Kyle’s hazel eyes were holding a sinister glint. For the first time in my life, I was witnessing his dark side and his posture scared me.

He kept staring at our intertwined hands. I withdrew my palm from Ethan’s hold and we both stood up.

“Well, well,” Jenny said with a gleeful tone and she shook her long fingers with a wild wave.

“Look what we found! Our new president caught with her sister, oops, I mean step-sister’s boyfriend. This will become the most sensational gossip of the year.”

“You know what else would make a great source of gossip? Jenny Hickman has stopped spying people’s private life.” Kyle said with a cold voice.

Jenny looked towards him and scowled. His attitude came as a surprise for me too.

Kyle always had a polite manner with everyone and he never lost control.

Dyris laughed impulsively. She seemed to be the only one who found his remark funny. We all turned to stare at her. “Sorry,” she replied, and she tried to cover her heating cheeks.

“Ethan? Nora?” Athanasia asked, “What are you doing here?”

There was no mistrust in her voice; however, I knew I had to find a good excuse. We had to give them a plausible explanation. We could not tell her the truth because of Jenny’s presence.

“Ethan, I am waiting,” Athanasia said, tapping her foot.

I had to defend us or else this would create a big misunderstanding.

“Ethan wanted to speak with me.”

“About what?” Kyle asked, clenching his jaw.

“About your anniversary!” I looked straight at my sister and did not pay any attention towards Kyle.

My discourtesy did not please him. I was not doing this on purpose. I just did not know how to deal with his anger.

“Yes!” Ethan said playing along. “Monday is our first year anniversary, and I wanted to plan something special for you. I was just asking Nora if you had any preference.”

“Really?” She asked with an affectionate voice and folded her hands. Ethan and I exchanged a quick look. She was overreacting. We discerned that she did not believe us. I was certain she would question us again when we would get back home.

Ethan went to join her, at the same time Kyle walked inside towards my direction. Both boys did not even bother to look at each other. Ethan kept staring at Athanasia while Kyle was not taking his intense gaze off me. They were not acting as best friends instead they were behaving like rivals.

I stood up when Kyle came closer.

“Nora, can you come with me for a moment? I need to speak with you.”

I was about to answer, but Athanasia intervened before I even opened my mouth. “Kyle, it’s getting late and it will be better if Nora come with us.”

“I will not take long.” He tried to reach for me but she came forward and blocked his hand.

“Let me make it clear. Kyle, I don’t want to leave Nora with you. I don’t think you are in a right state of mind to have a proper conversation with her.”

Kyle gave her a defiant glare. “Do me a favor Asia, stay away from this!”

“And what if I don’t?”

I looked at them back and forth. My two best friends were fighting because of me. I placed my hand on Athanaisa’s shoulder. “Asia, it’s okay. I will go with him.”

She looked at me with concerned eyes, “Are you sure?”

I nodded, “I’ll see you at home.”

Kyle did not waste any time. He grabbed my wrist and started to lead me out of the room. Dyris and Jenny stepped aside to let us pass.

We walked outside the school and he stopped in front of his car and opened the door for me.

He went to the other side. “Get in.”

I folded my arms with a stubborn moved and I lashed at him using an angry tone. “I already told you I am not going to your mansion.”

“We are going to your house. We’ll talk on the way.”

Kyle appeared furious. I was afraid that things between us will become more poisonous if I leave with him.

For a moment, I regretted that I did not return with Athanasia and Ethan.

“Are you coming or not?” I took my bag off my shoulders and entered the car. He waited for me to adjust my seat-belt before he started to drive.

I glanced at the speed meter. He drove faster than usual. It became difficult for me because his actions relived one of my serious traumas. My mom died in a car accident and I was with her when it happened. I survived because she protected me when the impact occurred.

I never wanted to drive a car because the incident left me with a deep shock. Kyle was aware about the whole tragedy and he was always careful when he gave me rides.

I turned towards him terrified He had an impenetrable face. His demeanor exuded a scary tension.

“Kyle?”

“I heard the last part of your conversation. There are no plans for any anniversary. You were talking about me. Why did you lie about it?”

My mind still reeled, and I wanted him to stop the car. I stayed quiet because I did not want to appear weak in front of him.

“So you can share secrets with other girls and I am not allowed to have a private talk with Ethan?”

“That’s not the same thing, Leonora,” he snapped.

“Who is jealous now?” I muttered with a dark tone. I stopped talking when I realized something. Kyle did not take the same route which led towards my neighborhood. He was entering the woods.

“Kyle? Where are you taking me?”

He did not reply, and he drove even faster. Everything happened in a rapid pace. I tried my best to remain calm, but I grew weaker.

Kyle stopped his car after a few minutes. I took a loud breath. He brought me near the lake.

Our lake.

He got down without saying anything. I followed his lead. My knees shook when I stepped down. Kyle grabbed my shoulders and pinned me against the car.

He closed the distance between us. I felt the whole contour of his body against mine. My skin warmed up, and I turned away because I could not hold his gaze. The atmosphere became tense.

“Are you going to give me an answer?”

“No!”

“Fine! Don’t blame me for this!”

Kyle descended his face, my pulses were quickening, and his soft hair tickled my cheek. He soothed my skin with a gentle stroke and he nuzzled my neck. His closeness made my skin shivered, and I signed with pleasure.

He moved his face down and placed his lips on my nape. They were more delicate than his hair. I got lost in his touch and I did not notice what he was trying to do. He opened his mouth and nibbled my collarbone. Then he suckled the same spot.

A sick sensation settled inside me. My tears came down. It was not an act of love. It was an act of possession. He marked me. Kyle did not realize that his action was ruining our innocence. He was reducing our relationship into something petty.

Nothing would remain the same after this. Kyle did not release me immediately. He hugged me with a tight hold as if he was afraid that I would run away.

“I won’t escape.” I whispered.

He let his arms slide down and took a few steps backwards. I lifted my hand and touched the place where he had bitten me. It still held a burning sensation.

“Why did you do this?”

“I will not give you an answer until you response to my question.” He answered with a husky whisper.

“How can you be so callous?”

“I won’t ask for forgiveness Leonora because I don’t regret what I did.”

“I only talked with Ethan and this does not give you the right to stake your claim on me.”

“Nora, you don’t understand! I can’t see you with other guys.”

“Asia was right,” I whispered. “You like me.”

“Yes! And it’s not something new. I tried to keep my emotions in check because I did not want to scare you. But I cannot do it anymore.”

I grabbed his collar with a furious force. “Don’t you have faith in me? Don’t you have faith in Ethan? Do you really think we will break Athanasia’s trust like this?”

He looked at me with an intense gaze again. “Of course, I trust you. But when I saw you alone with him like this, my feelings for you exploded. I don’t want you to drift away from me!”

“And I experienced, the same reaction when I saw you with Dyris,” I shouted back.

We were both out of breath. We allowed our frustration to overpower our senses.

“What is happening to us?” Kyle said after a long moment. “We never behave like this before.”

“It’s because of you!” I said accusingly. “You have started to keep secrets. There is something which is killing you inside. Instead of asking for my help you prefer to suffer alone.

I looked away and stared at the lake. Its beauty momentary caught my attention, and it helped me to calm down. This place was our secret haven. It contained too many sweet memories, and we spent most our childhood playing here. At that moment I sensed its importance was about to disappear.

“You are treating me like a stranger and I don’t like it.” I whispered.

I returned my gaze back to him and froze.

A single tear drop ran down on his left cheek.

“I never wanted you to become alienated from me.” “You are someone whom I never want to lose in my life.”

His weak side took me aback. I never saw him cry before and at this precise moment I realized how selfish I was. He did not need to tell me anything because I understood. He was suffering from a terrible ordeal. And, instead of helping him I kept complaining how things were not like the way I wanted.

He gently caressed my cheek, “You are not aware how I desperate I am. A terrible incident happened a few months back. I want to tell you the truth however it does not concern only me, my loved ones are involved in this mishap. I have a duty towards my family. But the real reason I am staying quiet is because I am afraid. If I tell you what happened, I am sure, I will lose you forever.”

A strong fear filled my heart. I replayed his last words in my mind and shuddered. It did not seem possible to imagine a life without him. I clasped his hand and kissed his palm. Kyle was not part of my life. He was my life.

“If it is so terrible I don’t want to hear it.”

“I wish I could tell you what’s going on.” His anxiety rang clear in his voice.

“It might not be easy but please don’t pressure me like this again. You have some responsibility towards your family. And I have to maintain my friendship with Ethan as well. We discussed a personal matter. It’s his secret and I don’t want to say anything if he is not ready to disclose it.”

Kyle nodded, “I appreciate your honesty. I know I am hiding things from you but please stay with me. Right now I need your support.”

I signed and wound my arms around his neck. “I will never leave you Kyle. It’s a promise.”

We walked towards the lake, and we sat down on a big rock. “You realize that our sentiments are changing. We are no longer the small kids who would innocently hold hands. We are growing up and our desires are evolving.”

He uttered those words with ease, and I started to felt shy again.

“I can’t deny it any longer. I have strong feelings for you however everything seemed too ambiguous right now. I don’t mind embarking in a romantic relationship. However if we do this, there would be no turning back. And if things don’t work out between us, it would destroy our thirteen years of friendship.”

Kyle looked at me with a mixture of admiration and regret. I think that my speech touched him. “I guess that you are right. Right now we are too emotionally connected with each other. There is a high chance we are confusing friendship with love.”

“We should figure a way to find out if we love each other or not.”

“Maybe we should-” He stopped and did not continue. I could see that the next words were difficult for him.“Maybe we should spend less time together.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but closed it almost immediately. The decision seemed right.

I wrapped my arm around his and placed my head on his shoulder.

“Okay, I agree, but we’ll start on Sunday.”

A half-smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Why are on Sunday?”

“There is a party at the Forester’s manor on Saturday. I need you to be my date.”

He beamed with a happy face. “Really? You are agreeing for it! I kept wondering how to announce the bad news to mom.” He caressed my back and I leaned against him.

A sudden thought broke our peaceful haven.

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you and Dyris talk about this morning?”

“Nothing in particular, she wanted to know if my Dad could help her father to locate a proper storeroom. They have materials to stock.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “I hope she finds it and leaves you alone.”

He stroked my hair with a soft care. “You don’t have to worry about her. I like you and no one will ever come between us.”

His words pleased me and it helped me to contemplate our future.

There were serious matters between us which were still pending.

However, with Kyle by my side, I could conquer anything.

An hour later, Kyle drove me back home. He became tense when we entered my neighborhood.

“Are you all right?” I asked placing my hand on his shoulder.

“I am fine.” He gave me a faint smile and titled his head in front. “We reached your house.”

Athanasia was waiting outside of the gate and he stopped the car in front of her. She seemed angry.

“Where did you go? I was worried!”

We both stepped outside and Kyle spoke with her first.

“We went at the lakeside to talk.” He explained. “We did not see the time pass.”

Athanasia did not pay any attention to him and spoke only to me.

“Nora, you should have called me. I was about to contact our parents. Come, let’s go inside.”

“Asia, wait,” Kyle said. “I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you earlier.”

She turned away from him and replied in a cold voice. “Let’s forget about it.”

Kyle leaned to give me a kiss on my forehead before going away. Athanasia had already reached the front door. I took out my scarf and wrapped it around my neck.

“Nora, you want something to drink?” Athanasia asked.

“A glass of water would be nice,” I replied.

It did not surprise me to see Ethan inside the living room.

I looked at the kitchen to check on Athanasia and I took the seat beside him.

“Did she ask you something?” I whispered.

He shook his head. “She said she will wait for you before discussing anything.”

“So?”

We both jumped when we heard her voice.

She gave me my drink and settled on the couch. Her attitude was very intimidating. Athanasia had a serious look on her face and we understood that she meant business.

“Are you going to tell me? What are you concealing?”

Seeing Ethan’s helpless state, I decided to be brave and tried my luck. “We are not hiding anything. I have already told you. We were talking about your anniversary!”

“Nora, please stop lying! We were best friends before becoming step-sisters. I can see that you are not being honest.”

I did not know what to do. Ethan was not willing to involve her into this kind of danger. But, if we remained quiet, it might lead to greater misunderstandings.

She continued to talk. “Besides, it’s not in Ethan’s nature to keep tracks of anniversaries.”

Ethan and I exchanged panic looks, but we stayed mum.

“Ethan, you want to break up right?” Athanasia questioned after a while. “Then you should have informed me directly. It’s hard but if it’s your decision, I am ready to accept it.”

Ethan opened his eyes wide and immediately walked towards her.

He caught her fingers between his hands. “No, Asia. How can you say that?”

“Then why aren’t you saying anything? I can tell that it is something serious because you are adamant to keep it a secret.”

I could not take it anymore. Kyle was important, but I also cared for Athanasia.

She was suffering for nothing.

“It’s not about you, it’s about Kyle!”

“Nora!” Ethan said protesting.

“There is no use lying anymore. Kyle is our friend but we cannot let this matter destroy your relationship with Asia.”

Ethan nodded gravely. “You are right. We can’t keep her in the dark.”

He cupped her face with his right hand and started to tell her everything.

“Wow.” She let out a low whistle and said, “I built many scenarios in my mind but I never thought it was something like this.”

“But Ethan, are you sure that Kyle is involved with this massacre?” I asked again.

“It’s hard to believe.” Athanasia agreed. “Kyle is a soft guy. Even if he has changed, I don’t think he will join a cult like this.”

“I said it before, I am not hundred percent sure Kyle is part of this cult or not. However Jenny is an active member of this secret society. She said that they are completing the unfinished task of Keil Lossell the unfinished task of Keil Lossell?” Athanasia asked, confused.

I pondered over his words for a moment and then declared, “I might know what they are talking about.”

They both turned to look at me.

“Wait right here!” I went to my room and came back with Nemitria’s journal.

“Why did you bring this old diary here?” Ethan asked.

“This is not an ordinary journal. It belonged to one of my ancestor Nemitria Trima. Inside, she had related a few events which occurred in the year 1804.”

“You mean the same year which Keil Lossell died?”

“Yes, they were engaged and according to Nemitria, Keil had already formed a sect back then.”

“What?” Athanasia shouted.

“That’s mean that Jenny and her accomplices are continuing his legacy.” Ethan mused out aloud.

“But what was his purpose behind this cult?”

I opened the journal and showed it to her.

“She said Keil was conducting an important research.”

“What kind of research?”

I placed the journal on the table and said. “Well, there is one legend which proclaimed that our island's natives were fairies.”

They nodded. “No one has been able to prove this theory,” Athanasia replied.

“Keil Lossell blindly believed the myth. He claimed the fairies have mingled with the new settlers. They wanted to hide their true identities.”

“He told this to Nemitria?”

“No, but she suspected that he was concealing a big secret and one day, she followed him.”

“Did she find something?”

“He had a secret meeting near the beach shore. There were already people, waiting for his arrival. His servitors had captured a man. They chained him with metallic shackles.”

“And?”

“Keil approached him with a sword and placed it on his head. He wanted to know where the other descendants were hiding. The man refused to answer any of his questions and with the little strength he had, he head-bolted Keil.”

Ethan and Athanasia both cringed.

“Let me guess! Keil was not pleased.”

“Yes, and in response he cut a large portion of the man’s flesh. Nemitria wanted to intervene. However, Keil discovered her presence before she could do anything. She had to flee.”

“What happened next?” Athanasia asked.

I shrugged. “Unfortunately, she stopped writing after this incident. It’s hard to tell what Keil did afterwards.”

“That’s mean Jenny and the other members are sacrificing blameless people. They are under the misconception that their victims possessed fairy’s power.”

“That’s insane!” Ethan exclaimed.

He stood up and placed both of his hands over his neck. “This diary is a proof that there was an evil association which existed in the year 1804. However it’s not enough to incriminate Jenny’s cult.”

“We can always sneak inside the cemetery and take pictures of them. But-”

“It’s too risky,” Athanasia finished my sentence. “And before taking any step, we have to ensure, Kyle’s innocence.”

“We have no choice,” I replied with a glum voice. “We have to find out Kyle’s secret and confirm if he has any relation with those snakes.”

“Nora,” Ethan said with a sincere voice. “Kyle holds a very important place in your life. I told you about this because right now you are the most powerful student in the school. I did not intend to put you into such a difficult dilemma.”

“It’s true Ethan. However, right now several innocent lives are at stake and we have to think about them first. This group is dangerous and anyone can be their target.”

“You are not alone in the situation.” Athanasia said with a solemn tone. “We will help you with this fight. Let’s make a promise. We will try our best to destroy this evil cult.”

She placed her hand forward. I hesitated for a few seconds before following her lead and Ethan sealed the deal by covering my hand.

“Let the battle begin.”

“I have a bad premonition about this.” We were at the Forester’s manor. The party had already started downstairs.

Athanasia came and stood behind me, “You think we will not find anything?”

“Kyle is not a fool, if I pretend to be a damsel in distress in front of him. He would guess that something is amiss.”

“Then, you should hide your true emotions when he is around you.” She said flapping my hair.

“What do you mean?”

“Kyle is your weakness but do not forget that you are precious for him. Men like him, act strong in front of others but when it’s come to love, they all became idiots. Plan your moves against him with a clear mind. Trust me! He would not be able to resist your charm.”

I stared at her reflection on the mirror with awe. She seemed so confident.

Athanasia and I shared several similarities. That’s why we got along. However Athanasia was the strong one and I always wanted to possess her assurance.

Her phone vibrated. She took it out and smiled. “It’s Ethan. He has just arrived. I am going to meet him.”

She walked towards the door. “Kyle will escort you, right?”

“Yes, you will return before he comes here?”

“Yeah, Sure.”

She left, and I turned back towards the mirror to apply the finishing touch of my makeup. I could not recognize myself. A princess stared back at me. It helped me calm my nerves, however, my heart still continued to pound. I didn’t want to go downstairs. I turned around to admire my dress. Mrs. Forester bought two outfits. They were two different colors, blue and white. I chose the white one because it had a touch of heaven with it.

