Chapter 7
1268 Words
"Please, Samantha, do something. He's really hurting."
***
SAMANTHA
"Chester? What are you doing here?" I asked.
That abnormal heartbeat is back. Should I get checked by a doctor?
"I'm just looking around. What about you?" he asked, his hands in his pockets.
"Oh. Nothing. Just waiting for a friend," I lied.
I wasn’t even friends with Slade. I just met him earlier.
I glanced to my left and saw Slade positioned a bit farther away from me.
"Ah, Chester. I’m leaving, okay?" I said.
He smiled. "Alright. Take care."
He's actually fine to talk to at night. I waved at him, and he just smiled back at me. I walked toward where Slade was.
"Sit," he ordered, tapping the empty spot next to him. I immediately sat down.
"So, what are we going to talk about?" I asked.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he devoured the food in his hands before speaking.
"Don’t you remember anything?" he asked.
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?" I replied, feeling confused.
People are acting so weird today. First, that guy who stole a kiss from me, whose face I’ve been trying to forget out of embarrassment.
Second, Kayleigh, who gave me a book about a woman with amnesia. Third, Diane, who’s been so cold to me.
And now, Slade, who’s so mysterious.
But wait... why didn’t I include Chester in the list of people who make me feel weird?
Oh, never mind.
I was startled and confused when Slade held my hand.
"Please, Samantha, do something. He’s really hurting," he said before walking away, leaving me alone.
I just stood there, frozen.
Do something? What should I do?
And who am I hurting?
I wanted to think about it, but I decided not to.
***
"Wow, a playground!" a little girl said joyfully, running toward the swing.
I think she’s about eight or nine years old. She’s still so young. She sat on the swing and tried to swing higher, but she couldn’t.
"I want to swing high... like I’m flying," the girl pouted.
She started swinging back and forth, then noticed two boys heading toward the monkey bars on the playground.
One boy seemed nice. Smiling and cheerful. The other, though, was cold, like the sky and earth had collided. His brow furrowed.
The nice-looking boy stood by the monkey bars while the cold one started hanging on the bars.
Then, the cold boy seemed to get an idea. You could see it on his face. I don’t even know why I’m here. Why am I watching them?
"Hey! Hey, boy on the monkey bars!" the girl shouted.
The boy furrowed his brow and looked at her.
"What?" he asked gruffly.
"Just a second," the other boy told him before walking over to the girl.
"Push me, please. Come on," she begged, pouting.
"Tss," the boy muttered before he gently pushed the swing. The girl immediately smiled because of it.
How cute. I couldn’t help but smile too. Kids, huh?
"Yay! You're so nice! Thanks!" the girl said, grinning at him.
I saw the boy turn around, but I could clearly see him smiling.
I thought the girl was the soft one, but it turns out the boy is too.
"Hey, your brother’s looking for you," the girl's nanny called.
"Ah, okay. I’ll go to him in a minute. Hey, thanks again!" the girl said, now acting all tough.
The boy ignored her and just looked at her.
I also looked at the girl. She was beautiful, always smiling and clearly happy.
She looked familiar. I just couldn’t remember who she resembled. Hmm...
"You’re so grumpy, kid! But it’s okay, we’re friends now. Bye! Hope to see you again!" the girl shouted before running off to her nanny. But she stopped when the boy shouted.
"Wait! What’s your name, kid?" he asked.
The girl smiled as the wind blew through her hair.
"Samantha."
I was shocked. Wait, maybe she’s a different Samantha? There are lots of people named Samantha, right? I’m not the only one.
"Samantha Colline De Jesus."
I stepped back in complete surprise. S-She’s also Samantha? What the hell? Do I have a younger twin?
Am I watching myself? What the—
"Samantha, wake up."
I reluctantly opened my eyes to see who was shaking me.
"Oh, Diane. Sorry, I fell asleep," I apologized to her.
We were in the gymnasium, preparing for a shoot.
I was memorizing my lines from the script and didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep.
I still remembered what Slade said yesterday. That guy, ugh, he just leaves so suddenly.
I’ll punch him when he gets here.
"It’s okay! You should’ve stayed asleep, you looked so tired," she said. "But the shoot’s starting. Did you sleep last night? You have big bags under your eyes."
This annoying woman. I don’t know if she’s genuinely nice or just pretending. She’s so unpredictable.
"I didn’t, actually. The sleep I had earlier was the only rest I got, and I had this really weird dream," I told her.
She furrowed her brow and stared at me. I also frowned, thinking, why am I even telling her this?
"A weird dream? What was it? Mind sharing?" she asked.
If you ask me, I’d rather deal with the grumpy Diane than the one sitting in front of me now. It’s weird, she’s nice to me when she’s rude to everyone else.
It’s just... strange.
But, whatever. Maybe she’s really changed. She looks so gentle; she should act the same.
"Well, here’s what happened..."
I told her about the weird dream I had and was surprised when she smiled.
"The shoot’s starting. Good job, Samantha," she said meaningfully before tapping me on the shoulder.
Okay, what’s starting?
I was about to ask her when Chester suddenly entered.
What’s his problem?
"Slade’s here. The shoot’s starting," Chester said coldly before walking out again.
Mich came out, so I followed with my script. No choice.
As soon as I stepped out, I spotted Mich fiddling with her phone. She seemed uncomfortable or something.
"Sammy, hi," she said calmly and waved.
What the heck? Calmly? No hugs? No yelling?
"Seriously, Mich? Is that really you?" I asked, confused.
Maybe she’s an alien who just copied Mich’s look because the real Mich was taken by aliens and brought to another world. Oh my God!
She laughed, but not in a loud or hearty way. Her laugh was... delicate? What the heck, Mich, seriously?
"Of course, the one and only," she replied with a small smile.
I just furrowed my brow. Maybe Mich has a fever, or maybe she’s just feeling off. Or maybe—
"Colline, how are you?" a woman sitting on a bench asked.
"Rica!" I said joyfully, almost about to hug her when she blocked me with her hands.
"No, Colline. No," she said authoritatively.
"Why?" I asked, confused.
She smiled and, before speaking, I saw a tear slide down her cheek.
"You remind me of him, Colline. And I don’t want to remember him anymore. I’m sorry," she said sadly.
I looked at Mich, and she seemed... guilty?
But why? And why doesn’t she want to remember my brother? Has the thing I feared happened?
"Actually, I’m here to visit my sister. That’s why I brought Mich along," she said, glancing around as if looking for something.
They came together? That explains why Mich was so quiet.
But who could Rica’s sister be? I didn’t know she had a sister.
"OMG, sis!" a woman screamed beside me.
What the heck, Diane? My eyes widened in shock.
- Writer
