PROLOGUE

The car raced through town, but I couldn’t understand where we were going or why we were going so fast. I was scared and worried that something might happen to us. It was dark outside, and my vision was blurred with the speed of the car. I didn’t understand; we never go out this late at night. I wanted to ask Dad what was going on, but his face was fixed on the road, and if I could guess, he looked scared. My dad is never scared, until that day. He didn’t seem like he wanted to talk either.

 

I sat in the passenger seat quietly and confused, but I had no fear because I was with Dad. I was thinking, as long as I am with Dad, everything will be okay. But we came to an abrupt halt that pulled me back to the seatbelt.

He quickly opened the door, got out, and rushed to my side; then everything happened so quickly after. The only thing I noticed was he was carrying me and running towards the hospital entrance. I knew I wasn’t sick, so I didn’t understand why he was rushing me to the hospital. He barged in, and before I could ask him, he set me down and went to talk to the lady at the reception desk. Then he waited a while, and soon the doctor came, and they talked about something that I didn’t really understand because their voices were very low. Afterwards, I saw my father looking down on the floor with a dreadful expression and despair on his face. He was so sad; it terrified me.

 

He was quiet the rest of the time we drove home, and I was afraid to ask him questions. I'd never seen my father with such a grave expression before, and that terrified me. So, I kept quiet and just let him be, hoping he would say something later. Also, something was off, but I didn't know what exactly at first. Then, we got home, and he wasn't in a rush to get out of the car as he was at the hospital. We stayed in the car, and my father stayed there in the parking lot without getting out or letting me out. After a while, he let out a heavy sigh and led us into the house. I remember sleeping very uncomfortably that day. I remember asking about mom, but Dad said she wasn't coming home.

 

That was all he said about it, and we never talked about her again. I also remember there were a lot of people at our home wearing black clothes, and we went somewhere there were a lot of headstones and crying and sad people and a coffin. I didn't understand what was happening then because everything happened so fast, and Dad didn't explain much to me. I'd never been to a funeral either, so I was kind of confused. I never saw my mother again after that.

 

Years later, I’d see her face in my head as I walked on the street, at home, in school, and at the dining table. I didn’t know who this girl was, but I knew she must be someone important. Why I was seeing someone I’d never seen before, I didn’t understand, but I knew she was pretty, and I wished many times to see her in person.

 

 Sometimes I even wondered if she was real or just a figment of my imagination. It was hard to tell, but I was so used to having her face in my head that she was a part of my life. At times, I thought I created her to fill the void of losing my mother. But either way, it was not normal, but I made it normal to me. I didn’t mind having to live with an imaginary girl in my head. It was part of me, and I didn’t plan on changing it. I’d never thought I would ever see her in real life; I never even thought she was a real person. I never told anyone about her either because who would ever believe me.

 

It would only make things worse for me. But I knew if there was anyone I was meant to be with, I knew it would be this girl. The only job I was left with was to find out if this girl was a real person. But it made me wonder if she was a real person, was it possible that she saw me in her head as well? The day we met, I wondered what I would say to her. I wondered what her voice would sound like and if she would speak English or a different language. But I thought about this enough times to just let the vision of her face pass without giving it much consideration.

 

Perhaps she is meant to just stay in my head.

 

 

**ONE:

Year 2010

I was seven when my mother died, and ever since, I have been living with my father in a small house. It's not that small though; it's moderate. We reside in a small town near the beach, a very calm town. I guess that's why my parents chose to live here, neither of them were born in this town. I was in high school, and I didn't know most of the students. The only friend I ever had left town with his family. I was alone and bored, but I got used to it after some time.

 

My dad owns a garage and a small shop not very far from home. That's where he has been spending most of his time ever since mom passed away. He never goes anywhere apart from working at the garage and coming back home later in the evening. Mom's death really affected him.

 

And that is the question I had to ask him. What really happened to mom back then that affected him so much that he couldn't get over it? But the truth is, I was concerned about that myself. I wanted to know what really killed mom because I don't have any memories of going to the hospital to visit her.

 

I don't know why I came up with the idea after all these years, but it didn't matter anyway. I wanted to ask Dad, even though I knew he wouldn't like to talk about it. But I wanted to try to get something out of him.

 

I got home late that day. As always, Dad was already home, and he had already prepared dinner. He was in the living room reading a magazine.

 

"Hello, son," he said.