I heard a soft knock at the door.

“Kyle is that you?”

“No, wrong Forester,” a female voice answered.

“Evelyn?” I asked when the person came inside.

“Nora!” She said and gave me a tight embrace. I smiled and hugged her back. “Evie! How’s your new life?” She was Kyle’s elder sister and last year she shifted to America for further studies. “Great. I never thought I would enjoy staying in a different country. Sure the modules are hard, but I can pull it off.”

“That’s fantastic! Her chirpy mood eased some of my tension. I am so glad, you came to this party. I really miss you during all those months.”

“To be honest, when mother called me to announce the news, I got homesick. I saw it as a perfect opportunity to come here. It’s a great day for you and Kyle. You should see the preparations downstairs. It is as if Mother is organizing your engagement party.”

I chuckled. “Don’t exaggerate; we are still attending high school!”

“You should not underestimate Mom’s intentions.” She stepped back and took a full glance at me “You have not styled your hair yet. Come I know a quick and easy hairstyle. I’ll do it for you.”

“Thanks,” I said with a grateful tone. “Athanasia told me she will help me but Ethan just arrived. And she went to meet him.”

“I greeted them on my way up. They are already hitting the dance floor.”

“Oh.” I replied and clasped my fingers together.

“I swear if Ethan did not have a girlfriend I would have grabbed him for myself.”

“Ethan is handsome and has a kind heart but you are not serious!”

“Ah, you know me so well.”

“However, it’s certain he has other admirers besides Athanasia. Any girl can fall in love with him.”

She parted my hair in equal parts and started to plait the strands.

“So did you meet an interesting guy at your university?” I asked trying to maintain the conversation.

She addressed me a knowing smile through the mirror, and I understood with a quick second.

“What’s his name?”

“Drew. He is only one year older than me. Right now we are just friends, however, we do share something special but I can’t describe it clearly. When we are together, the ambiance becomes gentle. He stirred a part of me which I never knew existed.”

Her eyes travelled at some place far away and I realized that I felt the same passion with Kyle.

She placed a few pins in my hair and said. “Here it’s all done!”

I tilted my head to look at her work. “Wow, it’s beautiful.” I was about to stand up when suddenly a thought crossed my mind.

“Evelyn? You already had a boyfriend before leaving Lossell right? What happened to him?”

The brush fell down from her hand. It clattered against the floor with a loud sound. I bend to pick it up. However, she managed to grab it first. “Oh him,” she said with apathetic voice, “Don’t worry about it. There was nothing serious between us. We had already agreed at the beginning itself that it would be just a fling. I am sure he must have already forgotten about me by now.”

I eyed her with suspicion. She became too nervous and was not telling the truth.

Her tone changed, and she walked towards the door. “Listen. I am going downstairs. Maybe my Mom needs my help.”

“Evelyn wait-” I stood up to face her, however, it was too late. She already fled from the room.

“First, Kyle acted in a different manner, and now it’s Evelyn's turn. What was wrong with the Foresters?”

I started to connect the pieces together. Kyle said his secret had a link with his family.

Evelyn’s strange behaviour evoked strong doubts inside me. There was a possibility it had a connection with her ex-boyfriend.

I sat on the bed and tried to recall the guy’s name. Kyle introduced me to him once, and he had an open for that guy.

I made an effort again and stopped till I remembered his name.

“Darren Mars!” I said aloud. “He had a best friend, and the person was someone close to me!”

A shadow appeared on the floor and I looked towards the door.

Kyle stood there wearing a black tuxedo.

“Leonora, are you ready to go?”

“Yes, let me just take my bag.” It was conveniently lying on the bed.

I stood up and took a deep breath. I walked closer and wrapped my arm around his.

His eyes filled up with glee and he held me close for a moment. “I can’t believe that you are here with me today. We will have a great time.”

“I hope so.” I whispered touching his eyebrows.

We walked slowly and stopped on the top of the stairs.

The lights were dim, and the music blared loudly from the speakers. The party was in full swing.

I took the opportunity to keep an eye on our friends. Athanasia and Ethan were busy dancing. William stood near the buffet and was filling up his plate. Rose was busy taking pictures and Stella seemed to have a deep conversation with Mack Holton. His cousin Blair stood beside him and I gave her a friendly wave.

She waved back and gave me a responsive smile.

At that same moment Mrs. Forester came towards our direction.

“My. My. You two are looking like a perfect couple!”

I blushed and Kyle turned his face away, feeling embarrassed. “I told you before. We are not dating.”

“I know,” she said and pinched his cheek in a playful manner.

I regained my composure and said, “I wish to thank you and your family for this wonderful party.”

“You don’t need to be so formal towards me dear.” She lovingly patted my head. “You have been through a lot for your young age and it gives me pleasure if I could bring some happiness in your life. You are like a daughter for me.”

“No, really I mean it. It make it realise how lucky I am to have people like you and Kyle in my life.”

She smiled and patted my cheeks.

“Now, come down and join the rest of your classmates! I have to see if everything is all right with the catering service.”

Kyle and I descended the marches and most of the guests directed their gazes towards us. I wanted to identify the criminals among them. They had to pay for their crimes and we had the mission to drop their masks.

I looked towards my allies again and Ethan showed me the signal.

It was time to start the plan.

I touched Kyle’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. “Would you mind if we go outside for a moment? My head is spinning.”

He nodded and shouted. “There are too many people inside. It’s suffocating.”

We made our way out without attracting people’s attention.

Kyle led me towards the garden and we stopped when we reached the biggest fountain.

I sat down on its border and took a deep breath.

Kyle remained standing and looked towards his manor. Without any warning he kneeled down and placed his forehead on my hand.

“What are you doing?” I asked, surprised.

“Leonora, I am sorry,” he said with a soft voice.

“For what?”

“For what I did yesterday.”

“You said you won’t apologize.”

“I realized it now. I behaved like an idiot.”

“Yes, I am not going to lie. I did not expect this from you.”

He lifted his head, “I should not have acted with so much possession. I promised that I won’t do something so immature again.” He took a moment before saying, “You look exquisite tonight, just like an angel.”

“Kyle.” I became mesmerized by his presence. His eyes reflected the sincerity of his words.

“I have a gift for you,” he said taking a small box out of his pocket. He placed it on my hand and waited.

I opened his present and gasped. Inside was the most beautiful hair comb which I ever seen. It had a white peacock design and its eye was a perfect royal blue pearl.

“Oh, my God. It’s so breathtaking.”

“Can I make you wear it?” He asked with a soft whisper.

“Yes! You can!” I replied folding my hands together. I stood up, and he walked behind me. He lifted my hair with care and placed the comb on my head. We did not move immediately. He brushed the back of my shoulders and placed his lips on my skin.

“Leonora,” he murmured.

I twirled behind and wrapped my arms around him with a fervent force.

A few minutes later I leaned back and his eyes traveled on my lips. His face was just a few centimeters away from mine. He was about to kiss me.

Nothing else mattered. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I closed my eyes and waited.

A cool breeze twirled around us and we stopped moving when a man cleared his throat.

“Ethan?” Kyle asked with a half-angry tone. “What are you doing here?”

Ethan grinned and showed us a big bottle of wine.

Kyle turned away from me and faced our friend. “Where did you get this? It’s from my father's private collection. He will be furious if he finds out you were at the wine cellar!”

“It’s just some wine.” Ethan replied swinging the bottle. “What’s the big deal?”

“It’s a big deal for my parents!”

“I wanted to felicitate my friends for this special occasion. That’s all.”

Kyle closed his eyes; I could sense that his irritation was already fading away. “It’s all right for this time. Just don’t let my father see you. Okay?”

Ethan chuckled and moved around like a joker. He stopped near Kyle and gazed at him with defiant gaze.

“And what if I don’t? You will kick me out of your manor? Just like you shamelessly grabbed my post for the basketball team captain?”

I took a step forward, “Ethan, how can you say something so twisted? Kyle did not cheat. The coach chose him because he deserves it!”

“You shut up!”

Kyle came in front of me and placed his arms against my upper body. He wanted to protect me against Ethan’s anger.

Ethan continued to rant. “Everybody knows that I scored the last winning shoot during the previous match. You only got the spot because the teachers want to remain on your good side. You became the captain because your family founded Lossell High.”

“Ethan, you are going too far now!” I intervened again.

“I think I already told you to shut up! You are as despicable as him. Without Kyle’s support, you would be a mere underdog. You used him to win your title. And now you have become the school president, you are finally giving him a reward.”

“Ethan, stop it!” Kyle shouted. “You can treat me the way you want but stop spitting your uncalled venom against Leonora.”

Ethan smirked. “You two deserved each other. You are taking the concept of friends with benefits towards a greater level.” He opened the bottle and poured the wine inside one of the glass while keeping an eye on us. Then, without any warning he threw the liquor at me.

I let out a loud gasp when the cold fluid smacked my dress.

Kyle did not react right away and stared at the red stain with a shock expression. He turned towards Ethan and yelped, “You bastard!”

He gave him a hard punch on his jaw. “I won’t allow anyone to disrespect Leonora like this.”

Ethan let the bottle drop and hit Kyle back with equal force.

“Guys stop it!” They did not listen and continued to fight.

I waited for a few more minutes and then I took my mobile to call Athanasia.

“Asia, I am near the big fountain. Ethan and Kyle are exchanging blows. I can’t stop them. Please come and help me.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

I stared at the boys again. No one wanted to stop the struggle.

After a few moments, Evelyn and Athanasia arrived on the spot.

Evelyn looked at the scene with horrifying eyes. “Kyle, stop it!” She shouted.

Kyle halted his punch before he hit Ethan’s face. Ethan coughed loudly and passed down on the floor.

“What on earth are you doing? He is your best friend!”

“He started it.” Kyle said while standing up.

Athanasia rushed to Ethan side and helped him to get on his feet. Evelyn gave her a hand and said to her brother, “Are you aware that there is a party inside? If Mom sees you like this, she will throw the biggest tantrum of the Forester’s history.”

Kyle heaved an exasperated sigh and walked towards me. He took my face between his hands.

“Are you okay?”

“I am fine. Don’t worry.”

Evelyn took a quick look at us and said, “Listen, Mom will search for us soon. We better fix this mess before she comes here. You three seemed that you just came back from war!”

“Is there a place where Ethan can rest?” Athanasia asked.

“The dancers are occupying most of the guest rooms. But we can take him into my room. Nora! Go upstairs and fix your appearance. I will send a new dress for you.”

He saw the girls had trouble to support Ethan. Kyle took his friend’s arm and placed it on his own shoulder.

He walked ahead without saying anything.

“We have to use the back door.”

The security guards did not make any comment when we entered the house. Kyle placed Ethan on Evelyn’s bed.

“Nora, come let’s go to my room.”

I nodded and followed him there.

He removed his coat with rage and sat on his majestic bed.

“I am sorry that your evening was spoiled like this. You were not too keen to have a party.”

I touched his injured cheeks. “Do you have a first-aid box?”

“Yeah, it’s in my cupboard.”

“It’s locked.”

“The keys are in the last drawers.”

I took out the box and went towards him to clean his wounds.

“Do you think he is right? I stole his position?”

“Kyle, please don’t blame yourself, you did nothing wrong. It’s Ethan who became out of control.”

“I don’t understand why he behaved like this.”

“Me neither.”

We heard someone knocking at the door.

It was Athanasia. “Evelyn sent this for you.” She said, giving me a package.

“Thanks, Asia.”

She looked at Kyle with hesitation and asked. “Can I speak with you? It’s about Ethan.”

He hesitated and did not give any answer.

“Please.”

“All right, let’s go.”

“Kyle, wait!”

They both stopped and looked at me. “I am still shaken. Can I stay here for a few moments before coming downstairs?”

“Sure,” he said, giving me a quick kiss on my cheek. It left a tingling sensation. “Don’t worry I will handle everything.”

I waited for them to leave and I changed my clothes.

A few minutes later, Ethan tapped the door, and I let him entered inside.

“You played your role well,” he said, giving me a quick high-five. “I never knew that you were such a good actress.”

“You mean it? I was so nervous. Thank God! Kyle did not discover our masquerade.”

“Sorry, I threw wine on you. I figured it was the only way to make him react.”

“Yeah! Your move gave me a big shock, but it was necessary for our plan to work. I had to find a good excuse to stay in his room.”

“You have his keys?”

I wobbled them victoriously in front of him.

“Great! Let’s start the search!”

I glanced at Kyle’s alarm clock. “We don’t know for how long Athanasia will manage to stall him. We need to find a clue about his secret.”

“Yes, you are right!”

“So what are we looking for?”

“Anything unusual or suspicious.”

“Okay, I’ll search inside the drawers and you can check inside his cupboard.”

While probing through Kyle’s stuff, I noticed something. It was a picture frame. I got curious and flipped it over.

“That’s a photo of Kyle and me. It’s from a school festival which happened two years ago. We were only fourteen.”

The captured moment was ordinary, but it made me feel guilty.

“Kyle is gazing at me with adoringly eyes, but I was not paying attention to him.” I placed the photo frame against my chest. “For how long did he have feelings for me?”

I did not want to continue the quest anymore. He had a strong faith in me and I betrayed his trust. Even if it was for his best interest, I had no right to invade his privacy like this.

“Ethan?”

“Yes?”

“Are you sure, we are doing the right thing?”

I turned to confront him. He was holding a giant key in his hands.

“Where did you get this?”

“It was inside. Inside his pillow!”

“Why will he keep a key there?”

I walked towards Ethan and examined the object. “It seems ancient.”

“Kyle concealed this thing with precaution. I had to check a few times before I discovered it.”

“A key is used to open an entrance, but the one we have here seems too big. It will not fit inside any door of this manor.”

“Maybe, you are right Nora but I have to tell you something.”

“I noticed similar keys inside the wine-cellar.”

“The wine-cellar?”

“Did you notice how Kyle seemed aggravated when I showed him the bottle?”

“You are right! He seemed more afraid than angry. That’s might be the clue we are looking for.”

We did not have time to ponder over this matter because at that same instant my phone rang. Athanasia’s name flashed on the screen. I put the phone on loudspeaker.

“Nora. Listen, I tried to talk with Kyle but he left, claiming he had something important to do.”

“He told me to wait, but I followed him without his knowledge. He walked inside the basement and stopped in front of the wine-cellar.”

I exchanged a shocked look with Ethan.

“What is he doing there?” I asked.

“He is touching the door but is not entering the room. Oh no!”

“What happened?”

“I am hanging up now. He is heading upstairs. You two better get out from his room.”

“Okay.” Ethan replied. “We must hurry!”

We took the key and placed the rest of the items back in their positions.

As soon as we left outside the room, we saw Kyle coming towards our direction. We dashed towards the opposite side and hid in the left hallway before he could notice us.

“Ethan, if he goes inside, he will see that the key is missing. What shall we do now?”

Kyle knocked before calling my name. “Leonora?”

I pressed my lips, afraid. His hand was on the doorknob.

“He’s about to open the door.” I whispered, caught in a complete panic.

Fortunately, at that moment Athanasia appeared, and she marched towards him.

“Kyle!”

He jumped and gave her a startled look. “Why did you scream like this?”

“I am sorry, but I really need to speak with you. You told me to wait, but I did not see you afterwards.”

He placed his hand on his forehead. “It’s me who should apologize. I had to check something.”

“It’s uncomfortable here.” She said when she made eye contact with us. “Will you mind if we go downstairs?”

He hesitated. “Let me see Leonora first.” He placed his hand on the doorknob again.

“No!”

“Please stop shouting!” He said covering his ears.

“Poor Kyle! He is afraid of her.” Ethan whispered.

I nodded and resisted the urge to giggle.

“She sent me a message. She is taking a quick nap!” Athanasia said with a frantic voice.

“A nap?” Kyle asked raising his head. “We will have dinner soon. I think it will be better if I wake her up.”

“That’s not a good idea. Trust me! Nora will hate you if you disturbed her sleep.”

He glanced at the door and looked at her again. “I guess you are right. She had a hard time today. I should let her rest. We can come back later.”

She tugged the sleeve of his shirt. “Come on.”

“Fine. I am coming. Are you all right? You seemed strange. I mean stranger than usual.”

“I am okay. Just a little worried about Ethan. That’s all.” She answered while biting her lip.

I waited for them to walk away before I let out a sigh of relief.

“Should we check the wine-cellar? Or do you want to stop here for today?” Ethan asked.

“If Kyle went to inspect the wine-cellar, it could mean he is hiding something inside that room.”

“I won’t force you to come with me. You are having remorse and it’s better if I go alone.”

He took a few steps forward, but I stopped him.

“Wait. Let’s go together. We have come this far. And it will be pointless if we don’t find our answers now.”

We stopped walking when we reached the wine-cellar. Ethan pushed the door. It did not budge.

“Strange! It was open when I came earlier.”

“How can we get inside? The door does not have any hole!”

“Asia said he was standing here. He enclosed the entry before heading back upstairs.”

“That means we can’t enter unless Kyle opens it for us.” I stopped talking when I noticed a strange scratch on the entrance. I touched the spot with my fingers. “What is this?”

“It looks like a snowflake mark,” Ethan answered.

A terrible intuition suddenly pierced my chest. This place gave me uncomfortable chills, and I wanted to leave.

“Ethan! Let’s forget about this! We should go back to the party.”

“Okay, I guess we can try another time.”

We started to walk away but his foot stepped on something.

“What’s this?”

I bent down and picked up a white object.

“No way.”

“A fake snowflake!” he exclaimed. “Kyle must have dropped it by mistake.”

We both turned towards the door again.

“Do you think it will work?”

“We can still try.”

I placed the snowflake on the mark and twirled the small object until it was in the right position. I pushed it inside and the door opened.

“You are awesome!” he said and gave me a proud pat on my shoulders.

The room was larger than I expected. Inside, there was a big collection of wine and other liquors.

