LIGHTS OF THE OTHER WORLD

Chapter 21: Strange Happenings

It's been three days since I've started blogging my story. By now, I'm exhausted as I've told you about every incident in detail.

I wake up the next morning due to my alarm blaring in my ears. Grandma saunters to me and says "Cal, can you go and buy some vegetables from the market please?"

"I thought mom does that. Where is she?" I say with lethargy.

"She's gone with your dad for some work. I thought I'll surprise them by making lunch but then I realized that there are no vegetables left in the refrigerator." Grandma says.

"Fine. I'll go and get them." I agree despite my dislike for markets. They always happen to be crowded and the throng of people always seem to be causing a rabble.

While walking to the market, I pass by James's house. I see him running behind Lucy. It seems like they are playing something. He runs really fast. He catches Lucy and tickles her. She laughs. He grins too. They look so happy. Seeing them I realise that I can't ruin their happiness just because mine is ruined. The way I had spoken to James was wrong. It wasn't even his fault that Evanthia had betrayed me. Lucy too had been such a great friend. If I hurt James, then even Lucy would get hurt and this may disrupt our friendship and I can't afford to lose another good friend because of my silliness.

I smile, enjoying this bliss of solitude in the outdoors, allowing me to think deeply and practically. I leave the place immediately after buying the grocery.

As I walk through the alleys, I feel that someone is following me. I stop and look behind but I don't see anyone. I resume walking. But I get that feeling again and turn back. Again, I see no one. I reassure myself and walk at a faster pace now for I'm scared. I've never been followed before. I reach back home and quickly lock the doors. I give the vegetables to grandma and quickly go to my room and shut the door. I heave a sigh of relief. As I rush to my bed, take out my laptop and surf the net in search of any criminal stalker who might be living near my house. I find none.

It might just be my imagination. I think. Suddenly, I hear a huge thud. I leap out of my bed and look around. I look at the floor and find a crumpled ball of paper. I unfold it as fast as I can. I read it. It says 'If you think you can escape us, then your wrong." I'm puzzled. Whom can it be from? Could it be Zina?

At once I look down from the window. I see someone in a black hoodie, running away.

"I'm not afraid of you anymore, Zina!"I scream, in the hope that she'll leave me alone.

My neighbor looks at me in surprise. "Are you okay Callidora?" She asks me from down.

"Oh yes, Mrs Ratchet. Don't worry." I assure her, embarrassedly, and close my window.

Just then Dina walked into my room.
"Dina? What are you doing here?" I ask in surprise.

"Cal, why weren't you picking up my phone? I was so worried that I thought I'd would be best if I drop by and check on you." She says. I quickly check my phone. I see ten missed calls from Dina.

"Sorry, the thing is that Zina stalked me all the way back home. " I say.

"What? How's that possible? I just met Zina in the mall. She was with her losers as usual." She says.

"What!" I exclaim.

"Yup." She says. Her phone beeps and she checks it. "Oh! It's a text from Lucy." She says.

"What does it say?" I ask.

"She's sent me a link. She says that this is a really beautiful song and that I'll really like it." She says.

"Okay. Then play it. Even I want to hear it." I say.

She clicks on the link and it leads her to YouTube.

"Oh! There's a video too!" She exclaims in excitement. Dina and I watch the video. As the song plays, Dina says "This is a song from 13 Reasons Why! I've seen this, it's beautiful."

'I am not the only traveller
Who has not repaid his debt
I've been searching for a trail to follow again
Take me back to the night we met
And then I can tell myself
What the hell I'm supposed to do
And then I can tell myself
Not to ride along with you
I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don't know what I'm supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Oh, take me back to the night we met
When the night was full of terrors
And your eyes were filled with tears
When you had not touched me yet
Oh, take me back to the night we met
I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
Take me back to the night we met
I don't know what I'm supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
Take me back to the night we met'

"Clay and Hannah look perfect together!" Dina exclaimed.
As I looked at the video and listened to the song, I felt that I could relate to it a lot. Evanthia was always there with me. Then, once we left for Bellendis, she was mostly there during our training and during the war, she was there with my only sometimes. But now, she was no more there. The moments I spent with Evanthia flashed through my mind. The moments when we laughed together, sang together, complained about school together came to my mind. In Bellendis, the moments we spent in fighting wars together and taking care of each other were so memorable. I got so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realise that Dina was trying to talk to me.

"Cal? What's wrong?" She elbows me.

"Huh? Nothing. Nothing at all." I say.

"Hmm. You're missing Evanthia. Aren't you?" She asks.

"What? No way. You don't expect me to like her after what she's done to me, do you? I don't care about her." I lie as I look away.

"You can lie to me all you want cal. But the truth is not going to change." She says.

"The truth is that I'm not missing her and that is not going to change. " I say.

"You don't have to justify it for me. I understand you. Now you have to understand yourself. I have to go now. I'll see you later." She says and walks away abruptly, leaving me to contemplate alone