 

"Hi, Dad."

 

"How was school?"

 

"Fine."

 

"Dinner is ready."

 

"OK."

 

"Aren't you going to eat?"

 

"Yes, I will."

 

"When?"

 

"Now, I'm just changing these clothes."

 

"Oh! Right, I'll be waiting. Just don't take too long like you always do."

 

"OK, I won't."

 

My name is Donald. My dad's name is Robert Sadler, and my mom's was Tess. We live in Greenport town, a beautiful small town. I've always liked it. Most kids my age like to travel, but I never had a desire to. That's why some even wonder what's wrong with me. They think I'm not normal. After I changed, I went downstairs to the dining room.

 

There I found my dad had already prepared everything. My dad is a very good cook and also likes to cook. So he cooks almost every day, except on weekends. Those days, it's my duty to cook, which we often skip, and he always takes me out. We started eating, and I wanted to ask him. But I couldn't, because I was thinking about how he would react. But then I was so quiet that it made Dad ask me,

 

"What is it? Why are you so quiet? Did something happen at school?"

 

"No."

 

"What's wrong then?"

 

"Dad, how did Mom die?"

 

"Son, what are you talking about? Who wants to know?"

 

"Nobody, it's just me. I was wondering if you could tell me about it."

 

"OK, I can't tell you anything."

 

"Don't I have the right to know, Dad? I know you know. Just tell me what killed Mom."

 

"I just told you, I don't know anything. I found her taken to the hospital, and the doctors said she had an accident. That's all I know."

 

I could see him lying to me. He obviously wasn't telling the truth and thought I couldn't see it. But I didn't keep talking because I knew he would not tell me the truth. I wondered why he was making it so important to keep the truth from me. However, I planned on finding the truth at all costs. I didn't care if he would accept it or not. It seemed like he lost his appetite after talking about Mom's death, and he said,

 

"Finish your dinner and go wash these dishes. It's getting late, and you need to get up early for school."

 

From that day on, we never talked about Mom again because it upset Dad greatly. Among the things I hate is making him angry. I went to sleep for school tomorrow. But before I slept, I had to do my homework from school. I have always been doing that, finishing my homework before I sleep.

 

At school, there was nothing exciting; it was the same. The only thing that was different was that the following day was the weekend. Most people have parties, trips, and a lot of fun on weekends, but for me, it was just working in the garage or my dad's shop. I left school in the evening after spending some time in the library. When I was on my way home, I saw some kids beating another one. He looked younger than the one hitting him. I went to help him, but when they saw me, they ran and left the other one on the ground. He was hurt but got up and gawked at me and took off. I left him and took my bicycle and started heading home, wondering what was wrong with him. Was helping him really that bad to get angry at me too?

 

I knew his name was Carlos. He lived a few streets from ours. He was always alone and didn't like to talk to people; he was weird. I got home, and Dad wasn't back yet, so I went to my room. I opened my laptop, which is a little old-fashioned but still working. I checked if I had any emails and found I had two emails from my friend Jason, who left town a few weeks ago to Australia with his family.

 

He said,

 

"Hey, dude, why didn't you text me the way we agreed? I waited till I got tired. Just text me as soon as you get this, OK? Or did you get sick? Just tell me what is wrong."

 

He repeated that email over and over again until I got bored. It's true that we agreed to text each other frequently, but I got swamped with things. And I didn't send any, but I replied this time.

 

"Hey, calm down, OK? I'm all right. It's just that I had a lot of things going on, and I didn't get time to text you back. I'm sorry."

 

It was already evening. The sun was moving slowly to the west, and darkness was taking over. I went downstairs, and Dad wasn't back yet, so I decided to prepare dinner so that when he came back, he wouldn't have to think about what to cook.

 

I prepared lasagna and juice, and I also prepared some fruits. My dad always says fruits are the most important part of the meal. He doesn't like any meal without fruits; he says the meal is not complete. As soon as I finished, he came, and the first thing he said was,

 

"Oh, that smells good, son. You are a good cook, just like your mother." His voice sounded eager, maybe to test the food that covered its smell all over the house.

 

"Hello to you too, Dad."

 

"Oh, sorry. Hello, son. This smell caught my thoughts; it made me forget that I didn't greet you."

 

"If that's so, why don't you sit down and have something to eat."

 

"And you prepared a complete meal with my favorite part of the meal, well done. But you forgot water."