However, something else caught my attention.

In front of us, stood eight majestic doors.

“They don’t have any keyhole either.” I remarked.

Several keys were placed against the entrances. They looked identical to the one we found in Kyle’s room.

“A code?” Ethan said.

“Yes,” I agreed. “If we looked closer, it seemed we have to use the keys to form alphabets.”

“So this one will complete the puzzle.”

“Yes, but we have to crack the code first!”

“Eight doors.”

“Eight letters.”

“Forester?”

We stepped forward and tried to arrange the keys to form the word. But it was not working.

“No, that’s not the right code. What should we do? It would take hours before we could solve this enigma.”

“The manor belonged to the Lossell family before, right? What about K. Lossell?”

“Yes, this might be our solution.” We made a last attempt. The words seemed to be in the right position but the doors still did not budge.

I let out a loud sigh, “At this rate, we will never succeed.”

“Wait, hand me, the key which we found in Kyle’s room.”

“There is a small gap which just appeared between the letters K and L.”

“Do you think it will fit in?”

He pushed the key and turned it. The doors moved a few seconds later. “It worked!”

A brick moved and a hand trap suddenly emerged right above the key. It caught Ethan within a short second.

“What’s going on?” I cried.

“I can’t move,” Ethan said trying to free his hand.

The ground trembled, and I looked down in terror. We saw a secret passage appearing near our feet.

“What is it?”

“An underground path!”

We exchanged a shock look.

Ethan shook his head. “So it’s true! Kyle and his family are hiding something!”

I switched on the torchlight of my phone and I saw a set of steps which lead downstairs.

“I will go down to confirm our suspicions.”

Ethan nodded. “Will you be okay alone?”

“Yeah, I will be all right. And you? I don’t want to leave you trapped like this.”

“Don’t worry about me, but if, you notice something dangerous. Forget everything and come back upstairs!”

“I will but just keep talking to me so I could feel your presence.”

He nodded, “I am right here Nora. I won’t go away.”

I moved down and walked with great care till I reached the end of the stairs.

My feet felt ticklish at once. I walked on something cold.

“Ice? No, it’s water!”

“Ethan? There is water inside. I think the path is a tunnel.”

“A tunnel? It must be connected to the main river. Is there something else?”

I walked further and stopped when I saw a metal door on my right side.

I stepped back, it looked like a confinement room.

“Ethan? I think I found a jail!”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Is it empty?”

I was about to answer, but suddenly I hear sounds coming from the other side of the prison.

I bent down and placed my ear against the door and listened. The sounds stopped for a few seconds and later they continued again.

I stood up with a quick pace.

“Ethan, I think that someone is trapped, inside.”

“Are you sure? That’s horrible!”

“We have to free him!”

He did not give any response. “Ethan?” I called again.

All noise stopped at once. “Nora?”

I shivered because a different voice called my name. A familiar male’s voice.

“What are you doing here?” He asked. “You came to my rescue?”

I turned and swirled the light towards the mysterious door. The voice was coming from a small rectangular shaped hole.

A strong fear entered my mind. I peeked inside and a pair of human eyes stared right back at me.

My body won’t move because I became paralyzed with fear.

I wanted to shout. But, no words came out of my mouth.

When I finally found the courage to move, I sensed a sharp pain at the back my head.

Agonized with pain, I fell down on the floor. Before closing my eyes, the shadow of a hideous creature appeared. It let out a sinister growl and leapt towards me with a predatory intention.

My body shook with a strong jolt. Someone was holding my hand, but I could not recognize the person’s touch.

“Will she recuperate her strength, Doctor?” This time I distinguished Kyle’s voice.

“Yes, she just need to rest. She did not absorb enough carbon monoxide to put her in danger.”

“Carbon monoxide?”

“Thank you so much for coming.”

Daddy? What was he doing here?

I tried to move my eyes but my head responded with a sharp pain. With a great effort, I managed to open them.

Kyle was the one who noticed that I was conscious.

“Leonora, are you okay?” He helped me to sit and engulfed me in a bone-crushing hug. I kept my hands down and did not response to his embrace.

“Thank God you are alive. I thought I lost you forever.”

My vision was weak, but I could make out Mrs. Forester and her husband. Some of my family members were also present in the room.

An ominous silence reigned inside. A sense of mourning lingered in the air.

“Nora, Nora!” I looked around still with a disoriented mind. Athanasia’s voice came from outside.

Kyle released me and stood in front of the bed with a protective stance.

“Don’t let her come inside,” he ordered.

My father walked towards the door and hindered the entrance.

Athanasia showed up, but he held her by her shoulders, “Not now, Asia, your sister needs to rest.”

“Please, Dad, it’s important.” She tried to block past him, but my Dad did not budge. “Nora, are you awake?”

“Asia? What happened? For God sake Daddy! Let come her inside.”

Dad and Kyle exchanged a serious look. It seemed as if my father was waiting for his approval.

“Don’t listen to him. I want her beside me!”

He hesitated for a moment but finally let her pass. She came near me and said, “Nora, please you have to tell everyone it is a lie!”

“What is it? What’s happening?”

“They are saying that Ethan has tried to kill you!”

“What are you talking about?”

“It happened during the party. Kyle got a message from your phone. You said Ethan had attacked you and he wanted to take your life.”

“What?” I looked at everyone. They all had dejected expressions on their faces.

“But, that’s not true!”

“Leonora, you don’t need to defend him. We all witnessed what he did. After seeing your message, we came to look for you. Ethan was standing just outside the door. He had already let out the poisonous gas, and he was watching you die.”

Athanasia held me with a tight grasp, “Nora, it’s a lie right? The police have already arrested him. Only your word can save him.”

“That’s enough!” Daddy intervened. “Jane, take her away from here. Nora cannot handle all this stress right now.”

Her mother came forward and wrapped her arms around her and whisked her out.

I placed my hand forward. “No, don’t take her away. I need to speak with her.”

Kyle came to my side and interlaced his fingers with mine. With a slow movement, he brought my hand down.

He kissed my damp forehead and said. “It’s okay now. No one will hurt you.”

I looked at him with fear but he was gazing at me with a pleased face.

Did he frame Ethan to protect his dirty secret?

“Close your eyes for now. I won’t let you out of my sight again. You’ll stay with me forever.”

His voice chilled my bones. Kyle sounded like a real murderer and at the same time his parents directed their gaze towards me with cold unforgiving eyes.

End of Part One. Read Part 2 here : https://payhip.com/b/FlX3

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Kyle, Nora and William managed to find a bicycle shed to hide.

“This would have to do now.” Kyle said, examining its fragile structure.

“The rain is getting stronger. I just hope it will end soon.” William replied and shook his head.

“Why? Are you still afraid of the spirit of Keil Lossell?”

“I told you to stop joking with this.” William came closer towards his cousin and gave Kyle a light punch on his chest.

Nora remained quiet and felt awkward. She did not like the idea of being alone and defenseless with those two boys. The atmosphere threatened her core.

She tightly clutched the necklace when she remembered Ethan’s warnings. She closed her eyes while trying to control her fears. She had to be careful around them.

“Are you alright?” She heard Kyle’s voice, and it pulled her out from her reverie. Her eyes became wide when she realized his hand was just an inch away from her cheek. She quickly took a step backward. Nora did not want to feel his touch.

Kyle noticed the fear in her eyes, but he did not understand her reaction.

William cryptically stared at them. They behaved like magnets. Each time Kyle was moving forwards, Nora was moving backwards.

She stopped when her back hit a pole. They noticed that she was letting out irregular breaths. Kyle exchanged a serious look with William.

“Nora, what’s wrong with you?”

“Did she catch a cold?” William asked.

They saw her trembling. Nora dropped her bag, unable to support its burden.

“Damn it, she is having a panic attack!” Kyle exclaimed suddenly.

“What? Are you sure?”

Kyle stepped closer and tried to take her hands, but she pushed him away.

“Don’t come near me.”

Kyle remained unmoved and tried to reach for her again.

This time she did not relent. She let him wrapped his strong arms around her. She was tired of fighting, weary of wearing a fake brave front and exhausted of keeping her sentiments in control.

She loved him with a deep love and yet she could not tell how much she cared for him. Kyle and William were not trusted individuals. One of them was the mastermind behind all her trouble and she needed to be stronger to fight her real enemy.

Kyle attempted to calm her down and gently stroked her hair. Nora missed his tenderness. She missed the time they used to spend together as two carefree kids. She wanted to go back to that stage where her mother was still alive, and when everything else did not seem like a nightmare.

He was still trying to comfort her. She sensed his soft lips moving against her hair and her cheeks. Her mind told her to pull away from his embrace, but her body refused to budge.

Being in his comfort felt amazing, it was as if he was her other-half. She desperately wanted to think that he belonged to her.

“Is she okay?” William asked after a long moment.

Kyle cradled her head.

“I think so. I forgot that she suffered from those attacks.”

“So, it happened before?”

“It triggered a few months after her mother’s death. I was the only one who could ease her pain.”

“I had no idea that you two were so close.”

Kyle stared at Nora with a deep concern.

“Maybe she is more delicate than I assumed.”

Nora moved her head when she felt some drops of rain on her face. They both stood up and Kyle held her by her waist.

“Are you feeling better?” She nodded and said with a soft tone. “Thank you.”

“Eh, guys?”

They both looked towards William. “We should leave this place. The rain and the winds are intensifying. A storm is coming and we should go back home before the weather deteriorates.”

A strong breeze circled the shed, and it blew the frail roof away.

The three of them looked up in horror.

“I guess we don’t have any choice now.”

“We have to walk!” Kyle announced.

“Oh goody!” William exclaimed.

Both boys turned to look at her and she bowed her head down. They did not notice that she hid a cunning smile.

Their way back at Nora’s house was awful. Due to the rain, the path became dangerous. They had to hold hands to prevent anyone from slipping. Both boys have given her their jackets, but they did not serve any purpose. Soaked to the skin, Nora’s teeth were also cracking. The strong gusts of winds were pushing the rain drops against their faces.

“It’s like several small rocks is hitting us.” Kyle shouted and he tried to cover himself.

“Sorry, it’s my fault,” Nora answered with guilt.

“Let’s focus at the bright side guys. It’s like we are back at Kindergarten again. We can hold each other so that we won’t get lost. Later on we’ll even play a game of hide and seek!”

Kyle and Nora turned and looked at him with irritated faces, “Shut up!”

“It’s just a joke! By the way are you sure we are using the right route?”

“Yes!” They both replied.

“Why are you two so confident? You seemed familiar with this area? Did you organize secret night meetings or something?”

This time, Nora and Kyle stayed quiet.

“What? Is that true?”

“Some things are better left unsaid.” Kyle replied with a mysterious tone.

“All right, I understand! You won’t tell me anything! How about you? Nora?”

“Kyle used to accompany me when I wanted to go at the cemetery.”

“We would also spend our time by staying near the lakeside before going back home.” Kyle continued.

“ Kyle? You have a chalet near that area, right? Were your parents aware about this?”

“No!”

“Hmm, now that’s interesting!”

“William! You better keep your mouth shut and don’t you dare tell anyone about this!” Kyle yelled.

William smirked at him. “Nora Trima and Kyle Forester locked in a love secret affair. That’s a juicy gossip.”

“William, please. Keep this matter to yourself. I don’t want to create any misunderstanding. We were just friends and nothing more. Rumours fly quickly around this island.”

Kyle reinforced his hold on her hand and brought her face closer towards him.

He wanted to say something but William spoke first. “Hey, look, we are reaching the end. I can spot your house.”

Kyle tore his gaze away from her and they continued to walk toward their destination.

They stepped out of the woods. She took her bag from William’s shoulder and gave  them their jackets back.

“Since it’s my house, I will take a head start.” She adjusted her hair and started to run.

They stared at her disappearing figure for a few seconds and then turned to look at each other.

“I thought she was sick!” William shouted.

Kyle shook his head and laughed. “What are you waiting for? Let’s follow her!”

Nora was the first one who reached there, and she frantically knocked at the door.

Mrs. Trima opened it. “Nora! Where were you?” She then noticed the state of the two boys, “Oh my God you are all dripping wet. Come inside!”

“Nora, you go upstairs and remove your wet outfit right now. I will start a fire. Kyle and William don’t worry! I have some of my husband's clothes which might suit you.”

The fire was already burning when Nora entered the living room. It did not take long before it started to warm them up.

They remained silent for a moment. A few seconds later William started to laugh, Kyle and Nora joined him a few seconds later.

“If someone from school sees us in this state, then our reputation would take a severe blow.”

“Yes.” Kyle said while trying to control his laughter. “I can picture it as the title of one of Rose’s article. Three students caught in a sloppy situation.”

“I am sorry I dragged you into this mess,” Nora said with an apologetic tone.

“Don’t be, I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun,” Kyle replied.

“Yeah, me too,” William added, “For a moment I assumed that we would never get out from that forest.”

“That’s why you suggested that we should play a game of hide and seek?” She asked in a teasing tone.

Mrs. Trima entered the room attracted by their merry mood.

“What happened kids?”

“We are trying to get over an emotional shock.” William said with an innocent voice.

“What?”

“Don’t mind us! We lost our sanity in the woods.” Kyle answered with twinkling eyes.

She shook her head, smiling. “I am preparing macaroni and cheese. I hope you boys are staying for dinner.”

“Do you want some help?” William asked out of the blue.

“No, I can manage, dear.”

He got and followed her in the kitchen, despite her refusal. Kyle and Nora understood that he subtly left them alone.

She gave him a shy glance. She recalled what happened between them in the forest. Even if they were on bad terms, Kyle forgot his strong resentment. He willingly gave her his support.

The flames of the fire reflected in his eyes. He was not giving the aura of an ordinary human. His energy was vibrating the essence of a mystic creature.

Sensing her gaze on him, Kyle turned towards her direction. Their eyes connected and neither of them looked away.

Kyle did not understand what was happening. Her charisma enticed his soul and he could hardly control his attraction for her. He lifted his hand and touched her upper lip. Her skin burned under his fingers.

“You have a moustache.”

“What?” She blushed, embarrassed and turned to wipe the smudge herself.

Kyle let a silent chuckle. “Nora?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you bury the necklace? You didn’t like it?”

“I like it,” she answered. “However, I was too young to keep such a precious object with me.”

“You could have asked one of your parents to guard it for you.”

She fidgeted her fingers. “Kyle, you don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“You told me not to mention this necklace to anyone.”

Kyle closed his eyes for a short time and let out a low whistle. “I remember now. I told you to keep it a secret. That’s because-”. He stopped talking and looked towards the window.

“Because of what?”

“Nora, I was twelve years old. It was your birthday, and I wanted to give you something special.” He was speaking with a quick pace and was almost rambling.

“Kyle, what did you do?”

“I stole it from my family’s library.”

“Do you want it back?” She asked with a hesitant tone.

“No, you can keep it. It was a long time ago. I am sure they forgot about it.”

Nora rubbed her hands together and asked in a causal voice, “Was it on top of a chest?”

“Yes, why?”

Her tone became frantic. “Can you lend it to me?”

“Calm down! What’s the rush?”

“Well, there is an old legend-”

He interrupted her. “Why are you and William so obsessed with old legends?”

“Kyle, please I need to see this chest! It will help me with my research.” Please believe me!

He stretched his knee. “I am sure no one wound mind if I take the chest from there. But, still I’ll have to ask my mom’s permission.”

“Thank you,” she said relieved.

“Is there something inside? Why are you so curious about old debris?”

“It might contain an ancient knife.”

“A knife?”

“A dagger if you prefer. It used to kill people who had dark magic in their body.”

“Were there witches in the island before?”

“Not witches, but there was a powerful evil presence. It plugged Lossell in difficult times.”

“I am familiar with this tale.” He admitted. “The legend also states that only one weapon could stop it. Is it that dagger?”

She nodded. “The dagger enclosed a large amount of white magic.”

“And you believe in those things?”

She shrugged and tried to tune her interest. “I cannot find out about the truth unless we see the dagger.”

He shifted his weight and asked. “Can I ask you something else?”

She stopped moving. “If you want to talk about my panic attack, it’s not the right moment. I don’t want Auntie to know about this matter. She won’t be able to handle the situation. She is already worried about Athanasia and I don’t want to add more stress in her life.”

“But, Nora, it’s a serious issue. You should consult your doctor again.”

“I promise if it trigger again, I will follow your advice. But not now.”

“Do you have any idea why it resurfaced again? I thought you came out of your trauma.”

She bit her lip. “I was afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of you.”

He gave her a puzzled look.

“You are not the same Kyle.” She said with a soft tone. “You are almost like a stranger now.”

“I am not the only one who has changed Nora. I cannot recognize you. You don’t have the same attitude as before.”

“No Kyle, I am still the same. You are just not opening your eyes with an open mind.” She spoke without any emotion.

He crouched down and touched her shoulders. “What do you fear from me?”

“I am afraid of your abhorrence. I am not aware what you can do with your bitterness.”

Kyle dropped his hands shocked. He recalled Dyris’s words. His girlfriend was right. His anger towards Nora was destroying him.

He stood up and turned his back away from her.

“Okay, I will make an effort. I will stop provoking you.” He said after a while.

“You would stop hating me in one day?” She asked lifting her eyes up.

“We have to work on the school project together. We won’t able to advance our work if we continue to abuse each other.”

“Are you proposing a truce?”

“Not really. I don’t want to remain cross with you anymore. I can’t forget what you did, however I realized that it’s high time for me to move on.”

“Things won’t be like before.”

“I am aware of that; I am giving us a chance to start over without our past trailing behind us.” He placed his hand forward.

Nora looked at his outstretched palm. There were so many things, which she wanted to say. They remained stuck in her throat.

Making peace with Kyle would also mean leaving her suffering behind.

She did not want to forget anything. Her trial was very painful, and she had to appear insensitive most of the time. However, it was in her best interests to remain on good terms with him.

