MINDS DON'T LIE, EYES DO

BIG MISTAKE

{FLASHBACK}

BILL: Son it's going to be okay. I'm here right beside you. Tell me, what happened back there.

7 YEAR OLD CALI: A creepy m-man followed me from b-behind. He was tall a-and wrinkly. He had big hands, big enough to grab and kidnap me, but I ran. Dad I-I'm scared.

BILL: Hush now, daddy's with you. I won't let that happen to you ever again. I promise.

CALI: [It was the time where my fear of being chased or watched grew. Since then dad will always greet me, early morning at the table before school to atleast cheer me up and remind me that it will always be okay. I always get so sensitive when it comes to my surroundings and I often get myself to pay attention to it. I can't stand being followed, especially at night. I'm getting goosebumps like crazy when something suspicious appears in my head. I get more worried as I get older.]

{PRESENT}

THE MONSTER JUMPS OVER CALI BUT SOON WAKES UP IN REALITY.

CALI: NOOO!

CALI FELL FROM THE CAFETERIA SEAT AND STARTS PANTING AND PANICKING.

PEJ: Hey, Hey... Cali are you okay?! What happened?!

EVERYONE STARED AT CALI AS HE BREATHES HEAVILY IN FEAR, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO.

PEJ: Hey talk to me. I-I'll take you to the clinic.

CALI STANDS UP AND RUNS AWAY, FAR FROM THE CAFETERIA. HE FELT ASHAMED OF WHAT HIS DONE AND STARTS TO RAGE AT HIMSELF. HE SAW THAT THE GYM WAS EMPTY SO HE DECIDED TO SIT AND CALM HIS TEMPER. HE THEN STARTS TO CRY.

CALI: [What is happening to me? Why me? Have I done anything wrong to deserve this?]

HIS TEARS FELL LIKE WATERFALLS. HIS CHEST FELT SO HEAVY AND HIS FEST CLENCHED SO HARD. CALI SLAPS HIS FACE, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EXPRESSING A PUNISHMENT FOR HIMSELF. THEN SOMEONE SUDDENLY GRABS CALI'S HAND TO MAKE HIM STOP AND HUGS HIM.

AKI: Shhh... I'm here. Don't worry, It's going to be okay. I'm here right beside you.

CALI BURSTS INTO CRYING. THINKING HOW BAD LUCK RUINS HIS LIFE. THEY TOOK A MOMENT TO MAKE CALI CALM WHILE AKI COMFORTS HIM. THEY SOON RETURNED TO CLASS BUT EVERYONE SUDDENLY SAT QUITELY AND STARTED GOSSIPING ABOUT CALI.

RON: Cali's here.

SHARA: What's wrong with him?

ZACK: He's gone crazy.

CALI SIGHED IN SHAME. IT REMINDS HIM OF WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER AT THE CAFETERIA. AYANA STOOD UP AND WORRIEDLY APPROACHED CALI.

AYANA: What happened to you? Are you okay?

CALI LOOKED AT AKI AND SEES A JEALOUS EXPRESSION ON HER FACE.

CALI: I-I'm fine... Aki let's go.

AKI AND AYANA'S EYES WIDEN WHEN CALI IMMEDIATELY GRABBED AKI'S HAND AND LED HER BACK TO HER SEAT.

AYANA: I-I'll call you later okay?!

AYANA WENT MAD AND ANGRILY LOOKED AT AKI WHEN THEY HEADED BACK TO THEIR SEATS. SHE CLENCHES HER FIST WHEN SHE SEES THEM TOGETHER.

CALI: Uhm... Hey Aki. I want you to know that I'm really glad you showed up at the gym earlier. I really needed that comfort.

AKI: Don't mention it. I noticed that you needed me so...

CALI: ...

AKI: What I meant was... Y-you needed help. So...

CALI: *CHUCKLED* I really did needed you.

AKI SMILED AND THEY BOTH LAUGHED AT THE AWKWARD SITUATION THEIR FACING. MEANWHILE, AYANA AT THE OTHER SIDE, FELT JEALOUSY. SHE SEATS QUITELY BUT IS EXTREMELY AFFECTED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN CALI AND AKI. SHE THEN LOOKS AWAY AND SMILES AS SHE REMEMBERS THAT CALI WOULD BE ATTENDING HER MOM'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. SHE REALIZES THAT CALI WILL BE SPENDING THE WHOLE DAY WITH HER. CALI SUDDENLY STOPS LAUGHING...

CALI: [She looks so happy right now, but... What about tomorrow? I still haven't decided. Just thinking about it ruins my day.]

THE CLASS ENDED AND EVERYBODY RUSHED OUTSIDE IN ORDER TO GET HOME, EXCEPT FOR CALI. HE WAS SCHEDULED TO CLEAN THE CLASSROOM FOR TODAY. HE WAITED EVERYBODY TO GET OUT UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY. HE STARTED BY PICKING UP REUSABLE PAPERS THAT WAS LYING ON THE FLOOR.

CALI: My classmates sure don't know how to save papers. Oh well... More for me.

