Renaissance : Alliyah Bailey (English)

Chapter 8

At the very bottom of the cabinet where the picture frames were displayed, there were three thick books.

"I think that’s what we’re looking for," Nicole said and I thought she was right.

I immediately picked up the black book and found it to be what we were looking for. I picked up the remaining two and then decided to go down my room. I put the three yearbooks and the picture frame in my bed. I just stared at it for a few minutes.

"Oh? What are you waiting for? New year?"

I immediately turned to the first page of the first yearbook— junior high. I couldn't really remember the faces I saw in every page. A knocked interrupted us. Nicole and I looked at each other.

I was about to speak when suddenly my room's door opened. It was Therese. I looked back at Nicole who was now still able to smile. "Don't worry and she can't see me."

She stared at me and glared at Therese who was approaching me now. "Do you think she's the one who killed you?"

I focused my gaze again at Therese who was already frowning and looking at my hand. "She knows the ins and outs of your house especially your bedroom."

Therese sat down at where Nicole was sitting. So I could clearly see how Nicole's body had slipped through Therese's body. I just kept my eyes from widening or else, Therese would be totally confused. Especially since she had already noticed that things had changed in me.

"This woman is rude!" Nicole complained and immediately left the seat where Therese was already sitting. I want to laugh but I was really just holding myself back.

"You're not dressed yet?" Therese asked and looked at the things on top of my bed. "What's up?"

She picked up the picture frame and looked at it. A smile was plastered on her lips."I thought you threw this away."

"Why would I?" She looked back at me while still holding the picture frame.

"I didn't see it here in your room."

"Why would I throw that away?" I asked again. Curiosity enveloped my heart again.

She just stared at me for a while before replying. "Because you're mad at Irene."

My forehead furrowed. I didn't really remember. I didn't even know who Irene was in the picture. I didn't want to ask again why I was mad at Irene, Therese might be surprised.

Nicole was just quiet and just looking at Nicole's every move. I took the picture frame from Therese and by accident, I touched her hand. I was just surprised when in a flash the surroundings changed.

Therese and Nicole were gone. I lost my room and was replaced by a mob of students. What was happening? I looked around to see Nicole, but I couldn't find her. I called her in my mind but still nothing.

I noticed the whole area was black and white as well as the people. I looked at my body and it was in its original color, and most of all I was just like air. Because students were just walking through my body.

"Alliyah!" I immediately turned to the one who called my name. But myself was what I saw. I was smiling. Based on what I could see... it was like I didn't have a problem. In fact, my life was so perfect back then. Everyone was almost my friend.

What I didn't know was that someone was jealous of me. Until I found out that someone with secret hatred and envy had killed me. Because if I just found out that not everyone around me liked me, that there was someone out there looking at me in a distance and already planning on killing me, I would rather be alone and not to talk to people.

But it was too late. That person had already killed me. By the way, it was not too late, I guessed. I still had hope to change what had already happened.

"Hey, Irene!" I was surprised by the name my old self called to the woman who called my name earlier.

I immediately looked at what my old self was looking at and saw a woman with a wide smile. She was the woman next to me in the picture on the right side. Therese was next to me on the left side. When Irene got close to my old self, she immediately put her hand on my arm.

Was this the way that the one who gave me my life back showed me what really happened in my past? I just followed the two of them. They talked a lot. About our teacher. New students and seniors. Boys that were part of the varsity.

"Alliyah! Irene!"

I immediately looked at my back when I heard a familiar voice— Therese. The two stopped walking and faced Therese.

"Looks like you have a world of your own again and you haven't heard me calling you over and over again," Therese grumbled.

"Already mad, huh? " My old self said and immediately reached for Therese's hand but Irene pulled my old self's hand right away.

"Because you're too slow, Therese, we'll be late."

I just smiled at Therese, "Come on, Rese."

By the way, I used to call Therese, Rese.

"When did Tere become Rese?" Irene asked laughingly. "Come on, Alliyah."

My gaze immediately turned to Therese who had been left behind as she stared at Irene and my old self walking away. I could see only two things in her eyes— anger and envy.

Anger and envy...

The two reasons why I was killed.

She might be the one who killed me, but there seemed to be something really wrong. Not because I just didn't want to accept that she killed me. She was not looking at my old self. She was looking at Irene. Why did I forget what happened when I was still in school?

Maybe because I couldn't see what was really going on around me. Because I was different then. I had no problem way back then. All I was thinking of was to be happy. I didn't look at things that I thought will give me trouble.

So maybe I didn't see and even felt that there were fake people around me. And maybe I forgot my memories as a student because this day would come and show me what really happened. Whoever you were behind it all— my come back made possible by the cursed Nicole, would put justice in my hands.

Therese followed Irene and my old self. It was hard for me to always say the word 'my old self', I just rolled my eyes. Lookin at the place and students gave me nostalgic feelings, though I couldn't recall a thing about the past I had been through.

As I followed Therese I was also thinking of something good to call myself. Hmm... Okay... I'll just call my old self by my last name— Bailey. They entered a classroom. It looked like the bell was going to ring any minute now. I was surprised because I also saw Samantha’s nanny, Adelaine. I knew it was her, though he was younger than now, I was sure it was her.

My forehead furrowed. She was our classmate? But why didn’t Therese even mention it earlier at Brent’s party? I wanted to bang my head on the wall. I thought I was going crazy now!

Adelaine was at the far end of the classroom. I noticed her right away because she was the only one with a long-sleeve uniform. I immediately stood in the back so I could see everything. Bailey was sitting in the front— which was my old self.

I honestly didn't really remember what kind of student I was. If I was smart then or an average student, I couldn't even remember. Whether I was a good student then or a bully perhaps. It was making me insane!

Suddenly everyone roared when Brent entered. I immediately looked at Bailey. I winced at the reaction of my old self. I was like a worm sprinkled with salt. I just bent down and rubbed my forehead at what I saw. I couldn't believe I was like that then.

It was like I wanted to get in touch with Nicole and say she was right. I look stûpid.

I looked at Bailey again and saw that her cheeks were already red. Because I didn't really use on putting make-up. My cheeks and lips were naturally red in color. I didn't know what grade we were at this time. Maybe we were in our junior high school years.

When Brent passed in front of Bailey, the whole classroom became even noisy. I knew that Brent had always really liked me and everyone also knew that I liked Brent. But what I just didn't really know was why Brent took it so long before confessing and asking me if he could court me.

It seemed I wanted to be thankful that I died and came back to life. Because if not, I would never change. Those things that I ignored then, now seemed like a big deal to me. I was just too careless and happy-go-lucky in my life before.

Now, it showed me how stupid I used to be. It showed me how worthless I was. I just smiled at everyone. What I didn't know was that not all of the smiles shown to me were real.

I would make sure now that I change myself. When time came that I would succeed in this mission and find out who really killed me, I would gain my life back.

I would make sure that I would be no longer the Alliyah Bailey known to everyone as a girl that didn't care about her surroundings or the people around her.

Because now, even small things would be important to me.