Dark Secrets

Chapter 4: So, Can We Make the Most Out of No Time? (2 of 2)

“You don’t like sweets, right?” Jacob said to Hyde.

“It’s not every day that I can have a birthday cake.” Hyde replied.

“Here.” handing the cake on the paper plate to Hyde. “Thanks for covering me up earlier, anyway.”

“I just did what I think I need to do. Thanks for the cake.” Hyde took the plate from my hand. “Car key, Jacob?” he turns to Jacob.

“Here.” Jacob handed the key to Hyde.

“I’ll enjoy this cake, Desa.” Hyde take his leave with a smile on his face although he rarely smiles to anyone.

“Hey.” Jacob uttered. “What about me and my other friends??!”

“I could give Craig and Smith slices too but I don’t know about you, you don’t like strawberry, this is a strawberry cake, the icing and even the bread is strawberry flavoured. You’re not going to eat it, so why would I give you knowing that you’ll just waste it?”

“So, you still remember, huh?” Jacob smirks. “What if I tell you that it was a lie and I gave you the strawberry on my cake because you kept on looking at it?”

“Fine. Whatever. Here.” handing him the whole box of the cake. “We already ate half of it anyway. Please don’t waste the cake my Mom bake for me, at least do me that favour.”

“Of course.” Jacob hold my hands as he took the box from me.

I pulled my hands away immediately because it feels so weird that he’s holding them for too long and Alexa is watching us.

“What are you still standing here for?” Belle taps Jacob shoulder. “Your friends are waiting for you in your ride.”

“Yeah, I’m going.” Jacob glance at me again before he walks off.

“Did he apologize to you, Desa?” Chanel gets in at the passenger seat. “He left the mart as soon as the groceries got bagged.

“No. That won’t be Jacob if he apologized to me.” buckling up.

“I don’t know if inviting him is a good idea or not.” Belle looking at me through the rear-view mirror. “I apologized on his behalf.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just avoid him to not cause any trouble with everyone.”

“Yeah, just keep away from that jerk.” Chanel responded.

Fortunately, that the boys have a ride on their own and we spend more time on the road than stopovers for toilet breaks.

We got no exact destination so we can go anywhere the road leads us but of course we need to rest so we stopped for a night in the middle of nowhere although there are some groups too around the area like it’s a camping ground or something.

The boys set up the fire while us girls organize the stuffs around our perimeter but they pretty much did every physical labour.

It was 7pm when we finally start having our dinner and it really feels like we’re on a camping because we’re in a circle around the bonfire.

We shared what my Mom made and grilled some few BBQ because the food I had is good for us girls only, because originally it should only be us 4 girls in this rod trip but then we got these 4 boys.

“The strawberry cake is delicious by the way.” Hyde helping me to clean up. “It’s not that sweet so I had another slice after I ate the slice you gave me. Jacob said that your Mom baked that cake.”

“Yup, she always bakes my cake for my birthday instead of buying from a cake shop.” putting all the garbage in the plastic bag.

“Do you know what time you were born?” Hyde suddenly asks out of the blue. “I was born at 4am on 25th of August.”

“Wait, you mean it’s your birthday tomorrow??!” I look at him in shock because I never cared about anyone’s birthday aside from my parents and Alexa.

“Yeah, I’ll be 16 too in 8 hours, but I never had cake on my birthday. That’s why I told everyone that I don’t like sweets.” he uttered with sadness in his eyes and bitter smile on his lips. “Thanks to you I still have your birthday cake in my stomach until tomorrow.”

“Haha.” laughing at his joke. “Sorry, I didn’t know. We should’ve got those cupcakes from the mart at least.”

“Nah, it’s fine. It’s not about the food I have on my birthday anyway but the people I’m celebrating my day with. This is my first time I’m celebrating my birthday on a road trip.” he tied the garbage bag.

“Me too but I had breakfast with my parents earlier so it’s a bit fair to them.” looking around. “I think that’s where people leave their garbage.” pointing at the area with a lot of garbage bags.

“Alright, I’ll put ours in there too.” he took the garbage bag with his left hand. “Are you coming with me?”

“Sure. I should be the one doing this anyway.” coming along with him.

When we came to the area, I saw a man lying on the ground soaking in his own blood and a man burying him under the garbage bags to cover the body that is still begging for mercy.

I can clearly see the crime in front of me but it never happened to me before because I only see spirits and they tell me what happened to them like a preview but this is different the man on the ground is no ghosts at all, he’s very much alive who’s about to die.

“Stop it! He’s still alive!!” I screamed at the man who’s committing the murder in front of me but he doesn’t seem to hear me at all.

“Desa! Desa!” Hyde stand in front of me. “What’s happening to you?!”

