text: Radia Al Rashid Eyes Like Ice My Family and Friends who keep supporting me no matter what!
  I do need to mention one name in particular, Bush! You always make me feel like I already am a NY Times Bestselling Author... 
   
   
   Chapter One 
   The blipping of the machines becomes absolutely deafening at one point. I am shifting on each side restlessly while lying on the bed for God knows how long. The flickering light is peeking through the tiny slit created by the slightly open door. I keep staring at the light with something inside of my heart. I don’t really know what is it that I am looking for, but I just cannot keep my eyes away from the door. Suddenly the vision gets immensely blurry and I can no longer move my head. A huge mountain seems to come over the eyes. I open my mouth to call after Julia, but it is too hard to even find my voice. I feel the sweat dripping over my brows. The vision keeps getting blurrier and blurrier. I give the last shot to make a sound out of my mouth but fail again. To my greatest surprise, I find my right hand reaching out to the pillow beside me. My eyes are expanded with astonishment as I clearly am not the one who is moving it. As soon as I feel the pillow under my palm, the nurse rushes into my room. She calls for the doctor with a sharp terror in her voice. My face feels the pressure of a pillow and I black out. 
   “Eve? You okay darl?” Julia shakes me by my shoulder. 
   I struggle to open my eyes. Her face comes into my vision but I fail to recognize it for a couple of minutes. It takes me some more minutes to sense the reality. I mutter something that I even do not quite comprehend. I look up and let out a deep breath. 
   “I-I think so.” I manage to reply in a cracked voice which sounds unreal to my own ears. 
   “Thank God! I cannot afford to lose anyone of the family anymore Eve, in future don’t freak me out like this. Please, stay alive and get well real soon. Promise me you’ll live.” Just when Julia pauses after saying it, I notice the tears streaming down her face. She is shaking as she intertwines her fingers with mine. I try to smile in reply but it ends up in tears and I nod at her. 
   “What actually happened, Jules? I cannot clearly remember anything... um, was I fainting or, someone else wanted to choke me with a pillow or something...?” I squint at my sister as the bright light is falling on my blinking eyes. 
   “Eve, it’s... I mean it’s you” she suddenly swallows the lump in her throat as she looks at William, her fiancé. 
   “Me? Me what, Jules? Spit it out.” 
   “Calm, Calm down, Eve! You just had a brain surgery only a few days back, it’s more like suicide to get excited at this point. Jules didn’t mean anything, trust me. It’s nothing serious. You were drained off of energy so you fainted, as simple as that. No worries at all. You really need to give your brain a bit of rest now. Try to sleep maybe, we’ll be right here.” William puts his palm on my temple and grins. I am not in the state of deciphering any of what is going on now. I attempt to remember the exact incident from earlier when my eyes freeze at my right hand. Is it really mine? Something about it does not feel right. My head spins the moment I try to dig deeper into my thoughts. The darn surgery certainly takes a good deal of a toll on me. I look at Julia again with a hope to get the undercurrent going on here. 
   “When will I return home, Jules?” I struggle to breathe. 
   “You’re yet to get stabilized hon, you need to completely heal first, then you can go home. Stop worrying about anything right now. Try to sleep, okay?” she squeezes my hand. 
   Nodding at her, I close my eyes. Every nerve of my head keeps throbbing with intense pain. I cannot remember having anything close to this pain ever before. Sweat begins to drip down my forehead. I am restless, not for nothing. The ghastly accident is haunting me 24/7. The apparitions of my parents are constantly pushing me towards the psychological downward spiral of mine. I can neither cry nor digest the excruciating feeling. The darkened world of closed vision turns into sort of a greyish and reddish pit. More like a devilish hue takes over the entire world. The heavy thud deafens my ears. Suddenly the broken pieces of glass float over my head and something incredibly sharp hits the back of my skull. The indistinct sounds of ambulance-siren fill the air. I try so hard to keep my eyes open although the vision keeps getting blurrier. I hear Mom’s voice, “Honey! Watch out...”  the voice sounds ethereal, and unusually distant. After that, everything becomes dead silent. Just like scene transitions in a drama, the whole scene becomes blank, then an unearthly light blinds my sight. I find myself standing in the middle of a huge yard which I never saw before in my life. Mom comes out from behind a bunch of bushy trees wearing an eerily white cloth. She smiles at me with an untold sorrow in her eyes. She points at something behind me. I turn back to find out the bridge where the accident seemed to take place. Instead of a pile of broken glass and distorted body of Dad’s car, I see only blood, ocean of blood bubbling disgustingly on the bridge. I swallow hard to halt throwing up and turn to face Mom immediately. She is nowhere to be found. I look for her like crazy. I open my mouth to yell her name but nothing comes out. I feel the warm tears flooding down my cheeks yet I cannot afford to make any sound out of my mouth. I pant sharply before feeling a touch on my throat. I spin my head instantly to face the person standing beside me. I see something moving enveloped with grey fog. I inhale deeply as my lungs are dying for air. I feel the pressure of the hand on my throat deepened gradually. I try to brush it off but fail. I start panting aggressively and scratch the hand with all my energy left in the body. A ting of pain spreads down my right side. I managed to finally let some sort of a sound out of my paralyzed mouth. I push myself out of the horrible sleep and sit straight on the bed. Julia runs towards me with her eyes filled with horror and worries. I keep panting while tears flood down my face. 
   “Holy freaking molly! You’re bleeding, Evelyn. Your arm is bruised and... it’s bleeding.” Julia screams. 
   The doctor thoroughly checks me and assures that it’s absolutely normal to experience some of these weird symptoms after such a major surgery in brain. He explains it to be something called Alien Hand Syndrome, which he believes to go away within 2-3 days. Julia lets out a huge sigh of relief. Though everything seemed to be out of control just a while back, I somehow begin to feel lighter and the agonizing fear starts to fade out. I lift my eyes and stare at the ceiling with the thought,  I need to go on, no matter how worse it gets  although I honestly don’t know how things can get any worse after losing my parents. The ticking of the clock lingers monotonously... sometimes synching with the droplets of my tears. 
                                   ………………………………………………. 
     
     
   “Welcome home Eve! The house has been the gloomiest without you.” Serena smiles at me with the side of her eyes wrinkled. She has been the housemaid ever since I learnt to talk. Her Hispanic accent has some sort of magical healing power. I actually am feeling much better after hearing the familiar, homely voice. 
   “How are you doing, Serena? I’ve missed you a lot in the past few months. Why didn’t you go check on me?” I hug her. 
   “You know mija, how overwhelmed I become in time of distress and my panic just makes things worse. This is why Jules told me not to visit you at hospital. I’ve missed you more.” She softly brushes a kiss on my forehead. 
   “Let’s not linger any longer here ha? You need ABSOLUTE rest for at least two more weeks missy.” Julia pretends to sound mad. 
   “Two more weeks? You kidding…” 
   “No! no more excuses, you need that, sweetheart. Do not be even a little careless that can cause any further problems, ok?” Julia cuts me off. 
   I nod like a 3-years-old and go upstairs. The smell of the room arises a mixed emotion inside of me. It feels immensely cozy and homely but at the same time it makes all the memories rush through my mind. The reckless laughter of dad and the sweet yet enraged voice of mom fill my ears. I struggle not to give in and my heart starts to pound heavily while my eyes beginning to flood with tears, again. My breaths are shakily leaving my lungs while I keep looking at nothing amidst the room filled with furniture. The trauma is being too much for me to handle. This is the bone crashing agony that makes my wish for death take over all the time. It’d be better to lie down in the grave rather than living a life filled with darkness. 
   “You haven’t changed yet?” Julia’s voice catches me off-guard. I turn to face her. 
   “You-you’re crying again, Eve! Don’t you remember Dr. Gerard strictly forbade you to cry. It’s not good for you right now girl, try to understand.” 
   “I know Julia! Do you think I’m a little kid not to get it right? I just can’t take these anymore. It’s impossible for me to stand here and not think about mom and dad. It is impossible not to cry after having that big of an accident, Julia! You don’t understand because you didn’t have to go through what I experienced.” The pitch of my voice suddenly becomes sharp. 
   Julia pauses for a while. Nearing me, she puts a hand on my arm, “I can understand the pain that is killing you every single moment, Eve. Yet-yet you need to at least try to calm down. Just like Doc Gerard said, try to think about a whole new world, start imagining a new life there. Try to come up with anything…anything you want, but you need to keep your mind out of the mess for some days. Please, Eve, don’t give up already cos I know how strong a girl you are. You can do it, you got this, okay?” she looks at me with glistened eyes. 
   “Yah! I’m sorry for reacting like a complete bitch, I will try, and I know I can do this.” I purse my lips and squeeze her hand resting on my arm. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Two 
     
   The first four or five days are spent with a lot more relapses and terrible episodes of elongating and shrinking of objects around me, also my right hand going out of control and trying to kill myself occurred several times. I contacted Doctor Gerard following the incidents and he, with his ever-calm tone said, “No worries Miss Lawrence, for some, it takes a whole month to recover from the symptoms. Not to worry about anything at all.” It did sound lame but thankfully on the sixth day, things begin to fall in places. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad at all or feel like crying my eyes out not for at least thrice, but I can gradually feel the control of mine by taking over the distress. After finishing the breakfast, I sit by my window with a cup of coffee.  Who moved in the house next door after Mr. Brown’s death? Is anyone here yet? The clean lawn and perfectly arranged flower vases before the door say that someone very organized and clean-freak has moved in this house.  I keep wondering until the blinds of the window right in front of mine are drawn. Being startled, I look for the person. A guy with large squarish specs catches my sight. He looks me right in my eyes for a split of a second before he turns away and leaves the room. He has dark brown hair, not so bushy nor so light but perfectly set. He does not look so hunky but rather a bit skinny. His movements seem very calm and calculative.    That icy cold stare keeps my eyes stuck to the window for a while even after he vanishes from there. He is by no means the type of guy I’d look at with interest but... but for some weird reason, I want to see him again. 
   “Jules, do you know who’s the new guy moved in the next door?” I ask while washing the coffee cup. 
   Julia rushes towards me with a Cheetah-speed and snatches the cup from me, “What exactly should I do to keep you from doing chores? Girl! You gotta take rest, alright?” 
   “What the hell, Jules?” I chuckle, “Am I still looking like a bed-ridden? Let me do these tiny whiny chores at least, or else I’m gonna die of boredom.” I pout. 
   Julia rolls her eyes and makes a face, which makes me laugh so hard for a good amount of time. 
   “Anyway, who is the guy, Jules?” I wipe off the tears that showed up because of the laughter. 
   “Who? What guy?” she seems to be totally clueless. 
   “Err… I just asked you, no? the guy next door?” I scratch my head. 
   “Woosh! I missed out your previous question somehow, um… not so sure about the new neighbors, honestly. He moved in probably around the time I and Will went to the trip and you guys...” she pulls herself together and continues, “anyway, I think some guy named Ted or something is there now. What is it, you’re so excited about? Why do you ask?” Julia furrows her brows. 
   “Ted? Ted Bundy the serial killer?” I giggle at my own little joke. 
   Julia’s eyes get expanded even more and she crosses the arms across her chest while inspecting me with caution. 
   “Um...what? O God! Nothing serious, it’s just, I saw some guy... kinda skinny, with perfectly combed hair and icy-cold stare behind some squarish specs. I don’t know, the very look of him just gravitated me, somehow.” I shrug. 
   “Wow! You actually observed all the little details about him, didn’t you?” she quirks up a brow. 
   “Ah noooo!! Don’t make it look like something juicy, because it’s not, for your kind information Miss Julia Lawrence.” I say with a smirk. 
   “Your face is saying another story, missy! You better not be attracted to some mysterious, serial killer guy.” She grins. 
   “Yeah, right!” I roll my eyes with a pretentious anger on my face. Yet, to my surprise, I find my heart pounding with the thought of seeing him once again.  What the fuck? Is it another side-effect of brain surgery? But… he doesn’t look bad though! There is something about his calm face that can melt ice, or, ignite fire maybe!  I snap myself out of the strange fanaticism of mine. What came over me? I don’t know the guy, not even a bit and am I trying to make a Greek God out of him? I shake my head and go down the corridor.  
   I am not allowed to attend the classes for another month. I do not feel intensely sick in limbs but psychologically, I am riding on a roller-coaster. Tears rush toward my eyes just a moment after a good laugh. I feel like losing control over my mind. Still, I decide to get myself engrossed in psychologically calming videos, blog posts and articles to survive. I sit with my laptop to begin the YouTube marathon. The corners of my eyes are still wet. I cannot honestly recall for how many times I’ve cried, laughed, sighed, smiled and numbed since morning.  Am I being bi-polar? Who knows... maybe? A crick sound leads my glance towards my window.  Holy shit! That guy again...yes, the very same guy. Should I close the window? Should I show myself or just keep watching being hid under the blanket? Who am I kidding? He’s just another guy. What’s the point of this fiasco around him? 
   Yet, I cannot ease with the situation. Somehow, his presence is disturbing me, malfunctioning my mind, but in a weirdly good way. Not actually good but not bad either. My mouth goes dry as I am looking at him very soothingly while he’s digging in a pile of papers on his table. The scene seems to be astoundingly calming to me. I have never been near to ordered in my life but the Ted guy is terribly organized and collected. I keep staring at him with my lips parted, as if some exquisite piece of art was presented in front of me. I stare and savor the moment completely failing to catch the time does he stare back at me.  Gosh! Is he gazing back? I mean looking back at me? O God! O God! I’m going to be swallowed up by the ground now. Shoot! He’ll think me as a weirdo who has never seen any guy in her sad little life. Shit! Damn it, Evelyn. You are screwed.  I quickly shift my eyes to my laptop screen and start panting shakily. I don’t know if he is still seeing me or not but I so want to check that.  No! I cannot look at him again, not after gazing at him like a hungry fricking tiger drooling over its prey. How embarrassing!  I keep looking at the screen not typing a single word. After about 10 minutes of visions and revisions, I gather all the courage together and look up at the window. Mr. about-to-explode-the-world-in-a-calmly-wholesome-way is doing the paper-works with a poker face.  Whoosh! Thank God he did not close the window threatened by a gauche weirdo gawking at him at 9 pm. Boy! Ain’t I horrible with guys! Never been the head turner for guys and clearly, never will be one. 
   I click on one of Jay Shetty’s podcasts and insert the ear-pods in my ears. With a synched interval, I keep checking him out. I am utterly clueless and weirded out at how his presence gives off an overwhelming tranquility. How he seems to be so wholesome although I haven’t even heard his voice. More importantly, I do not even know whether he is just a guy or, those still and icy-cold eyes have seen a whole different history. 
   The next morning, I wake up with a bleeding nose and a ton weighed head which keeps spinning to exacerbate the entire scenario. I rush to the washroom to splash water on my face. I quickly take the medicines and bury my head in the pile of pillows on my bed. I don’t really want to sustain the delaying period of attending university by being sick. I have to be sound by any means. I just want to go out to breathe in the fresh air and most importantly, to hang out with the bunch of weirdos... My weirdos. Raising the head, I dial the number of Anna, my best girl. We’ve been friends since middle school. Nobody understands me like her but when it comes to any argument we are not agreeing on, well, we become the worst possible enemies and begin calling each other by all types of shitty names. The immune period stays usually for half an hour and then all those “fuck you bitch, I’m missing you” texts start to hit both the phones. 
   “Hey Crackpot! Done with gawking at the 1000 years old alchemist?” she chuckles. 
   “Seriously? Look who’s talking! the one that stores all her desires for guys over 60.” I roll my eyes. 
   “Yeah, right! It’s totally legal to get crush on slightly older guys with drop dead hotness. I mean, it’s far better than drooling over some mysterious, emotionally dead guy, who cannot do anything except for giving cold stares time to time apart from his awe-inspiringly organized works.” She continues laughing. 
   “Who’s drooling over who? Quit talking trash you Muppet!” I roll my eyes again. 
   “Yaha! You’re the one to talk. You’ve always been the weirdo-magnet, I can’t really complain. And, stop rolling your eyes girl! the post-surgery effects can make those beautiful brown eyes fall down from the sockets.” She teases me as usual. 
   “Pfft! You suck, bitch.” I laughed “anyway! How are the courses going on this semester?” 
   “Umm! Not bad, but I’m in LOVE with Counselling and Psychology. That banging Mike makes the class tenfold interesting.” 
   “Ew! Anna! He’s a freaking old divorcee. How can you call him attractive in the first place?” I huff. 
   “Oh, come on, grandma! I’m not you who makes a mythic creature out of some pre-historic thing living next door. Mike is a real hotty and he can do a lot of sexy moves, of course excluding that cold staring stuff.” 
   “Pre-historic? Yo, missy, Ted is a young guy, maybe in his late 20s. if anyone is pre-historic here, that’s your sexy old hag, Mike.” 
   “Keep saying whatever you want. I’m not gonna backfire as you’re not feeling good, bitch. Wait till you return to the classes.” She snickers. 
   “O yeah! We’ll see. So, isn’t there any core course this term? I so hate to waste time on some so-not-interesting side courses.” 
   “Yeah! There are Communication Arts and Creative Arts from the core courses. The faculty members are not so appealing though. Miss Hawking takes away the attention of all the guys in the class with her slutty aura. The Creative Arts could have been better only if Mr. Stone didn’t step in to ruin the entire semester.” She clicks her tongue. 
   “You kidding me? Mr. Stone is the Most awesome teacher I’ve come across in the entire life of mine. You have such a peculiar preference that I can’t comprehend. Sometimes, I wonder how came we be friends with such dissimilarities in the first place?” 
   “I know right? The worst thing ever.” Anna chuckles. “enough with studies and shits. Now tell me, how’s your health. Those strange symptoms went away, no?” 
   “Yes! Thank God, I probably gained back the control over my right hand. It felt too bizarre to live with, in those past few days. Boov! So, I was planning to be done with the registration for the coming semester.” I sniff. 
   “You sure about that? Honestly, you still don’t sound good yet. Your voice is still cranky and those sniffing every now and then tells you should be in your bed for at least two to three months. Relax Nerdy! Take it easy on you. Skipping one semester won’t throw you out of the university. You have a freaking brilliant CGPA already. Give yourself some time to heal completely. Please, Eve! Don’t do anything rash and stupid that can further deteriorate your health, alright?” 
   “Aye, aye Ma’am! I’ll think it through.” I grin. 
   “Okay! Don’t make me come over to send you to some sort of temporary coma for preventing you to rush towards the university, ha?” 
   “Ha-ha! That’d be iconic though. I actually love to know about your method of doing so.” 
   “If it’s needed, you’ll be the first one to know.” She laughs, “gotta hang up Crackpot, Alvin puked again. Mom’s not home, so it is me to clean up the mess. 
   “Alvin?” 
   “Ha, my annoying baby brother. Oh, forgot to tell you, I changed his name from Bob to Alvin. Doesn’t Alvin sound cooler?” 
   I laugh at her always-so-out-of-the-box nature, “Yeah, no doubt! Now, hang up and clean up the mess. Don’t forget to drop by as planned, ok?” 
   “Yes, I’ll be there on time, no worries. You sure you will be okay hanging out now? Just double-checking, don’t get me wrong.” 
   “I PROMISE I’ll be okay, more than okay.” 
    “Alrighty then see ya! Bye for now! Love you.” 
   “Love you too. Bye!” 
   “Mija, you up already?” Serena peeks into the room. 
   “O yeah! Good Morning, Serena come on in.” I give her a pretending-to-be-perfectly-fit smile. 
   “Are you feeling okay, dear? You don’t look that good. What’s with those eyebags and dried out lips? Are you feeling sick again? Should I call Julia to take you to the hospital?” her voice gives off that anxious vibe that instantly reminds me of mom. 
   I let out a big sigh, “Nah, Serena! Relax, I’m fine, it’s just probably another post-surgery crap.” 
   “You really sure about this, mija?” the worry does not get brushed off from her voice. 
   “Yes, I am sure, like 1000% sure. Will it do?” I beam. 
   Serena grins at me, “alright, I’m bringing the breakfast now, have it quickly before taking the morning meds.” 
   
   crap! I already had them with the heat of the moment. Anyway! How worse can it be, I’m still open to dying. 
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   Chapter Three 
     
   “I’m going out with Anna, will be back within 5 hopefully.” I head towards the front door. 
   “Holy hell, you’re going out already? I’m telling you Mija, Julia’s gonna be SOOO mad when she’ll figure you’re out in this physical condition.” Serena comes to me running. 
   “Relaaax, it’ll keep worsening if you don’t allow me to hang out a little, please, Serena! You’re the best, don’t say it to Julia, it’s a little secret between you and me like the chocolate stealing from 2nd grade.” I hug her tight. 
   She rolls her eyes, “You’re terribly good at convincing, okay, you can go but do not extend the time further. Julia will be home at 6 sharps.” She gives me a serious glare. 
   “Sure thing, don’t you worry about anything. I’ll be here before you can start panicking officially. Goodbye!” I wave at her and step out. 
   She grins and waves back. 
   The fresh air hits my face with a serene calmness. I inhale sharply and try to shove off all the negative memories trying to make their way to my mind. 
   “Hallow Crackpot! Look at you, all glowing with smile and I don’t know what else.” Anna pulls me in for a long never-let-you-go hug. 
   “Nothing else is there, you dirty-minded prick.” I grin. 
   “So, let’s go pick Sarah up from work and bring back the banging session of endless crappy entertainment.” She winks. 
   I chuckle and clamber in her sports car. 
   Anna has always been the most reckless while driving a car. Still, I always enjoy the adventure of riding the car with her bizarre, action movie’s way of overtaking and pulling the gears. Taylor Swift’s ME perfectly syncs with her wild driving. I’m enjoying today’s ride more than ever. It does not take long for us to reach the name-dropping, posh office building where Sarah the rich girl works. Apart from being her own father’s Company, Sarah does have astounding qualifications to be employed in the popular White Swan Inc. I eye the huge building awe-inspiringly. Sophistication lingers from top to bottom of it. The blue glasses look clearer than my bedroom window. And the thought of the window brings back the icy gazes. I shake off my head and turn to Anna. She is dialing Sarah’s number without caring to gawk at the office like I just did.  I actually am awkward; gawking has become a thing for me lately. Gosh! I need to be more nonchalant, in a cool way obviously. 
   “She’s not picking.” Anna shrugs. 
   “Ow! Should we wait or go inside?” I ask. 
   “Um! I won’t go, I can’t stand the sight of that stupid colleague of her.” She scoffs. 
   “Who, David? The one who asks you out every time he sees you?” I tease her. 
   “Shut it! That one is a real A-hole,” she gives that purely-Anna eye-roll. 
   I laugh, “okay, calm! I’m going then, what’s the floor?” 
   “It’s on the 11th floor. Will you be okay going alone?” 
   “I mean, come on. I know I’m a little weird but I am no kid.” I turn to her dramatically parting my lips apart. 
   She smirks, “I didn’t mean that dumbo. Alright go then, I’m waiting right here. Gimme a call if any other jerk like David tries to hit on you. I’ll smash the face and cut off his...” 
   “Don’t go down there, I can manage that.” I smirk. 
   She winks in reply. 
   I tap on the 11th button of the elevator and stand there silently waiting. Two immaculately dressed up Blond girls were discussing something about projects in a totally professional tone. I actually feel like some middle-school kid with no style whatsoever. I self-consciously stare down at my outfit to find the floral blouse and my go to blue jeans. Suddenly, I start feeling out of place and my ever-present existential crisis creeps in. I try to wear the power-pose while straightening my posture. In the 5th floor, the elevator halts and someone gets in. I do not bother checking out the person as I am so occupied being presented as a perfectly confident adult. 
   “How’s the preparation going on?” a deep, sexy voice floats into my ears. 
   “Yes, Sir! We’re almost done...” one of the sophisticated blondies answers. 
   I immediately turn on my heels to face them and as a matter of fact, I’m back to my jaw-dropping awe. The guy in impeccable grey suit is staring at me through the specs. 
   
   Holy shit! What is Ted Bundy doing here? Is he stalking me? Blah! Course not. Those blondies are calling him Sir, O my! What can he be? like, someone in a bossy position or something? Hmm… Sarah must know him then, argh! What do I do now? I need to play it cool, right, it’s time to show him how cool can I stay after seeing him. I’m not actually that gawking weirdo but… what should I do now? He’s looking at my way... 
   
   A ghost of a smile appears on his lips as he’s nodding to the blondies while giving me a side glance. I don’t know what comes over me when I take my phone and start dialing Anna’s number. Not after a full ring, she picks up, “What is it, Eve? Any a-hole alert? I’m coming right away.” She scowls. 
   “um… no, no listen! It’s not like that...” at the very moment, all the discussions end with a snap and all three of them stand silently. I can hear my heart hammering in the pin-drop silence. Though Mr. Serial killer is not eyeing me right now but I can tell he’s interested in hearing what I have to say to my friend. 
   “What? Evelyn? What is it? Are you okay? Are you fainting, or, is any of those shitty symptoms making its way back to you?” Anna sounds anxious. 
   “Nah, relax! It’s just T...” I was this close to say out his name loud.  Gosh! Am I gonna fuck myself up! Such a nonsense I can be!  “I mean, I think I forgot the...um in the car.” 
   “What?” her voice tells how confusing I’m making the situation for her. 
   “that... my phone.” I am nervously glancing at Ted standing calmly threeish feet apart from me. The elevator halts at the seventh floor and two more urbane guys step in. 
   “Your phone? How are you calling me then, weirdo? What happened to you? Are you possessed?” Anna’s voice gets sharper in pitch. 
   “Well, no! that’s not what I mean, it’s just the 1000 years old alchemist here, remember?” 
   The one blondie standing next to me seems to be a bit weirded out at my strange wording. She sneaks a quick glance at me before returning to her extremely impeccable standing position. 
   “Wait, Ted? What the freaking pre-historic show is going on there?” Anna chuckles. 
   “I don’t know. I’m just as confused as you are.” 
   “So, you’re admitting that he’s prehistoric, ha? Atta girl!” she teases me. 
   In reply I just roll my eyes, “Right! Talk to you later.” I hang up. My palms are sweating like crazy. Finally, the 11th floor comes and I feel like already spending 1000 years inside with that collected Alchemist. I hurry in stepping out of the elevator and trip on my own foot almost falling on my face like a complete loser. I hear a slight gasp from behind. Without turning back, I quickly duck out and start walking at Usain Bolt speed. I feel ashamed of my clumsiness and idiocy. Why should I always make a freaking fool out of me whenever I’m before... well, any guy? 
   “Hey, Eve! Is that you? O my word! The accident got you really drained, didn’t it?” Sarah advances to give me a hug. 
   “Hey! How have you been? Long time no see. Such a busy, responsive human!” I grin hugging her. 
   “You know Dad! He just wants to create a xerox copy of himself out of me” she shrugs, “anyway, let’s get going. We’re getting late, no?” 
   “Yeah! Sure, um... let’s just take the stairs, I am in a mood of moving a little, you know standing in elevators is not my thing.” 
   “Um...ok! if you can then it’s fine, but are you sure? It’s 11th floor, so it’ll take quite some time to reach the ground floor.” She looks puzzled. 
   
   What the fuck is wrong with me! Obviously, he is not still in the elevator. Just calm down, you don’t need to make a big deal out of nothing. There is high possibility he didn’t even recognize me! 
   
