LIFE AFTER DEATH.

TESS ALARM.

After the contest, I had immediately left with curly. I couldn't stay and congratulate my friend, Suresh. Before the contest even got over, I vacated the premises. The only reason I remained in the contest was to make sure Tyler had gone a long distance. I couldn't handle meeting him outside.

Curly had insisted we had dinner in some restaurant before heading home, I jumped in on the idea. I needed an open space to think clearly. I also figured curly needed the same thing too, he appeared disturbed.

I already knew his worry ranges from his relationship with Tess. The bond was somehow falling apart, I didn't know who was to blame. But I have accidentally seen Tess at the house, not for long. It was only on three occasions where I had to step outside my room to grab water or midnight snacks.

It was her dressed like an Easter bunny, wielding a giant torch and heading outside the house, looking miserable. We never exchanged words, we each minded our respective businesses.

I was inquisitive as usual, wanting to know what was wrong with her and where she was headed, but at that time, there was nothing I could do.

I fancied it was the best time to know what was happening with Tess and also their relationship. I suspected curly was interested in me, I wasn't dumb, I could tell when the opposite gender was developing feelings. I needed to know where he was at with his girlfriend. And also to know what was wrong with her.

We got to Filly A's and took our seats. And yes, America had really weird names for everything, including restaurants. I Craved rice and beef stew, that was a lost course, I could only organize that meal at home or have it at an African restaurant. I voted preparing it myself.

I ordered spaghetti, curly did the same. I had already filled him in on the Suresh situation.

" Just let it go, " that was his advice.

" Let it go? "

" Yeah, " He sounded like he didn't give a s**t.

" You needed to see the way he looked at me, it's my fault. "

Curly didn't give me the level of attention I wanted, he had his mind full and was merely passive. I waited patiently for all the discussions about that art originality contest to be over with.

******** ******** **********

" Hey, " I called him, " Are you and Tess okay? "

" what? "

" Are you guys good? seems like you're not. "

" we're not, " He revealed, " I don't even know what to do right now. She's being really distant, I guess she's tired. "

" Are you sure that's what going on? " I felt different.

" What do you mean? "

" Look, "

Curly leaned forward, giving me a more profound look

I continued, " She's always leaving the house late at night, I don't know where she's going. She has this really bad look on her face, her eyes are like... slouchy and all. We are not in good terms so I don't know if talking to her would be a good idea. "

Curly gave me the most disturbed look ever. He dropped his fork and looked away. It made me physically reach out to him by touching his hand, I got a more unstable connection from him.

It was like I tapped from his energy, he was in pain or some sort of downcasted emotion. My walls felt like they shook when he finally gave me his facial attention, his eyes were red.

I maintained connection, I wanted to reach out to him and I was. His hands initially trembled then after a while, they turned and covered mine.

The view I later got from him grew a sense of wanting and longing. Still with hands locked, he rose to his feet, stretched across the tables and kiss me.

Our lips merged for a short time, before he parted ways and returned to his seat. I remember feeling overwhelmed. Part of me welcomed the feeling, while part of me was either mindful and confused.

After the kiss, I didn't know where to begin in conversation, he had acted out of the blue and shifted my focus.

" I'm... I'm sorry, ive just been really wanting to do that lately. " He said.

I didn't know what to say in return. While his gaze was fixed on me to probably get a see of how I was feeling, I looked away.

Taking my eyes off from him, I took my attention to the far left of the room. There, I saw a restaurant attendant, gently waking up a customer who was sitting alone at that spot and sleeping.

I didn't know why I was drawn to that scenario, but I was. It took the attendant a while to wake the girl, it seemed she might have been snoozing in there for a while.

I should have known that there was something familiar about the girl, or that I knew her. I didn't blame myself, I haven't been there long enough to pick up identity of people just by their back picture or shape of head.

Eventually, the girl was awake, although, she was not stable. Even as she got to her feet, she was wavering and needed physical support from the restaurant attendant.

The girl later refused help, slapping away the hand of the attendant, she was determined to stand alone. The attendant gave up and walked away. The girl couldn't stand properly, I firstly thought she appeared drunk.

But as I got a closer and more intense look at her, I didn't think she was drunk, something else was happening to her, but I couldn't tell. She soon fell lightly back to her seat. Curly soon noticed my where my attention was fixed, he followed my eyes and met with the girl, and together we looked.

After a failed attempt of standing, she went for a second try. still dangling and staggering, she was able to stand for long. But it appeared she couldn't move. I looked at the workers there and discovered they were about to call the police.

