Screen of Secrets

Chapter 14

Fredric

I received a message from Evan saying she's okay, but she can’t be okay—not after losing Bella. She loved her so much. Nathan and I decided to visit her tomorrow morning. I felt awful after hearing the news. On top of that, there was that ridiculous note from some random guy telling me to leave the program because it's dangerous. How could a computer program be dangerous? Even if it were, why didn’t he talk to me instead of running away and injuring my ankle? It wasn’t serious, but it could have been.

I think it was just a prank by someone who uses the program and wants it all to himself, hoping to improve his studies without others benefiting from it. Anyway, I started listening to music in bed and fell asleep without realizing it.

I woke up at 7 a.m. Even though there’s no school today, I still have to visit Evan. I got freshened up and dressed in a plain navy blue shirt and baggy jeans. I had over an hour before Nathan and I planned to meet, so I opened my laptop to check if I had any study assignments. Sure enough, the program required me to study, so I did. After 45 minutes, it gave me a break. I went to the bathroom, and when I returned, Nathan called.

Nathan and I met behind the school and walked to Evan's together. I didn’t want to go alone during such a difficult time, so I asked Nathan to join me.

We arrived at her place in about half an hour and went to her room. She was in bad shape. As soon as we entered, she hugged Nathan. I was behind him and saw her red and puffy face. She must have cried all night. She released Nathan after a few minutes, smiled softly at me, and gave me a light hug. I hesitated for a moment, then hugged her back. It was the first time I had hugged a girl. She let go of me and gestured for us to sit before heading to the washroom, maybe to wash her face.

I looked around her room until she returned. It was beautiful and tidy. When she came back, she said with a smile, "I know my room is much cleaner than yours." It seemed like she was trying to hide her vulnerable side, at least from me; Nathan had probably seen it before. Nathan replied, "Her mother has OCD, so she doesn't have a choice but to keep it clean," trying to reassure her. I simply nodded.

Nathan's eyes looked more emotional than ever. He had been through this pain when his mother died three years ago. Evan knew this, and after a few seconds of eye contact, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. They finally let go and looked at me awkwardly. I felt even more out of place with them both looking at me, so I said with a big smile, "Oh, I have no problem with this; you both can carry on."

Evan looked down, and Nathan glared at me, whispering, "Dude, I want you to go right now," while staring at me with those green eyes.

"Um, I think I'll go for a walk outside. If you need me, just call," I said awkwardly. I’m terrible at taking hints. I walked out without looking back.

Outside in Evan's garden, the flowers were beautiful, and the fresh air from the trees was refreshing. I walked around, waiting for them to call me back in. Then I noticed a guy lurking around Evan's home. At first, I didn’t recognize him, but then I saw the bandage around his neck and the black hoodie. It was the guy who had thrown a stone with a note into my room.