 

"You can replace it with juice, Dad," I answered in disagreement, knowing very well what he would say next. Despite that, I got up to get some water, and he said his usual doctorial concept.

 

"You know how important water is, right? It can't be replaced with anything."

 

I got the water, and then we had dinner. We ate dinner a little bit longer than usual due to our conversation about school and Dad's customers.

 

After dinner, I took the dishes and washed them. It was a family rule to wash dishes after every meal, especially after dinner, because in the morning, everyone is busy. I finished washing and put the dishes in the cupboard. Finally, it was time to go to sleep; I was exhausted.

 

"Goodnight, Dad," I said as I left him watching some basketball match on TV.

 

"Goodnight, son," he replied, as he always did.

 

That day was over, and it was time to rest, preparing for another day full of activities because tomorrow was the weekend. I always helped Dad at the garage or the shop, and afterward, I'd prepare dinner in the evening.

 

It was Saturday; I woke up late, and Dad was already at the garage. I had some juice and bread, and then I went to the garage. That's where I spent most of my time on weekends. I found Dad there; he was already cleaning spare parts of some cars, and eventually, he saw me.

 

"Morning, son. Long night, huh?" he asked.

 

"Yeah. What shall I help you with, Dad?"

 

"I think you should go and help me open that shop."

 

"Sure," I said as I headed toward the shop. It wasn't too far from the garage, just the other side of the garage. My dad had been with that shop even before he got the garage, perhaps even before I was born.

 

It had been his life. He cared for the shop more than anything, and he never let anyone talk ill of the shop, not while he was around. That made me respect the shop, even though it wasn't that big.

 

The shop was really dirty when I got there. I wondered how somebody could survive in an environment like that without getting sick. But I understood why Dad never got time to clean it up. He had been very busy repairing broken cars, and he hardly opened the shop.

 

I helped him clean up somehow so that the shop wouldn't be so dirty. It was a significant task, but I managed to finish cleaning it up. Around eleven in the morning, a girl came. I was at the back of the shop when I heard someone calling from outside.

 

 

**TWO** Unexpected Encounters

 

 

Her voice was that of a young person, the same age as me. I wondered what someone like her would be doing in a spare shop. I got to the front to see my customer. I was shocked to see her face. Actually, I felt like I was looking at a model; she was incredibly beautiful, and I stood there, staring without knowing what to say. Her face looked very familiar, but I couldn’t understand why.

 

She was looking at me, covered in dust everywhere. She didn’t show any annoyance; instead, she smiled and said, “Hi, you're really getting into your work.”

 

“Hi,” I said with a nervous smile while checking my dirty clothes, feeling a little embarrassed.

 

She continued, “I was looking for oil for my car.”

 

I kept looking at her like I was frozen. I wasn’t even sure if I had heard her correctly, so I had to ask her again, as if waking up from a daydream. “Excuse me, you said?”

 

“I was looking for oil to put in my car,” her voice remained calm. I thought she would be mad at me for ignoring her, but she wasn’t.

 

I took a look at her car; it was a new BMW model. It was a cool car. I turned back to her and instructed, “Wait right here; I’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere.” I insisted and left.

 

“I won’t,” she said while watching me head to the garage.

 

She smiled, and I had never seen such a beautiful smile before; her teeth were as bright as snow on the mountains.

 

I returned with my dad because I didn’t know most of the things yet. I wasn’t an expert; I needed more time to learn about cars. And I didn’t want to give her the wrong oil.

 

My dad greeted her, “Hello.”

 

“Hi.”

 

“So, what did you say you want again?”

 

“I, um, oil!” she sounded surprised, and she looked at me. I looked away; I couldn’t believe my dad had actually forgotten what I had told him.

 

“Oh, yeah, Donald told me already; I forgot,” he said with a teasing voice, as if he were joking or something. Then he asked, “Oil for which part of the car do you need, miss?”

 

“Um, actually, I think engine oil.”

 

“That one will be fifty-eight dollars, the best one.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Son, come here, help Miss...” he didn’t know her name yet, “to put this oil in her car.”

 

“Call me Debianca or Debby, sir.”

 

“Yes, Miss Debby.”

 

She wanted to take it herself, but I hurried to help her. I said, “Let me help you.” She stepped aside without saying a word and opened the trunk door of the car. I placed the gallon in a free space I found, and then she closed the door. “Thank you,” she said, her face shining with a smile that left me at a loss for words.