If Kyle would stop harassing me, the rest of the student body would follow his lead.

It would be an advantage for me. I will be able to plan my moves with a clearer mind.

If I want to move further with my plan, I had to accept some losses. She took his hand and shook it.

At the same time they heard something crashing down outside.

“What was that?” She asked. He helped her stand up, and they both looked towards the front door.

“I have no idea.” He replied, perplexed.

William and Mrs. Trima came to join them. “Did you guys hear that?”

“I hope it’s not a burglar,” Mrs. Trima said wiping her hands.

“Let’s go out and check.” Kyle proposed.

Once outside they saw nothing which was suspicious.

“It might be the work of a wild animal.” Nora suggested. “After all, we lived close to the woods.”

“Yes, perhaps you are right,” Mrs. Trima agreed. “Come, let’s eat. It’s getting late.”

They walked towards the door, but Kyle did not move. He sensed a strange menace nearby.

Nora twirled behind. “Kyle, are you coming?”

“Uh, yes.” He marched forward and placed his hand on her small back to lead her inside. He turned back one last time and shivered.

An invisible threat loomed in the cold air and he hoped it would not destroy his newfound peace.

Mrs. Fletcher quickly closed her door. “Damn those runts! I almost got exposed!”

She kicked her boots and sat on her rocking chair. Her favorite cat Lucy jumped on her lap. She started to caress her pet with a preoccupied mind.

“So, the young Forester finally decided to keep playing this vicious game. I should have known. Once they have selected a prey, they won’t let it go that easily.”

She closed her eyes and recalled the way the impenitent laughed with his friends. “It was almost as if they were mocking me.”

“The Foresters and the Lossells are closely interlinked with evil sources. They fooled everyone into thinking that they were the perfect model family. But I know the truth. They are hungry for only two things. Money and blood.”

She looked toward the Trima’s household again. “If Nora continues to frequent that boy, she would have to face deadly consequences. Kyle would bring her towards her own destruction. He would mar her innocence and would take possession of her heart.”

The cat meowed and Mrs. Fletcher grinned wickedly.

“Poor child,” she muttered with a dark tone. “Poor child.”

Nora climbed the stairs, feeling lighter. Kyle and William just left and she decided to go to bed. Unconsciously she began to hum her favorite song. Kyle’s face appeared in her mind and she smiled.

She really hoped that in the coming days she would gain some normalcy in her life. She went to see Athanasia first and gave her a kiss on her forehead, and at last she headed back to her own room.

“My clothes are stuffy. I should change into my nightgown before going to sleep.”

She unbuttoned her blouse and took it off.

Suddenly she stopped moving, she felt a strong breeze against her back.

Nora shivered, she was about to reach for her nightgown but stopped again.

Someone was laughing. It was a male laughter, and it was right behind her.

She twirled behind and froze. Her window was wide open but there was no one there.

Her heart began to thump loudly against her chest.

“I am sure it was not my imagination.” She wore the robe and went to close the window again. “Maybe Kyle is right. Maybe I am becoming crazy.”

She turned back and saw Mrs. Trima entering inside with a stern look on her face.

“We need to talk young lady.”

“I am sorry, I won’t do it again.”

“Sorry is not enough, Nora. You need to understand that you did something reckless. You know perfectly Athanasia was beaten down inside the forest. Yet you roamed around there alone. I already have a daughter who is bedridden and I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”

“I did not think with a proper mind, I wanted to be near my mom.” Nora grumbled looking away from her.

Mrs. Trima’s face softened a little, “I can never replace her in your life, but Nora you must think of your father! He would die if something happens to you.”

“Are you going to tell him about it?”

“I already informed him and he wanted to take a flight to see you. However, I convinced him to stay there because you are safe now.”

“Did he want to speak with me?” Nora asked with a hopeful voice.

“No, he had an important conference to attend.”

“Oh.”

“I wanted to have a word with you about something else.” Mrs. Trima said after a short pause.

“What is it?”

“Your mother’s sister, Grace Rowlands called today while you were at school.”

“What did she want?”

“She wanted to know if you were fine.”

Nora jumped on her bed, “Well, tell her I am fine!”

“By fine, she meant if you recovered from the tragic events which happened the previous year. She knows that you were stressed during all these months.”

“There is nothing wrong with me. I am just living the ordinary life of a high school student.” She answered with fake-enthusiasm.

“Nora, do you think I am blind? I know you have become a loner since Ethan died. You don’t mingle with anyone. You have not made an effort to reconnect with your friends.”

“I can’t reconnect with people who cannot stand the sight of my face!”

“See that’s what I am talking about! Before we were much closer, and you treated me with more respect. But now you are becoming more and more aggressive.”

Nora took a deep depth. “I never meant to vent my anger against you. It’s just that I have too many things on my mind right now.”

“Your aunt wants you to start afresh, and we discussed about something.”

“Let me guess. She wants me to stay with her in France?”

“Yes, and I think it’s a lovely idea. A change of scenery will help you cooled down your thoughts.”

“Are you trying to oust me out of my house? It will make the path clear for you and your daughter.” Nora asked raising her right eyebrow.

“Why do you always take me wrong?” the woman asked. “I only want the best for you.”

“I am not going anywhere. Lossell contains too many precious memories for me. Besides, I am in my senior year and it would be not a good idea to move away right now.”

“Nora,” Mrs. Trima said with a patience tone, “One month is not such a long gap to cover! You will meet new people and it will give you a new opportunity to start over again.”

“Well, I don’t want a new start, I want to create a fresh ending.”

“What do you mean?”

Nora turned her back away from her stepmother.

Should I tell her the truth?

“I mean that I would never leave Lossell. This place is my birthplace and I intend to take my last breaths here.”

“Okay! Fine! Do what you want to do! I was just giving you a suggestion. You don’t need to be over-dramatic.”

Nora chose to remain silent. She was tired and did not have the energy of arguing back anymore.

“But, remember one thing. Your father and I would not be so lenient if you do something like this again.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a warning!”

Mrs. Trima was about to leave the room, but she stopped midway. “I almost forgot. I found this letter in the mailbox. It’s for you, but there is not any return address on it.”

“What?” Nora took the letter. She saw an inscription on the envelope.

For Leonora Trima

With Love from your dearest friend.

The handwriting seemed familiar, but she did not remember where she saw it.

“Maybe, you have a secret admirer.”

Nora shook her head, “No I don’t think so, I only have secret haters.”

“Don’t be so pessimistic, you might like what’s there inside the envelope. Well, I am going to sleep now. Good night!”

Nora waited for the older woman to leave before she opened it. She gasped. It contained a similar white puzzle piece which she found glued on her desk this morning.

“What kind of prank is this?” She asked aloud.

Nora opened her pencil case and took out the other piece. She tried to put them together, but they did not match. She remained still and observed them carefully.

I cannot detect anything unusual. They seemed harmless.

“But who the hell would send those things? It seems the person is targeting me on purpose!”

She looked at them back and forth several times. “Maybe it’s a coded threat from Ivory!”

She removed her phone from her bag and sent Ivory a message. She did not want to remain silent anymore.

I won’t let them crush me like this!

I already did everything what you ordered me.

Now please let me live my life in peace.

She got up to turn off the lights, but then she remembered something.

“Kyle came to fetch me because he did not find me in the room. I carelessly left my diary on the bed! What if someone saw it?”

She pushed her pillows away and let a sigh of relief. Her diary was still there, and it seemed untouched.

“Thank God!”

She opened the passage where she stopped before and decided to take a journey in the past again. . . . .

#Romance #Mysrery #Crime #Horror #Pain #Supernatural #lossellhigh

“Please, excuse her, kids. She must be weary.” Mrs. Trima said with a forced laugh. She then stole a peek at Athanasia.

“The doctor said she should not be around too much crowd.”

“You don’t have to worry, we understand.” Kyle answered. “William, Stella, Rose, you guys can go first. Dyris and I can wait here.”

Mrs. Trima let them enter. “I’ll prepare some drinks for you.”

Kyle and Dyris stood near the door.

His eyes shifted towards Nora’s room.

“Did you spend most of your time here, when you were younger??” Dyris asked him.

“Huh? Yeah.” He replied with an offhand voice. “I still come to meet Asia from time to time. But my visits are infrequent now. My relationship with Nora is not the same.”

She placed her hands behind the wall and turned towards him. “You know? I first saw you in this house.”

“I remember. You came with your Dad for a welcome dinner?”

“Yeah! The Trima were the only ones we knew here. My Dad wanted to move in a more peaceful place.”

“Nora’s dad is the chief secretary for your branch here, right?”

“Yes. Dad has to travel more now, and he chose Mr. Trima to accompany him. He is his most trusted employee.” She paused and continued. “Nora and you seemed quite close, and I thought you were a couple.”

A faith smile came to his lips. “I stayed with her that day because I wanted to annoy her.”

“Why?”

“I was mad. We had organized a trip for a long time, but the dinner created a hurdle in our plans. Mr. Trima felt sorry for me. He invited me to join you.”

“If I remember correctly, you both left early.”

“Nora was trying hard to be the dutiful daughter, but her father saw her sad state. He let us leave before they served dessert.”

The door moved, William, and the girls stepped outside.

“We will stay in the living room.” William said to them.

“All right,” Kyle said, letting them pass. “We will leave together afterwards.”

Kyle sensed a strong pang in his heart when he entered the room. He felt to a certain extent, responsible, for Athanasia’s state. He walked towards the bed and held her hand. Her eyes were open, but he did not distinguish if she recognized him or not.

“No one would have predicted that a bright girl like Athanasia would suffer with such a miserable fate.” He said with a dejected voice.

“Don’t worry Baby,” Dyris said, placing her hand over his shoulder. “I am sad to see her like this. But I am sure that someday she will be fine again.”

“Even if she gets better, she will have to deal with big emotional wounds, Dyris. Nora has pushed her into a great turmoil. She will never be the same girl.”

A pregnant pause fell between them before Dyris spoke again.

“Did the police make any progress on her case?”

Kyle shook his head, “No, apart from the evidences that showed that Nora was present at the crime scene. They found nothing else.”

“Do you suspect that Nora cause this misdeed?”

“I can’t accuse her with any proof. But there’s a high possibility she is behind Athanasia’s assault. If she turns out to be the culprit, it will not be a surprise.”

“But, Kyle! She won’t do anything so terrible to her own sister!”

“Step-sister, don’t forget Dyris. Athanasia is Nora’s step-sister! Mr. Trima had married twice. They are not real sisters. Nora had everyone fooled into believing she genuinely loved Athanasia. The truth is she has been plotting against her all the time.”

“Kyle-”

He did not let her continue. “No Dyris! Stop making excuses for her! She claimed she liked Ethan, and you saw how she ruined his life! She used me as a perfect tool. Damn it! I even fought against my best friend for her. It was shocking when we all discovered her lies. She had created this malicious ploy, just to serve her ambitions. I will never forgive her, never.”

Dyris came behind his back and embrace him with a tight clasp. “Kyle, please stop it. I can’t bear to see you like this! You are letting your abhorrence for Nora consuming you! You will end up destroying yourself.”

“Dyris,” he said as he turned to face her, “Don’t worry, I won’t let her become a priority in my life again. I have wasted too much of my time by being her puppy.”

He kissed her hand. “Sometimes I wonder if I deserved to have such a wonderful girl like you in my life.”

When Ethan died, he had become volatile and became distant towards everyone. However Dyris stood by his side and broke down all his walls. She gave him a desire to live again.

“You should not have tears in your beautiful eyes.” He took his handkerchief and wiped them for her.

Someone knocked at the door and they turned behind. It was Mrs. Trima.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She then noticed Dyris’s teary face. “Are you okay dear? Did something happen?” She asked concerned.

“No, she got a little emotional that’s all.” Kyle answered with a tranquil tone.

Mrs. Trima calmed down, “I wanted to thank you for your visit. What you did today was an incredible gesture. I am glad to see that my daughter is still alive in your hearts.”

“Oh, you don’t have to be so formal.” Dyris reassured her.

“Yes, Mrs. Trima, Athanasia is our friend, and it’s always a pleasure to meet her.”

“Speaking of your friends, they asked me to fetch you. It’s getting late.”

“Sure, we are coming.” He threw one last look at Athanasia before leaving the room.

They were making their way down when Kyle noticed that Dyris was halting her steps.

“You don’t want to go home?”

She stopped walking and looked at him with guarded eyes. “Kyle, I want to check on Nora. I mean after when happened today. I want to make sure she is okay.”

Mrs. Trima twirled and asked, alarmed, “What happened to Nora?”

“Didn’t she tell you?” Dyris said, surprised, “We held a memorial for Ethan at school today and Mrs. Scott was present there. When she met Nora, she became upset and spattered on the poor girl!”

“What?” Mrs. Trima walked towards her stepdaughter’s room with frantic steps. “Nora, open the door!”

No response.

“There’s no need to see her,” Kyle declared with a rough tone. He came closer to Dyris and grabbed her wrist, “Let’s go, William, Rose and Stella are waiting for us.”

They walked towards the stairs, but Dyris kept looking behind. Mrs. Trima continued to knock the door. Nora was not answering any of her calls.

She tugged his jacket. “Kyle, please wait! Something is wrong. She did not come out yet.” She left his side and went help Mrs. Trima.

Kyle took a deep breath and retraced his steps. Deep down, he thought his nemesis was doing an act just to attract attention. However a terrible idea crossed his mind. Nora did not have a sane mind.

What if she was in some real danger this time? What if she tried to harm herself?

“Let me try.” Both women stepped aside. He knocked twice, “Nora! Stop your drama and just open the damn door!”

She was still not giving any reaction.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Stella asked. William and Rose were behind her.

“Nothing, It’s just Nora, who wants to steal the show again!” Kyle bawled.

“Nora is not opening the door,” Dyris explained. “We are afraid that something has happened to her.”

“She went through a hard trial today. I hope she did not try to take her life.” William said with a concerned tone.

“Don’t say that!” Stella exclaimed. “Nora would never do something like this!”

Rose looked at them with a panic look. “But we can’t let her stay locked in her room! We have to get her out.”

Kyle turned towards Mrs. Trima, “Do you have a spare key?”

She nodded, “All the spare keys are in the kitchen. I’ll get it.”

“We will come with you,” Stella and Rose offered.

“If I find out she is pretending again, she will witness my bad side,” Kyle swore giving the door a strong punch.

Mrs. Trima and the girls came back a few minutes later. She handed him the key. He unlocked the door. They all stumbled inside. The room was empty.

“Where is she?” They asked in union.

“She did not use the front door. We would have seen her!” Stella exclaimed.

“Her window is closed too!” Rose said, shocked.

William examined the room. “It’s like she disappeared in thin air.”

“Oh, this is scary.” Stella said huddling her shoulders together.

Kyle remained calm and clutched his fingers.

“Guys go home.” He said after a moment. “I think I know where she might be.” He moved near the door, but his girlfriend stopped him, “Kyle wait! I am not letting you go on your own. I am coming with you.”

“Dyris, don’t be afraid. I’ll be fine. I will call you when I will find her. You guys are worn-out. It’s better for you to head back home.”

“But! Kyle, you can’t go alone! What if something happens to you? It’s dangerous!” William protested.

“I am asking you to put your faith in me. I am the only one who can bring her back.” Without paying heed to any of their objections, he walked downstairs and left the house.

As he got out, he sensed that someone was observing him. It was Mrs. Fletcher. Kyle made eye contact with her; the old lady had lifted her curtain and pure odium was coming out of her eyes. Kyle did not react. He knew she held a strong grudge against the Forester family.

He shunned her gaze and turned his back from the creepy old lady. Kyle marched towards the woods. Mrs. Fletcher can wait. My main concern is to find Nora.

A chill travelled through his spine when Kyle entered the Lossell’s cemetery. He hated this place. It contained too many painful memories. It reminded him of Ethan’s funeral. When they lowered his coffin down the soil, a part of him also died that day.

“If I didn’t listen to Nora, he would be still alive today.”

He took out his mobile phone and switched his torch light. Kyle heard some footsteps behind him and he made a swift turn.

“Hey, put that light away from me. It is burning my eyes!” William said lifting his arms up.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, annoyed, “I said I would find her myself!”

“To be honest, I didn’t want to come, but your girlfriend pleaded me to go after you.”

He did a close-up imitation of Dyris. “Please, if something happened to him, I won’t be able to live.” Kyle rolled his eyes, “You behave like a grown-up child. Sometimes it’s impossible to state I am your younger cousin.”

“Only by two months, but you on the other hand has always acted like an adult. You were born in this world with a bag of maturity.”

“Can you stop talking? I thought you came here to help me find Nora.”

“You hate her, right? What’s the reason are you so worried about her?” William asked adjusting the sleeves of his jacket.

“I never said I hate her. Even if she had hurt me with a profound blow, I never detested her with my whole heart. We had a wonderful childhood together.”

Deep down he was aware this bond would link them for the rest of their lives.

Kyle took a step forward and kicked a can of beer.

“However, her actions are still inexcusable. And when I supported her against Ethan, I also became part of her wrongdoing. We are both his culprits and neither of us deserved to be happy.”

“Kyle. There is a reason why you keep pushing her away. You are afraid that you will end up, forgiving her!”

“If I pardon all her mistakes, it will not be fair towards Ethan.”

“Kyle you sound like a grandfather. You need to learn how to enjoy your life again!”

“How can I enjoy my life when I directed my best friend towards his death?” He whispered with a cold voice.

“For God’s sake Kyle, He committed suicide!”

“He died because of me and Nora. Don’t forget that. Anyways, I don’t want to continue this conversation. Let’s find her and get out from here.” He shifted the light in front of them and they started to walk on the path of the cemetery.

“What are we looking for?”

“A tomb.”

“Whose? Ethan’s?”

“No, it’s for Nora’s mother. Whenever she is upset she would not care about the time. She will always visit her mom's grave.”

They took a long time, but they located the burial place. The boys saw a bouquet of fresh flowers on the top of the stone.

