Rachel Stanton and The Darkest Night

CHAPTER 2: THE TYLERS

2. THE TYLERS

There was an uncomfortable feeling that went through my whole body. When I saw his eyes locked on mine, an image flashed at the back of my mind. I saw him. He was young. He had the face of a three-year-old boy. His hair was short and dark; his eyes did not differ from what it was now.

I did not look away. Instead, I watched. Maybe this was the first time I would look at his face for a long time. I memorized every detail of his face I could already sketch him with my eyes shut closed. Perfect-shaped nose, square jaws.

After a moment of awkward silence, I saw the corners of his lips stretched into a small smile. I never blinked. I kept staring. Until I could not resist to do the same to him.

Then . . . he looked away.

After I exited the halls of Building G, I heard someone call out my name. I turned in the direction of the voice, and saw Kathleen and the others walking faster toward me.

“Hey!” I said, sighing. “Going home?”

“Yeah,” Kathleen replied, and she and the others halted in front of me. “You?”

“Same.”

“C’mon, then.” It was Allison. Judging by the tone of her voice, she looked totally uncomfortable. She started to walk, but I caught her arm and stopped her.

“What’s wrong Alice?” I asked, releasing her. “Is something bothering you?”

Allison managed to shake her head. “No,” she muttered. “Nothing.”

“I don’t think there’s nothing, Alice,” said Camille, stepping toward us. “C’mon. Tell us about it.”

“Is it about Fredrick?” Josephine said, and I saw Allison flinched.

“You know about him already?” Allison’s eyes opened wider. I saw her turn tomato-red when she said that.

“Well,” Josephine began, inclining her head to one side. “I’m not yet sure. But I think he is related to the librarian. I saw it on his ID.”

“Okay,” Allison said simply. “When did you see it?”

“I saw it when I went to the library after lunch.” She paused. “I borrowed a book and also, I wrote a letter saying to meet us tomorrow in front of Building A.”

“Oh, my God, Josie,” Allison cursed. “Why did you do that?”

“We want to meet him,” Josephine told her. “And I’m sure you want as well.”

“It is not that easy, Josie.” Allison’s tone rose.

“Calm down, Alice,” muttered Camille. “It’s okay. Josie’s right. We want to meet him.”

Allison threw her an icy look. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth but then closed it again. “Fine,” she said, as if not intending to let the word leave her mouth. But she soon agreed to it.

Silence fell when we began to walk again. Allison stared down at her feet thinking about something deep. Maybe she could not get over about what Josephine did. But I agreed with her. We all wanted to see who Fredrick Dedeloo was.

Suddenly, something occurred in my mind. Is Fredrick Dedeloo Green Eyes? I thought. What if it was him and the reason why he looked at me was because he heard us talk about him? I was not sure. But if he was Fredrick, Allison would be a lucky girl.

By the time we reached the parking lot, students were already rushing to get home. I looked around, searching for Dad. I hoped he did not forget to park near Building A. I searched the lots where he usually parked the car. He was talking to Mr. William, Kathleen’s father, few lots away from the first lot.