 

I had a moment there, and from nowhere, my dad shouted, “Yeah, that's my son, Donald!”

 

“Dad, she already knows my name,” I said.

 

He kept talking as if he hadn’t heard me, or maybe he just ignored me, “He works with me here on the weekends, but he’s still studying.”

 

She smiled again and said, “Nice to meet you, Donald.” She extended her hand to me, and I hesitated at first because my hands were very dirty.

 

“It’s fine,” she said.

 

I rubbed them on my dirty pants, hoping they wouldn’t be too dirty. Her hand felt as soft as a baby’s when I touched it. Afterward, she got into her car, and she was gone. I kept watching her car as she left, but to my surprise, she didn’t drive toward the road that led out of town. She just turned a corner a few blocks away, which meant she lived somewhere nearby.

 

When I was lost in my thoughts, my dad startled me. “Do you like her, or have you fallen in love already?” he asked teasingly.

 

“No way! How can you possibly think something like that? She’s not even my type.”

 

“I don’t believe that’s true.”

 

“By the way, Dad, what was that all about? What were you trying to prove?”

 

“Well, I saw you taking too long to introduce yourself, so I helped you out. You're supposed to thank me. Ever since your friend left, I haven’t seen you with anyone. You might think I don’t know, but I do, son. I thought you might need some friends around, and when I saw the way she treated you, I was certain you two could be good friends.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right, but not like that, Dad. That way is embarrassing, especially in front of a girl. But thanks for caring.”

 

“You're my son; who else should I care for besides you?” He said it seriously.

 

“Alright, Dad, but I think I need to clean this dust off me before somebody else comes and finds me like this. I was lucky she wasn’t a snobbish person.”

 

“Yeah, you're right; you should take a shower.”

 

After that, we went separate ways. Dad went to the shop, and I went to take a shower in the garage bathroom. All I could think about was her; no matter how hard I tried to get her out of my head, she was there, especially that shiny smile on her face. I finished and headed back to the shop, but there I found Dad closing the shop.

 

I asked him in confusion, “Dad, what are you doing?”

 

“I’m closing the shop.”

 

“Why? It’s not even three yet.”

 

“I know. We’re taking a break, and it’s enough for the day. Besides, we’re going somewhere.”

 

I was surprised because I didn’t remember

seeing him do something like this. He always closed the shop in the evening. A very long time had passed since he did something like this.

 

He added, “It’s going to be fun; don’t worry.”

 

“Okay,” I said in a surprised tone because I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not.

 

He took us to the beach, and I went swimming. It’s one of the few things I like doing; Dad didn’t bother; he thought it was childish – swimming, I mean. But the weirdest thing happened, and I was excited and nervous at the same time. Debby, the girl, was at the beach with her family as well. There was a young boy whom I assumed was her younger brother, her parents, and a boy who was much older than her, and I figured he must be her older brother.

 

I felt a strong urge to go over to her and say hi, but my nerves got the better of me, and I couldn’t do it. And since I assumed she didn’t see me, I pretended like I didn’t see her. Dad was back at the bar, which was a couple of hundred feet from the beach. I didn’t have any excuse for avoiding her, but I was too nervous to go and talk to her. I distracted myself with swimming and stayed in the water as long as I could, hoping she would leave with her family without seeing me.

 

She was staying with her family at a distance and I kept spying on her. But then, somehow, she disappeared. I looked around the beach, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. I scanned the area, observing everyone, and she was nowhere to be found.

 

“Hi,” a voice called from behind me, a voice I had heard before, and I was so shocked I almost drowned.

 

“Hi,” I replied, regaining my composure while she laughed at my reaction. “I didn’t see you there. I didn’t know you came to the beach.”

 

“My family couldn’t resist spending a weekend at the beach, so here we are.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t come here very often; it was just a coincidence my dad felt like taking a day off from work.”

 

“Yeah, I understand that. My dad is the same; he is never around. He is always working.”

 

“Sorry to hear that,” I couldn’t help but feel sorry upon hearing that.

 

“It’s okay; I’m used to it.”

 

I didn’t know what to say after that and just stared at her beautiful face, which strangely seemed very familiar. Somehow, I got lost in her eyes, and she was lost in mine, and it was as if we were staring into each other's souls or something. It took a while for us to stop gazing at each other so intensely.