   “Shoot! I completely forgot that, pfft! What a shame! Yeah, let’s catch the elevator then.” 
   Anna is pacing back and forth in front of the office building. As soon as she notices us coming down, she rushes towards us. 
   “EVELYN CAYLEN LAWRENCE, tell me about your Ted Bundy. What the fuck is he doing here? Or, maybe you’re just having hallucinations from overthinking about him?” she narrows her gaze. 
   “What did I miss, guys?” Sarah alternatingly glances at both of us. 
   “Argh! It’s nothing about nobody! Let’s get into the car then I’m telling you.” 
   “Come on! Just out with-it girl!” Anna scoffs. 
   “We’re getting late missy! I need to be at home within 5, remember?” I grunt. 
   “Alright, guys! Let’s not make a scene here. Just get in the car and we’ll hear about whatever you guys are speaking of.” Sarah intervenes with her ever-peaceful attitude. 
   Anna stomps her foot and heads towards the car. 
   I begin on my own after settling down on the seat, “Okay, so I saw him in the elevator while going to meet Sarah.” 
   “Okay! But why did you call me then? Did anything more happen? You could just wait until getting in the car. No?” Anna gives me a side eye. 
   “I-I know but I kinda messed up back there.” 
   “Wait, wait! Can someone please tell me what’s going on? Who’s this he? Who called who?” Sarah shifts from left to right side of the passenger seat. 
   Anna waves her off, “Later, Sarah!” she turns to me, “What did you do exactly to mess things up, dumbo?” her brows furrowed. 
   “I pretended to talk to someone to avoid his gaze and I don’t know why it needed to be you I called then, and you started to panic. In reply, I began to act all foolish and you know the rest of it.” I sink into the seat, despaired. 
   “Tsk, tsk! You need to shake off that weirdo of your head and focus on your health now. No offence intended but you’ve always been so not-at-all-natural around guys.” She giggles. 
   “If nobody tells me what’s going on, I’m gonna get out of the car RIGHT NOW.” Sarah is mad, it’s clear in her voice. 
   “Oops! Sorry, I was so caught up in Annabelle Gaston’s inquisition that I didn’t get a chance to explain.” I turn back to face her. 
     
   
   
   
   Chapter Four 
     
   “Hmm, it can be Mr. Richard Miller, the new CLO of the Company. I mean, your description says the person to be him though I have no idea about his nick name, Ted or whatever.” Sarah pulls a string of hair and tucks it behind her ear. 
   I nod at her while waiting for Anna to arrive with our drinks. I’ve always been a non-alcoholic, childish nerd, so it’s being easy for me to deal with the restriction against drinking. 
   “Is there any possibility he’s hiding his actual identity?” I scratch the back of my wrist. 
   “Nah! Why should he? He’s very talented and qualified. In fact, Dad himself appointed him in that post, not for nothing. I think you’re just messing up all those tons of mystery novels’ plots with reality.” Sarah grins. 
   “What did I miss, bitches?” Anna sounds ten times louder and more cheerful, this is how she lights up every time we come to this bar. 
   “Blah! Forget it, let’s finish the drinks fast to go skating!” I’m actually feeling excited to finally go for skating after so long. I decide to totally cut Ted off from my mind and for the rest of the day, not a single word reminds me of him. 
   It’s almost 5, God! let Jules outside for some more time, I’m not ready to ruin my really good mood right now. She’ll be super mad if she can once figure I went out.  I gasp and quicken my pace. As soon as the front door comes into view and no car is seen being parked in the parking area, I let out a sigh of relief. 
   “Serena?” I call out cautiously after stepping inside of the house. Nobody responds. 
   Well, maybe she’s upstairs already started freaking out officially.  I grin and head towards the stairs. I call her again, this time louder than before. My worries start to swell in my throat as I gulp hard. 
   “Serena? Where are you? Julia? Anybody home?” I become tensed. Yet nobody answers. 
   Is it some prank or, a new way of Jules to freak the hell out of me? So that I won’t go out in such physical condition again? O God! you can make it as bad of a chide as possible but only keep them alive.  I start sweating and my head begin spinning at a slow pace which will exacerbate in no time. I cannot imagine anything bad happen to anyone around me after that accident. 
   “Please, out with it! Don’t freak me out any further, I promise I will not go out again.” My mouth wide opens to inhale more air. Still, nobody says a word. The silence is becoming too much for me to tackle with. I quickly search all the rooms upstairs. Then come back downstairs to double check every room, but to worsen my fear, nobody is there to be seen. Suddenly, I think about calling Julia. I check my bag with shaky hand and wow! I can’t find my phone. I upend the bag to let out everything inside it. All the stuffs drop one by one on the floor except for my phone. I start freaking out like crazy, I’m shaking to the core. 
   
   O my God! Where the fuck did, I leave my mobile? Did I? No! did I forget it at the ice rink? Holy shit! What do I do now? How should I react! 
   
   A sudden ringing of the doorbell startles me all over. I try to calm down when I hear Anna’s voice from outside. 
   “Eve! Open the door, you forgot your phone at the car.” 
   A rush of hope passes through me as I run towards the door. 
   “Hey! Thanks a lot Anna, I was this close to die.” I swallow. 
   “What is it? You’re looking like a dead-body. What happened?” Anna expands her eyes. 
   “I-I can’t say what is it, it’s just I can’t find anyone here. Nobody’s answering me, even Serena is not here.” Tears start welling up in my eyes. 
   “What! What are you saying? Where are they?” Anna pushes me slightly aside to step in. 
   I look at my mobile and my heart leaps up to sit in my throat.  22 missed calls! My God! why am I always so freaking callous to silence the phone? Why did I do it? What just happened? 
   “It’s, it’s silent, Annie! I totally missed the calls, it is saying, it is fucking saying 22 missed calls!” I begin to shout at the height of my voice. The entire world blacks out before me. 
   Anna rushes to me and grabs the phone. She quickly taps on the screen. “It’s Serena and... and Julia! Jesus!” she murmurs. 
   I feel like fainting, “Please, call them back, now!” I mumble, trying hard to be stable. 
   “Serena’s not picking up the phone! Fuck! I’m trying Julia’s number; you just try to calm down.” Anna is pacing across the living room. 
   “It’s switched off! What do I do now! Hey, look at me” she sits on her knees beside me. “Breath Eve, breath. You can’t be sick again. Look at me, everything’s just fine, okay? Now, tell me who else to call?” 
   “Will, Will… call him, he might know.” I let out the words shakily. 
   “Right! How could I forget.” She leaps on her feet and dials William’s number instantly. 
   “Fuck! Jesus, why did they need to switch the shits off!” she clenches her jaw. 
   “What happened, Anna? What happened to them? Did they...” I start crying like a baby. 
   She wraps her arms around me, “I don’t get it, but please, don’t think of anything bad! It’s gonna be alright, trust me!” she tries to sound reliable but the doubt is apparent in her voice. 
   For another 10 minutes, she dials and re-dials the numbers. 
   “Ted! Can he say anything about it?” suddenly she stands on her heels and heads towards the door. Before I can say anything, she’s already out of the house. 
   I struggle to stand up, my knees are shaking like never before. My lungs are dying for air even though I continue inhaling. Gripping the corner of the stair-railing, I stand on my feet. I reach out to grip the table by my side to halt from falling. Something touches my palm and I shoot a glance at it. It’s a piece of paper, kept there intentionally to pass on something, maybe! I abruptly reach out and grab the paper to hold it before my eyes. 
   
   Mija! I called you for at least 20 times, maybe it’s silent. I’m going to the RTG hospital now. Jules had an accident. 
   
   The universe crashes in my ears. I stiff at the words on the paper. I keep staring at them mindlessly. I am feeling extremely guilty and totally dead inside.  Is Jules going to leave me too? Are they planning to stab me over and over with their harsh deaths? I can’t anymore! This time, I won’t go through the pain again! I will end everything. 
   “Eve! Ted is not home. I hammered on the door for the last 5 minutes at stretch. What is this you’re holding? Hey! Lemme see.” Anna snatches the paper away from me. 
   “Okay! Let’s go, let’s go to the hospital then. Now we at least know, where to find them, right? What are you waiting for, Evelyn? Let’s go.” She pulls me by my hand. 
   “I am not ready to face another death, Anna!” I let the words out mechanically. 
   “You kidding me? She’s going to be alright, dumbo! No worries. Let’s not kill anymore second, we need to go NOW!” 
     
                              ****************************************** 
     
   It’s been almost two weeks now I’ve been spending more than half of my days in hospital, by the side of Julia. To say in a more appropriate way, the ever-sleeping Julia. God has taken my parents away but couldn’t take away my sister. So, He just put her in coma and at the same time, left my life totally meaningless. The more I look for a way to start living, the more darkness invades my surrounding. I put on a pair of leggings and my go to white T-shirt before taking the morning meds for the first time after Julia’s accident. Each second passes and I can feel my body is falling apart inch by inch. 
   “I’m leaving Serena. Be done with your dinner without me, it’ll be late as usual.” I slightly raise my voice to reach her as she is working in the kitchen. 
   “Did you take your breakfast Mija?” Serena’s pace is getting near. 
   “Yeah, I did! Don’t forget to have yours.” I lie and quickly duck out of the door. I don’t have any energy or patience to face her interrogation, I’m just too tired. All I can remember is the day I got the paper with the news about Julia’s accident. Everything happened too fast to process. Before even reaching the hospital that day, I was entirely drained out of the hope of seeing Jules again. When Serena rushed towards me saying what happened to her, I felt a flicker of hope to see Julia again, although she wouldn’t be conscious. I don’t want to recall any of these but my mind keeps wandering about the darkness, the screaming of mom, the gurgling sound emitted from dad’s mouth before giving up on his life, the wailing of Serena in the hospital corridor... 
   
   
   
   Chapter Five 
     
   “Hey, Neighbor!” that deep, alluring voice calls out from behind. I spin around. 
   Ted Bundy slash Richard Miller is standing in a pair of grey sweatpants and black T-shirt, the calm eyes are staring at me through the large specs, his aura is collected as ever. I scan him abruptly before finding my voice, “H-hello!” I mutter. 
   “How’s your sister doing? You’re not looking quite alright. Are you feeling okay?” his voice nonchalant. 
   “Um yeah! I-I think I’m doing okay. Julia is still in coma, it’s never too late to wake up, I believe.” I struggle to halt my tears. He slightly cocks his head to one side. I break the eye contact and look away from him.  How time can change people,  I sigh . If this similar conversation took place two weeks back, I’d be on cloud nine. My adrenaline rush would make me do every possible stupidity in response to Mr. Alluring.  
   “Right! Are you going to hospital now? I can give you a ride if you want.” He says keeping his eyes stuck on my face. I think he is not attracting me like crazy right now but somehow his voice moves something inside me. 
   “I’ll be fine taking the bus, it’s just, doesn’t matter anymore. I think I’m becoming somewhat frigid after these sinister accidents.” I smile dryly without looking at his eyes. 
   “I am sorry Miss Lawrence at your parents’ death. This is the first time I get the chance to talk to you. I think I should’ve conveyed my condolence earlier.” He shoves the hands in his pockets. 
   “It’s ok Mr.?” I am confused as to call him Ted or Richard. I stare up at his perfect face. 
   “Richard, it’s Richard Miller.” He holds out a hand to me. I shake the hand after a brief pause. 
   “Pleasure talking to you finally, Miss Lawrence.” he says sternly. 
   
   Finally! What does that mean? Again, how can he know a lot about me! Pfft! Of course, he is well aware of his neighbors.  
   
   I purse my lips to give him a grin, which ends up in a plain expression. 
   “And, I can understand the hard time you’re going through right now. I hope things will get easier for you Miss Lawrence. Human life is tough, I’ve been through worse.” He leaves the hold on my hand in a chivalrous manner before giving me a little nod. I nod back and start walking towards the bus stop. 
   
   I’ve been through worse! Did he mean he faced worse or made other people face worse! Whatever! I don’t think I’m in any position to be threatened by anything anymore. Only if William did not vanish all of a sudden, I would’ve ended my life after Jules’ accident. I am just surviving as I feel my sister needs me, WILL NEED me when she’ll wake up. 
   
   I head to the cabin with a flickering light of hope inside my heart that the nurse will give me the good news today. The smell, the neat and bland view of hospital churn my stomach every single time. It brings in all the hurtful experiences from before. I get in the cabin after inhaling deeply. Julia is sleeping like a dead person. Suddenly, I’m not feeling desperate to get her back anymore. My eyes are not brimming with tears like before. I cannot quite understand what just came over me as it was less than an hour back when I struggled hard to stop tears from streaming down my face while talking with Richard Miller. Maybe finally I’m actually losing all emotions, maybe finally, I’m becoming complete numb. I take Jules’ phone to check if anyone called and as usual, no call, no message! 
   
   I don’t understand where the hell did William dive into? I mean, since after Jules’ accident, he is nowhere to be found. How can a person get lost out of the thin air? What actually is wrong with our family! Are we chronics? Are we prone to all possible dangers of the world? if yes, why us? Why it should be me who is there to witness every tragedy while being wrecked bit by bit inside? but seriously! Where the hell did Will go? Doesn’t he know about his fiancé’s accident? I tried to connect with him over phone thousands of times since then. It’s switched off every single time. Argh! I am tired...really tired. 
   
   I decided to take this semester off as it is impossible to study apart from having so much on my plate right now. My nose has been bleeding with brief pauses since this morning. I silently wipe off the blood as if it’s nothing to worry about. My breaths have become much shakier, my knees feel extremely weak after only standing for 5 minutes max, I’m becoming skinnier day by day. Everything about my appearance is screaming the end of me but unfortunately, I’m still stuck in the rut, SURVIVING! 
   “Hey, honey! how are you doing? How is she now?” a familiar voice catches my attention to the door. My aunt Kate is standing there with a sullen expression on her face. 
   “Kate! O my God! when did you come? Who told you we’re here? I’m so sorry I didn’t even have the thought of letting you know.” I let out all the words rapidly with a single breath. 
   “It’s okay sweetie! I know how hard it’s been for you since your accident.” She advances to pull me in for a hug. 
   I stiffly rest my head on her shoulder. I feel like crying my eyes out but not a single droplet comes out. My aunt brushes her fingers through my hair when I clasp her arms tight as the fear of losing the near ones gets the hold of me. 
   “You’re not looking quite right Eve! Are you taking your meds and meals regularly? I don’t think so!” she asks holding me at arm’s length, she looks dead anxious. 
   “No worries, Kate! I’m fine, it’s just the worries got over my being. I sigh sharply to gather tears in my eyes but fail. Tell me about you, how have you been? How’s your job going on? How’s Rob?” I try to sound genuine. 
   “Everything’s going okay! And...um... about Rob, we just broke up last month.” She shrugs. 
   “Oh why? Did anything bad happen?” I stare at her. 
   “Nah! Nothing bad, it’s just not so easy to maintain a long-distance relationship. Ever since he moved to London, I couldn’t feel the connection or spark anymore. I mean, come to think of it, the distance between London and LA is not nothing, right?” she waves off the matter. 
   “Right! Hope you are not struggling to get over the 5 years old relationship. Anyway, for how long are you planning to stay here?” I change the topic to shake off the tension growing on Kate’s face at mentioning the name of Rob. 
   “I was thinking for a month, but now looking at you I think I’ll be staying longer than that. Eve, darling, you need proper rest. You really are wearing out.” She put her arm around my shoulder. In reply, I put a hand on the hand of hers resting on my arm and purse my lips. 
     
   Kate is staying here with me and Serena for two days now. She is being very caring but somehow it is bothering me a little. I’m not sure whether it’s her being away from us for long or the stress, her constant concern about my physical condition is not feeling quite right to me. Still I try to shove the irritation off of my face as she is being genuine in her concern. 
   “Eve, honey! did you take the night meds? Did you finish your dinner?” Kate’s voice floats across the hallway. 
   “Yes, Kate, I just had the dinner. I think I’ll walk outside a little before taking the night meds.” 
   “Why? Are you feeling suffocated? O God! What is it that triggered the irritation? Is it Broccoli?” she rushes towards my room. 
   “Ow No! no, no! Kate, I think you’re overthinking a lot. I really don’t need that much supervision, I’m not a cancer patient or something!” I blurt out before even giving it a second thought. Her face suddenly turns dark as she gets hurt clearly at my words. 
   “I mean, I’m sorry Kate! I didn’t mean to sound too bitchy! I just am too distressed to behave normally. I shouldn’t have told you all these.” I wring my hands. 
   “No Evelyn, it’s completely fine. You’re going through a lot, I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay in this depressing situation.” She gives a dry smile before silently leaving the room. 
   Holy shit! What did I just do? Why did I react in such a way when she was just trying to be good to me? Evelyn! You are such a mean, ungrateful bitch!  I cover my face with both hands. My breathing quickens. I cannot even recognize my own self as all my reactions and emotions are getting so messed up lately. I leap on my feet from the bed and the door starts to shrink to a little point. I widen my gaze and shake my head hoping to get the normal view back. To my horror, I see all the furniture around me start to move and distort like a Surrealistic artwork. I rub my eyes firmly when I feel the loss of control over my RIGHT hand again! The hand falls involuntarily to my side. I struggle to move the hand with my left one as it already begins to move on its own. To worsen the scene, I don’t even have a clear vision of my surrounding. Everything seems to flow like waves of an ocean. I part my lips to inhale but instead, my tongue comes in contact with a tangy tasted liquid. It takes a while for me to realize my nose is bleeding like crazy. My head is feeling extremely light at this point. Suddenly, in the right thigh, I feel a ting of pain. Soon the pain spreads to the entire body. I can feel the cold sweat rolling down my cheeks and a chill going down my spine. My knees feel too weak to stand anymore and I fall down on my face. I squint at the door as my head is throbbing with the excruciating pang. 
   “What happened?” two voices ask at the same time after opening the door wide open. 
   “I-I fell down...” I murmur. 
   “Jesus! Serena, please, bring the ice-bag NOW!” Kate sits down by my side. 
   “Holy freaking moly! What did you do to your...?” she slaps her hands on her mouth. My vision starts being cleared out a little. The horror in her eyes is apparent. 
   “what?” my voice is slowly trailing off. 
   “It’s a fucking knife! It’s inside... inside the... Jesus!” she starts dialing the phone. 
   I cannot understand anything until my eyes catch the knife sticking out of my right thigh. The white trousers are crimson now, totally soaked up in blood. My breathing becomes heavier and heavier until I cannot feel anything. 
   When I wake up, I find myself on my bed surrounded by Kate, Serena and what? Is it Mr. Miller? What the heck is he doing here? 
   “How are you feeling hon?” Kate gently brushes her fingers through my hair. 
   I nod in response; the pain cannot be felt right now as probably some kind of painkilling med has been injected. I look at Ted Bundy with the side of my eyes. He is staring in this way with as usual no expressions whatsoever. I am feeling a little uncomfortable lying before an almost unknown guy, and in this case, it’s the TED who was the center of my fascination few days back and well, I still have some unknown reason to feel a bit gravitated to him. To my relief, Ted slash Richard moves from his stern position. 
   “So, I think Miss Lawrence is out of danger now. If anything, further happens, do not hesitate to let me know,” he looks at Kate, “Miss Smith” he nods. 
   “Thank you so much, Mr. Miller. It’s been a really huge help at that moment of fright. You’re such a good soul.” Kate pours all the sweetness in her tone. 
   “It’s my pleasure. Miss Smith. What are neighbors for if they can’t be useful in time of needs.” His collected voice sounds even sexier. I keep waiting impatiently underneath my breath to know what exactly happened after my so not pleasant episode. He steals a quick gaze at me before leaving the room. 
   “Serena? What was he doing here?” I whisper uneasily. 
   “Who? Mr. Miller? Oh Mija! He’s such a good one. Kate was trying to get the family doctor over the phone but the line was constantly busy. So, she was to call the ambulance when Mr. Miller rang the doorbell.” 
   “What? Why?” I blurt out. 
   “He wanted to talk to you. Maybe you met before? Anyway, seeing Kate’s frightened face, he called his personal doc and just within 5-7 minutes, he reached our house. Otherwise, the bleeding did not look good, Eve! It would’ve been worse if the doc didn’t arrive on time.” Serena sounds very grateful... grateful to the mysterious man, Mr. Miller. 
   I let her words sink in and mindlessly ask her, “Do you know if he has another name or not?” 
   “What? The doctor? I can’t remember what he said.” She scratches her temple. 
   “No! I mean... never mind. Where is Kate?” I crane my neck towards the door. 
   “She should be here in no time. What is it, Mija? You need something?” Serena gets up. 
   “Nah! It’s just, I was wondering what is taking her so long!” I let out the words without paying much attention. I am somehow being dubious about Kate’s a little extra excitement towards Ted. 
   
   Seriously, Evelyn! You really are a freaking ungrateful witch. She is being grateful to the guy only because he just helped you out to avoid a ginormous amount of blood-loss. She is being extra nice to him because of you. Now quit thinking trash. 
   
   “Feeling better, sweetie?” Kate’s calming voice brings in a lot of comfort inside me. 
   I smile at her, “Yeah! Thank you so much Kate! I reacted like a complete jerk just before the incident. I’m really sorry.” 
   “You kidding me? That was totally fine. Your mental state is entirely messed up right now. I can understand how it feels losing family members.” She gives a little squeeze on my hand. 
   “Um... was the injury too bad?” I quirk my eye-brows. 
   “No, darling! Thankfully, it was not that bad. Somehow, the tip of the knife just got inside of your right thigh. Did you tip over it?” she stares down at me. 
   “I-I think so!” I do not want to talk about those weird symptoms with her. 
   “Doc Wilson told to take full rest for at least a week. Maybe your anxiety just got worse at this point. Trust me, Jules will be alright. Everything’s gonna be just as okay as before.” She grins. 
   “We can hope, Kate!” my own voice sounds too pessimistic to accept. 
   “It will be fine, Kate. I know I WILL BE ALRIGHT; JULES WILL WAKE UP TODAY OR TOMORROW.” I put extra emphasis on every word I utter as if it’d validate them. 
   
   He came to talk to ME! What could possibly be going on inside his mind then! Should I ask him in person tomorrow? Is it only a coincidence or, there is something more to it? Why did he have to show up just the moment I blacked out?  
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   Chapter Six 
     
   The next morning, I get up from the bed with a fresh mind and feeling stronger than ever since the accident. After having breakfast with Kate and Serena at the dining table instead of my room, I decide to go out for a walk and at the same time, give Ted a knock to ask about whatever he needed to talk with me on, the previous night. 
   “Kate, are you joining me in visiting Jules?” I bite on the pancake. 
   “I was thinking of going alone today, Eve. Thought it’d be good for you to stay home for couple of days after what happened last night.” She put the smoothie glass on the table. 
   “Ah no! Kate, don’t you worry at all. It just happened as I skipped meals a couple of times while being totally occupied with Jules’ accident. I can’t skip a single day visiting her, Kate. God knows, maybe today is the day she’ll wake up.” My voice trails off. 
   “O darling! She’ll be alright, I’m telling you.” Her eyes glisten. 
   “She must be, Kate! I don’t want to; I cannot afford to lose anyone anymore.” I breathe out deeply. “So, I think I’ll walk out a little before heading towards the hospital.” I scoot back the chair. 
   “Sure, hon! Be careful. If you feel even a little dizzy, just call me immediately.” she commands. 
   I nod before stepping out of the door. I gaze at the house before me. Should I go knock the door? Will it be some kind of intrusion? No! he probably has something important to tell me. It can even be any information related to Will’s sudden disappearance. Why should he know about that? Only because I doubt him as a serial killer doesn’t mean he’ll be aware of every possible mishap out there. I halt there for another couple of minutes, then begin walking down to his house. 
   
   What’s up with his name? he prefers to be called by Miller. Sara also told his name to be Richard Miller but why did Jules tell me he is Ted? I mean, is there any possibility that he took this name only to perform the infamous actions? Is he really somebody else living under the shell of brilliant and sexy CLO of White Swan Inc.? What matter can be there about which, HE wants to talk through with ME?  
   
