𝑶𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝑶𝒇 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 ✓

Chapter Eight

"OKAY, you guys, we're done."

Rajwan turned to his sister and gave her a hug.

"Thanks for inviting me."

"You're welcome, sweetie. We should go back to the restaurant now."

The siblings packed their things, then headed out.

"Okay, so we should pay attention to paparazzi. You're a pretty famous person." Rajwan commented, making Mal shake her head.

"I'm still the same person, Rajwan. Always."

He nodded at her words.

"Yeah. I know, Mal, but it's just to remind you to stay humble."

"You know me, sweetie. I don't think I'm arrogant."

"Yeah, because-"

He was interrupted by a small scream coming out of his sister. He turned to her, slightly baffled, to see her turning around and looking at something he couldn't see.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's Griffin again!"

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"What, where? I don't see anyone."

That made the colour drain from her face.

"What do you mean you don't see anyone? He's right over there, he hit me just like five days ago?"

Rajwan shook his head.

"Are you sure you're okay? Do we need to go to the doctor?"

"I'm fine, Rajwan! Are you absolutely sure you didn't see anything?"

He nodded. "Yes... Was I supposed to?"

She huffed in annoyance and confusion, then hurried away, towards the restaurant. They both didn't realize how close they were, but that didn't make Mal any less determined for some time alone.

She needed to think.

-

"Hey, Mal, do you want to go out for ice cream?" Jackson asked with a wide, enthusiastic smile. Mal sighed and closed her notebook, then nodded.

"Sure, whatever."

"Awesome! I'll go get my backpack."

She sent him a fake smile and stood up, gathering her purse and putting a few things in it.

"Come on, Jackson, let's go."

She felt baffled. In fact, she felt as if she couldn't tolerate anyone, or even talk to anyone. Even if it was her twelve-year-old step brother.

The two siblings came out of the restaurant and began to walk to the park, which was pretty close to the restaurant.

"Can I go say hi to my friend?"

Mal nodded, watching him as he ran off to another boy she didn't recognize.

He sure had a lot of friends she didn't know about.

She turned to the direction of the wooden bench, which was in the middle of the park, and to her surprise, she saw her boyfriend sitting there, all alone.

"Hey, babe."

He looked up and grinned. "Hey, babe."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, how about you? Did you figure something out?"

Mal paused and turned away from his gaze.

"Thomas, did Griffin hit you and ignored you before, like he did to me?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that day before he disappeared. That's why I was following him, remember?"

She muttered a small reply. "Yeah, did anyone look at you strangely? Like, did someone just turn to you and thought you were a maniac?"

"I- Actually yes. But I just thought it was because I started screaming all of a sudden. I don't know, it's probably nothing."

"No, Thomas. It's not nothing." he turned to her, expecting her to continue.

"Then what is it?"

She then explained what happened with her and Rajwan earlier that day.

"Other people can't see him, Thomas. Only we can."

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