Forlot - Books 7-9

Chapter Forty-Four

I was filled with confusion. If she was not the true Lubriem, why were the people around her claiming that she was?

I could tell that Cameron was also confused. "I am confused."

"As you should be," Shelly commented. "If the people in Forlot knew the truth, that I am not the Lubriem, it would break their hearts."

"Then...why did you admit that to me? Your secret is now out. I could spread it around, and it could come out."

"Confessing it to you was no mistake. I wanted to. No, I had to."

"Why? And why lie what you really are? Lying is unacceptable here. That is, unless it is under special circumstances."

"It is a long, sad story."

"Go ahead. I have time. The weddings are not happening for another half an hour."

She cleared her throat. "Years ago, the Lubriem died."

Cameron pressed his hands against his cheeks. "She died?" I just stared at Shelly intently.

"Yes, however...there is something that nobody knew of. Just me and a couple of other people."

"And who would those be?" Cameron asked.

She hesitated for a moment. "You have heard of a ghost named Lean Share. Right?"

"I have. Everyone has."

"Excuse me, but I have not," I jumped in. "Who is Lean Share?"

Shelly tilted her head down and continued on with the story. "She is a friend of mine. But she and the Lubriem...they were the best of friends! She was the first character to be created and therefore, was there for our Lubriem every step of the way. From when the Lubriem was thirteen to now. They held each other close."

Cameron rubbed his nose with his arm. "Lean must have been devastated when she found out that our Lubriem passed away."

"Actually...she was not."

"She was not? Not in the very least?"

"Not at all because...she killed her. She killed the Lubriem."

Cameron's body shuddered. He must had been surprised by how her life was taken. "I am surprised."

Even I was in a bit of a shock. What she admitted brought me back to my friends and bullies. The dead. How they were brutally murdered.

"Please. Do not be scared," Shelly pleaded. "There...there is something that has also been kept a secret. I swore to the true Lubriem that I would never tell anyone. But...I have to tell you, Cameron. You are so lost that you do not remember who you are. Just please...do not go out and spread it. The Lubriem just wants peace."

Cameron took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay then. What is the other secret?"

"The truth is...that Lean never killed her off. She was only taking an order from her. The Lubriem...faked her death."

"What?!" Cameron and I blurted out.

What a way to twist the plot!

"The Lubriem...faked her death to get away from the real worlders. Lean 'killed' her in front of some real worlders. She thought that if she, Lean, and Caleb made it seem like that she died, the real worlders would forget about her. Plus, she completely wanted to forget about them. Though, she never really can."

"Wait," I said. "If she faked her own death..."

Shelly finished for me. "...then she is still alive. However, it is not me, and I have no clue where the Lubriem is now."

Cameron let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for that. You scared me there for a second. And about this Caleb guy...his name sounds familiar..."

It was! I leaped out of my seat.

"Cameron!" I blurted out his actual name. "Caleb's name should be familiar to you. You and Caleb are cousins, remember? And Collin is your younger brother, and he and Caleb are cousins too!"

He spun back around and frowned at me. "Did you hit your head when you were knocked out? The last time that I checked, my name was Kyle with no last name. I am a single child. I do not have any brothers or cousins."

"And who told you all that? Your 'father'?"

"Why, yes. He is my dad. He would never lie to me."

I knew that he desperately wanted to change the topic because what occurred next was a punch in the face. But it was good nevertheless.

"Ari, before the weddings begin - and before I forget - we need to discuss...how this will work between us."

Great. This was the time to tell him how I really felt.

"Cameron...Kyle...whatever you desire to call yourself...this...relationship...will never work. It just cannot."

I thought that he was going to be disappointed or get upset or even throw a tantrum. Instead, he smiled the smile that I always believed was sweet.

"Thank you, Ari. Thank you so much."

I was fiddling with my fingers. "For...what?"

"For rejecting me. Haha! I have never been so happy in all my life."

"...if you do not mind me asking, why are you thanking me for rejecting you?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "My father saw you and your friend - Collin, is it? - kissing and informed me about it. I pretended to be heartbroken because I...I do not have feelings for you. I only like you as a good friend. That is it. I felt...no connection. No spark." His face saddened, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a doll.

I became so happy that I almost cried. "Collin!"

"I found him outside." He handed him to me, and I took him and kissed all over Collin's face.

"Poor Collin. He must hate being a doll."

"I know how we can turn him back to normal."

I looked back at him. "You do?"

"Yes. But we will have to do it during the weddings."

Shelly smirked and stood up from her chair. "I guess that we are going to sabotage a couple of weddings."