of help to her. If I didn¡¯t have to be here I would¡¯ve finished my homework by now.

    ¡°You heard what I said. She annoys me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show her outside instead,¡± Noah interrupted. He talked to the confused Juniper and opened the door, then left the room with her. He seemed to be a bit too happy as he joined her outside.

    The door closed, I held my forehead in dismay.

    ¡°Why¡­ why did you do that?¡± I asked. She took a seat at the unoccupied sofa.

    ¡°She¡¯s a liar.¡± May answered.

    ¡°We¡¯re all liars. Don¡¯t single her out because of that.¡±

    ¡°I know you feel sorry for the girl, but your pity clouds your judgement.¡± She puts down her phone and pointed her attention to me.

    ¡°A high school girl is being stalked by three different people. And then she decides to consult the student council about it. Isn¡¯t it strange? First of all, if you found out that you were being stalked by someone you don¡¯t know, who you would go to?¡±

    I just stared at her and gave no response.

    ¡°¡­ Never mind. Anyway, the most reasonable thing to do is to approach the authorities and asked them for help. Especially considering the recent kidnappings.¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s hiding something. Something that no one should ever find out about.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Like what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your job to find out about that. I want you to get her to talk about whatever she¡¯s hiding, or at least find some information on what it is.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m basically doing your dirty work for you.¡±

    ¡°Better have it before classes are dismissed. Good luck, assistant.¡± She said as she smiled.

    ¡°But what about the ¡°finish things up before lunch ends¡± type of deal?¡±

    ¡°Oh Damis, aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± she said in an annoyingly sarcastic tone, ¡°I never accepted her request in the first place. Nothing more than pure curiosity is driving me to dig deeper into this. I think you¡¯d understand being as curious as you are yourself.¡±

    I sighed, ¡°You better be serious about your half of the deal.¡±

    She let out a short laugh that seemed fake, ¡°I¡¯m always serious.¡±

    I regret saving this girl already.

    I went outside, hoping for Noah and June to still be there but they were nowhere to be found.

    Knowing that Noah is probably with her, I took my phone out and sent him a text. After a few seconds my phone rang. They were in the library.

    I went inside and saw Noah, waving at me with a smile. June was eyeing few of the books on display. I also saw Margo arranging the books which seemed to have fallen down a bookshelf causing me to briefly remember the events that happened last week. Looks like she¡¯s okay.

    I sat in front of Noah while taking a glance at June. Something catches my eye, there was something hanging out of her skirt pocket, probably just a phone accessory.

    I¡¯ve seen a bunch of them being sold in a store near the school and the students here seem to go crazy for them.

    But something about the one she has is bugging me. It doesn¡¯t look like it was made to be tied to a phone.

    I shrugged then turned my attention to Noah, staring at a girl¡¯s skirt is not what I came here for. But at least I have an idea on what May was staring at earlier.

    ¡°Did she tell you anything strange?¡± I asked Noah, trying to be as silent as possible.

    ¡°Strange?¡± he scratched his head with his finger, ¡°Well, she told me she was single.¡±

    ¡°I mean strange as in something useful. May told me to make her tell me the truth about¡­ something.¡±

    He chuckled for some reason, ¡°You¡¯re really letting May order you around. Are the two of you a thing now?¡±

    I just let out a quick sigh, ¡°Come on, just tell me if she told you something or not.¡±

    ¡°Dude, think about it. Is she the kind of girl who¡¯d say something private to someone she just met?¡± He said. I almost forgot that he can actually say things that make sense. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a hand. I¡¯ll try to get her to say something, it¡¯ll be easier since I¡¯ve already have broken the ice.¡± He continued. ¡°Anyway, didn¡¯t May reject her request earlier? What made her change her mind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that she changed her mind, she just told me that she wanted to know.¡±

    He laughed, ¡°Seriously?¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand how what I said would warrant that amused expression of his. But he is Noah, I¡¯d be surprised if he didn¡¯t smile at every sentence I say.

    And I can¡¯t deny being thankful after Noah offered to help me. It¡¯s one of the good sides of having him as a friend. Having someone who is able to talk well with other people is pretty handy. No, for me, having someone like him is a necessity.

    June went back to our table, holding a book titled ¡°the moon and the lake¡± which I was already familiar with. Feeling no need for me to stay here, I stood up and after greeting her with a smile, I left the library.

    <hr>

    May was already seated when I returned to our classroom. She stared outside the window beside her, just like always. She looks pretty attractive when she¡¯s quiet.

    Wait, did I seriously say that? Must be the stress.

    I seated myself then took out my notebook, I¡¯ve been wanting to do my homework ever since the teacher gave it. I didn¡¯t want any unnecessary burdens so I figured it¡¯d be better if I dealt with them as soon as possible. I answered as much questions as I could while my other classmates filled the room one by one.

    At the corner of my eye, I saw Noah entering the room. I closed my notebook and stopped doing what I was doing as soon as he¡¯d taken the seat next to mine. Before I could talk to him a girl approached his desk to return a pen she borrowed. I waited until both of them finished chatting.

    ¡°Did she tell you anything?¡± I asked, silent enough to not be heard from two seats away.

    ¡°She invited me to go somewhere with her friends on Sunday. I bet she just used that borrowed pen as an excuse to approach me and slip that invitation in our conversation. I can¡¯t blame her though, even I would do something like that if I was in the same room as someone like me.¡± He answered confidently. Over confidently. It pissed me off, honestly.

    ¡°I meant June.¡± I clarified, feeling irritated.

    ¡°Oh, haha, I thought you were talking about the girl that borrowed my pen.¡±

    Why do I get the feeling that he made that mistake on purpose?

    ¡°Anyway, she tell you anything?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you joking right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. After you left, she read a bit of that book and we talked about school stuff. I tried to get more out of her by asking some questions but she keeps on changing the subject. And she was good at it.¡±

    ¡°At least tell me everything she told you.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Uh¡­ She told me how disappointed she was that May couldn¡¯t accept her request¡­¡±

    Okay, it¡¯s pretty natural to think that way about what happened. ¡°Go on¡­¡±

    ¡°She told me how creepy you were when you kept staring at her skirt at the library earlier¡­¡±

    ¡­

    I can¡¯t believe she noticed that.

    Is every girl that perceptive? She probably thinks I¡¯m some kind of pervert now.

    Not that I care about her opinion of me in the first place.

    ¡°She never dated any of her classmates¡­¡±

    Yes, that¡¯s definitely something Noah would want to find out.

    ¡°She said it¡¯d be nice if the cafeteria had a wider menu¡­¡±

    Hmm. I agree. Serving spaghetti for four days straight can¡¯t be good for anybody.

    ¡°She said I was a pretty nice guy¡­¡±

    Again, with the self-gratification.

    ¡°Unlike the other guy I was with¡­¡±

    Hearing that actually hurt the second time around.

    ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± I said.

    This isn¡¯t going anywhere.

    I didn¡¯t hear anything interesting at all.

    Except that she probably hates me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I also told her a bunch of lie¡ª I mean, good stuff about you.¡±

    Now this guy is trying to annoy me on purpose.

    ¡°But you know, Damis, you¡¯ve been acting really weird. It¡¯s the first time I saw you let someone order you around like this. Not to mention you¡¯re too eager to do what you¡¯re told. What¡¯s going on between you two?¡± said Noah, looking genuinely worried.

    Oh that¡¯s right, I forgot to tell him about the deal we made a week ago.

    ¡°You see, me and May¡­ We made a deal.¡±

    ¡°Must be a good deal since you agreed to it.¡±

    ¡°I guess you can say that.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal about?¡±

    ¡°May said that if I offer to help her and be her assistant,¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d help me get rid of my visions.¡±

    ¡°WHAT!!¡± he stood up as fast as he could and shouted in disbelief. ¡°WHY DID YOU TELL HER ABOUT THAT?¡±

    ¡°Dude calm down--¡±

    ¡°MR. MECKER!¡± Our teacher screamed. We didn¡¯t notice him entering the room. He looked at us with anger and confusion. Our classmates stared at us like we were exhibitionists. Even May took notice of the situation and smiled at us.

    ¡°OUT!¡± the furious teach continued. Noah scratched the back of his head and smiled at him while trying to be as polite as he can. He slowly walked outside the room.

    He shouldn¡¯t have done that. But it can¡¯t be helped, I guess I¡¯ll just have to take notes for him.

    ¡°YOU TOO MR. SIMONTEL! OUT!¡±

    Yeah, I guess I kind of expected that.

    Teachers are kind, considerate, and responsible members of society. They are the ones who train young individuals and guide them into reaching success.

    It¡¯s not an easy task, being responsible for the future of dozens of students can be difficult and nerve-wracking. And not to mention that they do this on a daily basis. It¡¯s hard to believe that they are even human.

    And because of that, being a teacher is one of the jobs that I will never pick. But that¡¯s also why I respect the people who do. Even when they make mistakes, they¡¯ll still have my respect.

    If a mistake is a lesson we teach ourselves, then a teacher¡¯s mistake is a lesson for all. So even if I probably won¡¯t be able to participate in the quiz today, even if I¡¯ll have to take some supplementary classes later, even if this¡¯ll probably affect my academic performance, I¡¯ll just have to shove my respect down my throat and deal with it.

    <hr>

    ¡°Why¡¯d you tell her?¡± said Noah, looking awfully serious. We stood at the hallway next to our room facing the open windows opposite of the room¡¯s direction. With Noah¡¯s question in mind, I wondered what my reasons actually were.

    ¡°She already knew about it,¡± I replied, ¡°Remember what I told you about our conversation at the rooftop? Dude, she stalked me for a year. And she¡¯s no joke, you¡¯ve seen what she could do.¡±

    Although I guess, deep down, I really wanted her to help me.

    Not because I was impressed at her, not because I trust in her. It just might be because I¡¯m becoming desperate.

    This thing had been a thorn in my back ever since childhood, and by now, I¡¯d appreciate a chance to live life without it.

    I was simply becoming tired of it. Not like I wasn¡¯t tired of it before but, it has to stop someday.

    It needs to stop.

    Because even if I do manage to live my ideal life, having this constant, creeping fear of when the next vision of death will show up will keep on bothering to no end.

    I may have seen these visions long enough for me to get used to them, but you can never get used to seeing dead people. All you can do as a compromise is to stop feeling altogether. Although honestly, being like that can be pretty exhausting as well.

    All the more reason to be desperate.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked in monotone.

    I bet he¡¯s against it. Probably because he just doesn¡¯t understand.

    Nobody understands. And that might just the beauty of it.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    He began laughing softly. He¡¯s going back to his usual self.

    About time, seeing Noah all serious like that was beginning to stress me out.

    Haven¡¯t seen him like that since middle school when his first girlfriend broke up with him.

    ¡°But still, it¡¯s the first time I heard you ask someone else for help.¡± He said in his usual tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I met someone as crazy as her.¡±

    And I hope I never meet someone like her ever again.

    He and I laughed like we always do, but since we were at the hallway, we laughed a bit less.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you something,¡± Said Noah, ¡°I told June to come meet us at the gate after school.¡± Hearing that was good. This could be another chance to get more information out of her.

    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, I¡¯ll ask May to join us.¡± He took out his phone. Wait a minute.

    ¡°How¡¯d you get her number?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I just asked her for it. We met up earlier this morning and I got it from her. She didn¡¯t seem against it.¡± I don¡¯t know why but I imagined that scene to play out differently.

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t think May will be able read your message anytime soon.¡± All of our classmates are having a lecture right now, including May. And with that strict teacher around I doubt she¡¯ll be able to pick up her phone without being noticed.

    ¡°And¡­ done.¡± Said Noah after he finished messaging May. After a few minutes my phone rang.

    <table style="width: 23.2496%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 100%">

    I can¡¯t,

    I¡¯m busy right now.

    -M

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    She actually managed to send a reply. But, why the hell did she reply to me? And what¡¯s with that M in the end again?

    ¡°She said she¡¯s busy.¡± I told Noah who was confused at what I said.

    ¡°Wait, why did she reply to you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well don¡¯t ask me, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in that girls head. I don¡¯t even know how she managed to send a reply in the first place.¡± Without a moment¡¯s notice I received another message.

    <table style="width: 23.183%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 100%">

    You handle it.

    -M

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    What is this? Our agreement was only for me to get more information about June and her request. I replied to her saying ¡°Why do I have to handle it?¡± and after sending it to her I received another message.

    <table style="width: 26.0696%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 100%">

    Because I¡¯m busy, and you¡¯re my assistant.

    Good luck, Damn it.

    -M

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    I feel less like an assistant and more of a servant. I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s insulting me of if it¡¯s just her phone¡¯s autocorrect acting out. My phone rang again.

    <table style="width: 26.2156%">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 100%">

    Because I¡¯m busy, and you¡¯re my assistant.

    Good luck, Damis.

    (Autocorrect LOL)

    -M

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Why does her phone use a swear word as an auto correction? And I didn¡¯t know she was capable of using an expression like ¡°LOL¡±. I guess that¡¯s what the internet can do to a person. I suddenly heard a suppressed chuckle.

    ¡°¡­ Damn it.¡± Said Noah as he tried to hold back his laughter.

    ¡°Was she also texting you all along?¡±

    ¡°Brrg-- hm-- yeah¡­¡± he replied while managing to suppress his laughter. Honestly though, what¡¯s wrong with that girl?

    My phone rang once more but this time I knew I was the only one she sent it to.

    <table>

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td>

    Just call me if

    You need any help.

    -M

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    I looked at her message feeling a bit relieved. At least I know that she isn¡¯t pushing all this work to me. I gave her a reply, ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°So, is it all good?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°I guess it is. But it¡¯ll just be me, you and June later at the gate.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±

    Even after all that our teacher still hasn¡¯t finished his lecture which means both us of will continue standing here in the hallway. I checked the time on my phone and saw that only a little over 10 minutes have passed.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to stay here for a little bit longer¡± I said in a weary voice. Noah stayed silent, it looked like he didn¡¯t hear or acknowledge what I said.

    ¡°¡­ Damn it.¡± He said as he burst in laughter.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you stop that already?¡± I shouted but he just kept on laughing.

    In a moment like this, I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯m surrounded by crazy people.

    <hr>

    After classes were dismissed Noah and I headed for the school¡¯s front gate that served as our meeting place with June.

    We walked along with the dozens of students who have finished their day¡¯s activities and were ready to end their day with whatever plans they had.

    I don¡¯t know what the teachers were planning when they gave out those homework¡¯s because I did not expect them to give that many. I would¡¯ve just gone straight home to deal with them if I didn¡¯t have to meet up with June at the gate. Well, at least tomorrow¡¯s a weekend so I¡¯ll have time to work on them.

    Out of the corner of my eye I spotted May walking out the room, she was walking to the opposite of our direction. It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s heading to the student council¡¯s office.

    Well, she said she was busy. Whatever she¡¯s busy with is not a concern to me. As long as keeps her promise.

    When we arrived at the school gate June was already there. She looked at us with an elated expression, at least I think she was. She¡¯s probably only looking at Noah though.

    I don¡¯t see any reason for her to be happy seeing me since, based from what Noah told me, she thinks I¡¯m a creepy pervert who¡¯s not nice and should just jump off a bridge somewhere remote where no one can find out about it. Okay maybe that last bit was taking it too far but she still doesn¡¯t like me.

    ¡°Oh, Hi.¡± June said to Noah with a smile. She glanced at me and her bright smile darkened.

    ¡°Did you wait long?¡± Noah asked June.

    ¡°No, not at all.¡± She replied, ¡°So, why did you want to meet up here?¡±

    ¡°We wanted to talk to you about the request you gave earlier.¡± Noah answered, ¡°We decided to accept your request. We¡¯re here to help you.¡±

    That was a lie, of course.

    Nonetheless, June was overwhelmed by happiness after hearing what Noah said. I can see her desperately trying to hold herself back from hugging him.

    ¡°So, where do we start?¡± Noah asked the girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s best if we start going to the location of the most recent sighting.¡± I replied instead.

    ¡°Y-yeah, let¡¯s do that¡­¡± she said wearily.

    The hell she getting sad for? Is it because of me? It¡¯s because of me, right? It¡¯s definitely because of me.

    ¡°You know¡­ I get that you don¡¯t like me but you don¡¯t have to talk to me like that.¡± I told June, she didn¡¯t even look me in the eye.

    ¡°No¡­ this is not¡­ it¡¯s just that¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡± she replied.

    I guess the fact that she¡¯s returning to the place where she recently saw her pursuer is starting to worry her.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do that if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Noah suggested.

    ¡°No, we have to go there if we want to get an idea on what¡¯s happening to her.¡± I said, ¡°If we go there we might be able to talk to other people that saw June¡¯s stalker as well.¡±

    ¡°Dude, look at her. She¡¯s won¡¯t be going there. Not while she¡¯s like that.¡± I glanced at June and saw sweat dripping down her neck as she trembled. She looked as pale as the moon.

    ¡°I-t¡¯s ok. It¡¯s like he said. We have to go there.¡± June said in a weak tone but was full of conviction.

    ¡°You heard her, let¡¯s get moving. I need to go home by six. We¡¯ve got a shit load of homework to do.¡± I said.

    Noah let out a sigh, ¡°I guess it¡¯s alright then.¡±

    We began following June¡¯s direction to her most recent sighting. I said we should go there but, I still have my doubts if heading there will indeed help us in this case. I guess I¡¯ll just have to ask May for help.

    When June and Noah stopped in front of a store to buy some snacks, I took out my phone and called May. After a few beeps, she finally picked up.

    ¡°Hey, umm¡­ I need your help.¡±

    I could hear her sigh on the other side, accompanied by some low, orchestral type music in the background. Where the hell is she right now?

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she finally spoke in a somewhat irritated manner manner.

    Needless to say, the way she answered my call got me pissed.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to act like that then you shouldn¡¯t have had offered to in the first place.¡± I said feeling annoyed.

    ¡°Is that so? Okay I¡¯ll hang up then--¡±

    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t hang up, I need your help dealing with this case.¡±

    I could hear her faint, suppressed laughter on the other side of the line, ¡°Were you able to get her to talk?¡±

    ¡°Well, no but--¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t be able to help you. Goodbye--¡±

    ¡°Wait can you stop doing that? I was planning to talk to her now but I¡¯m still waiting for the right moment.¡± Noticing the two of them walking again, I continued to follow.

    ¡°But you¡¯re waiting too long. And without any information I won¡¯t be able to help you with anything. I¡¯ll need fuel to get my gears running. Give me data, any data.¡±

    ¡°Anything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, anything is better than nothing. And could you hurry up a bit I¡¯m in the middle of something at the moment.¡±

    Okay, any information will be useful. I¡¯ll just need to think of one. Come on, she must have said something interesting. But, no matter how hard I think about it, nothing comes to mind.

    ¡°¡­ I really liked reading that book¡­¡± I heard June say after overhearing her conversation with Noah.

    She liked the book, what book? Argh it¡¯s on the tip of my tongue, what was the book?

    Ah, got it.

    ¡°May, you still there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am still here.¡±

    ¡°I got something for you. June said she liked the moon and the lake.¡±

    ¡°The moon and the lake?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is that a movie or something?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t remember that book, it was one of the books that were missing last week, remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember now. So, you¡¯re saying that June liked that book am I correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s weird¡­ she doesn¡¯t look like she¡­ hmm. Damis, I think I have a good guess about her secret. Listen to what I¡¯m about to say because it¡¯s going to be long and very complicated.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ve listened to lectures on algebra for years now so I think I¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s what I think, I think June and Margo has something in common. ¡° I slowed my pace as I focused on what May was telling me.

    ¡°First of all, there¡¯s something weird about that information you gave me,¡± May continued, ¡°She liked reading ¡®the moon and the lake¡¯ but she doesn¡¯t look like a bookworm.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t really have to be a bookworm to like some book.¡±

    ¡°I know but, why did she take a liking to the book? Normally, for a girl her age who doesn¡¯t read that much literature the only thing I could think of that would cause her to like that book is if she found it to be relatable.¡±

    ¡°Even so, how can you be so sure that she doesn¡¯t like reading books?¡±

    ¡°Because she likes to draw,¡± she answered, ¡°Judging from the faint charcoal marks on the side of her right palm and the leftover eraser shaving visible on her skirt, her right middle finger also had a bit of swelling on the side of its tip probably because she squeezed a thin object on it for long periods of time. The object is most probably a pencil judging by the width of the bump.¡±

    ¡°What? So you found out that she likes to draw just by staring at her middle finger?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely. I asked Glenn if she had a club and it turns out she was a member of the art club.¡±

    I would¡¯ve been genuinely impressed by her if it wasn¡¯t for that last statement.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t be sure that someone doesn¡¯t like to read books just because they like to draw.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that but what I¡¯m saying isn¡¯t fact. It¡¯s merely an educated guess.¡±

    I know she¡¯s just saying that because she doesn¡¯t want to be proven wrong. She values her pride a bit too much.

    ¡°But from my experience, that¡¯s often the case.¡± she continued, ¡°Tell me Damis, do you like to draw?¡±

    ¡°Well, no. Although I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone out there who likes to read and draw. But I guess we can go with that assumption for now.¡±

    ¡°Moving on then,¡± she said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about why June found the book relatable. Last time, I looked up the book online and saw that it was comprised of several short stories depicting controversial relationships.¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is?¡±

    ¡°She might be in a similar situation.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling June has some weird relationship of her own? How does Margo link up with this?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured out what made Margo steal all those books yet?¡±

    ¡°Well, no. it¡¯s not like I wanted to figure it out. I had better things to do.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess, you were busy writing your soppy poetry about your life struggles.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ªhow did you find out about that?¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ve forgotten about it now but I had a lot of time to figure out that hobby of yours.¡±

    Damn it, I¡¯ll have burn those journals as soon as I get home.

    ¡°So, why did Margo steal those books?¡±

    ¡°A girl¡¯s heart is fragile. More so the heart of a girl who¡¯s in love¡­ Margo had a relationship with a student.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Well thinking about it again, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. She looks young enough to be a student herself, not to mention the uniform she¡¯s wearing.

    ¡°I confirmed this when I personally approached Margo. The boy thought she was also a student while Margo thought that the boy knew that she wasn''t. They had a brief relationship that brewed from a message that can be deciphered using the numbers on the back of the book. They had fun. Soon they used two other books to and exchanged messages until they finally decided to confront each other.¡±

    ¡°Did you find out what two and twenty-nine meant?¡±

    ¡°I got hold of the book where the numbers were placed and found out that the twenty-ninth word on the second page of it was ¡®see¡¯.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She continued, ¡°Then after some unforeseen circumstances, the boy found out about the truth and their relationship came to an immature end. The untimely collapse of their relationship took a toll on Margo. Although their relationship was short-lived, it was still enough to leave a deep, gaping wound on Margo¡¯s heart. In order for that wound to heal she must move on and stitch up the wound herself. However, something hindered her hearts restoration, and that¡¯s the bittersweet memories that lingered within three of the books that she has to fix every single day. Pain and longing soon turned into anger. Even though she knew how stupid she was acting, she took the three books and put it in a bag where she buried it beneath an old tree. Probably the tree where she and her past lover saw each other for the first time.¡±

    Sounds like something out of some tragic romance drama story.

    ¡°So, you think June is in the same situation as her?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Both of them have something in common. I can be sure of that.¡±

    As we walked a group of female students gathering across the road caught my attention. They assembled in front of what looked like a small stall that sold all kinds of cheap accessories. The most noticeable of them being phone straps.

    I immediately remembered the weird phone strap that June had. I crossed the road as soon as it was clear of any passing vehicles then rushed towards the stall. I checked all of their phone accessories and saw that none of them look the same as what June¡¯s.

    ¡°Hey May, what do you think about June¡¯s phone strap?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m surprised you noticed it as well.¡± she said, seemingly taken aback by what she just heard, ¡°The one she¡¯s got is definitely unlike the others I¡¯ve seen. The one she has had an unusual pendant on it.¡±

    ¡°I know, I went to the stall where all of them were being sold and found out that none of them looked anything like June¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ a gift maybe?¡± she said in a whispering voice as she thought out loud.

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably a gift someone gave her, though I don¡¯t know if there are other stores selling them in the area.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that, for all we know she might have just bought it in a nearby mall or something like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also a possibility.¡±

    But then again, maybe I¡¯m just thinking about it too much.

    ¡°Anyway, I think I can handle everything else from here.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I won¡¯t pick up if you called again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being awfully gung-ho about explaining stuff today.¡±

    ¡°I gave my word that I¡¯ll help you if need be. It may not look like it but I take my promises seriously. No matter how trivial they may seem.¡±

    I immediately thought about the deal we both made. Hearing that was somewhat reassuring. It gave me hope that whatever I¡¯m doing right now won¡¯t be for nothing.

    ¡°Okay then. Thanks for the he¡ª¡±

    She hung up immediately before I could finish. Was she in that much of a hurry? Well, she did say she was in the middle of something.

    Anyway, I guess I¡¯ll ask June about that phone strap of hers. That thing has been gnawing at my curiosity ever since I first saw it.

    Speaking of which, where the hell are they?

    I looked around to search for the two of them. Although I did not find Noah and June I noticed that there less people around the area, not only that but it¡¯s gotten a lot darker.

    The streetlights had begun lighting the roadsides like thin candles in the distance. But it¡¯s still wasn¡¯t dark enough for them to make any difference.

    Nonetheless, it was getting late. And I need to go home as soon as possible.

    Sadly, homework won¡¯t get done by themselves, but what a life it would be if they did.

    Thinking that they were still close by, I ran towards their general direction in hope of catching up. I soon arrived at what looks like a small residential area. Few of the residents walked along the streets, most were students and working men and women arriving home after a long day.

    I found myself wondering if the two of them really went this way but judging from the road we were walking along earlier this is the only way they would¡¯ve went.

    I continued my search looking around the streets and alleyways until I finally saw something familiar. On the ground at the street to my left that led to a local market was a plastic wrapper that, after picking it up and looking at it closely, I determined that it was the container of a snack Noah bought earlier.

    Although I wasn¡¯t too keen on the idea of littering, I decided to leave it where it was and carry on with my search. Thinking that they most probably have walked along that very same street I continued moving onward, reaching the market.

    All of the establishments around the market were closed when I reached it and judging by the time it didn¡¯t surprise me at all. I stood there still pondering about their whereabouts.

    I contemplated about leaving there and just go on my way home, but my pathetic excuse of a conscience won¡¯t let me.

    Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice, it was June.

    Although unintelligible, I rushed towards the sound of her voice. I¡¯m planning to give those two a piece of my mind. How can they just ignore me and leave me behind like that?

    I followed her voice to an alley way that was lit by a poorly maintained lamppost that blinked. When I got closer to the alley way I heard footsteps that assured me of their presence.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys left me like that,¡± I said as I walked in front of the alleyway, hoping that they would see me and how annoyed I am right now, ¡°I know you guys were busy chatting but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to look behind you at least once y¡¯know? Am I really that¡ª¡±

    My throat clamped up as soon as I saw what was in front of me.

    Noah was on the ground, out cold while June was being held by two grown men as they tried to load her into a van. June struggled in hopes of escape. Tears rolled down her face as she saw me and soon after, the men took notice as well.

    Suddenly, my eyesight blurred and my ears rang as I felt hot searing pain on the back of my head. I heard a metallic clang so loud my head vibrated on its impact. Before I knew it, I was lying on the ground being dragged on to the same van where June was.

    She let out a scream muffled by the handkerchief tied around her mouth as she saw my flimsy body thrown in front of her. The look of terror on her face was the last thing I saw before my consciousness finally faded.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 4 - The Assistant Does Her Dirty Work Pt. 2

    I was inside the teachers¡¯ lounge at my school.

    In front of me was a man who sat behind his desk. He had a calming atmosphere about him, mostly because I¡¯ve known him for a while now and I¡¯ve grown comfortable at his company.

    He spoke to me, talking about his experiences when he was still a student like me. He smiled and let out an occasional laugh. I couldn¡¯t help listening to his stories, and before long, I was too engrossed to even think about doing anything else.

    ¡°You know, Damis¡­¡± he said with a comforting voice, ¡°It¡¯s not wrong to do things all by yourself. People might even find it endearing. But it¡¯s also not a mistake to have people help you out. Look at it this way, the more people you have working for you, the less effort you¡¯ll need. Right?¡±

    ¡­

    I shouldn¡¯t be here right now.

    And you shouldn¡¯t be talking to me.

    I woke up by a dim light, a warm, pulsing pain appeared at the back of my head. I looked around and saw that I was in a room with about enough space for three people. The room was dusty and smelled like old furniture.

    I tried to move my arms but they were tied behind my back, specifically both of my thumbs were tied together with some piece of plastic. I also noticed a piece of fabric tied around my mouth preventing me from being able to speak. I managed to loosen it up and free my mouth for use. I checked if my feet were tied as well and they were but, my right foot was tied to something else, something alive.

    And then I realized I was not alone in this dark, dusty room.

    With the only source of light being the moon peeking through a narrow crack in the ceiling, I tried looked at who was beside me. It was June, her soft breath was the only sound I could hear. She was tied up the same way as me though I¡¯m sure they didn¡¯t hit her in the back of the head with a blunt instrument.

    I continued checking my surroundings to see if Noah was here as well but it seemed like it was only the two of us. Which meant they either didn¡¯t bring him with us, or he was in a different room. Although, there is still one other possibility I did not want to consider.

    I looked around us once again to try to get a better idea of our situation but the room was too dark for me to see anything useful other than the dim light seeping in from what looks to be the bottom of a door.

    I may be acting all calm and collected I am fully aware of the gravity of our situation. But panicking won¡¯t help, it¡¯ll only stress me out. And I can¡¯t deny that having somebody else in my situation helps me feel a lot less anxious.

    I took a deep breathe, though not loud enough to be heard outside it was enough to wake June up. She looked at me confused, and after a few seconds she finally understood what¡¯s happening.

    She frantically moved around as if a dog tied to a chain as tears dropped from her hazy eyes once again.

    ¡°Shh, stop that!¡± I whispered trying to calm her down to her but she wasn¡¯t listening. She loosened up the handkerchief around her mouth.

    ¡°Where are we?!¡± she said in a panicked voice but fortunately it was quiet enough to not be heard outside the room.

    ¡°I said quiet! There¡¯s no use wasting your energy like that! It¡¯ll only get us in trouble¡±

    ¡°B-but we have to get out of here!¡±

    ¡°I know!¡± I silently exclaimed, ¡°But we have to be smart about this, okay? So calm down and help me get us out of these restraints.¡± After stopping and closing her eyes and taking a deep breathe, she began to calm down.

    ¡°Can you stand?¡± I asked.

    ¡°¡­ I-I can try¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay, our ankles our tied together so we need to move at the same time or we¡¯ll end up tripping each other. We¡¯re going to stand up on my mark¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡±

    Both of us positioned our feet and got ready to stand up. We leaned against the wall behind us for added support.

    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three!¡±

    We stretched our legs as if we were doing squats and pushed up our bodies that were leaning against the wall making sure that we won¡¯t get out of balance. Luckily, we managed to get up on the first try.

    ¡°W-what do we do now?¡± she asked with a nervous voice.

    ¡°Now that both of us are properly upright we need to find a way to free us from these restraints. Let¡¯s look around the room.¡± She immediately started walking after I finished talking, she almost tripped the both of us.

    ¡°Hey, easy! Our feet are tied together remember?¡± I said in a slightly stern voice.

    ¡°I¡­ I want to get out of here¡­ please¡± she begged.

    I let out a deep sigh, ¡°Look, even if you beg things won¡¯t get any easier. We¡¯ll need to work together if we want to make it out of this. We don¡¯t really have much of a choice.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Why did he leave?¡± she muttered as she began to cry, ¡°He said he¡¯ll always be there but¡­ he¡¯s not!¡±

    What the hell is she talking about? Is it Noah? Why does he have to keep making weird promises to every girl he meets?

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Noah is out there right now on his way to help us.¡±

    That¡¯s if he¡¯s not in the same situation as we are.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s someone else.¡± She clarified.

    I see so it¡¯s not Noah then.

    My eyes widened up as I came to a realization, this might me what May was talking about earlier.

    ¡°Was this ¡°someone¡± special to you?¡± I asked, putting our escape on hold.

    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± She answered, ¡°He was so kind, and I feel safe every time I¡¯m with him. He¡¯d tell me fun stories about his life when he was travelling around the world whenever we walk together.¡±

    ¡°Was this person¡­ did you tell other people about him?¡±

    ¡°¡­ No.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Because no one would understand¡­¡±

    ¡°Because they might think your relationship with him is weird?¡±

    She looked at me with disbelief.

    ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    ¡°Someone who likes to meddle with other people¡¯s lives told me about it. Although she said it was only a guess, it seems like it hit the mark.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is it wrong?¡± she continued, ¡°I mean, our relationship wasn¡¯t intimate but, I didn¡¯t want to talk about it with other people. I¡­ I lost my father when I was young. I¡¯ve been really close to him back then and I couldn¡¯t accept the fact that he was gone.¡± She paused as she stared down at her feet, ¡°Then, I met him. He told me he was a good friend of my father and that he promised to take care of me like my father would. He was kind. He bought me stuff and told me stories about all the places he¡¯s been for his job. And eventually, it felt like my father never left¡­¡±

    ¡°I kind of understand that.¡± I said having a secret of my own.

    May¡¯s guess was pretty much spot on. I confirmed that she had an unusual association with someone.

    I would have liked to ask more about it, but digging deeper into it will make her uncomfortable and stress her out, possibly affecting our attempt to escape.

    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± she suddenly asked me.

    ¡°Say what?¡± I asked, puzzled.

    ¡°You said you understood what I was talking about.¡±

    This isn¡¯t good, it looks like I said something I shouldn¡¯t I have said again. I got to steer her away form that train of thought.

    ¡°Anyway, were still trapped in this room against our will. How about we focus on escaping for now?¡±

    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s not fair.¡± She said in a somewhat pitiful manner.

    ¡°Alright, how about I¡¯ll tell you about it after we get out of here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a promise then.¡± She declared with a smile. Although I¡¯m not too keen about that promise, it may be enough to get her motivated.

    ¡°Okay then.¡± I replied, going along with her idea, ¡°First things first, let¡¯s try to find something that could get our arms free.¡±

    We tried to examine what kind of restraints we had on our hands, it looks like one of those long thin plastic lock things that has grooves under it that serves as its locking mechanism. I noticed June staring at something at my back.

    ¡°¡­ I think I know how we can get out of these.¡± She said looking at me with an elated expression, ¡°we¡¯ll need something small and thin, kind of like a lock pick.¡±

    ¡°But, something like that would be hard to find in a dark room like this one.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Oh, you¡¯re right...¡± She bowed her head as she frowned. Well, this is new, being so close to her like this, she¡¯s starting to look kind of cute right now...

    What the hell am I thinking?

    Argh! This is not the time to be thinking like that! I shook my head as if I tried to get a hold of myself.

    As I stared at her head I noticed something on her hair. She wore a thin, black hairpin. Seeing it gave me an idea.

    ¡°How about we use your hairpin?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I think that could work! I forgot I had one,¡± she exclaimed with a cheerful smile on her face.

    But a few seconds later her smile faded, ¡°But how are we going to--¡±

    I picked up her hairpin form her hair with my mouth as she was talking.

    She looked surprised, and her face flushed.

    Seeing her like that confused me. I mean, with our hands tied behind our backs the only way for me to get a hold of that item was to use my mouth.

    ¡°¡­ You¡¯re weird¡­¡± she uttered, looking away.

    What¡¯s she going on about? Here I am trying to get us out of this situation and she throws a degrading statement at me.

    ¡°¡­ And creepy¡­ ¡± she continued.

    I scrunched my eyebrows and gave her an annoyed expression. I don¡¯t know why but it made her smile.

    Whoa, wait a minute, flushed face, looking away, smiling at me, does she¡­ like me?

    Is what I would say if I actually cared about what she thinks of me and we weren¡¯t locked up in a dark room probably in the middle of nowhere. I still haven¡¯t gone over her calling me a creep among other things.

    I gestured my head telling her to face her back towards me. She was confused at first but she caught on to what I was trying to tell her. I lowered my head to place the hairpin that was in my mouth on her tied up hands. I raised my head to look at her and saw that she was still a bit embarrassed.

    ¡°Go on, use the thing.¡± I told her, reminding her of the situation we were currently in.

    ¡°O-oh, right.¡± She snapped out of her discomfited demeanour and proceeded to use the hairpin. After a few wriggles and nudges her hands finally got free. It was quite interesting to watch. I¡¯m impressed.

    ¡°Where did you learn to do that?¡± I asked out of curiosity.

    ¡°I saw it on the internet,¡± she said, ¡°I was kind of¡­ expecting something like this to happen¡­ so¡­ I did some research¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, good thing you did.¡± I replied feeling relieved.

    This could¡¯ve been more difficult if weren¡¯t for her paranoia.

    ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± She replied in a soft, almost cheerful voice as she smiled at me.

    Now I¡¯m pretty sure that she has a thing for me. No one can see a girl act like that towards him and not think that she¡¯s interested in him.

    I guess it only takes a stressful and potentially life or death situation to change a girl from hating your guts to smiling at everything you say.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do yours now¡­¡± she continued.

    ¡°Please do.¡± I replied, showing my back to her.

    She continued to mess around with the plastic tied around my thumbs. As she moved it around I felt her hands, they were cold and trembling. It looks like she¡¯s still terrified about what¡¯s happening to us. In contrast to that cheerful smile she kept showing me.

    I felt my opinion of her change at that moment. She¡¯s a stronger person than I initially thought.

    Without fail, she managed to free my hands as well. Spreading up my arms I began to do some stretches to bring life to my limbs that began to sting like pins and needles. Taking notice of what I was doing, June joined me and did some stretches of her own.

    ¡°Now that that¡¯s done and over with, let¡¯s move on to removing our leg restraints.¡± I said after taking a deep and exhausted breathe.

    June nodded in response.

    Both of us took a closer look at what¡¯s tying both of our feet together. We discovered that our feet were bound by some kind of hollow tubing similar to a small garden hose. I felt it with my hand to see what kind of material is was made of. The outside was soft and malleable but not stretchable.

    Although I¡¯ve already determined it to be made up of plastic I felt something hard and metallic on the inside of the hollow tubing. I looked at June with worry.

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to get out of these. ¡± I said.

    Not unless she had a hairpin that could slice through metal.

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± she exclaimed, she began to panic once again.

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to make do. Let¡¯s try to keep the same pace as each other while we move. How about we do a bit of practice before we leave the room?¡± I suggested, trying to keep her hopes up.

    ¡°¡­ O-okay.¡± She replied wearily. I was not satisfied at the way she answered me. I need her to stay level headed if I want to get out of here.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, the fact that we managed to stand up on the first try means we have a high chance of being able to walk like this together,¡± I said trying to encourage her, ¡°Think of it as a three legged race event during our school¡¯s intramurals.¡±

    She continued looking down and bowing her head with a weary expression. What will it take to make her act all cheery again? With her acting like that I can¡¯t believe she managed to smile earlier.

    ¡°¡­ I know but¡­ if one of us ends up tripping, the other one will end up tripping as well¡­¡± she explained.

    So she was worried about me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I told her, ¡°Like I said, I won¡¯t fall that easily.¡± I forced out a smile. I kind of feel bad for lying to her. But if it means that we¡¯ll be able to get through this safe and sound then I¡¯ll lie till my pants get incinerated into ash.

    She looked at me and finally showed that smile of hers. Now we can finally move on with our escape. But we still have a difficult obstacle right in front of us. It might be the hardest part of our whole escape.

    We still have to unlock the door.

    Although the room was mostly dark, light that seeped through below it made it easy enough for us to spot.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go check the door.¡± I told June, pointing at the door in front of us.

    She nodded in response.

    Our walk to the door served as our walking practice. June almost fell as we walked towards the door, but I grabbed her just in time. She looked away as her face started to get flushed once again.

    When we got close to the door I proceeded to check if it was locked. Discovering that the doorknob twisted freely I continued to push on to the door in hopes that it would open up and give us a taste of freedom. But although the door seemed to be unlocked it would not budge.

    ¡°The door¡¯s unlocked but I think something is blocking the door on the other side.¡± I told June who was staring intently at the door.

    This is bad, I don¡¯t see any other way for us to get out of this god forsaken room. At this rate we won¡¯t be able to continue our escape at all. The people who are keeping us captive are probably on their way here now with whatever plans they had for us.