 

But then my dad called from the beach, embarrassing me yet again in front of her. “Sorry, my dad is calling me. I’ve got to go,” I told her as if I had just awakened from a daydream or something.

 

“Yeah,” she was just as disoriented as I was, so she couldn’t find her words. I didn’t stay in the water; I rushed out of the water to meet Dad.

 

Later, my dad and I went to a restaurant for dinner. Afterward, we passed by a bar, and Dad had a few drinks. Those drinks were enough to make him completely drunk.

 

I drove the car on our way home because Dad was very intoxicated at that time. I didn’t have a license yet, but it was okay because it was already late at night. Our little town was very uneventful, so the police couldn’t possibly think to check if there was a teenager without a license driving a car at that time.

 

We got home, and I needed to help Dad inside because his steps were not steady.

 

He couldn’t even manage to walk straight to get into the house. We finally entered, and I assisted him in sitting on the couch.

 

“Good night, Dad,” I told him.

 

“Good night, son,” he replied as he headed to his room.

 

**Three** Fateful Connections

 

 

That’s my daddy when he's drunk. I lay on my bed, thinking about what dad said; he might be right. I didn’t know what she wanted, and I was exaggerating things; she might be different. I slept, wondering if I would be able to see her again. The truth was, I really liked her, a lot, in spite of our differences. They were very rich, and I was just a guy with nothing.

 

In the middle of the night, I heard her calling my name. She was shining like a star, and I could barely see her face. She extended her hand to me and said, “It’s fine.”

 

Something was pulling her from behind towards a bright light; I struggled hard to reach her.

 

 “Hold on, Debby, I will help you,” I yelled. We were in a forest; I couldn’t tell which forest it was. My hands were dirty, just like they were that morning; that's why Debby said it's fine—she meant my hands. That thing was still pulling her, and this time it pulled harder.

 

 Debby shouted, “Donald, hurry.” “I’m coming; give me your hands.” I stretched myself up, caught her hands, and pulled back hard. That thing released her, and we fell on the ground. Debby was on top of me, smiling, and she said, “Thank you.”

 

“You are welcome,” I smiled back at her like an idiot.

 

She laid her head on my chest, breathing softly, and I caressed her beautiful hair; a moment passed. Then that thing came back, and this time it didn’t just pull her; it took her to the same bright light as before, and Debby shouted, “Donald, help me.”

 

“Debby,” that was all I could do, calling her and watching her disappear into the light, and the light vanished.

 

I woke up calling her, and I found out I was just sleeping in my bed. It was two in the morning. I sat down to catch my breath because my heart was pounding fast. That was the first time I dreamt after a very long time, and it felt so real. I went to sleep again after. I fell asleep very fast and without noticing, I was back in deep sleep again.

 

When I woke up, it was already morning. And, as always, dad was already up and making some strawberry milkshake; it's his favorite smoothie.

 

“Morning, dad,” I greeted him.

 

“Morning, son, did you sleep well last night?”

 

“Yeah!” I answered hesitating, worried he might have heard me shouting last night. I looked down so he couldn’t read the expression on my face.

 

“Good, now breakfast is ready. Have some breakfast and get ready for church; you don’t want to be late.”

“Don’t worry, dad, I won’t be late.”

 

I prepared myself for church after having breakfast. Dad kept telling me to eat fast so I wouldn’t be late. He knew how crowded it normally got. I went to church that day, and it felt like it was taking longer than usual. I got tired of sitting, and every minute I wished it would end.

 

With services and choir, it was pretty long. Finally, it was over, and it was time to go home. Actually, I didn’t have many places to go to anyway, so once it finished, I always went straight home.

 

As always, I was among the first people to leave. Then I heard a voice calling me from behind. At first, I thought it wasn’t me, but the voice was getting closer, and I heard my name this time. I turned to see who was calling because, as far as I could remember, nobody cared about me in this place.

 

Shockingly, it was Debby coming towards me from the door. I panicked for a second. I didn’t know what to do, and I started to argue with my mind. ‘Maybe I should pretend I didn’t hear and keep moving, or I should wait for her to come.’ In the end, I waited for her, but my heart was racing a hundred miles an hour.

 

There she was right in front of me, and she greeted, “Hi there.”

 

“Hello.” I tried to sound as confident as I could and looked at her right in the eyes until she looked down at her feet, and her cheeks turned reddish. Then I added, “How are you?”