   A bunch of questions keep hitting my conscious mind while nearing his door. Without thinking for another second, I knock on the door, immediately after reaching before it. Few seconds later, I hear footsteps coming this way. I exhale deeply as suddenly my body starts to stiff. I shake my head and try to ease my posture. 
   “Miss Lawrence? What a pleasant surprise!” the alluring voice slaps my body back to the stiffen state I’ve tried hard to come out of. I stare at him hesitantly. 
   “Are you feeling alright? How’s the cut?” he quickly takes a glance down at my right leg. I instantly put my hand over the wounded spot, God knows why. Consequently, the tingling pain starts to come back. Maybe, by seeing my uneasy and no doubt, stupid movements, he takes his eyes off of my thighs and looks back at my eyes. That similar, old icy-cold stare. My heart pumps a little more blood than usual. 
   “Um... come on in, Miss Lawrence.” He seems to be a little timid for the first time.  O boy! Is my period coming? Why is this guy looking so darn attractive to me!  I clear out my throat before saying, “No, no, Mr. Ted... I mean Mr. Miller I just came over to ask you what was the reason of your visit last night.” I chew on my lip at my callousness. 
   His lips give off a ghost of a smile, “Interesting! So, do you want to take a walk?” 
   “What’s so interesting?” I blurt out. 
   “Calling me by the name I don’t remember of telling you earlier.” He quirks up his lips. 
   “I-I just... learned that um...” I start mumbling for no reason. 
   “It’s fine, Miss Lawrence, I am amused to hear the name from you, honestly. So, shall we?” he motions forward with his hand. 
   I quickly nod and tip on my feet while trying to move.  Fuck!  I mutter. 
   “You good? It seems like you need to be a little more careful while walking.” The corner of his lips quirks a little into a grin. He is undoubtedly indicating to the elevator incident, but I pretend to not getting it. 
   “Yeah! Seems to be.” I utter underneath my breath. 
   “So, you want to know why I went to your house yesterday, ha?” his voice calm and lack of emotion. 
   “Yes! I thought... I think it’s something important. So, I need to know, and again, I’m feeling much better to walk today, so...” I sound like a little kid explaining everything to its mother. 
   He grins, a complete smile. He looks even better with a perfect smile. I gape at him for a while.  Damn! He’s beautiful! 
   “Alright! The thing is, I committed a crime which might be not worth the apology from your side.” He gives me a blank stare. 
   “Crime!” I gasp.  He is ACTUALLY a serial killer, isn’t he? O my God! I should’ve been more careful. Wait! Did he kill William? Did he make the incident of killing Jules look like an accident? I’m so gonna murder this guy, no matter how attractive he might look! 
   “Well, Miss Lawrence, I think looking at a lady without her consent is indeed a crime. I did not actually mean to look but when I felt some unusual movement through the open window, I just had to check on what was happening.” His voice contains same amount of calmness. 
   “Movement? When?” I sound confused. 
   “Last night, Miss Lawrence. You were losing the control over your limbs’ usual movements, and not to hide, your right hand was not quite listening to your command. Correct me if I’m wrong.” 
   I inhale sharply, “No, you are totally right but I don’t know what to say.” I pause a little before letting out the words with much anger, “I really do not appreciate anyone intruding in MY personal space. I mean, I don’t even know you yet. Don’t you think it’s a little too nosiness to look at some stranger’s vulnerable condition without knowing about any of her background stories?” 
   “I am extremely sorry, Miss Lawrence. I very well know I’ve done wrong by secretively peering at you but I thought you needed immediate help then. This is why I rushed to your house but it’d sound really inappropriate if I told your aunt about my sneaking a peek at your personal matter. To minimize the possibility of any unwanted outcome, I told that I needed to talk to you. I am by no means, undermining your case or considering it as abnormal. I know how hard it can be to cope with Alien Hand’s Syndrome. I am once again begging your apology.” His words flow smoothly. 
   “Gosh! I-I’m sorry, Mr. Miller, I shouldn’t have reacted like you murdered my sister or something. You were just trying to help and I’m here being completely irrational to you. It’s totally okay, Mr. Miller. You don’t need to apologize, it’s actually my bad I couldn’t understand.” I purse my lips. 
   “I’m glad, you don’t mind. I think it’s almost the time to visit your sister.” He looks down at his watch. “stay safe, Miss Lawrence.” He nods. 
   “Um, it’s Evelyn. I prefer to be called by Evelyn.” I nervously wring my hands. 
   “Well then, goodbye Evelyn. Until next time.” He gently taps on my arm and heads down to his door. His voice makes my name sound hundred times better. I keep staring at him until he opens the door and turns back at me. I quickly look away and turning to my house, start walking. My ears get heated as I recall my way of behaving with him . Holy shit!   I need to understand things better.  I feel like a total douchebag. 
   I don’t know should I be happy or angry at my luck. I have been piling up all the things that happened since Jules had this accident with the flickering hope that I’ll tell her everything as soon as she’ll wake up. Now, she’s awake but in no position to listen to my babblings. The doctor’s words keep echoing in my ears like a poisonous wave of sounds, “She is not going to be able to process any information for approximately 6 months. She’s awake alright, but her brain will function like a new born for a limited period of time. Not to worry! She’s not completely brain-dead which is a good sign.” 
   Really! A good sign? My eyes start aching while a drop of tear fights its way down my face. My heart is burning, eyes are throbbing intensely, my head is swimming with thoughts yet I am unable to draw any connection among them. Once I used to believe being emotional to be a bad thing. Now I can understand how necessary it is to let out the griefs by letting down stream of tears. I’ve been a total crying-machine throughout my life and I was disappointed in myself for not having the power to control tearing up in public. But now? I JUST WANT TO CRY SEVERAL HOURS AT STRECTH FOR ONCE... ONLY ONCE FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE! 
   “Eve? You okay? Ain’t you happy now that Jules is awake?” Kate’s voice slaps me back into reality. 
   “She can’t fathom us, Kate! She is... she is just lying over there like an object. Is there any possible thing to be happy about?” I keep staring down at my feet. 
   “Don’t say that Evelyn! At least she’s awake now. She will be alright in less than 6 months, mark my words.” She sounds a little mad. Maybe she has the right to be mad at me right now. Maybe, I am actually being irrational and ungrateful. Still isn’t it pretty normal for a broken girl who just lost her parents less than three months back, to react in such a way when her sister wakes up from coma to only be a mere object? God knows why nothing is going right. 
   “I don’t know!” I can’t say anything more before moving out of the hospital. I don’t even wait for Kate to join me while I begin walking to catch the bus. 
   “Evelyn, wait!” Kate yelps from behind. 
   I halt without turning to her. I don’t know why am I letting out my anger on her? She didn’t do anything wrong here, nor does she have the control over Jules’ physical condition. I really am not quite sure whether I’m angry or just too frustrated of my life. Sometimes all we can do is, to be irrationally mad at near ones to minimize the excruciatingly unknown feeling that haunts us down. 
   “Eve, what are you doing? You’re literally running into moving cars. Why are you being so cold at this point? You’re angry because you’re not gonna have the opportunity to share your long-awaited events with her. I understand, why it is feeling so bad not being able to do so, don’t you wanna think about Jules’ condition? Do you think she’s feeling better by being almost brain-dead and doing it on purpose to devastate you? Evelyn, please, try to realize the intensity of the matter on her side. It’s already worse; just don’t be inconsiderate to make it the worst.” The pitch of her voice seems to cut through my core. I stand there for another couple of minutes. 
   “Right! I’m sorry. Let’s go back and ask the doc when can we take her home.” I utter calmly. 
   Kate’s eyes soften as she reaches out to hug me. My brain keeps throbbing inside the skull reminding me of the stab-myself-anytime-unwittingly incident. I take a deep breath while picturing all kinds of positive events in my head. I recently figured no imagined happy or, glamorous moments can flip my bleak state of mind but a flicker of Mr. Mysterious neighbor can. This absolutely is beyond just I’m-so-smitten-by-him thing, I feel some weird yet blissful feeling whenever he crosses me in person as well as inside my stupid head. 
   “Eve? EVELYN?” Kate’s sharp voice slaps me back in the hospital.. 
   “Hu?” I blush a little seeing the doctor looking suspiciously toward my way. 
   
   Shoot! He must be thinking of me as a psychopath or something, did I say anything out loud? 
   
   “What’s up with the neighbor? What were you murmuring about, honey?” Kate looks anxious. 
   “Um... nothing, it’s just I-I ran into Mr. Miller this morning, and um... and he told that he would like to visit Jules.” I cannot make anything out of my own words. 
   “Really? That’s amazing! He’s such an incredible person, isn’t he?” her voice sounds a bit louder mingled with excitement. I forcedly stop myself from rolling my eyes at her not-so-hidden interest in Mr. Miller AKA 1000 years old Alchemist AKA only guy who makes my heart stop. 
   
   O boy! Isn’t she planning to begin dating him! It would be freaking messed up. 
   
   “So, darling, Doc just told that Jules can go home within a week.” Her eyes shine. 
   “Oh really! How could I miss it? Must be my sinking-in-thinking-ocean nature. I am happy, Kate!” I grin. 
   “I know you are. Trust me, everything will be just alright.” She squeezes my shoulder. 
   Kate pulls her minivan into the parking lot. 
   “You okay?” she eyes me. 
   “Yeah, course! Why do you ask?” 
   “Nothing, just checking in.” her lips quirk up into a grin. 
   “Hold on, are you guys somehow thinking I’m insane?” I blurt out. 
   “What? No, no, no! honey, we’re just making sure nothing goes wrong with you anymore after what you’ve been through already.” She glares at me. 
   “Oh! Thanks a lot Kate, but it makes me a little uncomfortable when you guys treat me... well a bit more specially.” I wring my hands. 
   “Sure, sweetie. Whatever you like. So, any plan for tonight?” 
   “Tonight? No, why?” I open the car door. 
   “I was thinking about going out for dinner, what do you say?” 
   “I don’t know! Serena must’ve finished cooking by now.” I look at my watch. 
   “It’s fine, she can come with us too and the foods can be good in the fridge until tomorrow.” She quirks up a brow at me. 
   “Sounds pretty cool, then. Dinner outside!” I grin and start walking towards the house. 
   She winks at me and hops out of the car. 
   “O hey, Mr. Miller! What a pleasant surprise!” I halt at Kate’s high-pitched voice. 
   Seriously! She’s seriously into him.  Rolling my eyes, I continue walking without turning back to find some stupid flirtation. 
   “Miss Smith? Good to see you, how are you doing?” that voice again weakens my knees. I quicken my paces.  O wow! He even remembers her surname. Maybe they already exchanged numbers and chat on daily basis. Awesome!  I cannot keep myself from frowning. 
   “I’m doing great, actually! What about you? How’s life?” her over friendly mode has been activated. 
   “Yeah, I-I’m good, thank you for asking. Um... Miss Lawrence? Is that you?” his voice weakens my knees further as well as freezes my body at this point. I feel like straightly walking to the house and not look back but at the same time, my heart begins to pump gallons of blood which successfully stops me from moving any forward. 
   “Ah yeah, she is my niece, Evelyn. Eve? Mr. Miller is calling you.” Kate calls out to me. 
   Wait, he is back to calling me Miss Lawrence! Wow! I made such a stupid out of myself telling him the other day to call me Evelyn. Argh!  I Slowly spin around and try to smile, “Hi! I didn’t see you.” Course I’m being the dumbest in the history of dumbness. 
   “Obviously you could not, Miss Lawrence. You were facing the other way and I’m afraid you, like any normal human being, cannot turn your head in 180-degree angle.” A ghost of a smile quirks up his lips a bit. 
   “I-I meant, I know, I just was going...” I start mumbling like an idiot. 
   Kate snickers, “Wow! Quite a sense of humor, ha?” her flirtatious look is not to be mistaken. To add salt to the wound, Ted gives her that marvelous smile. I feel so sad and ashamed simultaneously. 
   
   Course he likes Kate. She is funny, smart, witty, knows where to say what and no doubt, drop dead gorgeous. They’re meant to date and marry and have whole bunch of beautiful children and whatnot. I am such a disappointment. Or you know what, Eve? You are better off without him. What if he turns out to be somebody dangerous? You better start avoiding him from now on. 
   
   “So, how’s your sister, Miss Lawrence?” 
   
   Holy Moly! I’m not avoiding him. He’s too much to avoid.  
   
   “She’s good, I mean, she is out of coma now, which is greattt! And she’s gonna be home within a week, isn’t it wonderful?” I manage to let out an entire sentence without umming, pretty impressive on my end. 
   “This is indeed, a wonderful news, Miss Lawrence. I’m very happy to hear that and I hope she will be totally healed in no time.” His voice calm and collected as usual. 
   “Yeah, I hope so too.” I sigh. 
   “Well, ladies, I’ll have to attend a meeting after a while, hope to meet you again.” He nods at Kate, implying that whatever he just said is entirely intended for her, not me. 
   “Sure, Mr. Miller, and it’ll be great if you call me just Kate.” her eyes flush. 
   “I’m sure, with time, it’ll get easier to call you by your first name, Ma’am! Goodbye.” He smiles at her AGAIN. 
   “Bye, Miss Lawrence.” His chivalry does not allow him to not say goodbye to me. This time, no smile, no FUCKING SMILE. 
   “Bye!” I cut it short before pacing towards the house. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Seven 
   It’s been almost two and half months I haven’t gone out of the house after Jules came back from hospital. All day and night I try to stay close to her. She cannot speak, she hardly moves her limbs but deep down inside, I feel satisfied, I feel a ting of relief getting her back to life. it feels like she’s there watching me, listening to me and secretly smiling at my crazy babblings. Meanwhile, Kate has gone out several times with the excuse of meeting up with friends. Well, I easily understood the undercurrent going on between Kate and Mr. Ted Bundy. I’m pretty sure they’re already dating which has bothered me a lot lately but I think remaining close to Jules matters to me more now. And one more thing I should remember is, that Greek God slash Rich businessman is not even a bit interested in me, so it’s next to useless to grieve over him. 
   “Evelyn, did you see my tab?” Kate flips over the pillow on the sofa next to Jules. 
   “No, how would I?” I try not to be mean towards her as my mind starts battering me as soon as Kate comes into my view. 
   “Oh! That’s weird. I think I left it here somewhere.” She chews on her lower lip. 
   “well, maybe you took it upstairs and forgot.” I shrug. 
   “I don’t know, maybe!” she quirks up her lips. “Anyway, how is she doing now?” her eyes soften with the words. 
   “She’s doing good, look at her face.” I smile at Jules. 
   “I know right? We missed this face so much.” She brushes her fingers through Jules’ hair. 
   “So, having dinner with us tonight, or?” I steady my glance on her sparky blue eyes. 
   “Ye-yeah, course, why?” she seems surprised. 
   “Nah, you have been having dinner out lately. Just thought to check in.” I wave my hands. 
   “Ow, yeah, so many outdoors in a week! I’m sorry honey, you must’ve been bored staying home.” 
   “What? No. I was not alone, Kate! Serena has been here, and above all, Jules is always with me. How do you say I’ve been alone?” my voice becomes a bit shrill. 
   “O God! please, don’t take it otherwise, Eve. I didn’t mean anything bad, seriously. You know, I just wanted to...” she starts mumbling. 
   “It’s okay, Kate. Quit trying to explain things, I think you’re right. I do need a little walk outside, maybe.” I clench my jaw. “Can you please be by her side for five minutes?” 
   “Gosh! Eve, course I can, I can be here the rest of the night. You just go ahead have a walk if you want to.” Her motherly concern jerks something inside of my heart. 
   “Thanks, Kate. Thanks for being with us at this moment. You do remind me of mom every time.” I reach out to squeeze her hand. 
   “Mom! Why can’t I grow mustache like dad?” I held out two grass-leaves onto my lips to fake having mustache. 
   “Cos Missy, you are a girl and girls can’t grow mustache like guys do.” Mom told me laughing at my weird question. 
   “No, no! look at her honey, she already grew super heroic, green mustaches! Can’t you see? My baby girl is extra ordinary.” Dad gave off his ever-bright laughter. 
   “Come on, Eve! Why do you always want to have everything dad has? You cannot be like dad.” Julia teased me. 
   “No... I want to be like dad. Mom! Why is she saying I can’t...? my whining got submerged under a huge wave of laughter. 
   I let out a big sigh. The same place, the same grass, the same sky and the same me. Only those three cheerful, amazing people are no more like before. A drop of tear slips across my cheek. I keep looking at the backyard silently sitting on a bench. 
   They say we cannot relive the past, but why the past is always there to haunt us down? Why do they say live in the moment when the present is a burning hell for me?  Silent rolling of tears quickly turns into sobbing. I struggle to halt scream from coming out of my mouth. I seriously feel like crying my heart out. 
   “Everything is falling apart” I murmured. 
   “EVERYTHING.IS.FALLING. APART” I suddenly shout out loud. 
   “Not if you can put yourself together. World can break down into pieces but you can choose not to collapse.” That knee-weakening voice floats in from behind. 
   I don’t become startled, instead I become really embarrassed to cry in front of an outsider. So, I remain put on the bench without turning back. 
   “Are you doing okay, Miss Lawrence?” a firm hand touches my shoulder. 
   I try not to look at him, “Yeah! Sure, I’m totally alright.” 
   “Your voice doesn’t quite say the same thing, I’m afraid.” 
   “I-I think I got to get going, Mr. Miller. Um, Jules must be hungry.” I grin a little and get up on my heels. 
   “Miss Lawrence, I’m so sorry for what you are going through right now, but I must say, your swollen eyes don’t quite go with you.” He looks calmly at my face while sticking the hands in his trouser pockets. 
   “Well, thanks for your concern, really! Means a lot.” I cannot help more tears rolling down my cheeks. I look away abruptly trying in vain to hide it from the guy, who doesn’t show any sign to leave. Not quite yet. So, I turn quickly to pace toward the house. 
   “If you are feeling broken because of your parents’ death and your sister’s condition right now, I won’t blame you for that. But, Miss Lawrence, in case it’ll help you a little, I lost all of my family members at once, and worse, I’ve been blamed for their death. And look at me, I have not let the world around break me.” Does his voice just shake a bit? 
   My eyes expand at his words, my body jerks a little, slowly sending a chill down my spine. 
   “Go, get some sleep, Miss Lawrence. I genuinely hope you’ll feel better very soon.” He gives me a warm smile that touches my core. I never saw such a smile on his face. I’m very overwhelmed at what just happened that I completely forgot to reflect on how sacrilegiously gorgeous he looked with that smile. I nod a little at him being unable to look away even after he’s long gone.  
   
   O boy! He does have hell loads of mysteries hidden behind that collected and handsome face. Do I want to dig any deeper? Do I NEED to know any further than what he wants everyone else to know about? Maybe he wants me to know a bit more or why would he give off bits and pieces of his mysteries every once in a while?  
   
   After being assured of Julia’s being in sound sleep, I head down to my room after a long week of staying beside Jules at her bed. A single week certainly made an unease and little discomfort in my favorite space, which is weird cos I haven’t felt any different after getting home after almost 3 months during that horrible accident. Taking a deep breath, I push open the window when a wave of cold, pleasant air whooshes against my face. I stare up to find the window closed in front of me. 
   Maybe he’s already enjoying his 5th dream where he’s onto killing someone choking or whatever the hell ways his head is filled with. Nah! I really need to stop altogether aching my head over him. He is probably dating my Aunt, so he’s more like my uncle now, not someone I’d think about before sleep.  I let out a little laughter at my weird thoughts at this hour. My phone starts ringing before letting me detour to another crazy path inside my mind. 
   “Anna? What’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping by now?” I blurt out. 
   “Yeah, I know I must be sleeping right now but guess what happened.” Her voice sounds a little tensed up. 
   “You okay? Anna, did anyone break in? O my God! are you guys held hostage now? should I call 911?” my voice becomes so shrill that it starts bothering my own eardrums. 
   “Relaaaaax, you crazy! It’s just, I’m doing it again.” She swallows. 
   “Doing what? You’re not at a stranger’s house after getting drunk as hell, are you?” 
   “EVELYN! I did that only once for God’s sake.” I can sense she’s rolling her eyes even over the phone. 
   “Well, I’m sorry, now tell me what is it you’re doing again?” 
   “I’m sleepwalking again, Eve. I almost got myself killed yesterday and I’m freaking out to think about sleeping now.” her voice grows heavy with fear and anticipation. 
   “O my! Anna! What are you saying! Did you tell your mom and dad? Did they see it and rescue you? What exactly did you do to murder yourself? Jesus!” I gasp. 
   “No, Eve, nobody knows. I mean, I haven’t told anybody yet cos I’m afraid they’ll start locking me down in my room and remove everything from here except for only a mattress. I can’t let that happen to me AGAIN.” Her voice trails off. 
   “But...but Anna! You need to tell them for your own sake. Do not wait until some serious incident takes place. God! you okay now? I mean, you aren’t hurt, are you?” cold sweat rolls down my temple. 
   “No... A-yes, I mean I’m just a little hurt. I figured I sleepwalked to the kitchen and tried to slice off my wrist, but thankfully, Alvin was there on his walker and screamed loudly enough to wake me up.” 
   “Holy Moly! It’s being that same, old suicidal again this time. Please, Anny! Tell your parents, please, do not let it go any further. I’m telling you; I CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANYONE ANYMORE. Am I clear to you?” I start shaking head to toe. 
   “Ye-yeah, I will. I mean, let’s wait till tomorrow, maybe it just happened because of the 4 extra glasses of wine I downed at the bar...” 
   “What? You did what? Come on, Anna! You cannot forget what doctor warned you about excessive alcohol intake.” I cut her off. 
   “I do remember that, but ugh! I was so frustrated. I couldn’t help taking some extra.” She growls. “Anyway, I’ll be okay, no worries! My wrist is Band-Aided perfectly to cover up the cut from mom’s eagle eye! Hopefully. How’s Julia? Is she doing ok?” she changes the topic. 
   “I don’t know, she’s doing, um she’s just getting by, actually.” I stop before inviting the tears out. 
   “I’m so sorry, Eve! I genuinely hope she’ll be okay, and you remain strong, ha? You can get through this shit. I know you will, sweetie.” 
   “Hope so too! But I’m warning you, seriously, do not hide that sleepwalking thing from your parents if something is up tonight.” I scoff. 
   “Aye, Aye Ma’am! Go get some sleep and keep your ears awake in case I call again.” She chuckles. 
   “Yeah, right!” I roll my eyes. “Good night, Muppet! Sleep tight, don’t let the sleepwalking bite.” 
   “O wow! Good night, Crackpot! Try to sleep rather than gawking at the Alchemist.” She laughs. 
   “O shut it, bitch! Bye.” I hang up the phone. Smiling at the screen I recheck the window of Ted’s room.  O wow! It’s open. Did he open it while I was talking on the phone? God! was he keeping an eye on my movement the whole time? Shoot! I need to go back to Jules’ room. This guy is kinda freaking me out at this point. Or, maybe he just opened it to let some fresh air in. why it always has to be about me? Pfft! I’m such a freaking overthinker. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Eight 
     
    “Serena, can you make your DELICIOUS Chicken Perm for dinner, tonight?” Kate’s voice floats across the hall. I stop midway feeding Julia.  Something must be up with her demand. Is she asking Ted over for dinner? That’d be total disaster to tolerate their romance silently . I continue feeding Jules her favorite oatmeal soup. 
   “Sure! I’ll be glad to.” Serena’s ever-cheerful voice replies. 
   “Cool! One of my friends is coming over tonight and he’s obsessed with Chicken Perm. So, I was thinking about surprising him with the one of its kind.” She beams. 
   For some reason, I fail to keep myself from poking my nose into the topic. 
   “Who’s coming for dinner, Kate?” I try to sound excited. 
   “Oh! You know, that friend of mine, he insisted on checking on Jules. So, I just couldn’t say no.” she wrings her hands. 
   
   O wow! It cannot be anyone but Ted. Say it out, Kate! why don’t you just blurt out the name? 
   
   “Who? Mr. Miller?”  Oops! That’s not what I intended to do. Shit. 
   “What? No! not him. I mean, he’s not my friend yet. Pfft! Just an acquaintance and neighbor. He seems really nice but again, a little uptight.” She shrugs. 
   “Yeah, that’s what he is... uptight.” I murmur. “So, is this friend some special one?” I wink at Kate. 
   “Hey, knock it off! Don’t get naughty here.” She smiles at me. 
   “Cool! I think that smile speaks louder than your words, Miss Smith.” I grin. 
   “Nothing yet but trust me, you guys are gonna love him. He’s amazing.” She pours water in a glass. 
   “Of course! My future uncle is bound to be amazing.” 
   She gives me a bright grin sparkling her already sparkly blue eyes. 
   You suck big time, Evelyn! Shame on you for doubting this innocent lady for nothing. You can be really judgy at times! Just quit thinking trash about your own aunt from now on!  I wince at my own stupidity. 
                                                                       
   “I’m registering for the next semester, Jules. I’m already lagging behind and probably won’t get any course with my buddies.” I frown at the laptop screen while Julia is silently staring my way. 
   “Gosh! Jules, when will you be able to roast the hell out of me like before? When will I have to be breathless laughing so hard again at your stop-for-God’s-sake jokes? I know you’re listening to everything I’m babbling about now, cos Doc told me you’d hear everything, you’d know everything but couldn’t respond. It’s so harsh Jules, don’t you think? Plus, I’m still in the dark about your accident. Who was the owner of the car that pushed you out of the road? Where the hell is Will right now? You’re gonna be so sad but you need to know that we’ve not heard of him since your accident. Sometimes, things like these overwhelm me a lot that I just want to quit, quit from life.” I blink off the irritating tear that attempted to roll down. 
   “Eve! It’s Anna.” Serena’s voice floats across the corridor. 
   “Where? Is she here?” I crane my neck. 
   “Surprise!” Anna shows up at the door holding out her hands in a V. 
   “You kidding? You didn’t say anything about coming.” I push to my feet and clumsily head to pull her in for a hug. 
   “Yeah, well! Didn’t plan it actually, but guessed it’d be fun stopping by.” She swings her long flowing hair to a side. 
   “Cool! You didn’t sleepwalk last night, did you?” I lower my voice a little. 
   “You don’t want to hear it but yeah, I did.” She presses her lips in a firm line. 
   “And you told your parents about it.” My gaze steadies on her face. 
   “Yeah, I did, they seemed to take it pretty normally, Thank God! then Mom made me call Doc Kevin, told him everything in details. So, he told me to... well since it’s semester break, he told me to change the place, stay outside the house for a month or so.” She wrings her hands nervously. 
   “So, you came to stay? That’s crazy, Anna! It’s gonna be so much fun. I can’t remember how long it’s been since we two stayed at my place for sleepovers.” I start hopping and clapping my hands like a baby. 
   “You okay with it? God! I thought you’d be a little upset as you’d already got a lot on your plate. Hell! we’re gonna have a blast.” She singsongs with a full-faced grin, then hugs me again. 
   “Is it Anna? Woah, long time no see.” Kate puts her hands on her hips. She is looking 100 times more gorgeous in her skintight black velvet dress. 
   “Kate? look at you! Are you aging backwards? Such a sinful beauty.” Anna flies across the room to reach her. 
   “Well, well! Complement from the Beauty-queen herself.” Kate hugs Anna tight. 
   “Seriously, Kate! you’re looking astoundingly gorgeous. Woah! That guy is real lucky.” I smile. 
   “Guy? What guy?” Anna quirks up her brows playfully. 
   “He’s just a friend, nothing else. You better not tangle things up missy.” Kate gives me an I’m-getting-mad-at-you glance. 
   “Not buying it.” I giggle waving off my hand. 
   “Get her a guy quickly, Anna. Then we can tease the hell out of her too.” Kate smirks. 
   “She’s got that 1000 years old Alchemist already, don’t you know?” Anna winks at me. 
   “Alchemist? Haven’t heard of it. Tell me, tell me...” a sudden doorbell cut her off. 
   “Go, go, open the door for him.” I shove Kate with a laugh. 
   “You’re telling me all about that Alchemist thing when we’re done with dinner.” Kate tells Anna before ducking out of the room. 
   “She’s a sweetheart.” Anna smiles. 
   “I know right?” I agree with her while getting embarrassed at my stupid anticipations about her and Ted just a few days back. 
   “Oi, Anna, I forgot to ask you about your adventure last night, sorry, I mean...” 
   “Shut it, bitch.” She tugs my arm slightly. 
   “I’m sorry, it’s no joke, seriously! What happened? Was it... as bad as the one from before?” 
   “Hmm, well, it was a bit weird, I’ll tell you after dinner.” She motions towards Kate’s voice. 
   “Yeah, right! We should get acquainted with her man. I’ll be right back, Jules.” I squat to brush a kiss on her cheek. 
   “This is Eve, my other niece I told you about.” Kate cheerfully introduces me to a sharp-featured, undoubtedly good-looking guy in black shirt and dark blue jeans. 
   “It’s an absolute pleasure meeting you Evelyn. Zachary Jones.” He shakes my hand. 
   “Likewise. Thanks for caring to come by to see Julia. It’s so kind of you Mr. Jones.” I try to give my sweetest grin. 
   “Zac, please. Getting so formal isn’t my thing.” He grins back. 
    His ocean blue eyes look so full of life and can ease any stranger in an instant. It doesn’t take much time to like the guy. He is well-built almost sculpted, attractive faced and needless to mention, extremely easy-going. Within five minutes, his joking remarks and eloquence make the environment so happy and lively. 
   “Why don’t you bring Julia here? She can eat with all of us. Trust me, she’ll feel good about it.” Zac pulls out a chair to sit. 
   “I-I was thinking about feeding her first at her room, then I could have dinner.” I sense the confusion in my tone. 
   “No way, Eve! Just bring her over here. She’ll be alright having dinner together with all of us.” He nods at me. 
   “Sure thing! I’m going then.” I push to my feet. 
   “I’m also coming with you, Crackpot.” Anna ducks out of the room following me. 
   Quite a personality. I like it when people are easily understandable rather than twisting and mysterious, like that weird neighbor of ours. Kate is a sweetheart and she deserves a sweet guy like Zac...  I smile inwardly. 
   “You guys look a lot alike.” Zac gives a little nod at me. 
   “Nah, Jules is much more beautiful than me, no doubt.” I smile. 
   “Well, well, maybe it’s kind of a strategy ladies use to get more complements.” He shrugs with a playful wink. 
    Kate rolls her eyes, “We ladies already know well how beautiful we are! Your complements are not needed, mister!” 
   Me and Anna agree in unison, “So freaking true.” 
   “Apologies! Not taking any risk of being outnumbered here!” Zac hold up his hands with a smile. 
   Dinner is spent with a full dose of entertainment and loads of laughter, after a long time. Somehow, I can feel Jules’ eyes gleaming with joy too. My heart flutters at it, I couldn’t be happier at the moment. 
   “O wow, your surname is Jones, ha?” Anna turns back while helping me in doing dishes. 
   “Yeah, why?” Zac sinks into a sofa with a glass half-filled with red wine. 
   “I-I mean, Julia’s fiancé, Will... his surname is also Jones.” Anna swallows realizing the inappropriacy of the topic right at this situation. 
   “Ow, Julia is engaged! I didn’t know that.” Zac blurts out before scratching his head nervously. His blue eyes shift quickly to find some other topic to burry this one. 
   I keep washing the dishes silently when I hear Kate gasp. 
   “Um, you guys! Do you like having pets around? Not seeing one here.” He takes a quick glance around. 
   “I actually am Cynophobic, so no dog for me. I don’t mind cats though.” I shrug. 
   “No, no cats! I’m allergic to these little monsters. 
   “Since when?” I frown. 
   “Like forever!” Anna rolls her eyes, but dogs are so cute, I had one until... well until I didn’t have her anymore.” she sighs. 
   “Guess we get to bail on this topic, so, ladies! Not into alcohol, I think?” he raises his glass a little. 
   “No, not really. I have medically prohibition, you know.” I air quote with my hands. 
   “Shit! That’s a shame.” His voice filled with condolence. 
   “It’s fine, never been a huge fan of wine anyway.” 
   “I do want to take a sip or two, but I think I’m gonna pass for tonight.” Anna pouts. 
   “It’s only me then, as your aunt is going sober.” he shrugs. 
   “Oh! Are you?” I turn to Kate. 
   “Nothing’s wrong with trying, I believe.” She grins. 
   “Course!” Zac gives a smirk indicating the infamous drinking nature of Kate. 
   We silently laugh without making Kate go mad. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Nine 
   “I think Julia was trying to say something.” Anna tugs a strand of hair behind her ear. 
   “I don’t know, her eyes seemed gleaming a bit while we were laughing over dinner. I mean, she hasn’t given off any expression since coming home. Do you think she’s progressing? Ah wait, is it the laughter and joyous environment that will help her get well soon?” 
   “I was thinking the same, you know? I think she liked it; she liked the fuss. Maybe, we should start taking her out, do some more fun stuff.” She puts her hand on my arm. 
   “I think so too.” I squeeze her hand. 
   “O boy! Isn’t Zac so darn sexy!” Anna chews on her lower lip. 
   “Shut it! He is dating my aunt for God’s sake.” 
   “I am just telling the truth, Crackpot! Well, what can I say if sexy aunt’s boyfriend is another darn hottie?” she snickers. 
   “Can’t deny!” 
   “Netflix or, sleep?” she raises a brow. 
   “Um, Netflix, babe!” 
   “That’s why I love you, bitch.” 
   “I think Jules is all set, right?” I take a look over my shoulder. 
   “She is in deep sleep already, Eve! No worries. You do have that alarm set up in your room. If anything happens, God forbid, we’ll be the first ones to know. 
   “Ya, right!” I take a last look at Jules before closing the door. 
   “I’m not taking the charge if I fall asleep amidst watching the show. You know I can’t compromise my sleep for anything.” I give a side-eye to Anna. 
   “I know! You’re excused, I’ll enjoy the show by myself, and yes, I’ll finish as many episodes as I can.” She smirks. 
   “You suck, bitch.” I roll my eyes. 
   When we’re so engrossed in keeping our eyes glued on the TV screen, I sense a shadow moving somewhere near the window. I cannot help jumping a little. 
   “Woah, woah! What is it?” 
   “Didn’t you see that? Something, I mean, someone is there outside the window.” 
   “Really! You were hallucinating, maybe.” Anna furrows her brows at me. 
   “Maybe! It’s nothing unusual for me now.” I lie back but my mind keeps wandering through all the possibilities that could be happening right now outside the window. Obviously, Mr. Miller is the very first one to cross my mind at this point. 
   The sound of police siren wakes me up. I squint at the bright day light coming through the half-closed window. 
   