    Damn it, how I wish to get a vision of all them getting shot at or something. But this damn blight of mine never comes along when I need it the most. At this rate I¡¯m going to start losing hope myself. I¡¯d rather deal with a year¡¯s worth of schoolwork than be in this stupid situation.

    Why did I have to be here? If I just had gone home, if I never gone along with them in the first place, if I never agreed to May¡¯s deal then I wouldn¡¯t be here. In the end, it¡¯s all my fault. I deserve this. This might just be a fitting end for someone like me.

    A cool breeze touched my face bringing me into reality. I looked in front of me and saw the door was no longer there, rather it was tucked in all the way to the left as if it was a part of the wall. The doorknob prevented it from sliding further in. I turned towards June and saw her smiling.

    ¡°It was a sliding door, you slide it sideways to open it,¡± she said, ¡°We have one like it at home.¡±

    I stared in front of me as I let out a chuckle. To be honest, that door was poorly designed so you can¡¯t really blame me for making that mistake. And I can¡¯t even believe that they didn¡¯t lock the door. Are they amateurs or something?

    I examined the door once again and noticed that the lock was already broken.

    Well, that explains it.

    ¡°We¡¯re finally out!¡± June declared cheerfully.

    I nodded in response.

    I noticed an empty foldable chair placed next to the door with a racy men¡¯s magazine placed on top of it. It must¡¯ve belonged to the person guarding our room.

    But, why isn¡¯t he here?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± I replied before rubbing my face, ¡°We¡¯re not out yet, we still need to get out of this building.¡± I gestured her to begin walking. We walked slowly to be as quiet as possible. Our captors might still be in this building after all.

    I looked around us and saw that the building we were in was some kind of warehouse hinted by the dozens of identical crates lying around the area. The room was considerably large with a few electric lights providing enough brightness for people to see where they are going.

    We saw an office like room directly in front of the room we were just in. The shadows of adults could be seen escaping out its open door. They were there, the ones who tied us up and brought us here against our will.

    I noticed a large door halfway towards the office, it¡¯s probably the exit. There was still the problem of getting our things back, so we decided to put our escape on hold.

    We saw a small crate where all of our stuff were stacked on. The crate was located next to the office door which means if we want to get our stuff back we¡¯ll have to go uncomfortably near them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°We need to get our stuff back, I have something there I don¡¯t want to lose¡­¡± June said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± I replied.

    I too had something I couldn¡¯t afford to lose. Because losing it will mean that doing my homework will become twice as harder.

    With a nod from her we continued to walk towards the room, staying as quiet as possible. It was hard considering the amount of rubble and scrap scattered on the floor. But it confirmed my speculation that this warehouse was abandoned. So all of the stuff over there in the crates belongs to those guys.

    I also noticed a makeshift cooking area at the far right of the office and a showering area farther in, as well as a few sleeping bags. From what I¡¯ve seen this might be a temporary hideout of theirs.

    I checked if there were other places where they could¡¯ve put another person they kidnapped but there were only two rooms in the warehouse. And I doubt that they¡¯d put Noah in the same place as they are based on how they treated us.

    We got near enough to the office to hear what our captors conversation. We also heard sounds of bottles being placed clumsily on some flat surface, probably a table. We decided to listen in on them for a while before taking back our bags.

    ¡°So, you think we got it right this time?¡± one of them said with a deep voice.

    ¡°Hopefully. I¡¯m starting to get tired of this job.¡± Another one replied.

    ¡°Yeah, and good places to dump the bodies are getting harder to find.¡± The other one added.

    Both of us were taken aback at what we had just heard. We glanced at each other.

    ¡°Does that mean they were responsible for the other kidnappings on the nearby town?¡± June whispered.

    Afraid that they might hear me if I spoke, I just gave her a nod.

    ¡°That was mostly because we were looking in the wrong town.¡± Another one said with a stern voice.

    ¡°At least we had a good time even though we kept getting the wrong one.¡±

    The man laughed, ¡°I especially liked that last one, she was enjoyable to watch.¡±

    They all laughed as the sounds of glass clinking filled their room.

    ¡°Man, it¡¯s been a while since I had one of these. I had somebody try to smuggle some to me in prison. I ended up having to serve 4 more years.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we got out then.¡±

    ¡°I still think we should¡¯ve brought that other kid with them.¡±

    Hearing that caught my attention, they¡¯re probably talking about Noah.

    ¡°Bringing more people will just end up making our job harder. And besides, he didn¡¯t even had the chance to know what was happening before knocked him out cold so leaving him there won¡¯t be a problem to us.¡±

    Looks like they didn¡¯t kidnap Noah after all.

    I turned towards June and whispered, ¡°I think they¡¯re drinking.¡±

    I wondered why the security in the place was so lax that nobody even noticed us opening that door. They probably began drinking a while ago and ended up getting too engrossed to notice. All of them being intoxicated will make it easier for us to escape.

    I gestured for June to begin taking our stuff. We grabbed our bags while trying to stay as hidden and as quiet as possible. June quickly open her bag and checked its contents.

    She let out a sigh of relief, ¡°It¡¯s still here¡­¡± she said.

    I took a peek at what she was holding and it was her phone. She noticed me trying to look at it.

    ¡°This strap¡­ it was a gift¡­ from him¡­¡± she clarified, ¡°He told me to keep it safe and treasure it even when he¡¯s gone.¡± So it was really a gift. May got it right again.

    As I got a closer look at it I noticed that the circular pendant on the strap had weird carvings on it. It also looked like it had weathered down a bit.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have killed that guy so soon.¡± One of them said.

    June froze up as she heard what they said.

    ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten more information out of him if we kept him alive a bit longer.¡± Said by the same man.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s not our fault he already died before we even got to talk to him. I didn¡¯t expect him to be that pathetic.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to bleed out that quick, was he sick that day or something?¡±

    ¡°Holy shit, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re that much of a sadistic fuck.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, I saw you laughing when you were busy ramming that girl.¡±

    ¡°That was just because she looked so fucking pathetic as she cried out for her mommy.¡±

    The guy laughed as he sloppily drunk from his bottle.

    I don¡¯t really to mention it at this point but, these guys are messed up. I don¡¯t know what they would¡¯ve done to us if we didn¡¯t manage to get out of that room. I glanced at June and saw tears dropping from her eyes.

    ¡°Was the guy they were talking about, him?¡± I asked her trying to be as gentle as possible.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t want to know¡­ ¡± she answered nervously. She began trembling, she was cold as ice.

    This is bad, if she ends up freezing up in here, all of our efforts of escape will be for nothing.

    ¡°June, look at me,¡± I told her, grabbing her shoulders as I positioned her facing towards me, ¡°We need to get out of here, now. These people are crazy, you already heard what they¡¯ve been up to. You don¡¯t want your body to end up in a briefcase right? I don¡¯t want mine to end up like that as well, so get a grip and let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡± I gave her a few nudges to wake her back up, she stared at me as she began going back to her senses.

    Her tears stopped flowing and she gave me a nod. We walked towards the exit but before we opened the door June grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± she said. She took out something form her bag, it was a plier.

    I looked at her with a grin, ¡°Just how prepared were you?¡±

    She responded with a smile.

    She attempted to cut the restraints on out feet with the plier but her hands trembled too much making it impossible for her.

    ¡°Give it here.¡± I told her.

    ¡°¡­ S-sorry.¡± She said as she gave me the pliers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be, we got this far because of you.¡± I positioned the plier¡¯s teeth on our restraints and squeezed as hard as I could. It was tough, the plastic covering the metal inside made it difficult to cut through it. My hand turned red as I continued squeezing hard on it. After having a few more attempts at it I finally managed to get it off. She and I smiled at each other in relief.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we check on those two.¡± one of the men declared.

    Hearing one of them say that made me jump in fear.

    ¡°I second that,¡± said the other man, ¡°when was the last time we checked on them again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got no fucking clue.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all because you invited us all to drink. What would you do if those two brats managed to get away?¡±

    ¡°Relax, asshole, none of the people we kidnapped managed to escape anyway. They were too busy pissing themselves to actually care.¡±

    ¡°But we never actually tried kidnapping two people at the same time, did we?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go, I needed to take a piss anyway.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do? Piss on them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. I want to see what you guys brought this time.¡±

    ¡°Asshole you only what to get a chance at the girl first.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to hog her all for myself. If you¡¯re that worried then I¡¯ll give you the boy.¡±

    ¡°You take the boy, shithead.¡±

    ¡°Whatever I¡¯m gonna take a piss now.¡±

    This is bad, if we don¡¯t get out soon he¡¯ll notice that we took our stuff from the crate.

    ¡°We need to open this now!¡± I whispered to June.

    We pushed on the door while trying to avoid making any sound. The knob looked rusty and was hard to move. But with adrenaline pumping through our bloodstream we managed to open the door with a final push.

    The door made more noise than we expected.

    We heard the men reacting to the loud sound, we saw one of them go out of the office. After checking the crate beside the office door he furiously looked at us. We started to run as fast as we could.

    I gasped for air as I started breathing heavily from running nonstop, I checked on June to see how she was doing. She almost tripped and fell but luckily she recovered. I took my phone out of my bag and called May since I¡¯m not too sure if Noah will be able to pick up.

    While waiting for May to answer I looked around my surroundings. I didn¡¯t recognize where we were, the place was surrounded by plain fields and greenery. It looked like we were really in the middle of nowhere.

    Focusing on what was in front of us, we kept running for our lives. Soon we entered a part of the road that was surrounded by forest.

    ¡°Come on, pick up!¡± I shouted as I waited for May to answer my call.

    I glanced at June once again and saw that she was doing okay, though she was breathing rather heavily. I looked behind us to see if we had any pursuers but strangely enough no one was chasing us at all.

    I turned my attention towards me once again as I waited for May to pick up. I began to hear the sound of a ringing phone somewhere in the distance.

    ¡°You hear that?¡± I asked June in between my breath.

    ¡°¡­ Y-yeah¡­¡± she answered weakly.

    We kept running as much as we could but as we got tired we ran a bit slower.

    The ringing got louder and louder until I was certain I knew where the source was.

    We slowed down as we approached the large rock on the left side of the road. I nodded at June telling her to be alert. I told June to stay behind me as I went to check what was making the sound.

    Slowly, I walked around it. Suddenly, without even getting a chance to look at the back something pulled me down and twisted my arm as I fell forward to the ground.

    ¡°Ouch! Damn it that hurts!¡± I exclaimed in pain and shock.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± June shouted.

    I glanced upwards to see who grabbed me into a submission hold, and what I saw made me smile. May held my arm as if she were ready to snap it in two while Noah sat behind her looking all worried.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how happy I am seeing your faces right now.¡± I said. Even though I knew that they had recognized me May¡¯s grip did not loosen one bit.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, it¡¯s me!¡± I declared as I struggled to get free, ¡°Let go of me god damn it! You¡¯re going to break it!¡±

    ¡°May?¡± Noah said puzzled at May¡¯s actions.

    While on top of me May answered my call, she then proceeded to talk to me through her phone. Having my phone fall inches away in front on my face I heard her through it loud and clear.

    ¡°What are you?¡± May asked in an awfully calm voice. Her voice travelled through her phone though I could hear here talking behind me. Because of it her voice had some kind of delay feedback. It was really uncomfortable for my ears.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?! Let me go! There are people chasing after us right now so get off me!¡± I said, trying to reason with her. But she kept pushing at me with the same force.

    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked once again. She spoke so loud that her voice through the phone got distorted.

    I saw June walk to where we were, she smiled when she saw May and Noah but then her expression turned into confusion, probably because of what¡¯s happening to me right now. After trying to think about what May was trying to do, I finally got what she wanted me to say.

    ¡°I¡¯m your assistant!¡± I shouted. May finally loosened her grip and got off me.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you think that way.¡± May said, she looked very pleased. Seriously though, is she secretly a sadist or something?

    ¡°Ow¡­ What the hell was that for?¡± I groaned in pain.

    Seeing June, Noah stood up and smile. June ran towards him and hugged him fiercely.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys were alright.¡± Noah said after their hugging session ended.

    ¡°Noah told me everything,¡± May said, ¡°He called me as soon as he came to. Hearing that the two of you were possibly captured I immediately rushed to the where Noah waited. After looking at the map of the area on my phone, I determined the most probable route they might have used in their escape west of riverbed, the residential are you were in earlier. And judging from the past victims of kidnappings, I had a growing suspicion that the person they¡¯re trying to find is somewhere in this city.¡± May took a brief glance at June.

    ¡°Could you believe we walked all the way here?!¡± Noah exclaimed, ¡°It took us more than an hour to reach this place. My legs are killing me right now.¡±

    ¡°So you mean you didn¡¯t bring a ride with you?¡± I exclaimed, dumbfounded, ¡°How did you think we¡¯ll be able to escape from here?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to risk attracting any attention. They¡¯ve managed to evade the police up till now. They¡¯ll most likely flee in the first sign of any authorities.¡±

    She continued, ¡°When we reached this place and saw that suspicious building, Noah recognized the van that was parked right outside of it and told me that you guys were probably being held over there. I¡¯ve already told Glenn to contact the police as soon as we¡¯ve located their hideout.¡±

    ¡°S-so are the police on their way here?¡± June asked with relief.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t told Glenn about the place yet,¡± May answered, ¡°There was still a chance of it not being their hideout at all.¡±

    ¡°Tell him right now!¡± I shouted as I began to get aggravated at the turn of events that was transpiring.

    ¡°Dude, you don¡¯t have to get all worked up like that.¡± Noah said in attempt to calm me down. But frankly it had the opposite effect. Hearing him say that to me felt like he¡¯s dismissing what I¡¯m going through right now, and it pissed me off. I was not in the mood for one his annoying jokes.

    ¡°Worked up? Of course I¡¯m worked up! For fucks sake Noah don¡¯t talk to me like that when there are killers right behind our asses¡¯.¡± I replied sternly, I felt like I wanted to punch him right then and there but fortunately I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to do so.

    ¡°¡­ Are you okay?¡± June asked with a soft voice. She looked at me with worry.

    Somehow, seeing her like that was enough to calm me down.

    My throat felt sore from shouting too much so I just nodded at her in response.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished notifying Glenn of the location. The cops will be here any minute.¡± May said after messing with her phone while listening to our banter.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start getting the hell out of here.¡± I suggested, but it looked like May had other plans.

    ¡°Like you said, there are hostile people hunting the both of you down right now. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to get out of here fast enough if we¡¯re on foot. For all we know they might be using that vehicle of theirs to make chase.¡± May replied.

    ¡°So what are you suggesting?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait for police to arrive before we do anything.¡±

    Although she does have a point I¡¯m still hesitant in staying here any longer. And from the looks of it, even June isn¡¯t too fond of the idea.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Noah said, ¡°It took us long enough to reach this place. I¡¯m not sure if we can manage going back any faster.¡±

    I glanced at June, she looked back at me.

    ¡°¡­ I-I¡­¡± she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s wait.¡±

    ¡°Looks like most of us are on the same page.¡± Said May, glancing at me.

    ¡°Tsk, alright. Let¡¯s find somewhere to hide.¡± I said reluctantly.

    Suddenly, we heard the sound of a vehicle moving in the distance. It was them. And they brought the van with them as expected.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of places to hide in this direction. It¡¯ll be better if we split up for now. If we hid as a group it would end up being too risky.¡± May whispered as she walked towards the cover of the trees.

    Noah and I followed but I stopped as I noticed June was still standing there. She held her arms as if she was hugging something, she acted the same way during her consultation with the student council earlier in the morning. She began to freeze up again.

    I approached her and placed my hands on the top of her shoulders.

    ¡°We need to hide, now.¡± I whispered.

    She looked away, nervous and trembling. This isn¡¯t going to end up well if she keeps on acting like that again and again. I was starting to get sick of it to be honest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you find a good hiding spot so let¡¯s go.¡± I told her thinking she¡¯ll be more inclined to move if someone went with her.

    She looked at me and gave a nod.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± Noah silently shouted as he stood there waiting for us.

    Both of us began sprinting towards the greenery as the sound of wheels and exhaust got closer and closer.

    But as we got deeper and deeper into the forest, our source of light that came from the few streetlights in the area began to deplete. It wasn¡¯t long before I had to take out my phone and used it as a light source. My phone¡¯s display wasn¡¯t bright enough to be of any use at all even though I already maxed it out.

    Fortunately, the moon shone bright enough to light up most of our way. We reached the point where we were deep enough in the forest to not be seen by people passing by on the road but we still had a clear view of it. I found a small ledge below a tree where one of us can easily hide in. I gestured June to use it as her hiding place.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be nearby.¡± I reassured her.

    I began sprinting in search of a good hiding place. I found an area surrounded by large rocks that were slightly lit up by the moonlight. I decided to make one of them my hiding place.

    I thought about finding the largest rock to hide behind but that might be too obvious, so I decided to choose the most inconspicuous one of them all and made myself comfy as I hid behind it. I tried to keep a look out for anyone scouting around the area.

    It was quiet.

    Too quiet.

    So quiet I thought I had gone deaf for a second.

    I began to hear people getting off the van. Their footsteps and unintelligible speech broke the silence of the forest. I was starting to get tense. I heightened my senses and focused them on the people walking along the area flashing lights across the forest. I hoped Noah and May found a good spot.

    I tried to find where they might be hiding and I found Noah who was hiding up a tree.

    Is he a fucking monkey?

    I kept an eye on where I left June, I¡¯d feel responsible if she got discovered in the hiding place that I chose for her. But judging by the way they were moving they weren¡¯t planning to go in too deep.

    When I noticed most of them leaving the forest, I let out a sigh of relief. I looked around for May but I wasn¡¯t able to see her at all, she¡¯s good at hiding from people. I bet when she played with her friends as a kid she¡¯ll be left alone by herself in wherever place she decided to hide in after her friends got tired of searching for her.

    Suddenly, I felt something touch my left shoulder, I almost jumped in shock.

    ¡°Holy fu¡ª¡± I turned to my left and saw May gesturing me to keep quiet.

    ¡°It seems like we¡¯ve chosen the same spot.¡± She said.

    ¡°Y-yeah, it looks like we did.¡± I took a deep breath as I tried to recover from shock.

    ¡°Did she finally tell you anything?¡± she asked in an awfully curious manner.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to talk while killers are walking right behind us.¡± I told May trying to avoid the conversation.

    ¡°¡­ Was I right?¡± May asked in a soft voice as she looked into my eyes. She talked the same way as when she thanked me for saving her.

    I coughed to clear my throat, ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered, ¡°She¡¯s been hanging out with some guy, probably older than her. But she said they weren¡¯t in an intimate relationship.¡±

    Frankly, I have no idea what their relationship is.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± she replied, holding her chin.

    ¡°You were also right about her phone strap being a gift. It was given to her by the same guy.¡±

    ¡°Did she tell you his name?¡± she continued.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me his name, all she said was he was kind and like a father to her. She also trusts in him quite a lot.¡±

    I stared at her as she got lost in her train of thought. She stared motionless into the distance, she looked lifeless. Seeing her like that made me wonder if I look the same way when I¡¯m in deep thought. If it is then I¡¯ve got to stop doing it.

    ¡°I got a closer look at that pendant on her phone strap earlier. It had these weird carvings, and it looked really old.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I also noticed that earlier.¡± She replied.

    She must have razor sharp eyesight if she managed to notice all that just by looking at it from afar. I had to be inches away from it to notice all those details it had.

    A bright light flashed behind me casting my shadow, my heart stopped as I heard heavy footsteps behind me.

    ¡°So there you are.¡± The man said, interrupting me. I slowly turned my head around. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses and a black cap, a handgun was tied on his waist. His attire fit the description of one of the stalkers June had mentioned.

    I tried to glance at May but I saw that she was no longer next to me. Confused, I looked back at the man.

    I saw May approaching him from behind, it looked like he didn¡¯t notice her at all. She kicked the back of the man¡¯s left knee causing him lean backward. After catching the man¡¯s neck she landed a chop on it with her right hand. The impact was loud and sounded like a popping balloon. The man fell down unconscious. May gestured me to get up and start moving.

    Hiding time¡¯s over, it was time to run.

    ¡°Run!¡± I exclaimed as we passed Noah and June.

    I stopped in front of June and grabbed her hand. I won¡¯t let her have time to freeze up again. I glanced at the top of the tree where Noah was hiding and I saw him having a hard time getting down.

    That dumbass, why did he climb that tree if he doesn¡¯t know how to go down from it? He gave up and continued hiding on the tree top. Lucky for him our pursuers didn¡¯t notice him at all.

    The three of us ran through the forest as the men started to chase us, before long we started to hear bullets passing by us. They were starting to get serious.

    ¡°Where you going you fucking brats?!¡± one of the men shouted as he opened fire in our direction.

    June was starting to fall behind us. Before long she tripped on something and fell on the ground. Bullets were whizzing by her. May managed to help her up and continued running with her.

    Before long, we started to hear multiple sirens in the distance. It looks like the police finally arrived. The men ceased firing and began falling back.

    We took cover at a large tree near the road and took a moment to rest. I got a glimpse of the police mobiles heading our direction. We¡¯re finally safe.

    I let out a deep, exhausted sigh as I made the widest smile I could. I glanced at June who was smiling with me. With all of those recent gunfire I hoped Noah was safe. I glanced behind us and saw Noah strafing towards us as he tried to stay as hidden as possible.

    I glanced at May who was unusually quiet. I grabbed her shoulder to get a reaction out of her but she felt cold. Looking at her closely she was starting to get pale as she began to sweat. I felt something wet and warm seeping through the palm of my hand. It was her blood.

    ¡°¡­ Damis¡­ I feel¡­ heavy¡­¡± she uttered as she began falling to her side. Her body slammed on the ground at her left. It felt like time had stopped. The sirens grew louder and louder until it was the only thing I was able to hear.

    <hr>

    I got out of my bed and looked at the clock.

    This time I ended up sleeping in for four more hours. Fortunately, today was a Saturday.

    I sat up and stretched my arms, my limbs still felt a bit sore from all that had happened. I looked at my phone out of habit and saw that Noah sent me a message about how much his legs were hurting after the whole ordeal.

    I put down my phone and stood up planning to open up the curtains and let the sunlight invade my room through the glass sliding door it covered. I opened it up and got outside the balcony.

    My apartment was right next to a small river that passed through the whole city of Sundridge. As I stared into the river¡¯s flowing water, I began reminiscing about the events that happened yesterday.

    May was sent to the hospital after she got shot. The bullet didn¡¯t hit anything vital and just managed to graze her shoulder, but she lost a considerable amount of blood. All of us went our separate ways after we accompanied her to the hospital on one of the police cars.

    While the tired Noah went home, June and I went with the police to the station where they questioned us about our kidnappers. June looked pretty out of it during the whole time, but she managed to avoid most of the questions involving that man she knew. Apparently, the man¡¯s name was Henry Acer, and was 30 years old.

    After what felt to be an hour of interrogation, we were finally allowed to go home. They offered to give the two of us a ride but I declined since my apartment was only a few meters away, and I wanted a chance to stretch my limbs and take a quick walk after all those hours of being cooped up inside that dark, dusty room. I also remembered the police mobile having a musky smell that my nostrils found irritating.

    Suddenly, my phone began buzzing and ringing. I went inside to pick it up and I saw that it was May giving me a call.

    ¡°So, umm¡­ how are you?¡± I said after answering her call.

    ¡°Where¡¯s June?¡± she asked abruptly. Here I am genuinely concerned about her and she doesn¡¯t even bother answering my question.

    I let out a sigh, ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°I need to tell her something,¡± She answered, ¡°Do you have a computer?¡±

    ¡°I have a laptop, why?¡±

    ¡°Go on a search engine and type ¡°recently missing auction items¡± on the search field.¡± She said.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± I asked, perplexed by what she was trying to make me do.

    ¡°Just do it. You¡¯ll know it soon enough.¡±

    I opened up the laptop on top of my desk and booted it up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to ask this to you yesterday but, do you really think that they were after June?¡±

    ¡°Most likely. Yesterday, I looked up the recent kidnappings June mentioned and I found out that the victims were similar. Not just because they were the same age and gender as each other but all of them shared similar facial features. Short dark green-ish hair, black eyes, all of them looked like June.¡±

    After my laptop finished booting I opened up the internet browser and enter the words she gave me on the search bar. The image page displayed multiple items that looked like priceless artefacts.

    ¡°Then, why do you think they were after June?¡± I checked the images on the page. After scrolling down a few times I found something shocking.

    ¡°Judging from your silence I believe you¡¯ve just found your answer.¡± May said.

    On the page was the image of a necklace that had a pendant that looks exactly like the one on June¡¯s phone strap. It had the same carvings and old looking feel to it as the one she had.

    It was the most recent item that had been missing from an auction on a different country.

    Looking at the price made my jaw drop.

    ¡°Eighty million¡­¡± I said in awe.

    ¡°The men last night were after that.¡± She explained, ¡°I got word that they were former convicts turned mercenaries who worked for the same man who took them out of jail. They were tasked to get a hold of the pendant. And the man June was talking about must have had something to do with it being missing.¡±

    ¡°So you think he¡¯s the one that stole it?¡±

    ¡°Most likely.¡±

    I never thought that ¡°him¡± telling June to treasure the gift he gave her had a different meaning. It was literally treasure. Then, the stories about the ¡°job¡± he told June must involve these items and those kinds of activities. That would explain the fact that he travelled a lot for his job.

    But I can¡¯t help but think that he gave June the pendant in order to use her as a scapegoat. Thinking about it again, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to do that. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d ever want to do anything malicious to someone like her.

    ¡°He gave her an eighty million phone strap¡­¡± I uttered in disbelief, ¡°Why would he even give something like that to a highschool girl?¡±

    ¡°¡­ It might be some sort of charm.¡±

    ¡°A charm? Like it¡¯s supposed to bring good luck or something?¡±

    ¡°Some ancient relics and artefacts are tend to be associated with the supernatural. These were often used in some sort of religious worship in the past, after all.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Supernatural, huh?

    Having experienced the supernatural for most of my life, I don¡¯t find it hard to believe.

    I mean, we managed to escape a group of armed criminals by running through an unfamiliar forest in the dead of night. Although one of us got injured, we got away from that situation still fairly safe.

    ¡°Are you going to tell her?¡± May asked.

    I thought about it.

    I mean, the money¡¯s no joke. It could help her a lot financially. But deep down, I felt like it won¡¯t matter even if I tell her about it. Because she¡¯ll never be able to let go something she treasures so much. Rather, she doesn¡¯t want to lose anything anymore.

    The way I saw it, both of them fill a hole in each of their lives.

    June lacked a father figure in her life. And the man she spent time with probably saw her as his own daughter. They were basically playing a role for each other. But they were happy, they were content. And maybe giving that kind of gift to her was a way for him to show his gratitude before disappearing from her life. To show just how much he treasures her and the time they spent together.

    But still, to give a high school girl something like an 800 year old pendant, it¡¯s nothing short of ridiculous.

    ¡°¡­ I won¡¯t tell her.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Alright then, that was all I wanted to tell you.¡± She said before hanging up.

    She hung up so fast that I didn¡¯t even manage to remind her of our deal. I hope she¡¯s been doing her part. I¡¯ll just tell her about it when I see her.

    I glanced at the mountain of homework that rested atop my bag. After making myself a cup of coffee I picked up and moved them to my desk. I sat on my chair as I began working on them. I took a sip and felt my body warm up.

    I continued working on my homework at a steady pace. I smiled, feeling at ease.

    Things have finally gone back to normal.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 5 - A Trip To The Park

    Sunday.

    With all of my homework done, I found myself watching one of the latest movies being aired using website that supplied free online copies of the most recent releases as I lazed around my room.

    I enjoyed it a lot. Watching the film leisurely in the comfort of my room felt like I was above all the people who pay money to watch overpaid actors and their superficial acting in a crowded cinema. After all, everything¡¯s better when you don¡¯t have to pay for it.

    I was watching a lost footage type horror flick about three people and their efforts to survive a zombie apocalypse. Pretty standard stuff. It was starting to get good when one of them got separated and the other two ended up trying to find him in an abandoned hotel. The scenes were beginning to get intense. Just before the suspense got unbearable my phone rang abruptly, causing my soul to jump out of my body momentarily as it caught me by surprise.

    After recovering, I grabbed it from the small table beside my bed and checked who it might be. It was Aunt Faye.

    I guess it¡¯s that time of the month again.

    My aunt often gives me a call once in a month to see how I was doing. I used to live with her back in my hometown but ever since she began working overseas I decided to move to the city and live by myself while attending school. Since then, I¡¯ve been living in an apartment building near school that my aunt recommended since she¡¯s good friends with the landlady.

    Coincidentally, Noah was planning to attend the same high school I enrolled in since some of his relatives lived in the city. I¡¯d guess he¡¯s currently living with one of them. Then again, he never really talks about his family and I never felt the need to ask him about it. I¡¯ve only seen Noah¡¯s parents about two or three times, and most of them were during big school events.

    ¡°Ah, are you drifting away in your thoughts again?¡± asked by the stern voice of a woman through the phone. I immediately snapped out of it and replied to her as quickly as possible after pausing the movie I was watching.

    I¡¯m not in the mood to get scolded today.

    ¡°No, I was just¡­ I saw a UFO¡­¡±

    A UFO!? Really!? Since when did I suck at giving excuses?

    As much as I hate adults giving me a lecture, I readied myself for the imminent onslaught of words courtesy of my Aunt.

    ¡°¡­ Oh, I see.¡± She answered with a sigh.

    I can¡¯t believe she actually bought it. Although hearing her exhausted sigh afterwards made it feel like she was too tired to give me an earful right now, ¡°So, how¡¯s school? Are you eating well? You better not be smoking. I¡¯ll take a plane home immediately just to smack you if you¡¯re starting to use cigarettes.¡± Here it is, full level parental mode. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to try living alone.

    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± I exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to waste my money on a stick of dried leaves.¡± I took a deep breath and made myself comfortable in my chair, ¡°School is going on fine, and I¡¯ve been alright cooking my own meals.¡± I contemplated telling her about the events that had transpired involving May and the others but decided not to since it¡¯ll end up making her worry, I don¡¯t want to distract her from work.

    I¡¯ll just have to make sure Noah never mentions it to her. I¡¯ll give him a call after this one.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit worrying,¡± she said.

    ¡°What is?¡± I asked, perplexed.

    ¡°By this time, I expected someone to cook your meals for you.¡± She said jokingly.

    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t expect me to trust somebody else to cook my food.¡± I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. And irritated.

    ¡°Eeeeh? Noah told me you¡¯ve been hanging out with a girl calling you her assistant or something.¡± she said, hearing that almost made me fall of my chair.

    I¡¯m glad that Noah didn¡¯t mention all of the dangerous things that had happened to us to my aunt but, why did he have to tell her about May?

    Thinking about it again, he must¡¯ve been forced to tell her. My aunt¡¯s interrogating skills are so good whenever she gets serious, I¡¯m surprised she hadn¡¯t been recruited by the some government secret service.

    ¡°She¡¯s just¡­¡± I wanted to say she was a friend but I hesitated.

    What is she to me? More importantly, what am I to her?

    ¡°She¡¯s a classmate of mine.¡± I answered half-heartedly.

    ¡°Damis, I can¡¯t believe how disappointed I am right now,¡± she said in a sarcastic voice, ¡°Having a girl be with you like that and you don¡¯t even see her as a friend. If I were her I might¡¯ve broken you a bone or two.¡±

    The way she said that sent shivers down my spine.

    And knowing May, she just might do what my aunt said she¡¯d do.

    ¡°Anyway, is that all?¡± I said, I was starting to get exhausted from talking to her. Even though she¡¯s my aunt, I can¡¯t stand her teasing me like this. It¡¯s making me all self-conscious.

    ¡°Just need to say a few more things,¡± she said, ¡°I already sent your allowance to your account. Try to spend it wisely. I¡¯ll also be attending your graduation ceremony next year so you better do well in school. I¡¯ll be expecting you to get at least an award.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Thanks.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Take care. And remember, if you need help all you have to do is call.¡± She said in a serious yet sincere tone. The way she¡¯d tell me when I was younger.

    ¡°¡­ Mhm.¡± I uttered in response.

    After she hung up I proceeded to call Noah. Just as I was waiting for him to pick up I heard the sound of my doorbell. I tried to ignore it at first but it kept on being pressed until it was no longer bearable. I furiously rushed towards the door and opened it immediately.

    On the other side was Noah, accompanied by two girls I recognized as our classmates. They wore clothes as if they were planning to go around the city. I briefly remembered a past conversation with Noah about him being asked out by a classmate of ours. I honestly thought he was just joking around.

    ¡°We¡¯re going out today, wanna come with?¡± he said in a persuasive and charismatic voice as he smiled. I glanced at the girls and saw that they weren¡¯t too fond of the idea.

    I slowly began closing the door.

    Just before I could close it completely, Noah jammed his foot through preventing me from shutting the door. He pushed in his hands and began pushing away, trying to open the door again until he could fit half of his head through it.

    ¡°Please.¡± He said in a serious tone as he looked at me with such a pitiful expression, as if he¡¯d be put in a bad situation if I didn¡¯t come.

    I let out a short sigh, ¡°Give me a minute.¡±

    I needed to buy some toothpaste anyway.

    All of us walked down from the second floor of the apartment building where my room was located. I chose to wear nothing special, just some casual clothes and a pair of slippers. If I tried to find more extravagant clothing it might take me at least an hour before I¡¯m completely satisfied.

    I glanced at my phone and saw that it was a little past ten in the morning, which means the scorching sun will be shining right on top of us. I should¡¯ve brought a cap with me.

    Seriously though, why is it so goddamn hot today? I tilted my head towards the sky and saw that not even a single cloud was floating around the atmosphere. Must be because of that global warming and climate change nonsense. Still, having the weather be like this just as I decided to leave my room makes me feel like Mother Nature is trying to mess with me. On second thought, it¡¯s more like she¡¯s telling me I should¡¯ve never left my room today. Well, she should¡¯ve told me that before I got dressed.

    As we reached the exit I saw two familiar figures sitting on the bench next to a few flowers which grew in front of the building. They sat there chatting with each other. Looking at them closer it seemed like only one of them was actually trying to have a conversation while the other couldn¡¯t care less as she kept staring at her phone, though she gave an occasional nod as a response.

    As we got closer I recognized the two of them, there was June wearing a modest white dress with a short, pale pink, long sleeved vest thing on top and a pair of brown sandals. May on the other hand wore her school uniform for some reason. That¡¯s some next level dress code right there. Even I wouldn¡¯t think wearing a school uniform while going out on a weekend. Although with this kind of weather, I¡¯d rather not go out at all.

    More importantly, I thought she¡¯d still be at home recovering from her injury.

    June, who noticed us walking towards them, acknowledged us with a smile. With her eyes drifting towards me she began to look away. She¡¯s still doing that, huh? I didn¡¯t let it bother me as Noah began to talk to them.

    ¡°I brought the creepy short-tempered sloth man you told me.¡± Noah told May in a jokingly manner. The girls giggled at what he had said as one of them glanced at me with a wide grin on her face.

    I saw June chuckling as she stood up, still looking away. May on the other hand kept quiet as she remained seated playing with her phone. She suddenly stood up, put away her phone and grabbed my hand as she began dragging me along with her.

    ¡°You guys go on ahead. We¡¯ll catch up later.¡± She walked towards their opposite direction. I glanced at them and their surprised expressions. Noah scratched the back of his head as he tried to force out a smile, June looked at me as May pulled me with her. She looked disappointed for some reason.

    May kept pulling me along with her until we reached a small outdoor caf¨¦ a few meters away from the apartment building. She let go of me and pointed to one of the seats at a table.

    I rubbed my wrist as it felt a bit sore from being tugged on for so long and sat there. She followed and sat on the chair in front of me.

    Silence ensued.

    ¡°So, um¡­ are you alright now?¡± I asked.

    She gestured the waiter and told him to bring the both of us a glass of water as she ignored my question. I¡¯ll just take that as a yes.

    I avoided the waiter¡¯s gaze as he placed the two glasses of water in front of us. How can I be able to look at him when the only thing we could order was water? I could even feel his judgmental stare as he walked away from our table. But at least they serve water with ice here not like the other place I ate at before. I just hope it doesn¡¯t taste like soap.

    Although we were already seated and ready to talk, May kept messing with her phone without even bothering to explain herself.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you drag me here?¡± I said with a sigh.

    ¡°I thought it¡¯s time we talked about our deal.¡± She replied putting her phone on top of the table, ¡°I need you to tell me more about those visions of yours.¡±

    At first, I felt reluctant about the idea, but after recalling our conversation a while back about how important information is to her when it comes to solving problems, I decided to go along and began to recall everything that has happened to me these past eighteen years involving my visions of death.

    It wasn¡¯t easy, though. There were a lot of things I¡¯d rather keep in the deepest part of my mind, deep enough for my neurons to reach.

    ¡°Where do I start?¡± I said before taking a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯ve had them ever since childhood. The first vision I had was¡­ that of the father of a classmate in first grade. You could say she was a friend of mine, we frequently talked to each other. This was before I met Noah by the way.

    When she celebrated her birthday in class, her father came in wearing a clown costume and tried his best to make her laugh. I recall seeing her and all of our classmates including our teacher laughing at her father¡¯s performance. But strangely enough, I found myself watching them with not even a grin on my face. I started feeling uncomfortable and wanted to leave the room so I left.

    After going out by myself and heading to the school playground my head began to hurt like crazy, it felt like someone was drilling on the sides of my skull. It was then that I saw it¡­ I saw her father, lying dead on the ground in some alleyway. I remember it being enough to give me nightmares for weeks.

    I ran home afterwards and never left my room for days. I remember staring at a wall for hours, trying to forget what I saw, but it just kept on coming back to me. I remembered feeling sick and vomiting a few times in my room, to the point where it began smelling too rancid for me stay in it any longer.

    After a while my Aunt finally managed to convince me to go to school again. I remember my friend running to me, asking me where I¡¯ve been all this time before she began crying in front of me, saying that her father had died. Hearing her say that made me remember the vision I had. I still wasn¡¯t used to it back then so I began feeling sick again.¡±

    I looked away and turned my attention to the passing vehicles, ¡°I shouted at her saying then I pushed her away. That was the last time I saw her. It was also the last time anybody in my class talked to me. And from then on, my visions kept appearing. ¡°

    May rested her chin on the palm of her hand as she stared at me.

    ¡°How often did you have them?¡± she asked with an inquisitive stare.

    ¡°A couple of times in a month, maybe two or three.¡±

    ¡°So, they weren¡¯t that frequent then.¡± She said.

    ¡°I was trying to avoid having them so maybe that contributed to it becoming an occasional thing.¡±

    After taking a sip of water, she laid back on her seat.

    ¡°Tell me, how many people have you seen die?¡±

    ¡°¡­ 542. I¡¯ve seen 542 people die.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you actually counted all of them.¡± She commented.

    ¡°It¡¯s become a habit, I guess.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± she pushed her seat near the table and leaned towards me once again, ¡°When did the two of you meet? You and Noah.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see that being important in this discussion at all.¡± I replied dismissing her attempt at poking her nose where she shouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Come on, if you¡¯re already telling me about your past, you might as well tell me about how you two met.¡±

    I let out a sigh, ¡°Fine,¡± I replied, ¡°So none of my classmates talked to me ever since that thing happened, fortunately no one resorted to bullying me or anything. Being one of the smart guys probably had something to do with it. But to be honest, constantly being offered the cold shoulder was somehow worse than that. That went on for a few years and in third grade I met Noah.

    I remember him asking me if I could help him with his homework, and I refused. After that he kept on bothering me and begging for my help until I had enough and decided to entertain him. Since then he kept on bothering me until he began bothering me for things other than homework.

    Time passed, we continued getting to know each other up to the point where he found out about my visions. Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t care about them that much at all. He¡¯d talk to me the same way he always has while still acknowledging the fact that I am able to see people¡¯s deaths...¡±

    There¡¯s a part of this story that I felt reluctant to share, mostly because they included the memories I was never fond of and I still didn¡¯t feel comfortable talking about it.

    ¡°¡­ We¡¯ve been good friends up till now.¡± I continued.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she uttered as she glanced at me. The tone of her voice as she made that noise bothered me.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I expected it to be a bit more dramatic than that.¡± She replied a bit disappointed.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one that asked so stop complaining.¡± I said feeling annoyed.

    She laughed at my reaction. I can¡¯t help but feel that she likes making fun of me every time we¡¯re together. I don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m not a fan of being laughed at unless I¡¯m making a joke, which I almost never do.