Curly immediately sprang to his feet and without saying a word, he ran to the girl, I followed behind him. He went to her rescue, immediately taking her hand and placing it above his shoulders.

It was when the girl raised her head, I got to know that she was not a stranger. Matter of fact, she lived under the same roof as me, she was Tess.

********* *********** **********

I paused and slowly retreated, I was shocked. She looked worse than when I last saw her. She had gotten thin, her lips were very dry and her face oddly white.

Her eyes were droppy and looked very weak.

Curly hurried with his attempt to help her, he didn't want the police to get involved.

" C'mon, " He heaved under his breath as he successfully got her leaning on him.

" What... " She could barely talk, " What are you doing? "

" Trying to get you home. " Curly answered her.

I stood at a close distance, watching them.

" Are you coming? " He asked me.

" No... I'll... I'll stay here for a while, I don't wanna go home yet. "

" Fine, " He began to exit the place, " I'll call you when I get home. " He was gone.

******** ********* **********

I went back to my seat and slowly fell to it, I was lost for words. How could I not have noticed this downward spiral with Tess and how she had brutally lost weight.

I tried blaming everything on the fact that we almost never saw. I woke up in the morning and never checked to see if she was alright. Sometimes I saw her in school, sometimes I didn't.

she appeared heavily depressed, I was touched. I wondered what could be the problem. Was it their relationship maybe? curly had stated that she was distant, so does that mean there's more to her problem?

I resumed eating my food.

******** *********** *****

I spent a total of two hours at the restaurant, eating slowly, and a lot of thinking.

I walked out of the cafe with my earpiece plugged inside my ears and listening to Dido.

I decided to take a walk to ease my stress, it was few minutes after 8.

I walked down the street and stopped in front of a graffiti admiring the art. I thought briefly about the art originality contest and how I would have to hide from Tyler the art kid.

As I prepped to continue my walk home, I saw another thing glued to the wall that drew my attention. It was the poster of a missing girl, her name was Lainie.

As a sucker for crime, I walked closer to get a vivid look. Lainie had been missing for four months, there was a number at the bottom should Incase anyone had information leading to her whereabouts.

As I stood there, I couldn't shake the fact that I've heard that name before and then I proceeded to trying to jog my memory. And alas, I remembered. It was the same name my aunt used in the conversation with Scott in our home. I remembered her saying that he hoped Lainie was okay, I wondered if It was the same girl.

She was beautiful, somehow she resembled Angelina jolie. She had long black hair, possessed dark brown eyes and had a sharp nose. She was aged 16.

Thinking back at the conversation my aunt had with Scott, it made a lot of sense if the girls in the context were the same. It highly peeked my curiosity. I was typically being me again, relating to a stranger's story and wondering where she was. I hoped she was not in any danged wished she was found.

Someone walked by me and accidentally hit me by the shoulder, it was a cue to get walking and go home, which I did.

********* ********** ********

" You came just in time for dinner. " My aunt greeted me as I entered the house. She sat on the dinning alone, no sign of Tess or her husband. Tom was probably on another business travel again and Tess was definitely passed out inside her room to be present.

My aunt stood, grabbing an empty plate and advanced to filing the plate.

" I'm not hungry. " I stated.

" What do you mean? you need to eat. " She gave me a worried look.

I simply walked by her and above the stairs.

" Peyton__

" I already ate. " I replied not looking back.

Although I didn't check to see her after I left, but I could feel her misery lurking behind me as I disappeared.

Before I got to my room, I peered through the halls and to where Tess's room was located. I wanted to know how she was doing, Curly never called me to notify that he was home.

I got to the front of her door and quietly pushed it, lucky me, it was open. I peeked through the tiny opening and saw her there, lying on the bed and facing directly to where I stood.

She was crumbled up as though she was cold, I opened the door wider and walked in. I sauntered quietly into the room and grabbed a blanket on the bed.

Carefully, I covered her with it. After taking one last look of concern at her, I left the room and made way to mine.

******** ******** **********

As I entered my dark room, I brought out my phone. I has just thought about my sister, I haven't heard from her all day. I went into our chat and realized I had left a voice recording which was about 25 minutes long. The thing is, I didn't recall making the record. I got to suspect that it was from retro, my dunk ass probably didn't remember.

I switched on my light and found curly on my bed.

" Hey__

He hurriedly walked over to me

" I've been waiting for you. " His voice was rough as he pulled me by my waist and launched an unexpected kiss at me.