"𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒" followed by Chasing Love is finally here!
One year ago, Samanun Freen vanished without a trace, making Mon devasted and heartbroken. Just as Mon thought she was getting better, Samanun reappeared. Stran...
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C H A P T E R W A R P E D R E P L I C A
I twisted my hair into a loose ponytail and trudged out the door, feeling like a ghost caught between realms. That bizarre dream clung to me like a shadow, and Archer and the gang were insisting on throwing a small party at my place to lift my spirits. Ugh, parties. I could barely muster the energy to smile, let alone host a soirée. Yet, part of me wanted to escape into that bubble of social chaos. Maybe it was the idea of having a comfort zone, a piece of normalcy to cling to amidst the uneasiness of my thoughts. And then there was the dream, persistent and haunting, Find Me. As I stood before Greystone's gothic gate, the chill of the evening wind tangled with my thoughts, I noticed a figure ahead. Her back was to me, her midnight-black hair swirling with the breeze, and her hands stuffed into the pockets of her backpack. The glasses perched on her nose, though unseen, were familiar enough to make my heart skip a beat. I called out, my voice breaking through the silence. 'Hey!' She turned, and there she was—Sam. The glasses slipped a fraction down her nose bridge, her lips a muted shade of sunset peach. She looked just as enigmatic as I remembered, her eyes deep wells of unspoken stories, her expression a canvas of cold indifference. 'Hey there... Mon,' she replied, her voice a muted echo of the warmth it might have once held. Something was unsettling about how much she had changed in such a short span. The previous Sam, the one with a spark in her eyes, seemed distant, as though a veil had descended between us. 'Um, sorry about the... other day,' I stammered, my voice carrying a strangled note of sincerity. She cast a cursory glance at the College Board, the same distant gaze in her eyes. 'Mm, OK.' A knot tightened in my chest. The sudden shift in her demeanor was jarring, like a storm that had rolled in overnight. "Are... you seriously not mad?" God, Mon. What are you doing? From a state of depression to playing the concerned friend—what was I even trying to be? She blinked, the slightest hint of confusion touching her features. 'You're here for?' I hesitated, stumbling over my words. 'Well, me and my friends are having a party at my place. Thought you might want to join?' Her lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile, but her eyes remained inscrutable. 'Why?' Damn it. 'Uh, consider it a welcome party for you?' I managed, forcing a sheepish smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. There was a brief pause, a moment where everything hung in the balance. Then she nodded, her gaze softening just a touch. 'Sure, I'll come.' As I nodded in eternal joy, please god I'm not crazy, she left me alone, going inside. Girl, what? You just left me like this. Ugh. Samanun Freen Wicha. I chuckle to myself. When things were good, she never used to speak her mind. As I stood there, grappling with my tangled thoughts, a distant voice called my name. It was husky, rumbling—a sound that slithers under your skin and wraps itself around your nerves. I turned, my heart hammering in my chest. Everything around me seemed to blur, focusing only on the shadowy figure that stood at the edge of the playground. A girl—no, a shadow of a girl emerged from the dimming light. Her hair whipped around her face like dark, angry tendrils. Her eyes lost in darkness, sent a shiver down my spine. The kind of nightmare straight out of The Exorcist. She wore the same backpack as Sam's, its color a haunting mix of cattleya and jasper, with a bunny charm dangling from the zipper. The left side of her face was smeared with blood and grime as if she had crawled from a nightmare. Her outstretched hand beckoned me, her posture pleading. The mini car she held seemed to glint menacingly in the fading light. The message was clear—Help Me. Find Me. I stood frozen, rooted to the spot by the sheer terror that gripped me. The girl was so close, her shadow merging with mine, and I could feel the icy tendrils of fear wrapping around my heart. As her image loomed larger, the scream that tore from my throat was more of a gasp, swallowed by the encroaching darkness. My vision darkened, my knees buckling as I collapsed, the world around me collapsing into an abyss of shadows. Opening my eyes, I found many eyes staring at me in concern and pity. Fuckers, fuck off. Ugh. Why am I like this, god? My vision wavered, a hazy kaleidoscope of trembling lights and discordant noises. My head rested on something warm and comforting, and as I squinted upwards, my heart faltered. Samanun Freen Wicha. Her voice, a soothing murmur amidst the chaos, reached my ears. 'Mon? Mon? Are you OK?' Each word felt like a soft caress against my overstimulated senses. Struggling to regain my composure, I jolted awake from the nightmarish vision that had sent me spiraling. My voice trembled, barely a whisper through my chattering teeth. 'S-Sam, I saw—there was a girl... coming toward me. She—was in an accident. I-I don't understand—' My hands shook uncontrollably, my words stumbling over the sheer terror that gripped me. 'Mon!' Sam's voice was firm yet tender as she gently shook me. 'Look at me, Mon.' Her eyes, filled with concern and warmth, met mine, piercing through the haze of my fear. I tried to focus, my eyes welling up with tears that mirrored the tumult inside me. 'S-Samanun, she—' My voice faltered, a broken plea for understanding, as the image of the shadowy girl lingered like haunting specter in my mind. In the meantime, Archer and my friends got rid of the crowd that was watching me like some fancy show. 