Sinbound

Five

People believe in fate but don't realise that it is heavily dependent on our choice. In each and every situation, we have a choice. Sometimes it feels like we don't but in that case too, we have a choice, we are just too scared to acknowledge it.

I made a choice, a decision to escape. I could've done that before but I was too scared, I still am but this time the choice I have made is to be strong enough to fight my demons

Going to the park seemed like the best choice at that moment. I used to go there whenever I felt like I needed to be alone. It was crowded the last time I visited but now there were just a few people, mostly the elderly. I wondered what happened to this place, I used to watch kids run around like tiny people on drugs, dogs playing fetch with their owners. I used to be so annoyed at all the noise but now that it isn't there, the place seems different. I missed the noise.

I sat on the bench I usually sat on, it was the same other than a piece of metal bolted on it.

In loving memory of Paris Anne Bush(1998-2017).

The words were engraved in beautiful cursive, my name. Everyone thought I was dead but they didn't find a body to bury so they probably just decided to name the bench.

"Hey." I heard a deep, husky voice. I turned around to find a guy standing behind the bench.

"Hi, do I know you?" I asked him, confused.

"No, you were at the cafe, I work there."

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked him, did he stalk me?

"I just got off my shift. I come here everyday to sit on this bench for a while."

"Why this bench?" I asked him. The bench was basically like a gravestone now, why would anyone want to sit on it every single day?

"I don't know, I feel like there's a story behind that name. I feel comfortable." he said and it made me feel like I mattered.

"Sit." I told him and patted the space beside me.

"Was that guy your boyfriend?"

"Who?"

"The guy from the cafe, the one you stormed out on, without paying for your coffee." He said and chuckled.

"Oh my God, did I not pay? I'm so sorry, I will pay you right now. How mu-" I spoke but was interrupted.

"Stop! The guy payed for it."

"Oh, okay then." I said. "And he isn't my boyfriend, he's my brother's friend."

"That's a good thing then, the guy's a dick." he said and i couldn't help but laugh.

"How can you tell?"

"I heard what you said to him, also he called you arrogant for storming out like that."

"Ironic." I scoffed.

We stayed silent for a couple of minutes. It was weird how it didn't feel weird sitting there with a stranger.

"Noah, by the way." he said.

"Okay, Noah. Now, the bench is all yours, I'm gonna go." I stood up and walked a few steps before I heard him yell.

"What's your name?"

"Paris Anne Bush." I said but kept walking.

I walked away too far before he realised that it was my name on the bench. I probably made him think that he talked to a ghost.

.

The next day, I made Mike call Amber and Daisy to come to the cafe and they both agreed.

I walked in the cafe first and Mike waited for the both of them to arrive to make sure they don't freak out all of a sudden after seeing me.

I watched them walking towards the cafe through the glass and my eyes teared up. I saw Mike tell them something and the next moment they rushed in and everything blurred as I hugged them. There was nothing else in that moment. We cried into each others arms, we didn't care how many people were watching.

"Paris, oh my God! How?" Amber asked once we broke away from the hug.

"Let's go home, I will tell you everything." I told them. I couldn't say anything in public.

They nodded and we started walking towards the door when I noticed Noah behind the counter, looking straight at me. I told Amber and Daisy to wait in the car for a minute.

"Please tell me you aren't a ghost." was the first thing he said to me and I laughed.

"I guess I am not." I smiled.

"I have so many questions."

"The bench, same time." I said and walked away. I wanted to talk to him, I felt a very strange connection to him.

During the day, I could see that he was very attractive, bright green eyes and dark brown hair, chiseled face and pouty lips. He was exactly the type of guy I imagined when I read romance novels as an introverted teenager.

I got in the car and Mike drove us back home. Daisy stared at me like I was a ghost the whole ride while Amber stole glances at me as to confirm again and again if it was me she was looking at.

"Okay, you both will have to stop being weird."

"How?" Daisy said.

"You just came back from the dead." Amber said at the same time.

"No, I did not. I was breathing the whole time." I told them. "Will you guys please wait till we get home? I swear you wouldn't want to hear the story here."

"You were breathing, but were you alive?" Mike asked me after a minute when everyone was silent and the only sound was coming from the engine of the car.

"No." I said as we pulled up outside the house.

.

I told them the whole story.

"Why don't you call the police?" Daisy asked.

"He was a government official, do you think the police will do anything else other than murdering me and my family?" I explained.

"This is so unfair, Paris. Shouldn't we at least try? I'm sure you don't want him just walking around free after doing all that to you."

"I know this is unfair and I should be able to complain and he should be behind the bars. But I don't even know what he looks like, I've only seen his eyes, he always wore a mask around me and I am pretty sure he modulated his voice. He knew I would escape some day so he proceeded with precaution."

"Aw, Come here." Amber opened up her arms and I walked over to hug her. Daisy joined in.

"The only thing I don't understand is how did that note get in my room. There is no way anyone came through the window, front door was locked and Aiden was right beside me the whole time."

"Don't think about it right now, we will figure it out, okay. Everyone is right here."

I just nodded and gave in. I deserved the rest.

.

I walked to the park as the clock struck 5:30 in the evening. I walked to my bench and Noah was already there.

"Hello, miss ghost." he said and I smiled at the nick name.

"Hello."

"So, what's your story? I swear to God I am trying to figure it out since the last three years."

"I am too, trying to figure it out since the last three years." I said and sat down beside him.

I looked around at the playground which was pretty much like me. Empty.