“So she came here,” William whispered. “You guessed it right!”

Kyle shrugged “I almost grew up with her. It’s not a big deal.”

“Do you think she already went back home?”

A thunder echoed in the sky and both boys looked up.

“It will rain soon,” Kyle remarked. “This will pose a problem. We need to get her before it showers.”

“Hey, why we don’t just call at her home? She might be there already.”

“Okay.”

Mrs. Trima picked it up at the first ring itself.

“Hello? Nora?”

“Mrs. Trima its Kyle. Nora did not come back?”

“No! She is not here! Maybe I should contact the police?”

“No, we should wait for some time. One hour didn’t even pass yet. I’ll continue to search for her here and if I don’t get her. I will take you to the police station myself.”

“What are we going to do now?” William asked after he hung the phone.

Kyle looked around him and hid a grin. He fidgeted with his phone and said in a sinister tone.

“You should head back home Will.” Kyle said, “I know you don’t like the rain. And you are afraid of the spirit of Keil Lossell.”

“Don't joke with those things. Many people claimed it is Keil Lossell’s ghost who screams every night.”

“And why would he do that?” Kyle asked rolling his eyes.

“His fiancé died on the eve of their wedding and he kept looking for her even after his own demise.”

“I don’t trust your sources. I am sure it’s only a folktale to scare people off. It can either be the work of an ordinary person or a stupid cult might be behind this.”

William stared at him transfixed.

“What? Why are you looking at me like this?”

“You seemed too calm and composed. Maybe you know something about those strange occurrences.” He stopped talking for a moment and placed his hand on his chin.

William stared at him and exclaimed. “Ha! I get it! You are Keil’s reincarnation!”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous William. I don’t have time to indulge myself in such activities! You sound even more stupid than Nora. Guess what? At school, she proposed that we make the death of Keil as our topic.”

He stopped talking. A lighting felt down and at the same time a possibility struck them. They looked at each other in horror.

“You are not thinking what I am thinking. Aren’t you?”

“If she is there, then it’s dangerous for her. I remembered the legend. It proclaimed that Keil has a penchant for young maidens’ souls.”

“I am going to check,” Kyle stated with no hesitation, “You can stay here if you want.” He was already heading towards the path which led to the statue.

William stood there petrified. I can’t let him go there alone.

“Hey, wait!” he called out with a frantic voice, “If you get killed, your mom would never forgive me.” He ran to join him.

“Then hurry!” His cousin shouted back.

They were both breathless when they reached the statue; however, there was no sign of Nora.

“She is not here either. I think we should inform the police. It’s getting dark now.” Kyle said defeated. He was about to walk away but he heard something. He followed the sound and squirted his eyes. “There is someone over there.” He said pointing towards some bushes.

“It must be an animal.” William suggested.

“No, it’s a person! Wait, a minute! I know that shirt. It belongs to Nora.”

He walked closer and tried to see her. “Yes, it’s her. She’s over there! Come on, let’s go.”

They rushed towards her direction. Nora was there, kneeling down and was digging the soil with a mini-shovel. She heard their footsteps, but refused to look up at them.

William was the first one to speak to her. “Nora what are you doing here?”

She lifted her head. There was something dark looming inside her eyes. “I am digging my grave.” She replied with a cold voice.

“What?”

Kyle and William exchanged a frantic glance.

“Relax. It’s a joke. I buried something here. I came to retrieve it.”

“Near Keil Lossell’s statue! You are not afraid?”

Nora shrugged her shoulders. I used it as a guiding mark. While they were talking Kyle remained silent. Both Nora and William knew he was trying to stay calm.

The bomb will explode at any moment.

William decided to take things in his hands before the situation would go out of control.

“Nora,” he said with a persuasive voice, “It will be night soon. You can continue your task tomorrow. For now, please come with us. Mrs. Trima is worried about you.”

“I know the way back. You can return without me.” She said with a flat tone.

Kyle walked closer towards her and kneeled to her level.

“Nora. Stop this madness right now!”

She remained unfazed and continued to dig. This time he lost his patience. He seized her arm and yanked her up in her feet.

“Is there something wrong in your head?”

She shook his hand off. “Don’t touch me! I already found what I have been looking for and I just need to take it out.”

Kyle glanced down. He saw a jewellery box which was only half visible. He removed it out from the soil and placed the box in her hands.

“You are happy now? You got what you wanted! Now pack your things! We are leaving!”

He took some steps away from her. Kyle could not accept her carefree attitude.

She ignored him. Nora remained standing and brushed the dirt from her treasure.

William moved closer to her. “Hey? Can I have a look at it? Where did you get that box?”

“Sure. It belonged to my mother.”

“Wow, there is a necklace inside.”

He took it out. The cord was old; however, it had a beautiful green pearl.

Kyle looked at the gemstone shocked. It was the first gift which he gave her.

“Is that a real sapphire?” William asked as he gave them back to Nora.

“I don’t know,” she replied. She made eye contact with Kyle. Do you still remember this necklace?

Kyle observed the jewel with intense eyes. Then he turned his gaze towards her. “So, you are ready to step this low!”

Nora stared back at him with widened eyes. She closed her hand around the stone but chose to remain silent.

“What? Are you still going on with your pretences?” Kyle said, lifting his hands up. “You are turning our childhood memories into your best weapons. Do you want to keep me under your grasp forever?”

Nora gasped, “How can you say something so twisted? I did not ask anybody to come after me. You guys came here on your own will! I never ask for your help.”

William attempted to stop their argument. “Listen guys, we should go now.”

They ignored him and continued to fight.

“You know what? I feel sorry for your parents. If your mother was still alive, she would be ashamed to have a daughter like you!” Kyle stopped when he realized what he said. “Forgive me. I did not mean to hurt you like this.” He tried to reach out for her, but she stepped back.

Nora trembled with rage when she remembered his words. “Yes, you shouldn’t.” She said with a sour voice. The boys did not realize her intention when she bent down. She took a handful of mud and threw it squarely at Kyle’s face.

William’s jaw dropped when he witnessed this scene. To say that Kyle became angry was an understatement. His cousin’s whole body emitted an atrocious animosity. “You will regret this.” He declared and marched towards Nora.

“Kyle! Don’t!” William said, stepping in front of him.

“How dare she? She threw mud at me!”

“You were wrong, as well. You had gone too far by saying those things!” He then turned towards Nora.

“However, Nora, you should not have attacked him. He had already accepted his fault now it’s your turn! Apologize!”

“Why should I?” She declared with a stubborn tone. “Giving him an apology? Never!”

“He spent, the past hour searching for you. You owe him some gratitude!” William scolded her as if she was a five- year- old girl.

“Fine,” she said curling her lips. She agreed just because of William. All of a sudden an idea came into her mind. She did a half-bow and said in an exaggerated accent, “Pardon me Master Forester.”

She mocked him without any regrets.

Kyle took another step towards her, however, at that moment some drops of water fell on their heads. They stopped moving and the three of them looked up at the sky in despair.

“I guess no one brought an umbrella,” William commented with a dry voice.

“Let’s get out of here.” Kyle muttered. Nora collected her things. Both boys grabbed one of her arms and they quickly ran to find a shelter.

Jenny and Mack waited for Nora and the boys to leave before they stepped away from Keil Lossell’s statue.

“Do you think they noticed us?” he asked with a worried tone.

“Nah,” she replied and opened her umbrella. “They were too busy helping the damsel in distress.”

“She was in front of us alone and helpless. We could have easily captured her and keep her locked in the sanctuary.” He complained.

“Will you quit whining? You perfectly know that it’s not the right time to take any action against her.”

“I feel uneasy letting someone who possessed so much incriminating information about us, on the loose like this. We can’t buy her silence forever.”

“Of course we can,” She said while flipping her hair. “Don’t forget that we have her weakness on our side. Kyle Forester!”

“In case you did not notice their relationship is deteriorating every day. If he continues to treat her like this, soon she will be the happiest person to see him root in jail.”

“Nothing of that sort would happen! She still loves him.”

“People tend to change and their feelings change with them. We may have extraordinary powers but we can’t predict the future!”

“You need to stop worrying! The cult, Ivory, has chained of her whole resolve. Besides, I don’t think she would dare to open her mouth. We practically turned the whole islanders against her. She knows that no one would believe her.”

“What if she gains an ally from the cattle?”

“Who?” She asked with a sceptic voice.

“Rose Mayfair. She seemed oddly interested in our activities.”

“Why are you so worried? That girl is not even a real journalist. Right now she only suspects that we are dating. Besides, if the matter begins to heat up, Ivory knows how to get rid of unwanted guest. We did the same thing for Ethan and conveniently placed the entire blame on Nora.”

“I still think that we are taking too many risks. Nora is a direct Trima and our powers are not really effective against her.”

“Even if she is our natural enemy, we are still stronger than her. Her strength is still dormant. Her life will be sacrificed if she creates any danger for us.”

“Aren’t you tired of following the rules like this?”

“We took a pledge when we joined Ivory. To be always faithful towards our Deity.”

“But-”

“Stop it! I don’t want to hear your chicken voice anymore! Our loyalty is bound with our leader.” She looked down on her feet, “For now, help me get rid of this corpse. Don’t forget we are still Keil’s servants.”

#Romance #Mystery #Bully #Pain #Horror #Supernatural

“Wake up! Miss future president!” Athanasia said with a cheerful voice as she barged into my room. “Today is the Election Day and I am sure you will be the victor.”

I quickly hid Nemitria's journal under my blanket. If she caught me reading my ancestor's diary, she would be furious. However, it was too late. She marched towards my bed and seized the journal.

“Asia! Please be careful with it! It’s precious for me.” I protested. I found this old dairy inside our attic, near the end of January. It related the mystifying life of my great grand aunt Nemitria Trima. This memoir became a personal treasure for me.

She shot me a disapproving look.

“You were reading it again, weren't you? You promised me you will take a break.”

I looked down and turned my head away. She was angry. “I am sorry, but I could not resist.”

“You already read this thing several times! Why are you so interested with her story?”

My mood changed, and I answered with eagerness. “Since I found this diary, I developed a deep connection with Nemitria. At first I was curious because I saw the name of Keil Lossell in some passages. It changed when I discovered some scandalous revelations. It’s not the Lossell who are the founders of this island! The Trima and a few other families were the original habitants of this land. They lived here centuries before Keil Lossell and the other settlers came into the picture.”

“Okay, calm down. I think you should concentrate on more recent events. You are wasting your time by digging in those families’ history.” Athanasia sounded a bit cruel and was looking like a different person.

“What do you mean?”

She changed her posture and smiled at me. It was a forced smile. “I mean the elections!”

“Okay.” Her explanation did not convince me. I let it slide because I had something to discuss with her.

I took the journal and placed it inside my drawer.

“Ethan is coming to pick us. He had to stop at Kyle's mansion before coming here, but he would be on time.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Is Kyle coming too?”

She shook her head, “He did not say anything about it. They have something to discuss. It’s about the upcoming basketball tournament.”

“Oh.” I answered and pouted my mouth. “Asia? Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She said checking her reflection in the mirror.

“Did you notice something different about Kyle lately?”

She pondered for a long moment before saying. “There is something strange about him. He appears to be a little on edge nowadays. It's as if he is afraid of something.”

“That’s right! I tried to ask him what happened, but he did not want to confide what is bothering him. He also stopped coming to our house and I can't understand what's going on.”

“Maybe he is just worried because they will assign the team sports captains today. Ethan talked about it last night. The atmosphere among the players is pretty tense right now. Some of them want Kyle to be their new captain while others think Ethan is more suitable for the post.”

“I hope it won't create a rift in their friendship.”

“No, it won't.” She said with a strong assurance. “They have been friends for a long time. I am sure it won't disappear over a silly competition. And don't worry about Kyle. When this event will come to an end, I am sure everything would be back to normal again.”

I sighed and look towards the window, “Is it a bad thing? I don't want him to remain distant towards me.”

“No, it's not,” she said with a good-natured tone. “You became friends when you were just three years old. Everyone knows you two held a special bond.”

I lay back on my bed and took my pillow to hide my face. I started to blush.

“Hey, Nora! What's wrong?” Athanasia asked. She sat down beside me and started to soothe my hair.

I waited till I was calm enough and removed the pillow. I looked at her with a serious face. “I might have developed some romantic feelings for him.”

“What? Is it true? You like Kyle?” She squealed and grabbed my shoulders.

I grabbed both of her hands trying to keep her composed.

She was being too loud. "I didn't say I like him. I said I might like him."

“So you are not sure?”

I nodded and bit my lower lip. “The problem is I am afraid that I might confuse friendship with love! He is my first friend. We spent most of our childhood together. He is protective towards me. Moreover, we both share the same passion for basketball and manga. I have a special fondness for him. However, I can't tell if it’s love or something else.”

“Okay, let’s examine your problem. You've been feeling this way since he started to be distant right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, maybe you just miss him!”

I fidgeted my fingers and continued to speak. “There’s something else, and that's why I have started to question myself. I saw him with Jenny Hickman yesterday and she was out ragingly flirting with him. He seemed to enjoy the attention. It's quite normal for a basketball player to go out with a cheerleader.”

“You are aware of Jenny’s nature, she flirts with everybody. But if you want my opinion, I think Kyle likes only one person.”

“Who?”

“You!”

“Really, are you certain about it?”

She nodded. “It's obvious! Kyle always has a unique gaze when you are near him. He treats you as if you are the most precious thing on earth.”

“You are kidding!?!”

“Nope.”

“I had no idea about it!”

“Then you must be the most dim-witted girl I know.”

“Hey,” I protested and threw my pillow at her. She ducked it with ease.

“Okay enough of talking now. It's time to get ready. It's an important day and I don't want you to be late. I am going to help mom.”

I got up to select my clothes and made my way to the bathroom.

When I came downstairs, I noticed my Dad wearing his coat. He was leaving for his office.

“Good morning Daddy.”

“Hey! Good morning, Honey-Bee! Are you nervous for the elections?”

“Yes,” I replied and ran to give him a hug. I considered him the best father of the world. He was someone hard-working and had to make a lot of sacrifices for me.

“I promise if you win. I will take you out to dine at your favorite restaurant tonight.”

“And if I lose?”

“We will still go. We will just treat it as a family outing.”

“Restaurant?” Athanasia asked coming out from the kitchen. “Did you hear mom? Dad is taking us out for dinner!”

I looked at Dad again and he gave me a helpless shrug.

“We will see about dinner later. For now girls please take your breakfast. I am getting late for work.”

She came to sent Dad off and the three of us said goodbye to him.

A few moments later we heard Ethan hooking his car outside.

“Nora, hurry!” He is here! Athanasia said.

“Why? I have not finished yet.” I said taking my time to drink my milk. I teased her like any real little sister would do.

“Nora, please! You know I don't like to make him wait.”

“Fine,” I said placing the half-finished glass on the table.

I took my bag and Athanasia grabbed my arm.

“Bye Mom,” she yelled.

“Have a good day girls and good luck Nora!”

“Thanks!” I was not sure if she heard it. Athanasia was already dragging me outside.

Ethan stood in-front of his second-hand blue car. I halted my steps when I did not see Kyle's silver Ford. I half-hoped that he would show up.

Kyle and I travelled to school together. I considered it as a special ritual. When we were young, our respective mothers would take us there, he would hold my hand with a strong grasp. Later on, we started to use bikes. During the first years of high school, the bus became our transport. And this year he got his own car, he came to fetch me every day. On our way to Lossell High, we will speak, laugh or listen to some music. It was the only occasion where I became carefree, spending time with Kyle was refreshing. His presence helped me calm my nerves. Even doing these normal stuffs with him seemed amazing.

However, during the last two weeks he stopped coming to my house. At school, nothing changed between us, we still had a close relationship. I tried to ask him about his changed attitude. I didn't know if I misunderstood or not, but his face became pale and he didn't answer my question. Instead, he changed the subject.

Athanasia hugged Ethan, and he affectionately kissed her.

He pulled back and looked at me. I think he noticed my sad face.

“Hey, Nora! How is it going? Kyle did not come but don’t forget I am your partner in crime too.”

I grinned at him. Ethan could put anyone in a good mood.

“I am fine. I hope you don’t mind if I became the third wheel again.”

“No, not at all. You are the first girl in my life. Athanasia came in much later.”

Athanasia hid a smile, “She might be your first but remember this. I will be your last woman.”

“Sure, anything you say, Love.” He gave me a quick wink and gallantly opened the doors for us.

“After you, my ladies.” He sat on the driver’s seat and drove away from our house.

Apart from being best buddies with Kyle, Ethan was also a good friend of mine. The three of us played in the same basketball team before we entered high school.

The students at Lossell High considered Athanasia and him as the best couple of the school.

In the beginning, they used to dislike each other. They argued all the time. But Kyle and I guessed that they used this scheme to hide their true feelings. So we made a plan to make them confess their love for each other. I lied to Ethan by telling him that Kyle liked Athanasia and planned to propose her. Meanwhile Kyle tricked my sister. He asked her if she could help him choose a restaurant for his parents’ marriage anniversary.

At first Ethan tried to ignore the matter. He fought against his emotions but lost. When the fateful night arrived, he came to our house. He wanted to know the location of their date.

I took him to the restaurant where we had reserved a booking for them. When Ethan saw Kyle and Athanasia together, he could not control his jealousy. He admitted that he like her since they were young however he felt too shy to acknowledge it. Surprised by his confession, Athanasia declared she also shared his feelings. And since that day they became inseparable.

Kyle and I left them alone, and we went to take a stroll around the neighborhood. We raced across the streets and landed in the park. Tired, we lay on the ground to stare the sky. I still remembered our conversation.

“Wow the stars are so beautiful!” I exclaimed. “I want to become an angel and touch them.”

He turned towards me and looked at me strangely. The soft moonlight was highlighting his handsome face. He was looking like a fallen angel himself. He held my hand with a gentle hold and used his left palm to touch my hair.