   Police siren... that shadow moving about somewhere near this window... 
   
   I swallow back the heart that has instantly crept up to my throat at the thought of some danger... maybe a murder. 
   “God! Eve, are you not gonna go check on Jules, or what?” Anna’s voice cracks down as she’s still half-asleep. 
   “What? Why?” 
   “Can’t you hear the alarm? She might be in a darn problem, you, crackpot!” her voice clears off a little as she sits up. 
   “Is it... is it the Goddam alarm? Holy moly! I thought it to be ambulance siren. O no! what happened to her?” I abruptly push to my feet and almost instantly hold on to a corner of the table beside my bed. My head begin spinning like crazy. I squeeze my eyes before shaking it off. 
   “Relax, Eve! I’m going check on her, you sit for a while. Shit! Your nose is bleeding, you want me to grab the ice first?” Anna’s voice filled with shock and worry. 
   “No, no! it’s fine, let’s just go quickly. This darn alarm never rang till date.” 
   I fly across the corridor towards Julia’s room without looking around. Anna’s worried voice keeps floating from behind saying me to slow down. I whoosh out my long-stuck breath after opening the door to the room. She is sleeping like a baby giving off the least frightening vibe all about. Seeing her alright lets the tight grip loose free that has been chaining my lungs heavily for the last few minutes. I look over my shoulder and mouth to Anna, “She is alright!” 
   “Thank God!” she puts an arm around my still-shaking shoulder. 
   “But...but Anna! The alarm is still ringing. You see? It’s only supposed to ring if something falls on the ground or hits the wall” my breath immediately wears off. 
   “Eh? Maybe there’s a glitch in the system. You know, things like this happen in the Modern tech stuff. Stop worrying too much, will you?” she squeezes my arm. 
   “Um... but I got it checked it all right the day before yesterday. It can’t be bugs or something.” 
   “Evelyn! What really matters at this point is Jules is fine. She is sleeping totally fine.” She jerks me by my shoulder. 
   “Guess so...” murmuring mindlessly I flick another glance around the room to spot anything... abnormal. But nothing seems wrong so far. 
   “What are you doing over there?” I look at Anna who’s standing by the window. 
   “Ha? Nah! Nothing, you know, just checking if the window is closed alright. And it is locked tight.” She nods at me nervously. 
   “Is it really? Why are you becoming so nervous?” 
   “I’m not, Evelyn. I just got a little worried about the suddenness of everything.” 
   “Ha! Cool then. I think I’m gonna stay beside Jules till she wakes up. You go get some sleep.” I sit on the side of the bed. 
   “You sure? I think you also need some rest. I think I can stay here instead cos it’s not good to mess up with your health right now.” she gives me a stern glance. 
   “It’s okay Anna! I’m going to stay, that’s been said already. Close the door silently before you leave the room Ma’am.” I smile wryly at her. 
   “If you say so.” Her shoulders hunch a little before ducking out of the room. 
   
   Am I missing something? It’s highly unlikely to be caused by a bug in the system. Who am I kidding! My mind is wandering back to the look on Anna’s face. God! she’d never do anything bad to Jules. I can trust her more than myself in that case. But... something should be wrong, because it is not quite right. 
   
   Suddenly my eyes shift to that red dot on Julia’s right wrist. I shift on the bed to inspect it closely. Holding her hand gingerly, I inspect the dot, no, more of a scar now that I am looking at it more closely than before. My heart misses a beat, palms start sweating. This scar was absolutely not here last night when I put her to sleep. Just like I supposed something is not going right. 
   
   Damn it! Why didn’t I stay right here last night! Why did I have to watch fricking Netflix then? Who did this to you? Who came here to hurt you Julia? Did the person really hurt you bad?  
   
   My guilt and worries start melting down my cheeks as hot tears. I’m struggling to breath, struggling to talk and feeling so much guilty to look at the sleeping Julia, who is not even in the state of telling whether she is hurt or not. I feel devastated as I limp across the room to call out to Kate. My mind is going a thousand miles to scavenge all types of awful things that could happen to Julia, my disabled sister. Stream of tears blurs my vision as I wobble across the corridor. 
   “Katie? Katie, you awake?” I shout out. 
   I turn back hearing a door clicking open. “What’s wrong? What is it, Eve?” Anna’s half-Latin grace seems to fade away. She looks more like freaked out rather than anxious. 
   “Julia... what did they do to her? What’s that scar? Trust me it wasn’t there last night.” My head starts throbbing at this point. 
   “What scar? Who did hurt her? What are you trying to say, Evelyn? You need to calm down first then tell me clearly.” Anna rushes to me to hold me by my shoulders before I fall to the ground. 
   “What’s going on, girls? What happened to her again? Jesus!” Kate’s eyes get ginormous and instantly filled with concern as she looks towards this way. 
   “I don’t know Kate, something must’ve happened to Julia, I guess. Eve is freaking out.” Anna takes a glance at Kate before looking down at my pale face. 
   “Holy Moly! It can’t be true, I mean... we haven’t encountered anything dangerous since she’s got home. Well, you take it easy, Eve! Breathe, okay? You’re not letting that evil syndrome take over you again, right? Take a deep, long breath and stay here. I’m going to check on Jules. Believe it, it’s nothing bad, okay? I’m going now.” Kate hurries across the corridor pulling her glowing blonde hair into a messy bun. 
   “Anna, did I just overreact? I think I can’t think of witnessing anymore mishaps to my family. She’s the only one left from the family, from that awesome four we’ve been since my birth. I -I am really sorry for giving you guys very hard times every now and then. It’s just, I’m feeling so out of control lately.” As my breaths ease a little, I start mulling over the matter logically. 
   “It’s totally fine, Eve. You’re going through a lot, more than a person at your age can take without a sweat. You’re not overreacting, you’re doing fine. Everything is fine, okay?” Anna looks into my eyes, “Just you calm down now. Katie will be back any minute.” 
   Giving her a little nod, I try to calm my mind slowly inhaling and exhaling. 
   “Um... guys? Did you by any chance, leave the window open last night?” Kate pinches on her lower lip. 
   “What? No, why? I triple checked it before leaving the room, seriously!” I blurt out in a breath. 
   “Why do you ask?” Anna looks blank. 
   “I don’t know, you know I just found a little slit on one side of the window, probably for not being careful enough to close it.” Kate waves off her hands. 
   “Is it not locked?” my eyes start expanding. 
   “No, it is... I mean, it is now, I locked it. I just doubt it wasn’t till a while back.” 
   “It cannot be...” I look shockingly at Anna; she shrugs with unease on her face. 
   “O wait, did I? did I actually forget to lock the window? Shit! Anna, it’s been unlocked all night. Weren’t you there by the side of the window this morning to hide it from me? Why didn’t you tell me then, so that I could lock it? God! Anna, someone must’ve sneaked in there, there in her room through that Goddam window.” I start panting. 
   “Remember? Remember I was freaking out a little sensing a movement near the window last night? When we were watching that darn show?” 
   Anna quivers a bit, opens her mouth to say something, then stops. I turn to Kate, “Did you see that scar on her wrist? Do you think whoever sneaked in, hurt her?” my eyes start brimming. 
   She puts a hand around my shoulder, pats my arm channeling ease and comfort towards my way, “I did, honey! I saw the scar but I don’t think someone else did it, or maybe someone was there but couldn’t do her any harm whatsoever. It’s okay Eve, she’s alright. I’ve called Doctor Rogers already, he’ll be here soon and if he recommends, we’ll take her to the hospital to run the necessary tests. We won’t leave her alone anymore from now on, we just need to be a bit more careful.” Her face looks gloomy giving off the doubt brewing underneath her own words. 
   “O God! Hurting a woman who can’t say a word, who can’t even express any bodily feeling? Seriously? How brutal can one be!” my eyes instantly go cold. “Wait, the shadow! That bastard! Is it that serial-killer jerk who did it to her? I will kill him. I swear I’ll shoot the crap out of the bastard as soon as I get him.” Without turning to them, I push to my feet. 
   “Who? Who’re you doubting, Eve? Tell us.” Kate tips over her feet trying to step forth. 
   I don’t feel any need or courage to lose anymore minute in explaining them everything. I just want to kill that asshole. “I am so coming for you, Jerk! I’ll kill you.” I mutter. 
   “O no, Katie! We got to stop her. She’s... she’s going for the wrong person, I guess. God! you’re making a wrong move, Evelyn.” Anna’s voice raises as I keep pacing towards the main gate. 
   “Anna? You know anything? What are you guys doing? Please, tell me something so that I can understand.” Kate’s words get muffled as I step outside the house before shutting the door behind. 
   “ I AM COMING FOR YOU, YOU FRICKING TED! YOU THOUGHT YOUR DIRTY FETISH OF KILLING PEOPLE WOULDN’T STRIKE ME? WELL, GET READY TO ENJOY YOUR BIG SWEET SLEEP… NOW.”  I stroll down the passage while the sharp piece of metal in my hand flickers with sunlight. Panting hard, I tighten the grip on the knife I’ve picked from the SHARPEST collection on my way through the kitchen. 
   “Evelyn! Evelyn, hold on. I say wait up, listen to me...” Kate’s cracking voice sounds distant. 
   I do not want to stop at this point. Nobody, nothing... not a single soul can take anyone from my family away from me...not any more. I am not gonna let them to. Without even thinking about halting at Kate’s call, I reach the door of the bloody murderer long before I can realize. My brain throbs at the killer mode I’ve turned on a while before. I grit my teeth at the view of the door, then fisting my fingers into a tight grip, I give in. 
   “Open the door, Richard Miller! You bloody murderer.” I scream after knuckling on the door hard. No hint or sound of movement reaches my ears first. But before hammering on the door again, a soft footstep inside the house start nearing quickly towards the door. 
   “Evelyn, listen to me, come back here.” Kate starts running down the passage way. 
   “Kate, please!” raising the knife a little I almost threat her, “Do not even try to come here right now, it’s not gonna end up well.” 
   “What! Jesus! I must do something, shit.” Kate hesitates a little before running back to the house. 
   “Good Morning, Miss Lawrence! You’re looking for anything?” that calm voice does not weaken my knees this time, instead my whole body starts banging like crazy. The madness I’m feeling at this moment is beyond anything I’ve ever felt to date. I look at him with eyes full of hatred, rage and thirst for blood. 
   “You still have the gut to talk to me! Holy fricking moly! You’re a darn shameless monster.” The veins on my neck pop up with the surge of rage. 
   “W-what? What are you talking about?” he holds up his hands in defense while giving a side eye to the knife in my hand. 
   “Guess what! I don’t have any time or energy or... interest in letting you walk through everything you actually walked through in person, you jerk. Just shut up and let me kill you.” A sharp whoosh of air leaves through my nostrils. 
   “Miss Lawrence, slow down. You are mistaking something here, trust me, I did no such thing to convince you to believe me as a monster.” He looks not a bit worried even NOW! what an audacity! 
   “Don’t! don’t you even try to distract me with your some monstrously calming charm, here! I am not going to listen to you.” I swoosh the knife with a completely noob hand at him. 
   He smoothly shakes the knife out of my grip without hurting my wrist. It just says how capable he is in handling knives. My rage gets the hold of me as I start towards his neck to strangle the crap out of him. 
   “Miss Lawrence, listen to me first.” His voice raises to almost a shout. I jerk a little at the sudden shift in his voice as well as the collected expression. 
   “You-you have the audacity to shout at me after trying to kill my sister? You are so dead.” hot tears start rolling down my cheeks out of uncontrollable anger. 
   “Woah, what! You’re suspecting me as someone attempting to hurt your sister? Are you kidding me?” for the first time does Mr. always-uses-formal-language burst out with slangs. “You need to fucking listen to me before starting to cut open my fucking gut.” 
   I suddenly feel my throat being closed down as he snaps. I silently keep looking at that Ice like eyes that are now burning like fire. 
   “Did you even have a word with that sleep walker friend of yours before straightly picking this knife up like a Greek warrior?” his voice goes back to its ever-settled form now mixed with a bit of sarcasm. 
   “Who? Anna?” my eyes widen. 
   “Is it the name you call her by? Then, yes, it is Anna I am talking about. Did she not mention anything to you, Evelyn?” Wow! He’s calling me by my first name! 
   “Why should she have to say anything about it? I don’t understand.” 
   I hear a gasp behind me before turning back to find Kate, Anna and Serena standing a few feet away from me. The gasp clearly came from Anna as her face looks like she’s gonna faint anytime. 
   “What are you talking about? CAN YOU KINDLY MAKE IT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND?” I try to snap at Miller but my voice ends up in a murmur. 
   “Sure! I am providing you with all necessary information about the incident last night. But you need to give me the opportunity to explain everything perfectly first.” He eyes Anna which makes her wince. 
   “Cool! Just out with it, fast! We might need to take Jules to hospital. So, I really am not in any situation to keep listening to your Ted Talk right now.” I cross my arms across my chest. 
   “Well! I’m a bit disappointed at Miss Anna for not clearing you out about everything. Anyway, you are already very well aware of your friend’s sleep-walking, I suppose?” with a brief pause he starts again, “She did it, last night...” 
   “She sleep walked last night?” I cut him off. 
   “As a matter of fact, yes. I did not know any of it, nor was I interested but Miss Anna knocked on my door at around 3 am last night. I was working on a project so, considered pulling an all-nighter. Hearing the knocks at that hour, I was shocked but I was even more shocked finding a lady standing in front of my door enveloping with silence and darkness. She did not look quite awake, of course. So, I slightly jerk her by the shoulders and she thankfully woke at it. By conversing a little, I came to know she is your friend and staying here for a while. She also told me how she often walks during her sleeps. She seems a little afraid at that hour, so, I offered her to walk home. After nearing your house, we... well I found out the window to some room is wide open. So, I motioned her towards that.” 
   “Wait? Did she...” I abruptly turn to Anna’s pale face, “Did you open Jules’ window? Did you- O my God!” 
   “I know, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to inject the sedative, then...” she mumbles. 
   “What? You did what?” 
   “What! I don’t know... did I say anything!” Anna swallows. 
   “I think you should say out clearly everything to Evelyn, in fact, all of us here need to hear the whole story, Miss Anna.” Miller shifts his weight to the other foot. 
   “Anna! What is he saying?” Kate jerks her by the arm. 
   Anna immediately breaks into sobbing. She starts to back off while violently panting through her tears. 
   “Anna! You know you need to speak up about whatever the hell happened. Don’t freak out, just tell us what is it, got me?” Kate sounds a little harsh. 
   “It was... I was, I don’t know! I was so afraid at that time, it all happened so quickly. After this guy pointed at that open window, I knew I was the one pushing it wide open before somehow managing to climb down all the way. This fricking sleep-walking makes it so easy to even kill a people!” she covers her eyes with shaky hands. 
   “Did you tread over her on your way out?” I ask sternly. 
   “No, no... no! it’s not like that. I immediately ran upstairs to check on her. That is when I found her awake... in fact, she seemed more awake than usual. I was so freaked out seeing her muttering something to me, trust me, I was enough drained off after waking up in the middle of the night in front of a stranger’s door. She was... I think she was actually muttering something with eyes flashing to me. I went completely nuts and grabbed the syringe from her nightstand.” She gulps hard. 
   “O my God! my head hurts.” I squeal and grip the side of my throbbing temple. 
   She starts sobbing again, “It was so quick. Everything happened so fast I didn’t quite make any sense out of it. I was so freaked out of Jules’ voice hushing my name when I scavenged the sedative out of the med pile and pushed the syringe to her wrist...without even thinking of closing the window, I-I think it’s the squirrel that jumped through the window into the room this morning” 
   “Her wrist? You kidding me? You don’t inject fucking sedatives into someone’s wrist.” Kate yelps. 
   “... I know... I wasn’t acting sensibly. I was so nervous and afraid and...” 
   “You pushed sedative into my sister who is almost in her coma only because you were fucking nervous? ANNA! YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT MIGHT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER!” that entrapped anger inside me is trying hard to come out. Crossly rubbing my temple, I turn to Kate, “Let’s get her to the hospital now! she started to respond Kate! she tried to talk to this freak!” my finger darts at Anna’s bloodless face. “Julia needs to be checked thoroughly ASAP Katie! I’ll deal with this bitch later.” I start breathlessly towards the house. 
   Kate and Serena’s footsteps grow louder as they both start to the house as well. 
   “I do not suppose you are needed or, your presence is appropriate to them at this time. So, you better wait here for a while Miss Anna.” Miller’s voice floats from behind. In reply, I only hear some more sobbing which is infuriating me now. So, slapping the hands on my ears I keep striding down the way. Too many thoughts and possibilities begin to cloud my head. I only want Julia to be okay. I only pray she’ll wake up this time. 
   “Was she forcefully injected the med?” the doctor quirks up his brow at me. 
   “Kind of... I mean there’s some crazy woman... she did it to her.” Chewing on my lower lip I stop the curse words that are wrestling hard with my tongue to blurt out. “Is she going to be ok, doc?” 
   “Well, first of all, in her condition, she is not required any sedative as long as it’s emergency. Secondly, for this type of patients, the numbness of senses can be healed over time. For some, all of the senses start working at once, for others it works in fragments. She started to talk, you said?” he eyes me over his specs. 
   “Yes Sir, she was whispering mostly.” I nervously fist my fingers on my lips. 
   “Alright! It seems to be a little bad for her right now. the extra dose of sedative and injecting through a delicate part do not look so positive...” 
   “Are you saying she’s in danger?” my heart jumps up to my throat. 
   “I am not saying she is in danger but we will keep her in observation for the next 12 hours and see what happens next. But, Miss?” he looks up at me. 
   “Evelyn, I’m her little sister.” 
   “Evelyn, I will suggest you and the others not to stay here and do not worry much. She will be okay.” He nods. 
   “No, I will stay, please...” 
   “Eve, no! you go home. You are already looking quite worn out by now. God knows when you fall sick too. Do not take the pressure on your shoulders, just go home. I’m staying with her.” Kate’s voice calm and stern. 
   “But I...” 
   “What did I just tell you?” her scoff sounds identical to that of mom. 
   “Cool, okay! Please, don’t forget to let me know about her progress.” I glance at Julia through the glass of observation room. 
   “I will, no worries.” She pulls me into a hug. 
     
   During the entire drive back home, I feel extremely anxious and an unknown fear keeps haunting me down. Should I get Anna out of the house or will it be too rude! I don’t know, something in my subconscious mind tells me not to be so rude while all of my conscious mind is pushing me to let her out. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Ten 
     
   I haven’t had dinner mostly to avoid facing Anna after that crazy episode of my ride on the temperamental roller-coaster. Without even changing into my PJs, I plop on the bed with a buzzing head and extreme embarrassment. Heaving a sigh out, I replay the series of crazy incidents that took place since morning and wince at my total nonsensical burst of anger at Mr. Miller. 
   Holy fricking crap! What was I even thinking! What is wrong with me? I am becoming such a stupid little ...!  I bury my head in the heap of pillows. I must hide myself from the guy from now on. I made a complete idiot of myself all on my own . All of these be Anna’s fault. She’s the one who kept the truth away from me, such a selfish. I should’ve kicked her out of my house. I cannot believe I considered her my best friend all the way. Argh! I need sleep right now... I just need an escape from all this drama… all this shame! 
   “Mija, you sleeping?” Serena’s voice comes from the other side of the door. 
   “Serena? No, I’m still awake, come in.” 
   She clicks open the door, “Aren’t you gonna have dinner?” 
   “No, Serena! Told you not feeling like eating.” 
   “Did you take medicines?” she utters slowly, “Kate called me and told to make you eat the dinner even if you don’t want to.” 
   “Come on!” I plop my head down on a pillow. “Kay, fine! I’ll have to take the meds I guess.” 
   “Cool! Here is your food. Call me if you need anything else.” She puts down the tray on my side table. 
   “Thanks Serena, you’re the best.” I smile. 
   “You’re the sweetest, Mija!” she squeezes my hand. “Oh, I forgot to tell you something.” 
   “What? Did Anna make another mess?” 
   “No, no... it’s not about her. It’s... here, the nurse gave me this bracelet after going to the hospital when Jules had this accident. I kinda forgot to give it to you.” She brings the black and gold bracelet out of her pocket. 
   “O wow! Isn’t it that bracelet we found in the basement when I was in the middle school?” I caress the beautiful, shiny gold design with my thumb. 
   “I think so, yeah!” she smiles a bit, “Well. I’m going then, don’t forget to call me if...” 
   “If I want anything? I won’t Ma’am.” I grin. 
   “Cool, you better not forget!” beaming, she leaves the room. 
   I still wonder whose bracelet was it before leaving this at the basement! Was it accidentally dropped there or someone intentionally left it? Wait! Wasn’t I wearing this bracelet when we had the accident?  Suddenly, a shiver brushes down my arms. I have goosebumps even after being in layers.  Is it something like a cursed bracelet or what! But I don’t believe in such things… it just doesn’t make any fricking sense. Well, let’s experiment with this thing! I can wear it from now on and see what happens next.  I almost laugh at my own thoughts as it seems so childish to believe a bracelet can cause any danger. 
   
   Well, no harm can be caused in giving it a go though I’m pretty darn sure it doesn’t have any connection with the problems that are happening in my life. Or does it? 
   
   The thought unnoticeably sends another chill down my spine. I shift my attention towards the plate of food. Yum! It’s mac n cheese. Thank God, Serena insisted me in having the dinner or else I would’ve missed this delish. A grin pulls to my lips and I unconsciously slip the bracelet down around my left wrist. 
   I could’ve unlocked the door to some weird dream of mine unless suddenly my phone started ringing. With sleepy-sloppy hand I grab the phone from the nightstand before switching on the lamp. 
   “Hello? Kate, what’s up? Is Jules ok?” 
   “Julia is alright, she’s awake!” Kate’s voice filled with joy. 
   “Really? How’s she doing?” I leap up to sit. 
   “She is better than we could ask for. She is uttering words... I mean not entirely clear and crisp but she’s smiling, and trying to talk as much as she can. She even said your name.” 
   “You kidding! This is amazing! Can I get to talk to her?” my voice finds its excitement-mode pitch. 
   “Sure! Hold on a sec.”  Jules, it’s Evelyn. Say hello to her.  Kate’s voice sounds muffled. 
   “Eve!” Jules’ trailed off voice instantly brings tears to my eyes. 
   “Jules? You awake Jules! You’re now calling my name. I’m feeling like I’m hearing your voice after eons! I love you Julia.” My throat almost shuts off with the hint of brimming tears. 
   “Likewise, Eve! Kay... now sleep” the broken words hold that old... loving, sisterly affection that shakes me to the core. 
   “Alright, Jules. You too sleep sound. I will be right there first thing in the morning.” 
   “She’s very happy, Eve! I can’t stop smiling like an idiot but my heart is literally fluttering right now. See? I told you someday everything would be just fine.” Kate’s shaky voice gives off the presence of tears in her eyes. 
   “I know, Katie. I love you so much. Thanks for coming... for tolerating my bad temper and for taking care of Jules.” 
   “Alright! Emotional hours are off. Now, go get some sleep missy.” She chuckles. 
   “Yeah, you too. Good night.” 
   “Good night sweetie.” 
   