 

“I’m fine. I was just surprised to see you here; I didn’t know if you come here.”

 

“Why not? I have been coming here since I was a kid; it’s like I have known this place forever.”

 

“Oh! I’m sorry; I didn’t know that. The place I used to live, people like you, I mean teenagers like us, don’t come to a place like this; they say it’s boring. That’s why I was surprised to see you.”

 

“No need to be sorry; it’s okay. By the way, nice to meet you again, Debby.”

 

“Nice to meet you too, Donald.”

 

Something strange happened when we

 

shook hands. It was like a pulse or some sort of electromagnetic charge passed through our bodies. I could feel what she felt and what she was thinking, and she could feel the same, just like me. It was like we already knew each other. We stood there speechless, looking at each other straight in the eyes for a moment.

 

Then a harsh voice called from behind Debby. At first, we weren’t aware it was calling to us. Then somebody pulled her from behind, and this time the voice scolded her. Suddenly, it was like somebody had woken us from a deep sleep, shocked and breathing heavily. It was as if we had been running for miles. We both looked at her mother, and her mother said, “Let’s go home, honey; everyone is already in except you. And who is this?” “Mom, this is Donald. Donald, meet my mom.”

“Hello, pleased to meet you, ma’am,” I greeted her.

 

When I looked at her, she looked like a high-class woman, like the queens and princesses from the royal families. No wonder Debby was very beautiful; she probably got it from her mother.

 

“This is my friend, mom,” she said, looking at me and smiling that marvelous smile. But her mother didn’t take the concept very well.

 

She looked at me with a look I didn’t understand, whether it was anger or what, and she said, “I see, now let’s go.”

 

When they left, I heard a voice whispering inside my head, “I’ll see you.”

 

“See you,” I answered confidently because I was sure it was Debby, even though I heard those words inside my head. She turned back after I repeated what she said, as if she was aware of what was going on. I waved my hands until she entered the car. They took off with their car, and I kept watching until I couldn’t see the car anymore.

 

 I took my bicycle and rode it very fast because I was already late getting home. Usually, on Saturday and Sunday, I help dad with some work at home, so I didn’t want him to do all the work alone. I got home and found father in the living room, reading some newspapers. "Hi, Dad," I greeted him.

 

"You're late. Was everything okay, or did they have a meeting with you to ask for more money?" he inquired.

 

"No, everything is fine," I replied.

 

I went to my room to change my clothes. In there, I could still see Debby’s mother's furious eyes, like she was annoyed by something. I tried to forget about her; after all, I hadn’t done anything wrong. I finished changing and went downstairs to the living room where Dad was.

 

"What’s for dinner, Dad?" I asked.

 

"I don’t know, anything," he replied.

 

"You mean even water?" I teased.

 

"Don’t be ridiculous, son; water is not food."

 

"Alright, what about some sandwiches and your favorite juice.”

 

 

**FOUR** The Unseen Connections: A Tale of Mystery

 

 

When I got to the classroom door, I was surprised to see Debby was also inside. I entered, eager to sit with her, but the desk next to her was already taken, so I sat at a desk behind her.

 

The minute I sat down, she greeted me, "Hi."

 

"Hi, I didn’t know you joined our school?" I said.

 

As the bell rang, the class started, but Debby didn’t settle. She looked like she was looking for something. Unintentionally, I read her mind as she talked to herself, "How could I forget a pen and take everything else?"

 

I gave her mine, putting it on her shoulder. She was surprised but accepted it.

 

Classes continued, and finally, the lunchtime bell rang. I couldn’t wait to see Debby again because after math, we usually went our separate ways. I hoped to find her in the cafeteria, and I did. She was having lunch alone, so I figured it was my chance to be with her.

 

I went over and acted as if I was offering her an invitation, asking, "Can we have lunch together?"

 

"I’m not sure about that, I think I prefer to be alone," she hesitated.

 

"C’mon, don’t be so hard to convince, because I’m not good at convincing people," I urged.

 

"Okay, I will have lunch with you."

 

"Great, wait here, I’m going to grab my lunch. I’ll be back shortly."

 

I hurried to the counter, grabbed some juice and bites, and rushed back to Debby, not wanting her to wait long. When I got there, Debby was talking to two girls. I didn’t know their names, but I assumed they were telling her that she could sit with

them.