“You already look like an angel Leonora, isn't this enough?”

“But I want to have wings, striking long white wings!”

“I won't let you have them.” He whispered in my ear.

My body tingled pleasantly when he uttered those words.

“Why are you saying this?” I stared at him mystified.

“You would use them to escape this world.” He said while enmeshing a lock of my hair. “I can't imagine a place where I won't be able to sense your presence. I can't live without you.”

“Kyle.”

I never thought those words as romantic. I only understood that he considered me as his most treasured companion.

The car stopped moving, and I turned towards the window.

I didn't even notice when we arrived at school. Athanasia had to snap her fingers to get me out of my daydream.

“Hey, Nora! We are here!”

I got out of the car but Ethan and Athanasia were not moving an inch.

“You guys are not coming?”

“Yeah, you go first we will catch up with you later.” She said softly. They were gazing into each other's eyes. I understood that they needed to spent time alone.

“Okay.”

I walked a short distance and people started to greet me.“Hey, Nora!”

“Hi, Nora!”

“You look good today!”

“Hello Miss Trima.”

“Good luck Nora!”

It continued even when I entered Lossell High. Whether it was a teacher or some students, they all had a bright smile when they saw me.

I, however, barely acknowledged them. I could discern that I was receiving those attentions only because Kyle was my friend. Everyone knew that I had a close relationship with his family.

My eyes searched for only one person. And, I was not pleased when I found him. He was animatedly chatting with Dyris Darcy. A girl who recently moved to Lossell, and she was the daughter of my Dad's boss.

My blood boiled; perhaps she was the reason for his changed behavior towards me.

I did not like, witnessing Kyle close with someone else like this. A deep ragging storm formed inside of me. It incensed my soul, and I wished that Kyle was here beside me instead of her.

I opened my mouth and called loudly, “Kyle.”

He turned towards my direction and his face became bright when he noticed me. He left Dyris side and marched towards my direction.

“Leonora, you are here.”He gave me a side hug. I observed that Dyris, seemed slightly out of place. I wanted to make her more uncomfortable, and I moved closer towards Kyle. He looked surprised, but did not mind. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me against his strong chest. I moved my head over his shoulder and looked towards Dyris.

Her face appeared sore, and she did not seem happy.

“Are you ready for your epic day?” He asked as he pulled away.

“I am petrified. And you?”

“A little tense, the coach still looked undecided. He let nothing out yesterday. It's a close call between me and Ethan. But I am not worried about you. I am confident you will be the winner.”

“Yes, the whole school knows how much you worked for this title.” Dyris said as she joined us.

I suddenly felt guilty for the way I treated her earlier. Dyris did nothing wrong. I reacted too impulsively. I gave her a sincere smile and said, “Thank you.”

“We better hurry.” Kyle intervened, “The assembly is about to start.” He placed his arm over my shoulders and led me to the assembly room. Most students were staring at us. I took my seat and Kyle sat beside me. Dyris went to sit with her cheerleader friends.

The auditorium filled up with a slow pace. There was still time left before the start of the assembly. I took advantage of this moment to speak with Kyle.

“I missed you this morning.” I said with a soft voice.

He gave me an apologetic smile, “That's sweet of you.”

“Kyle-.”

“There you are!” I looked up. It was Rose and Stella. Both of my friends had identical grins on their faces.

“Are we interrupting something?”

“No, not at all.” I moved away from Kyle and patted the seat beside me. I could make another attempt afterward.

A few minutes later Athanasia, Ethan and William entered the auditorium. They chose the same row as us.

The boys made their usual greeting by using their complicated handshakes. We knew each other since kindergarten. However, we all became friends when we attended middle school.

Our friendship was strong because we bonded well with each other.

Everyone sat straighter when our principal Mr. Ash appeared on the podium. He gave directions to the other teachers, and the preparations were about to start.

I used to be part of the school basketball team when I was younger. I would always experience a deep sense of nervousness. However I could not compare the two situations. This time my anxiety has multiplied. Kyle and Ethan were also adopting tense postures. It reminded me of old memories where we would support each other.

Mr. Ash tapped the microphone and spoke.

“Good morning, students. As you all know, we are here today to pass the school duties towards the selected persons. It includes the captainship for each sport teams, the representative for every class. And we will have to nominate our school president. The results are in my hand.”

He waved the envelopes in the air. “Your votes have determined the person worthy to represent you.”

All the noises died and everyone listened to him carefully. I placed my hand on my forehead. I sensed the real pressure. My perspective was changing. During the last two weeks. I did my best to gather as many votes as I could. I was a new member in the student council department. It led me to have a disadvantage compared to my rival Blair Holton. I still remembered the incredulous looks which they gave me when I placed my candidacy.

For them Blair was the next president. I did not give up, fortunately, it was not in their hands to seal the victory. It was not an easy task. I had to strive up day and night. I put in a lot of hard work to convince the students I would make the best president of Lossell High.

However, I have realized my efforts might not be enough to guarantee my triumph.

The voters would just nominate the person they liked the best.

Everything was reduced to a mere popularity contest.

“So without further delay, I will now invite on stage Mrs. Violin, the head of the sport department.” I looked up. The woman accepted a file from our principal.

“Good morning everyone, we will now begin with the cheerleader captain. It's Miss Dyris Darcy who gathered more votes.”

Loud claps of applause resonated in the room and when Dyris stood up. She gave 'her audience' a flying kiss and walked towards the stage to collect her badge.

“Next we have to nominate the basketball team captain. The chosen one is……”

She paused dramatically and continued. “Kyle Forester.”

A smile came to my lips, and I stood up to hug him. His hands circled my back, and he whispered in my ear. “See you up there.”

My smiled disappeared at once. Kyle seemed positive I would achieve my goal. I did not want to disappoint him.

I did not have the time to share my doubts because Ethan and the entire team came to congratulate him. They hoisted Kyle on their shoulders and took him to the stage.

Athanasia inched closer towards me and handed me a tissue. “Are you okay? Your face looked pale.”

I jumped and said. “I am fine. Just a little nervous.”

“Relax, everything will be okay,” she said with a positive voice.

“I hope so.” I replied and watched Kyle accepting his badge.

Mrs. Violin continued the other nominations. She stopped when she reached the end.

“Next we have the most important part of our program. It's the election for the school's president.”

She looked towards the students present on stage. “You may go back to your seats.”

She stepped back and Mr. Ash came in front again. “I will request the two candidates to come here before we announce the successor.”

I took a deep breath and stood up.

“Nora! Best of luck!” Athanasia said, clasping my hand with a tight grasp.

“Thanks.” I said and moved my legs. I did not stumble on my way towards my destination. Maybe I was unconsciously becoming more self-assured.

I looked towards my rival Blair Holton. We never interacted with each other. Nevertheless, I always viewed her as a strong and competitive opponent. I wondered what was going on inside her mind.

At last the time to declare the president arrived. Mr. Ash showed us the envelope.

“Boys and Girls, your new school president is Miss Leonora Trima!”

I opened my mouth, shocked. It took me a moment to register what he said. I won! Blair congratulated me, and I thanked her by giving her a bear- hug.

Everyone cheered and a bright emotion of triumph passed through my entire being. I glanced towards all my friends again. Athanasia and Ethan were beaming brightly at me. William, Stella, Cassandra and Rose applauded with loud claps. Then my eyes meet Kyle's gaze. His eyes shone with pride.

I got lost in them. Nothing would outshine this moment. I made the person whom I love, proud.

Yes, I did not have any doubts about it anymore.

I, Leonora Trima, was in love with Kyle Forester.

The day passed like a blur for me and before I even noticed it was already the end of my last class. I gathered my things and started to make my way out. Athanasia, Stella and Rose quickly caught up with me.

“So Nora,” Stella declared as she wrapped her arm around mine. “You ought to give us a treat to celebrate your big victory!”

“Yes.” Rose added, “As the new elected president, you have to take care of your subjects' needs.”

“Sure. Tell me where you want to go.”

However Athanasia interfered, “Sorry, but today it won't be possible. Dad is taking us out for dinner.”

“Oh, that's too bad,” Rose said, “I was hoping to use this opportunity to take your interview.”

“Hey, don't worry,” I cajoled her. “I don't have anything planned for tomorrow. We can all go at Burger's Palace.”

“Really? Oh Nora, you are the best!” Rose gave me a bone crushing hug. I opened my eyes wide, surprised by her action, while Stella and Athanasia just laughed.

“Who said you don't have any plan for tomorrow?”

We all turned to see Kyle was standing behind us.

Even if I was surrounded by my friends, it seemed we were the only people in the hallway. It became more intense when he came near my side. Some goose bumps appeared on my back and they changed into a warm sensation. I was seeing him in a different light now and I had no idea how to behave normally around him.

“What's happening tomorrow?” Athanasia asked with a curious tone.

Kyle answered her question while keeping his eyes locked with mine. “I already told my mom the good news. She is ecstatic and is arranging a party in Nora's honor. Today is a short notice, but everything will be ready tomorrow.”

A party? How can they decide without asking me? Being the school president demanded a lot of work and I needed the weekend to put my thoughts in order. I also needed time to figure out my situation with Kyle. I had nothing against Mrs. Forester. In fact, I considered her as a second mother, but sometimes I found her too controlling.

“Party?” The three girls became excited, and it fuelled my anger.

“Leonora, my mom asked me to bring you home this afternoon. She had ordered some dresses and wanted to see if the fittings are right.”

He reached forward to take my hand. “Don't worry Asia, I will ask the driver to drop her back home afterwards. You won't be late for your dinner.” She accepted with an amiable nod and stepped away to let us go.

My anger increased when I heard he did not plan to drive me back to my house. What kind of games was he playing? Paying attention and ignoring me at the same time?

He began to lead me; however, I stopped him from going further. “Kyle! Let go of me!” I stated coldly.

He halted and looked at me perplexedly. I never protested when he held my hand before. It was a normal occurrence, between us. “What happened, Leonora? Is there something wrong? Are you all right?”

I tried to answer him with a calm tone, “Tell your mom, thanks, but I don't want the dress or the party!”

Athanasia and the others understood that we needed to be alone and decided to leave.

“I need to finish an article,” Rose said quickly.

“I have cheerleading practice,” Stella said with a lame voice.

“Ethan is waiting for me, Nora, come when you finished. Okay?” Athanasia lived with me long enough to understand my moods. She assumed with a correct guess that I won't leave with Kyle.

“Did I do something to upset you?”

“No!” I snapped. I did not understand my reaction. It was like all the frustration which I kept locked for the past two weeks were about to explode. The stress of the election. His weird behavior towards me. And of course the undeniable fact I love him. They were creating a big turmoil in my mind.

“Then what's the matter? Why are you so mad?” He asked, raising his voice.

“You didn't even ask me if I wanted a celebration or not. I have the right to refuse!”

“Leonora.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I am sorry next time, I will ask for your permission before doing anything. For now, can you please accept this for my sake? My mom has already made several arrangements. It would be difficult for her to cancel them.”

I closed my eyes and said with a cruel voice, “I don't care!”

Kyle took a step backwards, shocked. He was unable to believe it. His sweet and innocent friend was acting like a tigress.

“You are angry with me, aren’t you? The party has nothing to do with it! So stop beating around the bush and tell me why you are so infuriated?”

“Okay. I will! Why do you keep refusing to hang out with me after school? And why do you keep avoiding my house as if it contains a plague?”

Kyle touched the back of his head, he was nervous.

“Look, it's not what you think. It may seem that I am ignoring you. The truth is, I have lots of things on my mind. They are keeping me busy.”

“You are busy? Busy with whom? Jenny or Dyris?”

We remained silent for a moment. It was as if I had unleashed an invisible arrow.

Kyle's features changed, and he gave me an arrogant smirk. “Oh, now I get it, you are just being jealous! For your kind information, I don’t need your permission to speak with other girls!”

His words hurt me like a deep agony. I could not bear the fact he could decrypt me so easily. Furthermore, to my horror, my stupid tears were starting to make their appearance. I had a problem. I cry when I was sad and I shed tears when I became angry. At this instant, both emotions were having an intense battle inside me. I felt helpless, and I wanted to disappear.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him coming closer towards me. “Hey, are you crying?” He asked with a soft tone. He gently placed his right hand on my cheek. His palm tingled with warmth and I leaned against it. However, I came back to reality when my tear drops touched his hand.

I pulled away with a harsh move and said, “Why should I be jealous? I am not your girlfriend!”

“Leo-”

“And guess what? I am not even interested to be your friend anymore!”

He became stunned and did not move or speak. Kyle then gave me a look which I would never forget. “Don't say that. Don't you ever repeat those words again!” His eyes held a distress which was truly heart-breaking. I was not indifferent towards his pain. Thousand of pins seemed to pierce my heart.

I did not have the strength to stay near him any longer. I walked away and didn't look behind. It was better to kept moving forward or else I would break down. I would end up confessing my love for him and I was not ready to do this. I was not ready to open my core.

Once outside Lossell High, I searched for Athanasia. Her back was facing me and she was coincidently chatting with Dyris. They seemed to have a happy conversation as Dyris was smiling brightly. Athanasia knew her before she moved to Lossell and that's why they hit off right away. Dyris noticed me first.

“Hey Nora, please come and help me to convince your sister.” Athanasia jumped and looked at me with a worried glance. I think she understood I had a fight with Kyle.

“About what?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

“Oh, it's a stupid idea!” Athanasia answered with hastiness. She grabbed my arm, “Come, Nora we should head home. You must be tired!”

“Oh come on, Asia, let me tell her!” Dyris protested. “Listen Nora, one cheerleader is leaving the lsland and we have one spot free. Stella told me that Athanasia used to be part of the gymnastics club. I was asking her if she was interested to join the squad.”

“Asia you should go for it! You were a good gymnast back then.”

“I was not good. I was fairly good,” she corrected.

“You don't need to be afraid, the girls and I will teach you everything.” She placed a hand on Athanasia's shoulder. “Trust me, I will personally make sure that no one would bully you.”

Athanasia curled her lips, and I realized that she was not in the mood to continue this discussion. So I decided to jump in her rescue. “Let it be, Dyris. She likes to cheer for Ethan by being in the crowd. She would admire him better this way.”

Dyris laughed and Athanasia looked away from us trying to hide her blush.

“Oh, how cute!” Dyris exclaimed when she saw Athanasia's face.

”But I must admit that you and Ethan make a nice couple. I wish I had a boyfriend like him.”

My sister's expressions darken, and she turned sharply towards her friend. “They are many boys chasing after you. Why don't you choose one of them?”

Dyris flipped her curly light brown hair and gave us a cocky smile. “All the good ones are taken and besides, I am not the only one who is single! Nora also does not have a boyfriend. Although I suspect that there is something going on between her and Kyle.”

Our previous encounter flashed into my mind and I became disturbed again.

“There's nothing going on between us.” I replied with a cold voice. “Anyway, after what happened today I am sure that nothing would ever happen.”

The two girls stared at me with puzzled expression. All of a sudden my phone buzzed.

“Excuse me.” I took some steps away from them to answer the call.

I slid the cover and was surprised when I saw Ethan's name on my screen.

“Hello?”

“Nora. Sorry to bother you, but can you meet me at the basketball’s locker room? I have something important to tell you.”

I glanced towards Athanasia for a moment. It was a strange request, and he never asked me to do something like this before. I placed a strand of my hair behind my ear and asked him, “Asia is nearby. Shall I bring her with me?”

“No!” He said quickly. “Don’t tell her anything! I promised that I will explain everything to you once you get here.”

“Okay.” I hung up the phone and walked towards Athanasia and Dyris.

“I'll be right back. I think I forgot something inside the classroom.”

Without giving them time to protest, I marched towards Lossell High again.

The room was dim-lighted when I opened the door.

“Ethan?” I called with a hesitant voice and I penetrated inside.

“I am here.” He answered in a gruff voice. “Please close the door, behind you.”

“Ethan, what's going on? Why are you being so secretive?”

He did not answer me straight away, and he walked round the room.

I was starting to get worried. “Is it about the basketball captain's nomination? I am glad that Kyle was chosen, but it does not mean I don’t feel bad about you.”

He shook his head, “No, Nora. It's true I am upset about it. However, I did not call you here to talk about basketball. It's something more important.”

“What is it?”

“You go to the cemetery, quite often, don't you?”

I closed my eyes and said with a pained voice, “Yes.”

“During your visits, you never notice anything unusual?”

I thought for a moment. “No.”

“Have you ever ventured near Keil Lossell's statue?”

“I once wandered near the territory. It was when I was twelve years old and I went to bury a necklace which Kyle gave me.”

“Are you familiar with the folktales which surround that place?”

I nodded and some passages of Nemitria's journal suddenly entered my mind. “The guards refuse to look after the cemetery. They hear mysterious screams at night. But the story seemed quite far-stretched. I am sure it's just somebody who is playing a prank to keep people away from there.”

“It's not a prank Nora!”

“What do you mean?”

“There are students from our school who are doing atrocious acts. They are scarifying people’s lives.”

“You can't be serious!” I exclaimed shocked.

“They have formed a dangerous cult and are doing those things to please the soul of Keil Lossell. They are even taking advantage of his legend to scare people off.”

“How did you find out about this madness?”

“They asked me to join them, but I refused.”

“So you know who the members are?”

“I know only one member.”

“Who?”

“Jenny Hickman!”

“She explained that their sect is recruiting new members. The persons chosen will stand a chance to become their leader. That’s not all. They are planning a mass sacrifice after the coronation ceremony.”

“A mass sacrifice? Ethan, Lossell is a small lsland. People will notice if something like this will happen!”

“I am not entirely sure but their victims are not just from Lossell. They bring people from other countries too.”

His eyes were marred with fright and his voice trembled as he continued to speak. “I am scared Nora! I refused to be part of their group and I am sure they won’t let me off their hook that easily.”

A strong shock captured my heart. I feared for my friend’s life.

“That's insane! We have to stop them.”