   Kate is right! Whatever the heck I thought would darken my life... however pessimistically I dealt with my worries... the bottom line is WE WILL GO THROUGH IT ALL. JULES IS TRYING TO TALK... SHE’LL START RESPONDING WITH ALL HER SENSES VERY SOON. God will not let us down. I believe so... I KNOW so! 
   
   After too many emotional episodes, we finally arrive home with Jules. She does not need the wheelchair now as she almost got ahold of her lower body movements. I feel like leaping like a little child holding her tightly by one arm while she limps across the way home. 
   “God! Jules, you can almost walk now... you’re talking... I am so happy.” 
   “I know! Me... I’m happy too!” her voice trails off. 
   “Eve! Can you grab the meds from the car?” Kate looks over her shoulder after settling Julia down on a couch. 
   “Sure thing!” Smiling at them, I duck out of the living room. I catch Anna going towards Julia with the corner of my eyes which immediately maddens me. Struggling to halt, I choose to stride away from her quickly. 
   I take out the meds and about to close the car door when the voice comes in. 
   “Hey, Evelyn! How’s your sister doing?” 
   NO...NO, NO! not you. I’m never facing you; I took an oath to myself. Please, God, do something to distract the guy. I am no more in the state of talking to him after what the fricking hell did I do just yesterday. God! not even a single day has passed since!  My face flushes crimson when I realize he is still standing right behind me. Gathering all the courage and energy, I turn to him. 
   “Hi! Great, she’s doing much better than before. She seems to have impaired a little physically because of the unnecessary dose of sedative but thankfully, it hasn’t caused any major damage. So, yeah! She’s trying to walk, she’s almost talking. thank you for asking.” Racing the words out, I turn around and close the car door. 
   “That’s such a wonderful news. I’m so happy to hear that.” A little grin mixes with his usual calm voice to make it even more irresistible. 
   “Yeah, me too! I’m happy too. See you around maybe! Bye.” I get seriously surprised at my swift and smooth deliverance of speech to Mister Knee-weakening voice. 
   “You okay, Miss Lawrence?” 
   “Me? Couldn’t be okay-er… I mean more okay.” I blurt out without turning to him. 
   “Cool! See you soon.” he lets out a little laugh before pacing away. 
   
   Shoot! Shoot! Is he growing more attractive or am I being a crazy moron! I’m not supposed to interact with him, not anymore after my oh-so-dramatic and So-embarrassing actions. 
   
   I sneak a peer at him over my shoulder before going home. 
   “Hey, Jules! You’re gonna have to listen to a lot of my jabbering, okay?” I scoot over to put the bag of meds on the table. 
   “Yeah!” she smiles. 
   My smile fades out after seeing Anna sitting right beside Julia. 
   “What are you doing here? I’m not seeing any sedative around.” I cannot stop my thoughts from speaking out loud.  Shit! 
   “What! Evelyn. You’re going extra miles here, I must say. She is totally okay now and that was an accident. It could be you and your stupid alien hand syndrome. Stop making me guilty whenever you get the chance to. I did not choose to do whatever happened that night.” Anna storms off. 
   I forcefully stop the urge to snap back and as a matter of fact, I do have a lot of logicalities to back my argument up. Well, Julia hasn’t come home to face these shits, so, I got to stop, at least in front of her. 
   “Eve, it’s... y’ know, accident.” Julia tries to minimize the intensity of brewing anger beneath my steeled face. 
   “I get it, Jules! I’m sorry to be so short-tempered always. Anyway, what are you up to? What are you looking at?” I scoot over to find Will’s photo holding stiffly in her hand. 
   “What... where is he?” 
   “I-I don’t know. He called before...” She lets out an unconscious whisper. 
   “What! When? Before when Jules? Did you pick it up?” 
   “Yes... he asked me to go... to go there but... I couldn’t,” she heaves a deep breath out. “then it happened... I’m tired.” Sweats begin to roll down her temples. 
   “Calm... calm down, Jules. It’s ok, you do not have to tell anything right now! okay? Just relax now. We’ll figure out about Will later. Do not sweat over anything, just do focus on your health. Smile, laugh... do whatever that makes you happy.” I look into her eyes. 
   “Love you, Eve! I’m happy...” she smiles wryly. 
   “I’m literally on cloud 9000, look at you! You’re almost totally healed now.” I hug her. 
   “The sisters seem to forget about their very special aunt, I see!” Kate cocks her head to a side and smile brightly. 
   “Look, who is here! That beautiful girlfriend of Mister handsome.” I give a smirk. 
   “Ow shut it, missy!” Kate gives me a little shove. 
   “I want to hear.” Julia smiles. 
   “You will… but first eat the meal and meds, get some sleep. Then you’ll hear EVERYTHING.” Kate puts an arm around Jules’ shoulders. 
   “You don’t have any idea how much relieved I’m feeling to see you talking and laughing, Jules.” Serena brushes off the droplet of tear after putting the tray on the table. 
   “I know... you guys...” Julia’s words trail off. 
   “Cool! Now I’m gonna feed you the meal first...” 
   “No, crazy! She has to try on her own, we’ll be here to help.” Kate cuts me off. 
   “Sure, but seriously! I think only this time I should intervene.” 
   “No, you shouldn’t, she can eat on her own now.” Kate grins. 
   The rest of the afternoon is spent so smoothly that I haven’t even thought about another soul upstairs. After settling Jules up for sleep, I unknowingly climb up the stairs and stop before the door to the guest room. 
   
   Should I just shove away the fight and fix everything or, should I keep lingering on the bad blood! I don’t know. This is not the first or only time I have fight with Anna. We have had the highest numbers of fights over our friendship among all possible friendships in the history of the world. but nothing felt this awkward and somewhat mysterious like this one.  
   
   I chew on the inside of my lip, back off five to six times right after advancing to knock the door. Something is not feeling quite right this time. Anna is not hiding anything from me, is she? Well, I think a walk in the open air will steady my mind at this moment. Stepping outside, my eyes wander towards the house next door and immediately I feel like shrinking down to a tiny dot and vanish into the air. I want this walk but I absolutely never want Miller to see me. So, I go around the house to walk in the backyard, from where, Miller’s house is not in any way to be seen. The soft grasses feel great against my barefoot. I always take off the sandal to walk more closely to the nature whenever I come to the backyard. It has become more like a ritual since... since when I was a little kid. Inhaling sharply, I look at the screen of my phone that suddenly vibrates. 
   
   Holy moly! This thing is literally bursting with gazillions of texts! I have been out of the network for over two weeks. And, this is what happens when you turn off the airplane mode after this long. Argh! 
   
   
   
   
   Chapter Eleven 
     
   Before shoving the phone in my pocket, my eyes fixate on one text, probably from Sara. This is not the name of the sender that draws my attention but the text... the words it contains. Sitting down on a bench I quickly tap on the text. 
   
   “Hey, Eve! Is Anna at your place? I just heard from a neighbor that someone killed her cat the day before she left the house. She must be devastated, isn’t she? I’m wondering if everything is quite okay out there with you guys. How’s Jules now? I tried to call you several times, texted you some more, but guess you’re back to the no-phone and no-Wi-Fi mode again. Take care Sweetie.” 
   
   
   “Oi... I’m going out of the country with Dad for some office work. I really wanted to drop by at your place but dad suddenly popped up with this sudden trip. I’m sorry Eve, I will visit you as soon as I’m home. Text me back whenever you’re out of the solitude mode. Oh! One more thing I was thinking about lately... did you know Anna’s having a cat? I can’t remember her mentioning it to me! Anyway, see you soon! XO 
   
   The first text is from the last week and the second one is from two days earlier. 
   Her cat died... someone killed... she suddenly showed up here... she is sleep-walking again... she told Zac how she’s allergic to cats and... she doesn’t seem to be devastated. At all! I have doubted her not for nothing! Maybe, now I need to face her... some real talk is on its way Annabelle Gaston! Do not think of getting away with whatever the shit you’re messed your brain up with. 
   Although I am seething at this point but do not think that rushing to pick another fight with her would be actually worth it. I try to come up with a proper plan to catch her red-handed. Well, first I need to figure out what is happening underneath her half freaked out, half nervous face. She did tell me about the sleep-walking before the day she came here being a bit weirder than usual. It is not just weird to kill a bloody cat during an episode. This is downright murderous. I nervously scratch the back of my neck. My mind shifts back and forth from Anna to Julia’s words... he called! I mean, where can William be possibly at this moment? Why did he call? When did it happen? We do not have any idea about it. God! things are turning out to be much more messed up than I could ever think of. 
   “O hey!” 
   “Seriously! Did you shift your place or what!” I stare blankly at happier than usual Miller standing with his laptop-bag swinging on his shoulder. 
   “Um... No! why do you think so?” sarcasm is profound in his voice. 
   “Well! You’re on your way from office, I get it.” I nervously fidget my phone. 
   “Anyway! What is it that makes you avoid my shadow to save your life?” 
   “Really! After what I did that day, do I have any reason or decency to face you again?” 
   
   Wow! I’m pretty fluent with him. Did that crazy incident amped up my confidence? 
   
   “I honestly do not find the incident at all offensive or embarrassing. Rather it seemed sort of fun.” He stumbles looking at my you-kidding-me eyes, “No! not fun... I mean, it’s alright. Happens among neighbors, no biggie!” he shrugs. 
   “O wow! You’re being pretty casual lately! Where is your always-use-formal-words ethic?” I give a little wince. 
   “Guess the formal mode fades away with people I get to know better.” 
   “Hm! I see.”  Darn the voice! Still places a tight knot in my stomach! 
   “So? We okay here? Just forget about that stupid incident. Could’ve been worse.” He smiles. 
   “Stupid incident?” I grunt. 
   “That’s what you said, not me! I just reiterated!” 
   “You enjoy pulling my leg, don’t you mister?” I cock my brow. 
   “Hell yeah!” he winks which automatically makes me smile. 
   Without giving it a second thought, I blurt out, “Hey, can we have a talk? I mean, when you’ll be free maybe. I really need to discuss something with someone, who is not from my family.” 
   “Well? Um- I’m free right now...” he looks surprised at my so not usual request. 
   
   Am I being a maniac or what! I really wanna talk about everything that is going wrong with me now. but... is Miller the best choice here? Shoot! I could’ve talked with Zac instead. Kate told that He’s gonna visit soon... do I tell him it’s nothing or should I maybe share bits and pieces so that I can have two different solutions! Argh, why is it always so hard for me to make a decision... 
   
   “You done with your thought-battle?” his voice snaps me back to reality. 
   My face instantly blushes crimson. “I mean... I wasn’t in any thought-battle! I was just thinking... anyway, see you at 8? In here, the backyard?” 
   “8 will do for me. Sure, see you then!” he leaves giving a little wave of hand. 
   
   Guess it’s not at all wise to pierce Anna with questions that are terribly bothering me as I already blurted about having a discussion with Ted already, I’ll just wait till 8. Then everything can be decided. No biggie! 
   
   I keep sitting on the bench peacefully as the nature seems to cooperate with my steady mind at this point. No sound except for the chirping of some kind of birds with interval can be heard. Suddenly, I feel my wrist being really skinny... like much skinnier than I’ve ever been. I haven’t thought about my health or the need to run a thorough check-up since my returning home from hospital, it’s been a fricking marathon of despair and devastations. Wow! Who could think I’d be this strong not to cry every now and then whenever the thought of mom and dad crosses my mind? I think as Coelho said, some storms come to clear some paths of our lives. Exhaling a long breath, I shift to the other side of the bench. 
   
   Does Ted like me? He seems to be very relaxed and kinda happy whenever he sees me. I mean... even after what nonsense I’ve done that other day he doesn’t look at me any differently than before. If he does like me, will it lead to any potential relationship between us? Cos, I think I do have feelings for this mysterious guy. I’ve literally kept gawking at him when I got to know him first. It must be some charm of his that made me feel totally different, weakening my knees with that ever-calm voice, letting my heart pump gazillion litters more blood than usual with that ice like eyes, making me do all stupid stuff of the world every time sending me off-guard with that flashy, warm smile, letting me blurt out all possible so-out-of-place words just with his presence. O boy! Ain’t I drooling over the guy! I really like him. Guess, if he reciprocates, we can have a beautiful relationship. Who knows!  
   
   “Hey! What are you doing up here?” 
   “Kate? Just enjoying the calmness of nature. Gosh! I could’ve been a really great naturalist if I wanted to.” I grin. 
   “I can see that!” she sits by me letting out a giggle. She remains silent for several minutes absorbing the quietness maybe. 
    “Eve! I want to ask you something.” 
   “What! Yeah, sure... what is it?” I ask in an easy voice. 
   “Do you... I mean, do you like our neighbor guy?” 
   “You mean, Miller? Why do you ask out of the blue?” 
   “No, it’s just... y’ know, I see things.” She chuckles softly to hide the hint of nosiness in her own words. 
   “See things means?” I grin. 
   “Well, you instantly flush crimson whenever you see him. Even the other day, when you were hell enraged and tried to kill him, you immediately stopped when he took control of the situation. I mean, I’m not being nosy but if you really like him, I think it’s not that bad.” She gives a full smile. 
   “Is it so? I honestly don’t have any clear idea. One moment I feel like sitting on the rooftop under one gorgeous starry night sky holding his hand, and just let the moment of ecstasy sip into my soul. The next moment I am so taken aback by his mysterious nature doubting some terrifying secrets hidden underneath those gravitating eyes. Well, tell me now, am I really into him?” I laugh a little. 
   “Look at you, all grown-up with confusing and scattered thoughts! You know when thoughts become this messed up?” 
   “Nope! But can you tell me?” 
   “When you know you like someone, you actually do like that someone but you’re in denial of accepting the fact.” Her eyes shine. 
   “You serious?” I really am trying to deny it. 
   “O yeah! Totally. You know what you need to do now? Talk to him, spend some times together. Figure out your feelings for him and yeah, also try to know how does he feel about you. Don’t hold back this time. Alright?” she taps on my shoulder. 
   “I don’t know! Never been so swift in dealing with guys. What if I mess it up? What if he has a girlfriend or, a fiancé, or, a wife in a different state? Or worse, what if he’s a gay?” 
   “Are you done with your awfully illogical what ifs?” she rolls her eyes. 
   “Seriously, Kate. I am hell afraid of these stuffs. Literally, very thought of going a step ahead freaks me out.” 
   “And this is why you should go for it. Win your fear, missy! Let’s face the fact, what can possibly go wrong? He’ll politely reject you, cos he seemed to be very gentlemanly around you. My observations never go wrong. So, consequently, you’ll know he’s not the one for you as he failed to see that beautiful Evelyn in you. You’ll feel low for couple of weeks, then you’ll find someone else, and you’ll not feel this fear that second time. See? It’s nothing, you won’t die of his rejection, weirdo. But I’m telling you, if you do not take a step forward, you’ll end up thinking “what if I tried” for the rest of your life. am I clear to you?” 
   “I-I think so... no, no, I get it.” I say looking at her gonna-kill-you face. 
   “Atta girl. now, let’s go inside and have something to eat. God! I’m starving.” She sneers. 
   “Yeah, let’s go then.” 
   “One more thing, Eve...” she halts midway to the house. 
   “Sure, spit it out.” 
   “Are you guys still on bad terms?” 
   “Who? Me and Anna?” I try to keep my tone calm. 
   “Yeah, I think you guys should sort it out. Y’ know, we all know it was nothing more than an accident. I know you are matured enough not to hold the bad blood only for this simple reason. Don’t forget, you’ve been friends for a really long time. Do not let this heat of a moment spoil this beautiful friendship.” She purses her lips. 
   “I get it, Kate. I think I’ll go now and sort things out with her. No worries, I’m not gonna sue her over one single incident.” I try to sound sarcastic. 
   “Cool, you’re the best.” She puts an arm around my shoulders while pacing towards the house. 
   “Anna, I have things to talk about.” I stop her from ducking out of the living room as soon I get there. 
   “Things? What things? You still have more insults to throw my way? I better get off before you begin then.” She turns around to head towards upstairs. 
   “Quit talking trash. I’m here to sort shits out. I think I’ve overreacted and you’ve hid things from me earlier. So, let’s just call it an even maybe.” I scratch the back of my neck. 
   “Why? Now you’re admitting it was an accident after all? Who made this fricking stubborn understand this! I wonder.” She eyes Kate. 
   “Come on, guys! It’s been enough already, can’t you two, stop wandering back at igniting old flame?” Kate waves her hands. 
   “I can, but can I have a little heads-up about something first?” suddenly my mind starts working in different direction. 
   “What is it again?” Kate huffs. 
   “It’s fine, Kate. Let her ask.” Anna puts the hands on her hips. 
   “So, you’ve had a cat, who, coincidently died just a day before you came here. I do not understand, why didn’t you mention about it to me? You even told Zac the other day that you’re allergic to cats. How’s that possible then if you really owned a cat just a few weeks earlier. Are you not hiding something here? I’m saying it now in front of Kate, cos I don’t really want to start another bout of bad blood with you by making it more heated later.” 
   Anna chews on her lower lip and keeps remaining like this for couple of minutes. She seems trying to carefully re-arrange the words she’s about to spit out. 
   “This is Ma, I mean the cat was for her. She couldn’t buy one all this year cos I’ve been terribly allergic to these little monsters.” She flinches, “Anyway, this time she actually wanted to buy this particular tortoise-shell one. So, I told her to go for it, and it wouldn’t matter much as I’d grown up a lot, that discomfort and runny-nose would probably not be there as severely as before. But I literally could not stand the presence of this beast at all. The two weeks it was in the house, my nose was constantly runny and my head was always spinning. Even, that sleep-walking thing also began out of the thin air. But trust me, I didn’t kill it, I mean the cat. Why would I kill an innocent cat only because I hate it? No, seriously, I cannot kill a fricking life just like this. And you know very well the sleep-walking episodes only include self-harming shits, not harming someone or something else.” Her eyes fill with tears. 
   I walk towards her and pull her into a hug, “I understand Anna, but I think your mom is doubting you in this, which is why you fled away from her inquisition and came here, isn’t it?” 
   “Yes, yes, I’m so sorry I lied earlier. I was just too afraid to say any of these to you then. Don’t get me wrong.” 
   “Nah! You’re forgiven this time, missy. But next time, no hiding, cool? See how everything got so messed up only because of these hide and seeks?” 
   “I know, Eve! I’m terribly sorry. I really won’t, I promise.” 
   “That’s wonderful! Thank you, ladies for clearing up the mess.” Kate winks. 
   It’s almost 6:30, I look down at my phone. My stomach churns with the thought of meeting Ted at 8. 
     
   
   
   
   Chapter Twelve 
     
   I am hesitantly walking towards the backyard as Kate’s words keep echoing in my ears. The more I’m trying to shove aside the “what ifs”, the heavier the load seems to get. I can feel my feet getting tangled in some invisible shackle. Now my mind is wandering about the latest doubt,  WHAT IF HE DOESN’T SHOW UP NOW? MAYBE HE WILL MAKE ME UNDERSTAND OF HIS REPELLENCE TOWARDS ME BY NOT COMING THIS TIME.  Almost getting to the backyard, I decide to turn back and run to the house. 
   “Hey, Evelyn? Can I come in now? guess it’s 8 already.” 
   Ted’s voice freezes me right at where I am. Instead of the mixture of anxiety and panic brewing from the doubts, ting of unknown fear takes over my mind. 
   “Um... Evelyn? Is everything ok?” his voice gives off a touch of incertitude. 
   Clearing my throat, I turn around to face him standing right behind the wooden fence. I don’t have any idea how one can look this handsome in plain black shirt and grey trousers. 
   “Hey! You’re here, already, cool!” 
   “Yes, guess I’m a bit early then? I actually can’t be late, I mean, I have that being present before everyone else issue. Can’t help it.” He smiles scratching the back of his head. 
   “Yeah, course you do, the way you always remain so organized gives off this vibe about you.” 
   “O yeah? Glad you cared to notice.” A ghost of a smile appears on the corner of his lips. 
   “Why don’t you just come in already?” I sit on the wider bench in the middle. 
   “So? What’s so important that YOU wanted to talk about?” he relaxes back beside me. 
   “I-I don’t know...” 
   “You don’t know? How come you invited me then?” 
   “No, I know why I asked you over, but I don’t know should I say it or not.” I’m silently wishing I wasn’t stupid enough to make the request earlier.  God knows what came over me! 
   “Hmm, seems you need some time to decide on that. Cool! I’m waiting, no worries.” 
   I can’t just tell him how his voice is scattering my thoughts further. Yet I try to pull myself together to start from somewhere. 
   “Kay, can I ask you something first?” 
   “Sure, go ahead.” He shifts his eyes directly on my face. 
   
   O boy! He should know glancing at me like this will not make things any easier for me. Shit! 
   
   “Well, I really want to share something I’m not feeling so confident nor comfortable about. Thought it’d be better if someone outside my family can bother a little to listen to the jabbering, y’ know. Um... but I actually am not so sure whether to blurt out stuffs from my personal life this easily with someone I barely know.” 
   Resting the chin on his hands, he keeps listening with unbelievable steadiness. 
   “So, I really want to know things... preferably more personal things about you first, course only if you want to share. Um... if it’s not okay with you, I don’t suppose you should tell anything to me then, and then I...” 
   “No sweat, Miss Evelyn Lawrence. You can ask me whatever you wanna know. I don’t think I’ll feel threatened to share any personal information with you. Or, should I?” he cocks his head to a side. 
   “No, no, course not. I’m never gonna tell anybody about your stuffs.” I rub the side of my face. 
   “Is it a gift? Looks pretty.” He eyes at the bracelet on my left wrist. The possibility of its being cursed or under some bleak magic spell threatens its way back to my mind. 
   “Nah, more like a hand-me-down thing.” I tweak the corner of the bright gold thread that’s been loosed a little from the bracelet. 
   “Cool, so, you already know my name, all of them I suppose.” He smiles a little. “Anyway, I’m from Ohio. Now, working in White Swan Inc. not unknown to you either, I believe.” He smirks obviously thinking about the embarrassing situation on the elevator the other day. “And now I’m living next door, over there. Um... can’t find anything to add to it.” He shrugs. 
   “Your family?” 
   “You can see, I’m living alone, not a family guy.” He answers in an easy voice. 
   “But...” I halt midway while trying to remind him of his own words that once he told me about the death of his family members. Maybe it’d be too inappropriate to drag down something like that here in this conversation cos he’s clearly not willing to share any of the... tragedy! 
   “But?” 
   “You married?”  am I teaching how to blurt out 101 or what! 
   “Nope! Why do you ask?” he curls his lips into a ghost of a smile. 
   “Nothing. So, you’ve been working out?” the words traitorously leave my mouth without giving me the chance to think twice when my eyes catch the tightness of his shirt sleeves as he crosses his arms across his chest. I clearly remember the first time I saw him; he was not that ripped! Damn it, why did I have to ask! 
   “What?” a hint of a smile in his voice. 
   “A lot... I mean you’ve been working a lot, haven’t you? Your eyes... they look um tired.” 
   
   You’re such a blockheaded cluless virgin! 
   
   “Well, not really. I think I have that ingrained exhaustion about my eyes.” 
   
   You kidding? Your penetrating Icy cold stares can slap a fricking dead body to life in no time! 
   
   I swallow followed by an indistinct murmur, “Don’t think so!” 
   “Why not?” 
   “What? How do you manage to listen to murmurs? Aren’t you supposed to not hear these? Y’ know, people murmur when they talk to themselves, not to others.” 
   “Cool!” he laughed out loudly leaving me stunned once more.  Stop it, you gorgeous monster! 
   “Apologies, ma’am! Can’t help overhearing stuffs. You know, a bit overdeveloped ear!” he humoredly motions to his ears and grins. 
   “That’s actually called nosy, not overdeveloped” I mutter under my breath. 
   “Was I supposed to hear that? Or, it was another MURMUR?” he air-quotes. 
   I smile at his sarcasm, “Whatever, Mister! I can’t help you with that.” 
   “That bad, huh? But good thing, you got to know another personal stuff about me. Having overdeveloped slash nosy ears.” he chuckles. “So? What is the thing you wanted to talk about?” 
   I chew on the inside of my lips. I shift to sit straight while gathering all possible vocabs from my dictionary, omitting the ones that have already been red-signaled with the presence of Miller. I have that thing with talking chronologically or, even clearly enough for other people to understand my words. I would fail big time if I was ever invited to a Ted Talk. Dang it! It’s a little more distracting than Ted Talk as Mr. alluring is constantly giving off that aura which is more than enough to zip my mouth until the next Christmas. I gulp hard to find my voice, the regular one, not the squeaky one that automatically comes to me whenever this Greek God is before my existence. 
   “Evelyn?” 
   “Yeah? I’m actually preparing... I mean, I’m kind of arranging the words... it’ll take a little while.” 
   You just officially proved yourself to be the biggest loser in the history of the entire frigging universe, you crazy!  My subconscious is frowning at me like never before. 
   I nervously scratch my temples. 
   “It’s okay, take your time” he relaxes back, “but you can just blurt out words randomly, y’ know? I won’t mind knitting them orderly in my head later.” 
   “I guess you’re right.” 
   He shifts back to his previous position, leaning a little towards me with tinge of curiosity in those gravitating grey eye-balls. I gasp a little as his cologne smells much sharper than before because of the proximity. I reflexively back off a bit trying to make it look like a natural gesture. 
   “You already know about my accident and Jules... and that so not pleasant incident the- other day. So, I don’t wanna bother explaining those bit by bit now.” I inhale sharply. 
   “You’re doing good. Go ahead.” 
   “I’m not a kid!” I scoff. 
   In reply, he gives another oh-so-sweet-and-grim smile to hold me speechless for another minute. I think this is happening more frequently today. Never have I ever felt this paralyzed or affected by his grace before! 
   
   You’re falling for him, dumbo! Gather up yourself. And again, you’ve never come to this close to him nor talked with him sitting side by side, have ya?  
   
