Nescience | (On Hold)

Chapter - 3. A new beginning

I looked back to see who had shoved me, but she was long gone before I could get a good look. She seemed strangely familiar. Charlette rushed towards me to see if I was okay. She helped me up to my feet and asked me if I was alright. I thanked her and got up.

"I am sorry about yesterday. I am usually not that gloomy. I really wanted to get to know you but I just wasn't.....myself yesterday. So Kate, What brings you to South Shore?" ,Charlette asked.

"My family moved here a couple weeks ago. So this was the closest school that I could go to" ,I replied picking up my books from the ground.

"Here, let me help" , Charlette offered.

"Oh it's no big deal, don't trouble yourself", I replied.

Still, Charlette helped pick my books up. "Who was that girl?", I asked Charlette. "Who was who?", she asked quizzically.

"The girl who shoved me and ran. Did you see her?", I asked.

"Um, No. One second I was grabbing my books from my locker and the next second you are down on the floor. I didn't really see what happened to you." She replied.

"Oh, Okay. I guess it's no big deal anyways."I shrugged.

"Okay, I have math now so I better rush. What class do you have?" she asked me. I looked into my schedule and noticed that I had math too. "Guess I am stuck with you for the next period" I said with a smile on my face. Her face instantly lit up with a smile and she replied, "Great, Now we can get to know each other better".

I hung out with Charlette for the rest of my day. She had a very distinct personality. My first impression of her wasn't very great but my second was quite the opposite.

Once school was over, I went back home. On my way, I kept thinking about the girl in the hallway; she felt very familiar but I couldn't remember who she was. It felt slightly weird how Charlette didn't notice her. The way the girl ran through the halls like crazy, everyone must've noticed her. Everyone, but Charlette.

The strange thing is that I don't even remember what the girl looked like; I just remember that she looked familiar.

When I reached home, I rushed to my room to investigate the package further. I got to my room, had a quick shower, changed into my pajamas and sat on my bed.

I bent down to look under the bed and my brain didn't believe my eyes. IT WAS GONE!!! The package was gone. I yelled at Sarah, "Sarah! Did you take my frame?". She yelled back, "What frame?". She sounded genuinely innocent, so I believed her. I asked my mom if she had taken it. She yelled back, "Yes sweetie. I put our family portrait in it and hung it in the kitchen. Why don't you come and take a look at it?"

I ran downstairs to the kitchen and found the gigantic frame hanging on the wall. The frame looked enormous on the wall. I didn't realize how huge it was when I first saw it. But I don't know if hanging the frame on the wall was a good idea. Obviously because it came from someone shady and I don't trust this 'someone'.

"Mom , why did you take it?", I asked as calmly as I could.

"Are you kidding me? These kinds of frames are made to be hung on walls and not to sit under a teenager's bed. Nevertheless, it looks beautiful on our wall. It looks like it belongs in some castle or fort. Where did you get it? It must've been expensive", my mom quipped.

"Um...It's a...a...a gift" I said acting as convincing as possible.

My mom arched a cynical eyebrow at first but then her eyebrow relaxed and her mouth curved into a smile. "Your friend is definitely very generous" she smiled. "It looks antique, doesn't it?" I asked my mom. She definitely knew a thing or two about antiquities, there is a slight chance that she might even recognize the symbol on the frame; if it meant anything at all. "It looks old, but it's nothing like what I have seen" she replied with her hands on her hips and a serious look.

"Well it's probably something from a thrift store or yard sale or something," I said trying to divert her to talk about something else other than the frame. "Well, it certainly looks expensive and did you notice that marking on the top?" she asked. An involuntary smile found its way up to my mouth. "Do you know something about it?", I asked.

"Nope. What am I your history teacher?" she simply said and continued with her chores. "It's probably just nothing" I said and went back to my room.

That is when I realized that I've seen the same symbol somewhere else today. My memories of today weren't very clear. I didn't know why but I couldn't properly remember what happened. However, I was sure that I definitely saw the symbol on something today. A sudden memory flashed like images in my mind. Memories of the girl in the hallways and the symbol. I didn't quite understand. Why can't I remember? Then I realized they weren't my memories, they were someone else's. What was happening to me?

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