'Sam, she—blood everywhere, oh god...' I stuttered, my voice cracking under the weight of my terror. My hands, trembling and cold, felt helpless as she drew me into a firm embrace. The rush of adrenaline began to ebb away, replaced by a comforting calm that enveloped me like a soft, familiar blanket. For the first time in a year, I felt a profound sense of ease and security, as if the weight of 365 days of fear and solitude was being lifted from my shoulders. My tears flowed freely, mingling with the warmth of Sam's embrace. Each sob seemed to dissolve the remnants of my dread, and as I clung to her, the world outside faded into a distant blur. At that moment, with her heartbeat steady against my ear and her arms surrounding me, I felt an unparalleled peace. I can't even remember the last time a hug felt this good, like a balm for a soul that's been aching too long. I smiled as the pain melted away, like ice under a warm sun. When we broke apart, she asked, 'Are you okay now?' I wiped away the tears, nodding. 'Yeah. Thank you.' Her smile held something I couldn't quite pin down, a shadow in the light. 'Well, Mon, there was nothing there.' Her tone was gentle but edged with something...doubt? Concern? 'Were you hallucinating?' 'No, I— I don't hallucinate! It was real.' The terror that had momentarily eased began to creep back in, like a slow, icy tide. I walked over to where the shadow had been, desperation clawing at my voice. 'It was here. She was here. Why don't you guys believe me?!' Archer stepped in, trying to defuse the tension. 'Guys, we gotta head to class. And Mon, take a break, man.' He gave my bicep a playful punch. 'She was a traitor. She took advantage of your soft heart.' Sam's eyes flickered with something unreadable, but she stayed silent as if she had the right to stand there and not say a damn thing. Archer knew about the girl I loved, but I never told him her name because, well, she was right in front of me. Acting like we never meant anything. 'Nah, I'm good. You guys go ahead. I'll grab something to eat real quick.' Archer nodded, giving me a look that said he approved. 'Alright, alright. Hurry.' He turned to Sam. 'Let's go?' She pressed her lips together, not saying a word. Was I really hallucinating? There were at least a hundred students around, and not one of them saw it. The dream, the voices—Sam's and Ivy's. Goosebumps prickled up my neck, fear coiling tighter inside me. But no one would believe me, anyway. Lost in my thoughts, I came back with a grape Jello drink, trying to shake off the unease. Archer gave me a low-key wave as I stood outside the class. Ugh, is Philosophy even a subject? 'Hey, chipmunk.' Archer lightly knocked me on the head. 'What'd you want?' I shot back, fixing my hair, trying to hide the nerves. 'How is that drink gonna give you energy, huh? You're gonna get drunk, like last time.' I rolled my eyes, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up my neck. 'Oh, c'mon, man. This is a regular drink.' I playfully shoved him back. 'What the fuck, man.' A laugh burst out of me, loud enough to draw some stares. Yeah, this is my specialty—fucking things up. Shit. Here she comes. 'Ms. Patricia, it's truly delightful that you find my class so amusing,' Mrs Thalassa groaned, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Oh, for the love of— I can't stand this woman. 'Erm, it's not—nothing like that, Mrs. Thalassa.' Her forehead furrowed, eyes narrowing like she was trying to burn a hole through me with sheer irritation. 'Well, what is it then?' 'It's just that—' I scrambled for an excuse, pointing aimlessly at something, anything that might distract her from the fact that I was laughing like a demon-possessed Jared. Okay, maybe not that bad. Trust me. 'I just, um, I got a tickle ick. Sorry.' I apologized quickly, forcing a sheepish smile. 'One more noise and you're off to detention.' She fired back, the threat hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Whatever, old lady. I tried to focus, I frankly did, but her lectures were like a sedative, lulling me into a stupor. And it wasn't just me; Archer was right there with me, both of us caught in the same sleepy haze. 'Hey, psst, Archer,' I nudged him quietly with my elbow. He glanced up, already knowing exactly what I was going to say. He turned back to his book, muttering, 'Yes, I know. I'm ranked number one. And I hate his class. Now, back off.' What the fuck, man. I'm dying of boredom here... When does this class end? My mind wandered to Lily. She was in the next building, probably wrapping up her lab class. It's been too long since we had a sleepover or a date. Damn, I'm really in a rut. Maybe I could unload some of this crazy, twisted shit that's been plaguing my mind. After what felt like an eternity, the bell finally rang, and I bolted out of there like I'd caught my boyfriend cheating. Hah, jokes on me. I don't even have a boyfriend. Aw, man. I spotted Lily walking out of the lab, looking unusually gloomy in her lab coat and safety nets. She was heading toward the bathroom to clean up—I just knew it. 'Lily!' She looked up, and just like that, the gloom lifted, her face brightening as if the clouds had parted just for her. 'MON!' She pulled me into a tight hug, so tight I thought I might choke. 'Damn, woman. How much did you miss me?' Breaking the hug, she cupped my face with a kind of pleasure that felt like sunshine warming the coldest corners of my heart. Extending both arms wide, she grinned, 'This much.' Her smile—honestly, it could bring the dead back to life. 'I thought you forgot about me.' I cooed at her, leaning into the warmth of the moment. 'Oooiee, how could I forget my cookie champ?' We walked out of the bathroom, the weight of the day lifting with each step. 'Lily, you wanna do something fun?' Her eyes lit up, and she pulled her fisted arm close, ready for whatever mischief I had in mind. 'Sure, bae. I'm down.' 'This evening, straight through the night. Coffee, movie, sleepover.' Her doe eyes sparkled with excitement, a shared thrill in the promise of simple joys. 'I want to relive them again.' I'm just gonna cancel the party last minute on them, no biggies. Lily comes first.