    ¡°Have you thought that something might be causing those visions of yours?¡±

    ¡°There was a time where I did, but my visions are too random. I won¡¯t have a clear idea of when I¡¯ll have one, who I¡¯ll see or what killed them. The only similarity I could think of between all the visions I had so far was how a death will happen within the span of a day, but other than that, it could take place seconds, minutes, or even hours within that timeframe. I can¡¯t help but feel like someone is making me see all those dead people just for the heck of it. And worst thing is, I won¡¯t be able to forget a death I see for hours. The image will keep staying with me until I go to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Earlier you said that you try to avoid having those visions of yours, how can you do that when you don¡¯t even know what is causing it in the first place?¡±

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t really know. My efforts to avoid them have been avoiding stressful situations and keeping a quiet and problem free atmosphere around me. I¡¯m not sure if doing it actually suppresses these visions of mine but it¡¯s better than doing nothing at all.¡±

    ¡°Is there any noticeable pattern between each of your visions?¡±

    ¡°Pattern? Let me think¡­ I guess all of the people I saw die were people that I talked with once or twice.¡±

    ¡°Anything else? I doubt that¡¯s the only thing you¡¯ve figured out.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I can only see a person die once.¡±

    ¡°So that means if you saw a person die and they somehow avoided death, you¡¯ll never have another vision of them ever again. Is that correct?¡±

    I gave her a nod.

    The topic made me recall about my days back in middle school, making it more difficult for me to suppress the memories that I wish I¡¯ve already forgotten.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± May uttered.

    I glanced at May as she sat there, holding her chin as she started to drift in her thoughts. Looking at her made me realize how serious she is about our deal. I can¡¯t deny that it made me feel relieved, perhaps even happy.

    My eyes slowly drifted towards her chest area as I observed her uniform. I had no ulterior motives in doing so. Seriously, I just wanted to check the wound on her shoulder.

    Under her uniform was large bandage covering her right shoulder. Noah knew about May being injured so he couldn¡¯t have asked her to come along with them so I¡¯d assume she went here and joined them under her own volition.

    It doesn¡¯t look like she has fully recovered and yet she decided to come all this way and just to talk to me. She can be a real pain in the ass to be with but I¡¯m actually starting to feel touched by her actions.

    ¡°What made you come all the way here just to talk to me about this?¡± I asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just talk through the phone?¡±

    ¡°You say that as if I went here just so that I could talk to you like this.¡± she turned towards me, ¡°Still, I can¡¯t deny wanting talk to you in person.¡± She replied with a mischievous with a grin on her face.

    I looked away and scratched the back of my head as I felt embarrassed for some reason. No one other than my Aunt is able to make me feel all embarrassed like this. Seriously, just what is wrong with this girl?

    No, more like what¡¯s wrong with me?

    Must be the heat.

    I coughed to clear my throat, ¡°So, anymore questions?¡±

    ¡°For now, that will be enough.¡± She answered, ¡°I¡¯ve done some research a while ago and found that there was someone else that had an unusual ability like yours.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked, pulling my seat into the table to be as close to her as possible.

    ¡°People call him the sleeping prophet.¡± May said, ¡°Apparently he¡¯s around our age and is able to predict future events based on his prophetic dreams. He uses an online forum site where he posts all of his predictions under the username Koma. Around fifty-thousand people visit that webpage each day inquiring about things that will happen days from now. They¡¯re treating him like some kind of online fortune teller.¡±

    She picked up her phone and passed it to me showing the webpage on the screen. There were hundreds of dated posts ranging from predictions about random accidents to weather and traffic conditions, all posted by a user named Koma bearing an empty profile picture. There were also a bunch of other users posting their inquiries about future events.

    Online fortune teller, huh? He looks more like an online news source to me.

    ¡°I found something familiar in one of his posts.¡± May continued, ¡°He predicted that there will be an explosion happening during our first day of classes and that no one will get hurt. He made the post a week before it happened.¡±

    Thinking about it again, that post must¡¯ve been the reason why nobody got hurt in the first place. But as much as I was astounded at what I was hearing, I was still a bit skeptical.

    In our day and age, manipulating date and time is as easy as applying whiteout to a written mistake on paper. And not everything you see on the internet can be considered as fact. Especially when the one giving out that information is anonymous.

    ¡°Are you sure he didn¡¯t just mess around with the dates and made it look like he posted those before it actually happened?¡± I asked, giving the phone back to her.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to believe everything I just said right off the bat. All I want to say is that if all of it was true, then this sleeping prophet fellow might be able to help you and your visions.¡±

    Trying to find someone in the same boat might be a good idea. It might give me more insight on what these visions actually are and possibly learn how to control them. Even remove them completely.

    In the midst of my sceptism, I really wanted all of it all to be true. At least if it was, it¡¯ll give me hope that it might be possible to get rid of this blight of mine. But just in case, I¡¯ll keep my expectations to a bare minimum. All of this still sounds too good to be true.

    ¡°How do we find him?¡±

    ¡°I still have no idea who he really is or what school he might attending. But, give me time and I¡¯ll be able to find that out.¡±

    Give me some time, huh¡­

    ¡°You know¡­ how do I day this? Umm¡­ Thanks.¡± I said as I tried not to act too sincere.

    She looked at me, astounded. She didn¡¯t have to be that surprised.

    ¡°No need to thank me. I made a promise.¡± She replied.

    ¡°At least let me say this,¡± I insisted, ¡°This is the first time I let someone else help me with my visions. I¡¯ve always been reluctant about sharing it with others, even with Noah.¡± I stared at the glass of water in front of me, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be trying my best to be of help to you as well.¡±

    At some point in my life, I thought showing gratitude was something I should always do. Because there were a few times where I¡¯ve forgotten to show how grateful I am. Because of it, I was never able to give my thanks. And it made me feel so, so frustrated.

    What a sick feeling. I hated it.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± She said to me with a smile I could only describe as genuine, ¡°I would¡¯ve never made you my assistant if that weren¡¯t the case.¡±

    Well, at least it made me realize something important.

    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have said all that.¡± I replied.

    We began to laugh, muffled by the sound of passing vehicles on the road.

    <hr>

    Slowly and with moderate sweatiness, the both of us walked to where Noah and the others went to.

    May told me that they were planning to go to the new theme park that just opened a few days ago. I think it was called wallaby land or something.

    I¡¯ve been sensing a pattern on how these kinds of establishments like using animals as mascots. I admit that they¡¯re pretty cute in a way but I¡¯d rather have them think up of something original. I mean, why don¡¯t just they create their own mascots from scratch and not plagiarize one of Mother Nature¡¯s creations.

    I don¡¯t know, maybe that¡¯s just the part of me that hates all things life and society talking.

    ¡°Noah said it was a good idea for us to try and enjoy ourselves after that ordeal we¡¯ve been through.¡± May said as we got ready to cross the road.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea but,¡± I said as we looked at the theme park¡¯s entrance, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t he have chosen someplace less crowded?¡±

    We started at the line of people trying to get in. One of them was Noah accompanied by June and the other girls. We approached them as Noah frantically waved at us with a smile on his face. Seeing him like that, the others took notice of us as well.

    June, who was peeking through the gates turned towards us and waved as well. We waited with them in line the other girls chatted with Noah and June while May began playing with her phone again. Feeling bored, I took out my earphones and listened to some soothing music.

    Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours, and before time turned into anything else, we were finally inside the theme park. Swarms of people could be seen playing around the rides and establishments as their laughter together with cheerful music and announcements polluted the area.

    It was loud, loud enough for me to not be able to recognize what I was listening to anymore. With beads sweat running down my face, I began regretting my decision to go with them. I expected this to be a walk in the park or a trip to the mall and not a journey into a concentration camp.

    Noah with June and the three other girls in tow walked in front of me while I looked around and checked all of the money grabbing establishments scattered throughout the theme park¡¯s vicinity.

    I¡¯ve noticed a number of girls glancing at Noah as they let out their girly giggles mumbling about how attractive that well-dressed guy surrounded by equally dressed girls looked. I also noticed June who was glancing at me, whenever I¡¯d glance back at her she¡¯d look away in lightning speed. I began touching my face to see if there were any foreign objects stuck on it thinking that it might be the reason as to why she kept looking at me.

    In the corner of my eye I saw May in front of a gift shop staring at all of the items on display. I decided to walk over there and take a look at the top ten facts about wallaby land which was written on a large frame on the side of the shop she was staring at.

    I read one of the facts, ¡°This theme park took only six months to build.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s a bit worrying. Looking at how big the place was I¡¯d think it took at least a year to be constructed.

    I read the next fact, ¡°The owner of this theme park, Mr. John Reynold Hughston, has a pet wallaby named Sanders. The mascot of this park was based of the owner¡¯s pet.¡± Next to the fact was a picture of the owner¡¯s wallaby being hugged by none other than Mr. Hughston himself. I guess love transcends species.

    ¡°Damis, do you have any idea what this creature might be?¡± said May, showing me a small wallaby plushie she probably bought off the gift shop.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you bought that when you don¡¯t even know what it is.¡± I replied, surprised at what she just said, ¡°It¡¯s a wallaby. I¡¯m surprised you never heard of it. The name is plastered all around this place that I was sure you noticed it by now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I went to this place so I got distracted.¡±

    But still, the place is literally called Wallaby Land. I really think she should¡¯ve let herself heal more because there might not be enough blood going to her brain right now.

    She stared at the toy wallaby she held in her hands, ¡°¡­ Is this the thing that wears boxing gloves and jumps around?¡± she uttered as she held her chin.

    Hearing what she made me hold my forehead in dismay.

    Is this for real? May, the girl I regarded to be smarter and cleverer than me, stood there with no idea what neither a wallaby nor a kangaroo is.

    ¡°See, here¡­ What you¡¯re talking about is a kangaroo.¡± I explained, ¡°Wallabies and kangaroos belong to the same family making them quite similar in appearance.¡± May kept staring at the plushie as she nodded in response.

    Seeing her like that made me feel like I was teaching a primary schooler about the animal kingdom for the first time.

    ¡°¡­ I see¡­¡± she uttered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen these things before in movies and video games yet I never known what they were called.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have like, searched it on the internet or something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to search something like that on the internet when you don¡¯t know its name.¡± she replied as she took out her phone. She began messing with it before staring at it intently.

    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± she muttered. I took a peek at what she was looking at and it were pictures of kangaroos and wallabies out on the wild.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never knew about them until know.¡±

    ¡°No. As I said earlier, I already knew about them before. I just didn¡¯t know what they were called.¡±

    But judging by the way she described a kangaroo earlier, I¡¯d say it¡¯s the first time she saw what they really looked like in real life.

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t feel obligated to learn about things that are unimportant to me.¡± She continued.

    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t know what school you went to but they¡¯ve been teaching us wildlife since grade school.¡±

    ¡°¡­. I don¡¯t care.¡± She said, dismissing what I¡¯ve been telling her as she turned around and walked away, still holding the wallaby in her hands. Somehow, seeing her act like that put a grin on my face.

    I continued walking around the park avoiding the massive crowds that lingered along the area as I passed by all the rides and shops that were lined up neatly on the side of the pathways that intersected around the whole park. There were your typical amusement rides such as a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, those spinning tea cup things and for the kids at heart, a merry-go-round among others.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    As I was staring at some magazines that were on display in another gift shop, I received a text from Noah saying that we¡¯ll meet up at the food court at the centre of the park. After giving it a read I headed on my way there.

    The food court was crowded as well, but compared to the other areas of the park, the population there seemed considerably less. They were seated next to a table that had one of those large parasol things sticking out the middle of it acting as a cover from the glaring sunlight. Although I¡¯ve already grown accustomed to the heat, it¡¯ll feel better to eat under some decent shade.

    May and June sat next to each other while Noah and the girls sat in front of them. On the table in front of them were a few already half eaten meals hinting that they already started eating even before I got there.

    Before I went to their table, I bought some food at one of the food stalls surrounding the place.

    ¡°Ah, sorry dude, we already began eating before you came here.¡± Said Noah.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re all done eating anyway.¡± I replied before digging in.

    Seeing me indulge in my meal the others continued eating as well. Noah kept talking with the others about the rides they went on and the stuff they saw and made a few jokes about how he almost puked when he took a ride in the roller coaster.

    I glanced at them as they chatted with each other, June smiled cheerfully while I noticed that even May had a grin on her face. Everyone¡¯s enjoying the time we¡¯re having right now. But just as the time before when my friend celebrated her birthday in class, I just sat there, expressionless. Making me realize that even though I believed that I¡¯ve improved and became a better person ever since that day, I¡¯m still the same as ever. And it made me feel disappointed.

    June glanced at me as she smiled, having her look at me like that made me force out a smile of my own. But that was all it was, forced. Somehow, even though all of them were there in arms reach, they felt so distant. No, it¡¯s more like I was content with being the spectator. After all, it¡¯s easier to watch and learn than to indulge and do. It was safer that way. A lot easier.

    Only important matters deserve absolute effort. That¡¯s right, that¡¯s how it should be. That¡¯s how it always been. And I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. I found myself staring at the distance, looking at some birds that were flocking along a power line meters away.

    The sounds of conversation that were still audible to my ears even though I was wearing my earphones slowly became unintelligible as I turned up the volume. And while taking an occasional spoonful of food into my mouth, I wished for time to move a little faster.

    <hr>

    Our lunch, which were nothing more than empty paper plates at this point, were left laying on top of the table we used before we began going our separate ways once again.

    But this time, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be wandering around this place alone since a certain someone has kept tugging on my right sleeve before I even managed to get away from the table.

    ¡°U-umm¡­ D-Damis?¡± June asked nervously asked as she slowly let go of my sleeve.

    I turned around to face her, she was bowing her head, face all red. She looked like she had a fever. But with today being as hot as it is, thinking of that possibility would just be plain stupid. I¡¯ve already seen that expression of hers enough times for me to be able guess where this conversation will be heading.

    I noticed Noah and the girls looking at June as if they were cheering her on, May on the other hand was nowhere to be found, making me think that she might¡¯ve left already.

    ¡°I-I was wondering¡­ I-if it¡¯s okay to¡­ go around the park w-with¡­ you¡­¡± she said, struggling to talk without stuttering. She continued bowing her head though she¡¯d occasionally glance up at me before looking away as fast as she could.

    I saw Noah waving farewell as he and the girls left the eating area. The way he acted made me certain that he was the one behind these turns of events. It¡¯s just like him to encourage June to approach me and ask me to go with her like this. Thinking about it again, he kind of did the same thing with May.

    I¡¯m feeling a bit reluctant to take her up on her offer mostly because I¡¯m not confident that she¡¯ll be able to enjoy spending time with me. But, it seems as though I have no other choice since Noah left already. Without him here, a suggestion like ¡°I think it¡¯d be more fun if you go around with Noah.¡± Would no longer be valid. He really knows how to put me in peculiar situations. I should¡¯ve just kept ignoring him that time in third grade.

    I let out a sigh, ¡°¡­ Why not?¡± I answered, forcing out a smile.

    She began looking at me with that bright smile of hers. I can¡¯t deny her looking a bit adorable as she stared at me like that. Good thing I have quite a long tolerance with stuff that evokes the feeling of cuteness and whatnot. So, I think I¡¯ll be able to at least keep her occupied and entertain her for a while. That¡¯s if I don¡¯t get carried away and start leaving her behind. That would be bad.

    The both of us began walking away from the eating area as we headed to the many booths around the park. The booths mainly consisted of typical amusement park games such as water guns, throwing hoops, and others. There was also that booth where you throw a tennis ball at a bull¡¯s-eye in order for a guy dressed as a mascot to fall under a large tub filled with cold water. I found that game to be quite appealing.

    Just before I headed to the booth I mentioned, I remembered that June was with me. After looking around for her, I saw her in front of one of the booths staring at some of the things in display. She looked just like how May was staring at a gift shop earlier. I decided to change my plans and head to where she was.

    I got a closer look and I saw her in front of a booth that facilitates that water gun game staring at a wallaby plushie wearing sunglasses on the shelf labelled as the ¡°prizes¡±. Since I¡¯ve read a few romance novels in the past, mostly because they are practically unavoidable, I had a pretty clear idea of what she¡¯s trying to do. And I¡¯m not against doing it for her.

    I don¡¯t mind playing games like these once in a while, and judging by the looks of the other players, it seemed kind of fun.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to play.¡± I told the guy who was running the booth. The guy looked a few years older than us, bearing a thin beard, he wore a cap and a t-shirt both bearing the theme park¡¯s logo.

    June glanced at me after hearing what I said, I never glanced back because I know she¡¯d just look away immediately. But hearing her soft gasp was enough to alert me of her attention. Not that I¡¯m doing this solely for her to notice me and my efforts to get her that prize she keeps on staring at. I¡¯m not trying to win a prize here, I just wanted to experience the game. And if I somehow managed to win anyway, I¡¯ll just give it to her.

    After briefly recalling what my aunt told me about spending my money wisely, I hesitated to pay up and play the game. But, it¡¯s not like I¡®m wasting all of my money here since I¡¯m just going to play it once, it¡¯s all for the sake of experience.

    After giving the man some cash, he gave me one of the guns then instructed me to shoot five of the targets consecutively to win a prize. Sounds easy enough.

    I began shooting one of the tin cans with yellow smiling faces drawn on them. I aligned the sights and slowly pulled on the trigger. What I expected to be a powerful gush of pressured water was nothing more than a lousy squirt that didn¡¯t even reach the target.

    Maybe I should¡¯ve pulled the trigger faster rather than gradually, it¡¯s a water gun after all.

    I shook the gun to see if there was still water left in it then readied myself for the next shot. Before pulling the trigger, I remembered something I watched on a movie where the guy who was an army sniper said that controlled breathing ensures an accurate shot. I tried to calm my breathing and feel my heartbeat as I aimed to shoot the tin target in front of me. As I exhaled I quickly pulled on the trigger.

    Nothing.

    Not a drop came out of the gun even though I tugged on the trigger as fast as I could.

    Maybe I pulled on it too fast? If I could remember correctly, pulling the trigger of a water gun creates enough suction for it to suck up and propel pressured water out of its nozzle. Pulling it too fast must¡¯ve caused it to pull in air rather than water since the gun wasn¡¯t even full of it.

    I positioned myself once again and got ready to shoot when I heard deep suppressed laughter coming from the booth. I glanced at the source and saw that it was the facilitator trying his best to look away as he muffled his chuckles by covering his mouth with his hands.

    He kept letting out those sounds of amusement, unaware that I have already noticed his rudeness. I gently shook the gun and discovered that there was enough water on it for only one more shot. How does he expect me to shoot five targets if I can¡¯t even shoot three?

    Feeling annoyed by his laughter and how he treated a customer, I got ready to shoot again. Only this time I won¡¯t be aiming at the tin can but rather on the mobile phone that was on the edge if the table near him. Normally I¡¯d treat adults with outmost respect since I believe that they have been through a lot in their lives and their experiences have already molded them to be the best people that they can be, and someday I wish I could reach that part of my life as well. But in my eyes, at this moment, that man wearing that laughable excuse of a uniform while laughing at me, did not look like a respectable adult but more like a useless delinquent in a grown man¡¯s body.

    I pulled the trigger with the right amount of force and this time water gushed out of its nozzle and towards the phone on the table, hoping that it wasn¡¯t water-proof. The expression of shock on his face was enough to put a grin on mine. I looked away before he could have a chance to glare at me. I turned my face towards him as I bowed and asked for his forgiveness while trying to act as sincere and helpless as I could.

    ¡°Uhh¡ª just¡­ don¡¯t do it again,¡± The man said nervously as the other players glanced at him, ¡°You¡¯re lucky this was water-proof.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I pleaded. Still felt good about it though. I¡¯d do it again in a heartbeat. Although hearing it was waterproof made me feel a bit disappointed.

    I heard another suppressed chuckle to my left and saw it was June, looking away as she giggled with delight at our performance. She called the man and told him she wanted to buy that stuffed wallaby she was staring at earlier. After giving him the money, she got the plushie and held it in her arms as she looked at me with a bright smile. Couldn¡¯t she have bought that in one of the gift shops instead of the booths? I shrugged as we began walking once again.

    I kept letting her lead the way as we passed more booths and bought a few snacks from the many stalls around the area before taking a rest at a vacant bench near the amusement park¡¯s merry-go-round. I personally nominated this place to rest in because compared to all of the facilities here in wallaby land, the merry-go-round seemed to be the least occupied, plus the bench was conveniently shaded by a large tree next to it.

    Since the bench was spacious enough to accommodate three to four people, we sat a few inches away from each other as we continued eating our snacks. I bought a waffle that I¡¯ve finished just as we got seated, while June bought a vanilla ice cream cone.

    Feeling thirsty I took out the can of green tea from the plastic bag I got after buying my snacks earlier. The drink fizzed as I pulled open the can. A sweet, clean, and refreshing aroma blew through my face as I poured the tea inside my drying mouth. It tasted okay.

    Suddenly, I felt the urge to glance ant June. I turned towards her and saw that she had already finished her ice cream cone. She bowed her head as she looked down at the stuffed animal in her hands. This might be a good time to start up a conversation. But, what should we talk about? I know nothing about her life and interests other than her past relationship, but we¡¯ve already talked about that. Should I tell her about the phone strap? No, I already decided not to. Something about the art club maybe? No that¡¯d be a bad idea since we never told her that we knew about it, and art isn¡¯t really a topic that I¡¯m well versed enough to talk about.

    I guess I have no choice then, as much as I¡¯m reluctant to talk about that incident, asking about how she¡¯s been doing would be a good conversation starter.

    ¡°So¡­ how have you been doing since¡­ that?¡± I asked. Forgetting to clear my throat before speaking, I ended up messing up my voice. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too noticeable.

    I immediately drank up more tea as soon as I finished speaking.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she uttered as she glanced at me, it looked like what I said caught her by surprise, ¡°I-I¡¯ve been fine¡±, she looked down on the sunglassed wallaby once again, ¡°The policemen escorted me back home and talked to my mom. The day after that I talked about it with my mom and¡­¡± her voice became silent as she closed her eyes momentarily. After opening them up once again she raised her head and gently looked around as if she was trying to find something. A few seconds later, she stopped, staring at the giant spinning wheel far away at her right.

    ¡°I want to¡­ Do you mind if we took a ride in that?¡± she said as she glanced at me with a gentle smile.

    I already planned on taking a ride there sometime during this trip so I responded to her request with a nod. I¡¯ve wanted to see the view of the town from up there ever since I saw that Ferris wheel.

    Unlike the other rides in this amusement park, the queue for the Ferris wheel was unusually short. Because of it, we didn¡¯t have to wait long before we were finally inside one of the Ferris wheel¡¯s compartments. Although, we still had to pay an amount of €15 per head, which was more than what I had anticipated. So much for spending it wisely (sorry, Aunt Faye).

    The Ferris wheel¡¯s passenger compartments were about the size of half a van. There were two sitting areas which looked like it can fit up to three people each. The insides were coloured white while the seats were brown, few of the interior walls had the theme park¡¯s logo and images of the park¡¯s mascot. The d¨¦cor alone was enough to make me hesitant about going inside, though I couldn¡¯t say the same for June since her expression upon seeing he interior could be compared to a kid in a candy shop. But nonetheless, the two of us made our way inside and made ourselves comfortable.

    We sat in front of each other, I looked through the thick glass pane that surrounded half of the pod as we waited for the wheel to start moving. The seats were soft and the inside was surprisingly cool. I noticed a gentle, cool breeze of air hitting the back of my legs. There was actual air conditioning inside this pod. I guess that explains the outrageous fee. The glass pane surrounding us provided a clear 360 degrees view of everything around our position. I¡¯m genuinely impressed at how this pod was designed, except for the interior of course.

    Before long, the Ferris wheel rotated our pod upwards in a slow, steady pace. Everything around us soon became nothing more that miniature versions of what they were as we slowly began reaching the top of the wheel. Although there are quite a few Ferris wheels that were considerably larger than the one they have here in wallaby land, the birds eye perspective it provided could be compared to that of our school rooftop, if not a tad bit higher.

    I took a quick glance at June, almost forgetting that she was with me. I saw her looking out the glass with an astonished expression. Her eyes widened and her mouth slightly open.

    I remembered when I was still in elementary school and I first saw that fireworks display at my hometown during the New Year. I stared at the black sky covered with thousands of stars in front of our house after my aunt told me to. I kept asking her why but she just told me to wait and see. I remember having that same expression as her when I saw the first of the fireworks explode out in the night sky.

    I turned towards the glass pane at my right once again and looked at the city below. Looking at it from so high above made me see every street, every road, every building that I knew and didn¡¯t know.

    The river that passed through the whole city sparkled as the sunlight shone above it making it look like it was made of liquid gold.

    ¡°The city looks amazing at this height, doesn¡¯t it?¡± June said as she stared through the thick glass with an elated expression.

    Amazing it is.

    It felt like I could never get used to this view.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± June said suddenly causing me to turn towards her with slight surprise.

    The Ferris wheel stopped rotating, leaving our pod suspended at its highest position. They must¡¯ve unloaded the other pods and let new passengers come in. June kept looking at the city through the glass. Although she didn¡¯t have as much as a curl on the ends of her lips, I could still see a gentle smile. Her sincere voice was unwavering and clear, as if it was rehearsed and recorded and processed using software of the highest quality. I never thought I¡¯d hear those words again, from another girl nonetheless. It felt like I was doing something right. I liked it. The feeling that someone is in your debt. Having someone else think highly of you. It made me feel all fuzzy inside, even a bit embarrassed. Perhaps this was just the golden rule in play. But then again¡­

    ¡°Why¡­¡± I muttered unconsciously. It looked like June didn¡¯t notice it though. Good thing, because it was such a stupid thing to say. Why else would she thank me for? She probably thanked me with our past ordeal in mind.

    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re thanking me for helping during that escape of ours, I can¡¯t take all the credit. Noah and May deserve some as well. Not to mention you being overwhelmingly prepared for a situation like that. If you ask me, I should be thanking you.¡±

    ¡°I know but¡­ I can¡¯t imagine being able to get away from that place without your help¡­ When I was panicking, you helped me feel calm¡­ and safe. You kept my hopes up and promised that we¡¯ll be able to escape. You¡­ saved me.¡± She insisted, turning towards me with her faint rosy face.

    This girl, she¡¯s too nice. Too nice for her own good. Maybe even too nice for comfort.

    Just like anything that does not meet my expectations, it made me feel uncomfortable. I never once got the pleasure of knowing a girl a nice as her. It was almost unbelievable, inconceivable. Compared to the other girls around my age, she was like an angel in disguise. A four leafed clover. A floating stalk in a cup of tea.

    She and May are the most impressionable girls, maybe even one of the most impressionable people I have met up to this day. Making me think that maybe I had the wrong impression of people all along. Perhaps I was merely drunk on my own assumptions. Thinking about it again, if people like them were more common than I thought, then I should¡¯ve had a few similar encounters in the past.

    On second thought, maybe I did.

    Was my friend in first grade as nice as well? How did she become my friend anyway? I can¡¯t even remember her face anymore¡­

    ¡°Damis?¡± June said looking all puzzled as she tilted her head staring at me,¡± ¡­ You¡¯ve gone quiet all of the sudden. Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just remembered I had to buy toothpaste today.¡± I said, looking away as I scratched the back of my head.

    She began giggling at me, attempting to muffle her laughter by pressing the stuffed wallaby she¡¯s holding onto her mouth.

    Although I had no idea why she was giggling like that in the first place, I decided to humour her and let out an occasional chuckle or two.

    I saved her, huh?

    I began staring outside the glass and into the distance once again.

    Reminded of the previous act of heroism I¡¯ve done.

    Heh.

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin.

    I almost let out a chuckle.

    It felt like a joke.

    Someone who would consider staying away from danger and not getting involved is far from a hero.

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± June said abruptly, catching me again by surprise. She seemed to be holding back as she spoke. She looked away before taking a deep breath. That¡¯s right, one step at a time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving the city tomorrow.¡± She looked towards the city, downhearted.

    ¡°My mom talked about it yesterday. We were supposed to move to another city a few weeks from now but after all that happened, my mom thought it would be best if we left immediately.¡±

    As much as it made her sad, her mother made the right call. And I think June herself knows that it will be for the best. Although our kidnappers had been detained by the authorities, the person that gave them that job in the first place is still out there. And who knows what he¡¯ll be planning next. Whatever it may be, it¡¯s best to move out and lay low for a while.

    This is all the more reason for me to tell her what those guys were after. I knew that someday I¡¯d have to tell her about it. But it seems that waiting is no longer an option.

    ¡°They were after that phone strap of yours. Specifically, the old looking pendant stuck on the middle of it.¡± I said, being as straightforward as possible. I prefer having serious conversations that way. I thought about it but I decided not to tell her about what the pendant really was and how much it costs.

    I told her what she needed to know, and hopefully that¡¯ll suffice.

    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s the same thing the police told me. They also told me the pendant was a stolen item from an auction in another country a few months ago. They said it was worth eight hundred million.¡±

    And here I was, trying not to tell her about it.

    ¡°What did you do with it?¡±

    ¡°The police contacted the people who owned it saying that they¡¯ll return the missing item, so I gave it¡­¡±

    I had a hard time believing she would just hand the pendant over to them that easily.

    What happened to holding on to that keepsake even before he was gone? It might¡¯ve even ensured her success and luck in the future.

    Although, guilt might¡¯ve been enough to make her let go of that keepsake. And I don¡¯t think she¡¯d have it in her to object the authority¡¯s wishes. She wasn¡¯t even meant to have it in the first place. And I think she knew that as well. Having the man she looked up to turn into something else because of the possibility of him being a criminal. She must feel deceived, betrayed, or at least, confused.

    ¡°I think you made the right decision.¡± Given a similar situation I may have done the same thing.

    She responded with a modest nod as she kept looking at the city.

    Something felt wrong.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why do you still have to move out of the city? If they were only after that pendant, there¡¯s no reason for them to bother you anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just that¡­ my mom had enough.¡±

    Enough?

    I¡¯m curious about what she¡¯s talking about but, should I pry into this topic even more?

    Do I have to? I¡¯m not even sure if I had the right.

    I¡¯ll just leave it to her. I won¡¯t reply, instead I¡¯ll wait for her to talk about it herself.

    I kept my attention on the city below us.

    ¡­

    It¡¯s no good.

    I had to know or it¡¯ll bother me to no end.

    I¡¯m really not happy with this habit of mine, but thanks to it, I can do better in class than most people. So, I guess I can live with it. As long as this curiosity doesn¡¯t lead to the metaphorical cat¡¯s death.

    ¡°¡­Mind if I talk to you about it?¡± she finally asked. Hearing her say that made me breathe a sigh of relief. It made things a lot easier.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I replied trying to hide my eagerness to know.

    She took a deep breath as she got ready to speak, ¡°When I was in middle school, my father died during a work-related accident¡­ mom and I were devastated, and it affected me a lot since me and dad were close. After a few years, and after the man I talked to you about disappeared, my mom remarried. My step-father was a nice man, he worked at a bank near the city park. But, during the morning of the first day of classes when he was driving me to school, we got into an accident and¡­¡± Although she kept staring through the glass beside her, she began hugging the stuffed animal in her hands as tightly as she could. She looked like she was feeling uncomfortable.

    Hold on, her step-father was the one that I saw die in that accident? I didn¡¯t expect that at all.

    Somehow after that discovery, I felt guilty. And after hearing her story, I began feeling sorry for her. To the point where thoughts such as ¡°what if I saved him?¡± began flooding up my mind. But, it¡¯s not like I could¡¯ve saved him anyway.

    First of all, both of them were in a vehicle so there¡¯s no way for me to warn them about what¡¯ll happen. And secondly, it all happened too fast. It¡¯s one of those cases where a death happened immediately after a premonition. But most of all, I didn¡¯t have any reason to save him that time. Perhaps even now, I still don¡¯t.

    I never knew my real parents, but I my aunt Faye took care of me. And because I never knew them, I never developed any emotional ties with them. Even if I found out that the both of them were dead, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll grieve about it at all. But June is different, at least for the time I¡¯ve known her and the things she said, she values her family.

    Misfortune might¡¯ve shaken her life multiple times now. And for some reason, it felt unfair. Although there might¡¯ve been an obvious reason for me to feel that way, and I¡¯m just oblivious of that. All of those experiences molded her into what she is now.

    Somehow, even though she isn¡¯t even that strong as a person, and somewhat paranoid and often dependent on others, I found her to be admirable. Maybe it¡¯s because in spite of all that she¡¯d been through, to a point, she was still normal. More normal than I am, at least.

    ¡°You know¡­ remember when we were stuck in that room that time and made that promise?¡± In contrast to her recent melancholy, she asked with a cheerful voice. I¡¯d guess she felt the need to change the topic. If the conversation kept going on this dramatic path I might¡¯ve done the same. But what promise? I don¡¯t remember making such a thing. I don¡¯t recall having any reason to make one in the first place. But, saying that I¡¯ve forgotten about it might not be good for her. It might be best to just go along with her for now.

    ¡°Oh yeah¡­ about that¡ª¡±

    The thought of our promise finally popped into my head.

    Hold on, why the hell did I make that promise? Making that kind of promise was basically suicide.

    My secret isn¡¯t something as tame as the one she may be thinking about. For all I know, I might be the only one in this overpopulated blue mass of a world that has a secret such as this. And that makes keeping it that way more important.

    Argh.

    This is what happens when I keep beating around the bush. I should¡¯ve just flat out rejected her blatant fervor back then. But, there¡¯s no use complaining about it now. I¡¯ll just have to make do. And by that, I mean fight fire with fire. I¡¯ll have to turn that eagerness into silence.

    With a deep breath, I prepared to speak.

    ¡°Do you like me?¡±

    I looked at her straight and asked the question. Judging by her demeanor she¡¯ll end up getting all flustered and embarrassed after hearing that question. Not to mention the fact that she¡¯s been acting weird whenever I was around which assured me that she thinks highly of me. Hopefully it¡¯ll make her feel awkward enough to refrain from talking for a few minutes.

    ¡°E-Eh?¡± stuttering, she glanced at me for a moment before looking away blushing,

    With that reaction, I¡¯m sure she already forgot what she was talking about earlier. Good thing she¡¯s somewhat predictable. With this, my secret is safe.

    Just before I could stare out into the city once again, she nodded as a response. A slight, brief, downward movement of the head often used to signal agreement or assent.

    For a second, I almost lost my composure.

    A wave of shame and awkwardness blasted through me like a strong sea breeze.

    But since I have already developed a strong barrier against these feelings, I managed to keep myself together.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t expect you to be that straightforward about it¡­¡± she shot a few brief glances at me.

    This is bad. With her acting like that, there¡¯s no way for me to be avoid the atmosphere.

    I found myself trying to look away as well.

    Is it just me or is it getting hot in here? I¡¯m starting to feel beads of sweat rolling down my neck.

    That was a nod, right? Which meant she likes me to a certain degree.

    ¡­

    ¡°Do you like me as a man?¡±

    This wasn¡¯t in the plan. But if things are going on some romance novel route then I might as well satisfy my curiosity and inquire more about it. Keeping her occupied with an embarrassing topic such as this might make her forget about our promise altogether.

    Although, I don¡¯t know how much longer I¡¯ll be able to keep this up before I end up jumping off this Ferris wheel.

    Speaking of which, our position on top of this wheel hasn¡¯t changed at all and we were still hanging on top of the wheel. Is this still part of the ride? With that in mind, I don¡¯t think jumping off will be a good idea.

    Without a moment¡¯s notice, still looking away, she responded with a nod, ¡°I guess¡­ I do¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Seriously?

    I already had my suspicions but, this girl gets attached to other people too quick for her own good. After all, we¡¯ve only known each other for two days.

    To find out that she really does harbour such a feeling towards me¡­ I can¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t dumbfounded.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, looking at her straight. I had no ulterior motives in doing so, I just wanted to know her reasons.

    It felt like I needed to know. It felt more important than all of the things I held with importance.

    ¡°Huh? W-Why? U-umm¡­¡± she replied, still flustered as she hugged her plushie tight, ¡°Even though you act a bit weird¡­ you¡¯re dependable¡­ and you kind of¡­ make me feel¡­ safe.¡±

    Steadily, the wheel began moving once again.

    ¡­

    I guess I should tell her about it.

    After all, a promise is a promise.

    But fortunately, a secret can be anything.

    Even a lie.

    ¡°I move my feet when I lie.¡± I said, overlapping my feet to prevent my mannerism from acting up, ¡°That¡¯s the thing I¡¯ve been keeping secret.¡±

    I glanced at her, expecting some sort of a reaction.

    After looking at me with wide eyes, she began giggling.

    ¡°That¡¯s a weird habit.¡± She managed to speak. With teary eyes, she kept chuckling.

    ¡°Could you stop calling me that?¡± I said, slightly annoyed, but not to the point where I was angry about it, ¡°I can¡¯t deny being different from the average person, but that¡¯s pretty much the only thing you got right about me. I¡¯m not as dependable as you think I am.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t know that¡­.¡± She stared outside the glass, with the same, coy smile. But this time, unwavering.

    I found my eyes to be glued on to her for the rest of the ride¡¯s duration, which lasted for a minute before bringing us back on the ground once again.

    Later that day, I found out that the Ferris wheel had stalled.

    <hr>

    ¡°Of course, I know that.¡± I muttered to myself, recalling yesterday¡¯s events as I walked to school.

    I know myself more than anyone. I am my oldest friend after all.

    After our trip on the Ferris wheel the two of us met up with Noah and the others. May was still nowhere to be found but judging by the way Noah was acting I¡¯d guess she already went home.

    Noah and the girls greeted June with grins on their faces as they circled around her. I just kept my distance as we all walked together around the theme park before going our separate ways and heading on home.

    Something about June caught my attention just as we got ready to go home. She looked brighter than usual. And for some weird reason, she looked liberated as well. The slight, gloomy atmosphere she had while we talked in that Ferris wheel seemed like nothing more than a misunderstanding. No, it might be the same for everything before that as well.

    As I approached the school gate, I noticed a familiar figure walking a few meters in front of me. Unlike the other crowds of students walking to school together, this one seemed to be avoiding them. And the most unusual about her is that, she wasn¡¯t staring at her phone.

    ¡°She stands out too much.¡± I muttered to myself.

    I began walking towards her, bringing with me a few questions I wanted to get off my mind. I was planning to give her a tap on her shoulder but her blatant threat she stopped me in my tracks.

    ¡°Touch me and I¡¯ll break your thumb.¡±

    It sent shivers through my spine. She sounded serious and awfully aggravated so early in the morning. Oh, I almost forgotten she had an injury on that shoulder of hers. My bad.

    ¡°Sorry. That thing must still hurt.¡±

    I walked beside her but still keeping a considerable amount of distance between us. I didn¡¯t want people shooting weird looks at us. And I don¡¯t like having people stare at me while I mind my own business. It makes me feel like I¡¯m doing something wrong.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s the progress with the sleeping prophet search?¡±

    She let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°I told you to give me time, didn¡¯t I?¡± she replied wearily.

    What¡¯s up with her attitude today? It¡¯s more annoying than usual.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you today? You look like you just got into a fight.¡± I replied hoping to knock some sense into her.

    ¡°I feel like a soldier going off to the battlefield, forgetting to bring a gun. A track and field athlete who forgot to wear any shoes. A person wanting to hang himself, forgetting how to tie a noose.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that last analogy? You want to kill yourself?¡±

    After talking, I got what she was trying to say. She should¡¯ve just said it straight rather than try to be vague and clever about it. But at this point, it¡¯d be more unnerving if she suddenly began saying things that make sense.

    ¡°So, you forgot to bring your phone with you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡± Her expression quickly changed to that of an agitated cat ready to pounce on someone. And by cat, I mean a lion.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that a big deal, right? I mean, at least it isn¡¯t lost or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Just because it¡¯s no big deal for you it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the same deal for everyone.¡±

    Hey.

    I might steal that line of hers.

    ¡°Anyway, what happened with that girl what¡¯s her name?¡±

    I¡¯m starting to think she has memory issues. Actually, it¡¯d explain a lot if she did.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking that as if you¡¯re actually concerned about her.¡±

    Wait a minute.

    ¡°Back then, you knew she was going to get kidnapped, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you told me to get more information about her, so that I¡¯d keep an eye on her.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even bat an eye at what I just said.

    Honestly, she only listens to the things she cares about.

    ¡°June said she¡¯ll be leaving the city today.¡± Talking about the topic made me recall our conversation on the Ferris wheel. Especially the embarrassing parts.

    I shook my head and tried to keep those thoughts at bay.

    You don¡¯t know that.

    Those words resonated in my head once again.

