Someone I'm Not

27| Pin one's hope on

"Soroya? Hey, Soroya-"

"No, f**k off! Stay away from me, No!" Soroya panics as she's about to punch the person standing beside him when the natural light from the moon hits his face from her continuously fighting back- it was Phoenix. "Phoenix!?"

"Yeah, it's me, Raya. Are you okay? Here, grab my hand." Soroya didn't hesitate to grip Phoenix's hand for support. When she finally stepped out of the car, she felt light-headed, but Phoenix didn't let go of his hold.

"Wha- what happened?"

"Well, you technically started to not feel well, so we have to cut the hang out short and go home."

"And we. . . Did we, Uhm,"

"Don't bother yourself about anything else. Let's just get you inside so you can rest, okay?" Phoenix sounded so worried, tensed, and frustrated at the moment. Just by hearing his voice, Soroya can already tell that Phoenix is more bothered than she is.

"Hey. . ." Phoenix stopped talking when Soroya placed both hands on both of his shoulders. She could then feel how tensed his muscles were. "Calm down, P. I'm okay."

"No, Raya, I think this is just my fault." He sighs. "If I hadn't trusted my instincts of taking you out, you're probably feeling better now and—"

"Tonight was great, honestly," Soroya cuts him off as she also releases a long sigh, realizing something. "I felt bad tonight about myself because I thought I'd be able to help you out with this dream I had. And your efforts are highly appreciated; maybe I just thought that I'd get to solve this dream one day. And when I didn't, the option I have left for me was isolation, hoping that it'll keep me focused and so on. . . Until you knocked thrice at that door." She sighs again and looks away, knowing that keeping eye contact longer will restrict her from telling the truth.

"I was so in denial that you taking me out won't help at all. But the moment I laid my eyes on the view on that cliff, I knew I found solace."

Soroya lifts her gaze back ahead and searches for Phoenix's eyes. "So, if feeling a bit sick made you regret taking me out, don't. Because it will only make me sad, knowing you feel bad while I felt so relieved of making me open my eyes that sometimes, real happiness and realization can only be achieved when you try to take a step forward."

•••

[Four days left]

[Eduardus and Philip]

[After class, 15:00]

When morning came, Houdini decided to switch partners since all he wanted was to dodge any encounter with Phoenix because it felt wrong and awkward for him. And even though the others may have an opposite experience to Houdini's case scenario, the discussion ended up following him otherwise. And now, even though Eduardus wanted to team up with his client (Phoenix from the present), he can't. It's not because he's uncomfortable, but because of not being able to have the chance to object when his mouth played its role, as if he's detached from his body for that moment.

"Phoenix, go with Soroya. And I'll just go with. . . Oh, you, kid. What's your name again?"

"Uh, it's Philip."

"Great!"

And now, he doesn't know if he chose the right partner.

"And then, this pizza guy became a zombie! And now, he's throwing all the good pizzas, which makes me sad because they all look delicious, and putting them to waste was a bad idea! And do you know what made me more frustrated? The main character didn't even seem to care about the hot pizzas! It breaks my heart, you know? Those Hawaiian and ham and cheese pizzas with overloaded cheese? Man, they could've just given those all to me."

'Urgh, this is so frustrating! When will this kid ever stop? How come my client didn't even give me a heads up about how talkative this kid is? Damn. I should have just teamed up with Vianne again— no! It's okay. I think it's better she's with Houdini. I should have just partnered up with Soroya instead. But, if that happened, would Phoenix and this noisy guy right here end up doing something well? No, I don't think so.'

While Philip continues with his "pizza guy turning to a zombie" story that Eduardus thought was a made-up story, he is busy talking with his head.

"So, I thought the movie would end badly, but I was so relieved that it didn't. And guess what? They have a part two coming up—"

"Alrighty, kid! I think I've heard enough zombie movie stories with a very unrealistic setting and a dull plot twist. Now, why don't you tell me already what you and Soroya did here yesterday?"

"O-oh, right! W-well, I honestly don't know what happened here yesterday."

"You don't?" Eduardus now is more irritated with Philip's answer.

"Yeah," Philip replies, but it is clear that he's scanning the area as well.

"Are you trying to play with me right now, or did your brain just flew from afar yesterday that made you all end up daydreaming while Soroya's doing all the work?"

"Hmm, no. Nothing really happened here, I swear! But over here, something started to be obviously off when she walked passed a man in a hoodie." Philip explains as he points to the exact aisle where he recalls Soroya and a man walking past each other.

"What do you mean?" Now, Eduardus wants to believe that Philip is not joking at all.

"Okay. . . Yesterday, Soroya told me to help her look for a hoodie tainted with green. Of course, without asking why, I tried to help her. We saw different types of green-colored hoodies and sweatshirts just in case, but she shook her head because it wasn't the one." Philip pauses, and when he notices that Eduardus is getting more and more impatient, he gulps. "Fast forward, when the shop is about to close, which means that the shop would also be packing some of their thrift clothes, I saw one green hoodie and called her attention. But, when she's walking her way over there, a weird guy suddenly pops up from this wing, and suddenly, I was watching over there, and it felt like everything was in slow motion!"

"And? Did they talk—"

"Nope, they didn't. But I remember how they look at each other. It is as if watching a slow-mo drama movie—"

"This man you're saying. . . Do you think she knew him? Or the guy knew her?"

