What Happened to Olivia?

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

Erina gazed at her laptop. She was watching a movie, but her mind drifted into another thought. She hasn't been able to focus on anything lately since she heard the news about the passing of the former mayor, Oscar Candelaria, the father of the person she wanted to forget but couldn't.

How could she forget about Olivia? Even though the tragic event happened five years ago, the memory of Olivia's death was still vivid in her mind. It was like yesterday when she saw her body hanging from a tree. It was impossible to forget her.

Until now, she couldn't understand why Olivia committed suicide. She was not the suicidal type in her eyes. Olivia was elegant, kind, beautiful, rich, talented, and smart. She was perfect. But maybe you will never know exactly what someone's feelings are until you walk in their shoes. After all, Erina saw Olivia crying that night.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a sudden knock on the door.

“Erina, there's a parcel for you,” her mother said.

She got up and did some stretching. She looked at her pink gaming chair and sighed. She didn't know how long she sat on that, but her back was killing her.

Erina opened the door, and her mother was still there, waiting for her. Her mother's eyes were full of worry and sadness. Perhaps she knows that the death of Oscar Candelaria could trigger some unpleasant memories for her.

“Mama, why are you still here? I can get that on my own, you know?” Erina asked Sussana awkwardly. “I'm also starving, so what's for dinner?”

Susanna didn't answer her. Well, she's a worrywart, so it was expected. She also has the right to be distraught because she has a daughter who has never set foot outside of their house for four years. Some people think that Susanna is the only one living in the house. Some of their neighbors even thought that she was a spinster. Erina became an unknown resident of their neighborhood.

“I'm okay, Mama, so stop worrying,” Erina said with full confidence.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Mama,” she replied.

Susanna gave her the parcel, so she said her thanks and closed the door politely.

Erina inspected the expensive gift box before tossing it onto her bed. She returned to her gaming chair and reached for her cellphone, then she dialed her boyfriend's number.

“Babe?” Her boyfriend answered instantly.

“I received something from Sophia Abiad,” she told him right away.

“I also received something, but it was from Daniel, my buddy when we were in high school.”

“What do you think this is about?”

“Maybe a memento from our high school days, like your dirty shoes that you left in our classroom when we were in Grade 8.” Gabriel chuckled. “You never took it home. What do you think happened to it?”

“Ha, ha, ha,” she pretended to laugh.

It was her first pair of Converse, so it has sentimental value for her. Actually, she brought it home, and she cleaned it. Those shoes were always in her room, but Gabriel didn't even seem to notice.

“Do you want me to come over so we can open them at the same time?”

She heard something on the other line. It looks like her boyfriend is getting dressed already.

“It seems like I don't need to answer that,” Erina said while smiling cheerfully. “I'm going to hang up now. Please be careful when driving. I love you.”