    ¡°Hey, May. How much do you know about yourself?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a rather unexpected question.¡±

    She looked at me as if I told her a joke.

    ¡°¡­ Forget I ever asked that.¡±

    She let out a chuckle,¡± I know myself just as much as other people know themselves.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t answer the question at all. If anything, you just gave me more questions.¡±

    ¡°One of the mistakes people often make is to think that they are unique. People have a more things in common that they think, that¡¯s how we can feel empathy after all.¡±

    I could¡¯ve sworn I heard someone say something similar to me before.

    I almost heard her say that in a different voice.

    The person I dreamt about back in that old warehouse.

    The same guy whose death caused me to feel frustrated.

    ¡°Have you and Sir. Nathan talked before?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She immediately answered, ¡°On a few occasions.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ never told me about that.¡±

    ¡°I only talk about such things when asked.¡±

    He was our homeroom teacher back when we were red ties. That was before he had a heart attack.

    I¡¯m a bit surprised to know that Sir. Nathan also had a connection with May back then. I guess he had a soft spot for introverted students.

    We¡¯ve passed the school gate and continued our way to the school building, walking along the paved path surrounded by few, large trees on either side with a bunch of other students in the vicinity.

    The director of this school evidently adores trees and other plants since most of the school is covered with lush greenery. He¡¯s got some great taste. Unlike yesterday which was hot and slightly humid, the weather today was milder and more bearable, making the morning walk to school feel like a breeze.

    I began hearing whispers about the recent kidnapping incident that involved the two students who were walking next to each other, which were us. I tried to avoid the curious gazes of some of the students who¡¯ve probably heard of the rumours.

    ¡°This is annoying.¡± I muttered to myself as I gradually walked faster.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I told Glenn to take care of all of the rumours caused by the recent incident. Although a few students talking about it here and there, you can expect that it won¡¯t go out of hand.¡± May whispered.

    ¡°So the student council president even has the power to do that, huh?¡± I replied.

    ¡°He has connections.¡±

    ¡­

    Luckily, the media was nice enough to censor out our names during the news report last night. Although they did mention our school and year level.

    They also interviewed June¡¯s mother, and talked about the kidnapping and the traffic accident that occurred on the morning of the first day of classes.

    Thinking about it again, they could¡¯ve done better to hide our identities.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± May said, stopping in her tracks, ¡°Could I borrow your phone for a bit?¡± she held out her hand.

    I stared at her behind me, wondering what reason she¡¯d have to use my phone other than not having her phone with her. I¡¯m not the type who let¡¯s other people use the stuff I own, even if that person is someone I knew for many years.

    It¡¯s a habit of mine I like to call, the ¡®Noah Factor¡¯.

    ¡°Why?¡± I said.

    Although I¡¯m reluctant about letting her borrow the phone, I¡¯m not totally against lending it to her if there was a good reason.

    ¡°I need to check something.¡± She said, still holding out her hand.

    ¡°Is this ¡®something¡¯ going to benefit me in any way?¡±

    ¡°Just give me the damn phone.¡± She shouted.

    The students who were walking along our path took notice of our interaction. Suddenly, the feeling of dozens of eyes staring at me felt as heavy as a month¡¯s worth of schoolwork.

    With the risk of her screaming at me once again if I kept on denying her, I took out the phone in my pocket and handed it to her.

    ¡°Oh, wait, I forgot to undo the password.¡± I said, trying to reach for it but she pulled it away at the last second.

    ¡°No need. The password is simad, right?¡±

    ¡°Hold on, how did you--¡±

    ¡°A simple yet competent person using such a simple yet competent password. It wasn¡¯t that hard, really. Took me two tries.¡± Her slender fingers moved around the phone¡¯s screen as she began messing with it.

    I walked towards her to take a peek at what she was doing. She used my phone¡¯s online browser and entered a short URL on the search bar, it looked familiar.

    ¡°When did the Ferris wheel stall yesterday? I wasn¡¯t around to see it happen since I went home after lunch.¡± She asked abruptly as she waited for the page to load.

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡±

    May turned her attention towards the phone¡¯s screen. On the screen was the sleeping prophet¡¯s forum where he posted a new prediction yesterday.

    The Ferris wheel in a new Wallaby Land will encounter a problem.

    -KOMA

    According to the webpage, he made the post an hour before it had stalled.

    ¡°Judging from your reaction, the prediction came true and it happened long after he posted it on this forum.¡±

    ¡°Is this legit?¡±

    ¡°After going home, I stayed on this webpage for a while and waited for an update. I can assure you that he posted this prediction around two thirty in the afternoon.¡±

    If that¡¯s true, then it might mean he¡¯s the real deal.

    ¡°Ms. May?¡± said by the disembodied voice of a young, female girl coming from behind.

    The both of us looked behind and saw female student, she seems to be in the same year level as we are. She¡¯s a bit in the short side even though she¡¯s basically the same age as us. Although she was staring at May with a perky smile, she took a quick glance at me and smiled just as bright. It was kind of warm.

    The ponytail wearing brunette began sprinting towards our direction, constantly waving at May. May looked puzzled as the girl stopped right in front of her. She was close, really close. I almost thought the two of them had a past together. Although that might not be completely out of the question.

    ¡°Umm¡­ don¡¯t you remember me?¡± she began acting all coy when she asked May.

    ¡°¡­ Oh, you¡¯re¡­ June, right?¡±

    I palmed my face so hard it almost made a sound.

    Wrong girl, May.

    The girl giggled at what May said. She must¡¯ve thought it was a joke.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s Casey.¡± She clarified with a smile.

    May¡¯s eyes widened up as she came to a realization.

    ¡°Oh, the music club girl.¡±

    ¡°Orchestra club.¡± She clarified once again, still smiling, ¡°I never got the chance to give you my thanks last Friday since you left in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. The job wasn¡¯t that hard anyway.¡± May made a confident grin of her own.

    So that¡¯s what she was up to last Friday. This Casey girl must¡¯ve been another client.

    Getting multiple jobs like that, I kind of understand why she wanted to have an assistant now. Still, picking the easiest job of the two is unfair. But I have to admit, keeping it a secret from me was a smart move. I expected no less from her.

    Casey began reaching for something in her bag. What she took out was a tiny keychain of a crown wearing bunny in an orange suit. Not the colour orange but the fruit orange.

    Although technically, classifying the suit as both the colour orange and the fruit can also be correct. She grabbed May¡¯s free hand and put the keychain on her palm.

    ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± She kept holding on to her hand as if she¡¯d forgotten about it.

    ¡°O-oh, thanks, I mean, you¡¯re welcome.¡± Said May.

    Oh, this is a rare sight. May began getting slightly flustered as she tried to let go of Casey¡¯s hand. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her blush like that. Noticing May¡¯s reaction, Casey got flustered as well.

    ¡°W-well, see you later.¡± Casey bid farewell, glancing at me before she continued her way into the school.

    May kept staring at the gift she gave her.

    Without her noticing, I began to take my phone out of her left hand. After successfully retrieving my phone, I continued my way into the school building as well.

    ¡°Hey, the bell¡¯s gonna ring soon.¡± I reminded her, seeing as the two of us were the only ones left still walking to school.

    Without even as much as a glance, she put the keychain on her pocket and began walking towards my direction.

    Just as I got inside the building I felt a familiar pain in the sides of my head. The pain was so intense, it was enough to bring me on my knees. After a few seconds the pain dissipated and my blurry sight gradually recovered.

    May stared at me, motionless. She looked confused but quickly realized what was going on.

    I gently stood back up and turned towards her.

    ¡°Casey is going to die.¡±

    Chapter End

 Chapter 6 - The Boy Whos A Step Behind Death Pt. 1

    The sound of the bell echoed throughout the school.

    ¡°Tell me every detail.¡±

    Holding my aching stomach, I began describing every detail of my premonition ¡°I saw that girl¡­ Casey¡­ her lifeless body on the ground... pale ¡­ violet face¡­ eyes tilted upwards¡­ her¡­ her mouth was open ¡­ veins under her jaw¡­ marks on her neck--¡±

    ¡°How about her fingernails?¡±

    ¡°Hold on¡­ I¡¯m getting ther¡ª mwuh¡ª bgh¡ª¡±

    Covering my mouth, I hurriedly ran outside the entrance to vomit on a nearby wall. I may be used to seeing these dead bodies all the time, but there¡¯s something this one this makes me sicker than usual. It might be because of her gaping mouth filled with foamy drool-- oh¡ª bgh¡ª shit¡ª ugh¡ª mwuh¡ª

    There goes the rest of my breakfast.

    After getting a hold of my stomach, I wiped my mouth clean with my handkerchief and faced May who was staring at me as she scowled in disgust.

    ¡°Hah¡­ some of her fingernails¡­ on her right hand¡­ had something red on it, maybe blood.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is there anythi--¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± the deep, raspy voice of a man echoed through the school entrance, interrupting May. The podgy school guard began gazing at us with a stern look.

    ¡°Oi, shouldn¡¯t you be inside your classrooms by now?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± May glared at him. The guard looked at her with a face of utter disbelief. She¡¯s got quite the nerve to shout at a school employee like that. Even I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to scold someone like him in a bad day. But I can¡¯t have her cause any more trouble right now.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! We just got into a fight so she¡¯s a bit hostile right now¡­ We¡¯ll go to our classroom right away¡­¡± I pleaded bleakly. Hearing what I just said, May began glaring at me as well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, I¡¯m trying to save our asses here.¡±

    After giving us a few weird looks, the guard began to nod as if he came to a realization.

    ¡°Well, go on then.¡± The guard replied before continuing his rounds.

    ¡°Yes, thank you--¡±

    May grabbed my wrist and began dragging me along with her. Judging by the direction we were heading, we were on our way to our classroom.

    ¡°I can walk on my own.¡± I tugged on my wrist and released it from her grip. After a brief pause we began moving once again.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s going to kill her.¡± she stated.

    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I think so too.¡±

    I¡¯ve watched enough movies and read enough novels to know that her post mortem doesn¡¯t suggest a natural cause for death. Especially those red marks on her neck, someone had to choke her hard enough to leave that much of an impression. Which raises a far more difficult question: Who will kill her?

    ¡°Damis¡± May called, coming to an abrupt halt just before we got up the flight of stairs that led to the floor of the white tie classrooms.

    ¡°Other than her body, what else did you see?¡±

    ¡°Give me a minute.¡±

    Closing my eyes, I began focusing on the image in my head once again. Surprisingly, it was a lot less nauseating than before.

    ¡°I see¡­ grass¡­ and a tree.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    She began immersing herself in deep thought, striking a ¡°right hand on chin, left hand under elbow¡± pose. I couldn¡¯t help but think she was emulating some famous movie character with that kind of intellectual posture. Gazing past her, my eyes drifted towards the large glass window behind her. I noticed half of the sun peeking on the left side of the glass. I began to panic. Usually, when I go to school and walk through these very steps in the morning, the sun wouldn¡¯t be seen outside the window at all. Mostly because with the day being that early, the sun, which is still shining on the far east of the school, won¡¯t be covered by the northern point of view of the glass window. Meaning that if for some instance I was able to see the sun on the glass right front of me, then I am late for first period. And that¡¯s no good at all.

    Running past May, I began sprinting up the steps like some stair-aerobics activist. May began reaching out her hand in lighting speed as she tried to grab my wrist once again. Too bad I was already anticipating that kind of reaction from her, I swayed my left wrist away from her speeding hand, avoiding her vice-like grip. Her hand paused abruptly, causing me to think that she gave up at her attempt on stopping me. Realizing that, I focused my attention up the last flight of stairs and continued my race against time. But something felt wrong. As I was running up the stairs, my pants felt lighter and more maneuverable than usual. Although it may be a good thing, it still made me considerably worried. Mostly because, the only way for my pants to feel this way was if something inside my pockets were to disappear. And other than the few coins that remained on my right pocket, the phone which was on the left was no longer there.

    ¡°Are you sure about going to class like this?¡± she said, holding my phone for my eyes to see.

    How¡­ When did she get a hold of my phone? I didn¡¯t even feel anything. I stood there, dumbstruck. I never knew she had a knack for pickpocketing.

    She continued, ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know when or where a death will happen. Could you stomach going to class right now knowing that a person will die unless we do something about it?¡±

    She reached out her hand, giving me back the phone she just snatched. Going down the steps, I grabbed it from her palm.

    ¡°That¡¯s how I¡¯ve always done it.¡± I began walking up the steps once again.

    Admittedly, I¡¯ve always turned a blind eye towards these incidents. I¡¯ve always kept my distance. As I¡¯ve already said before, I prefer being the spectator. If I don¡¯t get involved, then I won¡¯t get in trouble. Normally, people would see this as a selfish way of living. But, as much as would¡¯ve preferred it to be otherwise, I¡¯m not normal. So, for me, having an excuse such as that makes my actions completely justifiable. And it¡¯s not like anyone can call me out for it.

    Although, I wouldn¡¯t say that I¡¯ve never attempted to save anyone¡¯s life before. I¡¯ve tried. Back in grade school, after Noah found out about my visions, he suggested the idea that we should try and save the people I see in my visions. Our few attempts at being heroes ended well, and we ended up saving a few people in the process. But, after that one incident back in middle school, we stopped. Although, it might be better to say that only I, myself, stopped. Anyone thinks they¡¯re a hero until they fail. And after my attempt at saving a friend ended up in failure, I became reluctant to involve myself any further. Back in September, I was foolish enough to think that I could go back and be a hero again. I should¡¯ve known it wouldn¡¯t go well. I should¡¯ve just sat there on my seat and ignored it. If I did that, then I wouldn¡¯t have¡­

    ¡°Then why did you save me?¡± May looked at me with crossed arms.

    Oh, I almost forgot. This girl, staring straight at me in a condescending manner, is one of the strangers whom I had decided to save. And although my uncalculated actions almost ended up killing us both, I did manage to save her in the end. Up to this day, my reasons to why I decided to rescue her are still unclear. During that time, I felt like if I didn¡¯t save her, I¡¯ll end up regretting it someday. But, why did I come to that conclusion? I never knew anything about her to begin with. We never talked, shared no bond, no relationship other than being on the same class as each other. Yet, I felt a responsibility to save her. Was it because she was stalking me? Was I subconsciously aware of her actions towards me during the past year? What was driving her to observe me for such a long time? Was it mere curiosity? Responsibility? Romance?

    Oh, that¡¯s right.

    I wanted to know.

    After a brief pause, I began walking down the steps and towards May.

    ¡°Why are you so hell-bent about saving that girl?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just not as apathetic as you are.¡±

    The expression you had during that incident on the first day of class says otherwise. Although thinking about it again, receiving that gift must have something to do with her sudden eagerness.

    I let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Well, I did say I¡¯ll try my best to help you.¡±

    For now, the important thing is to know when it will happen. For all we know, she might already be dead by now, if not currently in the process of being killed.

    ¡°But before we do anything else, let¡¯s try to figure out when the killing will happen. You have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get enough information.¡±

    ¡°¡­ But I already told you everything I saw.¡±

    ¡°So far, you¡¯ve only told me what was there.¡±

    ¡°¡­ So?¡±

    She let out a quick, exhausted sigh as she held her forehead in dismay.

    ¡°Did the tree have a shadow?¡±

    ¡°S-shadow?¡±

    After uttering that word, something snapped in my head. How the hell did I not think of that? I closed my eyes and began concentrating on the image once again.

    I opened my eyes wide as I came to a significant discovery.

    ¡°The shadow of the tree was pointing somewhere around the south east.¡±

    The main entrance to our school is pointing towards the south. Which means everything behind it is more or less towards the north. If the shadow being casted by the trees in this school are pointing somewhere around the south east then the sun must be shining down on them from the opposite direction, the North West. And if the sun rises from the east and sets on the west then...

    ¡°She¡¯ll die around four or five o¡¯clock.¡± May declared, holding her chin.

    ¡°Which means we''ll be able to attend classes before that.¡± With a grin, I began walking up the steps once again.

    ¡°A real, model student. Aren¡¯t you?¡± she said as she began walking up the steps as well.

    Heh, it¡¯s not my first time hearing that.

    <hr>

    After waiting for the teacher to leave our class room before going inside like the good students we are, we returned to our respective seats trying to avoid the curious gazes of our other classmates, especially Noah who looked like he saw someone who rose from the grave as he stared at me with such an astounded expression.

    ¡°Dude, where were you? It¡¯s not like you to be missing first period like that. I was getting all lonely over here.¡±

    I let out a brief sigh, ¡°If you were feeling that way then why didn¡¯t you just talk with those girls we hung out with yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Not a good idea right now. I got one of the girls mad and all of them decided to give me the cold shoulder. She shouted at me dude. Teary eyes. Now all the boys in class is looking at me like I¡¯m some kind of criminal. To be honest it¡¯s stressing me the hell out and I really need a hug right now.¡±

    He covered his face with both his hands and rested his elbows on top of his table. He looked like someone who¡¯d jump over a bridge as soon as school ended.

    Still, to be shouted at by a crying girl, just what did he do this time?

    I let out a brief sigh.

    Not that I care about it anyway.

    ¡°I had a vision earlier.¡±

    ¡°A vision!?¡± he shouted abruptly as his expression changed from misery to utter surprise.

    ¡°Shh! Do you want everyone in our class to know about that?¡± I whispered sternly.

    Fortunately, most of our classmates were too busy talking amongst themselves to be able to notice Noah¡¯s sudden outburst of disbelief. Although I wouldn¡¯t say the same for May who looked as though she heard him loud and clear, glancing at us briefly before continuing to gaze out the window beside her.

    ¡°¡­ Who did you see?¡± Noah asked with a far more bearable volume of voice than before.

    ¡°A girl named Casey. She¡¯s a white tie, like us. ¡°

    ¡°¡­ Are you going to do anything about it?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Well--¡±

    ¡°We are certainly going to do something about it.¡± May appeared behind us, glaring at us both as she stood firmly with crossed arms.

    After giving us both a brief shock, we looked behind our seats, almost in sync.

    ¡°Hey, Miss¡­ shouldn¡¯t you be in your seat? The teacher said--¡±

    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ve heard our class representative say that our teacher for second period won¡¯t be able to attend class today.¡±

    Well that¡¯s convenient.

    ¡°And it should be okay if I''m not the only one doing it, right?¡± she continued, shooting a haughty grin my way.

    Annoyed by that smug smile of hers, I turned my head frontwards and took out a small book from my bag to rest my eyes with. What is this, a pocket dictionary? Well, it¡¯s better than nothing.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to save Casey now? If that¡¯s the case then can you tell me more about her? Like you first impressions about her and stuff.¡± Noah looked at May inquiringly, like a kid wanting to find out what gift his parents got him for his birthday. Before this conversation devolves into another one of Noah¡¯s scouting sessions, I decided to intervene to keep the discussion meaningful.

    ¡°Say, shouldn¡¯t we try to find out who¡¯ll kill her?¡± I suggested, eyes still fixated on the book in front of me.

    ¡°Yes, but before that, shouldn¡¯t we tackle the problem of where she¡¯ll be killed?¡± May proposed in response, ¡°If we knew when and where it¡¯ll happen, knowing who would no longer make much of a significance.¡±

    She has a point.

    ¡°Okay then. Any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Noah, could you draw a map of our school? It doesn¡¯t have to be accurate, but make sure to mark the places where there¡¯s a concentration of grass and trees.¡± Said May, slightly leaning toward our seats.

    ¡°Uh, sure.¡± Noah took a pen and a notebook out of his bag and got ready to draw.

    ¡°Are you sure you can do it?¡± I asked, glancing at the notebook on his table.

    ¡°Sheesh, I¡¯m not that useless, Damis.¡±

    He began sketching the map of the whole campus, even bothering to draw a few details like the dozens of trees scattered around the school. After a few revisions and many eraser shavings, he finally finished his sketch.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s pretty good.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Thanks very much.¡± Noah replied, ¡°I could also fold this paper into a giraffe if you want.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s save that for later,¡± May said.

    She said that like she was looking forward to it.

    She continued, ¡°Anyway, could you mark all of the spots I mentioned, Damis?¡±

    I took Noah¡¯s sketch and began marking all the possible settings for Casey¡¯s murder.

    Hmm¡­

    No good.

    They¡¯re too many.

    The pathway to the entrance is studded with trees and shrubbery making it a prime location for her murder. But the courtyard had several trees in it as well as s few patches of grass. Not to mention the all-purpose field and greenhouse on the back of the school. To think I was praising the school director and his taste for greenery just a while ago. We¡¯ll have to narrow them down somehow.

    ¡°There¡¯s too many possibilities for the place of death so we¡¯ll have to work on narrowing them down.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Since the death will occur during the dismissal of classes, it is highly unlikely for any area near the school¡¯s front pathway to be the setting of a murder since there will be quite the number of students walking along the pathway during that span of time. The all-purpose field area won¡¯t be good either since the school¡¯s soccer team uses it for practice until six.¡±

    ¡°How about the courtyard?¡±

    ¡°There are a few students who do stay at the courtyard even after the day¡¯s classes are dismissed. But, if I were to kill someone inside school grounds today, there is an area around the courtyard where it would be perfect. I heard someone say that at this time, the small washing area near the courtyard is temporarily off limits due to some needed repairs. And coincidentally, there is an area around it that is covered with grass as well as thick, waist high hedges and an old tree.¡±

    ¡°A perfect spot for the murder...¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say perfect, but it is ideal.¡±

    Isn¡¯t that basically the same word?

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Noah suddenly intervened, ¡°Have you guys even told her about it? I mean, have you warned Casey that someone¡¯s out to get her?¡±

    ¡°You think she¡¯d believe some random students telling her that she¡¯ll be killed after school?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well¡­ Y-yeah but¡­ wouldn¡¯t she believe it if May told her? You guys are like friends, right?¡± Noah said, turning towards May.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t known each other for very long so I doubt she¡¯ll believe me telling something as grim as that.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, we don¡¯t need to tell her. We¡¯ll just have to be there before it happens.¡± I took out my notebook and jot down all the information we¡¯ve gathered so far.

    ¡°So¡­ what do we do now?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°We wait.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Yes, there isn¡¯t much we can do about it now.¡± May added.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we like¡­ try to figure out who will kill her?¡± Noah continued.

    ¡°That can wait. As we¡¯ve already discussed, finding out the killer would no longer be necessary. Based from what we¡¯ve gathered until now, we¡¯ll already be able to save her with or without knowledge of who will do her in.¡± May concluded.

    ¡­

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to just type those details on your phone?¡± May suggested, breaking the brief moment of silence.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be on your way back to your seat by now? Third period¡¯s gonna start .¡± I replied, momentarily halting what I was doing.

    ¡°Before that, I¡¯d like Noah to teach me how to fold a giraffe.¡± She said, ¡°Anyways, chairs kill you faster than old¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, got it.¡±

    I closed up my notebook and took out the phone on my pocket. I guess taking notes with your phone is more convenient.

    <hr>

    Lunch break.

    Four hours before dead Casey.

    With the signal of a nod, Noah and I got ready to leave the room and eat lunch at the canteen. I made it a point to leave the classroom as soon as the teacher dismisses the class for lunch break to avoid the traffic of hungry students that¡¯ll soon pile up along the way.

    As expected, upon exiting the room I saw no other students lingering around the hallways.

    I glanced at Noah who was smiling for some reason.

    ¡°That¡¯s one creepy smile you got going there.¡±

    ¡°I know this might sound rude but, I¡¯m actually getting a bit excited about this.¡± He replied, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s been a while since the last time we tried to save someone.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    I remembered when I told Noah that I wouldn''t be saving people anymore. He was pretty supportive about it, which caught me off guard since I know for a fact that Noah felt bad about not being able to save our old friend as well. He never really hold me accountable for any person that I could''ve saved since then, and that''s something I truly appreciate.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good thing I guess. Anyway, let¡¯s check out the washing area May was talking about earlier after we eat.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good idea.¡± May suddenly appeared beside me as we began walking down the steps. Her sudden appearance managed to shock me quite a bit once again.

    ¡°Wha¡ª could you stop doing that?¡± I said, almost to the point of shouting.

    ¡°We should hurry. We¡¯ll be going back to the student council office after all this. And I prefer to eat my meals in silence.¡± She began walking down the steps at a faster pace, as if she was leading us to the canteen.

    I let out a weary sigh.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Although the school canteen was by no means empty, the amount of people currently lounging around the area was more than bearable. And the best thing about it is, there wasn¡¯t any queue to be seen.

    ¡°Ah, I live for moments like these.¡± I muttered blissfully.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± May said with a nod, ¡°Moments like these feels like being in the eye of a storm.¡±

    ¡°If you guys feel that way then, why not just bring your own food to school?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°The food here tastes better and cost a lot cheaper.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± May added, ¡°Anyway, let us eat.¡±

    We stared at the selection of meals displayed in front of the counter as well as the prices they were labeled with. Although being the early bird has its merits, there are a few downsides as well. The menu being one of them. I wouldn¡¯t say they were disgusting or anything of the like but, no matter how good something may taste, if it¡¯s the only dish you can sink your teeth into, you¡¯ll eventually get tired of it. In front of us was a tray of BLT sandwiches, a dozen boiled eggs, and of course, a hot tray of spaghetti.

    ¡°Sorry kid, you¡¯ll have to wait a little longer if you want to eat something else.¡±

    Ah, the irony of being too early for good food. Well, so be it. I¡¯ll take a plate of spaghetti any day if it¡¯ll mean I¡¯d be able to eat in peace. And eating pasta does have its health benefits.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a plate of the usual then.¡± I said, with a sigh.

    ¡°Make that two.¡± Noah added.

    ¡°Three.¡± Said May, ¡°And a mint.¡±

    With trays of food in hand, we continued our way to the spot where Noah and I usually eat, more specifically, the eating area where the eating platform is directly connected to the wall, meaning we¡¯ll be facing the wall while we eat. It may just be my own personal preference but, they¡¯re the best seats in the house. Now seated, I began taking the first forkful of many forkfuls of pasta and stuffed it inside my mouth. Glancing at the other two, I¡¯ve noticed they began eating their meals as well. In contrast to Noah¡¯s somewhat barbaric manner of dining, May dug into her food with refinement. Tucking her hair beneath her right ear as she took a modest fork of spaghetti and consumed with elegance. For a split second, instead of cafeteria pasta, I imagined her eating something out of a five-star restaurant, with a glass of finely aged wine next to her. Suddenly, she put down her fork and after gulping down what she just ate, she coughed as if to clear her throat.

    ¡°I said knowing about it won¡¯t really matter but, I think we should still try to find out who will kill her.¡±

    Hearing her say that made me recall the vision I had earlier, as well as the nausea it brought with it. I covered my mouth as the sick feeling began spreading throughout my stomach. The red stuff¡¯s coming back up. I ran out the cafeteria as fast as I could to let it all out on a nearby pair of trashcans beside a vending machine. Getting a hold of myself, I took a drink at the water station near the counter and walked back to my seat.

    ¡°¡­ Can we talk about something else¡­ for now?¡± I asked, holding my aching stomach.

    ¡°Yeah, like about what you did last Friday.¡± Noah added.

    ¡°Hmm. Very well then.¡± She pushed away her unfinished plate of pasta to give room on the table for her elbows as she rested her chin on the back of her interlaced hands.

    ¡°A few minutes after you left, Casey arrived at the student¡¯s council¡¯s office seeking help. After a brief introduction, she told me about how one of the violins the school provided have recently gone missing the day before. I accepted the request and after school I went to the music club¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°You mean the orchestra club.¡± I corrected her.

    ¡°When I arrived, the club members were already playing their instruments as they performed a few practice pieces. Casey invited me to listen to their performance which I gladly accepted, although I had to leave the room for a moment since you gave me a call, but after that, I began my investigation. I asked some of the members about the missing instrument but most of them didn¡¯t even know it was gone in the first place. Which was understandable since Casey, being the one in charge of managing the instruments, only discovered about it earlier that day.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± Noah interrupted, ¡°I thought you usually do jobs during lunch break.¡±

    ¡°Well, that mostly depends on the situation. Casey suggested that I drop by the musi¡ªorchestra club after school.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s cut to the chase. Who stole it?¡± I said, finishing up my meal.

    ¡°Stolen is the wrong word. It was borrowed by a green tie, a freshman who has recently joined the club after Casey recruited him.¡±

    ¡°So it was just a misunderstanding?¡± said Noah.

    ¡°No. He took the instrument home and used it outside school premises. And as you know, taking school property or equipment home is strictly forbidden.¡±

    ¡°You said he borrowed the violin, so does that mean he returned it afterwards? And why did he feel the need to do something as stupid as taking it home with him?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. But judging by his cheerful demeanor whenever he¡¯s around her, and how, according to Casey, ever since he joined the club he¡¯d actively volunteer to help her tidy up the clubroom before leaving, I¡¯d think he holds Casey in high regard. And that may have contributed to him doing such an act. Anyway, I didn¡¯t even needed to think about it that hard since right after Casey left the room after offering to buy the three of us a drink, he confessed everything to me, saying that he only took it home so that he could practice with it more since, although he had experience using a guitar before, it¡¯s taking him too long to learn about the basics of playing a violin and that he didn¡¯t want to let Casey efforts of enlisting him to the club and teaching him how to play the instrument be in vain. Saying that he will return it immediately, he began pleading me to think of some other reason as to why it was missing since she didn¡¯t want Casey to think badly of him.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I ignored him and told her everything.¡±

    Ugh, talk about cruel.

    She continued, ¡°I have no intention of providing someone with false information during a situation like that. And it¡¯s not like I cared about their relationship anyway. Not that they had much of a relationship to begin with. Casey told me the two of them were just friends.¡±

    ¡°And how did Casey react when you told her about it?¡± Noah asked after finishing up his meal.

    ¡°After telling her about his confession I left immediately to find you guys. Because of that, I did not have the opportunity to stay and watch their banter.¡± She paused, as if something came to her mind. She began digging through her bag in search of something. She took out the keychain Casey gave her earlier this morning as a token of gratitude.

    ¡°When she got back, she gave us canned drink with the same logo of a character as this.¡± She said, flashing us the keychain she was holding.

    I couldn¡¯t help but notice how the cafeteria became louder and louder as students gradually began filling up the place.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to¡ª¡± I saw May¡¯s plate and how there was still quite a considerable amount of pasta left on it. It looks as though she only took a bite and pushed it aside, which, if I recall correctly, she in fact did.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to finish that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite today. Perhaps it was because I ate a lot for breakfast earlier. Anyway, let¡¯s leave this place. It¡¯s beginning to be unbearable.¡±

    After dropping by the water station once again and buying a mint from the counter to cleanse my palate, we headed on outside with May leading the way, heading for the washing area near the courtyard aka the soon to be scene of the crime. Passing by the trashcans I vomited beside earlier, I threw the plastic wrapper of the mint I ate into one of them and saw that there were dozens of identical cans almost filling up the two trashcans, after a brief glance at the vending machines next to them, I saw that only a few of the canned drinks were left being displayed. It bears the same logo as May¡¯s keychain. These were probably what May was referring to earlier. The brand name was printed in a large, cartoonish font. Royal Rabbit, orange juice drink. With B vitamins. I noticed something else, on one of the many cans that have been disposed of was an image of something identical to May¡¯s keychain, as well as two other accessories of varying design. They were printed above a group of text that read: ¡°Get a chance to win one of these cute accessories!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the hold-up Damis? Are you feeling sick again?¡± asked May.

    ¡°Eugh, talk about gross¡­¡± Noah said, staring at the puke I shoved out earlier. ¡± What the hell have you been eating my man?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± I exclaimed as I continued walking.

    The small washing area was equipped with four faucets all placed on one long sink on the outside, as well as two pairs of toilets on the inside all separated by gender. As expected, there were placards on both doors saying that the washing area is currently under repair. Although, should do some trimming while they¡¯re at it since the hedges surrounding the area look a bit overgrown, blocking the view of the waist high sinks completely. Walking around, I decided to find the specific area where I saw Casey¡¯s body on.

    ¡°I think I saw it here.¡± I pointed towards the grass near the entrance beside the tree.

    ¡°So it¡¯s gonna go down here, huh?¡± Noah said, crouching down as he felt the grass.

    ¡°¡­ What are you doing?¡± I asked as he began to sniff some of the grass he pulled off.

    ¡°You know, now that we already know where she¡¯ll die, why don¡¯t we set up a trap to catch the killer?¡±

    ¡°Sorry but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s a good idea, right May?¡± we glanced at May who was staring intently at the place with that signature pose of hers. Looks like nothing we¡¯ll say will go through her right now.

    ¡°Making a trap would require a lot of time and preparation. And we wouldn¡¯t need it anyway since we¡¯re going to wait for the murder to happen.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± May said abruptly.

    ¡°But we haven¡¯t checked out everything yet. We haven¡¯t even thought of a plan¡±

    ¡°We might not need to¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    From the way May was acting as we walked to the student council¡¯s office, it was evident that she realized something important during that visit at the washing area. Although, I don¡¯t know why she won¡¯t tell us about it. But whatever it is, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll keep it as a secret from us for too long. She¡¯s bound to show off at some point.

    ¡°Say Damis, what kind of person do you think Casey is?¡± May asked as we were approaching the library.

    ¡°Why¡¯re you asking me that?¡±

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re a good judge of character.¡±

    ¡°The hell I am. You should ask Noah, he¡¯s pretty good with people.¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t met Casey yet. And I don¡¯t trust him that much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m right here you know¡­¡± Noah said with a sigh.

    ¡°Well, I can give you my first impressions¡­ So, I think she¡¯s umm¡­ a nice girl¡­ I guess.¡±

    May let out a chuckle.

    ¡°I did say I¡¯m not good with people.¡±

    ¡°Come on, I know you can do better than that.¡±

    I let out a brief sigh.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll try harder¡­ She looks like she¡¯s one of the responsible types, someone who can stand on her two feet. She knows how to show gratitude which I can respect. She¡¯s¡­ dependable I guess, since you said she¡¯s in charge of their club¡¯s equipment and stuff. Patient¡­. Cheerful¡­ and a bit immature. She looks like she¡¯s good with people judging from the way she talks and the fact that she¡¯s in a club that consists of more or less a dozen people... And¡ª she¡¯s right there.¡±

    Turning left from the library, we saw Casey waiting outside student council room door. Seeing her made the gruesome image appear in my head again, but this time I managed to get through the nausea. She smiled as she saw us walking towards the room, she began walking towards us holding some kind of box inside a pouch¡­ lunchbox maybe?

    ¡°O-oh, hi. I thought maybe we could have lunch together?¡± she said cheerfully, looking at May.

    I kind of feel sorry to the girl. Not only is she going to die today but since the three of us already ate at the cafeteria, she ended up waiting at the student council¡¯s room for nothing. Feeling sympathy for her, I decided to be the one to turn her down since, knowing May, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll reject her offer and be as blunt about it as she can. The least I can do is offer an immediate explanation before she gets the chance to run her mouth. And besides, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll mind if I¡¯m the one being blunt about it.

    ¡°We already ate in the cafeteria earlier.¡±

    Casey glanced at me before making a bitter smile.

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ I guess it¡¯s my fault since I should¡¯ve asked you about it earlier¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s cute¡­¡± Noah whispered to my right ear.

    ¡°You say that about every girl you meet,¡± I swayed my head away from him, ¡°It¡¯s basically your catchphrase by now.¡±

    ¡°No it¡¯s not. My catchphrase is something more like, ¡°You¡¯re already dead!¡±¡± he said as he struck a weird pose.

    ¡°Wow¡­ I like that one¡­¡± I replied in sarcasm.

    Noah continued staring at Casey.

    ¡°So, she¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to be killed?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of weird, you know?¡±

    ¡°Weird?¡±

    ¡±I mean, why would someone want to kill her? She looks nice and practically harmless.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to think that way, Noah.¡±

    We know nothing about her. And I¡¯m not the type to set things in stone straight of the bat, especially after all the events in recent memory. She might be a nice girl at first glance but for all we know, she might have more enemies than Noah. And he has about a dozen of them. Mostly female.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Said May, looking at Casey with a smile.

    I turned my head to look at May, I didn¡¯t expect to hear her say that.

    She¡¯s really gotten soft on her.

    ¡°Really?¡± Casey replied, fueled by a sudden burst of energy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat much earlier. I can join you if you want.¡±

    Well, that is true.

    Hold on.

    Did she not finish her food because she knew Casey would¡ª?

    ¡­

    Nah, that¡¯s just impossible.

    ¡°Thanks! I could share some of mine if you want, I made a lot.¡± She glanced briefly at me and Noah before looking back at May, ¡°Your friends can have some too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    More food means more puke.

    ¡°Did you happen to have some croquettes in there?¡± Noah asked inquisitively.

    ¡°Ah, Yeah, I have some.¡± Casey replied with a smile.

    Ugh, what is this? It¡¯s so bright.

    Is this what they call, a newfound friendship?

    I looked away as I rubbed my eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re free to eat here inside the student council room.¡± May said, opening the door for Casey.

    ¡°Oh, thanks. I¡¯ll share some to the officers as well.¡±

    Inside were the officers who, unusually enough, weren¡¯t working and passing around documents but instead passed the time by messing with their phones and reading books. That included Glenn who was playing a game of Othello with Lawrence. Feeling a bit tired from vomiting too much, I sat at the sofa and made myself comfy.

    ¡°Um¡­ Hi.¡± Casey greeted the silent council members, ¡°I thought it¡¯d be nice to share some food with you guys, as thanks for your help last Friday.¡± Casey took out the lunchbox and opened it in front of the all the officer¡¯s eyes to see. Some of the officers stood out of theirs seats as they circled around the display of food, Glenn and Lawrence, however, were too focused on their game to take notice of the events happening around them. Before long, the officers began digging into Casey¡¯s lunchbox, including Noah who immediately went for the line of croquettes inside.

    ¡°Whoa, this is delicious. You made these yourself?¡± one of the council members asked.

    ¡°Yes, I really enjoy cooking. I learned a lot form my mom.¡± She smiled cheerfully as the members praised her of her culinary skills.

    ¡°Your mom is a great teacher.¡± The secretary said, chowing down on one of the finger sandwiches.

    ¡°Yeah, and like, these croquettes are super good, like crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.¡± Said Noah who was downing all of the croquettes one by one, ¡°We just had lunch but I can¡¯t stop eating.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Casey offered May a sandwich.

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± She closed her eyes as she ate the sandwich, as if savouring the flavours of every ingredient on it.

    ¡°Here.¡± She then offered me another sandwich.

    ¡°No, I--¡±

    ¡°Please.¡± She looked at me with a bright smile.

    That word.

    For some reason, it always makes me reconsider.

    ¡°Uh, I guess¡­¡± I took it from her hands as I bit down of the soft bread.

    ¡°¡­ This is good¡­¡± I uttered unconsciously.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She smiled at me, even brighter.

    I¡¯m starting to think Noah¡¯s right about her.

    Who would want to kill someone like her?

    I looked back at the farthest desk and saw that even Glenn and Lawrence, who were recently busy with their game, joined the others and ate a share of their food as they chatted with each other. Casey sat next to me, glancing at her I noticed that she was staring at my face with a curious expression, getting a bit surprised, I recoiled myself away from her.

    ¡°Not that I care or anything, but, why don¡¯t you join them? At the rate they¡¯re gulping down your food, I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll be able to leave some for you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she replied, glancing at the people feasting on their desks, ¡°I already had some before coming here. And watching someone else enjoy something I made makes me feel really--¡±

    She paused as she began taking a closer at my face

    ¡°You¡­ have we met before?¡± she said, slightly cocking her head.

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Well... we did kind of see each other earlier in the morning so--¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she muttered, holding her chin as her face kept getting closer to mine.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed by her sudden, eccentric behavior, I looked away towards the desks where I saw May and Glenn talking to each other. Afterwards, she headed to the sofa where Casey and I were awkwardly positioned, seeing that May was approaching, Casey stopped moving and instead made space for May to sit on.

    ¡°Did you tell him about how Casey¡¯s going to be killed later? He might be able to help us.¡± I whispered to May¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Telling him about it would might lead him to figuring out you had visions of death. So I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Fair point.

    She continued, ¡°Although I did tell him to exclude us of our current duties today.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s okay with that?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t mind since they aren¡¯t occupied with anything today.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s some good news. With Casey¡¯s imminent death already keeping us occupied, I doubt we¡¯ll be able to handle any more problems.

    With the lunch box completely empty, the council members began returning to their seats and continuing as they were. Noah, who looked completely satisfied after eating all those food, joined us on the sofa as well, sandwiching me between him and May.

    ¡°Man that was good. Hey Casey, can I marry you?¡± Noah shamelessly said as he sat himself on the couch. Casey giggled in response.

