The Spectre

Chapter Twenty Nine : Knowing The Truth (Part 1)

I haven't seen GD for four days and it bothered me. First, he left all of a sudden the last time he's in the house with an unknown reason. Second, he no longer visit or hangout with me in afternoons or evenings. I find it strange since he's always showing up, or maybe I'm just used in seeing him often and I'm a bit frustrated that I haven't seen him around. And there's the obvious fact that I miss him, very. Being with him was like, part of my everyday routine. And right now, his absence makes me feel hollow, like there's a ball of light within me that suddenly disappeared into thin air along with his disappearance making me glum within each passing day.

My friends at school noticed my somberness, it's like I was abandoned or someone close to me just died. Bom and CL always exchange looks as if saying that something's wrong with me and that I need help.

"Arya, it seems like you are down lately. What's the matter my yepuda chingu?" Bom asked me one afternoon when we're doing some research in the library, the three of us are seated on a long table and we're the only ones occupying it. CL was sleeping during that time with her head propped on top of a thick history book. Bora on the other hand, didn't go to school.

I couldn't look Bom straight in the eye. I know if I did I couldn't pull off an excuse that would make her believe that what I've said was true. I made myself look busy by concentrating on the synopsis we have to submit for our English class the following Monday and answered her casually. "Nothing. I just lack in sleep. For the past nights I've been staying up late." I told her not looking at her face. But Bom was so persistent, I don't know if she can see right through me or it's just her nature to pry.

"No, there's something going on with you isn't it? You can tell me, you can tell us." Bom told me. I can hear it in her voice that she was worried, and that she was pleading for me to open up but I don't feel like talking.

"Seriously, Bom, there's nothing wrong. I'm fine." I said to her and gave her a thoughtful smile. I feel guilty though, because I just kept something from her.

"If she doesn't want to talk about it leave her be. We've talked about this, Bom." I heard CL muttered not moving in her position. She must've been listening to us.

"It's not like that, CL. Nothing's bothering me." I told her.

"That's what people always say every time something actually bothers them and they think they can handle it on their own." CL answered her. "Whatever it is, if you're ready to tell us, we're just here." I gave out a smile and continued with my work.

Back at home my elders also became aware of my plutonian state. I was always quiet and not chiming in in their conversations, my smile looks half-hearted once they have my attention and most of the time I'm zoning out. I don't have to worry about my mom asking me what the problem was, she's the kind of person that even if she still treats me as a baby she really knows how to respect my privacy. If she would see me withdrawn she wouldn't ask me questions, because she knew that after a few days I would talk to her about it. And that's one thing I like about my mom, she's concerned but she gives me space. And she allows me to be independent to think of and solve my problems first by myself, and if I couldn't handle it she would be there for me, waiting for me to start talking.

But my aunt was different. Since the day that GD left suddenly she'd been giving me strange looks, it's like, she was observing me. I find it weird but I just tried to shrug it off. Although the way she stares at me seems a bit odd, it's as if she wants to talk to me about something but she's restraining herself not to. I was wondering if she could see that I'm sulking over a boy, which is not impossible because she had met GD. I just hope she would just be quiet about it and leave me alone.

I was already upstairs in my room and on top of my bed fiddling with my computer and exploring the internet when someone knocked at the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.