HE GRABBED A BROOM THAT WAS SITTING JUST AT THE END OF THE ROOM AND STARTED SWEEPING. HE CLOSED HIS EYES TO SEE IF HE CAN SWEEP THE WHOLE ROOM JUST BY REMEMBERING EACH DETAILS OF IT. HE MEMORIZES EVERY CORNER TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T BUMP INTO THINGS. IT WAS DARK, BUT CALI CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE ROOM LOOKED LIKE. HE MADE A SKETCH INSIDE HIS HEAD FROM THE BIGGEST FEATURES OF THE ROOM TO THE SMALLEST DETAILS. HE GRADUALLY TAKES SMALL STEPS AND SWEEPS EVERY SPECT OF DUST BELOW THE TABLES. SOMEONE ENTERS THE ROOM BUT CALI IGNORES.

CALI: [They must have left something behind. What a bummer.]

THE DOOR CLOSES AND THE PERSON WALKS TOWARD THE FRONT ROOM AND STOPS. CALI IMAGINES THE PERSON AS A FIGURE INSIDE HIS HEAD. IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S FINDING SOMETHING NEAR THE WHITE BOARD. SECONDS PASSED AND HE HEARD FOOTSTEPS TRAVELLING NEAR HIM. IT STOPS... CALI OVERTHINKS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING BEHIND HIM. AS HE TURNS AROUND HE WAS GREETED BY THE PERSON, NOW STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM. AS SOON AS CALI IS ABOUT TO ASK A QUESTION, THE BLACK FIGURE JUMPSCARES HIM, MAKING CALI TRIP OVER HIS BROOM AND HITTING HIS HEAD ON THE EDGE OF THE TABLE. CALI WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND SLOWLY LOOSES HIS SIGHT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES SOMEONE TRIED TO HELP CALI AND WAKES HIM UP.

UNKNOWN: Hey wake up!

CALI: Ugh... W-what happened.

UNKNOWN: I saw you talking to no one with your eyes closed, and suddenly you tripped and fell.

CALI: [W-wait... That soft and beautiful voice. It sounds like Aki.]

CALI CAN STILL FEEL HEADACHES AND STILL HASN'T RECOVER FROM BLURRY VISION BUT HE THINKS THAT THE PERSON THAT'S IN FRONT OF HIM IS AKI. CALI GRABS AKI'S HANDS AND PULLED HER DOWN TO HIM. THEIR LIPS MET. CALI TOOK THIS MOMENT OF SATISFACTION AND GRATITUDE BY GIVING HER A KISS. CALI SMILED IN JOY.

CALI: [That felt nice. It was too good, to the point where I want this moment to last.]

CALI STOPPED AND GAVE DISTANCE BETWEEM THEM. HE WAS SMILING, BUT AS SOON AS HE GAINED FULL ATTENTION HE NOTICED A DIFFERENT SMELL. IT WAS A STRONG FLOWERY SCENT.

CALI: [Wait... That scent, why doesn't it smell sweet? This isn't Aki's scent!]

THERE WAS A MOMENT OF SILENCE WHEN CALI FROZE AND NO MORE WORDS CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH. HE GULPED WHEN HIS EYES OPENED SLOWLY WHILE JAWS SHIVERS IN TERROR. CALI MOVED BACK AND WAS SHOCKED SEEING AYANA IN FRONT OF HER, SHOWING A SURPRISED FACE. HER CHIN DROPPED AND EYES WIDE OPEN AS THEY WERE BOTH CONFUSED OF WHAT SCENARIO JUST HAPPENED. IT LED THEM TO A AWKWARD ATMOSPHERE AND MADE THEM SPEECHLESS.

CALI: [s**t! What have I done?! I'm such an i***t! I shouldv'e recognize her first before doing such a thing!]

CALI: Uhmm... I didn't see you there...

AYANA: ...

CALI: [This is so wrong. I shouldn't have done that.]

AYANA: W-what just happened?

CALI: I-I'm so sorry. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to make contact like that.

AYANA BLUSHED AND CAN'T BELIEVE OF HOW THINGS RAPIDLY HAPPENED. SHE BIT HER LOWER LIP, REMINISCING THE MOMENT WHERE SHE GOT BUTTERFLIES. CALI STANDS UP AND CLEANS HIMSELF FROM THE FALL. HE QUICKLY TIDYS UP HIS BAG AND PUTS THE BROOM BACK IN PLACE THEN STARTS HEADING OUT, LEAVING AYANA INSIDE THE ROOM. CALI STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CAMPUS AND STARTS HITTING HIS HEAD WITH HIS PALM.

CALI: I'm such an asshole. How can I talk to her casually when this happened? It feels so awkward. I hope she forgets it like nothing ever happened.

AKI SUDDENLY APPEARS IN FRONT OF CALI MAKING HIM SURPRISED AND SILENT.

AKI: Hey Cali! What's up?

CALI: ...

AKI: Woah... Is something wrong? You look so quite. Well too quite I suppose.

CALI: ...