    ¡°Thank you, but, I have other plans.¡± She answered, her face bearing a modest smile. They talked about marriage like two salary men talking about grabbing a drink at a pub after work.

    ¡°Ah, being rejected doesn¡¯t feel that bad when I¡¯m full.¡± Noah said, striking a relaxed pose.

    ¡°Oh, May, while we¡¯re on the topic, there¡¯s something I want to ask you,¡± he said, glancing at the officers who were on their seats, patting their full stomachs with gratification.

    ¡°Are you and Glenn a couple?¡± May looked at him with a straight expression, then after a few moments, she broke into a chuckle.

    I admit, I¡¯m curious as to what relationship Glenn and May had as well. It¡¯s one of the questions that have been stuck on the back of my head for the longest time.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve caused a bit of a misunderstanding here, Glenn.¡± May said, looking towards Glenn who was letting out a chuckle of his own as he and Lawrence continue with their game.

    ¡°I hear that same question more often than I should,¡± He moved his piece on the board, causing Lawrence to let out a brief, weary sigh as he admits his defeat, ¡°We¡¯re cousins.¡±

    Well, that explains the ¡°uncle¡± talk they had last time.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Noah replied, briefly surprised.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± May said, taking out something out of her pocket, ¡°Casey, can I ask you what umm¡­. character this may be?¡± she presented the keychain she gave her to Casey.

    ¡°Oh, that. Cute, isn¡¯t he? It¡¯s the mascot of a new drink I saw on the TV a while ago. I¡¯ve been in love with it ever since. And they¡¯re really popular, the vending machines that have around school royal rabbit often get sold out after school. But, I know of a place where I can buy one without worrying about it being sold out, I¡¯m keeping that a secret, though. ¡±

    ¡°Do you have another one of this, by any chance?¡± May asked, unusually polite.

    ¡°Yeah, I have another in my bag, although it looks a bit different than what I gave you. I got these two from a giveaway their promoting. They¡¯re supposed to be three of these, but I¡¯m still working on getting the last one. It won¡¯t be long till I have all three of them.¡±

    Judging from what I saw on one of the drinks in the trashcan earlier, what she¡¯s talking about sounds about right.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ If that¡¯s the case¡­ then maybe¡­¡± May muttered to herself. Without warning, she stood up from the sofa, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for us to go back to our classroom.¡±

    ¡°Eeh? Can¡¯t we stay for a bit longer? My stomachs still trying to process my food here.¡± Noah refused to budge.

    I looked at the time on my phone and saw that it was a few minutes before class begins.

    ¡°Okay, time to go.¡± I said as I stood up and stretched my arms. Noah reached out his arm at me as if he wanted me to pull him out of the seat, which I did. Lazy bastard.

    Well, I¡¯m one to talk.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll come with you guys¡­¡± Casey picked up her empty lunchbox on the desk before putting it back inside the pouch.

    After Lawrence and some of the other officers thanked Casey for the meal one last time, we left the room and headed to our classrooms. As we walked, I glanced at May who was yet again engrossed in deep thought. Now I¡¯m definitely sure she realized something important. Although, I don¡¯t have much of an opportunity to ask her about it right now since Casey¡¯s walking with us, chatting with Noah. Of course, I could just go to her and whisper the question to her ear, but I doubt she¡¯ll actually notice my presence.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask later.¡± I muttered to myself.

    ¡°See you guys later! And thanks for the help!¡± Casey waved her petite hands as we went inside our classroom which was slowly filling up with students.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s an interesting character.¡± I said to May who was giving Casey a wave of her own.

    ¡°Did you jot down all the information we had so far in your phone?¡± she asked, right before I could take a seat.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Can I see it?¡±

    I took out my phone, and after filling up the password I recently changed, I handed it over to May.

    ¡°Can I hold on to this for a while? I need to do some brainstorming.¡±

    At first, I felt reluctant by habit. But it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t trust her enough to lend her my phone. And as far as I¡¯ve known her, she never shared any information regarding my visions to anyone, she even went out of her way to avoid mentioning it to Glenn. I¡¯m starting to think I should trust her more.

    ¡°Just, don¡¯t let the teacher take it.¡± I replied as I gave her my phone, ¡°Did you realize something important?¡±

    ¡°Kind of. I still need to think about it, as well as our course of action. I¡¯ll tell you guys what I came up with after school.¡± Putting my phone on her skirt pocket, she began walking to her seat. But before she took her seat, she paused and glanced back at me.

    ¡°Could you mark the areas with vending machines on the school map of yours? Show it to me after class.¡±

    Vending machines?

    ¡°Right, got it.¡±

    I took out the map Noah made earlier and began circling the places around the school where vending machines are installed, with a bit of help from Noah. As we finished marking all the places, I began to notice something significant.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Noah asked.

    I let out a small chuckle.

    ¡°We almost screwed up.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll be having a short quiz, so make sure to keep what we¡¯ve discussed during our lesson in mind. Alright, that¡¯s all. Class is dismissed.¡± Our final teacher of the day said before walking out of the classroom with his belongings in hand.

    ¡°Group one is on cleaning duty today, you guys better not bail out.¡± Our class representative reminded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± May said, wearing her bag.

    Noah and I nodded in response.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the map with the vending machines marked.¡± I handed the sketch over to May as we navigated through the student filled corridors.

    ¡°You look like you found something important.¡± She smiled as she took it.

    ¡°Honestly, would it hurt you to mention it earlier?¡± I replied, rubbing my neck.

    ¡°Hey guys, can I get in on whatever you¡¯re talking about? We¡¯re like, talking in different languages here.¡± Noah said, scratching his head.

    ¡°She might not die where we expected.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± May added, ¡°There was an important factor that we haven¡¯t considered. And that is, Casey herself. Casey talked about that royal rabbit thing like she was a big fan of it. She even mentioned that she has a secret spot where she could buy the drink without worrying about it being sold out. In our school, policy dictates that you could only buy canned drinks with vending machines to avoid destructive littering. The secret spot she¡¯s talking about must be near one of the vending machines scattered around the school.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where she¡¯ll die.¡± I said.

    May continued, ¡°Fortunately for us, her secret wasn¡¯t much of a riddle at all. There are only three spots in this school where a vending machine is installed. Two at the canteen, one near the courtyard and, most likely to be Casey¡¯s secret spot, the one near the greenhouse since few students often walk around that area.¡± May said as we got down the last flight of stairs, ¡°We¡¯ll still need to keep an eye on that washing area though since it¡¯s still one of the most suggestive spots, not to mention that one of the vending machines is placed near that area. That means we¡¯ll have to split up.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, is it okay for you to be missing out on your part time job? I mean, your shift usually starts right after school.¡± I asked Noah, who looked quite surprised at what I had just asked.

    ¡°Um¡­ yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about that...¡± He said, scratching the back of his head as he looked away with a nervous smile.

    ¡°Something happened?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ kind of. We kind of had a¡­ um¡­ what do you call this¡­? Something like a¡­ mutual termination of contract¡­ ¡±

    ¡°You got fired?¡±

    Now that he mention¡¯s it, I¡¯ve never heard him talk about his part time job since the first week of class.

    ¡°It was a mutual termination of contract, ¡®Kay? A mutual termination of contract.¡± He insisted.

    ¡°Well, whatever float¡¯s your boat. At least you¡¯ll be able to help us because of it.¡±

    Arriving at the courtyard, May paused and looked around the area.

    ¡°If I¡¯m correct, a few minutes form now Casey¡¯s will leave the orchestra club room to buy a drink from the vending machine near the greenhouse. Before that, you, Damis, must be positioned around the area and wait for Casey¡¯s assailant to appear. Noah will wait here, near the washing area, just in case.¡± May said before walking back inside the school building.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked May, stopping in her tracks.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try get the student council¡¯s sergeant of arms and bring them to the greenhouse. And Noah, if anything happens, give Damis a call.¡± She continued her way inside the entrance.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± He replied, ¡°I guess this is it.¡± Noah reached out his hand towards me.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I began walking, on my way to the school¡¯s greenhouse.

    ¡°Dude, be careful!¡± he shouted as I kept walking away.

    Heh.

    Man¡­

    ¡°¡­ Should I be really doing this?¡± I muttered to myself as my nervousness grew to be unbearable. I¡¯m walking towards the scene of an impending crime, hoping to put a stop to a killer.

    A killer.

    I¡¯m going to be against a killer.

    ¡­

    Gulp.

    Snap out of it.

    All you have to do is show yourself to the killer saying ¡°Aha! Gotcha!¡± then May and the student council will take care of the rest.

    It¡¯s as simple as that.

    Easy.

    ¡­

    I went inside the second school building on my way to the greenhouse. This building in our school consists of two stories of different utility rooms for the students, such as laboratories, computer rooms, and others. It¡¯s roughly the same size as our main school building, if not a bit smaller. On the end of the quiet corridor I¡¯m walking through right now is the greenhouse, maintained by the school director himself. It¡¯s as old as the school, and holds many kinds of flora, some of which were imported from other countries. Even since we had our tour inside of it during biology class in my second year, I¡¯ve always found it to be such a relaxing place to be in. It¡¯s soothing. Calming. Comforting. I repeat these words in my head as I fought the tension building up inside of me as I got nearer and nearer. I bet even Noah¡¯s feeling anxious about taking on Casey¡¯s killer. Without warning, I felt something bump into me from the right.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ ouch.¡± She said.

    ¡°Uh, sorry, my bad.¡± I apologized before realizing that the one I bumped into was none other than Casey, who looked as though she walked into me as she gone down the flight of stairs to my right.

    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t¡­ Da¡­ Daniel!¡± she said with a sweet smile.

    ¡°Damis.¡± I clarified.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you or anything¡­¡± she apologized, bowing her head, ¡°Hey, as an apology, how about I buy both of us a drink?¡± she looked at me, regaining her smile.

    She may be smiling as she¡¯s saying that to me now, but little does she know that this trip to the vending machine will end up getting her killed. Although I could lie to her and say that the vending machine she¡¯s going to is currently out of order, avoiding her death and everything that will happen altogether. But, since her death will be caused by the actions of another person, that method will be unreliable. Unless we had some other way to catch her assassin. Right now, catching him red handed will be our best bet.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I¡¯ll take you up on your offer.¡± I replied, with a smile of my own.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to buy a drink in my secret spot I told you guys about earlier.¡± She said in a cheerful tone as we walked towards the greenhouse.

    ¡°Eeh¡­ Wow¡­ I can¡¯t wait.¡± I replied, trying to match her pace.

    ¡°Anyway, I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking but, what¡¯re doing here in the second building?¡± hands behind her back, she looked at me with an inquisitive stare.

    Ugh.

    That¡¯s one dangerous question.

    It almost caught me off guard.

    ¡°Well I, err, um¡­ I¡¯m on my way to the greenhouse.¡±

    ¡°For a job?¡±

    ¡°Kind of.¡±

    ¡°Eeh¡­ you guys sure keep yourselves busy,¡±

    I felt something strange as we were walking down the corridor. It was as if someone was watching us, piercing the two of us with its sharp gaze. I looked behind us, only to see that there¡¯s no one there.

    I let out a sigh.

    Stay calm, Damis.

    Let it play out.

    ¡­

    Might as well tell Noah to come here¡ª

    Oh, crap. May has my phone.

    ¡°Oh, after you finished drinking be sure to give me the can¡¯s pulling tab thingy.¡± Casey said as we got near the exit towards the greenhouse, ¡°I¡¯ll need it to get the other keychain.¡±

    Before I managed to walk through the exit, I felt someone grab my left arm with an enormous amount of force, even stronger than how May would grab me. I was forced to turn around as the person behind me pulled my arm towards him, I got a brief glimpse of the person who suddenly lifted me up with some kind of advanced judo maneuver and threw my body backwards.

    Plop.

    Out and down for the count.

    And to my surprise, the one who threw me was a girl.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 7 - The Boy Whos A Step Behind Death Pt. 2

    Dazed, my body ached too much for me to move. But, from a distance, I could hear Casey¡¯s weak scream.

    That girl wasted no time at all.

    I don¡¯t know what reason she may have for her to do such a thing, but I know that she¡¯s serious about getting the job done. I struggled to stand up, but after recovering and getting to my feet, I began sprinting towards Casey and the girl. I saw her on top of Casey, grabbing her neck as she squeezed with all her might, Casey struggled as she clawed her assailants face in hopes of breaking free. Seeing the scene felt like de ja vu.

    The trees shadow, the grass, the position of her body, I¡¯ve seen it all once before. It was like watching a traffic accident, already knowing how it ends.

    ¡°¡­H¡­Help¡­¡± Casey cried.

    Shit.

    Holy shit.

    This is wrong.

    How many people have I seen strangled to death before?

    ¡°S-stop that! Right now,¡± I shouted at her, but she didn¡¯t even budge. As if there¡¯s only one thing on her mind right now, and that¡¯s to squeeze the life out of the girl below her.

    ¡°D¡­Damis¡­¡± Casey groaned as she began to lose her strength.

    Damn it.

    ¡°Why the hell is May taking so long!¡± I screamed as I sprinted towards the two of them and grabbed the girl on top. I lifted her up, but she kept on hitting my face with her elbow causing me to let go of her. After getting her feet back on the ground, she immediately tackled me towards the wall with such momentum that I almost puked again on impact.

    ¡°Stop¡­ Interfering¡­¡± She said as she began choking me with her hands, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ going to let him¡­ be¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ What are you¡­ talking about¡­?¡± I said as I struggled to get her away from me.

    ¡°Damis!¡± Casey began frantically pulling the girl off me.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± the girl screamed as she pushed Casey to the ground and began pulling on her hair, ¡°Why won¡¯t you just disappear!¡±

    I got up and ran towards the girl before locking her by the shoulders from behind to prevent her from getting away. I tried to distance my head away from her as much as I can in case she was going for a head-butt. I began to hear multiple footsteps coming from inside the building. Out the exit came May and two members of the student council. Feeling relief at their arrival, I let out a brief chuckle as I stared at them with an elated expression.

    ¡°Ha¡­ What took you guys so long?¡± I said, still breathing heavily. Suddenly, I felt a sharp, crushing pain on my left arm,

    ¡°Agck!¡± The sudden jolt of pain as she bit me caused me to loosen my grip on the girl, where she retaliated with a swift motion of her right hand. I reflexively crossed my arms in front of me in defence.

    ¡°Oh¡­ dear¡­¡± Casey uttered, covering her mouth with her hand as she looked at me with shock.

    Noticing the girl was holding a small pair of scissors, I felt something warm dripping down my arm. When I looked to see what it was, I felt weak to my knees.

    It was blood.

    My blood.

    ¡°Damis! Are you alright?¡±

    I don¡¯t like seeing my blood.

    ¡°She¡¯s making a run for it, get her!¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    It makes me¡­ feel¡­

    Light¡­ hea¡­ded¡­

    Plop.

    <hr>

    ¡­

    ¡°¡­ My back hurts¡­¡± I groaned as I found myself laying on a bed inside of what looks to be the school infirmary. Not only do I feel my aching back, my shoulder, as well as my arm felt incredibly sore. Well, I did get my body considerably battered up. I glanced at my left arm, discovering that it was covered with bandages.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve came to.¡± Said May, who was sitting on a chair on the left side of the bed, messing around with my phone, ¡°The school nurse patched you up before she went home. She told me to let you rest for a while, and gave me the room key to lock up afterwards.¡±

    ¡°My back hurts¡­ my arm is sore¡­ my throat feels all clogged up¡± I sat up from the bed as I rubbed my face, ¡°What the hell was wrong with that girl?¡± I said with a sigh.

    ¡°The girls name is Kate, a green tie. She¡¯s pretty athletic, been doing judo since middle school.¡±

    Well, that kind of explains how she managed to throw me around like I was some kind of inanimate object.

    She continued, ¡°Apparently, she knew the freshman that Casey recently introduced to her club. To be specific, they were in a relationship.¡±

    An extreme act of jealousy. Kate still had feelings for him and seeing that he was getting all chummy with another girl, it must have instigated her to do something about it. Still, to go to such lengths as to go out and kill her, I don¡¯t think jealousy is the only thing that made her do such a thing. Well, whatever it may be is no longer my business. As far as I¡¯m concerned, we finished our job. We saved Casey¡¯s life.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Casey?¡± I said, looking around the room.

    ¡°She¡¯s currently being held in the student council¡¯s office for questioning.¡±

    ¡°¡­ And Noah?¡±

    ¡°I messaged him everything that had happened, he should be on his way here.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± I positioned myself and got ready to get out of the bed.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be staying in bed for a while longer?¡± May said with unusual concern.

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good¡­¡±

    I think.

    Anyway, I don¡¯t like to lay down on any bed other than the one I have in my room.

    Before walking away from the bed, I looked at May and reached out my hand.

    ¡°My phone, please.¡±

    She let out a short chuckle, before handing the phone over to me.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m surprised that seeing your own blood is enough to make you pass out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never knew.¡± I stretched out my sore arms, ¡°Normally, I¡¯d be okay with it if I say it coming from another person. But, if I were to see some of it squirting out of me, my head gets all blurry.¡±

    ¡°Do you think your visions might have something to do with that? Or is it just something health related?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it is, maybe it isn¡¯t. I¡¯ll just have to avoid seeing it again.¡±

    ¡°I imagine that to be quite the inconvenience.¡±

    ¡°Heh, Tell me about it.¡±

    You can even say my life¡¯s full of them. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always kept a straight face and tried my best to avoid those inconveniences.

    ¡°Damis?¡± May asked in a tone that I found weird.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Why did you save Casey?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    May¡¯s question terrified me.

    She didn¡¯t say it in an intimidating tone, nor did she look at me like she was going to hurt me. That question alone had elicited fear in me.

    A question that I cannot answer is a question that terrifies me.

    Why did you save Casey?

    Why did I save her?

    I saved May because I wanted to know more of about her reasons for stalking me.

    I saved June because the two of us were stuck with each other, and she was a valuable asset in my escape from that warehouse.

    But with Casey, what was the point in saving her?

    ¡°¡­ Because I wanted to offer my help to you.¡± I replied meekly

    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± May laid back on her seat, ¡°you don¡¯t look like the type of person who¡¯d let himself get hurt just because you wanted to help someone. You¡¯ve said it yourself, you always turned a blind eye on people you¡¯ve seen die, and yet you saved Casey, you saved me.¡±

    ¡°I saved you because I wanted to know more about why you were stalking me. About the fact that you talked to Sir Mavene. About why you¡¯re so keen about helping me with my visions.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°Do you feel so in debt to me that you¡¯d risk your life just to do as I say?¡± she said, crossing her arms.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then why save Casey? Why go in harm¡¯s way just to save her life?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is that it?¡± She asked, as if the answer I gave her was disappointing.

    ¡°Back then, I used to save the people I see in my visions. Noah helped me, and we successfully kept a couple of them from harm¡¯s way. I saved them because, it felt like I was the only one who could do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°What changed? Why did you stop saving people?¡±

    The discussion made me reminisce about the people I failed to save. Adam, a friend I had back in middle school. And our teacher, Sir Mavene. They were the people whose deaths affected me more that it should. It made me suffer.

    ¡°Because, it was getting too risky.¡±

    ¡°You became afraid of failure, didn¡¯t you?¡± Hearing what May said, I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her. Once again, she was able to guess something about me, something that I despise.

    ¡°You lost the people you cared about after you¡¯ve failed to save them. Knowing that, it¡¯s easy to figure out why you stopped getting involved with your visions. Failing to save them, even though you were the only one who could do anything about it, the regret you¡¯d feel would be unbearable.¡±

    I instinctively crunched up my fists, as if I was getting ready to punch something.

    Having someone explain to me how I feel felt too uncomfortable.

    She continued, ¡°This also translates to how you approach your studies. Working hard, always giving it the focus it deserves. Doing your best to avoid any semblance of failure.¡±

    ¡­

    Is it wrong?

    Is it wrong for me to avoid getting involved?

    To try to live my life as if these visions never existed?

    May is right, I¡¯m afraid of failing.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been putting all of my effort on to something feasible, that¡¯s why I work hard and study, because it¡¯s the only thing I¡¯ll never, ever, fail in.

    The wound on arm began to sting from me clenching my fist to hard.

    With all these thoughts echoing inside my head, I still couldn¡¯t muster up any retort.

    ¡­

    Suddenly, loud footsteps could be heard from outside the infirmary door. The door opened and behind it was Noah who breathed heavily as he looked all worked up.

    ¡°D¡­Da...¡± he uttered, staring at me with an astonished expression, ¡°Damis!¡± he screamed as he began rushing towards me with open arms before almost tripping over a misplaced chair.

    Another figure emerged out of the open infirmary door, Casey glanced at us looking gloomy as she walked into the room. Although, it looked like she was avoiding our gaze as she paced towards our direction.

    ¡°Dude! Are you alright? What did she do to you? Can you walk? I told you to be careful, didn¡¯t I? Why didn¡¯t you give me a call?¡± I pushed him away as he tried to hug me.

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m fine. I never called you since I didn¡¯t have my phone with me.¡±

    Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to use it anyway.

    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay? You look really messed up right now.¡±

    ¡°It could¡¯ve been worse.¡±

    She could¡¯ve easily dislocated my shoulder or break my arm if she wanted to, so I¡¯m really glad she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Casey uttered, looking down as she stood in front of us, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she apologized as she bowed down.

    ¡°You¡­ you got hurt because of me. I¡¯m sorry!¡± she began sniffling.

    Ugh, I¡¯m really not in the mood to hear someone cry right now. If I do, I might decide to join in as well.

    ¡°This was, by no means, your fault.¡± Said May as she stood up from her chair, ¡°If I¡¯ve gotten there sooner, Damis wouldn¡¯t have had to intervene. Damis,¡± she turned towards me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She bowed to me apologetically.

    What¡¯s with this scene?

    It¡¯s making me feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s my fault too!¡± Noah shouted in sorrow.

    ¡°The hell it is.¡± I told him.

    I let out a brief sigh.

    ¡°What happened, happened. There¡¯s no use in blaming yourselves for something that was bound to happen anyway whether you did something about it or not,¡±

    I¡¯m being real hypocrite right now.

    But I kept talking about it, as if hoping that some of the words I¡¯m saying right now might be able to console them, as well as myself.

    ¡°Stop lamenting on the past, and instead of thinking about what you¡¯ve done, keep in mind what you¡¯ve learned.¡±

    Remember, Damis. Mistakes are lessons we teach ourselves. So, rather than dwell on them with regret, why don¡¯t we just learn from them and never do them again? That would save us a lot more time and energy, don¡¯t you think?

    ¡­

    Noah began sobbing on my shoulder, ¡°There¡¯s really something wrong with you, you sound like an old man.¡±

    ¡°Get off me.¡± I pushed the sniffling Noah away from aching shoulders.

    May began chuckling softly.

    Casey, after wiping off her tears, began giggling herself.

    ¡°I never knew you were capable of saying something so compassionate.¡± Said May.

    I shot her an annoyed look as a response before turning towards Casey.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be laying down on a bed as well? That Kate girl did a number on you too.¡± I said to Casey who was looking at me with a gentle smile.

    ¡°No, I-I¡¯m fine.¡± She looked away for a brief moment before looking back at me with her sincere smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Hearing those words made me smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you should¡¯ve said earlier.¡±

    <hr>

    The next day.

    Lunch break.

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± I asked Glenn who placed a document on the table in front of us.

    ¡°A club registration form.¡±

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    Under a paragraph of text was a list to be filled up by the names of the registered club members, as well as the club¡¯s name on the very top. I looked at the list and was surprised to see that there was already a name listed on it with a signature and class number on the right.

    Casey Lore | 3 ¨C B

    ¡°Earlier in class this morning, Casey asked me if the three of you are in a club. Upon finding out that you had none, she suggested for me to create a club for you guys since the four of you comply the minimum number of members needed to form a club.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the two of you were classmates.¡± Noah said to Glenn before writing his name on the document.

    ¡°And what club is this supposed to be?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The club is an extension of the student council. As you know, the student council has 3 main obligations. The first is to keep the peace and order of the school, second is to perform our duties to the best of our abilities, as members of the council and as students of this school, and lastly, to provide assistance to any student who requires it, as long as the request is supported by a valid reason. Now, that last bit is where your club comes into play. The purpose of your club is to assist students or members of the faculty and help them with whatever problems they may have. But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll receive proper compensation for working with the student council, such as extra credit for subjects and a discount on school fees. And we won¡¯t give you all the jobs, just the ones beyond our abilities.¡±, He glanced at May who was staring intently at the document, ¡°Does that sound good, May?¡±

    ¡°What room will we be using?¡± she asked before writing her name on the list.

    It bothered me how they¡¯re taking these turns of events extremely well. Writing their names on the list as if it was to record their class attendance.

    ¡°Lawrence will take you there momentarily.¡±

    Lawrence led the three of us to our clubroom, which I hoped had air conditioning like the student council¡¯s room. Soon, we headed inside the library, making me confused as to why we had to go in there. We arrived at a wooden door at the back of the library.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the room. The trouble maker and her ex yesterday tidied up the whole place as a sanction, although they¡¯ll still get suspended afterwards. ¡°

    Suspended? That girl should¡¯ve been expelled.

    ¡°Anyway, this¡¯ll be your club room from now on.¡± He opened the wooden door, showing us the room laden with shelves and piles of books. The room had one window and was almost as spacious as the student council¡¯s room. Although the number of books that were inside were considerably a lot. There was still enough space to fit a small coffee table, a desk, four chairs and a bench large enough to fit 3 people.

    ¡°Quaint, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lawrence said as he smiled for some reason.

    ¡°This place looks like one of those secret rooms inside a big mansion.¡± Said Noah as he looked around the room, ecstatic.

    ¡°This room is certainly quite, charming.¡± May said, looking around the room as well.

    Well to me, it just looks like any other room in this school. The only difference here is that there¡¯s books everywhere. And I like books. And because the room is practically a part of the library, there¡¯s no need to worry about any noise pollution. Though, it would¡¯ve been perfect if it had air-conditioning, as well as a sofa.

    ¡°Glenn never mentioned this but, your club will function just like any. Meaning you¡¯re free to use this room and do as you please during your free time. Just remember to keep it down, it¡¯s next to the library, after all.¡± Lawrence handed me the document before leaving us, and the room. Just before he walked any further, he paused and looked back at us.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys go and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± uttered by the library woman as she glared at Lawrence. Margo was next to her, staring at him with a curl on her lips.

    Heeding their warning, Lawrence paced closer towards us and continued speaking in a modest voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys go and slack off. You¡¯re basically members of the student council now.¡± With a brief smile and a wink, he continued his way back to the student council¡¯s office.

    Basically, members of the student council, huh?

    I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing.

    I like the extra credit, though.

    ¡°So, what should we name it?¡± Noah asked, making himself comfortable on one of the chairs. May opened the window to let the air in.

    ¡°We¡¯ll name it later.¡± May replied, ¡°We still have to wait for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ah, hey guys.¡± Casey went inside the room, carrying yet another lunchbox in her pouch, ¡°Did you all fill up the registration form yet?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t filled out my name yet.¡± I said, looking at the form once again.

    During this month alone, I almost got engulfed by an explosion, got kidnapped by serial killers, and managed to survive a scrap with a psycho. To be honest, I¡¯m having second thoughts about continuing this way of life. I¡¯m not built for this, I think to myself as I stare at the bandage over my arm.

    So do you trust in me to do something about your visions, or will you give up on it halfway?

    May¡¯s question rang in my head.

    Should I keep on doing this? Is the deal worth it?

    Can she actually do anything about my visions?

    ¡­

    I contemplated, but nonetheless reached an acceptable conclusion.

    Maybe it¡¯s too soon to jump into conclusions, it¡¯s only been a few weeks since all of this started after all. And it seems like she already had some progress concerning the deal with made. She already found a person online who has similar abilities as I do. At least, it seems like he does.

    And I already told May a lot of information regarding my visions, so I can¡¯t really ignore her now.

    So I¡¯ll wait.

    Until I get results, until I get satisfied, I¡¯ll play along.

    Because if she somehow plays an important role in getting rid of these visions, then it¡¯s worth trying out.

    ¡°How about we name it, the helper¡¯s club?¡± Noah suggested, ¡°Or service club? Or even the school¡¯s quick response team? That last one sounds so badass.¡±

    ¡°Before that,¡± said May, turning towards Casey, ¡°Are you sure about this? I know you¡¯re doing this out of gratitude but, you don¡¯t have to join us.¡±

    She gently shook her head, ¡°I owe you guys a lot. What you did for me is more than enough reason for me to do this.¡± She briefly glanced at the bandages covering my arm, ¡°I really want to help you guys,¡± She tilted her head downwards, ¡°A-and if my help is not needed then¡­ I¡¯ll just do this for myself.¡±

    I took out my pen and began writing on the document, ¡°We never said your help wasn¡¯t needed.¡±

    Upon hearing my words, she raised her head.

    I continued, ¡°And I kind of understand where you¡¯re coming from so¡­¡± I put my pen down as I turned towards her, ¡°Welcome to the club, I guess¡­¡± she looked at me with a gentle smile, her eyes shimmered and her smile grew even brighter. The way her face lit up somehow reminded me of June. Casey nodded and continued her way inside the room, placing her lunchbox in the middle of the small coffee table before taking a seat at one of the vacant chairs. I turned my attention back to the document in my hands before finishing it up and placing it on the small table for everyone to see.

    ¡°Hm, simple yet fitting. I like it.¡± May said after reading the name of the club.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, I guess. But the one¡¯s I thought of weren¡¯t as boring.¡± Noah muttered.

    ¡°They sucked.¡± I rebated, taking a seat at one of the empty chairs.

    ¡°Come on, they weren¡¯t that bad, right May?¡±

    ¡°They were.¡± May added, ¡°But I have to say, the one you came up with is quite longer than I expected.¡±

    Casey gently shook her head, ¡°I think it¡¯s perfect.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s decided then.¡± I concluded.

    S.C.A.O.

    The Student Council¡¯s Assistance Office.

    Chapter End

 Chapter 8 - Old Friends, New Enemies

    A week has passed since the formation of our club. During that time, our club activities remained stagnant. By that, I mean no one dropped by our clubroom in need of assistance. Seriously, nobody. Thinking about it again, I¡¯m sure the rumors about the recent incident that involved 4 higschool students and a group of criminals might¡¯ve something to do with it. Not to mention the fact that one of those 4 students was someone who had initially dropped by to make a request. With that said, it¡¯s easy to think why no student decided to visit the clubroom.

    But it¡¯s not as if no one else decided to visit our book cluttered room. Margo occasionally visits the clubroom to take some books out to the shelves, Lawrence also occasionally checks our club¡¯s activities and overall attendance. Eventually, probably due to boredom, May began laying on the scattered books around the room whilst reading a book about ¡°Economic Stability in a Changing World¡±. To put that in perspective, it¡¯s the first time I ever saw her hold a book and read it. Even though she was doing so in a manner that I could only describe as unusual. She read it beginning from the last page. I couldn¡¯t even remind her about our deal without her hissing at me. Noah on the other hand seemed to forget about the club all together, not even bothering to visit the clubroom after school. Well, he did tell me he¡¯s planning on getting another part time job soon. So, it¡¯s either he¡¯s looking for job openings, or hanging out with the girls in class. Probably the latter.

    Although Casey, already being a member of the orchestra club, managed to keep a perfect attendance. Even bothering to bring snacks every time she entered the room. Both her and May seem to hit it off pretty well, even referring to her as ¡°May-ple¡± in every recent conversation they had. Unusually enough, May never really seemed bothered by it, unlike the time when I decided to call her by that nickname on one occasion. I¡¯ll just say I learned my lesson.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    The girl behind gave me a nudge as I stared in front of the vending machine in the school courtyard, holding an un-opened can of cold lemon tea.

    ¡°Uh¡ªerm, go ahead...¡± I replied, giving her way to the machine as I began to walk away from the area.

    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you the guy that got kidnapped a week ago? With that other girl?¡± she asked, causing me to halt in the process.

    ¡°I¡­ may not be the person you¡¯re talking about.¡± Dismissing her inquiry, I continued to walk.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡± she uttered before letting out a soft chuckle, ¡°So, what happened to that girl?¡±

    Ugh.

    What a persistent one.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I said, picking up my pace.

    June.

    I wonder how she¡¯s doing this past few days.

    Is she attending another school?

    Probably.

    I like that about you¡­

    Seriously, what a way to say goodbye.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m still talking to you.¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice grew colder, causing me to stop as if I froze still.

    What¡¯s more, her voice sounded really familiar.

    Terrifyingly familiar.

    It almost made me reluctant to turn back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not planning on doing anything like the last time.¡± she said, ¡°I just wanted to say sorry.¡±

    I stared at her, standing still, not moving an inch. I never really had the chance to get a good look at her during our first encounter (mostly because I was busy trying to fight for my life), but looking at her now, I could see she¡¯s a bit tall for a green tie, being almost as tall as Casey. Other than that one, minute detail, I can¡¯t deny seeing her in school grounds was anything less than unpleasant. It¡¯s like feeling a headache coming back even though you¡¯ve already drank some medicine to get rid of it.

    Honestly.

    What an unpleasant surprise.

    ¡°¡­ How¡¯d you get back to school so soon?¡± I asked, instinctively clenching my fist. My wounds may already have healed but I still haven¡¯t gone over what she did to me a week ago. Damn psychopath.

    ¡°My parents talked it over with the director.¡± Kate said, her attention still on the vending machine in front of her, ¡°My suspension supposed to last 3 weeks, but they managed to get it down to one.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    How the hell did they manage to do that?

    ¡°They¡¯re both lawyers.¡±

    Well, ain¡¯t that convenient.

    ¡°Then, how about the other guy?¡±

    ¡°Oh, him? He left school.¡± Her drink fizzed as she pulled off the tab with incredible force.

    I felt the urge to ask about what happened to him afterwards but, prying was something I didn¡¯t want to do. Reliving bad memories was something I tried to avoid while talking to her. Didn¡¯t want her to go on a rampage again.

    ¡°Here.¡± She tossed me another drink, a Royal Rabbit, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before, wasn¡¯t thinking right back then.¡± She continued, ¡°Tell your girlfriend I¡¯m sorry.¡± She began walking away, taking a sip from her drink as she paced. I felt the need to make a clarification about Casey being my girlfriend, but something else caught my attention.

    ¡°Hold on. If you really regret what you¡¯ve done, why¡¯d you come back?¡±

    What she did back then was by no means a small prank that can be brushed off easily. People got hurt. Specifically, me. If she really felt remorse for what she did, she wouldn¡¯t have the guts to go to school and see our faces.

    ¡°I have something I needed to take care of.¡±

    ¡­

    As she walked away, I stared at the orange can once again.

    It was cold.

    ¡°Casey would enjoy this more than I will.¡± I told myself as I walked towards the main building. I drank up all my lemon tea in one go before tossing it in a nearby trashcan. Before going through the entrance, I decided to make a quick detour towards the nearest wash area where I splashed my face with cold water, rubbing it dry with my handkerchief as the faucet kept running. Before long, my phone rang. A message waiting to be read.

    I have a feeling this day will be a busy one

    <hr>

    On my way to the clubroom, I passed through the library¡¯s entrance where I noticed Margo eyes fixated on me as she sat behind the librarian¡¯s desk, staring at me with unusual intent.

    ¡°You look oddly pale¡­ like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,¡± she said with a tad of confusion and concern,¡± And your hair¡¯s a bit damp too¡­¡±

    ¡°A monster¡¯s more accurate.¡± I muttered as I wiped my wet hair with a handkerchief.

    ¡°What?¡± she uttered as I passed through some of the bookshelves in the library.

    The muffled sounds of a lively conversation emanated through the clubroom door.

    Do we have a client right now?

    May told me through a text that ¡°somebody¡¯s waiting in our room¡± so that¡¯s probably it.

    Without any delay, I reached the clubroom door. Hanging on the front of it was a hand-written placard bearing the initials of the club¡¯s name which swung along as I pushed the door open. On the inside was all the other club members, Noah was sitting behind the desk, his head resting on the crossed arms on top of his desk as he glanced at my direction, a smile popping out of his face. May was just where I left her, laying atop a bunch of stacked books on the side of the room, for some reason staring blankly at the ceiling instead of playing with her phone. Casey sat on one of the chairs in front of the client who was sitting on the small bench, having a conversation with him as she shared some of the contents inside her lunchbox. Well, whatever was left of it anyway.

    ¡­

    Hold on a minute.

    I think I left Casey¡¯s drink back at the courtyard.

    ¡°Hey Damis, look who decided to drop by,¡± Noah said with a mischievous smirk as he pointed at our client.

    ¡°Damis?¡± the boy said as he clumsily stood up from his seat, ¡°He¡­ he he he¡­ I never thought we¡¯d see each other again in a place such as this¡­¡±

    I could already tell just by the sound of his voice that this guy is someone I knew from a while back. Someone I shared some of my time with but never really enjoyed the company.

    After letting out a couple more unnerving chuckles he gradually turned his head towards me.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡± He looked at me in a menacingly awkward way, more awkward than menacing, really. It was enough to make me wince. Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time I saw that same look on his face.

    ¡°What do you want Eugene?¡± I said, walking over to an open seat next to Casey. His eyes still fixated on me.

    ¡°Eugene?¡± Casey¡¯s wide eyes drifted towards me as I took my seat.

    He let out another annoying chuckle.

    ¡°He he he¡­ I never thought I¡¯d see you and me in the same room again. Reminds me of the time when we were in Biology class. Back then we were engaged in a battle of wits as we tried to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really remember anything of what you¡¯re saying right now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Argh! Would it kill you to just play along for once?¡± he palmed his face as he nagged.

    ¡°Actually, I think it would¡ª¡±

    ¡°And didn¡¯t I tell you not to call me by that name? It¡¯s Gene, got it?¡±

    Ignoring his minor outburst, I picked up a random book from where May was laying and proceeded to flip through the pages, trying to find something to occupy myself.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect much from Damis.¡± Noah said, letting out a playful chuckle.

    Hearing him say that made me grunt in response, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°So you guys do know each other,¡± Said Casey as she tidied up her empty lunchbox and removed it from the table, ¡°Gene and Noah have been talking about you earlier¡ª¡°

    ¡°Let me guess, was it about how I¡¯m Eugene¡¯s self-proclaimed ¡®rival¡¯?¡± Closing the book, I placed it back to where I took it and laid back on my seat,¡± You see, this spectacled guy right here has been going on and on about how I¡¯m supposed to be his competitor or something ever since we were freshmen in the same class.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Casey, ¡°He told me how you guys used to compete with each other in class. I never knew the two of you were such good friends¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop Stop Stop. Hold it right there, I never said we were friends.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s pretty harsh dude.¡± Noah¡¯s voice echoed from the back, ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys used to compare your quiz and exam results with each other? Man, you guys were real assholes back then, comparing your scores with mine always ended up making me feel really stupid.¡±

    ¡°That was your own damn fault for not studying. And the ones comparing scores was the two of you. Eugene would just grab my paper out of nowhere and compare it with his. But, maybe if he was less annoying, then I might¡¯ve¡­ You know what? Never mind. I just can¡¯t see it happening.¡±

    ¡°W-well¡­¡± Eugene uttered weakly as he sat back down on his seat, his head tilted downwards as he clenched his hands, ¡°I s-see y-you¡¯ve still got t-that¡­ sharp tongue of y-yours¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Casey asked with concern as she tried to look at Eugene¡¯s face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he had one year to get used to it.¡±

    Eugene raised his head, his face bearing an uneasy smile as he held his chest,¡± S-sorry¡­ I haven¡¯t heard someone t-talk to me like that in a while s-so¡­ I didn¡¯t get the chance to prepare my heart¡­¡±

    A brief silence filled the room as we continued to stare at each other.

    ¡°Seriously though, are you okay?¡± Noah broke the silence.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something, Damis?¡± May suddenly asked, catching me by surprise. It¡¯s the first time I heard her say something ever since I came back from the courtyard earlier. I almost forgot she was even here.

    ¡°And by something, do you mean ¡®You¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely,¡± she sat back up in a way similar to a zombie from a movie I saw a while back, she even groaned like one, ¡°I don¡¯t think your friend decided to pay us a visit just so he could reminisce about the past.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I forgot to ask him about that, sorry May-ple¡­¡± Said Casey.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d like it if you¡¯d refrain from calling me with such a name.¡± May replied.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I guess it¡¯s my fault for suddenly giving you a nickname like that without asking you first¡­ I¡¯ll stop now¡­¡± Casey replied, looking a bit down.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± she let out a sigh, as if bracing herself before surrendering to fate, ¡°I guess you can call me that from time to time.¡±

    Casey turned to her with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I thought you hated it¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it,¡± May insisted, ¡°Actually, I¡¯d say it¡¯s kind of¡­ endearing.¡±

    Noah let out a sudden chuckle, ¡°So, does this make ¡®May-ple¡¯ her official nickname?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be happier if you call me by my given name, Noah.¡± May replied.