   I bite on my lower lip, “So, I was saying... there is something wrong about the atmosphere of the house. I don’t know exactly what it is that seems so off... but it’s definitely there. I am having hard times in believing people that are supposed to be my own, in fact, they are my own people.” I impatiently tug the strand of my hair that’s been dangling on my face, behind my ear. His cold yet non-hostile eyes keep steady on my face. 
   “I have the feeling that something, I mean some danger is waiting ahead for us. Call me stupid but my gut isn’t quite liking the restless vibe. My instinct always nudges me before any bad thing, only the time of Jules’ accident, I didn’t feel any danger beforehand.” I stop to catch my breath. The thoughts in my head are messing up big time. I have been feeling a twitch of danger, that’s true. But wording it out is making me more and more alarmed. 
   “Are you doubting someone, or something for that upcoming danger?” he asks me with his ever-calming voice. 
   “I think... I think it’s Anna, I’m not believing her! More appropriately, I cannot believe her anymore. It’s just, it’s not what happened back with Jules and sedative! But there’s got to be more to it. My instinct is warning me repeatedly this time not to trust Anna. I know I’m sounding like a bitch for doubting my best friend, but...” 
   A gentle yet firm hand grips my left arm, “Evelyn, you’re not sounding like anything. Feel free to spit it out. What is the reason behind your doubting your friend to begin with? There must be one.” A perfect mixture of firmness and assurance in his voice. For a moment, I feel like I made the best decision to share the stuffs with this guy. Something in his voice gives off that warm trustfulness about him. 
   Gulping the lump in my throat, I tell him the entire incident of Anna’s sudden allergy about cats and that sinister possibility of her killing that tortoise shell cat of her mom before getting here out of nowhere. 
   “Did she somehow mention about coming here the night before, when you guys talked over phone?” 
   “Not really, I mean no! she didn’t mention a word about that but she did talk about the sleepwalking episode.” I bite the knuckles slightly, mostly out of nerves. 
   “Do you think, by any chance she’s hiding stuffs from us? Guess I should talk with her mom directly, don’t I? Again, I keep feeling like there’ll be some new danger as soon as I leave home. What do I do?” 
   His lips purse in a fine line. Waiting some more, he says, “Hm, I’m not gaslighting you against your best friend, but talking with her mom will set your tensed mind free, you know! I think, you should go talk to her if you think talking over phone will create further problem between you and Anna. Besides, your Aunt, she is here with your sister 24/7, isn’t she? You need to let go of some worries in order to clear out some doubts.” 
   “Guess you’re right! But...” my fingers fidgeting the mobile restlessly, “But Will, Jules’ fiancé, he’s missing for... like for a long time.” I lick my dry lips. 
   “Who? Julia, your sister is engaged, ha? Was he there, I mean her fiancé, was he there with her during the accident?” he scoots a bit closer. 
   I silently grind my teeth at how my cheeks flush scarlet as he comes closer.  This is not the time, idiot! 
   “Yeah, no! well, yeah, she’s engaged, and no, he wasn’t with her then. And I haven’t been able to reach him.” 
   “You what? It’s been what... months? since she’s had this accident, no? you guys didn’t inform police or anything? Wait, you’ve informed police, right?” his eyes flash with shock and something else, I can’t quite read. 
   “I don’t know, Richard! I can’t believe I haven’t seriously thought about it the whole time! I mean, o my God! I totally forgot that part. I mean, the other day, Jules was trying to say something like, Will called her that day... only then I actually started mulling it over. I’ve messed up big time, haven’t I?” my breathing becomes hoarse. 
   “Hey, hey look at me. Shh! It’s ok, Evelyn, just look at me now.” his hands reach out to hold my face with concern, heating up my stupid cheeks unintentionally.  I am such a jerk! 
   “Steady now, ok? Look you’ve been through a hell lot! It’s not so unexpected of you to forget things when you are not in a stable condition yourself. It’s been months, and I don’t think informing Police at this point will do any good, they can actually doubt you or, any other member from your family now. Not that I’m doubting you guys, but that’s how it works dealing with Police, sometimes.” His voice a little grave. 
   “Do you have experience? I mean, I’m sorry to intrude, but do you have any experience in dealing with disappearance, Police and stuffs?” I don’t know why of all things I have to say these? 
   “Um, no, not disappearance!” suddenly his eyes go blank. That Icy stares become a bit obsidian sending a ripple down my spine. 
   “So? What do I do now?” I ask like a little child asking its mother what to wear. 
   He runs his hands across his face, “Guess, we’ll need to check on him. Do you know anyone from his family? His siblings? Parents?” 
   “Well, I tried to reach his parents several times before, but couldn’t. They’re not even here so that I can meet them, they’re actually in France, for the business purpose, I guess. Besides, he is the only child as far as I remember, so no sibling to contact.”  Shit! I’m sounding too stupid right now. how could I ignore all these so not normal things about William this entire time! God, give this guy the patience to deal with a retarded rat like me. 
   “Gosh, Evelyn! You should’ve at least let me know earlier... but guess what! It’s still fine, it’s never too late to find him out. No worries.” He tries to sooth my stupid ass. I am officially a fricking fool, no doubt on that one! 
   “You free now?” he pushes to his feet. 
   “Me? Yeah, why?” 
   “You know the address of William’s apartment, no?” 
   “I guess, I mean sorry, I’m terrible with roads and directions.” My face flushes, this time with embarrassment. 
   He lets out a little chuckle, “Cool! Still, we have hope, no worries. Um... you know his full name at least? Or, are you also not good with names?” he teases. 
   “God! no, I know this one.” I rub my temples nervously, “William Henry Jones.” 
   “Hm, okay, let me figure out the address, then. Give me five.” 
   “You sure you wanna get involved in my problem?” I sound guilty. 
   “O yeah, Ma’am! That’s positive.” His eyes sticking to the mobile screen. 
   “Woah! His accounts are not private! So, we’re gonna head towards hm... hm... hm!” 
   “You figured it out?” 
   “Wait” 
   I wait some more minutes, “Now?” 
   “Yep! No sweat! Let’s go then, shall we?” 
   “That was pretty quick.” I cannot hide that dubious expression from my face. 
   “I know!” he smiles, “Don’t you worry, I’m no stalker. It’s just, you can easily find out someone’s address from Social media accounts. It’s just too easy that any of his account is not private.” He shrugs. 
   My face heats up for being stupid with him... AGAIN! 
   “I think we should head now! it’s almost 10 already! Or, do you wanna go there tomorrow? Any time will be fine by me except for my office hours.” He grins. 
   “10? I don’t know. I think, um... tomorrow will be fine. You know, I don’t know! Damn it.” 
   “Should I take it as yes or no or I don’t know?” hint of a smile is apparent in his voice. 
   I roll my eyes, “I’m not a fool, kay? I’m just an indecisive individual standing in front of an extremely decisive one.” 
   He laughs in reply. Shoving both his hands into his pockets, he looks at me, “Seriously! I don’t think going out with me at this hour will look much decent to your family.” He cocks his head to one side. 
   “Going out? Oh! I get it.” I’m becoming expert in making fool of myself, particularly to this guy. 
   “Fuck it,” I mutter under my breath. I find him lowering his head, clearly to hide his smile. 
   
   Course! It’s not his fault that you’re on top of the list of idiots!  
   
   “See you, at what time then?” I quickly stumble on my own feet in the middle of the attempt to stand on my heel. “Ugh! What’s wrong with me!” frustration oozing out of my voice. 
   “It’s alright, Evelyn! Just relax a bit, take it easy on you, huh?” he smiles putting a hand on my arm. 
   Here goes my stupid heart! Only if it didn’t tug at the stupid face and specially the cheeks too while doing its job!  No doubt my cheeks already turned into tomato as I catch him smirking with the side of my eyes. 
   “Yeah, right! So, what time?” 
   “Will 2:00 work for you? It’s actually weekend but need to deal with a project meeting!” 
   “Course! It’ll be totally okay with me. Thank you so much Mr. Miller, for listening to my babblings without attempting to punch me.” I comb my fingers through my hair. 
   “Why would I punch you?” the hint of a smile is intense in his voice now. “I’m actually feeling honored to be able to help you in this. One more thing, do not worry much! You’re also not physically fit, remember? Take it easy on you!” his sexy tone emphasizes the word easy a little more. 
   
   Oh! my tiny idiot heart! It’s pumping the amount of blood that the whole human race can survive with! You just stay normal, maybe? You have no right to weaken this much after talking with him sitting side by side the whole evening! Come on! 
   
   “Yeah sure, I will take it easy on me.” I smile a little, “you too take care, good night!” 
   “Good night, Evelyn” this time, damn! His voice turns into its softest and sweetest texture. I need to go back home, fast! Before showing any more stupidity to this enticing creature. 
   “Bye!” I cut it short before turning on my heels. 
   He silently waves back at me with a ghost of a smile on his face. Yeah! That... that expression sends chill across my skin! I cannot be 100% positive about his being innocent, seeing this expression. Every time. Every. Single. Time! 
     
   
   
   
   Chapter Thirteen 
   Without gawking at his way, I quickly make my feet pace towards the house. Stepping inside, my heart jumps to my throat at the sight of Anna. She is standing right in front of the door, confusion and doubt smeared across her face. Gulping the lump in my dried-out throat, I try to give a genuine smile steading my eyes at her. 
   “What? I didn’t kill anyone!” I try to joke with so inappropriate words.  Holy shit! Joking about killing! Why! 
   “Nope! I know, you can’t kill anyone. You seem to start dating that alchemist, I see!” she cocks her brows. 
   “Date? You got to be kidding, girl! Just having a conversation doesn’t mean DATING!” I roll my eyes at her. 
   “O well! I really want you to finally have a love life, y’ know. But not quite with this one, I guess?” 
   “Why? I mean, it’s not like I’m thinking about starting a relationship with him, but seriously, why do you say so?” 
   She clicks her tongue mindlessly before turning to me, “Do you not find him, well weird? I mean to say that he seems all successful and good-looking yada...yada... yada! But he doesn’t seem all innocent and not-to-be-doubted to me. You see what I’m saying?” 
   That mysterious expression of his instantly makes its way to my mind.  He does have some secrets, doesn’t he? I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out he’s the one who killed all of his family members... like a mass-murder! But why do I have this unaffected belief somewhere at the corner of my heart that he’s a good guy? Is it because I’m all smitten by him? 
   “Hello!” Anna waves her hand before my eyes. “Where have you dived into, weirdo? Are my words bothering you? Guess you should give it a second thought before making any further move to that guy.” She shrugs. 
   “Don’t even start on that. I’m not interested in creating a love life! This will just remain as non-existent as ever.” I wave her off. “Where’s Jules?” 
   “She’s upstairs, I think already deep in sleep.” 
   “What? Did she even have her dinner? Meds?” 
   “Relax! She had everything already. She actually looked for you while eating but I said you were busy in dating the Alchemist.” She smirks. 
   “You didn’t! argh! You could’ve just called me.” I frustratingly let out a breath. 
   “It’s okay, Kate was there, I was there. Even, Serena was there too. Wait, are you now doubting all of us because that Sherlock Holmes of a brain of yours is signaling you that we can harm her?” 
   “What! Anna, why are you bringing back the old shits? I told it cos you just said she was looking for me and I was NOT dating or whatever with Richard. It was just a friendly neighbor-to-neighbor conversation.” 
   “Yeah, right! Didn’t seem to me like that though.” 
   “Why are you being intentionally mean to me? Did you pry on me while I was outside? I cannot believe it.” My voice filled with disgust. 
   “Pry on you? Girl, I’m not so useless as you to do something like that. I just opened the window for fresh air to let in, then spotted you guys being in too close proximity...” 
   “Shut it! What’s wrong with you? Even if I was in a relationship with Richard, who are you to control my life, huh? Do not even try to boss me around.” 
   “Cool! You’re being a dumb bitch, probably because of those brain shits you’ve been through! There will be no help from me when that dearie Richard will not hesitate to slit your throat open. Oops! Or, maybe just do something more fun and sadistic.” Her words feel like sharp daggers piercing right through me. Hot tears start brimming in my eyes. 
   Blinking away I stroll by her towards the stairs. She definitely is doing all these on purpose, to hide that ugly, obsidian, murderous face from me. I cannot waste my energy dealing with her psychotic blows right now. I have lot more important things ahead to deal with. 
   “Woah! You even started giving up so easily too! Guess you don’t have any logical explanation for drooling at that weirdo’s feet.” 
   I completely ignore her gritting my teeth to stop the curses from getting out of my mouth that are fiercely brewing right under my lips. I silently check on Julia before quickly ducking in my room. All the way, holding on that breath which leaves through my nostrils shakily after plopping down, sliding my back slowly against the door. I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs to let out the disgust and pure rage that Anna’s nonchalantly blurted words ignited. I can feel my skinny hands shaking like crazy, I do not seem to steady them at all. My cheeks are burning furiously, this time not by the Icy yet hot vibe of Richard. My skin is pricking with real anger. I even almost open the door in an instant to be out and kick that she-demon out of my house right now. But something suddenly stalls me making me mull over the important stuffs awaiting to be focused on. Taking a deep, shaky breath I let go of the door letting it slam with a booming sound.  O no! the last thing I want right now is company! Didn’t you just make the stupidest move to grab the attention even from that old alien who’s lamenting on his death-bed somewhere around Andromeda? Suck it up and focus on the REAL IMPORTANT THINGS now. Nobody would side with you at this moment, remember Anna can be dangerous enough to villainize you to your family in no time. So, all you can do now is zip your mouth and wait till 2pm tomorrow. Just shut it.  
   I cannot bring myself to sleep, at all the whole night. All I can hear is the echoing of Anna’s direct and come-fight-with-me words. My eyes hurt because of crying and wiping off the tears furiously, this time the rage is on me. why couldn’t I kick her out already after that Jules incident.  You can be a mumbling, retarded rat sometimes, you should’ve been more stubborn in shutting her out then. Oh! Come on! Now is not the time to think it over. You’ll have to face the God-knows-what happened to Will only some hours later. You’ll also have to talk with Anna’s mom, remember? Only then you’ll be able to sweat your big head over finding the right reason to stand against Anna!  Therefore, voice from two distant poles keep battering me the entire time till the sunlight peeks through the slit of my window-curtains. Looking at the window, Richard’s face makes its cameo appearance before my eyes.  I really like the guy not because he is banging and irresistible but because he does seem to have a very kind and pure heart. Aside from Jules and dad, nobody ever listened to me without frowning at my stupidity before. Why then, everyone around... no, not everyone only that she-demon is trying hard to make me hate him? Obviously, she’s trying her ass off to villainize Richard so that she can be the cooing innocent faced criminal! Anyway, knock it off!  
   I keep lying, more like plopping down on my bed like an inanimate object for some more hours, swimming my head with tons and tons of what ifs and whys. It is around 12, when I hear Anna’s lighthearted laughter coming probably from down the corridor. I decide to finally leave my bed to well, take the meds. I need to get going with my frail body if I want to unravel that notorious mystery brewing under the surface of the entire house. Thinking about taking meds, Richard’s request slash order from the last night comes crawling back to my mind.  Take it easy on you!  His enticing voice echoes in my ears, heating up my stupid cheeks. Yes, you guys are allowed to frown at my nonsensical drooling over session! I am even fed-up with my heart’s wrong signals in totally wrong hours. Another bout of laughter floats in from the corridor. 
   What is so funny! I think it’s Kate, the other voice laughing her heart out with Anna! What’s up with them this early! Just hope the battering and intentionally venomous stare of Anna from last night will at least fade away now that she seems “happy”.  Scoffing at the mental picture of her presence, I head towards the washroom. 
   “Hey guys, what did I miss?” I try to keep my voice calm and interested. 
   “Eve! Come over here. We’re having a random fun session.” Julia’s voice sounds so jovial that it makes me smile. 
   “Woah! How can I miss it?” I quickly take a glance at my watch to find it’s still about an hour to go before 2. I enthusiastically hop on the couch beside Jules. After some passing of lighthearted humors, Anna snaps her fingers. 
   “Can you believe that neighbor guy was wearing a cat PJs when I had my sleepwalking episode that night?” her voice shaking with laughter. 
   I immediately shoot her a look, to check on the expression. She cocks a brow with a fiendish smile. 
   “What? You kidding?” Kate starts laughing. 
   
   O dear Lord! Is she now trying to make a fool out of Richard to bother me? how weirdly childish! 
   
   “O yeah? Maybe he is a cat lover or something.” I take a sip from my coffee mug. 
   “Course, you’re here to defend him. Gosh! Even if he’s a cat lover, he’s a fucking adult for God’s sake! Why would he wear something so stupid like that? He even tried to flirt with me being in that Pjs? Hilarious!” She tries to forcefully make her laughter louder. 
   I smirk at her in reply and decide to stay quiet without messing up with her anymore. 
   “So what? Being adult doesn’t strip you off the right to wear a cat PJs, you guys!” Jules lets out a snicker. 
   “Tell me about it!” I slightly roll my eyes. 
   “Guys! It is hilarious enough, and wait, when that tight-lipped, overtly civilized and formal creature wears it... shit!” Kate’s laughter sounds too stupid to me at this moment. 
   “Come on, Kate! you still don’t know why Evelyn is too worked up at us right now? She LOVES that Cat PJs. Remember I told you once about the alchemist? It’s him.” Anna flips her long thick hair over her shoulder. 
   “What? When did you say that?” Kate seems to be that lost, annoying twin of Anna who is riling me the hell up. She already knows about Richard, doesn’t she? 
   “Come on! The day Zac came, we had a lot of fun. Remember?” 
   “Yeah! Now I do. Ehm! Eve? What’s that all about?” Kate cocks her brow. 
   “Nothing! There’s no love, no BS guys! It’s just, we’re good friends. If anyone is having problem with that, she can step the fuck out of my life.” 
   Kate finally catches the brewing anger in my voice. She quickly steals a glance at Anna before turning to me, “Cool! We’ve been just messing around dear! He’s a really cool guy, to be honest. If you guys were dating... I mean hypothetically, it wouldn’t matter to any of us. This is your life and he’s drop dead gorgeous, needless to mention that.” She grins. 
   “What? But he’s a psycho...” 
   “Enough, Anna! Knock it off.” Kate cuts her short, “Zac will be here like, after two hours or so. I have stuffs to do before that.” 
   “Zac’s coming? Wow! He’ll be here for quite a while, no? I have to go out with that friend right now. I really hope I won’t miss out on the fun conversation with him?” I push to my feet. 
   “You haven’t even had your lunch yet, you sure you wanna go out at this hour? And which friend?” Julia’s motherly concern kicks in. 
   “Never mind, Jules! I can have lunch out for once at least, can’t I? I’m not a kid anymore.” 
   “O wow! That’s quick.” Anna clicks her tongue. 
   “What’s quick?” I try to keep my face straight. 
   “That’s a little too much love going on, I see! Weren’t you just literally all over each other last night? It’s already the time to meet again! I’m impressed.” She smirks. 
   I eye her deadpan, but cannot hide the flame from my eyes. Kate stumbles to see me flying off the handle. 
   “Oh! Anna, can you not be the naughty friend for once? Let her go out with the friend and you don’t even know if it’s Richard Miller or not. I’m sure it’s just another friend of Eve, she worked with last year.” She waves off Anna from saying anything further. “Yeah, sure! Guess he’ll be here till dinner. You’ll be back by then, no worries!” she grins at me. 
   “Yah, some weirdo like her.” Anna murmurs which I decide to ignore completely. 
   “Be careful, Eve. Don’t drink, don’t do anything more stressful and don’t be late.” Julia blurts in a single breath. 
   “Alright, Mom! I’ll keep these in mind.” I hug her, then waving Kate goodbye I head towards the door. 
   “Guess, I’ll be out during dinner tonight. Got a date!” Anna’s cocky voice floats in from behind. I fight my urge to turn and ask who the guy is before quickening my pace.  I don’t have the energy to deal with this version of Anna anymore! God! what actually came over this girl. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Fourteen 
   I look down at my watch after stopping before Richard’s parking lot. It says, 1:35. 
   Darn it! I am too early this time. Why am I always not in my usual self when it comes to this guy! What do I do now? His car is here which means he’s home, taking rest or doing some other stuff! I am not supposed to make my presence known to him now, when he clearly told me to meet him here at 2. Ow No!  I frustratingly run my hands across my face. Scanning around one last time, I decide to take a brief walk instead. Hoping it’ll kill time more quickly than standing here like an idiot. 
   “Hey! Are you going somewhere?” an attractive voice comes from the left, not as alluring as Richard’s though. 
   Staggering a bit, I turn to the side, “Hey! Um... just taking a walk.” There stands a really handsome blonde, well-built, blue eyes shining brightly,  not icy-cold like his.  He must be elder than me by some years, I can’t guess exactly how many. Damn he is good-looking. 
   “You must be new here, cos I can’t remember seeing you around before.” I straighten my shirt, for no reason. Just one of the many stupid-moves my body does whenever it’s confronted by a cute guy. 
   “Mhm, you can say that! It’s been two weeks, a little more probably I moved here. You don’t seem to be out much as I never really saw you since.” His ocean-blue eyes sparkle with a smile. 
   “Well, I’ve never really been a homebody but for some, y’ know unexpected reasons, had to stay home lately.” I stop explaining my life story to him any further.  He doesn’t care why you didn’t come out. He is just continuing the conversation! 
   “Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. Hope whatever the reasons are, will go away soon. Aron Wilson.” He holds out a hand. 
   “Eve, Evelyn Lawrence.” I shake his hand sloppily. Nope, didn’t mean to, just another stupid move. 
   “It feels good to have a cute girl around, especially in the neighborhood full of old couples and hardcore career-driven guys.” A corner of his lips, twitches flirtatiously. Yes, you guessed it right, my cheeks enter its favorite mode in no time giving off the heated scarlet flush. He seems to be amused quite a bit by my reaction as I catch him grinning at my face. He looks breathtaking but cannot make my knees weak, like someone else. 
   “Hello guys!” yes, now this is weakening my idiot knees. 
   “Hi!” Aron shifts his smile from let’s flirt babe to nice to see you neighbor mode. 
   “You already here, Evelyn!” footsteps come closer from behind. 
   I turn around and shrug, “O yeah! It’s already almost 2, anyway.” 
   “You beat me this time.” Richard grins. 
   “You guys are...” Aron sounds confused. 
   “We’re... we’re friends slash good neighbors, y’ know! Hey, Richard, he’s Aron, new to our neighborhood.” I shift nervously. 
   “I know, not quite new, actually! Hey man, what’s up?” Richard and Aron give each other this one arm hug that guys do.  Wow! I am always the weird one out... literally everywhere! 
   “So, you’re going somewhere maybe? See you later then.” Aron shoves his hands in his pockets. 
   “Yeah! We are going somewhere. See you around.” I almost echo his words. 
   Richard opens the car door for me. Giving Aron a smile I hop in the car. Richard says something with Aron before laughing a bit and clambering in the driver’s seat. Aron also is seen laughing on his way back home. 
   “So, you guys know each other already?” I ask. 
   “Yeah! We’ve been friends, like for quite a while.” He starts the car. 
   “Wow! You guys were friends even before he moved in here?” 
   “Yes!” he gives a small grin. 
   
   I better not show too much interest in every corner of his life. let him be!  
   
   “So? What’s the first destination? Anna’s house or William’s?” he asks keeping his eyes steady on the road before him. 
   “I was thinking about Anna’s but we didn’t talk about this last night, did we? As far as I can remember, it was only the plan to go to William’s place.” 
   “We didn’t talk about it but you did mention you needed to meet Anna’s mom, so thought killing two birds with a stone would be a good idea.” This time he looks at me.  Damn those eyes! 
   I give a little nod, “It’s in the lane behind Target, I mean the one next to this locality. I’m afraid if I’m helping much. Argh! I’m too bad with locations.” I grunt. 
   “No, it’s good. I get it what you’re trying to say. It’s the 1302 S. La Brea Avenue if I’m not wrong.” 
   I look at him, “Thanks so much for helping me out. I’m grateful... really.” 
   “Why, you’re most welcome! What are the friends slash good neighbors for if they can’t come to help when it’s needed?” he winks. 
   “God! You always love to make fun of me. I know I’m stupid, and I don’t know why I become tenfold stupid while dealing with you. It doesn’t mean you have to laugh at me all the time.” I furrow my brows. 
   “No! what are you even saying? Why would I make fun of you, Evelyn? I just found that introduction very interesting, not funny at all. Most importantly, you’re not stupid. Well, I’m not just saying it for the sake of saying. I mean it, you’re really cute, not stupid. I apologize for teasing you though, I shouldn’t have done it. It’s just, your reactions are so adorable when I tease you. I am sorry!” 
   Those last words literally stop my heartbeat altogether before setting it on 1000 beats per second.  Holy moly! He needs to be rude and insensible to save me from doing something utterly stupid this time. He thinks I’m cute! Shit, I’m gonna die. 
   “It’s okay, no worries.” I look down at my hands on my lap. 
   “You okay?” the concern in his voice is adding to the already intense environment his aura has created inside the car. 
   “Yeah, I-I am just a little nervous and worried to face the unanswered events that are waiting ahead.” I lick my dried-out lips. 
   “Evelyn, listen, it is normal for you to get a little nervous at the thought of this secretive mess we’re going to unravel. Guess you just need to accept the fact that sometimes life doesn’t treat you all plain and beautiful. Life can be quite nasty at some points, but we need to face it. We are gonna find out William and you’ll be knowing everything about Anna and her distorted cat choking habit, cool? There’s no use of aching your head over all these. Try to relax a bit now.” 
   His words are backed with such a force, not so overpowering but by no means, fragile. Each and everything he just said places their firm yet calming presence in my chest. I can feel the tight knot on the pit of my stomach getting loose, letting me exhale with much more ease and comfort. 
   “You’re right Mr. Know-it-all, I have the unbeatable talent of overthinking, can’t help it.” I pump my eye-brows. 
   “O yeah? Then Mr. Know-it-all would suggest you to get rid of that talent ASAP! No matter how much you seem to like it.” A hint of a grin fills his voice. “Gosh! I forgot to ask. Did you have lunch?” 
   I quickly take a glance at the time, it’s already 2:30. I try to calculate in my head how much time do I get to be done with both Anna’s and Will’s cos there’s no way I can be out after dinner. I can’t make anyone doubt me or, Richard more than Anna already made them to. 
   “Yeah, I did, but did you?” I chewed the inside of my cheeks to stop me coming up with something stupid to bury the lie. I’m such a No Go with lying. 
   “Yeah!” 
   “Some music would help to y’ know calm my hyperactive anxiety now. Can I play from my playlist?” I really need to cover up the loud rumbling my stomach is about to start. 
   “Sure!” the looks are distant in his eyes. 
   “Cool then...” I cut it short before asking him if he is okay cos, he clearly is swimming inside of his head right now. God knows what can possibly go on in there. 
   O good Lord! Why do I always listen to lovey-dovey songs? Isn’t there not a single song which will make me look cool to this Greek God? You really are a hopeless romantic, aren’t you!  I wince at my playlist while scrolling up and down. 
   “Anything wrong?” the regular Icy stares are back in his eyes which kinda gives me a little relief. 
   “Huh? Nope, I was just mulling something over, no biggie!” I give up on the mission to find out one “Cool” song and tap on “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran.  Fuck it! This is who I am, if he thinks it’s too romantic, he can go to hell. 
   “Ah, I love this song.” Richard’s voice zaps me back to the car. 
   “Yeah? Thought you’d be more into, y’ know metal and rock stuffs.” 
   “Why is that?” he chuckles. 
   “I don’t know, it’s just, a wild guess you can say.” 
   “I hardly listen to music to be honest. I’m kinda boring, if you ask.” He gives a half smile. 
   “Why is that?” I mimic his voice making him grin ear to ear. 
   
   BAD... Bad idea Evelyn! He’s looking like a fricking piece of perfection. 
   
