CHAPTER 6: Shattered Innocence
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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