    ¡°So, you do hate it¡­¡± Casey said wearily.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean¡ª¡± May clarified hastily.

    ¡°Aaanyway,¡± I intervened, attempting to change the subject, ¡°Why¡¯d you even decide to come here, Eugene?¡±

    ¡°I thought I already told you to¡ª¡± before he continued, he let out a brief sigh. ¡°Actually, I came here wanting to make a small request.¡±

    ¡°Go on¡­¡± May said, sitting on the other chair next to mine.

    ¡°This is about something that happened to me yesterday, about 4 in the afternoon. So, I was alone in my classroom, room 3 ¨C B, where I decided worked on my Math homework before going home,¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ You even share the same habits as Damis. Are you sure you guys aren¡¯t associates to some degree?¡± May glanced at him with an inquisitive stare.

    ¡°I thought we¡¯re already done with that topic.¡± I replied, ¡°And doing homework at school isn¡¯t as uncommon as you think. Some of us prefer to finish those activities before coming home and spend the rest of our alone time liberated from the suffocating binds of the educational system.¡±

    ¡°¡­ That last part was pretty poetic.¡± Eugene commented, looking quite impressed.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Casey added, her expression similar, ¡°Do you like write, Damis?¡±

    ¡°Well, not really¡­¡±

    I could feel May¡¯s mischievous grin beaming next to me, ¡°Actually¡ª ¡°

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡± I said sternly, preventing May from further adding anything to the conversation. I heard Noah¡¯s faint laughter at the back, perhaps finding our meagre exchange of dialogue to be somewhat entertaining.

    He continued, ¡°So, as I was working on my homework, I noticed something really strange with one of the questions,¡±

    ¡°Was it from Sir Mavene?¡± Noah briefly intervened,¡± I¡¯ve had a few problems with his homework before.¡±

    I can relate to that. Even I had problems with Sir Mavene¡¯s math homework before, mostly because they were so damn hard.

    ¡°Yep. Anyway, one of the questions he gave was really advanced compared to the other ones so I went to the faculty room across the hall to ask for some clarifications. Then when I came back, it happened. My notebook disappeared.¡±

    May, Casey and Noah remained silent as they kept their eyes on Eugene.

    ¡°I searched my bag and my desk but it wasn¡¯t there. I thought that I might¡¯ve just left it back at the faculty room so I went back and searched for it. I even asked some of the teachers but I never found it there. Then, when I came back to the classroom, this part might surprise you as much as it surprised me; my notebook was back on top of my desk as if nothing had ever happened.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°So¡­ what do you want us to do?¡± Casey said, once again bringing the conversation to a start.

    ¡°I just want you guys to find out how it happened. It¡¯s been on my mind since yesterday and I just can¡¯t figure out how it all happened. I mean, isn¡¯t it mysterious? One time my notebook was on my desk, and the next thing you know it¡¯s gone, disappeared without a trace. Then when I came back, it was right on my desk again. How does that even happen?¡± Eugene said, glancing at all of our faces.

    ¡°¡­ Could you guys be a bit more impressed?¡± He said, letting out a nervous laugh.

    ¡°It is pretty mysterious¡­¡± Casey commented.

    I let out a brief sigh, ¡°I think you¡¯re confused about something here. We help students solve the problems they can¡¯t solve themselves. And so far, you¡¯ve told us nothing that could be considered as problematic.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene uttered weakly, squinting as he scratched the back of his head, ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ it¡¯s kind of bothering me for a while now so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Still not a problem.¡±

    ¡°What if I say it¡¯s been affecting my performance at school?¡±

    ¡°How can that even affect your performance? Your notebook came back.¡±

    ¡°I-it creeped me out, okay? I just want to know how it all happened so I can go back and do my homework without worrying about how my stuff will get transported to the 4<sup>th</sup> dimension and back to my desk.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you saw something vanish without a trace, then return as if it had never left in the first place?¡± May said, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Yeah, that sums it all up.¡±

    He suddenly let out a chuckle, ¡°Get it? Sum? Math homework? Eh? Eh?¡±

    Noah began laughing at the pun, ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ oh¡­ It¡¯s so bad but I can¡¯t stop laughing¡­ ha ha ha¡±

    Casey covered her mouth as she began giggling on her own, probably after hearing Noah¡¯s overpowering, hyena-like laughter.

    ¡°I still see no reason why we should even help you.¡± I said as their laughter began to cease.

    ¡°Aw come on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± May uttered as she stood up, ¡°I accept your request.¡±

    ¡°R-really!?¡± he retorted, ecstatic.

    ¡°Hold it right there, did I miss something here?¡± I said, once again perplexed by her sudden eagerness, ¡°Why¡¯d you accept his request?¡±

    I thought for sure this job would the last thing she¡¯d consider accepting.

    ¡°I have no choice¡­¡± May said feebly as she looked down.

    What¡¯s up with this sudden dramatic tension?

    ¡°I¡¯m at my limit and I might LOSE IT if we don¡¯t get to do something today.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is it really that bad?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°YES.¡± She said, glaring at me with her piercing red eyes.

    Well, I¡¯m also starting to get sick of being inside this room doing nothing.

    ¡­

    No,

    That won¡¯t do.

    She may have had the pleasure of calling the shots during the last few times but I won¡¯t let her do as she pleases anymore. I¡¯ve been through enough crap to know that when May gets all worked up, chaos ensues.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this job is pointless.¡± I declared firmly.

    ¡°Tsk.¡± She uttered in spite as she looked away.

    ¡°Are you guys alright?¡± Eugene asked in an anxious tone.

    ¡°Can I suggest something?¡± Noah said, raising his hand, ¡°How about we make a vote? All four of us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Casey cheered, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Well, that seems fair.

    After taking a brief glance at each other, May and I nodded in agreement.

    Noah stood up from his seat behind the desk, ¡°Okay. All who are in favour of accepting Gene¡¯s request, PUT YOUR HAND UP!¡±

    May shot me a haughty grin as she raised her right hand.

    With both of my hands still on my lap, I let out a brief sigh.

    3 to 1.

    Noah, that damn traitor.

    I was sure he¡¯d be against it too.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s decided then.¡± May declared triumphantly, ¡°We¡¯ll all met up at Gene¡¯s classroom after class.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Eugene said with joined hands, joyfully expressing his gratitude to the arrogant girl to my right, ¡°I¡¯m in your debt!¡±

    With the school bell ringing and my cumbersome reluctance in tow, we headed back to our classrooms.

    Well, at least this job won¡¯t involve any kidnappers or bloodthirsty maniacs.

    ¡­

    Hopefully.

    <hr>

    Classes for the day were dismissed. I threw my things back in my bag and got ready to meet up with Eugene with the others. I glanced at May¡¯s seat and noticed she was already gone, she¡¯s probably on the way there by now. Talk about impatient¡­

    ¡°Hey,¡± Noah tapped the back of my shoulder, ¡°As much as I really wanted to go with you guys, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to that today¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re bailing on us?¡± I said as I stood up from my seat,¡± You¡¯re the reason why we¡¯re doing this in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you didn¡¯t raise your hand up earlier I would¡¯ve been on my way home right now.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, Dude. I just can¡¯t right now. Something REALLY important came up.¡±

    ¡°Does this ¡®something¡¯ involve that girl waiting by the door?¡±

    Noah looked towards the door where a classmate of ours was waiting.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡± He bowed his head, like a kid preparing himself to get scolded.

    Why is he acting so guilty?

    ¡°I thought you were looking for another part time job.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Not really.

    ¡°I am, but, Shay and I both hit it off pretty well and, now, she¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±

    Shay¡¯s the name of one of the girls who came with us to the amusement park a while back. She¡¯s the same girl that borrowed Noah¡¯s pen that one time.

    ¡°Wow, you never fail to impress me.¡±

    I could say the same for Shay.

    ¡°I know right?¡± he said with confident smile, "I even surprise myself, teehee~¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can just go on a date while we do all the work.¡±

    ¡°Aw, come on dude. It¡¯s not even going to be a full-on date, I just wanted her to go with me while I search for some job openings. And do you even NEED me there? How much work will you guys even do?¡±

    ¡­

    Damn, he¡¯s good at making excuses. He¡¯s even better than I am.

    Well, I had to learn it from someone.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Thanks! I love you man!¡± he smiled as he began shaking me by my shoulders.

    Well, at least he¡¯s happy.

    Although being ¡°happy¡± is already like his default setting.

    ¡°Just, make this one work.¡± I moved his hands away from my shoulders.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡¯ worry dude, I have a good feeling about this one.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d better go now, wouldn¡¯t want her to wait.¡±

    ¡°You kind of already made her wait.¡±

    ¡°Sayonara, Damis.¡± He began walking to the door.

    ¡°Goodluck.¡± With my bag on my back, I gave my final retort before walking towards the other door in the front of the classroom.

    As I continued walking to room 3 ¨C B which was in the next room over, I saw May leaning against the open door, her smartphone in hand. As I got closer, she turned towards me and briefly glanced at my direction, before looking straight at me with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°¡­ Where¡¯s Noah?¡±

    ¡°He bailed.¡± I retorted as I peered thought the side of the door, checking if no one other than Eugene and Casey were still inside. I didn¡¯t want anyone to see, let alone have people talk about what we¡¯re about to do in this room later. There were still a few other students inside the room but most of them left as I peeked inside. I noticed a peculiar pair among all of the students going home. One of the pair was carrying two bags, probably belonging to the both of them. Despite having a hard time handling the two bags, the girl, who was wearing a red tie, had a weird smile on her face as she looked at the guy walking in front of her. I described her smile as weird since, other than that curve on her lips, she didn¡¯t look at all too happy. Wait, why is a red tie catching my attention all of the sudden?

    I might still be hung up on what happened during lunch.

    Seriously, I didn¡¯t expect a trip to the vending machine would end up being so terrifying.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± May muttered before going into the room, ¡°But then again, it¡¯s not like we particularly needed his presence for this task anyway.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°You know,¡± I paused before walking further, ¡°If you think about it, even I¡ª¡±

    May shot me an ice-cold glare before I could even finish my sentence.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m joking.¡± I continued.

    That was a lie, of course.

    ¡°Are you okay Damis?¡± Eugene asked as he leaned on his desk, ¡°You look kind of pale¡­¡±

    ¡°Or maybe he just got brighter.¡± Casey said, sitting backwards on a chair next to Eugene.

    Brighter?

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I replied, placing my backpack on top of a vacant desk.

    May stood in front of us, ¡°So, now that we¡¯re all here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Noah?¡± Casey interrupted.

    ¡°He¡¯s got something else to attend to, namely a girl.¡± I replied as I sat down.

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Noah¡¯s still the Casanova, isn¡¯t he?¡± Eugene said.

    ¡°I guess you can call him that.¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± May intervened, ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, could you give us a brief rundown of what happened here during the disappearance? Show us exactly what happened during the event.¡± May said, turning towards Eugene.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m just gonna stimulate my memory for a sec¡­¡±

    All of us stared at Eugene as he tried to remember.

    ¡°Hurry up Eugene, some of us have homework to do.¡± I said, signaling Eugene to get a move on.

    ¡°Geez¡­ give me a minute will you. Having people stare at me so intently is making me feel uncomfortable.¡±

    All of us looked away as we waited for Eugene.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Said Eugene, our stares fixed back on him, ¡°So here I was, doing my homework on my desk,¡± He took out a notebook from his bag and laid it out in front of him, ¡°I worked on it for about half an hour before noticing something wrong with the questions.¡± May held her chin as she stared at him closely. Casey began taking a few quick glances at her, probably taken aback by May¡¯s current expression. Well, that¡¯s to be expected. It¡¯s the first time Casey saw May in deep thought after all. I couldn¡¯t help but grin at the sight.

    Eugene continued, ¡°Then after that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you were the only one left in this room?¡± May intervened without warning, as usual.

    ¡°As far as I can remember, yes.¡±

    ¡°So, all of your classmates already went home that time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ well no, actually. I remember seeing a couple of stuff left in the room. Some of my classmates left their bags and notebooks and a few other stuff, probably planning to go back for them after club activities. Or they could¡¯ve forgotten about them completely¡­ Or they intentionally left them there to make me think about them, and make me more paranoid about what happened¡­ or maybe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Have some of your classmates did something to you that¡¯s similar to this before?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Well, to be completely honest, there was this guy that used to mess with me a lot but things have mellowed out since then. The last time someone pulled a prank on me was back when I was still a red tie¡­ but¡­¡±

    ¡°But?¡± I said.

    ¡°I used to find my stuff next to a trash bin or under someone else¡¯s desk. They don¡¯t usually put back my stuff once they¡¯ve hidden them¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh dear¡­¡± Casey uttered.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Eugene retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through those things!¡± Casey shouted apologetically as she held back her tears.

    Wait, why is she crying?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not really bothered by it anymore. It¡¯s just one of those things that happen.¡± Eugene replied with unusual fortitude.

    I remember when people would steal my books and put stuff in my bag then call me a thief the next morning. I usually mark them absent when I¡¯m in charge of the attendance and switch out their quiz and test papers with ones that I made to make sure they fail every time. In the end, I was never called out for it. One of the benefits of being a straight ¡°A¡± student is having teachers take your side no matter what. It may seem unfair but when it comes to things like that, it¡¯s a convenient perk to have.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through all that. People can be really¡­ malicious sometimes.¡± May added, ¡°Still, are you sure that none of them would consider messing with you again?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene replied meagerly, bowing his head.

    ¡°Y¡¯know, people like that only leave you alone when they find someone else to mess with.¡± I intervened.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ about right, yeah. And it couldn¡¯t have been them since my notebook was on top of my desk when I got back.¡± Said Eugene.

    ¡°And you¡¯re certain the room you entered when you came back was indeed this room?¡± asked May.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure about that. I mean, I recognized the bag on my chair when I got back. Plus, the board had my name on it since I was in charge of homeroom that day.¡±

    Well, that possibility is out the window.

    ¡°¡­ I think someone did take the notebook when you weren¡¯t looking,¡± said Casey leaning towards Eugene, ¡°I mean, that¡¯s the only way it could¡¯ve disappeared, right? That¡¯s just what I think though¡­¡±

    May nodded.

    So, there were other stuff left in the classroom, bags, notebooks, and maybe even textbooks.

    That kind of situation is pretty common and not unusual at all.

    Then maybe it¡¯s possible¡­

    ¡°What if someone did take your notebook, but took it by mistake? And returned it afterwards?¡± I said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eugene asked, curious. May remained dwelling in her thoughts.

    ¡°Oh, I get it!¡± Casey said cheerfully.

    ¡°Do you remember seeing a notebook on top of left most desk in the front row?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really¡­ actually¡­ I think there was. I remember seeing a lone notebook on that desk yesterday.¡± He replied.

    If that¡¯s the case,

    Then it might just be possible.

    ¡°Wait, why¡¯d you think it could¡¯ve been taken by mistake?¡± he said inquiringly.

    ¡°If you stood in the back of the room, you¡¯ll see that your seat is on the last desk to the right of the last row.¡± I said, ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you gone inside the room through the door in the front¡± Casey continued, ¡°The left most seat from here would look like the right most seat from there.¡±

    Eugene scratched his head.

    ¡°A mistake in perspective.¡± I added, ¡°It could¡¯ve went like this: Student A asks Student B to get the notebook from room 3-B, Student B is probably from a different class. Student B asks for directions, Student A tells Student B that the notebook was on top of the last desk to the right.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± he exclaimed as he held his chin, ¡°Then Student B found the room and went through the door in the back, where my desk is the last one on the right. Then, when Student B came back with the notebook, Student A told B that it wasn¡¯t his, so Student B returned in and took the right one.¡± He said with a brief sigh. It was almost as if he felt relieved.

    ¡°Was the notebook on the front row still there when your notebook returned?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really remember, sorry. I was too dumbfounded by what happened that when I came back, I went straight home.¡± He answered.

    Went straight home? Was he really that creeped out about it?

    ¡°Anyway, your theory makes a lot of sense.¡± He continued.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± sad Casey, ¡°That was pretty good detective work, Damis.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Can¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t flattered by all that praise, but, something kept bugging me.

    I turned towards May, ¡°You¡¯re not really convinced, are you May?¡±

    Hearing those words, May snapped out of her trance.

    ¡°Actually, your theory was pretty good.¡± She said, ¡°But, there¡¯s something I want to confirm first.¡±

    May turned towards Eugene.

    ¡°Could you give us the name of the person who used to mess with you before?¡± May asked.

    ¡°¡­ Arvin. Arvin Wiendlyer.¡± He said with a bit of reluctance.

    That¡¯s an unusual surname.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± May said with a smirk that I found equally unusual, ¡°Do you have the notebook with you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right I forgot, I should¡¯ve shown it to you guys.¡± Eugene grabbed a plain, orange notebook from his bag, ¡°Here.¡± He said, passing it to May

    ¡°Have you noticed any changes with the notebook when it came back to your desk? Maybe a piece of paper slipped in between the pages?¡±

    ¡°No, not really.¡± He replied, ¡°Well, to be honest, I never really checked. But, if something were placed in there I would¡¯ve noticed it eventually.¡±

    May opened the notebook and began flipping pages, carefully looking at each one of them. It took her a whole minute before closing it shut.

    ¡°I think I more or less know what happened.¡± May declared, causing Eugene and Casey to look at her with expectant eyes, ¡°Well actually, I already knew the moment I heard his name.¡±

    ¡°You mean Arvin Wiendlyer? You know him?¡± I said inquiringly.

    ¡°Yes, more than I want to admit.¡± She reached for her bag and took out a pencil. Using the pencil, she began shading a page from the notebook.

    ¡°Here.¡± May presented the shaded page to Eugene. His expression quickly changed to that of utter confusion and anger. Feeling curious, I decided to take a peek.

    On the shaded page, the word ¡°Lizardboy¡± all in uppercase letters could be seen.

    I guess that means my theory is out of the window.

    ¡°¡­ Its¡­ really him¡­¡± said Eugene nervously, ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ why would he do this? Why now? After things got better¡­ why?¡± Casey placed her hand on his should as if to comfort him, ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I know about him, it¡¯s that he never let things go that easily.¡± May said.

    ¡°Why does he call you that?¡± I asked before realizing how insensitive that question must¡¯ve sounded, ¡°Never mind, forget I said anything.¡±

    ¡°I had this skin condition a while back when I was a red tie.¡± Eugene said, shaking his head as if trying to get a hold of himself, ¡°The skin on the back of my neck got really dry and eventually it began looking like there were scales on my back. One day he saw that and then, he began calling me names.¡±

    ¡°This was originally written in one of the pages inside the notebook but was later ripped off judging from the leftover paper in the notebook¡¯s spine, leaving only an impression of the word on the next page.¡± May explained.

    ¡°That would explain why the notebook was returned¡­ So that he¡¯d see what he wrote.¡± said Casey.

    ¡°Hold on there for a second, why did he go through all the trouble of writing an insult if he was just going to remove it later?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It just means someone else returned it. And that person removed the page before placing it on the desk.¡± May answered.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then who?¡±

    ¡°I believe you already caught a glimpse of her.¡± she replied.

    What does she mean by that?

    Wait.

    Does she mean THAT¡­?

    ¡°The red tie¡­¡± I muttered, ¡°Then that means¡­ the one he¡¯s messing with¡­¡±

    ¡°Come,¡± said May as she walked towards the doorway, ¡°Let¡¯s pay them a visit.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°May¡¯s really good at this,¡± Casey whispered to my ear, catching me by surprise as the four of us exited the room.

    ¡°She¡¯s really something.¡± I replied.

    Even though I really don¡¯t enjoy saying it, May¡¯s thought process never fails to amaze me.

    It¡¯s as if, every time she encounters a new problem, she steps inside her own world full of possible answers and solutions. And when she steps out of that world and back to us, she already found the answer. And just like what she said to me the first time we talked to each other, the conclusions she always came up with were always correct.

    Ever since our first encounter, she¡¯d never been wrong.

    ¡°He should be at the soccer field right now,¡± Eugene said, ¡°They might be practicing for the upcoming sports meet next month.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you never noticed that girl, Eugene.¡± I said as we continued our way down the stairs of the main building, ¡°I mean, they were in that room a few minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°I never really¡­ I never saw them walk together or anything like that. And, I never really cared about them to be honest¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too cold of you, Mr. Gene.¡± May uttered as we went past the courtyard.

    ¡°Huh?¡± he replied.

    ¡°The girl was merely following Arvin¡¯s orders, yet she was considerate enough to rip that page off your notebook so that you wouldn¡¯t get to see it.¡± May continued, ¡°Why would a young girl like her do something as dangerous as disobeying orders from some bully? I wouldn¡¯t think she would¡¯ve done the same if Arvin tried to mess with Damis.¡±

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I replied.

    ¡°I think that girl likes you, Gene.¡± Casey declared.

    ¡°W-what? How is that? W-why?¡± Eugene said, flustered.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s either that or she¡¯s just really, REALLY nice.¡± I added.

    A whistle could be heard as we got near to the field. Members of the soccer team was sprawled all over when we arrived. All of them were in a formation. It seemed like a practice game was being held. A quick glance at the benches next to us and we saw the girl, sitting alone while holding a towel and a bottle of water.

    ¡°There she is¡­¡± Casey muttered, ¡°So what do we do now? They seem to be occupied.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait.¡± May replied as she sat in one of the benches.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Casey joined her.

    Eugene remained silent as she stared at the girl 2 benches away from us.

    With the blow of a whistle, all of the students in formation began to move, as if a video that has been paused continued to play again. Without much difficulty, I noticed the guy called Arvin among all of the players. He had an unusual air about him, he looked like someone who can be trusted but dangerous at the same time. Someone very difficult to deal with. The game continued. He played well, scoring a few goals by himself. Admittedly, his looks were as good as his skills at playing the game.

    ¡°Look at that guy go,¡± Casey uttered, ¡°Is that Arvin? He¡¯s really good.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± said Eugene, ¡°He¡¯s a real bastard, but no one can deny his skill at this game. He helped the school attain 4 championships ever since he joined the soccer team. Can¡¯t say the same for his academics though¡­¡±

    For all my time in this school, that statement has never been truer. I can group most students in this school into two types. The extracurricular specialists, people who are more focused on sports or things that are unrelated to academics, and the academic achievers, who put more time and effort on doing well in class and getting decent grades. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone that was both good at sports and academics. People will always prioritize the other since each of them compensates the other. If someone sucks at studying, they¡¯ll pour all their effort into extracurricular activities, since that would make them feel adequate. Vice-versa. The only case when a sports freak becomes good at academics is when they get someone else to help them, whether the person likes it or not. And that¡¯s how bullying born from inadequacy comes into play. That¡¯s why becoming the best at both is nothing more than a delusion. A pointless dream. A jack of all trades will always, and surely be, a master of none.

    ¡°Here they come.¡± Eugene said.

    The match seems to have finished. After a brief team huddle they gone and went their separate ways. Arvin never seemed to notice our presence as he went towards the lone girl on the bench, offering him a dry towel and a bottle of water.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± May stood up and began pacing towards the couple. We followed.

    As we got near the guy dripping with sweat finally noticed our presence, glancing wide-eyed at May with a slightly surprised expression.

    ¡°Well look who it is, the scarlet princess graced us with her presence.¡± He said jokingly, ¡°Hello, May. Amy missed you, why¡¯d you never visit anymore?¡±

    Amy?

    May didn¡¯t answer as she took a brief glance at the girl.

    The girl wore a weary expression as she greeted us with a bow.

    ¡°So,¡± he continued, ¡°What made you come near me again?¡±

    ¡°A job.¡± May replied, stoic.

    ¡°Job? Oh right, that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing all this time. A consultant for the student council,¡± he let out a brief chuckle, ¡°What the hell even is that?¡±

    I really don¡¯t like him.

    Just being near him irritates me.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he gestured to the girl, ¡°I¡¯m tired, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    May grabbed his wrist almost immediately.

    ¡°Ow ow ow, what the hell!?¡± he uttered, pulling his wrist off May¡¯s grip.

    May took out the notebook from her bag.

    ¡°I believe you were the one responsible for this?¡± May showed him the shaded page.

    He let out a smirk I found greatly aggravating, ¡°Yeah, I did. It didn¡¯t look like that when I wrote it though.¡±

    ¡°The page has been ripped.¡±

    He glared at the girl behind him who looked away as she gripped the water bottle so hard it nearly burst.

    ¡°Heh,¡± he turned towards May, ¡°What now? I wrote that thing on that notebook to mess with lizardboy over there, so what? You gonna report me to the student council? For a stupid joke like that?¡±

    Eugene remained silent as he avoided eye contact with the perpetrator. See him like that made me come to a realization.

    The reason he was so nervous earlier about the disappearance of his notebook was because he was afraid. Afraid that after all this time, his days of attending school in peace might be ruined once again. And born from that fear was his anxiety.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯ll report you! Right May?¡± Casey declared in a serious tone.

    For some reason, Arvin winked at Casey then made another grin. She recoiled as it caught her by surprise.

    ¡°No.¡± May replied.

    ¡°What?¡± Arvin said.

    ¡°I won¡¯t report you.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± I asked closely to May¡¯s ear, but she never responded. Her eyes looked cold and focused. It was fixated solely on the arrogant man in front of her.

    ¡°But in return, you¡¯ll have to leave that girl alone.¡± She continued.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Arvin held his chin, ¡°¡­ Nope. Not worth it.¡±

    ¡°Then how about¡­ I take her place.¡± May declared.

    Arvin smiled.

    ¡°May! What are you saying?¡± Casey asked, utterly confused.

    ¡°¡­ I made a promise.¡± She replied softly, ¡°I don¡¯t take my promises lightly.¡±

    A promise?

    To who?

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take her place instead.¡± Said a voice behind us. A familiar voice. A voice I heard not too long ago.

    ¡°¡­ Kate!¡± shouted Hannah, the girl behind Arvin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her place, so leave her alone!¡± Kate exclaimed.

    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­ Really¡­¡± The red tie said as she tried her best to smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t want you to do that, I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Hannah! This isn¡¯t right! You shouldn¡¯t let this guy order you around school! Let me help you!¡± Kate shouted, holding her chest, ¡°I made a stupid mistake, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone¡­ I knew this would happened¡­ but still¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kate. It¡¯s really fine¡­ I don¡¯t hate this¡­¡± Hannah continued.

    Saying it¡¯s fine with a smile, even though she¡¯s trying so hard to hold back her tears.

    This just isn¡¯t right. And the fact that Arvin was holding his stomach as he began laugh made it worse.

    ¡°What the fuck is this? Looks like something out of a TV show.¡± He said as he continued to laugh, ¡°But I¡¯m surprised, Kate. I never thought you¡¯d come back to school so early. How long were you suspended again, Katy?¡±

    ¡­

    I just about had enough of this crap.

    ¡°¡­What is this?¡± I uttered, ¡°Are you seriously asking that question?¡±

    Hearing what I said, he glared at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get that all this happened because of you?¡± I continued.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± he intervened, ¡°Who are you again?¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t important, you¡¯ll just forget it immediately. Because that¡¯s just the type of person you are.¡±

    ¡°Okay, WHY THE HELL are you telling me that like you know everything about me?¡± he replied, aggravated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about you, what I said was fuelled by my first impression of you. But y¡¯know what they say, first impressions are important.¡±

    ¡°Oh, god. I¡¯m REALLY tired right now, okay? Just had a game earlier. So, if you guys would be so kind as to leave us alone, then I¡¯ll be on my way home¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not done talking.¡± I replied sternly, ¡°I wasted a lot of time during this job and I have to intention of leaving things unfinished.¡±

    ¡°You, Hannah.¡± I called out to the girl walking with him, ¡°Are you sure about this? Aren¡¯t you making some stupid mistake right now? Or do you just have a sick case of Stockholm syndrome?¡±

    ¡°What are you¡­¡± Kate muttered.

    ¡°Damis¡­¡± said Casey.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t fooling anyone with that messed up smile of yours, so why don¡¯t you just take up Kate¡¯s offer.¡± I continued.

    She paused then said, ¡°I can¡¯t do that¡­¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what¡¯s wrong with you. You have the chance to get away from that pathetic life of yours, but you still won¡¯t try? Do we have to wrench you away from him? Or are that messed up as a person? To be honest, I think you just one hell of a masochist¡ª¡±

    Before I could finish, I was pushed off balance and fell next to the benches in front of us.

    ¡°How¡­ how could you say something like that?¡± said Eugene, looking down on me with disdain.

    ¡°Holy sh¡ª¡± said Arvin, ¡°That¡¯s it, I want none of this right now, things are getting too crazy for my taste. I¡¯m leaving.¡± He took a quick glance at May,¡± See you around, May.¡±

    Arvin waved as he walked away, with Hannah still in tow. After a few steps, he paused and sighed.

    ¡°¡­ Why¡¯re you still following me?¡± he glared at Hannah with piercing eyes.

    With that, she finally stopped following him.

    ¡°Hannah!¡± Kate screamed as she ran towards Hannah.

    ¡°Oh dear, is she alright?¡± Casey followed.

    As Kate reached Hannah, she fell down to her knees.

    Eugene offered his hand to get me up, which I grabbed and got on my feet, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I replied, dusting myself off.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, you can be blunt at times¡­ but¡­ you weren¡¯t like that before¡­ saying something so cruel¡­ it¡¯s like ever since Sir. Nathan died, you changed¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re you going on about,¡± I said, sitting down on the bench, ¡°I was always like this.¡±

    After a moment, Eugene¡¯s serious expression faded into a subtle smile, ¡°If you say so.¡± He sat next to me, ¡°You always liked to speak your mind. That¡¯s something I admire about you.¡±

    He turned towards me, ¡°But, could you tone it down a bit next time? Not everyone¡¯s used to your barrage of bluntness. Especially that girl.¡±

    He continued, ¡°Unlike her, the numerous battles we had in the past has made me abrasive to those sharp words of yours¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Gene.¡± I said, cutting him off before he could say more of that spiel.

    For some reason, after our conversation, he smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­¡± Hannah replied as Kate and Casey propped her up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Kate muttered.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s okay now, there¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡± Casey said.

    ¡°No, I mean¡­ I¡¯m sorry about last time¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright. What happened, happened. No reason to dwell on it. You should apologize to Damis instead. He¡¯s got it worse¡­¡± Casey replied.

    ¡°I already did.¡± Said Kate.

    ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­ You know, Kate?¡± said Casey, ¡°The both of you seem to care a lot for each other.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve know each other for a long time.¡± Hannah replied, ¡°She¡¯s always been my best friend.¡±

    She let out a smile different from the ones she made earlier.

    It was genuine.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Hannah said to May.

    ¡°Um¡­ yeah, thanks for accepting my request.¡± Kate added.

    I think it¡¯s safe to say that this was the thing Kate said she needed to take care of, and she asked May for help.

    I still don¡¯t get why she never told us about it, though.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Arvin isn¡¯t going to let it end like this. He¡¯s just tired so he was being a lot more dismissive.¡± May replied.

    ¡°I think we should really report him to the student council.¡± Casey suggested.

    ¡°Even if we did, we won¡¯t get rid of him that easily. Even if he gets sanctioned, he¡¯ll work his way around it. If he somehow gets expelled, he¡¯ll just get into another school using his family¡¯s connections. Then, he¡¯ll just do the same thing to some other student in some other school.¡± May replied.

    He sounds like a real pain in the ass.

    May continued, ¡°I¡¯d rather he be close by, where I can keep an eye on him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If something else happens, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Kate replied, ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen again.¡±

    After saying their goodbyes, Kate and Hannah walked back to the main school building. Eugene smiled at them as they walked and for some reason, Hannah looked away, flushed.

    I guess she did like him.

    Before they walked any further, Kate paused.

    ¡°You know,¡± said Kate as she glanced at me, ¡°I take back what I said earlier. I¡¯m glad I beat you up.¡±

    With those last words, the two red ties left the field.

    After the ordeal, Eugene stayed back at school to work on some stuff for his club and Casey went to visit the orchestra club as well. Leaving only me and May to walk home together.

    ¡°The way you dealt with the situation earlier was quite unconventional, don¡¯t you think?¡± May said as we walked to the school gate, ¡°Although I have no right to judge you for it.¡±

    Now that I think about it, I¡¯m glad Noah wasn¡¯t with us during all that.

    Things might¡¯ve gotten a lot worse.

    ¡°I just thought that Kate had a plan of her own and that¡¯s why she offered herself to Arvin. I mean, that¡¯s why you did it, right? It¡¯s not like she¡¯s serious about being Arvin¡¯s pet. I just wanted Hannah to realize that.¡±

    And I guess I also wanted to say something to Arvin.

    ¡°Well, that is true. But it could¡¯ve been handled a bit more delicately.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really good with delicacy. Besides, it sounds like too much work.¡±

    She let out a brief chuckle.

    ¡°Just¡­ who is that Arvin guy, anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°¡­ The Wiendlyers have always been old acquaintances of the Frendricks, as well as the Ellaines. We used to play a lot when we were young, Me, Glenn, Arvin, and Amy. But to be frank, I never really enjoyed their company.¡± She explained.

    ¡°He does like calling you princess a lot, doesn¡¯t he? It was starting to annoy the hell out of me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just something he used to call me when we were kids.¡± She replied.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you never told us about Hannah and Kate.¡±

    ¡°Kate approached me and made her request to me personally. I took it as a sign that she didn¡¯t want anyone else knowing about it.¡± Said May, ¡°And I don¡¯t think she had the audacity to ask for assistance from the people she hurt a few days ago. So, I took it upon myself to work on it alone.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡± I replied.

    ¡°That was the plan. But fortunately, another job came up that coincidentally involved the same guy.¡±

    ¡°Listen,¡± May continued, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t involve yourself with any of them, especially Amy. Like Me and Arvin, she also attends this school as a red tie.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in getting myself knees deep in all that crap. As long as they don¡¯t do anything that affects me, or my way of life, I¡¯ll act like they never existed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    That¡¯s right.

    I already got enough stuff to deal with.

    Adding more would just be, torture.

    As May and I parted ways in the intersection, I decided to head on over to the convenience store to buy a light snack before heading to the apartment. I should¡¯ve expected it but, that whole talk with Arvin really wore me out. As I browsed through the food packs on the shelves, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on what happened earlier.

    How could you say something like that?

    I¡¯m glad I beat you up.

    ¡­

    I like that about you.

    June.

    Just¡­ what did she like about me?

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey, your name?¡± said by voice coming from my right.

    I turned to see who was talking and I was surprised to see it was none other than Arvin, who was standing in front of a freezer filled with carbonated drinks. He asked for my name in a somewhat serious voice, it was enough to unnerve me since the way he talked sounded a bit different compared to the way he talked earlier at school.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not mad about it anymore. If anything, I¡¯m too tired to hold a grudge right now.¡± He said, almost jokingly. ¡°So, what should I call you?¡±

    I thought May said that he doesn¡¯t let things go that easily.

    Nevertheless, I had no reason to do otherwise so I decided to tell him my name.

    ¡°Damis.¡±

    He took out an energy drink from the freezer and began staring at it.

    ¡°So, Damis. How long have you known May?¡± he asked as he turned towards me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known her for a couple of weeks.¡±

    He let out a slight chuckle as he puts the drink back on the freezer, before taking out a different one.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known May ever since we were children. But these days, our relationship has become awkwardly cold. It was like one day, she just decided to forget about us.¡± After looking satisfied at the drink in his hands, he closed the freezer¡¯s door and turned towards me.

    Based on what May told me earlier, that ¡°us¡± must¡¯ve meant him and Amy.

    ¡°You know, after what happened earlier, I kind of took a liking to you.¡± He said as he paced towards me. ¡°Not in a ¡®gay¡¯ way, of course.¡± He let out another soft chuckle.

    The way he switches from being serious to being almost ¡°Noah¡± like makes me feel really uncomfortable. It¡¯s like I have no idea what he¡¯s thinking and how to approach him.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some balls to say something like that to somebody like me. I respect that. I could even see the two of us being good friends if things ended up differently.¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t really bet on that.

    He continued, ¡°So, right now, I¡¯m going to offer you some friendly advice.¡±

    He paused before walking past me, ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfy with May.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± I replied.

    ¡°May is the kind of person that puts her own goals above everything.¡± He continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what she does to reach that goal. As long as she accomplishes it, she¡¯ll be satisfied. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s one of the reasons why she distanced herself from us, her old friends, and treated the time we spent together like it was nothing. It¡¯s like she¡¯s living that quote. You know, that famous quote somebody said a long time ago. I can¡¯t really remember it well¡­¡±

    ¡°The ends justify the means?¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s the one.¡± He said as he taps my shoulder.

    Well, depending on how you look at it, that might be a good thing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care if you follow my advice but, you seem interesting, so I hope you¡¯ll keep it in mind. Bye.¡± He began walking behind me, towards the counter of the convenience store.

    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± I asked him before he could walk any further.

    He stopped and turned around, ¡°Do what? Are you talking about what happened earlier?¡± he began scratching his head as if he was wondering about the answer, ¡°I just thought it was fun.¡±

    ¡°It was fun to have her follow you around against her will?¡± I replied.

    ¡°I just wanted to make somebody jealous. I never really planned on using her, but she was the most convenient choice. Plus, she didn¡¯t look half bad.¡±

    Just wanted to try something?

    She was the most convenient choice?

    How can he always say things that make me feel really annoyed?

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be on my way. I really want to drink this right now.¡± He raised the drink on his hand.

    Waving his hand, he continued to walk away from me.

    As the sky dimmed and dusk came, I came out of the convenience store with a plastic bag in my hand. As I walked to my apartment, my conversation with Arvin kept lingering in my head. And as I glanced towards the intersection, I remembered what May said to me earlier.

    You shouldn¡¯t involve yourself with any of them¡­

    CHAPTER END

 Chapter 9 - No Other Option Pt. 1

    I found myself in a precarious situation.

    Frozen still, my breathing gradually became ragged.

    I never thought I¡¯d get dragged into something like this.

    But since I had no choice in the matter, it couldn¡¯t be avoided.

    Taking a deep breath, I braced myself.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel about it, just pass it to me.¡± Said Noah, who was positioned behind me.

    ¡°... Got it.¡± I replied weakly.

    Our P.E. instructor picked out students from our class and the class we shared the subject with, class D, at random to compete in a game of basketball. Unfortunately, I was one of the students who was picked to play. And what¡¯s worse is that the opposing team has 2 players who are part of the school¡¯s basketball team.

    Although, I wouldn¡¯t say the odds were completely against me since I have Noah in my team, and he¡¯s really good at playing the game. He used to be part of the school basketball team back in middle school before he stopped playing in 9<sup>th</sup> grade.

    Our instructor gazed upon us as he held the ball right in the middle of the court. With the signal of a whistle, the ball was tossed upwards, and all of the players in quickly burst into motion.

    The game has begun.

    A member of our team managed to get a hold of the ball, he then began sprinting towards the opposing team¡¯s ring. Noah was already far ahead, raising both of his hands in order to catch the ball that was tossed to him, before throwing it into the ring which was only a meter¡¯s length away from where he was standing.

    We scored a point.

    This time, Noah was the one who gained possession of the ball, he began handling it in a way that was too fast for me to see clearly. I was never interested in the game, so I didn¡¯t care to remember the proper term for what he was doing, but he kept bouncing the ball between his legs, using both of his hands as he kept both of his eyes on the opponent in front of him, as if taunting his opponent to make a move.

    Other than being good at playing the game, Noah also has another trait that according to him, gives him a big advantage at playing the game.

    And that is being ambidextrous.

    Noah¡¯s opponent began reaching for the ball with his left hand, hoping to take it from his grasp. But it seemed that Noah was already expecting this, and dribbled the ball to his left hand before dashing to his side where a team member near the opponents ring raised his hands to catch the ball.

    After our team member gets hold of the ball from Noah, he tosses it inside the ring, scoring us another point.

    The game continued.

    And after minutes of running around, passing balls, the game finally concluded.

    Although the scores were pretty much neck in neck, we managed to win. Thus, securing us an additional point in our grades.