   “I once WAS into rock music, to a great extent actually. Your wild guesses are great, I must say.” He gives his regular grin. “We even used to practice back in the first year of college but something just came up. Then I couldn’t continue that anymore.” The last words were let out a little slowly. 
   “Woah! You used to practice? That’s crazy! Were you the vocal or?” I cannot keep the surprise away from my tone. 
   “Yeah! Well, it’s been quite a while now. Guess I already forgot to sing even a lullaby let alone a real rock song.” He snickers. 
   “But what...” 
   “So? Looking someone?” 
   “What? I don’t get it um...” I mumble. 
   “I’m sorry if I sounded too shamelessly direct but I’m not really into “your boyfriend must be so lucky to have you” sort of cliché.” He shrugs. 
   My skin feels like it’s been set on fire. My face must be a ripe strawberry at this point, “Ah No! it’s just I’ve never had any boyfriend.” 
   “Woah! You sure?” 
   “Yeah, why? You have issues with single since birth girls?” 
   “God, no! I mean, your song preference... it says you are quite romantic at heart and...” 
   “And?” 
   “You are beautiful and funny, so, that’s certainly shocking to know nobody dared to make a move towards you.” 
   “Why thank you, I-I’m flattered.” I manage to let out this much before turning towards the window to calm my crazy heart down. It’s literally planning to get out of my chest. 
   “Just telling the truth.” He teases. 
   “So...” 
   “Here we are, is it the lane you were talking about?” he cuts me short. 
   I look around to find the pale cream building standing on the left, “Yes! Here it is, should I go... I mean alone? Or, should you come with me?” I can feel my anxiety rising in light speed. 
   “Hey, hey... Shh! Evelyn, you already know Anna’s mom and we’re not going to sneak into their apartment, right? You’ll just head there and ask her about the day her daughter left for your place. Try to know what exactly happened to that cat. That’s it, it’s nothing scary... at all. You got this.” He leans towards me a bit. 
   I gulp the lump in my throat partly out of the anxiety, and partly because he is too close. 
   “Does it mean you’re going to be here, waiting?” 
   “Yes, it’ll look suspicious if an unknown guy goes in there to ask about her daughter, no matter if you’ll say I’m your friend. Again, Anna seems to be hostile to me, maybe a little but she doesn’t quite like me.” he gives a side smile, “So, it’s better not to involve me directly in her matter. Got it?” 
   “Hm, I think you’re right. Well, I’m going then? Wish me luck.” 
   “You got this.” He softly pats my shoulder before I get out of the car. 
   I am midway to the house when I see Anna’s mother opening her car door. 
   “Mrs. Gaston?” I call over. 
   She looks up at me, her face looks a bit paler than usual. Anna got her dark, thick hair from this Latina beauty. But something is absolutely bothering Mrs. Gaston as her ever cheerful smile is not there. 
   “Oh! Evelyn, right? How are you doing? You look really... tired.” 
   “It’s nothing, Mrs. Gaston, I’m fine. How are you doing? How’s um... Alvin, I mean your son?” 
   “Good! He’s with the babysitter! How are you? How’s your sister doing now?” 
   “Good, yeah, much better than before. So, are you going somewhere?” 
   “Yeah, I am. I need to head to the work.” She looks down at her watch. 
   Shoot! I really need to talk to her now. I can’t let it slip for another day.  The mysterious possibility of some upcoming danger is pushing me to the edge. 
   “Oh, I won’t take long, y’ know. I’m just here to talk about something... important.” 
   “But sweetheart, it’s already the time, can you come by tomorrow?” 
   “No, Mrs. Gaston, please, just five minutes, I promise. I will not take a second more than that. It’s about Anna.” 
   “What? What happened to her? Isn’t she staying at your place? She’s not even picking up my phone. What is it, Evelyn? Did something happen?” her eyes expand with terror. 
   “No, no worries, she’s alright. Yes, she’s staying there and all but I really need to know about the cat incident Mrs. Gaston. She is not telling me anything about that and I-I think she’s having the sleepwalking and suicidal stuffs once again.” I lie about the suicidal part to make Mrs. Gaston tell me about everything. 
   “What! O God! I knew it was going to worsen. Is she alright? I mean seriously? Did she do any self harm?” 
   “No, I halted her while doing so but what worries me more is how she went for our neighbor’s cat the other day. She was clearly in her sleepwalking episode while she wanted to chock it.” What came over me? why am I making up so many things? 
   “O my God! I shouldn’t have let her go in the first place.” She bites on her lower lip before opening her mouth again, “She doesn’t have any cat phobia if that’s what she told you guys. She just hates cats so much, and don’t ask me why cos I myself don’t know the answer. When I got this cat, she was supportive and all until the night she literally tore a patch of fur out of its skin.” She squeezes her eyes shut probably picturing the scene in her mind. “But I forgave her as she was clearly in her sleepwalking episode, I just told her not to come close to Bella, I mean the cat.” Her eyes fill with tears. She must have got quite hurt at her cat’s death. 
   I keep looking at her without a word, letting her know that I’m listening. 
   “Then, that night, she came to me in tears saying that the sleepwalking was getting out of her control. I assured her not to freak out as we were going to take her to the doctor’s the following day. Everything was fine before midnight. That’s when I heard a loud scream coming from the porch. You know, Anna’s dad has been out of the country for his business. So, I rushed to Anna’s room to check on her. I went crazy when I didn’t find her on the bed. I cannot tell you how I managed to fly across the hall to stumble on a pool of blood on the porch. I saw our neighbor, Miss Tomlinson gripping Anna’s hands tightly while crying her eyes out. Anna was still dozed off, just the way she behaves during sleepwalking. What I saw after looking closely at the blood pool is beyond imagination, Evelyn. Bella was spread out in pieces, I don’t understand how one can do such a thing even if it’s not done wittingly.” She flinches. 
   I step forward and put my hand on her arm in a comforting manner. 
   “Miss Tomlinson is a huge animal lover. She spends most of her time working in animal shelters to make sure the safety of those animals. She threatened me to file a case against my daughter for doing this to an innocent cat. She was dead serious in her words. I was so afraid Evelyn; I was this close to lose it. So, I told her that we were sending Anna to asylum anyway. She had a psychological instability and she was in no state to be punished. Fortunately, Miss Tomlinson seemed to buy it. You know I don’t have any relative who doesn’t own any pet animal. I couldn’t let my own daughter slaughter their pets. So, all I could think of at that moment was your place and I sent her off right after the sun came out the following day. I’m really so sorry Evelyn, I was out of options.” Tears start streaming down her face. 
   I become so stiff at her words. I can’t believe Anna has some deadly fetish to murder innocent animals. “Does she actually have a psychological issue?” my voice trembling. 
   “I don’t have any idea, Evelyn. I think I should talk to the psychiatrist about this but it can be because of her sleepwalking. I think I must be off. It’s already too late.” She nervously looks at her watch. 
   “Yeah, sure but...” she clambers in her car before I could finish. 
   “I’ll talk to you later, Eve.” 
   I keep standing stiffly for several moments. Mrs. Gaston raised further questions in me by her information than answering my questions. I can only think about one single thing right now, have I been friends with a monster? Or, what! Is her fetish confined to only killing animals or can it spread to slaughtering humans as well? A shivering ripple makes its way down my body. 
   “Evelyn? Eve?” Richard’s hands jerk my shoulders from behind. 
   “Huh? She’s a monster! I’ve been so wrong about her... she can... she can kill a life without hesitation. 
   He steadies his ice stares on my face. Then coming closer, he cups my face in his hands, “Eve, it’s okay, I’m here with you. Try to calm down a bit before falling sick. Remember? We have more things to focus on and we’ve already doubted Anna to be somewhat a murderer. Calm down.” His voice sounds more like soft whisper. 
   “But Richard...” 
   “I know Eve, this feels horrible. I won’t disagree on that but we will have to head towards William’s place now. We will talk through Anna’s topic on the way there, cool?” he caresses a side of my face with his thumb. 
   “Okay.” 
   I mechanically get into the car before bursting into tears. I don’t know what just came over me. Maybe doubting some danger is much better than knowing it for real. My heart is aching over Anna, not out of contempt or, fear but because I love her so much. It’s true that past few days have been pretty bumpy between us but she has been my best friend since like, forever. I keep sobbing and letting hot tears streaming down my face. 
   Richard exhales a little sigh. He drives quietly for quite a while. Finally, I wipe my tears away before turning to him. He takes a glance at me when his eyes lock with mine radiating warmth and care towards my way. Inhaling deeply, I appear a little grin on the corner of my lips. 
   “I’m sorry for crying like a baby.” I sniff. 
   “You don’t have to be sorry for that, Evelyn. Crying is not a crime.” 
   I nod at him. 
   “Can you give me a brief on what actually Anna’s mother told you back there?” 
   “It’s Anna who killed the cat. Not only she killed this damn cat, she literally tore it apart. Pathetic!” I gulp hard to stop gagging. 
   He looks shuddered, “Did her mother demand it happened in one of her sleepwalking episodes? Cos it could be, actually. In sleepwalking, people can do fricking hideous stuffs.” 
   “No, Richard, it can’t be just sleepwalking and I’m not babbling for the hell of it. You know what? Anna told us that she was allergic to cats but Mrs. Gaston told something about her having cat phobia. These are two entirely different issues. Not just that, she also told me that she believed her daughter didn’t have any ailurophobia or anything, but plain hatred for cats.” 
   “What?” his voice confused. 
   “Yes, and if it’s true then, don’t you think she didn’t kill the cat in her sleepwalk? Cos it has a strong possibility that, she does have some weird fetish of slaughtering animals. She’s sick, Richard, she’s mentally sick.” 
   “Woah! That’s some real issue going on with her.” He chews on his lip. 
   “What do we do now?” 
   “Now? nothing cos she hasn’t really left us any concrete evidence. In case you’re wondering why, proving her to be mentally sick and reporting to a Psych Hospital will need some clear evidence. No worries, we can come up with something like a trap after getting done with William’s case. Alright?” 
   “But... but Richard, my concern is now not only confined to hurting animals or slaughtering them like monsters. It goes beyond, I mean, what if she starts harming people? What if her mental condition gets much worse by the time that she doesn’t hesitate to kill someone?” what if...” I gasp. 
   “Don’t freak out, Eve!” his voice raises a bit, “What ifs can be the sweetest when they represent your absolute dream moments. It only turns out disastrous when you let your worst nightmares make their ways to the scene. See? Even in your imagination, you have to make choices. Choose to think positively. Negative thoughts can never make any difference apart from drowning you further into the hellish downward spiral. So, relax back and get ready to face Will, if we have much luck to find him.” 
   “You think he’s alive?” my voice trembles. 
   “Seems like he is. You know, he updated a status on Facebook two days ago. Also, there is a tweet on his account which was posted yesterday. His post updates are pretty consistent, I mean, there is no big gap to doubt anything. But one little issue is bothering me though.” He takes a U-turn. 
   “That... there’s no mention about Julia’s accident anywhere?” 
   “Exactly! Are you two added on Facebook, Insta or any other social media?” 
   “Nope! I just stalked his ID a little last night. I wasn’t pretty close with him to be honest. They got engaged real quick, like within 5ish months of dating. We all thought it to be a bit weird but again, mom and dad believed Julia had every right to make the choices of her life. So, I didn’t bother either. That’s one of the reasons, I know so little about William.” 
   “Uh-huh! Let’s just see what’s waiting in his house.” He murmurs. 
   “Hey, Richard! Something off the topic but... um do you have any cat PJs?” 
   “What?” he laughs, “Not to my knowledge, no! Why do you ask this question out of everything in the world?” he continues chuckling. 
   “Argh! Never mind, I’m just trying to trace the connection between Anna’s hatred for cats and her hatred towards you.” I mindlessly tug on my lower lip. 
   “Ouch! She hates me alright but how is that supposed to be connected with the cat thing?” 
   “No, no, you see? Anna told us that... wait, why does she hate you anyway? Did something happen?” 
   “Um, well... how do I put it?” 
   “Seriously? That means there’s reason behind her hatred. Gosh! What is it? Did you hit on her?” I narrow my gaze at him. 
   “Ah, no! well, that night, when that sleepwalking and Julia’s sedative incident happened?” 
   I nod at him not wanting to think about the events that followed it. 
   “When I woke her up, she asked me if she could sit at my living room for a while, to steady herself a bit. So, I let her in and she kinda wanted to kiss me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, maybe it was on impulse or some side effect of sleepwalk or something! I don’t know.” 
   “Then?” I clench my jaw. 
   He looks a bit startled at my face, “then, I pulled her away and said that I couldn’t let her do it. So, she asked me why and I told her that I be not into fooling around. She seemed to be pretty riling up at my answer and she yelled at me that I would be so sorry for rejecting a beautiful girl like her. And, yeah, that I was the biggest dork alive. Well, aside from being the biggest dork, I believe I’m pretty responsible gentleman, so I walked her to the house anyway.” He shrugs.   
   “God! guess I need a brand-new brain to process all the information. It’s getting too much for me to handle.” I groan. 
   “I’m sorry Evelyn, didn’t mean to upset you.” 
   “It’s okay, not your fault. The biggest dork, huh?” I snicker. 
   “That’s what she said.” He lets out a low chuckle. 
   
   
   
   Chapter Fifteen 
   We stand cluelessly in the middle of William’s bedroom. The main door was not locked when we got in here and Will is nowhere to be found. I keep peering around the room to get a clue. 
   “Guess he’s not home.” Richard says slowly. 
   “Where the hell would he be leaving his door unlocked. It should be a fricking joke!” I snort. 
   “Did you see the living room table and kitchen counter? Those seemed pretty dusty meaning he’s been out for quite a while unless he’s not into cleaning.” 
   I shoot a glance at Richard, “O yeah? So, why the hell is the door not locked then? Wow! See? The bed is not done and is it also a sign that he’s been out for a while?” 
   “Nah! We guys love to keep our beds undone. It’s just easy to hop on whenever we feel sleepy.” Richard purses his lips. 
   I would’ve roasted the hell out of him if it was a different situation. But, this? This is bothering me more than Mrs. Gaston’s words. I keep looking about the room while tugging at my bracelet. 
   “Are you getting it? I mean, smelling it?” he sniffs. 
   “Smelling what? I have a poor sense of smell, honestly. What do you smell? Where is it coming from?” 
   “No idea! Come on, let’s go that way.” He starts heading down the corridor without letting me ask any further. So, I silently follow him with a sinking feeling in my stomach. 
   He suddenly stops before a door, “Are you smelling it now?” he slaps a hand on his nose with disgust. 
   An excruciating odor instantly fills my nostrils. It feels like the repugnant mixture of the smell of raw fish and burn. Before I can cover my nose, my stomach starts churning and making puke come all the way up to the esophagus. 
   “Shit, shit! I’m gonna throw up.” I grit my teeth. 
   “Shh! Cover your nose or at least don’t breathe through the nose. I think something is there on the other side of the door. We need to open it asap.” 
   “What! NO! please, the odor is already overpowering my senses, don’t think of opening this shit.” 
   “Evelyn! We have to.” His voice muffled under his hands. 
   I shudder at the thought of what might be found after opening the door. My legs feel rubbery as I stumble towards it. “Is it locked?” 
   “Uh-huh!” Richard bangs on the door forcefully with his arm. After three to four attempts, the door cricks open, not revealing more than half the view of a pile of boxes. Maybe, this is the storeroom. 
   Pushing the door open further, Richard turns to me, “Let’s go in there.” He motions with his hand. 
   “Are you seeing something, anything?” my voice sounds squeaky, clearly giving off my skyrocketing anxiety. 
   “No, not yet. Put your steps carefully, Eve.” 
   “Uh-huh!” my heart is banging loudly against the chest. I can feel my stomach sinking further and further. I struggle to move my legs as some unseen shackles seem to buckle them tight. I shake my head to remain present in the moment. I can feel the inside of my brain twisting and tumbling.  God! no, please, blacking out or losing control on my hand in the middle of this sinister room would be the last thing on earth I want.  
   “Eve? Don’t look in front of you.” Richard’s voice trails off. 
   “Why? What is it? Is it Will?” my heart jumps onto my throat in an instant. 
   “I don’t know. I can’t say...” he lowers his mobile to torch the darkened place. 
   I stagger forward to see what is laying there spreading the indescribable stench all over the house. The sight makes my head spin letting my feet collapse on the floor. I feel like my eyes are fighting to come out of the sockets. Cold sweat breaks down my back, arms and face. I manage to place my shaky hand over my gaping mouth to stop throwing up. Only the bits of that denim jacket left intact on the body. The skull printed on it is the only prove this rotten, burnt down body to be William’s. 
   “It’s him.” I whisper. His entire body looks like a hip of a browned, rotten fleshes with burning patches here and there. Someone must have burnt him to death like a fucking demon. Last thing I hear before blacking out right in front of the distorted body is a muffled voice, “911, what’s your emergency? Followed by Richard’s husky voice on the phone, “Hey! We’ve got a dead body here... 
   *** 
   I slowly blink my eyes as the blurry sight of the cars on the road comes into view. It takes me another couple of minutes to sense the soft sound of breathing coming from my left side. I keep blinking to clear out the vision. 
   “Eve, you awake?” 
   I quickly turn to the crackled voice. Richard looks extremely worn out and sulky. Never have I seen him like this. I expand my eyes at him, “Richard? What happened to you? Where is William’s body?” 
   “They took care of it. The murder is suspected to be done several months back. This is crazy! How come someone be this brutal! And again, nobody from the neighbors reported to the Police about the murder. Well, maybe they didn’t even sense it. Who left the door open then?” he grunts running his hand restlessly across his face. His eyes hold a hint of rage and tears, yes, he is tearing up. 
   “Who do you think did this? Why did anyone do such a thing? This is maddening!” I wince. 
   “I. Don’t. Have. Any. Idea, Evelyn.” His voice is still trailed off. 
   As I fainted back in that hideous dead trap, I’m sure someone had to carry me all the way here to the car. Most possibly Richard was the one who carried me but finding my cheeks not heating up with the thought clearly shows how stressed out and frightened I really am right now. 
   “Isn’t it funny how I thought the conversation with Mrs. Gaston was the worst thing that could happen today? Guess it was not even close to what we had to see back in Will’s...” my throat narrows down with the mental picture of that horribly burnt down body. 
   “I’m entirely clueless, Evelyn!” he whispers while keeping his eyes steadied on the road in front. 
   “Where are we going now?” 
   “Home!” 
   “Should I tell them? Julia and Kate?” I look at him like a helpless little kid. 
   “Is Anna going to be there too?” 
   “No idea, she should be out on a date, at least that’s what she said.” 
   “Guess you should be silent till tomorrow if Anna is there. If she is not, then you can tell Kate and... Julia is doing ok now, right?” 
   “Yeah, more or less! Still can’t say, entirely stable though.” 
   “Tell them we found Will’s dead body and the Police is taking care of the case now. No need to linger on the details of it.” He gives me a quick glance, showing his saddened eyes, those gravitating eyes seem so unknown at this point. 
   
   Why is he so hurt? He seems intensely devastated, but why? He didn’t know William before. I know it was a fricking horrible sight to bear but... even I do not seem to be that restless as him. Is he just soft-hearted or, anything else is there? Am I doubting the guy who’s done this much for me! Fuck! I must be losing my mind. 
   
   “Well, I think I should be telling them then, including Jules. She has to hear the news today or tomorrow so... it should be fine.” I mutter the last words to myself. 
   “And one more thing, tell them not to share it with anyone from outside the family now. it can float the news to the criminal and he/she will then, have enough time and scope to slip away.” 
   The mention of Criminal makes my blood run cold.  Shit! Who might that be? someone who knows William, of course, but does the psycho know Jules too? Does he know us? 
   “Oh! Speaking of the outsiders, Kate’s boyfriend can be here for dinner tonight. If he’s there, should I drop the news?” 
   “Then, you better zip it up until tomorrow, Evelyn. No outsider should know anything now. It can only do good for that psychotic jerk.” The rage in his voice is apparent.  Why is he bothered so much about the murderer? Is it because he is suspecting anyone? 
   “Are you suspecting anyone to be the murderer?” 
   “Nope! How could I? But if this psycho could so something so vicious to William, I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes for Julia... or worse, you.” He pulls the car into his parking lot before turning to me, “Eve, you should be really... really careful from now on. Don’t forget, the criminal has already got several months after the murder, and if Julia’s accident was not framed, he didn’t attempt any apparent move the whole time. It doesn’t mean he will not, it means he certainly can make a move!” 
   “Richard? Do you think Jules’ accident was framed?” I can feel the threat of tears in my eyes. 
   “It’s a possibility, Eve. I’m not so sure about it. No worries, that psycho won’t harm any of you, just be careful.” He puts his hand on mine. 
   “I think I’m so scared now. I don’t know what can happen next. With an animal slaughterer in my house, the fear is even worse... so, is it the murderer who kept William’s social medias active all these days? Shit! He must be after something.” I swallow hard. 
   “Hm, he must be.” he mutters. “But no worries, Eve! The Police will catch him.” He squeezes my hand with a sense of assurance. 
   “I believe so! I should be get going then. Thanks a lot, Richard. You don’t have any idea how much you are helping me.” 
   “Anytime, Evelyn! Good night.” He runs his thumb across my cheek making it flush a little. 
   “Good night!” I duck out of the car. 
   That black Cadillac parked in front of our house says Zac is already here. I nervously fidget my bracelet while slowly heading towards the front door. I can feel the sinking feeling in my stomach at the thought of what just happened throughout the day. It couldn’t be any worse! Well, I hope! 
   “Hey guys!” I try to keep my voice collected. 
   “Hey!” three of them cheerfully greet me. 
   “Well, well, Miss Evelyn Lawrence! Back from date?” Zac winks with a lighthearted grin. 
   “Nah! It’s just a friend. How are you doing?” his presence makes the environment so comfortable and easy that I can feel my chest easing out of the tension it has been holding. 
   “I’m great! Guess nothing can be better than being reunited with an old acquaintance.” He smiles at Julia. 
   “Eve! Can you believe Zac went to the same university as mine? This is crazy! I can kind of remember seeing him spicing up the late-night parties back in college.” 
   “Ouch!” Zac eyes Julia, “Your aunt there will skin me alive.” 
   Julia laughs in reply. 
   “Wow, you guys! How come you didn’t recognize her earlier?” I ask Zac. 
   “I don’t know, she wasn’t the social butterfly! More like a nerd, actually. So, I couldn’t really remember seeing her before that much. But, when she rummaged through all the good old day records, I could finally recall seeing this nerd couple of times.” 
   Julia rolls her eyes, “I wasn’t nerd, I just was not a party animal!” 
   He chuckles, “Yeah! You were in the freshman or junior year when I graduated?” 
   “Maybe junior year! Can’t remember this one.” She grins. 
   “Cool!” I am very happy to see Julia all perked up. But deep down inside, I know she’s gonna have to swallow that horrible news soon. 
   “So, what happened to that Sabrina?” Zac sinks back on the couch. 
   “The one from our batch?” 
   “Yeah! Is she still wild like back then?” Zac smirks. 
   “I’m hearing you.” Kate calls out from the kitchen. 
   “Well, I can’t say, actually. It’s been nearly a year or so I heard from her last.” Julia shrugs with a smile. 
   “O yeah? Actually, that’s pretty much the truth for all of us. End of the University, almost end of the friendships!” 
   “Gotta change back to something comfy, be right back.” Hearing a ting, I look down at my mobile screen. 
   A text from Richard,  don’t stress over the incidents much, Eve! I know it’s been a burning hell out there but just stop torturing your health by freaking out over these. You need rest right now and one more thing, be careful not to make anyone doubt anything from your expression. You got this Eve, I’m here with you.  
   
   
   
   Chapter Sixteen 
     
   As far as I can remember, I did pray for no more newly emerged shock or grotesque scene for the next day before going to sleep last night. Unless the brand-new day is all ready to hit me hard with brand new show of monstrosity. I sip my coffee while typing a text to Sara. 
   “Morning, Eve! Anna isn’t back yet? It’s already 11 in the next morning.” Kate pours a glass of water. 
   “I don’t know! Once she spent three days at some guy’s place, back in high school. Now that we’re in University, guess her staying period will increase if I’m not wrong.” I smirk. 
   “You two are so different! I wonder how you guys managed to be friends in the first place!” Kate grins. 
   “Yeah! It was really long time back and I think I didn’t know a lot about her then or else...” I absentmindedly murmur. 
   “Or else, you wouldn’t be friends? That’s not true, Eve. Me and my best friend Ella used to argue over anything and everything yet we were inseparable. You know, opposites attract.” 
   “I guess so.” I shrug.  Only if she knew what I meant by “didn’t know a lot about her”!  “Where’s Jules? Is she awake?” 
   “Nah! She slept late than usual last night, remember? She should be awake in an hour or so. So, tell me, that friend of yours you went out with yesterday, was it, Richard?” she winks. 
   “Um... yeah but it wasn’t...” 
   “Oh, come on! Did you guys get to kiss? Did he say he liked you too? He did!” 
   “Ah, no! nothing happened, literally.” 
   “What? Why are you so unromantic, Eve? I need to train you “How to flirt 101”, I see.” She frowns. 
   “Okay, I’d be glad to have you as my trainer.” I chuckle. 
   
   I think I should drop the news about William’s murder to Kate. she can figure out better than me how to let Julia know. 
   
   “So, Kate, here’s something I really need to talk about...” 
   “Wait! Are you hearing it? Someone is shouting outside. Is it Mr. Sanchez?” she pushes to her feet. 
   “Woah! He never shouts, I mean, not like this and not outside the house! What could possibly go wrong? I think... we should check on him.” 
   “Yeah, let’s go.” 
   “What an atrocity! Who did this to my Smokey! Why on this earth... why to my innocent cat?” his raised voice trails off as he wipes the tears with his shirtsleeve. 
   “Mr. Sanchez? What is it? What’s wrong?” Kate reaches out to put her hand around the light-struck, petite old man’s shoulders. 
   “My cat... my Smokey. Some monster killed him like a fucking psycho.” His thick accent gets more intense with the hint of rage and tears. 
   “O my God! I can’t believe she did it.” I huff. 
   “Who? Who do you think did it, Evelyn? Tell us.” Kate sniffs. 
   “I’m not sure yet, but can I see where is it now? Mr. Sanchez?” 
   “In my backyard. What will you do by seeing it? The monster’s gone, long gone. The sight... O dear Lord.” 
   “Please, you try to calm down a bit, okay? Kate, take him to his house. I’m going to look at the cat’s body before going somewhere.” 
   “Where? Will you tell me for God’s sake?” she shouts at me. 
   “I will but not now. you’ll not understand a word if I tell you at this moment. Got it?” without letting her give me another tongue-lash I head towards the backyard. 
   The sight is just what I expected it to be, maybe a little more gruesome. The pool of blood has been dried out to a considerable amount giving off the information about the slaughter’s taking place at least, last night. Mr. Sanchez was right when he said the monster’s long gone. I feel a shudder slowly and surely crawling across my skin. The far patches are scattered around the severely distorted body. The tail and two paws have been ruthlessly torn off of the body.  This bitch! Why did you have to do it? What did this innocent beast do to you?  Hot tears start rolling down my face. I quickly tap on my mobile screen in the hope to track her location.  Yes! I can see it, well at least I know where you are now Annabelle Gaston! Be prepared to be shoved into the fucking asylum you, psycho little piece of...  my eyes fixate on the burnt parts of the flesh.  God! don’t complicate my life any more than how it already is!  Quickly taking some snaps, I duck out of the sight. 
   “Jules, you took your meds? Where’s Serena?” 
   “Yeah, I did. She’s out at her sister’s place. You remember, Carmelina? Her son has diagnosed with leucoma so, I told Serena to go. What is it? Why are you huffing?” 
   “It’s just, an accident took place at Mr. Sanchez’s place. His cat has been killed and he’s totally broken down. You know the poor guy doesn’t have anyone here. Kate is there trying to sooth him. I’m going to meet Anna, okay? I’m gonna uber there. Here’s something very important to deal with. I’ll be right back. Bye, you stay safe.” 
   “but Eve...” 
   “Later, Jules!” I storm out of the door and before I know it, I’m inside the car. 
   “Can you go to this place?” I show the driver where Anna’s mobile is signaling the location. 
   “Sure, Ma’am.” 
   “Please, drive fast.” 
   “Sure.” 
   