“Yes,” he came to sit beside me and took my hand. “But it's not the only thing which is bothering me.”

“Go on. I will try my best to help you.”

“By refusing to be their leader, they decided to shift their focus elsewhere.”

“They are planning to use either Kyle or William.”

“It makes sense,” I whispered. “They are Keil's direct descendants.”

“I observed Jenny during the past few days, I am sure she did not say anything to William yet. However-”

He stopped and did not continue.

“What is it? What were you about to say?”

“Kyle's behaviour has changed during the past few days and I am afraid that he accepted the proposal There were several instances when I saw him with Jenny.”

“No! It can’t be possible. Ethan, we both know Kyle well. He would never do something like this.”

“Do what?” A loud voice suddenly boomed inside the room. Ethan and I both turned towards the door. Kyle was standing there and behind him Athanasia, Dyris and Jenny peeked at us with curious eyes.

#Romance #lossellhigh #Pain #Horror #Mystery #Crime #bully #Supernatural

Nora was writing something on her pad when she heard someone pulling the chair beside her.

Kyle sat down and took out his own notebook. Nora glanced at its cover. She recognized the brand.

Both Kyle and William hailed from the most powerful families of Lossell. William’s father was the head of the island. The Foresters on the other hand were the one who controlled every business of the country.

“You are early,” she remarked, “It’s only fifteen O’clock!”

Kyle gave her a bored expression, “Basketball practice got cancelled!”

“Why?” She asked as she continued her work.

“Coach Sanders had an emergency.”

“Coach Sanders?” Nora still remembered the terrible glower that he gave her after the first defeat of the Blue Rebels.

Since that day he has made the boys work not double but triple harder. Ethan also formed part of the team and when he died, they lost a crucial member.

“His daughter sprained her ankle,” Kyle explained. “The rest of the team is also here to study.”

Nora looked around them. Mrs. Hale didn't spare the students from other classes. They all seemed on edge. They guarded their tables as if their lives depended on them. Nora relaxed; for once their attentions were not focused on her.

She turned back towards Kyle and held her breath.

“Why are you giving me such an intense gaze?” She asked with a self-conscious voice.

“You seemed happy.”

“So? Is that a crime?”

“I have not seen you like this since-.” He stopped and continued, “Well, since last year.”

“Oh,” Nora looked at her knees. She did not have any reply to give him.

When she lifted her eyes, He had a dazzling smile on his handsome face.

Her heart softened, it was impossible to imagine a more beautiful sight. Kyle had short dark hair and captivating hazel eyes, he could charm anyone.

She gathered her courage to talk with him but stopped again when she realized something.

His smile was not destined for her.

His gaze has shifted towards another person.

Nora turned behind to see Dyris and William, coming towards their direction. She tried hard to control her disappointment.

It seemed too good to be true. Kyle will not do anything nice for me anymore. He only had a deep abhorrence towards her regard.

“Hey Babe,” Kyle said, “What are you doing here?”

“We are here for the project! Baby!” Dyris answered brightly. She sat on his lap and kissed him on his cheek. Nora looked away, embarrassed.

“So how is it going, Nora? Are you guys making any progress?”

“Actually, we didn't even start.” Nora complained. The two lovers were beginning to irritate her.

“Wow, I didn't think the library would be so crowded today.” William commented with a soft tone.

Nora jumped a little. She forgot about his presence.

He placed his hand on the top of her chair. “So Nora? How are you?”

“I am fine.” Nora answered him with a guarded voice. William was also her former friend, and he was the only one who continued to greet her after Ethan’s demise. Beside this they hardly had any contacts.

“It would have been nice if we could do the project together. Isn't it?” William asked her.

She did not expect him to utter those words and decided to give him a vague answer. Nora changed her mind when Kyle eyed his cousin with an angry face. “Oh, yes, it's too bad that it can't happen,” she said in an extra-sugar coated voice.

“I think we would have made a great team,” he continued.

“How cute!” Dyris exclaimed.

“Shut up!” Kyle and Nora screeched. William and Dyris jumped a little.

“You two should stop doing this!”

“Do what?” They both asked.

“You speak at the same time,” Dyris answered. “Earlier, you guys also behave like this in class.”

“It's creepy,” William added.

“We don't speak at the same time,” they protested.

They stopped and looked at each other with identical expressions. They stayed silent when they realized that Dyris and William were telling the truth.

“You have the same backpack too,” Dyris pointed out, and she pouted. “I am getting jealous,” she said, grabbing Kyle’s collar.

Kyle lightly caressed her back. “Oh come on Dyris, it does not matter if I have a few things common with her. I am all yours.” He became satisfied when Nora appeared uncomfortable.

Nora desperately wanted to flee from there. Watching Kyle and Dyris so close was pure agony for her. Fortunately, William saved her by interrupting them.

“Listen, guys I don't want to barge in your happy lovers’ conversation. But, don't forget we need to go somewhere before heading home today. Dyris it's high time we should start looking for a title and a table.”

“Okay, no problem,” Dyris said, getting down. She turned towards her boyfriend “Don't leave without us.”

“Sure,” Kyle answered. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Bye, Nora.”

Nora only gave her a curt nod. They were left alone again.

“You don't like her, don't you?”

She didn't reply.

“You should be grateful. There is at least one person in this school who treats you with kindness, even if you are not worth it!”

She ensnared her pen with a tight grip, “Well, I am not thankful Kyle! Like you said I don't deserve it and I never ask for anyone’s pity!”

“What kind of person have you become? Sometimes I think you were always like this, you have a heart full with sins. You just wore a mask of deceit in front of everyone during all these years.”

Nora gave him a disturbing smirk. “You still don't get it Kyle! Dyris is the nicest girl in Lossell High and I am the most evil one. She is the princess and I am the wicked witch.”

Nora said those words with much conviction and he almost believed her.

“Are you serious?”

She did not answer.

“Then I must be the prince charming,” he replied with a sarcastic tone. “Anyways, I will always remain by Dyris's side to protect her from your evil intentions.”

“Will you give me poison till I die?” She asked with a sardonic grin.

Her question stunned him; he did not answer and looked down. Without any warning he snatched her notebook.

“Hey, give that back.” They began a tug of war and fought like two elementary kids.

“I want to see what you have written, partner!” He said the last word with a mocking emphasis.

He frowned and read the words aloud. “Manor, Forest, Journal, Mirror, Dagger! What none sense is this? We are supposed to create a project not write a fiction novel!”

“It’s just brainstorming.” She stood on her toes and finally managed to take her notebook back from him.

“So you have a topic?”

“Yes, but I don't think you'll like it.”

“Try me.”

“Can we investigate the death of Keil Lossell?”

For a moment, he pretended to think about it. Then he responded with a cold voice, “No.”

“But Kyle-”

“I said no. You are obsessed with this legend since you were little. And it gives me immense pleasure to crush your hopes.”

Nora took a deep breath and tried to convince him again. “Kyle, Keil Lossell is an important figure in the lsland's history. Your mother descends from Lossell's family. Your family's manor is also the previous domicile of Keil. With your help we can gather useful information. It will help us create an interesting project.”

“My answer is still the same.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“We are going to the newspaper’s archive center.” He said with fake enthusiasm, “I am sure we will find good mysteries over there.”

Nora gaped at him. He can’t be serious!

Still, she tried to remain calm. “Kyle, this will take a long time.”

“So? I don't care as long we are stuck together, I will make those moments the most miserable ones of your life.”

She had enough! He made her snap. Nora collected her stuffs and stood up. “Well, in that case, listen with open ears! I am not here to be your personal entertainer Lord Forester.”

She started to walk; however, he caught her wrist and gently pulled her face near his lips.

“Why are you afraid?” He whispered in her ear, “Are you scared to read your previous records?”

Nora turned to face him. They were too close, and she almost got lost in his eyes. She managed to restrain herself before it became too intense. Kyle was going too far. She wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Perhaps I am not the only one who should be afraid of past incidents.”

Her words felt like a scorpion’s sting. He released her at once. She did not waste time and exited the library, leaving a very bewildered Kyle behind her.

“It looks they have already finished,” William stated. They found a seat at the far end of the library.

“Who?” Dyris asked.

“Kyle and Nora. She is leaving.”

“I can't believe it.” Dyris exclaimed, shaking her head. “Maybe they had a fight! I hope Kyle did not make any cruel actions towards her.”

“Why are you so protective about Nora?” He inquired with real curiosity.

“Well, as one of Athanasia's closest friends, I believe it's my duty to shield her sister. Besides, I was a social outcast myself.”

“Really? It's a bit hard to believe! You are quite popular here.”

“People did not accept me in my previous school.” She admitted with a sad face.

“Why? Did you act like a diva?” He asked in a teasing tone.

“Actually, I was shy around people and it caused a misunderstanding. I appeared as an arrogant person.”

“It must have been very hard.”

“Yes, life is not always easy.” She answered with an honest smile. “That's the reason I pity Nora.” She put her hand over his. “But it's in the past now. Let's forget about this and concentrate to find the perfect subject! Shall we?”

“Sure. You can count on me.”

When they looked at Kyle again, his seat was empty.

Nora walked with swift steps towards her locker to collect her required books. Contrary to this morning the hallway was deserted.

Why did I say those words to Kyle? Her inner voice berated. Now he would definitely guess that something is wrong!

She closed the locker with haste and twirled behind. Kyle stood in front of her.

He did not say anything, and he slowly came closer and placed both his hands near her shoulders to trap her. He had a menacing posture, and it made Nora's heart pound.

“Back in the library, why did you say I should be afraid of previous newspaper articles?”

This is bad. She panicked. He is having doubts! She decided to sidetrack him.

“Why? Are you hiding someone in your closet?” She asked with an innocent voice.

He parted her hair with his long fingers and touched both of her cheeks. Nora knew it was not a sign of affection.

“I am asking the questions here. Are you aware something? Or are you just bluffing?”

He managed to corner her. She made a big mistake by hinting about his undisclosed affair.

“I am waiting, Nora!” He uttered her name as if he spitted venom.

She mustered some audacity and retorted, “Is this a new way to torture me? Kyle?”

“Just tell me what I want to know!”

“First of all, stay away from me.” She glided down to escape his grasp and deliberately took a few steps away from him.

“And secondly, I don't find it necessary to answer any of your questions.” She said with an infuriated voice.

Nora looked around and without thinking she started to run.

Kyle stayed there trying to register what had happened. He never witnessed her running with so much speed before.

She ran as if a ghost was chasing her. Her strange behavior confirmed that she was indeed hiding something from him.

“I hope it’s not my secret!”

If this matter got discovered his family would have to deal with deadly consequences.

Nora breathed a sigh of relief when she finally got out of Lossell High.

“How can I be so stupid?” She said, cursing herself as she walked towards the bus stand. “This day has been too exhausting.”

A part of her longed to tell him the truth however, she knew she could not act selfishly.

“There were too many lives at stake. My father, Kyle and my sister Athanasia.”

She went inside the bus when it arrived. It took fifteen minutes to reach her bus stop. She stepped down and watch it leave.

Nora adjusted her bag and walked towards her house.

Before opening the front door, she gave a look at the neighbour’s residence. The house seemed ordinary, but Nora knew what was hidden behind its dark curtains.

Mrs. Fletcher; her neighbour was observing each of her every move. Ever since she was little Nora found this woman weird. A small old lady and she studied people as if she could read their souls. Her behaviour started to deteriorate when her grandson Blake Fletcher disappeared two years ago. She stopped socializing and spent her time locked in her house.

Nora had caught her several times, peeking at the Trima’s house. Each time the older woman would seem unfazed and would stare right back at her. Shaking her head, she turned back in front.

She opened her door and finally entered her dwelling the only place where she felt safe.

“I am home!”

“Oh Nora, you are back!” Mrs. Trima said as she stepped out of the kitchen.

“How was your day?”

Somebody spat on me. Nora gave her a weak smile. “It was great.”

“Okay dear, go upstairs and freshen up. I have prepared some porridge. You can eat it after you finished.”

“Sure.” Nora quickly climbed the stairs. She did not have any intention of coming back.

She took out a fresh pair of clothes and went inside her bathroom to take a shower. The cold water appeased both her mind and her body.

Afterwards, she walked towards her dresser and opened the first drawer. It contained a fake bottom. Nora used this secret section to hide her two memoirs.

One was big and had a dark blue cover, it was her personal diary. The other journal was light brown, less bulky and looked ancient. This one belonged to her ancestor Nemitria Trima.

Nora found it last January when she was putting some old objects in the attic. She took both out and positioned the wood plaque back in its place.

She jumped on her bed and opened her diary and wrote a few lines.

Dear Diary,

1. Today was Ethan's death anniversary.

2. Mrs. Scott spat on me.

3. I am forced to do a project with Kyle

Nora closed the diary and lay back on her bed. Before, she used to spend at least one hour to describe her life, but it was not the case anymore. Her life became a living hell, and she felt gloomier when she had to relive her miserable days. Nothing in her existence could provide her with joy.

As for her parents, they were striving themselves to pay for Athanasia's treatment.

“I can’t even complain.” Her loved ones thought she was responsible for their miseries. The only thing which could save her was the truth.

However, if she revealed what happen to Ethan, she would end up causing more disasters.

“I have to walk on this solitary and difficult path alone. I am protecting my family and the person whom I held close to my heart. Even if this choice is causing my downfall.”

She tried to sleep but she could not close her eyes.

“I have to see Athanasia!” She said standing up.

Taking small steps Nora carefully, approached the room and slowly pushed the door open.

Her sister was on the bed.

“Athanasia,” she whispered.

Mrs. Trima was preparing dinner when her eyes fell on the bowl of porridge. It was getting cold.

“I wondered why Nora is not back yet,” she said aloud, “Maybe I should bring her down myself.”

She was about to leave when she heard the buzz of the doorbell. “It’s five o’clock. Who will come at this time?”

She walked towards the door and pushed it open. Kyle and Dyris stood outside.

“Oh, it's you. What a pleasant surprise!”

“Hello, we came to visit Athanasia,” Dyris said with a cheerful voice. She gripped Kyle’s arm with a possessive hold.

“Oh, please come in!”

“Actually, we are not alone.”

A puzzled look crossed her face. They stepped aside, and she saw her daughters' closest friends. Will, Stella and Rose.

Mrs. Trima was overwhelmed. Seeing those kids united like this filled her heart with hope. It almost convinced her that Athanasia will recover from her infirmity.

“So you all came, huh?”

They nodded. “Athanasia is a fighter!” Stella declared.

“She is the strongest girl we have ever known!” Rose added.

“She will not get rid of us that easily!” William declared.

The older woman gave them a weak smile and let them enter.

“Wait right here. I am going to call Nora.”

However, Kyle stopped her, “Mrs. Jane we only came to see Athanasia and no one else.”

She stopped on her tracks and muttered softly. “Sure, I understand.”

The atmosphere became tense. Dyris decided to break the ice, “Come on, guys! We didn't come to stand here all day we came to visit Athanasia. Let's go upstairs!”

“Yes, let's go!” William repeated. He took the lead and, the rest followed him.

Nora looked at her sister with a sad face. Athanasia and Ethan were boyfriend and girlfriend and they had a steady relationship. Everyone said that they complemented each other. When Ethan died, Athanasia had a hard time to accept it and she sank into a severe depression.

On the day of Ethan's funeral, she did not watch the service till the end and ran away from the cemetery.

She had disappeared for four hours and never returned home. Nora was the one who find her. Her sister got viciously assaulted.

“Those bastards left you in a deplorable condition.” Her head had suffered a deep injury.

Nora remembered every gruesome detail. She closed her eyes and shivered when the memory of that night came to her mind.

“You lost so much blood. I really thought you were going to die.”

Her attacker or attackers were never caught. “Some people even suspected I performed this horrendous act.”

The doctors stated there was a very slim chance that Athanasia would survive. After her operation she went into a coma for ten days. She managed to wake up, however, it hardly made any difference.

Most of her body parts were paralyzed. The doctors warned that she might remain bedridden for the rest of her life.

Nora's father didn't accept their judgment. He engaged a private doctor to take care of his daughter. He had to work harder to arrange the money for the expensive treatment. The doctor was a man named Peter Farwell and was doing his best to make Athanasia normal again. With his help Athanasia managed to move her eyes and occasionally lifted her left arm.

“I am sorry Athanasia. I wished I could change our fate.”

The door opened, and she turned behind.

“Oh, Nora you are here! Look your friends came to see your sister.”

“They are not my friends,” Nora said, folding her arms, “Not anymore.” The five of them stood outside the room. Stella and William avoided her eyes. Only Kyle was openly defying her.

Rose was observing their confrontation.

The gang did not make any movement and stood still.

They won’t enter unless I leave first.

Nora gathered her courage and started to walk towards them. On her way out her hand accidentally brushed Kyle's fingers and a warm feeling spread in her whole body. She looked at his face for a moment. He acted like as if a spider stroked him.

Even if he did not say anything; his disgust expressions managed to pierce her heart once again. She did not stay there any longer and walked in her own room and shut the door with a loud band behind her.

She jumped on her bed. The diaries were still there. She reached for her personal diary again and flipped the previous page. Slowly Leonora stumbled back into the pages of her past . . .

#Romance #Mystery #Crime #Horror #Supernatural #Friendship #Pain

208 Years Later. . . . 7 OCTOBER 2004

The scenery looked beautiful. No clouds appeared in the bright blue sky. A light breeze rustled the tall pine trees. Big and comforting mountains encircled a magnificent lake. To conclude, dazzling sunlight illuminated the whole scenery. Everything seemed to be in perfect harmony with each other.

The peaceful atmosphere ceased with the arrival of two small kids. A boy and a girl came running. Barefoot, they laughed without any worries. The boy turned behind and showed the girl a paper boat.

“You are wasting your time, competing with me. You know I am the best.”

She stuck her tongue out. “Dream on. My boat is more powerful than yours.”

“Stop! We reached the lake!”