    Feeling exhausted, I sat on one of the benches near the gym¡¯s entrance, where the gentle breeze passing through the door could reach me as I drank some bottled water. The fatigue I¡¯m currently feeling made me consider starting my daily exercise routine again.

    All of the other players began sitting on some of the benches as well. Noah had a big smile on his face as he talked with the other players. They¡¯re probably praising him for how much he scored during the game. Well, being on the same court as him, I can¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t impressed myself. The girls began gathering near the court since they were going to play next. The players were being chosen in the same way as us.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to pass out.¡± Said May, who stated the obvious while leaning on the wall next to the bench. I was too busy thinking about how tired I was to notice her, so hearing her suddenly talk like that was enough to give me a shock.

    ¡°You know, you got to stop sneaking up on me like that.¡± I replied, irritated.

    ¡°It would be better if you refrain from spacing out so often.¡± May said, her arms crossed.

    ¡°The least you could do is tap my shoulder before saying anything.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°¡­ You did? You mean you already tapped my shoulder?¡±

    ¡°Yes, twice.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ do it harder next time. Just, make sure I notice you before you say anything.¡±

    May let out a brief sigh.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be there with the other girls right now? You might get picked to play.¡± I said, stretching my arms since they felt a bit sore.

    ¡°I doubt that. There are significantly more female students than boys in this gym. Therefore, I have a lower risk of getting picked.¡± She said with confidence.

    ¡°You never know, this might be the first time you¡¯ll get something wrong.¡± I said with a smirk.

    She made no reaction with what I just said. It warranted some surprise for me since I expected her to make some snarky comeback. Instead, she just bowed her head and stared onto the ground as if she was trying to read something on the floor.

    ¡°We have another client.¡± She said after the brief pause. She gestured towards a boy who was part of the team we played against, a member of the school¡¯s official basketball team. He was tanned and had short brown hair, with a face that, in contrast to his height, made him look like a middle school student rather than a high schooler. He was gazing intently at the group of girls who were gathered at the side court.

    ¡°Is it the guy staring at the girls?¡±

    ¡°The way you said that seems like you¡¯re implying something.¡± May replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to imply anything. It¡¯s just that having a boy stare so keenly at a group of girls in P.E. attire gives you the impression that he might be a pervert.¡±

    May chuckled as she shook her head once again.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be coming to our clubroom in the afternoon, when classes are dismissed.¡± May said.

    It would¡¯ve been better if I were to spend the rest of the day in leisure, but I guess the odds weren¡¯t in my favour on this one.

    Feeling the need to wash off all of the sweat on my face, I decided to go to the bathroom.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± May said as I stood up from the bench, ¡°I managed to find out where Koma lives.¡±

    What she said made me slightly confused, mostly because I have a vague memory of what she was referring to.

    ¡°Who is Koma again?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s the guy online whom I suspect to have a similar ability to yours.¡±

    ¡°And you got his address?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He lives near Sundridge.¡±

    That¡¯s sounds a bit too convenient to be true.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that he told you his address, what if he was just lying about it?¡±

    ¡°I never asked for his address, I figured it out based on his posts and followers. I tried to gauge the range of his predictions since I have a theory that his predictions occur in a specific distance within his vicinity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just a theory you came up with.¡± I said doubtfully.

    ¡°Then let me ask you a question, have you ever had a vision that happened somewhere really far away from where you were?¡±

    Now that I think about it, almost all of the deaths I¡¯ve seen happened somewhere nearby. Although I do recall having visions which occurred only a few kilometres away from where I was. There was this one instance where me and Noah took a cab to save a person who was about to fall from a bridge. That was the farthest death I¡¯ve seen. I remember it taking us 30 minutes to reach that place. Fortunately, we managed to reach the drunk man in time back then.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t recall anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Then, since you and Koma might have similar abilities, there¡¯s a good chance that he also has a specific geographical range for his predictions.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Now back to where he currently lives. Almost all of the predictions he posted occurred in a nearby town or within the city, not having a distance of more than 15 kilometres from Sundridge. These places can be reached within an hour using a bus, or even faster via a train. And out of all the predictions he made within that range, about 70% of them happened within Sundridge city. He did have a few posts which were set to happen in places farther away, but I noticed something peculiar about those predictions. They weren¡¯t as specific as the ones that occurred near Sundridge.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®weren¡¯t as specific¡¯?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Predictions that were either too vague or had less of an impact.¡± May took out her phone and presented it in front of me. On it was numerous screenshots of Koma¡¯s posts, ¡°Look at his prediction about that accident that almost killed me during the first day of classes,¡±

    The way she said that seemed like she couldn¡¯t care less about the time she almost died before, as if the event was no different from accidentally leaving the faucet running overnight. Other than the prediction she was talking about, I also noticed a recent post he made about some house getting robbed. If his predictions are anything credible, I¡¯d have to make sure that it wasn¡¯t going to be my place that¡¯s mugged.

    She continued, ¡°His prediction was straightforward, saying that ¡®When afternoon comes, a truck will explode in an intersection near a school.¡¯ But then we have something like the one he made during summer vacation.¡±

    She scrolled the screen down to where she can view the screenshots of Koma¡¯s older posts.

    ¡°Here he said that ¡®People will be late for an event near a beach.¡¯ Unlike his prediction about the exploding truck, this event happened in a city roughly 35 kilometres away from here, leading me to believe that he might¡¯ve been somewhere near that location temporarily when he made the prediction. The way he worded the post was vaguer. Even the one he made about the wallaby land Ferris wheel problem was more unambiguous than this one, because he could¡¯ve just said that some ride in wallaby land will encounter a problem. Instead he included not only what ride will encounter the problem, but the fact that the incident will occur on a newly opened Wallaby Land.¡±

    ¡°So all of the predictions that didn¡¯t occur near Sundridge were vaguer than the ones that happened nearby.¡± I took a harder look at the screenshots on May¡¯s phone, ¡°How did you even know where the predictions happened? He didn¡¯t even include the location where the prediction will take place in his posts.¡±

    ¡°I looked for some online news articles and checked some local newspapers about the events that he predicted. I also messaged some of his followers online and asked more about Koma¡¯s predictions. They shared to me their speculations to where he might be living. Most of them pointed to somewhere near Sundridge.¡±

    That sounded like too much effort just to find out where someone probably lives. But knowing May, this sounds like something she would do. I mean, we¡¯re talking about the girl who stalked me for a year.

    After hearing about all of the research she did for the sake of helping me with my visions, I can¡¯t help feel a bit moved by her efforts. I¡¯m beginning to feel guilty for thinking that she was slacking off on our deal.

    ¡°I¡¯m still trying to contact Koma. I want to verify if he indeed lives in this city and convince him to meet with us.¡± May glances towards the girls spreading out on the court and getting ready for the game, ¡°That¡¯s all I can tell you about it right now.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s good for now. Thanks.¡± I replied.

    As the game began, I went on my way to the gym¡¯s bathroom.

    If May keeps it up and somehow persuades Koma into meeting with us, I wonder what will happen.

    Does Koma really have the same abilities as I do?

    ¡­

    I might finally be able to do something about these visions.

    When I reached the bathroom door, I could hear the girls scream and cheer as the first point of the game was scored.

    <hr>

    It was already the dismissal of classes, and I was getting ready to go to the clubroom.

    As I went through the door, I saw Noah and his girlfriend, Shay, leaning on the window as they talked with each other. It was a scene I¡¯m already used to by now but, I noticed Shay having an unusual expression on her face. She looked a bit glum as she conversed with Noah, which was weird since she always had a smile on her face whenever the two of them were together. It made me think of the worse for Noah, because the only time I see one of his girlfriends unhappy is when their relationship is on its last legs.

    Feeling no need to pry, I continued my way to the library.

    ¡°Hey!¡± a voice called out among the students walking in the hallway.

    It sounded familiar.

    I looked in front of me and took my earphones off, I saw Casey sprinting towards me as she waved. She joined me as I walked to the library after school, like it¡¯s the most natural thing to do. I don¡¯t dislike having someone with me while I walk, but I don¡¯t find it enjoyable either. Having someone walk next to me makes me feel pressured to initiate small talk, which is I would like to avoid doing. I contemplated putting my earphones back on, but I didn¡¯t want Casey to think I was ignoring her.

    So I guess there¡¯s only one thing left to do.

    ¡°Have you collected the other keychains yet?¡± I said, putting my earphones back to my pocket.

    ¡°Keychains?¡± she replied, puzzled.

    ¡°You know, that thing with the royal rabbit drink.¡±

    ¡°Oh right, yeah. I got all of them.¡± She took out one of the keychains from her bag to show me, ¡°You want one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    She let out a brief chuckle, ¡°I remember hearing the same thing when I offered you that sandwich before. But now you can¡¯t seem to get your hands off them.¡± She said with a smile.

    ¡°Good food deserves to be eaten, simple as that.¡± I replied.

    Not to mention it¡¯s free.

    ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡±

    Our chatting ceased as we continued to walk. Before I could think about putting on my earphones, Casey began speaking once again.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I caught you walking around school.¡± She said.

    ¡°You say that like you were trying to catch me.¡±

    She let out a playful chuckle, ¡°I guess I was. But don¡¯t get any weird ideas, okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¡°Then you should try your best.¡±

    Another pause enveloped the conversation.

    ¡°I thought you and Noah always walked together.¡± Casey said, once again breaking the silence.

    ¡°Not necessarily. He¡¯s free to do anything he wants. He may be an old friend, but I don¡¯t have a leash on him. And I¡¯m not the type of guy who likes having people stick around me all the time anyway.¡±

    ¡°The two of you have an unusual relationship.¡± She said with a smile, ¡°I kind of envy it a little.¡±

    Casey continued, ¡°What about you and May?¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s been a classmate of mine since the first year of highschool, but it¡¯s only been a month since I began talking to her.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she said in a doubtful tone, ¡°But you two act like you¡¯ve talked to each other for years.¡±

    ¡°I could say the same for the two of you. The both of you have been chummy ever since we¡¯ve met.¡±

    She replied with a giggle, ¡°I really like May, I feel like I¡¯ve even grown to admire her. Ever since I started helping you guys out, I¡¯ve enjoyed talking to her and seeing her solve problems. That¡¯s not to say that I don¡¯t like talking to you guys too, I really enjoy all of your company.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone appreciates what you¡¯re doing as well.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    I failed to notice that we already walked down the stairs. I guess I was getting too engrossed with our conversation.

    ¡°I wonder if someone will visit our clubroom today, it¡¯s been a while since we had a client.¡± Casey broke the silence once again, ¡°I hope Hanna is doing okay¡­¡± Casey said with concern.

    A few days have passed since Eugene made his request, and no one else visited our club room to ask for help. All of us just went to the clubroom and did our own things.

    ¡°Actually, May mentioned that the club has another client today.¡± I replied

    ¡°Really?¡± Casey said, taken aback.

    I don¡¯t blame her for being so surprised, I found it hard to believe myself.

    ¡°¡­You know, Damis,¡± Casey began slowing her pace, ¡°Back then when we confronted that Arvin guy, you were acting kind of¡­ umm¡­¡±

    Casey paused when we reached the entrance to the library. She scratched her head, as if trying to remember something.

    ¡°I have to go back to the classroom, I think I¡¯ve forgotten something. I¡¯ll be back in a sec.¡± She waved goodbye as she began sprinting towards the stairs.

    I continued my way inside the library, passing by Margo, who gave me a brief smile.

    Before I could get near the bookshelves near our clubroom door, my phone began to ring. I received a message from an unknown sender, telling me to go to the student council¡¯s office.

    I contemplated, but ultimately decided to visit the student council¡¯s office before going to our clubroom. After all, it might be something important.

    As I walked to the room, I began wondering about who the sender might be.

    There¡¯s only 3 people who should know my phone number, and only 2 of them are in this school.

    I¡¯ve already saved Noah and May¡¯s phone number, so if the message came from one of them their numbers should¡¯ve been recognized.

    Then again, it¡¯s possible that they borrowed a phone from some else, and used it to send me a message. But with the way the message was constructed, it¡¯s very unlikely.

    So since this person is telling me drop by the student council¡¯s room, it must be one of the members.

    I knocked on the door of the student council¡¯s office. A familiar voice replied, telling me to come inside.

    Opening the door, I saw Glenn sitting on his desk looking at me with a smile. He was the only one in the room.

    ¡°Where are the other council members?¡± I asked, a bit curious.

    ¡°They already left. Some went home, others had their own things to attend to.¡± He gestured towards the sofa, ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who sent me that text?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I just wanted to ask you about the recent activities of the S.C.A.O. Think of it as giving a report about your club activities.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t May be the one in charge of giving a report? She¡¯s the club president after all¡­¡±

    ¡°May can be pretty difficult to deal with, so I decided to contact you.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He does have a point.

    ¡°Okay¡­ So um¡­ Where to I start?¡±

    ¡°Just start wherever you want.¡±

    A lot of stuff happened in the recent month. But as I began to recall all of it, I came to realize that the S.C.A.O only had one client ever since its creation.

    ¡°We only had one client so far. It was Eugene from class 3 - B. He asked us to help him figure out how his notebook disappeared and reappeared out of nowhere. Turns out it was just some misunderstanding.¡±

    I tried to avoid saying anything more about the incident with Arvin. May made the choice to not report him to the student council, and I have no intention of messing with her decision.

    I don¡¯t really like Arvin at all, but reporting him would only result in me getting involved.

    ¡°It was Mr. Wiendlyer¡¯s doing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± said Glenn. What he said caught me by surprise.

    ¡°So May already told you about it.¡±

    ¡°May didn¡¯t tell me, I just guessed. But judging from your reaction, it seems that I¡¯m correct.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Glenn continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on Arvin for a while now, it¡¯s no surprise that I¡¯d know one of the students he messes with.¡±

    So Glenn also has an interest in observing other people for long periods of time.

    Is it a family thing?

    ¡°Anyway, you guys only had one client so far, huh? Well, that¡¯s to be expected since the club only began its operations a few weeks ago. However, I assume May was thrilled over the request Eugene made, she always enjoyed dealing with mysteries like that. She says she likes the challenge.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she was definitely thrilled about it.¡±

    Unfortunately.

    He let out a brief chuckle, ¡°Although the club may not have gotten many clients, it seems as though May still managed to keep you busy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t deny that.¡±

    ¡°Much to your dismay, I presume? I¡¯ve been there myself, swept along with May¡¯s schemes. Oh, this reminds me of the kidnapping incident you got yourselves into. How¡¯ve you been since then?¡±

    This club report is gradually turning into something like a random after school conversation between two good friends.

    Honestly, I¡¯m starting to feel a bit tired.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The only thing that bothered me about the incident was the rumors.¡±

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry if the rumors had gotten slightly out of hand, we tried our best to handle the situation.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it doesn¡¯t really bother me that much anymore.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s great. How are the other members? Are they doing alright?¡±

    This question made me think about Noah¡¯s frequent absences. I¡¯m not sure if I should mention it.

    I¡¯ll just be a good friend and try to cover for him just this once. Then again, I can¡¯t do anything if Glenn decides to check the club¡¯s attendance record.

    ¡°Yeah, the other members are doing alright. No problems there.¡±

    My phone began ringing in my pocket.

    I received another text. The message was sent by May, telling me to come over to the clubroom immediately.

    Since I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to tell him, I decided to head back to the library.

    ¡°I should be heading back to the clubroom now, we have a client today.¡±

    As I got up from the sofa, I realized something about this meeting that I thought was unusual.

    ¡°¡­ Why me?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Come again?¡± Glenn said, puzzled.

    ¡°Why choose me to give a report? You could¡¯ve just asked Casey for one, the two of you are in the same class anyway.¡±

    Was this the only time he had to meet with one of us? Did he choose me because Casey had something else to do? If that¡¯s the case, then how did he know that Casey would want to go back to their classroom when her decision to do so was spontaneous?

    Glenn looked at me as he smiled, gently shaking his head. He looked impressed.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite a sharp one. No wonder May took an interest in you.¡± Glenn stood up from his seat and began pacing towards me, ¡°In addition to a report about the S.C.A.O¡¯s activities, I wanted to ask you about something. Something that has been on my mind ever since that incident involving you and Ms. Lore.¡± He stopped moving upon being 2 chairs away from me.

    ¡°By the way, I should give you my thanks. May mentioned how important you were during that incident. If it weren¡¯t for you, Casey might¡¯ve gotten seriously hurt. Now, on to the part that piqued my interest.¡±

    I began feeling tense and nervous, the same way I felt back when I was with May on the rooftop.

    ¡°How did you come to the conclusion that Casey would get attacked that day?¡±

    My heart sank.

    I didn¡¯t expect Glenn to get suspicious about that.

    ¡°I heard that the two of you just met each other for the first time. Even Kate, the girl that attacked you and Casey, had no idea who you were. It might just end up being a coincidence, a case of the odds being in Casey¡¯s favour, but I find that hard to believe.¡±

    Glenn leaned against the desk to his right, ¡°So tell me, Mr. Simontel. How did you do it?¡±

    My thoughts were in shambles.

    I thought I was already used to confrontations like this, but I couldn¡¯t think of any way to get out of this situation.

    Should I just lie to him and try my hardest not to give it away?

    What if he still finds out I¡¯m lying?

    I mean, if May managed to know I was lying then what¡¯s to say that Glenn can¡¯t do the same thing?

    Even if I try my best to not hide it, what if he still manages to find out?

    ¡°I-I¡­¡±

    It¡¯s no use, I can¡¯t get my thoughts together.

    At this rate, he might find out about my visions.

    My feet began pacing backwards, as if they were moving on their own.

    Suddenly, the door behind me busted open.

    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long?¡± said May as she held the door open, ¡°You know we have a client right now.¡±

    Glenn sighed, ¡°I guess I shouldn''t keep you here any longer. We¡¯ll continue our chat next time.¡± He politely smiled before walking back to his desk.

    May grabbed my arm to pull me outside the room. She closed the door as soon as I got out.

    I leaned on the wall in front of the closed door, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± I said to May who was in front of me, arms crossed.

    ¡°Did he find out anything?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve been more discreet about your involvement during Casey¡¯s incident.¡±

    After getting myself together, we began walking back to the library.

    ¡°Glenn is suspicious of me...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do something about it.¡± May said.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you gave him my phone number?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He wanted the phone numbers of all the S.C.A.O members.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you find out I was in the student council¡¯s office?¡± I asked, as if hearing her explanation was the most natural thing to do.

    ¡°When Casey arrived in the clubroom, she was surprised to see that you weren¡¯t already there even though you went there first. I thought it was unusual, so I decided to go search for you. I asked Margo about where you might have went. She said you walked out the library after you checked your phone. I assumed that someone contacted you. I had a feeling that Glenn might¡¯ve had something to do with it so I decided to visit the student council room first. When I got to the door, I sent you a text and listened for your phone to confirm if you were really inside.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve gotten me out sooner.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see if you could deal with it on your own. But judging from your complete silence and the way you were stuttering, I guess he was too much for you.¡± Said May with a grin on her face.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can still find that amusing.¡± I said irritably.

    ¡°It just reminded me of our conversation back then on the rooftop.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even remind me about that. And for the record, it was more like an interrogation than a conversation.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference, really?¡± she said.

    ¡°Well for starters, you don¡¯t threaten to stab someone¡¯s eye out during a normal conversation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know so much about conversations even though you don¡¯t talk much.¡± She said with an annoyingly smug grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised to find out that May, the student council¡¯s consultant, the girl who¡¯s never wrong, didn¡¯t know what a wallaby is and is still having trouble holding a decent conversation.¡±

    May stopped in her tracks before glaring at me. It was enough to send shivers down my spine.

    ¡°¡­ She also can¡¯t take a joke¡­ ¡°I said, looking away.

    She let out a brief sigh before continuing to walk.

    ¡°You have to work on that.¡± She said.

    ¡°On my jokes?¡±

    ¡°On that sharp tongue of yours. I don¡¯t really appreciate how blunt you can be, especially during that encounter with Arvin.¡±

    ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you to get so affected by it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it. Just try to avoid being too frank with other people.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not convincing hearing that from someone who can get pretty blunt herself. And why are you telling me off all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Just keep what I said in mind.¡±

    She¡¯s beginning to remind me of Sir. Nathan and the way he scolds me about insignificant things.

    ¡­

    As the two of us arrive at the clubroom, my attention was quickly drawn to the peculiar development happening inside. I saw Noah and our client standing on each side of the desk, their hands clasped with each other, which looked like they were arm wrestling. Casey was bent over facing the front of the desk, her eyes focused on the arms of the two boys as if she were acting as the referee in their match. Her open lunchbox was placed on top of the small table. It merely contained a single sandwich.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re trying to decide who gets the last sandwich.¡± Said May before taking out her phone and sitting on one of the vacant chairs.

    ¡°May is¡­ correct¡­ yet again...¡± Said Noah as he struggles to keep his arm upward.

    ¡°Come on Noah! You can do it!¡± Casey cheered.

    The other guy was visibly having a hard time beating Noah. Beads of sweat were dripping down the bridge of his nose and onto the desk. Veins were visible on each of their arms as they tried their hardest to win.

    They¡¯re working this hard for a clubhouse sandwich?

    I mean, Casey¡¯s sandwiches are godly, but I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s worth getting exhausted over.

    ¡­

    Who am I kidding?

    I¡¯d do the same if I were in their situation.

    The only thing keeping me from joining their squabble is the fact that I¡¯m not hungry right now. Considering what just happened earlier with Glenn, I already lost my appetite.

    After a few more seconds, a winner has been declared.

    Even with the help of Casey¡¯s constant cheering, and his insatiable desire to eat the hell out of that sandwich, Noah failed to best his opponent. Unlike what happened during the basketball game earlier, he lost. Noah¡¯s reaction felt unusual. He looked more bummed out than I expected. Was he really that hungry for a sandwich? Or maybe¡­ Shay had something to do with it?

    ¡­

    I¡¯ll just ask him about it later.

    Casey began comforting the down casted Noah, telling him not to worry about it and saying that she¡¯ll make enough sandwiches for everyone next time. Meanwhile, the winner of the match has already claimed his prize, which lasted about 3 bites before it went straight into his digestive system.

    ¡°This is probably the best sandwich I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Said our client who sat on the bench with a satisfied face, ¡°You should sell these.¡± He told Casey.

    Casey smiled as she sat on one of the chairs, ¡°I already plan on selling my food in my own caf¨¦ in the future. For now, I¡¯m trying to perfect my cooking.¡±

    ¡°You can expect me to be a regular at your caf¨¦ someday.¡± Our client replied.

    ¡°Save a special table for me too, I¡¯ll come eat there every day.¡± Noah added, who was acting a lot more like his usual, happy self.

    She let out a chuckle.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Casey said. She looked quite pleased at the praise she was getting.

    After wiping his hands and mouth with his unusually patterned handkerchief, our client glanced at all of us which caught all of our attention.

    ¡°So Caleb, now that everyone¡¯s here,¡± Noah said as he sat on the desk behind us, ¡°Tell us your request.¡±

    He took a brief glance at May whose attention was still on her phone, ¡°I already approached May about this earlier during our P.E. class,¡± He let out a brief sigh. ¡°I want some help with this girl I know¡­¡±

    Help with a girl?

    Does it involve him wanting to ask her out or something?

    ¡°What kind of help?¡± Casey said inquiringly. Her eyes sparkled at the possibility of his request being that of a quest for romance.

    Caleb let out another sigh. His face gradually reddened, ¡°So, this girl¡­. I want to ask her out¡­¡±

    ¡­

    After a brief pause, he went on, ¡°And I want you guys to help me make sure she gives me a ¡®Yes¡¯.¡±

    I swear.

    The requests we get are all consistently ridiculous.

    ¡°We accept.¡± May said with no hesitation, even though her eyes were still glued on her phone.

    ¡°Hold on there,¡± I said, trying to get her attention, ¡°can¡¯t we let the guy give more details before we accept it?¡±

    May let out a sigh as her gaze finally leaves her phone, ¡°I can¡¯t believe were gonna have to go through this again. Anyone in favour of helping Caleb raise your hand.¡±

    Looking around the room felt like de ja vu.

    Once again, I was the only one with my hands down.

    ¡°Come on Damis, it¡¯s been a while since we had a request.¡± Noah said as he laid back in his chair, ¡°Why not help Caleb in his quest for love?¡±

    ¡°Fine. But you can¡¯t skip out on this one. You should stick with us until we finish the job.¡±

    Noah shrugged, ¡°Fine by me. It¡¯s been a while since I spent time with you guys anyway.¡±

    Somehow, it felt like it was easier to convince Noah today. I expected him to put up more of a fight like the last time I told him to visit the club.

    ¡°Can you tell us more about this girl you¡¯re referring to?¡± Casey asked.

    ¡°Right. Her name is Haley, she¡¯s a red tie. We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids.¡±

    ¡°You were childhood friends? That¡¯s so cute.¡± Casey said, who looked like she was really enjoying the topic.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then having her say yes will be easy.¡± Said Noah.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s that easy¡­¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes were pointed to the ground as his lips curled into a nervous smile.

    ¡°Is she already fond of someone else?¡± May asked, eyes still on her phone.

    Judging from Caleb¡¯s reaction, it looks like May hit the mark.

    ¡°That¡¯s twice¡­¡± He muttered.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Casey asked, probably confused as to why he said that.

    ¡°It¡¯s the second time you guessed something right.¡± Caleb told May.

    ¡°I told you earlier, didn¡¯t I?¡± Noah said, who was amused with his reaction, ¡°She¡¯s never wrong.¡±

    ¡°To answer her question, yeah. She already has someone else that she likes.¡± Caleb confirmed.

    So he¡¯s basically asking us to play cupid and make a girl who isn¡¯t romantically interested in him agree to go out with him.

    ¡°You know, on second thought, that doesn¡¯t sound too easy.¡± Noah remarked, basically reading my thoughts.

    He went on, ¡°Fortunately, we have two highly intelligent people with us today. So rest assured, they¡¯ll think up a solution to your problem in no time. Right guys?¡± He glanced at me and May with a confident smile. An expression that resembled a salesman presenting his products to a would-be customer.

    May put down her phone, ¡°Although being labeled as ¡®highly intelligent¡¯ is flattering, I don¡¯t really have faith in such a statement. I believe everyone is as smart as anybody else, the only problem is where and how they use that intelligence. Most of the people that are perceived to be dumb are just too lazy to do anything smart. Anyway, I have a question for you.¡± She looked at Caleb with a focused gaze.

    ¡°Could you tell us the name of your childhood friend¡¯s crush? Surely you were interested enough to find out.¡± She said.

    Without a word, Caleb turned his gaze towards Noah, who looked surprised at what he was implying with his gesture. This caused Casey to glance at Noah as well, with an equally astonished expression.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be joking.¡± Noah said, completely dumbstruck.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Caleb said with a nervous laugh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act so modest, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time this happened. A lot of girls approached me in the past just to find out more about you.¡± I said.

    ¡°So Noah always had a lot of admirers, huh? No wonder he¡¯s constantly off to somewhere.¡± Casey commented with a grin.

    A large number of those were instances where I thought they were interested in me. Needless to say, I was disappointed. But all of that happened back when I still cared about such things.

    Noah chuckled then shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m just surprised that it¡¯s me of all people.¡±

    ¡°Is she aware that Noah already has a girlfriend?¡± May continued.

    ¡°Yes, I remember seeing her bummed out about it. But I know she still has feelings for him.¡±

    Suddenly, I felt May¡¯s stare. A feeling reminiscent of that time during the school¡¯s opening ceremony.

    ¡°How do you suggest we deal with this predicament, Damis?¡± She said.

    Is she putting all the work on me again?

    First she accepts the client¡¯s request as fast as she could write and send a text message, then she asks me to come up with a solution for it.

    She should know that I¡¯m smart enough to see through her actions.

    ¡­

    Hold on.

    If we¡¯re going to do this, then being the one to solve the problem might be a good thing.

    I¡¯ll just have to come up with something that will involve the least time and effort from me. And then May¡¯s shenanigans might just end up backfiring.

    I have to take this chance.

    ¡­

    I already had thought of something but this will entirely depend on Noah. He¡¯ll be doing most of the work, but this is what he gets for always skipping out on the club.

    I stood up and walked towards Noah, I wanted to keep what I was about to say only between the two of us.

    I tapped him on the shoulder then gestured him to come with me to the corner of the room next to the window.

    ¡°So, you thought of something?¡± Noah asked as we faced the stack of books in the corner.

    ¡°Yeah, and you¡¯ll have to do something vital to that plan.¡± I said, keeping the volume of my voice low.

    ¡°What will I do?¡±

    I feel hesitant to tell him about it since I feel like his relationship with Shay is on a thin line right now, but since I¡¯m confident that he will take it pretty well, I decided to tell him. If he ends up rejecting my idea then we¡¯ll just have to come up with something else.

    ¡°You¡¯ll pretend that Shay broke up with you.¡±

    Noah didn¡¯t say a word as his eyes drifted away from me and towards the window. It looked like he was deep into his thoughts, but it wasn¡¯t anywhere near May¡¯s level.

    Noah let out a brief sigh then smiled, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Even though that response was what I wanted, it still caught me by surprise.

    ¡°Not gonna lie, I expected to see more apprehension from you.¡± I said.

    He let out a soft chuckle, ¡°Caleb¡¯s a good guy, so I want to help him.¡± He said, as if he¡¯s known Caleb for a good amount of time.

    ¡±And besides, I won¡¯t really be pretending.¡±

    <hr>

    The can of lemon tea toppled down through the vending machine and on to bottom where I picked it up. The soft fizzy drink trickled down my throat as I sipped. It wasn¡¯t as cold as I expected, which meant that the machine must have been restocked not too long ago.

    While I walked across the courtyard, I kept thinking about the plan I concocted. I can¡¯t deny feeling a bit nervous about it, but since May and the others agreed with my idea then there¡¯s no reason to turn back now. Most of them were hesitant when I initially pitched my idea, which was understandable. But as I explained it further they eventually agreed to make it happen. Casey especially expressed her objection to the plan I came up with, but she decided to go with it in the end.

    I passed by the pool where I threw the now empty can of tea in the trash bin next to its steps. I glanced at the field where some students were using the verdant ground to practice some backflips and rolls for whatever reason. I also saw Casey and May sitting on one of the benches as they chatted with each other. It was one of the rare instances where May wasn¡¯t focused on her phone. There was also no sign of a royal rabbit can next to Casey, which was equally rare.

    Feeling the need to sit down and take a break, I walked towards the bench next to theirs and sat there as I stared at the direction of the storage house meters away, the venue of the plan.

    ¡°What are you doing, Damis?¡± Casey asked. She looked puzzled for some reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping an eye around the storage house. Just wanted to make sure that everything¡¯s as expected.¡±

    ¡°Not that,¡± Casey chuckled, ¡°Why are you sitting over there? We still have space here.¡± She gestured towards the bench they were sitting on.

    ¡°Well, I like the feeling of having something just for myself.¡±

    May leaned forward to look at me, ¡°I saw some of the students standing on that bench to practice their backflips. I heard one of them had recently stepped on dog feces.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Suddenly feeling the need to switch benches, I stood up and sat next to them while Casey tried to hold her laughter.

    ¡°How¡¯s Haley?¡± I asked May, who had a grin on her face.

    ¡°Caleb already convinced Haley to confess to Noah.¡± May replied.

    ¡°The two of them are probably behind the storage house now.¡± Casey added.

    She continued, ¡°Still, I can¡¯t help but feel guilty about all of this.¡±

    ¡°Caleb himself agreed to the plan without much reluctance. And since he knows Haley more than we do, there should be nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°That might be true but, it feels like we are toying with her feelings by doing this. Noah already has a girlfriend, right? It feels wrong to have him lie about their break up just so Haley could confess to him.¡± Casey looked glum as she bowed her head, ¡°And to have Noah reject her, it just feels wrong. But even if Noah say yes it¡¯ll still be wrong since he already has a girlfriend.¡± She raised her head up and stared towards the sky, ¡°Everything about this is wrong. If this plan had a name, it¡¯ll have the word ¡®wrong¡¯ in it.¡±

    ¡°Noah and Shay already broke up prior to this arrangement.¡± I clarified.

    Casey turned her head towards me with her gloomy expression, ¡°That¡¯s just even more wrong!¡±

    ¡°If I remember correctly, the goal of this plan is to put Haley in a state of emotional vulnerability, am I right?¡± May said.

    ¡°Yes. That way, Caleb will have a better chance of getting her favour and eventually form a deep romantic bond between the two of them.¡± I said.

    If Caleb supports her in her time of need, there¡¯s a good chance that Haley might become more trusting and affectionate towards him in the process. Although this will still depend on how well he will handle the situation. If his feelings for her are genuine, he should have no problem in doing that.

    ¡°I see.¡± She turned towards Casey, ¡°I¡¯m sure Damis has everything figured out already.¡± She told Casey, rubbing her back as if she was trying to comfort her.

    That¡¯s the first time I heard May say something like that about me.

    She might just be messing with me but I¡¯m kind of unnerved by her sudden display of confidence and trust in my plan.

    I noticed Casey¡¯s gaze drifting towards the direction of the storage house. Me and May¡¯s eyes followed suit as we turned towards the plan¡¯s venue.

    Then, Haley could be seen running away from the corner of the storage house as she sobbed, wiping her tears with every step she took. Her brown braided hair swung as she rubbed the teary eyes behind her glasses. As the red tie disappeared into the school¡¯s courtyard, Noah came out of the corner as well. He glanced at the running girl for a while before turning his eyes towards us onlookers. With that, I guess the deed has been done.

    May already sent Caleb a text about what had transpired. Since the rest of us had nothing else to do, the four of us began walking home.

    ¡°Man, I can¡¯t stop feeling guilty about it¡­¡± Noah said as the four of us exited the school building.

    Noah went on, ¡°Are you sure this is going to work? It really didn¡¯t look like she took it well...¡± Noah looked back at the school building, down casted.

    ¡°I can understand how guilty you¡¯re feeling right now but everything¡¯s going to be okay. Caleb will handle the rest. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll let someone he cares about be miserable for too long.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Still, when I saw Haley crying like that, it felt like my heart stopped. Couldn¡¯t we have come up with of a different plan?¡± Casey turned towards May who was focused on her phone. It doesn¡¯t look like she heard Casey¡¯s question.

    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t have to agree with my plan, you know. I wouldn¡¯t have done it if you guys didn¡¯t want to.¡± I replied. With the two of them looking so blue like that, I can¡¯t help but feel guilty about it as well.

    ¡°But that¡¯s because Caleb was really okay with the plan, and since he¡¯s our client I thought that we should do what would please him.¡± Casey replied.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ We couldn¡¯t think of any other options anyway.¡± Noah added.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s it. The client was okay with it and we had no other options so we went with the plan that we already had.¡± I concluded.

    Without warning, the sound of distant rumbling caught my attention. I looked up to see if the weather is turning bad but the sky was clear. Glancing at the others, I noticed Noah holding his stomach with a flushed face.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ So embarrassing¡­¡± Noah muttered.

    That sounded like something a girl would say.

    ¡°You guys want to drop by a caf¨¦?¡± Noah suggested.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I have something to take care of at home.¡± May said as she sheathed her phone back to her pocket.

    ¡°Take care of?¡± Noah asked, looking curious.

    I¡¯m also curious to know what thing would require all of May¡¯s time and effort at home. Good thing Noah asked before I did.

    ¡°Nothing you guys need to know about.¡± She replied.

    ¡°I also can¡¯t come.¡± Casey said apologetically. ¡°Have to do some grocery shopping today.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad, I guess.¡± Noah replied, suddenly dejected.

    ¡°We can still go to a caf¨¦ next time. How about tomorrow?¡± Casey suggested, trying to cheer Noah up.

    ¡°That would be great.¡± He replied.

    Casey waved goodbye when we reached the school gate. May also went on her way to the train station.

    I glanced behind me and saw Noah staring at the storefronts as we passed by. It was apparent that he was occupied with his thoughts.

    This is my chance to start picking on his mind.

    ¡°So, what really happened between you and Shay?¡± I said, trying to get Noah¡¯s attention.

    He kept quiet, eyes still focused on the distance.

    I guess he still doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    Suddenly, he let out a brief sigh.

    ¡°Things got pretty bad¡­ between the both of us. It¡¯s been like that for a while. I tried to keep it under control but¡­ I guess it was just bound to happen.¡± He explained.

    ¡°You know, since middle school up till now, I¡¯ve always been a spectator to the aftermath of your break ups. Somehow, the way your acting right now reminds me of the time when you broke up with your first girlfriend.¡±

    He let out a chuckle.

    ¡°Is that so? Heh, I guess you¡¯re not wrong...¡±

    I noticed him trying to make a smile. It looked unnatural.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable if you think about it. You just went through a break up, then you had to do something pretty mean to a girl you didn¡¯t even know.¡±

    Noah looked as though he was deep into his thoughts once again. He looks so occupied that he might trip when he steps on a crack on the sidewalk.

    It¡¯s weird to think about how he used to keep telling me to pay attention when he¡¯s acting this way.

    He can be pretty annoying sometimes, but I still prefer him to be the talkative, playful, and persistent guy that he is.

    Seeing him like this, I just can¡¯t get used to it.

    ¡°Wanna visit the new noodle shop again instead of the caf¨¦? The discount they give students is too good to ignore.¡± I suggested, partially because I wanted to save money. He looks like he could use some hot soup in his stomach.

    ¡°Sure.¡± He said with a modest smile.

    As we continued to walk through the same sidewalks and streets we used for the entirety of highschool, I still couldn¡¯t let go of this minuscule trace of doubt in my head.

    The possibility that maybe, that wasn¡¯t the only thing on Noah¡¯s mind.

    CHAPTER END

 Chapter 10 - No Other Option Pt. 2

    Our physics class ended with a quiz, which was announced two days prior.

    The students in my class were busy sharing their comments and remarks while I silently inspected my paper like always.

    Well, mostly like always.

    Because there¡¯s something unusual about the results of this quiz.

    Specifically, mine.

    For some reason¡­

    I¡­

    I did badly on the quiz. And seeing the result has rendered me dumbstruck.

    I¡¯m sure I studied like always, and we didn¡¯t have any clients ever since Caleb so I had all the free time in the world to study my heart out.

    And yet her I am, holding the piece of paper plastered with my inadequacy.

    Is it because I started my exercise routine again? It did tire me more than I expected.

    Maybe the book that I¡¯ve just started reading had something to do with it.

    Ugh, how the hell did it turn out like this?

    ¡°Wow, you got 17 out of 20. You just never cease to amaze me. Wait, what¡¯s with that shocked look on your face?¡± said Noah.

    ¡°¡­ I could¡¯ve done better.¡±

    No¡­ I should¡¯ve done better¡­

    Normally, since science is one of my best subjects, I would¡¯ve aced a quiz like this.

    He shrugged, ¡°Your standards are just too high for me to understand. I got a 10 and I¡¯m proud of it. I¡¯m sure you did better than most of our classmates, so don¡¯t be so bummed about it, ¡®kay?¡± Says the guy who was all depressed just a few days ago. Now he¡¯s acting like nothing happened.

    But it¡¯s certainly not bad seeing him back to normal.

    Though that¡¯s not to say that everything has gone back to how it used to be. I still haven¡¯t gotten over the fact that Glenn has become suspicious of me. Since then, I¡¯ve been trying my best to avoid interacting with him. Fortunately, he hasn¡¯t contacted me about anything related to our previous conversation. I just hope that he eventually forgets all of it. I mean, being in the student council is pretty demanding, right? I don¡¯t think the president has enough time to think about such measly thoughts.

    ¡­

    Needless to say, even this might¡¯ve had something to do with the sudden drop in my academic performance.

    ¡°What did you get?¡± said the student sitting in front of Noah. He turned around and showed his paper to him, ¡°I got a 12.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, stop making me feel bad about my score.¡± Noah replied jokingly, ¡°A 10 is good enough for me.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Dennis?¡± he glanced at my direction with a smile, even though he couldn¡¯t remember my name properly.

    Is he trying to pick a fight with me?

    Well, it¡¯s not like I remembered his name anyway, so I guess we¡¯re even.

    ¡°17.¡± I said, putting the paper inside my bag.

    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s a model student for you.¡± He remarked.

    I took out a book from my bag and began reading as I wait for the bell to ring. The two of them continued to chat, and since I was sitting close to the both of them I can¡¯t help but listen in to their conversation.

    ¡°¡­ So, I heard something happened between you and Shay... ¡± The boy asked, dragging his seat backwards, moving closer to Noah.

    ¡°A lot of things happened, actually¡­¡± Noah replied.