"Just by hearing you ask that question takes my mind into a puzzle. I mean, I asked Soroya yesterday right after the guy exited the place, but she denied she knew him. On the other hand, the man seems suspicious, but I ain't certain he knew her."

"No. . . It cannot be."

"Why? What's going on? You think you know the guy?"

Eduardus shakes his head. "No, because I didn't see him. But. . . Come, let's get out of here."

"Why? I thought we were going to continue searching for the hoodie?" Philip asks, but Eduardus is already on his way out. Philip had no choice but to follow. "Now, where are we going?"

"Yesterday, did you see where the man went?"

"If you're talking about the rugged-looking man, then yeah. He went this way."

"Okay! Then, let's get going." But before Eduardus can continue with his step, he is stopped when he sees a woman wearing the same school uniform as Soroya's. But, what made him more curious was to see a familiar man following her.

"Houdini?"

[Nico and Bret: After Class]

Nico and Bret had just entered the Ice cream parlor just a few blocks of walking distance at their school. Lucky for them, there were only a few people inside, meaning they had more table options. Choosing a table for two beside the full-length mirror of the shop that could give them a good view of what was outside, the waitress didn't last long to locate them and ask for their orders.

"Is the Chocolate chip cookie dough already available? It wasn't when we came to visit here the other day." Nico asks as he continuously taps on his locked phone screen. The waitress smiles.

"Yes, we already stocked it up."

"Great! Then please put that flavor on my banana split."

"Would you fill another two flavors for your banana split, sir? Or will I make the Chocolate dip a triple scoop?"

"No, I'll have three different flavors. The other two would be Butter Pecan and Rainbow sherbert."

"Noted. And what about you, sir?" the waitress asks as she turns to face Bret, who has his eyes on Nico.

"Another weird combination." he chuckles and turns to the waitress. "I think I'm too lazy to choose, so I think I'll just have the classic one."

"Great! I'll then deliver your orders in no time. Enjoy your time here."

"We will." As the waitress returns to the front desk to give their orders, Nico sighs and looks outside, his mind trailing off to one concern. But, as he's diving deep into his thoughts, Bret decided to speak up.

"You know that I can be a keen observer too, right?"

"Hmm?" Nico snaps back to reality and looks at his friend Bret, whose right elbow rests on top of the table while his chin rests in the back of his palm. His other hand lies completely fine on the table as well.

"Something's bothering you, and I think I know what it is."

"Really?"

"Bro, you're not the only one who noticed it. You're not the only one with a growing suspicion of our friends or even those guys they've been hanging out with. And the day we talked to Phoenix and that guy named Houdini? Don't tell me you quickly fell for that 'prank' thing."

"Yeah, you're not wrong, though. Both men sounded so awkward and tense that it quickly gave off their prank. And because of it, I knew I just had to pretend I got caught with their prank." Nico pauses as he looks outside again. "Now that I think about it, I also noticed how Philip is really conscious of his surroundings. It made me feel that we were unsafe inside the house."

"True. . . But as our buddies' friends, don't they trust us? I mean, yeah, our squad might not be that long, but, come on, even I trust you even if sometimes you get into my nerves." Bret confesses with a growing irritation just by thinking of how they could have not trusted him and Nico if Philip and Phoenix were hiding something. "How could they not let us join this little secret if they have something to hide, right?"

Nico also got himself thinking. He knew that Bret was not wrong, "but what if we're looking at a different angle?"

"What?"

"Shh. The waitress is coming." They both kept silent until the waitress placed down their orders and walked away as if she hadn't gone to their table. That's when they continue with their conversation while enjoying their banana split.

"Yeah, I get that Philip and Phoenix were obviously hiding something, but what if it's not a secret they've made?"

"What are you than trying to say? They just got involved in something, and now, they're forced to keep this secret?"

"Maybe. . . Come to think of it. Most of these guys' time was spent with Phoenix's friend Soroya and that guy Houdini. So, instead of pinning this to our friends, what if it was Houdini and Soroya who had secrets and Philip and Phoenix found out about, and now, they're blackmailing our friends just so they wouldn't tell a single soul?"

"You're right. But, what could the secret Houdini and Soroya be hiding? If we narrow down choices, it's impossible to think they're killers, right?"

"Yeah. Soroya seems so shy and gentle. I won't think of her as a killer."

"And what about the thief?"

"Hmm. . . That Houdini guy looks rich to me—"

"But looks can be deceiving, right?"

"Argh! This is making me insane." Nico complains as he takes another big scoop of his ice cream. "And now, I think I'm about to have a brain freeze."

Bret chuckles as he continues to eat his dessert. The conversation between the gentlemen stopped right after. Instead of diving into more gossip, Bret and Nico decided to simply enjoy the sound of silence with the ice cream in front of them. But, despite being silent, both of them were having a sincere conversation with their consciousness. At the back of their heads, they were throwing questions connected to their curiosity.

After finalizing their chosen orders, Nico, for the second time, looks out of the window to see Karen. He must not care at all, but not until he noticed a man walking not long ago when Karen walked past the ice cream parlor.

Without a word, Nico extends his hand forward to tap Bret's shoulder to get his attention away from his phone screen.

"What is it?" Bret asks, but when he notices that Nico is looking outside m the full-length window, he decides to look as well. And when he got what Nico was looking at, he started to realize what Nico might have in mind.

"Let's go."