“Amazing!” The small girl exclaimed and made a perfect pirouette. “I wish I could live here forever.”

The boy nodded and touched her shoulder. His eyes sparked with excitement. “Are you ready?”

“Yes!” They bent down and placed their boats in position.

“Ready Go!”

“You did not say steady.”

“Okay. Let's do it again.”

“Ready. Steady. Go!”

“Yeah,” they both shouted when their creations moved. The boy gave her a hand, and they stood up to watch the race.

“Kyle,” the girl whined after some time. “The lake is too big. We won’t see the boats reaching the other end.”

“Yes, you are right. I did not think about this.”

“What shall we do now?”

“Wait, I have an idea.” He caught her wrist, and they scampered again.

“Where are we going?” She asked, raising her eyebrows.

He pointed in front of them. “Let’s climb that cliff. We will know which boat has taken the lead.”

“Wow, Kyle you are a genius!”

They did not notice the changes which started to occur. The light breeze evolved into a violent gust of winds. The weather altered and black clouds started to cover the sky. They attained the top after doing many efforts.

“Ah! Here they are!”

“Kyle. My boat is ahead. I will be the victor!”

He gave her a weak smile and conceded. “Yes, you will win.”

She lifted her head and clasped her hands together. Kyle looked at his friend for a moment and crinkled his nose.

He walked backwards without a sound and stood directly behind her. The young boy raised his hands and leaned forward to push her.

However, sensing a cold vibe, she moved before he accomplished his aim. Her eyes became wide when she understood his intention.

“What are you doing?”

For a moment, she forgot her position and took a few steps backwards to put a safe distance between them. Her foot slipped, and she lost control of her balance.

He caught her right in time.

“Pull me up! I am scared!”

Kyle moved his lips into a mysterious smirk. “Why? You wanted to stay here forever! Right?”

“Please, stop joking!”

“I am not joking. I love to see you being so helpless.”

The girl blinked. His unkind words paralyzed her soul.

Kyle’s innocent features disappeared. He transformed into a scary-looking child.

Loud thunders reasoned around them. She became more afraid. “Please don't do this. It will rain soon and my mother is waiting for me.”

He did not show her any pity and his eyes burned with a sinister fire.

When the first drop of water tapped her forehead, he cruelly let go of her fingers.

As she fell down in the abyss, her killer screamed with a piercing voice.

“Goodbye Leonora.”

Leonora Trima woke up with loud gasps. She quickly sat upright and touched her throat. “It’s too dry.”

“I need water.”

She extended her arm and tried to reach out for her cup. Unfortunately, it slipped from her hand and crashed on the floor.

For a moment, Nora looked at the recipient with accusing eyes. With reluctance she bent down to pick it up.

“Ouch.” A piece on the top was missing and the sharp end pricked her finger. Nora observed with dark fascination when the blood started to come out. With the absence of light, the liquid appeared black.

She closed her eyes and waited for it to stop. The dream was still playing with vivid images inside her mind.

“It’s like a distant memory.”

Her heart thumped with a rapid pace. The reverie was peaceful at the start but the death sequence terrified her wits.

“The vision seemed to be an indication. A bad omen is immersing inside my life.”

She looked at her wound again.

The blood made her skin sticky. She got down from the bed and walked toward her cupboard to take the first aid box.

I am getting paranoid, “My existence has already taken a turn for the worse. I am not afraid of them anymore. They are wrong to assume that I will continue to stay quiet like this. This time I will fight back.”

Four hours later, Nora stepped out in the hallway, ready to go to school. She stopped near one of the rooms and placed her hand on the doorknob.

She wanted to speak with her sister. However, Nora understood that it was a bit early and Athanasia would be in no mood to entertain anyone.

She retrieved her steps and walked away without turning back.

“It's hard to believe underneath such an innocent face you would find a scheming girl!”

Nora heard this when she penetrated into the premises of Lossell High.

They were talking about her.

As usual, she looked down and started to walk towards the school building. However, she couldn't suppress their voices.

“She is responsible for this.”

“She is so shameless.”

“She does not deserve to live.”

“Girls like her should die and rot in hell.”

Nora used all her strength to appear unfazed. She wanted to get away from this school and move away from this island. Yet, she could not do it, a part of her longed to remain in Lossell. It was her birthplace, and it was there where she found the love of her life.

The students’ voices became louder and more threatening. She increased her pace, without really paying attention to where she was going. Her body halted when she collided with someone.

The senses inside her froze because she recognized the person. Nora would know him anytime, anywhere and under any circumstances.

Kyle Forester. Her former childhood friend.

With a strong hesitance, she looked up and stared into his hazel eyes.

Time stood still.

They used to share an adoring friendship but after a terrible incident their relationship became sour. Kyle changed his behaviour and would often treat her with scorn.

As she anticipated, he was glaring at her. Her heart skipped a beat. She was always nervous around him.

He took some steps backwards and growled with a rough voice, “Watch where you are going Trima!”

Nora took a deep breath and said, “Sorry.”

She tried to walk past him, but he blocked her way.

He continued to eye her with disdain. “You shouldn't be here.”

Clutching her books tightly to her chest, she replied, “It's my school.”

Kyle did his best to control his resentment. “I mean you shouldn't be here today.

Nora looked around her, perplexed. People stared at them with curious eyes. “Is there something special going on?”

“Something? Special?” Kyle heaved an exasperated sigh. “It's his death anniversary today!”

Nora opened her eyes wide when she realized what he implied.

“I forgot,” she answered with a soft tone.

“You are the origin of this misfortune, and you forgot about it?”

“I didn't-”

She stopped talking when she saw their history teacher approaching them.

“Mr. Forester? Miss Trima? Is there something wrong?”

“No, Mrs. Hale,” they both replied.

“Then why are you attracting a mob?” They looked around them and could see that the students were enjoying their confrontation.

“Nora said she is sick, and she has to leave.” Kyle responded with an innocent voice. “Right, Nora?”

“Sick?” Mrs. Hale gave her a concerned look. “Is it serious? I remembered mentioning that no one should be absent today.”

“Mrs. Hale!” He protested. “We are paying homage to Ethan today. Her presence here will ruin the service.”

“Well, in that case she can wait in the class until the observance will end. Are you okay with this arrangement, Miss Trima?”

“Hmm, yes I can!” Nora gave her a grateful nod.

“Well, it’s settled now.” She looked at the onlookers. “The rest of you should be in the school yard in ten minutes.”

“You have not changed.” Kyle said as soon as Mrs. Hale left. “You still like to manipulate people to make things easier for you. I think, you deliberately want to attract attention to yourself.”

His attitude hurt her feelings, but she didn't show it, “I don't care what you think about me Kyle. You don't control my life!”

“Who said that I want to control your life? Pin this in your damn little head! I am not going to fall in your fake innocent acts again.”

Nora was about to answer back, but, she stopped when Kyle shifted his gaze away from her. She turned behind and cramped her fingers.

“Kyle?” A female voice interrupted them again.

It was Dyris Darcy, and she came with Mrs. Scott, Ethan's mother.

Kyle smiled at his girlfriend and placed his hand around her waist. She moved closer towards him and they exchanged a quick kiss.

Nora felt a tight knot on her heart when their lips touched. Dyris beamed at him and turned towards her.

“Hi, Nora, how are you?” She asked with a polite tone.

Nora clasped her fists tighter and answered, “I am fine. Thank you.”

She gave Mrs. Scott a shy look and said with a soft tone, “Good morning.”

The woman didn't reply her greeting. Instead, she granted Nora her best loathing look.

The young girl understood her position. It was probably better for her to leave.

Nora took two steps forward but stopped when she heard someone uttering her name. She stiffened. Don’t look behind! Keep walking! She did not listen to her mind and with a halfhearted will she turned to face the person.

It was Mrs. Scott who addressed her.

“Yes-.” She could not complete her sentence because she felt something wet on her cheek.

The surrounding crowd was already taking pictures.

Mrs. Scott had spit on her.

It happened so fast and Nora didn't have time to react. She felt numb at first and then a strong feeling of shame penetrated her mind. Kyle advanced towards her but he stopped moving when their eyes met.

He gave her a defiant glower and stood still.

Mrs. Scott let out heavy breaths. She looked like a fierce dragon.

“My son died because of you! You witch! You could at least stay at home today. I did not come here to see your cursed face.”

Mack Holton a member of the school basketball team started to clap and the rest of the students joined in.

Dyris came to her side and asked, “Oh my God. Are you okay? Here, take my hankie.”

Nora did not accept it and pushed her hand away. Instead, she ran away from them. She was going to the girl's bathroom.

“Nora, wait!”

“Dyris let her go.” Kyle's voice rang loud and clear. “She deserves it.”

Nora opened the tap of water with all her force. She pressed the hand wash soap dispenser and cleaned her face thoroughly. The spatter has stick on her like a repulsive disease.

She was feeling extremely vulnerable and very revolted. “I never thought one day I would have to bear so much embarrassment in my life.”

She looked in the mirror and a ghost stared back at her. Her face had lost all of its color and her eyes transformed into two bright red cloaks.

“I won't cry. No I won't cry.” She kept repeating it. Even though, her tears were already falling. They were hot at first, but they cooled down when they ran down on her face. She did not have the strength to fight anymore. Placing her hands against the wall, she slowly went down on the floor.

In only one year her whole life has changed. The memories of her tortured past flashed in her mind. She remembered the screams, the blood on the ground and Ethan's dead body lying in front of her.

More tears started to fall down, and she hid her face under her arms.

She lifted her head when the ceremony started. Mrs. Scott started to speak. With, an unstable voice she thanked everyone for their support and reminded them that Ethan would forever live in their memories. After her turn, Kyle addressed the crowd. He related their childhood antics and acknowledged Ethan, for being a great human being.

Dyris, the organizer of the event made the next speech.

Nora’s guilt rose inside her again, “Forgive me Ethan. Please forgive me, I have wronged you but see I am already paying for my sins. I know it's not much, but I hope it's relieving your soul.”

One minute before the observance ended Nora went to Mrs. Hale's class and waited for the others to come inside. She was placing her study materials on the table when suddenly her eyes fell on something. There was a white puzzle piece glued on her desk. She looked around her but there was no one in the class.

Seconds later she heard some footsteps outside the room. She grabbed the puzzle piece and quickly placed it in her pencil case. Stella Fabianee and her new best friend Jenny Hickman were the first ones who came inside. Stella used to be one of Nora's closest friends, but it was not the case anymore.

The girls made some snarky comments. Nora pinched her lips and chose to ignore them.

The classroom began to fill up and the last ones to enter were Kyle and Dyris. He sat behind Nora and Dyris took the seat beside her.

A way to form the perfect love triangle. Nora thought sarcastically.

Dyris mouthed, “Are you okay?”

Nora did not reply, instead, she narrowed her eyes and looked straight in front of her. Kyle was behind, glaring at her. At this rate he will pierce two holes inside my head.

Finally, Mrs. Hale came in. Usually she was the most easy-going teacher of the school. But today Nora sensed a different aura about her.

Last week she insisted that the whole class should be present or else she would cut off their marks.

“Okay kids, I know we are still emotional over Ethan Scott death anniversary. But you should accept that life moves on and right now you need to focus on your studies. I have already informed you. Your next assignment will be fifty percent of your final result.”

“Did you say fifty percent?” Stella protested. “But you said forty percent last week.”

“Well, young lady, I changed my mind. You will have to present a slide-show and write a research work which will contain four thousand words.” She paused dramatically and added. “Handwritten.”

“Write four thousand words!” Mack exclaimed, “Lord. Save me, I think I am going to die.”

Several murmurs of protest spread among the students.

“I have not finished yet,” Mrs. Hale continued. “You will do the project in pairs. Each partner would have to write two thousand words.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The project seemed less harsh.

“Now stay quiet while I decide who will be your partners.” She scanned the class and opened her drawer to take out a sheet of paper.

“You will be paired up with the person sitting behind you.”

Nora and Kyle froze. Their reactions were immediate. They both raised their hands and asked, “Excuse me Mrs. Hale but I wish to change my teammate.”

Mrs. Hale asked with an annoyed tone. “Do you have a valid reason?”

Kyle flared his nose “The reason is simple. She killed my best friend!”

“I didn't kill him,” Nora barked. They stood up and started to stare at each other with a burning rage.

“Mrs. Hale? I don't mind being Kyle's partner.” Dyris quickly intervened.

“And I have no problem working with Nora,” William Lossell added. He was Kyle's cousin, and he was supposed to work with Dyris.

Kyle directed his hatred look at William when Nora gave his cousin a grateful smile.

“Okay, we solved the matter now. I hoped you won’t have any more objections.”

“Wait! Why those two are allowed to change their partners. I want to switch mine too.”

Stella slammed her hand on the table and nodded. "Yes, I agree with Mack. We should all get the same rights!"

Within a few minutes, a total chaos reigned inside the class. A girl yelled. “I am not going to work with him. He smells terrible!”

“Oh, yeah? Well, you have the most annoying voice in the world!” The guy snapped back.

Mack was still whining. “I don’t want to hang with a loser like her I have to think about my reputation!”

“You are a loser yourself!” Rose Mayfair shouted. “You are the one, two-timing Stella with Jenny Hickman.”

Ouch Nora thought.

“What?” Stella yelled with her best cheerleader voice. “Mack? How could you? Jenny you claim to be my friend! It turns out, you are only a backstabber!”

Jenny and Stella formed part in the same clique and they were both cheerleaders.

Jenny’s ears became red. “He told me it was over between you two.”

“Save it. I don't want to listen to your pathetic excuse!”

Other students were voicing their displeasures, but Nora stopped paying attention.

She saw, Mrs. Hale, standing there and wasn't saying anything. Her teacher was quiet, too quiet. She looked like a volcano, about to explode.

Kyle leaned forward and whispered. “She is angry.”

“Damn angry,” she agreed.

“That's enough!” Their teacher commanded, “Okay, no one will switch their partners!”

Everyone was shocked, “Why?”

She threw a deadly glare at them. “If you don't cooperate, I will reschedule the deadline for one week instead of three.”

“No!” They all yelled.

They calmed down and didn't make any more noise. A sense of terror rang inside the classroom.

“Nora and Kyle you will remain with each other, whether you like it or not!”

Nora nodded like an obedient child while Kyle just shrugged and said, “Fine.”

However, both Dyris and William had disappointing looks on their faces.

Nora turned to face him. “Come and meet me in the library after school ends.”

“I have basketball practice.” Kyle answered with a smug smile.

He did not waste any opportunity to hurt her. Nora used to play basketball before but she quit when she entered high school. Kyle knew she missed it and he boasted about this in front of her face.

“Basketball practice ends at four past thirty. The library is open up to six. You can come after you are done.”

Mrs. Hale breathed a sigh of relief and then took her marker to write on the whiteboard.

“Here’s your topic.”

THE UNRESOLVED MYSTERIES OF LOSSELL

The school’s cafeteria always transformed in a zoo during lunch time. Most of the students were noisy and acted as if they were starving for months.

The mixed smells of food and sweat were enough to make anyone nauseous.

A boy with a rude attitude came in front of Nora and she had to step back. Her elbow poked the person behind the line.

She turned to apologize, but stopped short, Kyle and William were standing right after her.

Kyle and Nora glared at each other for a moment. Then they turned away without acknowledging each other’s presence.

“Just my luck,” she muttered with a dark tone. She shook her head and waited for her turn.

Kyle took a tray and started to talk with William. “Is your mother okay? She still appeared weak when I came to visit her this morning.”

“I am not sure yet, but she said she needs more rest. However, my Dad has decided to contact overseas doctors, if her condition does not improve.”

“The doctors in Lossell don’t have any clue about her illness?”

“Not really, they still want to conduct more research.”

Her hand shook when she paid attention to William’s words. It reminded her of a painful memory.

She clutched her tray and compelled herself to remain calm.

The boys fell into an abrupt silent. She looked beside her and realized why it happened. Kyle was staring at her wrist.

Oh, no! He saw my weak spot!

Nora did not give him the chance to say anything. She paid for her meal and escaped him by mingling with the crowd.

Making her way outside the school, she walked towards a big tree and sat on the bench to eat her lunch.

“Nora, do you have a moment?”

She looked up and saw Rose Mayfair coming in her direction. “What are you doing here?” Nora asked, raising her voice.

“I witnessed what happened in the morning. The students’ reactions are already posted on the school blog. I wanted to record your point of view concerning this incident.”

“Well, I don’t have time for an interview. I don’t care about people’s opinions about me.”

Rose placed her bag in front and came to sit beside Nora. “You are not the sole responsible for what happened to Ethan, right?”

Nora straightened her back and shook her head. “What did you say?”

“I won’t repeat myself. You understood what I meant.”

“Rose. Even if you are the school journalist and I admit we were friends before. It does not give you the right to poke your nose in my personal matters.”

Rose ignored her words and continued to talk. “You know the real culprit and you are trying to protect him. Who is the mysterious person? Is it Kyle?”

“Kyle and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.”

“You can fool everyone, but not me. You still have strong feelings for him. Did he force you to do this?”

“Are you aware that you are playing with fire?”

“You still did not answer my question.”

“And I don’t plan to!” Nora replied with a strong insolence. “I will give you one advice. You will get burned if you don’t stay away from this matter. You will invite your own doom.”

“You can’t hide it forever. People deserved to know the truth.”

“Think what you want to think! I am not playing these games with you.”

Nora grabbed her stuff and walked away from her former friend.

Rose was right about Ethan. Nora knew everything about his death, but she did not understand of the real dangers. Evil shadows lurked in every corner of Lossell High.

They were venomous snakes waiting for the right moment to sink their fangs into her skin.

#Romance #Mystery #Crime #Horror

LOSSELL HIGH:

LOCKED MEMORIES

PART ONE

BY

T.K.F

Copyright Notice

©2016 T.K.F. All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise.

PROLOGUE

“I came here in this island to find the fairies.”

~Keil Lossell~