    ¡°The two of you broke up? I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± the boy said with wide eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. That led me to think that he doesn¡¯t know him well enough to realize how many break ups he had already went through.

    The boy continued, ¡°What happened? The two of you didn¡¯t strike me as a couple that would fall out that quickly¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªMan, that bell is taking too long. I¡¯m already starving here, right Damis?¡± Noah said as swayed his body back to his seat and stretched out his arms.

    It¡¯s rare for him to ignore someone¡¯s question like that. I guess even after all this time, he still doesn¡¯t want to talk about what happened.

    It took a few more seconds before the bell finally rang, signalling the start of the lunch break. As usual, Noah and I made sure that we were the first ones out of the room.

    As we continued through the empty hallway, I felt something touch my shoulder, causing me to glance to my right. It was May, who decided to tag along with us to the cafeteria.

    ¡°Looks like you noticed this time.¡± Said May with a smirk.

    ¡°I might¡¯ve already developed a reflex.¡± I replied.

    Noah let out a chuckle, ¡°Is it that bad?¡±

    ¡°Wait for me!¡± Casey screamed as she sprinted towards us across the unpopulated hallway, her lunchbox in hand.

    ¡°You know, Casey, we¡¯d never dream of leaving without you, especially during lunch.¡± said Noah.

    I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, I have something to tell all of you.¡± May said before we walked down the stairs, ¡°Caleb contacted me, he wanted to talk. He¡¯ll be waiting at the cafeteria.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s already been 3 days since we helped him, right? In the end, he never told us what happened between him and Haley.¡± Said Casey.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re going out now and he wanted to show his gratitude.¡± Noah suggested.

    ¡°Some compensation would be nice.¡± I added.

    ¡°You¡¯d definitely want that, huh Damis?¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go there and find out.¡± Said May.

    We arrived at the cafeteria which was currently filled with only a handful of people, just how I like it. Although looking around the vicinity, Caleb was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡± Said Noah.

    ¡°Well we got here earlier than most, so that¡¯s to be expected.¡± Said May as she scanned the food currently on display.

    ¡°How about we eat? For the meantime.¡± I suggested.

    Fortunately today, other than the usual pan of spaghetti, a pan of freshly cooked hamburger steaks were also available.

    As we finished our meals and began to dine on Casey¡¯s sandwiches, more and more students began flocking inside the cafeteria. Normally at this point, I¡¯d be already out and buying a drink at the nearby vending machine. But since we¡¯re waiting for someone I guess I can stay here for a few more minutes.

    I took a bite of the sandwich, an unfamiliar flavour drowned my taste buds.

    Noah had the same reaction when he chomped on his sandwich then said, ¡°¡­ Is this salmon?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Casey replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you found that out. I¡¯m trying out a new recipe: smoked salmon sandwich.¡±

    ¡°The triple S sandwich¡­¡± Noah uttered.

    ¡°The sandwiches I¡¯ve been making had either chicken or pork so I wanted to try some fish too. How is it, Damis?¡± Casey asked, her expectant eyes pointed at me.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good.¡±

    Noah, who was sitting next to me, leaned towards me as if he wanted to say something private, ¡°Look, dude. You¡¯ve got to stop doing that. If a girl asks you about the food she made you can¡¯t just say that ¡®It¡¯s good¡¯, you got to show how much you appreciate it. Praise her, let her know that she did good.¡±

    ¡°Is that really necessary? I¡¯m sure Casey doesn¡¯t mind¡ª¡±

    He let out a brief sigh, ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯ll never get a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    That stung more than I expected, even though I can¡¯t really see the importance of being involved in that kind of relationship.

    I mean, I¡¯ve already managed to go through 18 years of my life without any romantic attachments. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m particularly seeking for some companionship. Well, at least not right now. I¡¯m not completely against being in a relationship. It¡¯s just that as of now, I have other things I¡¯d rather do than go on a date or talk all night through the phone. Like watching movies online, studying, doing school activities, and¡­ uh¡­

    I just don¡¯t care about it right now.

    ¡°Smoked salmon, huh? Very well made for a new recipe. It¡¯s delicious.¡± Said May.

    Casey¡¯s eyes brightened up as she heard May¡¯s praise.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it!¡±

    Noah gave me a nudge, ¡°Go on.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s great. I¡¯d say it¡¯s on par with all of the other food you¡¯ve shared with us so far. And I personally prefer fish over any other meat, so that¡¯s a big plus from me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Casey smiled, equally as bright. The aura of light radiating from her is almost blinding.

    She looks very pleased.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so difficult now, was it?¡± said Noah.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say it was.¡±

    Feeling parched, I decided to go to the water station. There I noticed Caleb walking into the cafeteria¡¯s entrance, talking with someone on the way. He kept wiping his nose with his weirdly patterned handkerchief as they continued to converse with each other.

    I don¡¯t want to be rude so I¡¯ll just wait for them to stop chatting before I approach him.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    This is taking too long.

    I¡¯ll just pretend I didn¡¯t see him and have Noah do it instead.

    ¡°You¡¯re with the S.C.A.O, right?¡± said Caleb, causing me to stop in my tracks.

    About time he noticed.

    ¡°The others are here too,¡± I pointed towards our seats, ¡°we can talk over there.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we talk outside instead, it¡¯s too noisy in here.¡± He suggested.

    Feeling too lazy to walk back, I sent Noah a text.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I said.

    After saying goodbye to his friend, Caleb and I walked somewhere far away from the cafeteria¡¯s entrance. We ended up near the edge of the courtyard. I looked behind me to make sure May and the others were following. They were already a few meters away.

    ¡°Here is good.¡± Caleb said, then sneezed for some reason.

    Did I smell funny?

    Looking around, I noticed we were standing at a spot shaded by a large tree.

    Quite a good spot indeed.

    ¡°So, how are things between you and Haley?¡± asked Casey, who was already standing behind us with the others. Her friendly voice filled with curiosity and excitement, still eager to listen about the progress of their relationship.

    Caleb heard her question loud and clear, but he gave no response. Instead, his eyes drifted to the side as his expression turned into something melancholic.

    ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± Casey continued.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t come to school¡­ ever since¡­¡± Caleb replied, visibly distraught.

    ¡°What?¡± Noah exclaimed. He looked quite bothered about the news. I have to admit that even I was taken aback.

    ¡­

    ¡°Did everything go as planned?¡± I asked, feeling the need to inquire more since I shared some responsibility in what happened.

    ¡°Everything was going fine. The two of us went home together like usual but, I wasn¡¯t able to talk to her. It looked like she had a lot in her mind back then. When I got home I tried to talk to her online but she never responded¡­ then I heard that she stopped going to school¡­¡±

    Did it affect her too much that she couldn¡¯t talk about it? Rather than opening up to someone she¡¯s comfortable with, she closed herself off.

    Was I wrong about her? Did I make a mistake?

    ¡­

    Was it my fault?

    ¡°Were you aware that this might¡¯ve happened? I¡¯m sure when you agreed to the plan you knew she could handle it.¡± I said, my throat feeling more strained than before.

    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s the first time I saw her like that. There were times when she would get depressed about something and she would talk to me about it, but now she just won¡¯t let me help her¡­¡± he replied.

    ¡°We should go pay her a visit.¡± Noah suggested.

    ¡°Right now?¡± Casey asked, her concern for Haley was obvious.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t.¡± said May, eyes on her phone, ¡°At least not right now. We¡¯ll be having a quiz on a few of our afternoon subjects. It will be better if we pay her a visit when classes are dismissed.¡±

    ¡°But then¡­ I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t come with you guys. The orchestra club has practice later in the afternoon.¡± Said Casey with a trace of regret.

    Now that this unexpected situation came to be, I can¡¯t help but feel guilty. But I have to agree with May, paying her a visit now wouldn¡¯t be the wisest decision, we¡¯re students after all. We have classes to attend, grades to maintain, status to uphold. And there¡¯s really no reason for us to visit her on such short notice.

    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s wait till later.¡± Said Noah, who seemed to possess some reluctance with the idea.

    ¡°Thank you, all of you. I¡¯ll be waiting later at the gate.¡± Caleb bid farewell as he went back inside cafeteria.

    ¡°Well that was... bad.¡± Noah remarked.

    ¡°No kidding.¡± I replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s no use contemplating about it now. Let¡¯s just wait until classes end.¡± May said as we began pacing towards the entrance of the school building. We walked back to our rooms, all with the same guilt-inducing atmosphere that shrouded us 3 days ago.

    <hr>

    The third quiz of the afternoon has ended. This time, I was greeted with a more acceptable result.

    I decided to review my notes for economics class while waiting for the teacher to arrive. I wanted to make sure that everything goes well for the final quiz too.

    ¡°How¡¯d you guys do in this one?¡± The student sitting in front of Noah inquired, once again presenting us with his friendly smile.

    Was he always this talkative? He¡¯s starting to remind me of Eugene.

    Well, there¡¯s really no harm in sharing my quiz results so I might as well humour him.

    ¡°I got a 30.¡± I said.

    A perfect score.

    Saying my score out loud never fails to warm my heart. I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m smiling right now. I laid back on my seat, basking in the afterglow of my achievement.

    ¡°Wow, you never slack off, huh?¡± the boy recoiled into his seat and continued, ¡°I got a 26.¡±

    That¡¯s not too bad, actually.

    In contrast to his rather laid back appearance, he¡¯s doing pretty well in his studies.

    He then turned his attention towards his back, ¡°What¡¯s your score, Noah?¡±

    Noah was quietly staring outside the window to his left. Once again, he looked busy with his thoughts. His dejected expression was reflected on the window.

    ¡°Noah?¡± the boy repeated.

    ¡°O-oh, yeah. I got a 19 this time.¡± He replied with a grin. The same grin he puts on display whenever he wants to act polite.

    He went on, ¡°So next is economics class, huh? I¡¯m not too sure how I¡¯ll do in this one. ¡±

    She hasn¡¯t come to school¡­ ever since¡­

    Seeing Noah like that, Caleb¡¯s words began reverberating inside my head.

    It caused me recall the sight of Haley, crying her eyes out as she ran across the courtyard.

    I don¡¯t really appreciate how blunt you can be¡­

    You know, Damis, back then when we confronted that Arvin guy, you were acting kind of¡­

    May and Casey¡¯s words came to mind as well.

    Eventually, their words filled my mind. Swirling around, bouncing on every wall.

    All of them trying to catch my attention.

    Gradually becoming louder, and louder¡­

    Until all I could hear was noise.

    ¡­

    Then, an image of a lifeless corpse dangling from a ceiling flashes before my eyes.

    Followed by an intense, piercing pain from the sides of my head.

    I held my head with both of my hands in response to the throbbing pain.

    Even though this experience is nothing new, every occurrence still manages to drain the life out of me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I heard Noah¡¯s voice close to my ear.

    ¡°Ugh¡­. a vision¡­¡± I uttered, low enough for only him to hear.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Noticing the situation, the student sitting in front of Noah asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s having migraines again. I should take him to the infirmary.¡± Noah convincingly said to the boy then continued, ¡°Could you tell the class representative about it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah sure¡­¡± the boy replied.

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s okay¡­¡± I said, wiping my teary eyes with a handkerchief, ¡°We¡¯re gonna have another quiz today. I can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    I managed to hold back the nausea I often get with these visions. With the pain gradually fading away, I regained enough composure to continue class.

    ¡°Geez, Damis. Take it easy, will you?¡± Noah uttered, his concern was apparent.

    I saw May glancing at me, seeming to notice what had just happened.

    After a brief moment, our teacher entered the room.

    ¡°I hope you guys are ready for the quiz. If anyone feels like they still aren¡¯t ready for it, the door is wide open.¡± The teacher announced.

    Suddenly, I felt the phone in my pocket shake.

    Good thing I already set my phone to vibrate. Our economics teacher is strict, and notorious for taking phones during class.

    May glanced at me once again, and gestured towards her skirt pocket. This had me initially confused, but eventually I got what she was trying to tell me. She wanted me to check my phone.

    The risk of having my phone taken made me hesitant, but then again, it might be something important. May went out of her way to make sure I read it, after all.

    This is just like her, always trying to make me do difficult things.

    But this is no time to be getting annoyed, so while the teacher was busy explaining the guidelines and coverage of the quiz, I took the phone out of my pocket and checked her message.

    Who did you see? Reply immediately.

    It seems as though she already realized that I had a vision. Not only that, but she anticipated the possibility of me not giving her a reply. But not needing to explain things makes responding a lot easier, so I don¡¯t mind giving her a short reply. Good thing she¡¯s sharp enough to figure out what happened.

    I tried focusing on the lingering image inside my head.

    Judging from the length of hair and the clothes worn, the one who died or will die is female. She was dangling from the ceiling, a dirty worn rope is tied around her neck and to somewhere on the ceiling, leading me to believe that the girl committed suicide. This discovery made me feel uneasy since suicides are one of the type of deaths that I never got used to. The act of someone taking their own life is something that I could not fathom up to this day, and nothing scares me more than the fear of the unknown. Victims of suicide are also often difficult to save, especially since their death is caused by none other than themselves. At this point, this situation doesn¡¯t look too promising.

    The location of the death looked like a small room, about the size of my apartment. The room¡¯s window were blocked with curtains, so only a trace of sunlight could be seen seeping through it. That caused the room to be completely dark, except for the parts of the room where the sunlight could reach. This included some of the effeminate decorations around the room. And of course, the body of the girl herself.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    It was difficult to discern who she might be because not only did the room have limited visibility but parts of her hair covered have of her face. It took me a few minutes, no, maybe more than a few, but I finally managed to recognize who she is.

    Upon realizing her identity, I laid back on my seat with utter disbelief.

    The sight was nothing short of heart breaking.

    The guilt I felt not too long ago came rushing back.

    I¡¯m not sure how the others will take this news.

    But nevertheless, as the teacher began writing the questions on the board, I sent May a text saying who I saw.

    It was Haley.

    After a few seconds, May sent me another text.

    We should leave as soon as possible.

    That might sound like the best course of action but knowing we¡¯re in the midst of a quiz right now that proposal is nothing less than problematic.

    If possible, I would like to be able to participate in this quiz.

    And I¡¯m sure Noah needs to as well. I don¡¯t know about May but with the grades he has on this subject he needs to participate in all of the class activities to pass.

    If I could only figure out when the death will happen, I could try to manage my time accordingly. But since she was in an unknown area, and there was no reliable source of light, figuring out the time of death is close to impossible. And knowing this was supposed to be a personal room of some sort, she must¡¯ve had a clock somewhere, in a place that was already enveloped with darkness.

    Luckily, as I scanned through the questions written on the board, I saw that the quiz was quite simple, at least for someone who did some studying.

    I estimated the time it would take me to finish the quiz, which was about 5-6 minutes.

    I sent a text to May, telling her to give me a few minutes.

    May glanced at me from her seat, she shook her head as if in disappointment.

    What? Is she unhappy that I still care about my studies in a situation like this?

    As much as possible, I don¡¯t want to compromise my performance in school for anything. That¡¯s something I always kept in mind.

    And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m completely being stubborn right now. I¡¯m already considering skipping the rest of class. I just don¡¯t want to miss out on such an important activity.

    Is it wrong for me to prioritize my studies?

    It¡¯s not my fault these visions keep popping up in my head.

    ¡­

    ¡°Damis, can you at least tell me who you saw?¡± Noah asked, his concern was still visible.

    I still feel hesitant about telling Noah.

    Knowing him, he¡¯ll immediately run out of this room and do something as soon as he finds out about Haley¡¯s death.

    He¡¯s already having trouble keeping up with economics class as it is, but if he does something like that I don¡¯t think his grades will be able to recover.

    Should I still tell him about it?

    ¡°You guys can start answering. Keep quiet, no cheating, you know the drill.¡± The teacher declared as he sat down on his chair.

    Everyone began writing on their sheets of paper.

    ¡°So, who is it?¡± Noah asked once again.

    ¡°It¡¯s some guy inside a nearby caf¨¦. It looks like he¡¯ll choke on something.¡± I said as I began writing my answers in a steady pace.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± he replied.

    ¡°May and I will handle it, you should stay here and focus on the quiz.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Got it.¡± With a nod, he began working on the quiz.

    In the end, I had to lie to him.

    I can¡¯t help feeling bad about it, but I think it¡¯s for the best.

    As I was halfway through the quiz, I received another text from May.

    Finish up quick, we need to leave soon.

    Already? I thought I told her to give me a few minutes. Well, I guess it¡¯s my fault for not specifying how long. But still¡­

    There¡¯s no use thinking about that right now, I should be concentrating on finishing the quiz.

    As I was busy picking my brain and answering questions, a knock could be heard from the door, causing our teacher to glance to his left. He stood up from his chair and checked to see who the visitor might be.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Sir Timothy.¡± Said the person outside the room with a familiar voice. This caused me to peek at whoever our teacher was talking to.

    To my surprise, the one talking to our teacher was none other than Glenn.

    Needless to say, seeing him again has elicited a few negative emotions from me.

    Their conversation went on for a few more seconds before our teacher turned towards the whole class.

    ¡°Miss Frendricks and Mr Simontel, since an important matter just came up, you guys are excused from this class.¡± The teacher announced, causing all of our classmates to glance at the two of us.

    He continued, ¡°Just leave your papers at my table. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll still the give both of you a passing grade for this quiz.¡±

    ¡­ What the hell is going on?

    I noticed Noah¡¯s brief chuckle.

    ¡°Good thing May expected something like this.¡± He said.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°She made some countermeasures for when you¡¯re visions occur during class. One of those countermeasures was having Glenn or Casey visit our classroom and telling the teacher that the principal wants to see the both of you.¡±

    It seems as though May had already taken account of the unpredictability of my visions. Although I have no idea why she never even shared her plans to me. And couldn¡¯t she have called Casey instead of Glenn? Or even anyone for that matter. Just not the guy who¡¯s utterly suspicious of me.

    ¡°Another one she came up with was for me to fake an illness. After all, my acting is flawless.¡± Noah added.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just take your word on that.¡± I replied.

    That might be the case but, I won¡¯t be settling for just a passing grade.

    After a final review of my answers, I completed the quiz.

    I stood up and wore my bag as I went on my way to the teacher¡¯s table, where May had already placed her paper. From there I continued walking out the door and into the hallway, where May and Glenn waited.

    Glenn smiled upon my arrival, I made sure to keep my guard up.

    ¡°Thanks for helping us out.¡± May said to Glenn, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep yourself here any longer. After all, your class is having a quiz too, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes I probably should get going.¡± He replied looking a bit annoyed, which is understandable. May basically made him come here in the midst of an ongoing quiz. And maintaining a good academic performance is vital for any member of the student council, much less for the president himself.

    After giving the back of his head a brief scratch, he continued, ¡°But before that, can I know what the emergency is?¡± Glenn said, glancing at the both of us, ¡°I should be aware of any problems going on around school, I¡¯m the student council president after all.¡±

    Emergency?

    So that¡¯s what May told Glenn, and possibly Casey too. That this is something they¡¯ll do only when an ¡°emergency¡± happens during class.

    But now that he¡¯s trying to inquire more about the situation, I¡¯m not sure if this was a good idea or not.

    Glenn pointed his gaze towards me, expecting an answer. This caused me to look away, avoiding eye contact. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do if he decides to bring up his suspicions again.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Simontel,¡± said Glenn. It was enough to get the beads of sweat on my forehead to start dripping down my face. I knew he was going to talk about it, why did I even expect otherwise? This is Glenn, the student council president, May¡¯s cousin, the smartest student in school.

    Why did I even think I could get away from a person like him?

    Bracing myself, I turned towards him. Making sure that he knows he got my attention.

    If there¡¯s really no helping it, then I might as well put everything on the line. I¡¯ll say everything I want to say, use every excuse I can think of, and make sure that this confrontation will not end up making my life more difficult than it already is.

    Regaining enough composure, I¡¯m finally able to look him in the eyes.

    ¡°I want to apologize for misunderstanding the incident involving Casey.¡± He said.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I uttered involuntarily out of surprise, though not loud enough to warrant any attention. Or maybe it did warrant some attention, just not enough to be made apparent.

    ¡°It seems that I asked you some inappropriate questions during our conversation back at the office. May told me that she was the one who figured everything out and that you were only lending her a hand.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± I replied, going along with the flow.

    ¡°Anyway, about the emergency,¡± May intervened, ¡°I only have a vague idea right now, but I can tell you all about it after everything is settled.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, you¡¯re not one to like explaining the things you do all the time, so I¡¯ll just look forward to hearing about it later.¡±

    Glenn glanced at me again, only this time it was less draining than before, then said. ¡°Goodluck.¡± Before walking back to his classroom.

    Before I knew it, May had grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs.

    The two of us kept going down until we reached the empty hallway in the first floor, where May had stopped and finally let go of my arm.

    She stood in front of me, arms crossed.

    ¡°Go on then, tell me every detail.¡± She said.

    ¡°Before that,¡± I glanced from side to side, making sure that no other pair of ears were nearby, ¡°I have no idea about when and where this death will happen. I only know that she will die before the sun sets. And the only thing I could figure out regarding the location was that it will occur inside a room. Maybe hers.¡±

    ¡°¡¯Hers¡¯?¡±

    ¡°The one I saw was Haley. It looked like she committed suicide.¡±

    ¡°Suicide, how so?¡±

    ¡°There was a filthy rope tied around her neck and to the ceiling of the room she was in.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­ That¡¯s quite disheartening.¡±

    ¡°Should we tell Caleb about it?¡±

    She took out her phone, ¡°If we do that then we¡¯ll have to make him skip whatever quiz he¡¯s currently doing, and maybe even the rest of the afternoon subjects. We¡¯d also have to tell him about the situation, which will require us to convince him to come with us while hiding the fact that you saw her die in a vision.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just come up with an excuse or something? Or come up with a plan like earlier?¡±

    ¡°What happened earlier was something I initially created as a way for me to skip class. I just decided to use it for when your visions occur.¡±

    ¡°So then it wasn¡¯t for emergencies?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s just what I told Glenn.¡±

    Now that I think about it, I do remember seeing May leaving in the middle of class a few times before. I can¡¯t believe she thought of such a plan just to skip class.

    Should I really be surprised? This is May were talking about here.

    But then, what about the other countermeasure Noah mentioned? ¡ª No, there¡¯s no use thinking about that right now. I¡¯ll just push it aside as one of Noah¡¯s nonsensical thoughts.

    She continued, ¡°In short, getting Caleb to skip class and come with us will take too much time and effort, so it¡¯s a better choice to do it ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Still, if we had him with us he could help us figure out some of the details in my vision.¡±

    ¡°That may be so, but we have no urgent need for his presence. We should prioritize finding Haley first. Since she¡¯ll die by her own hands, this case is much more unpredictable. That¡¯s why we need to reach her as soon as possible. All we know for now is that she¡¯ll die while the sun is still out, so as long as we reach her before dusk we¡¯ll have a chance at saving her life. Since we don¡¯t know when the death will occur, we just have to figure out where.¡±

    She looked up from her phone then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of a few possible locations, but I need you give me more details regarding the setting so I could come up with a more accurate conclusion.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re basically implying that you can figure out Haley¡¯s location faster than convincing Caleb to come with us.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Basically.¡± She replied, with outmost confidence.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Back then a few days ago, when Caleb visited the clubroom, I thought May was beginning to favour my ideas, my suggestions, I thought she was finally starting to listen to me. But it seems as though that was nothing more than a misunderstanding. Because even now, she¡¯s as stubborn as ever.

    I can¡¯t help but sigh.

    Closing my eyes, I once again began to focus on the lingering image inside my head. But since the room had very low visibility, I struggled to pick up anything noteworthy. Except for the few things that were fortunately touched by the light seeping through the blinds. I just hope that these are enough for May to work with.

    ¡°The room had a bunch of stuff that would suggest it belonged to some young girl, like stuffed animals placed near the bed and some girly looking wall paper.¡±

    ¡°What was she wearing?¡± May said.

    ¡°It was a bit difficult to see, but I think she was wearing some sort of sweater¡­ no, I think she might be wearing pyjamas.¡±

    ¡°Pyjamas? Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°As far as I could make out, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± She held her chin.

    I thought it was pretty interesting as well. I mean, why would she even wear pyjamas in the middle of the afternoon? Did she oversleep? Maybe she¡¯s just one of those people who likes to wear pyjamas at home. I even remember wearing pyjamas at home most of the time back in elementary school.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say she¡¯s in her room during that vision. Not only does it look like her room, but she¡¯s also wearing indoor clothing. But just to be sure, can you tell me what the stuffed animals looked like?¡±

    ¡°Why would you want to know tha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just tell me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It feels like I can never get used to May¡¯s thought process.

    ¡°¡­ There was a giraffe, an elephant, and a tiger.¡±

    May began pressing the screen of her phone using both of her thumbs. It was so quick that I could¡¯ve sworn she finished as soon as she started.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± she uttered, her eyes still fixed on her phone.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°She will definitely die in her own room. I asked Caleb about the stuffed animals, and he confirmed that Haley does own those.¡±

    How can these guys text each other so quickly even in the middle of a quiz?

    ¡°All of the information we gathered points to her being at home and inside her room. So now that we know the location, let¡¯s head there immediately. And don¡¯t worry, Caleb already gave me her address. Just get your cab fare ready.¡± She said before grabbing my arm once again, then pulling me with her up stairs and into the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s this all of the sudden?¡± I said, slightly out of breath from climbing two flight of stairs in the span of 5 seconds.

    ¡°Shh¡­¡± May uttered, before leaning over the edge of the stairs, ¡°The security guard is making rounds.¡± She kept the volume of her voice low.

    I peeked over the edge of the handrails and saw the chubby guard walking across the hallway, chewing on some peanuts as he walked by.

    I almost forgot about him.

    Forget finding to Haley, if he sees us walking around the school during class hours we wouldn¡¯t even be able to leave the building.

    But hold on a minute, something¡¯s not right.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t there supposed to be two security guards patrolling around the campus?¡± I whispered to May as soon as the tubby security guard went out of view.

    ¡°The other guard must be somewhere near the field.¡± May, who was previously using her phone began walking down the steps in a slow pace. Upon reaching the 1<sup>st</sup> floor, she seemed to be looking around the hallway before signalling me to come down.

    ¡°That guard just went to the courtyard. The other one should be heading here any minute. This is our chance.¡± She said as she began walking. Hearing footsteps somewhere nearby, I quickly began following her to the exit.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been skipping class enough times to memorize the security¡¯s patrol route.¡±

    ¡°You say that as if it¡¯s a bad thing.¡± She replied, a bit annoyed.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a bad thing, you¡¯re skipping classes. Even Noah never skips class.¡±

    ¡°But thanks to my experience with skipping classes, we¡¯ll be able to leave this campus without any problems.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah, I guess.¡±

    ¡°You see, Damis, you can learn as much valuable lessons by not going by the book as you would by going with it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°In short, any experience can be a valuable one.¡±

    Before I could give any retort, the gleam of the afternoon sun greeted us as we finally gotten through the school building¡¯s exit. It seems we have managed to leave without alerting any of the security.

    Raising my right hand to shield my eyes from the rays of the sun, the two of us began speeding up our pace as we trekked along the pathway towards the school gate.

    ¡°I already know that.¡± I said, trying to match May¡¯s pace.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± she replied, puzzled.

    ¡°What you said earlier, about any experience being valuable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. That¡¯s good then. ¡°

    Almost forgot?

    Is she messing with me? She mentioned that just a few seconds ago.

    ¡­

    After a good few minutes of walking, or sprinting, might¡¯ve been a combination of both, we finally reached the school gate. May immediately checked the road for any available ride, before signalling a passing cab by waving her hand. The cab slowed down and parked itself in front of us, next to the sidewalk. Looks like this is going to be our ride this afternoon.

    The two of us got in the car. The middle-aged driver glanced at the rear view mirror a couple of time before making a grin.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too early for a couple high school to go on a date?¡± The man said.

    I felt a bit irritated by the man¡¯s misunderstanding, ¡°Oh no, we¡¯re not like tha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Take us to the 3<sup>rd</sup> street in Arbour.¡± May intervened, cutting me off.

    ¡°Arbour, huh?¡± the man¡¯s grin grew even wider before letting out a brief chuckle. Soon after, the vehicle began moving and we were on our way to our destination.

    So that¡¯s where Haley lives. I¡¯ve never really been there before but as far as I know it¡¯s supposed to be a residential area southeast from the school. Unlike what the name would suggest, it¡¯s a very urban neighbourhood where the most you¡¯ll see it concrete. I also heard that most of the people who live there are pretty well off. That probably means Haley, and maybe even Caleb, are part of some wealthy family. That thought managed to pique my interest.

    ¡°The traffic seems to be mild today. It¡¯ll probably take us ten to fifteen minutes to get there.¡± May commented as she stared outside the car window.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the middle of the afternoon after all. Imagine if we were in the middle of the rush hour.¡± I said, leaning on the door to my left.

    ¡°I suppose we were lucky.¡± She said before switching to her phone.

    Glancing in front of me, I noticed the driver looking at us through the rear view mirror once again.

    ¡°Sorry if I had a big smile on earlier, it¡¯s just that seeing you youngsters made me reminisce about the good old days.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s alright.¡± I replied.

    As if he couldn¡¯t hear what I said, he went on, ¡°Back then, me and my wife would go on dates as soon as classes ended. Of course, with the both of us being so young and so in love back then, we¡¯d also try skipping school just to go somewhere in the city and be together.¡±

    ¡°Like I said earlier we aren¡¯t really¡ª¡±

    ¡°I remember our first kiss happening on accident.¡± The man smiled as he laughed, seemingly too occupied with the pleasant memories to hear what I had to say, or maybe his hearing just isn¡¯t as good. Might be both. At least he¡¯ll have less of a chance hearing the stuff we¡¯ll be talking about, that¡¯s if we keep the volume of our voices low, of course.

    ¡°This is weird¡­.¡± May uttered from the side.

    ¡°Tell me about it¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Haley¡¯s social media.¡±

    I turned towards May and saw her squinting her eyes, perplexed at what she was looking at on her phone.

    ¡°I checked her twitter account to see if she made any questionable posts that might clue us in about her upcoming suicide, but nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. The last thing she posted was a picture of a golden retriever wearing an angel costume that she uploaded last night.¡±

    ¡°Why would she even post anything questionable in the first place?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the kinds of things people post on social media.¡±

    She glanced at me briefly, ¡°I expected you to be well-versed with these kinds of things, knowing that both of us are born within the same generation. Didn¡¯t you already have a twitter account?¡±

    ¡°Noah made that account, remember? I¡¯m not really interested with social media to begin with.¡±

    ¡°Then I would advise you to start getting more involved with it. You¡¯ll learn a lot of things about people.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just people I¡¯ll end up learning about then I¡¯ll pass¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    ...

    I let out a brief sigh.

    ¡°¡­ Still, maybe Haley didn¡¯t post anything because just didn¡¯t want anyone to know about it.¡± I said, May¡¯s eyes were still glued to her phone, unmoving.

    ¡°That is a possibility.¡±

    ¡°Then again,¡± the driver began speaking once again, stealing the spotlight with his deep, aged voice, ¡°you kids shouldn¡¯t be skipping school just for dates. Just a word of advice. School is important, much more important than romance.¡±

    The man went on, I don¡¯t want to even bother clearing up the misunderstanding anymore, ¡°One of the things I regret doing till this day is not taking school seriously. Just look how I ended up, driving young couples to their dating spots. Not that being a cab driver is something to be ashamed about but, things could¡¯ve been a lot better.¡±

    The man sighed, and his voice became less enthusiastic than before, ¡°That¡¯s what I keep telling my son, who¡¯s about your age. I want him to do his best in school. Too bad he couldn¡¯t attend class today cause of the flu.¡±

    Having a stranger go on about his life could be a bit wearing to go through, but I wouldn¡¯t say I was completely uninterested with what the man was saying. I don¡¯t dislike hearing adults talk about their lives and such. I tend to learn some valuable things just from their stories, things that I wouldn¡¯t really learn at school. After all, one person¡¯s experience can be useful to someone else with a good pair of ears.

    ¡°What do you feel about what we did to Haley?¡± May abruptly asked, making me turn towards her.

    ¡°I felt bad.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°What else could there be? My plan didn¡¯t work and now she¡¯s about to kill herself, I feel bad about what happened. And especially regarding what¡¯s about to happen.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    I noticed she was staring right at me, as if there¡¯s something weird on my face.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t realized.¡± She said.

    ¡°Realize what?¡± I replied, slightly baffled by her sudden remark.

    ¡°That I expected you to mess up.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± this revelation made me straighten my back, my eyes were drawn to the raven haired girl next to me. Finding out that I may have been playing along with one of May¡¯s schemes had made me aggravated.

    ¡°Yes, I am. The only reason I let you take charge of a client¡¯s request was so that you could learn a lesson.¡±

    ¡°And what lesson is that supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°About delicacy.¡±

    ¡°Food?¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to handle things a lot more¡­ gently.¡±

    ¡°So the way I acted back then with Arvin had something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you angry?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t completely furious or anything, but I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to look at her right now. So instead I kept staring outside the car window, watching the buildings go by in a blur.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve done it differently, you know.¡± I said, finally able to look at her again.

    ¡°I could say the same thing to you.¡±

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t think of any other option back then, okay? If you helped me think of a better plan then¡ª¡±

    ¡°But you never asked.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Why did you have to go so far just to teach me a lesson? It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t listen to anyone¡¯s advice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to change an aspect of someone¡¯s behaviour that¡¯s already been deeply rooted into their personality. I doubt giving some piece of advice would have any effect. That¡¯s why I resorted to making you experience it, rather than just listen.¡± May put her phone back to her pocket, as if putting all of her attention to me, ¡°And I¡¯m doing all of this because I made a promise to someone, someone who¡¯s no longer here.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡±

    A promise? Somehow involving me and how I act?

    Who could¡¯ve done something like that?

    Was it Noah? Eugene?

    ¡­

    There¡¯s only one person May could be referring to, and I don¡¯t really know what to feel about it.

    ¡°Was it Sir Nathan?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He never told me to hide it from you so I¡¯ll just tell you right now. A few days before he died, Sir Nathan went to the student council and gave me a request. He told me to keep an eye on you, his favourite student, and help you enjoy your life.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that the deal we made was all for nothing?¡±

    ¡°No. I intend to keep working on what was discussed in our deal.¡±

    Enjoy my life, huh.

    So even in the grave, he still thought of a way to keep an eye on me.

    He made preparations for the time that he¡¯ll eventually leave.

    Before he died.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I think I want to go back.¡±

    ¡°Back where?¡± May asked.

    ¡°To school. If Sir Nathan wanted me to enjoy my life then I¡¯d rather be back in school, because I¡¯m sure as hell not enjoying it right now.¡±

    ¡°Are you supposed to be joking? We¡¯re just a few minutes away from Arbour and you suddenly want us to go all the way back to school?¡± May raised her voice. I could see the driver peeping through the rear view mirror before shaking his head, as if in disappointment.

    ¡°Should I turn this around, Miss?¡± the driver asked.

    ¡°No, keep going.¡± May replied immediately, not even bothering to glance at the man.

    She continued, ¡°¡­You¡¯re hesitating aren¡¯t you? But deep down you really want to save her, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here right now. You know that saving her life is the right thing to do. And yet, you still hesitate.¡±

    I avoided her gaze.

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid¡­ afraid of failure. You¡¯re afraid of failing. Recalling Sir Nathan¡¯s death must¡¯ve gotten you anxious.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to check but it felt like her eyes were still pointing at me, piercing me to my very core. It reminded me of our conversation after back then after the missing books problem was resolved. Mostly because it¡¯s gotten me as equally exasperated.

    ¡°Do you want to know what I think, Damis? There¡¯s only one reason why you failed to save people back then.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t have me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­ pfft, Ha Ha Ha¡±

    ¡°What do you find amusing about this?¡± she said, now seemingly annoyed by my laughter.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t get used to the outrageous stuff you say like that.¡± I said, wiping the beads of liquid off my eyes. I didn¡¯t expect to end up laughing during this conversation, but it managed to make me calmer than earlier.

    ¡°But you do know that I¡¯ve never been wrong.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that.¡±

    ¡°Then all you have to do is trust in me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, May.¡±

    ¡°It IS simple, you¡¯re just making it complicated.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say I straight up agreed and end up putting my all of my trust in you. How can you be so sure that you¡¯ll never fail yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make this clear, I¡¯m not perfect. Like you, Damis, I¡¯m just human. And it is human nature to make mistakes, like I have done so in the past. And with how sporadic and inconsistent your visions can be, it is unavoidable to find ourselves in situations where helping is no longer an option. We¡¯ll just have to accept the fact that we cannot save everyone. But with my help, I can ensure that every attempt we make to save someone¡¯s life will have at least a high chance of succeeding.¡± She said, her voice full of conviction. Her expression was that of anger, but not intimidating. She was serious.

    She turned towards the window beside her and looked as if she was searching for something in the distance, then continued, ¡°And if a day comes where we do miss a chance to save someone¡¯s life, you can just put all the blame on me. So, what do you say?¡± She looked back towards me, just in time for the golden rays of the sun to shine through the car window beside her, until all I could focus on was her profile.

    ¡°You¡¯re really trying, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I am. You may see those visions as some sort of blight or curse, but I think it¡¯s some kind of a blessing.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s just because you never lived wit¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have the ability to foresee a person¡¯s death. And because of it, you can do something to prevent it. You can extend people¡¯s lives and prevent their loved ones from mourning their deaths. Deep down, I know that you still have that urge to save lives. That¡¯s why you helped June escape back then, that¡¯s why you saved me and Casey, that¡¯s why you tried to save our teacher. You always felt that you were the only one that could¡¯ve done something, right? I understand that. I can empathize with that feeling, I truly do. That¡¯s why I want you to let me help. But if that¡¯s not enough for you then, I have another proposal¡­

    If a time comes where it was completely possible to save someone and yet I somehow fail to prevent that person¡¯s demise, you can go ahead and stop being my assistant. Don¡¯t worry, that doesn¡¯t mean our original deal will no longer be in effect. I will still help you with your visions. It¡¯s just that you¡¯ll no longer have to do anything in return, and I will also stop forcing you to get involved with people¡¯s deaths.¡±

    ¡°You say all of that, you try to persuade me, you even went so far as to give me proposal like that¡­ You¡¯ve used up a lot of your time for my sake and put a lot of effort into helping me with my visions¡­ Are you sure you should put that much trust in me?¡±

    I know myself more than anyone, I am my oldest friend after all.

    And yet for some reason, the things I knew and the things other people see never seem to overlap.

    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± May said, her arms crossed, ¡°You saved my life, so I owe you just as much. And as long as I can solve people¡¯s problems using your visions, I don¡¯t see any reason to not trust you.¡±

    Hearing May¡¯s answer, I couldn¡¯t help letting out my laughter once again.

    ¡°Are you still finding all of this amusing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you keep on saying some outrageous shit.¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sorry kids,¡± the driver abruptly intervened, his smile could be seen through rear view mirror, ¡°I hate to interrupt your heated argument but we¡¯ve already reached your destination.¡±

    I gave the driver my fare and opened the car door.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I said to May who had already gone out of the vehicle, this made me exit the vehicle as well.

    ¡°Thank you... ¡± She said to the driver as she gave him her payment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll use your help. ¡° I told her from across the car, ¡°But I have three things I want to be kept in mind.¡± I began pacing towards the sidewalk where she stood. With no more reason to be parking there, the cab went on its way out of Arbour.

    I continued, ¡°Firstly, I want to prioritize my studies. So if I were to be placed in a situation where I¡¯d have to choose between preventing someone¡¯s death and working on school activities, like what happened earlier, I will always choose the latter. The most I can do at that point is tell you everything I know about the vision.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me. When such a situation arises, I¡¯ll handle it by myself.¡±

    ¡°Second, I will only attempt to save a person¡¯s life if the prevention of that death is completely feasible. And third, and probably the most crucial one, is that I will only attempt to save a person¡¯s life when you¡¯re there to help.¡±

    ¡°So be it. Just make sure to let me know whenever a vision comes up. Speaking of saving lives, we should get going and find Haley.¡± With that, she began walking along the sidewalk, glancing at both rows of houses to the left and right side of the road.

    ¡°I assume that proposal is in effect as of now¡­¡± I said to May, who was walking in front of me with her phone in hand.

    ¡°Are you perhaps insinuating that I may have already failed to save Haley?¡±

    ¡°No, I was just making sure¡­¡±

    ¡­

    As we walked through the neighbourhood of Arbour, May glared at me with doubt.

    CHAPTER END