“Huh??” I feel like I suddenly woke up from a nightmare. “There’s a man murdered in here.” I look behind Hyde but I don’t see a trace of the spirit that I typically see. “I … I don’t understand.”

“Are you seeing a ghost again??” Hyde frowning at me.

“No, it’s different.” I look around to check once again if there are any spirits around but I don’t see a soul wandering until I saw two men walking together. “Do you see those two?” pointing at the men.

“Who?? Those two men who’s walking towards the van?” Hyde asked.

“You see them? I’m not the only one seeing them??” confirming again.

“Yeah, why can’t you distinguish alive and dead people anymore??”

“I don’t understand. What’s happening??! If those two are alive then what did I see just now?!” looking at the ground again.

“Seriously, Desa you’re scaring me right now. Are you alright?” looking at me with concern. “You just frozen all of a sudden. If I didn’t know about your third eye, I might think that you had a break down earlier. Are you sure you’re fine?”

“No, I’m not. I’m completely confused right now. I just saw a murder right in front of me, do you think I’ll be alright?!” trying to process everything in my head. “What the hell was that?!”

Hyde walked me back to our van after I calmed down which took a while because it’s my first time to experience having a vision without spirit intervention.

I couldn’t sleep a wink that night because I still remember everything that I saw like it’s playing on repeat in my head.

It was 8am when I decided to get up since I can’t sleep anyway no matter how hard I tried.

Jacob is the other person awake from us aside from me and he’s having a coffee while sitting comfortably at the foldable chair.

“Coffee??” Jacob raising his mug as he offered me a coffee.

“No thanks, it’ll keep me awake more.” I look around the area and I don’t see the van of the two men last night anymore.

I haven’t drink coffee but I suddenly feel nervous, I’m palpitating as I take a walk towards the garbage area to confirm my hunch which I’m praying I’m wrong and it’s just a hallucination last night.

“Hey, where are you going?” Jacob followed me behind.

“Why are you following me?” I looked back at him.

“Hyde told me what happened to you last night. Do you think I’ll just let you wander around on your own?!” he replied sarcastically.

“Since when did you care about me?” I sneers at him as I turn around. “If you want to ruin my day, just do it later, not now.” continue walking to the garbage area. “I don’t have time for you.”

The moment I reached the area, I saw a bloody hand under the pile of garbage, and lose the strength I have to stand on my feet.

“Desa, what’s wrong?!” Jacob caught me in his arms before I completely fall on the ground. “Just close your eyes, alright? Stop looking!” he covered my eyes with his large hand.

“There’s a dead body lying under those garbage bags.” finding it hard to breathe as the stench of the garbage mixed with the dead body.

“Stay there. I’ll take a look.” Jacob stand up and look at the pile of garbage. “What the …” he picked up a stick and check the garbage further until he’s convinced that there really is a dead body.

Maybe I passed out after a while because when I opened my eyes all I see is white ceiling and curtains around my bed, I’m in a hospital.

A nurse parted the curtain. “You’re finally awake, Ms. Ha. I already called your parents and they’ll be here in a few hours.”

“Is the witness awake?” a cop walked towards me. “Hi, I’m officer Samuel Beckett, can I talk to you about the dead body you found?”

“Officer Beckett, she’s a minor, you need to wait for her guardian before you get her statements.” a doctor reminded the officer.

“Dr. Godot, will you let me do my job here?” Officer Beckett said.

“Not because I studied medicine, I’m innocent at law. You need to wait for her guardian, so leave my patient alone for now.” Dr. Godot said firmly. “Do your job according to protocol.”

“This Doctor of yours is getting on my nerves.” Officer Beckett walk away from me but he still keeps his eyes on my direction.

“Desa.” Alexa approached me. “What happened to you? How did you know that there’s a dead body under those pile of garbage? Is it true that you had a premonition like Hyde told us? You told him that you saw a murder last night when you suddenly froze, right?”

“Are you a police officer too, Alexa?” I asked her sarcastically. “You had a lot questions to me like I’m being interrogate.”

“I’m worried, can’t you see?!” Alexa frowns at me. “How could you mock my sincerity?!”

“Geez, I’m not.” shaking my head slightly as I look around. “How am I supposed to tell you if I don’t even know what happened myself?”

“What do you mean you don’t know?!” Alexa leans over to me as she muttered. “Hyde said that you saw a murder last night at the same spot where the dead body has found this morning. There was nothing in there when you went with Hyde, can you see the future now?”

“What future?? My sixth sense doesn’t work that way.” whispering back to her. “You know that I only see dead people and not future.”