AKI: Spill it up.

CALI: W-what?

AKI: I know something happened. So spill the tea.

CALI: [What does she mean something happened? And she knows it?]

CALI: W-what are you talking about?

AKI: I mean you should have a reason for being that quite right? Come on tell me. Was it a good one? Must have felt nice huh?

CALI'S EYES WENT WIDE, HE SWEATS IN NERVOUSNESS.

CALI: Uhm... Actually...

AYANA: Oh hey guys!

CALI: [Oh no.]

AKI: Oh... Hey Ayana!

CALI IGNORED THE GREETINGS AND STANDS STILL BUT AYANA STOOD BESIDE HIM. CALI SWEATS HARD TILL IT DRIPS DOWN HIS SKIN.

AKI: Uhm Cali are you okay?

AYANA LOOKS AT CALI WITH A SWEET LOOK ON HER FACE.

CALI: Y-yeah! Everything's fine.

AYANA: I agree. What a day to end school right?

AKI: Of course! Everything went wel-

AYANA: Uhm... I was talking to Cali.

AKI ABRUPTLY STOPS AND FELT SHOCK BY HOW RUDE AYANA APPROACHES HER.

AYANA: So Cali, would you mind walking me home today? I feel so uncomfortable walking by myself at this hour.

AKI'S CHEST DROPPED, SHE FELT JEALOUS ABOUT THE WAY AYANA'S TALKING TO CALI.

CALI: B-but my house is that wa-

AKI: Uh guys! I think I should get going. It's getting late and this legs ain't gonna run on it's own. Haha.

AYANA: Oh... Okay. Get home safe Aki!

AKI: [I hope so.]

CALI LOOKS AT AKI WALKING AWAY FROM HIM. HE WENT SAD AND BLAMES HIMSELF FOR MAKING HER FEEL BAD.

CALI: *SIGHS* Let's go.

CALI CALLS AYANA IN A ANGRIER TONE BUT SHE IGNORES IT ANYWAY. CALI WORRIED LITTLE ABOUT GETTING HOME, AS AYANA'S HOUSE IS JUST A THIRTY MINUTE WALK FROM SCHOOL. IT WAS A SILENT TRIP SINCE CALI SEEMED DISSAPOINTED.

AYANA: Psst... Cali.

CALI: ...

AYANA: Hey, why so quite all of a sudden.

CALI: I'm not in the mood for chitchats.

AYANA: Uhm... Okay, I guess I'll do the talking for now. In regards to what happened earlier in the room...

CALI GULPED AND FELT AGITATED ABOUT WHAT AYANA WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.

AYANA: Don't be worried, I get that all the time. It just surprised me on how a good kisser you are. *CHUCKLES*

CALI: Hey, I didn't mean to do that on purpose. I was knocked out and felt unconscious and didn't know what I was doing. So stop acting like I wanted to do such a thing. You're being ridiculous.

AYANA: You sound guilty though. *CHUCKLES*

CALI: No I'm not. And can we please stop talking about this nonsense?

AYANA: Okay, okay. Geez, you don't have to be so angry about it.

CALI ANGRILY SIGHED AND CONTINUED WALKING QUITELY. A FEW WALKS AFTER, THEY REACHED AYANA'S HOUSE AND WAS GREETED BY MRS. ROSE, WATERING THE BUSHES JUST OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE.

ROSE: Oh Ayana, you came home late, and you brought visitors! How are you Cali?

CALI: Oh I'm fine aunt Rose.

ROSE: Lets get inside. You're just in time for my newly baked cookies.

CALI: I appriciate the warm welcome aunt Rose, but should get going now.

ROSE: Oh right. But wait! I'll prepare some so you can take them along with you at home okay?

CALI: That will be fantastic aunt Rose.

ROSE: I'll be right back.

AUNT ROSE WENT INSIDE TO GET A BOX OF COOKIES WHILE CALI WAITED OUTSIDE WITH AYANA.

AYANA: Hey, I really hope you can make it tomorrow at mom's party.

CALI: Why do you sound so desperate? *CHUCKLED*

AYANA: Hey, don't make it look like I really want you to come.

THEY BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. AUNT ROSE STEPS OUT AT THE FRONT DOOR WITH A BOX OF COOKIES ON HER HAND.

ROSE: I asure you that these are the best cookies in the whole world and I'm sure you'll like them.

CALI: You said it aunt Rose. *CHUCKLES*

ROSE: *CHUCKLES* You should get going, Your mom must be worried sick.

CALI: Mhm, I'll get going then. I really appriciate the company aunt Rose.

ROSE: Don't mention it. You brought back Ayana safe right? Then I should repay you with something, so here you go.

THEY BOTH LAUGHED IN JOY WHILE AYANA LOOKS AT CALI WITH A SMILE APPEARING ON HER FACE. CALI WAVED GOODBYE AS HE WALKS AWAY FROM AYANA'S HOUSE. HE REACHED HOME AND FINDS OUT THAT HE WASN'T WEARING THE BRACELET AKI GAVE HER. IT WAS LOST.