   One thing I’m certain of, whoever killed William must have same sort of mental condition as Anna’s. Nobody with a sound brain can be this brutal to burn down and tear off parts of a living body, be it human or any other animal.  
   
   My breathing quickens as I restlessly fidget my bracelet. 
   “You okay there, Ma’am?” 
   “I’m good, no worries.” 
   I gasp at the vibration of my phone. It’s Richard.  Why is he calling me? did something else happen over there? 
   “H-hello?” 
   “Hey, Eve? Where are you going? You were running at lightspeed and you didn’t even look at me calling out your name. what is it? Is it Mr. Sanchez’s cat? Are you doubting that Anna did it?” 
   “No, Richard. I’m not doubting it. I am sure of it. Talk to you later.” 
   “But Evelyn...” 
   I hang up the call. I don’t want to involve anyone else at this. And I don’t want to divert my mind to doubt anyone else as I know for sure, Anna is a psychotic bitch. 
   “How long will it take?” 
   “Five more minutes, ma’am.” 
   “Damn it.” I keep taping my fingers on the back of my phone. 
   After what seems like a decade, the driver calls out, “We’re at the destination, ma’am.” 
   “Cool! Thank you.” Paying the bill, I clamber down the car. 
   
   Shit! Isn’t it the apartment building Professor Mike lives in? Anna dropped him off on the way to our house back in the freshman year. Gosh! I can’t believe she stayed a night with the old hag. Ew! 
   
   Knowing the apartment number from the reception, I fly towards the elevator.  Thank God I at least remembered the building right.  
   I clench my jaw as the elevator slowly proceeds to the fourth floor. My anxiety level is full-blown infinity at this point. 
   I quickly knock on the door as I reach in front of it. An inaudible chatter floats in from the other side.  He must be having some romantic post-sex conversation with his student, argh!  
   A minute later, the door is opened. Here, stands none other than Professor Mike with head full of messy grayish hair. 
   “Evelyn? What brings you here?” he frowns. 
   “Anna. Where is she?” my voice is throwing daggers. 
   “Um... well...” 
   “I know she is here at your apartment, Professor. I’m not here to judge her or you for being disgusting. I’m here to talk to her... it’s important. Can you please let her know that I came? I’ll be happy to be waiting outside.” I put my arms across my chest. 
   “Yeah, sure.” He looks deflated and nervous. 
   “Thanks.” 
   After about a couple of minutes, Anna comes at the door. She’s wearing an oversized shirt and needless to mention, her long, tick hair is knotted in a messy bun.  How can one act so normal after doing something hideous! 
   “What do you want? If you’re here to lecture me about how inappropriate it is of me to date a professor, then you can get lost. I’m not in the mood to listen to your BS.” 
   “Look at your audacity!” I smirk, “Anna, I’m not here to interrupt your little romantic session here. Why did you do it to the cat?” 
   “What cat? What the fuck are you trying to say?” she deliberately tries to tear up. 
   “Don’t play victim, Annabelle Gaston. I know everything about your mother’s cat, Bella’s murder. And yes, I know about Mr. Sanchez’s cat too.” I say deadpan. 
   “What? You, bitch! Did you go to my stupid mother to spy on me? I should’ve killed you.” Her eyes start burning a flame of hatred and disgust. 
   “Professor Mike? Can I come in?” I understand how Anna will try to make me the villain in front of others of the building if I stay outside arguing with her. 
   “No, you can’t, psycho!” Anna steps closer to me. 
   “Yes, I can.” I duck under her spreading arm inside the apartment before she can utter a word. 
   “Is there anything wrong?” Mike looks confused. 
   “Yes, Professor and I think you should hear it too.” I say firmly. 
   “I’ll tear off the fucking head of yours you crazy cunt.” Mike stops Anna before she crashes on me. 
   “What is the matter? Can you clearly tell me?” he looks at me. 
   “Sure, only after you can tame your crazy lover a bit. It looks like she’s planning to tear me apart just like her other preys.” 
   Now I can see Anna’s face going pale and clammy. She swallows hard.” 
   “Mike, no... no, please, don’t listen to her. She’s talking trash.” Her voice trembling. 
   “Am I really? Anna, don’t do it to yourself anymore. Admit that you don’t have any sleepwalking shit, it’s all your psychotic fetish of killing animals. Say it Anna. You do need treatment.” I grit my teeth. 
   “Does that mean, you deliberately threw the puppy out of the window last night?” Mike glances at her. 
   “What puppy?” I’m confused. “Was she here all night? I suppose she did sneak out a little to do her itsy-bitsy secret job.” 
   “Wh... no? She was here, like really, we were in my bedroom all night.” He clears his throat. 
   “Okay!” I wince in disgust. “So, what about the puppy you mentioned just now?” 
   “I didn’t kill the shitty dog. THAT STUPID BEAST JUST SLIPPED OUT OF THE WINDOW. IS IT MY FAULT?” Anna shouts at Mike. 
   “No, no sweetheart, I’m just asking you if the puppy was...” 
   “You’re believing this crazy jealous Evelyn, and not me? what came over you, Mike?” 
   I run my hands across my face. Frustration, confusion, anxiety, fear- I feel all of them at once. 
   “Professor? Did you see the puppy after that? I mean, after it fell to the ground? Was it yours?” 
   “No, it was my sister’s, she went outside the country and gave the puppy to me to look after it for her.” 
   “So? Did you see it after it was slipped out of the window or whatever?” 
   He bites on his lower lip, “Yes, I did.” 
   “When? You did sneak out when I was sleeping, you son of a bitch?” Anna’s eyes go mad. 
   “Now I know who scratched the little animal like a monster! Anna, you need help.” His voice shaking, giving off a mixture of anger and sadness. 
   “I DON’T! OKAY? I DON’T NEED ANY FUCKING HELP AT ALL. YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK.” She starts trembling. 
   “I’m calling the psychic clinic.” 
   “No, you aren’t.” Anna crashes on Mike’s arm, scratching and biting like a total crazy. 
   “Anna! Let him call the clinic. YOU NEED TREATMENT.” I try to loosen her grip on Mike. 
   “So, you killed your own dog, no? it died only two weeks after you bought it.” I shove the words at her to distract her distorted mind to me. It works cos she instantly turns to me with fierce eyes, “Yes, yes... yes... I did kill the dog. What will you do to me now? kill me? you wanna kill me, you bitch?” 
   “No, I’m just regretting the time I walked to you and invited you to play with me. Boy! Wasn’t I so wrong about you! I used to think how cool and brave you were when you showed the dissected flies and ants to me. you used to tear off the wings of dragon flies without any reason and I thought you were just being brave. Now I know you were sick right from your childhood.” Tears start rolling down my cheeks. I can’t feel the rage in my voice anymore. All I can feel is frustration and sadness- a lot of it.  
   She suddenly, becomes silent looking down at the floor. Her lips are shaking. 
   “I can’t help hurting them when I feel how helpless and weak, they are...” she whispers. 
   “They’re here.” I startle at Mike’s voice. 
   “Good! I’m going then. Thanks, Professor for helping me out to tackle this.” Giving him a side smile I duck out of the apartment and never look back. 
   “I will not spare you Evelyn. You want me to rot to death in an asylum, don’t you? You’ll be paying for it, I promise…” 
   Anna’s cursing continues as I wait for the Uber to arrive. 
   If it isn’t her, then who killed Mr. Sanchez’s cat? Someone with similar fetish... of burning things down...  my phone startles me halfway through my calculation.  Damn it! 
   “Hello?” 
   “Hey, Evelyn? Where are you? Did you get Anna?” Richard’s voice void of his regular calmness. 
   “Hey... yeah I got to meet her and guess she did kill some animal last night but... it wasn’t Mr. Sanchez’s cat. It was a puppy out there in Mike’s apartment. I mean, Mike, her date. So, yeah, the Psychic clinic got her... though I’m completely at a loss what to think of Smokey’s death.” I puff out a frustrating breath. 
   He remains silent for some time, “Evelyn, I’ll be home within an hour. I think we need to talk about something... it’s important.” He hangs up the phone before the next question slips out of my mouth. 
   Important? Why can’t he just say it over the phone then? What is the universe trying to play with me? fucking hide n seek?  I groan. Suddenly, the thought of those snaps from Mr. Sanchez’s backyard that I captured to show as evidence in proving Anna the killer, clicks my mind. Guess looking at the pictures more closely can give me a clue or two about the actual killer. The pictures immediately make my stomach churn. Maybe it was the heat of the moment that kept me from throwing up back in the morning. The horror of the wrecked body on my screen sends creeps across my entire body. I shudder at the pool of blood as I zoom in the photo. Swallowing hard I begin to inspect closely and carefully. This seems so sinister and nauseating to keep looking at the grotesque scene. 
   What is it? That black thing? What the hell is this stuff?  I near the phone before my expanded eyes. 
   “Ma’am, we’re at the destination.” The driver’s grave voice makes me jump and drop the phone. 
   “You okay there, ma’am?” 
   “Y-yeah! It’s just my phone dropped.” I stutter while paying the bill. 
   This tiny black stuff... must be a piece of something. What can that be?  I chew on my lip. 
   “Eve? You back finally? I need you to listen to Mr. Sanchez... now.” Kate’s face seriously startles me. 
   “Why? Did he figure out who killed Smokey?” 
   “You just come, alright?” 
   The gloomy sound of her voice sends a chill down my spine. Following her, I look at the zoomed in photo once again. I want to pull on my own hair as something about it is seeming so familiar yet I’m not getting it. 
   “Why am I not getting it?” I scoff. 
   “Mr. Sanchez, tell her what you saw yesterday.” Kate crosses her arms on her chest. 
   “I saw him... yes, I saw him running away. I should’ve chased him down.” He keeps murmuring. 
   “Who are you talking about, Mr. Sanchez?” I gulp. 
   “That guy... that young guy across the street.” He’s making my doubt more and more relevant by the minute. 
   “who?” I utter almost inaudibly. 
   “It was Anna you were doubting, right Evelyn?” Kate gives me a sharp look. 
   “y-yeah, well she is somehow psycho but what did he see last night?” 
   “And you were out proving Anna the killer back then? Eve, you can’t do this to an innocent girl.” she looks disappointed. 
   “Kate, you don’t understand. Anna is mentally sick and yes, she killed her own dog, her mother’s cat, her date’s puppy and how many more I don’t know, ok? So, quit being hurt for her, will you?” I shout at the top of my lungs making her face pale-shocked. 
   “And now, Mr. Sanchez, can you please tell me who exactly did you see last night?” my voice sour from shouting. 
   “That guy, blonde hair... yes, Aron. That Aron was running from... what seemed like from my backyard when suddenly I seemed to hear a noise. I groggily looked outside the window but couldn’t register anything... anything.” He sniffs. 
   
   Wait that black thing, it’s a torn part of a wristband. Who have I seen wearing a black wristband all the time? Richard. 
   
   The realization hits me so hard that I forget to breathe for a minute.  He told me that he had something important to tell me... he was dead anxious when he caught me going after Anna! Does it mean he didn’t do it deliberately to frame Anna as the villain but he’s also... sick! Zac did mention how he used to burn things down as a kid. There WERE the burnt patches on the body of the cat. How could I not notice? How could I not realize it’s none but the Richard I’m so in love with. Aron must have been there to rescue his pal, of course he was there to fend him from waking up the old man so that he couldn’t catch him feasting monstrously on his cat. 
   Tears start pooling in my eyes but I blink them off. I will not cry over losing a psychopath. If it’s how he wants to keep hurting innocent animals, then he deserves to rot to death in prison or asylum. 
   “No, Mr. Sanchez, I know it’s not Aron, it’s his friend.” 
   “You are not telling me anything, Eve! How am I supposed to know anything you are saying is right?” Kate grits her teeth. 
   “It’s RICHARD. I saw a part of his wristband there on the blood. Maybe it was the cat trying hard to get free from his grip when the wristband ripped off. You can call the Police Mr. Sanchez if you think the brute who killed your cat deserves a punishment.” I utter the words mechanically. My entire body stiffens as I try to walk towards the house. 
   “You sure, Eve?” Kate gasps. 
   “As sure as the sunlight.” I don’t wait there anymore as I have no desire to see Richard being arrested and humiliated. I just did it for the sake of the people of this neighborhood, my family and for the sake of him. He needs treatment. 
   A strange sound of yelping and crying floats in from the other side of the house as I step in it. 
   I stagger across the corridor to find out exactly what I doubted to hear the sound. Julia is crying like a baby with the phone in her hand. 
   “Will... my Will, why did they do it to him, why?” she wails. 
   “Oh! Jules, who called?” I run to her. 
   “The Police... they said they found the body yesterday. They said they had been investigating his missing case for about two months. Eve! He has been missing for a long time. Maybe as long as the time of my accident. That’s why Eve, that’s why he didn’t show up.” She breaks into tears. 
   “But, Julia! What did the Police say? Who are they suspecting? Should we go find out?” 
   “I don’t know, they said if someone could go to the Police station, it’d be better. They have something more to talk about. O my God! you know he called me... he called me that day saying he had something really important to talk about. I couldn’t reach him... that fucking accident ruined it all and now he’s dead. My fiancé is dead EVELYN.” 
   “You try to calm down a bit, Julies. Please!” the tears now get free from my eyes. I can’t feel my own hands. 
   “What’s going on?” Kate looks pale as dead. 
   “Will’s dead Kate, they killed him...killed him for nothing.” Julia cries out. 
   “What the fuck?” Kate’s eyes spread wide. 
   “Listen here, Kate, the Police called and let her know that they found the body yesterday and had got some suspect behind this murder. So, if any of us could go to the Police now, it’d be better to deal with this and all other matters associated with it. I think I should go and you stay here with her.” 
   “No... no, you are not going ANYWHERE now. I’m going to the Police station. You stay here with her and look out. We don’t seem to be safe anymore, God!” she ducks out of the room in lightspeed. 
   
   Of course, not safe anymore. What is happening over here? Was then Julia’s accident framed? Was it? That’s what the asshole told me the other night. Did he kill William? But why would he? Is it because he wanted to kill something that time? To feed his filthy hunger of blood? 
   
   “Julia, take this tablet and try to get some sleep, please. You are not yet stable to take too much pressure. Please, do as I say.” 
   “But Eve...” 
   “Kate went there, Hopefully, we’ll get to know everything about it as soon as she comes back. You don’t worry.” I manage her to take the sleeping pill and tuck her in her blanket. 
   “Why did they do it?” she asks dizzily. 
   “I don’t know, Jules. We’ll figure out.” 
   I restlessly fidget my bracelet as I try to come up with a clue on who can possibly kill William.  It must be someone who has problem with either Will or Jules. Maybe it’s about some sort of a revenge! God! only if I knew anything! What about those burnt patches on his dead body? This perfectly resembles Richard’s way of killing but why would Richard do it?... He absolutely feigned his worried and saddened expression then. Maybe he is onto something and that’s why he’s been trying to flirt with me. yes! He has had some issue with William. Moving in this neighborhood, killing William, making Jules bedridden, making her foolish little sister falling for him... exactly! And he was the one who smelled the stench first in William’s apartment. He seemed to navigate through the place pretty easily. I was totally clueless about everything while he led me to the storeroom. Oh! My dear Lord! How could I not get it then? I was too blinded by his charm to think straight. Everything is clear now... everything! 
   Now that I am almost certain about the criminal, all I want right now is choke the hell out of him. 
   The phone on Julia’s table starts ringing. I grab the phone without looking at the number calling. My head is buzzing with rage and despair. 
   “Hello?” 
   “Hello, speaking from the Police station. Is it Miss Julia Lawrence?” 
   “Nope! I’m Evelyn, her sister.” 
   “Right. Can Miss Lawrence take the phone?” 
   “She’s actually not doing so well... can you tell me?” 
   “Alright! We found the body of Miss Julia Lawrence’s fiancé, William Jones last night. We have started the investigation and we will expect Miss Lawrence to be here with her other family members. The inspector wants to have some thorough interrogations.” 
   “Wait! But my aunt, Kate... Kathrine Smith, she went to the Police station already. Maybe you talked to my sister earlier.” 
   “No, Miss. We haven’t contacted this number before. I am afraid you have been misinformed by someone else there...” 
   A heavy thud on my head let a tingling pain spread to my body. A bright splash of light invades my eyes before all that’s left is darkness.     
   
   
   
   Chapter Seventeen 
     
   My tongue gets trickled with a tangy and sticky fluid as soon as I open my eyes. My own blood! The side of my head is burning excruciatingly and the blood is oozing across my face. The inaudible voice around and blurry vision fog my senses for yet several more minutes before I can hear the raspy voice threatening someone. I try to squint my eyes to see who are these people in the room. My heart jumps to the throat as I can see Julia’s frightened eyes widening at the guy standing in front of her. Her mouth is gagged with a bandana and her hands are tied tightly with a piece of rope. 
   
   Who the fuck is it? What is he doing to Jules? I need to get up before he can harm her any further. 
   
   The entire world collapses at my ears as the grogginess is lifted out from my head and I recognize the voice. It’s Zac. 
   
   What on earth he’s trying to do here? Why is he threatening Jules? 
   
   “I’m really surprised seeing you still struggle to remember me.” he laughs in an ugly tone. 
   “O poor babe! You thought that heartthrob Zac, you were drooling over is back? I didn’t know I could fool you this easily only by dying my hair and fixing the posture a little. Seems like I’m not as ugly as before to be rejected!” he ruthlessly pulls away the bandana from Julia’s mouth. 
   “Y-you are Scott? That...” her voice trembling. 
   “Yes, sweetheart! That nerd and ugly Scott who you rejected... three times.” 
   “But... you knew that I and Will were already dating... I couldn’t...” 
   “Zip it, you little bitch! You didn’t start dating that douchebag when you rejected me for the first time. You told me that I was ugly... you told me I was not your match! And I knew I WAS YOUR MATCH AND NOBODY ELSE.” He huffs with anger. His voice is freaking me out already, how is Julia keeping up with his threats face to face! I swallow the lump in my throat. My body already became so paralyzed with pain that I cannot even move it. 
   “I didn’t call you ugly, Scott! I told you I was not ready to go into a relationship then.” 
   “Yeah, right! Then miraculously within two fucking weeks, you were ready? Ready to let that jerk, William get in your pants?” 
   “Scott, it’s been a long time...” 
   “I didn’t forget! Nope, not for a single moment. You were meant to be mine Julia. I CLAIMED you first. I never forgot the rejection; I never forgot your fiancé’s smirk when he mocked me silently. You think it’s just a rejection, huh? NOBODY REJECTS ME JULIA.” 
   “You killed him already, you made me bedridden for heaven’s sake! What else do you want? Kate... where is Kate? what did you do to her?” she cries out. 
   “That stupid Kate!” he laughs his ugly laughter one more time, “That stupid has been a blessing to let me in this house. I just shoved her aside before she would do something very... very disappointing, like you, my love!” he brushes him thumb across her face before slapping her hard. I let out a yelp at this and he finally turns to face me. His handsome face is filled with monstrosity and hatred. He spits, “You weak little whore, you haven’t died yet? Apologies! I should’ve hit you a little harder, then.” 
   “Please! I implore you, Scott. Don’t hurt her. You do whatever you want with me, but not to her.” Julia shouts. 
   “No! I won’t hurt you sweetheart! You will be my wife, remember? I told you already you were meant to be mine... only. Let me first take care of this little hoe of your sister. She has been the actual pain in my ass this whole time. Not leaving your sister alone, huh? What are you? Lesbian lovers?” he grips my hair. I wince at the pain it adds to the already throbbing head. 
   “So, it’s you who killed the cat, isn’t it?” I try to halt him some more minutes before I can come up with an idea about tackling him. 
   “Ridiculous! All you care about is that nasty beast? You got to be kidding me Senorita!” he smirks. “Yes! I did, I killed that shit as a fun experiment, if you ask.” 
   “You are a fucking psycho. Do you know it?” I whisper. 
   “You think so, huh?” he slaps me hard. Blood is pooling around my head. 
   “Eve, no! please, don’t mess with him.” Julia pleads. 
   “Tell me one more thing before killing me, will you?” I pant. 
   “Sure! Scott doesn’t like to leave death-wishes unfulfilled. Spit it out, princess.” 
   “You made up the story about Richard last night and you stalked us when we went to William’s house, didn’t you?” 
   “You’ve got some brain, I must admit! But nope, not really stalked you. I’ve got a camera there in that douche’s apartment. Saved me a lot of time and danger.” He smiles like a demon. 
   “Why did you make it up? What did that guy do to you?” 
   “Nothing! Just an easy prey.” He shrugs. “His family’s incident made it easier for me to arrange the plot so perfectly. Thanks to the gas cylinder and his neighbors who did accuse him.” He snickers. 
   “How did you know about him?” I whisper, being unable to talk properly because of the agonizing pain. 
   “Internet, babe! And why am I answering to your inquisition? You’re trying to stall me by asking all these stupid questions, aren’t you? You, witty little whore.” He tightens his fist. 
   “I promise, I’ll marry you, Scott. Please don’t hurt Evelyn. I’m begging you.” Julia implores again. 
   He gives an evil smirk at this. “Just a little something as the reward for your rejection. Trust me, it will be done before you know it.” He rocks the blowtorch in his hand. 
   
   Is he going to burn me to death? God! help me… 
   
   I wince at the thought. I’m almost seething as the pain paralyzes my limbs. I can’t even try to grab something to hit his fucking head as he turns that way. 
   “It’ll be a fun process Miss Evelyn Lawrence, can’t promise on the intensity of the pain though. Guess what? It’s gonna be really fun... I love this thing.” He smiles at the blowtorch and I can see the half-ripped belt hanging from it. 
   It was not the torn piece of Richard’s wristband beside the cat. It’s the belt!  I suffocate to breathe. 
   “Drop your weapon!” first, I can’t quite understand what’s happening. Then, three figures in Police uniform proceeding this way catch my eyes. 
   “You called the Police? Julia! You betrayed me AGAIN.” Zac slash Scott grits his teeth. 
   “I didn’t...” Julia looks stunned. 
   One Policeman comes forward and twists the Psycho’s hands behind him to put on the handcuffs. Another one proceeds as Zac keeps threatening, “You two think you can get away from me? No! I’ll come back and I will burn you both, next time. I wanted to spare you, bitch!” he turns to Julia. “Guess you didn’t like that idea... you will die I promise! Just like your fucking fiancé, I will choke the hell out of you and then decorate your body with this baby!” he smiles insanely at his blowtorch. You both will DIE.” The Policemen drag him out of the room while he continues spitting curses. 
   “When the phone was hung up all of a sudden and one of you informed me about your Aunt going to the Police station, I knew something was not right. Hey! This way, get the ladies to the ambulance.” A Police motions with his hand. 
   “Did you get the body outside the house? Is she still breathing?” he asks the Medical team. 
   “Yes, sir. She’s alive.” 
   “Good.” 
   Maybe they are talking about Kate. Maybe that psycho choked her or something after she went out...  my eyes feel heavy as they carry me to the ambulance. Enough for this day... my brain doesn’t have space to receive any more shock. 
   The sanitized smell of the hospital fills my nostrils as I open my eyes. 
   “Eve? How are you doing now?” Sarah’s face comes into my focus. 
   “Sarah? Where is Julia? Where is Kate? Are they doing okay?” 
   “Shh, calm down. Yes, both of them are just fine. No worries about it. Kate needs a little more time to recover... y’ know she’s been hit ruthlessly.” She purses her lips. 
   “That bastard! Did Police shove him into the jail?” 
   “Yes! He’s all settled there to die, you don’t worry.” She smiles. 
   I let out a deep sigh. It has been a crazy drama since my own accident. I cannot believe how everything has happened over this whole time. Shiver crawls across my skin when the thought crosses my mind,  this whole time, the psycho has been onto us... looking at us, stalking us and planning that horrible plan! 
   “Sarah? Can I ask you something?” 
   “Sure, hon! What is it?” 
   “Where is Richard? He’s out of the jail now, no?” guilt chokes on my words. 
   “Yes, Eve, he’s got out of the jail alright. But...” 
   “What?” 
   “Well, he has been transferred to the Ohio branch. So, I guess he’s moved there.” 
   “Already?” 
   “Yeah! It’s been three days since the crazy night. He moved away yesterday, that’s what Dad said.” She puts her hand on mine, “He asked about you. And here’s some weird policy in my Dad’s company. As he was arrested once though for some misunderstanding, he needed to change his number and email address... like everything except for the identity. If you want to call, I can collect his number for you later.” 
   I can feel the threat of tears in my eyes. My chest feels heavy as guilt washes over me. 
   “I did it, Sarah! I accused him... I thought he was the one doing all these but he only tried to help me. I’m a horrible person.” 
   “No, Eve! Don’t do that. You are just fine okay? You are not horrible; you were just stressed out and confused. It’s not your fault. I’m sure Richard also thinks the same.” She gives an assuring smile. 
   “I hope so.” I murmur. 
   “I think we should move to some other place. Scott threatened to get back at us and his voice was so confident. He was so sure of his intention Sarah. I’m so scared.” 
   “Don’t be. Yes, I was thinking about the same thing when Serena called me and told what happened. It’ll be better if you move to some other place for the mental peace. This house has become a full-blown crime-spot. Although the psychotic monster won’t be able to escape, you guys have to move to a new house, new neighborhood and start it afresh.” 
   “You know what, Sarah? I think Richard could figure out the killer before I sent him to the jail.” 
   “You think?” 
   “Yeah, he told me on the phone that he had something important to talk about and he’d talk to me after getting home. Also Mr. Sanchez said how he saw Aron the previous night running away from his backyard. Those guys were there to keep an eye on the killer, nothing else. Guess I ruined that with my own hand inviting all those tortures for later.” I sigh. 
   “Who’s Aron?” 
   “Richard’s friend, lives across the street.” 
   “Okay! Yeah, Richard is a smart guy and maybe he doubted Zac from the beginning. But he obviously couldn’t say anything before getting evidence in hand. It’s okay, Evelyn. I’ll still say that it’s not your fault. Let it pass.” 
   I nod at her with a little smile. 
   “Miss Evelyn Lawrence? The doctor is here to check on you.” A pretty-faced nurse comes in the room. 
   “Sure.” 
   “Hello, Miss Lawrence! How are you feeling? Looks like someone is ready to go home.” The doctor gives a bright smile. But it’s not the smile that catches my sight, it’s the eyes. They instantly remind me of the person having the same collected, icy-cold yet gravitating eyes. In my mind, I can clearly see the first day those eyes caught my attention. That one time, I wanted to see him again. 
   
   
   Text: Copyright © 2020 by Radia Al Rashid. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission Editing: Radia Al Rashid All rights reserved. Publication Date: February 2nd 2021 https://www.bookrix.com/-as9a62b328321f5