“But how can you explain this incident huh?” Alexa sits on the bed. “You and Hyde saw that man alive last night, which means he’s not dead yet. How did you know that he’s going to die??”

“I … don’t know. I never had such vision before. You know that I only see how the ghosts died when they let me see the preview of their last breath. But last night, there’s no wandering spirit around, I just saw that man lying on the ground bathing on his own blood and there’s this man burying him under the pile of garbage.” I explained.

My parents came after an hour or two and I told them the same thing I told Alexa, they come up with the rational explanation to the officer who’s waiting for my statement.

Of course, I can’t tell the officer that I saw the murder itself through my vision, either he’ll think of me as crazy or I’m involved with the crime and that’s what my parents worry the most.

After I gave my witness statement to Officer Beckett, I went home with my parents while Alexa and the others gone home as well.

It supposed to be a joy ride on the road this weekend before the summer ends but this weird ability of mine made my normal time with my friends become peculiar because of the crime scene.

A week later, it’s the start of my 3rd year in high school, first day of school but I wish it’s already the last day when I saw Jacob and his friends the moment I stepped inside the premises.

He and Hyde are the last people I want to see because they have the reason again to make fun of me being a freak.

When Jacob walked to my direction while I’m putting my stuffs inside my locker, I’m preparing myself to be bully again when I saw that he’s holding a can of soda in his hand.

“Just pour it already so I can change my clothes before I go to my first class.” looking down at the floor as I prepare myself to get wet.

“Why would I pour it to you?” Jacob handing me the can that hasn’t been open yet. “Here, take it.”

“Ah, so there’s something inside it that you want me to drink that will make my stomach upset and be humiliated in class.” I glance at him. “Are you going to beat me if I don’t accept it?”

“Am I that evil to you?” Jacob giving me a serious look.

“Well, we’re in high school now so the way you want to bully me might be upgraded too unless you still use the same trick.” I replied.

“Tch.” Jacob opened the can and drink the soda. “If you don’t want it then don’t. You’re being too suspicious when I’m being nice to you.”

“Can you blame me? You used to make my middle school a living hell.”

Being nice my foot. I know that he’s just waiting for me to let my guard down so he can trample my life again.

I’m scared to people more than I’m scared of ghosts, that’s why I never trust them easily specially if I know their nature.

“Hi!” Hyde greeted me as soon as I entered my classroom. “We’re classmates this year, Desa.”

“I see.” looking for an available seat but only the front and last row got available seats.

I don’t want to be in front because the teachers are uncomfortable when I’m near them so I got no choice but to sit on the same row as Hyde even though this row is for tall people.

I took the sit near the window since the one sitting in front of me isn’t that tall to block my view to the blackboard.

“Hey, that’s my seat.” Jacob kicked my desk to get my attention.

Why the hell am I in the same class with these two who used to bully me in middle school?! Am I being punished for not saving that man?

I know I haven’t been paying too much attention with my studies because I involved myself with dead people’s business but have, I hit the rock bottom already that most of my classmates doesn’t care about their studies or grades but only their popularity.

Rather than talking back to Jacob, I just transferred to the next seat beside him and Hyde, yes, I’m sitting in between these two men I never want to be part of my high school.

What’s worst is that when it comes to groupings these two are always with me because no one else want to be in the same group with a freak like me, if there are only two either Jacob or Hyde is my partner like they’re taking turns on me.

A month later, I still don’t know the reason why the hell would Jacob and Hyde pick me up from home everyday and dropped me off to home after class and even wait for me when I have ballet practice.

“Desa!” Mom calls out to me. “Jacob is here!”

“Huh?” I came downstairs with my bag. “Why are you here? It should be Hyde picking me up today, right?”

“Coach, told Hyde to be earlier today so I’m here.” Jacob standing beside my Mom. “Mrs. Ha, this muffin is really delicious.”

“Do you think I can sell them for $3 each?” Mom making Jacob have the taste of her muffin that she baked last night.

“Well I would even buy it for $5 each.” Jacob munching on the muffin as he glances at me.

“That’s overprice, $3 is fine.” Mom smiling at Jacob.

“Mom, have you seen my white sneakers?” I’m wearing long white socks with a length below my knees so I prefer white sneakers.

“It’s in the 6th box on your left.” Mom replied. “Gosh, you just put your shoes anywhere after you take it off.”

“Found it. Thanks, Mom!” putting on my sneakers.

I’m wearing red long sleeves and denim skirt, and half of my hair tied up with white ribbon since I’m doing a science experiment today and I don’t want my long hair to be on the way.

“You’re prettier today, Desa.” Jacob said as soon as we get in to his car. “I’m glad that I’m the first one to see you looking like this.”

-End of Chapter 4-