 

I interfered and spoke to Debby, "I’m ready, can we go?"

 

"Sure, see you guys, it was nice meeting you," she waved at them, then turned back to me and smiled, as she always did. I didn’t know if she was aware of how much I liked her smile.

 

Those two girls seemed puzzled to see her walking with me, and they sat there wondering what I did to make her like me. However, I was the only one noticing it; Debby was just talking and laughing like she didn’t care about anything else.

 

Lunchtime ended too quickly, and it was time to go back to class. We headed to the same class in the afternoon, and I sat at the desk behind her, just like in the morning. The only thing that mattered at that time was when the class would end, so I could spend more time with her.

 

After school, just as I wished, Debby and I were going home together. We walked because the school wasn’t too far from home. Earlier, she had called her dad and told him that she would be passing by a friend’s house, which was my home.

 

When we got home, things were all over the place, and arranging them would take a lot of time. I suggested we stay outside because inside was a bit chaotic; you know, a house with men only is hard to control. We found a couch outside and sat down. We talked about many things, especially her family and how her mother was always arguing with her father.

 

When the conversation turned to my family, I didn’t have much to talk about. It had always been me and my dad, and that's all I told her. Thankfully, she didn’t ask about my mother because I wouldn’t have known what to say.

 

Being with her felt really good. I never wanted anything to spoil that moment, but without realizing it, I ruined everything. She had a bracelet on her wrist; it was beautiful and shiny, unlike any normal bracelet. It was made of the clearest gold and was very bright. Without thinking, I asked her, "That bracelet you're wearing is very beautiful. Where did you get it?"

 

Her expression changed, and she looked shocked. "What bracelet?" she said, as if she didn’t understand what I was talking about.

 

I insisted, "The one you're wearing on your wrist."

 

She abruptly changed the subject and said, "I’m sorry, but I have to go home now; it’s getting late."

 

She left in a hurry without even saying goodbye. I didn’t understand what was wrong; was it me mentioning the bracelet, or was there something else? Why would a bracelet make her that worried? Maybe she was afraid it would be stolen or something. I was left with a thousand questions, and I didn’t have a single answer. The more I tried to find answers, the more questions arose.

 

Weeks passed since the last time I talked to her, and I really wanted to talk to her again. At least to tell her that I was sorry for what happened that day. But that chance never seemed to come; every time I tried, it vanished. Life continued as usual. I went to school every day, but it wasn’t great because there was a test coming up in two weeks. I didn’t have good grades in mathematics, and I was at risk of repeating the grade. The only person I knew could help me was Debby, but I no longer had a connection with her, and I desperately needed her assistance.

 

Today, when I entered the class, she was already inside. The seat next to her was empty, but when I hurried to take it, one of her friends got there first, so I had to sit somewhere else. She made friends a few days after she joined the school. I guessed it wasn’t that hard for girls to make friends, unlike me; I had been studying here for a long time, and I only had one friend.

 

I tried to look at her from the back of the class, hoping she would notice and turn so I could signal that I needed to talk to her. But she didn’t. I tried to read her mind, but I couldn’t. It was like there was a big block between her and me. I knew we had a very strong connection together. Sometimes I could feel her presence or sense that she was talking to me, even though I had spent very little time with her. It felt like I had known her forever.

 

I didn’t know if she felt the same or not because she didn’t seem disturbed. If she felt the same, why was she ignoring it? Perhaps that was why I couldn’t reach her mind. But I planned on trying anyway. I closed my eyes and pictured myself next to her, but this time it required more than visualization. I needed to focus in order to

 

open her mind. I whispered, "I need your help, Debby, please."

 

I couldn’t feel any response, whether she received my message or not. I realized I had to find another way; this wouldn’t work, I thought. But then suddenly, I was pulled away from my thoughts, and I heard a teacher calling me to solve an equilibrium equation. I was good in physics, so it wasn’t hard for me to solve. After I finished, I returned to my seat and tried to look at Debby, but she didn’t look back at me. When I sat down, the teacher said, "And you might want to come back to class, Donald."

 

"Yes, Sir," I said, pointing my head down, not wanting to see the faces that were looking at me. The one face I needed wasn’t among them.

 

At school, I had many names, but one of the most common ones was "Loner." Sometimes, I felt that way, especially since Debby didn’t want to be my friend anymore. I just wished I could get a single chance to hear her voice. I didn’t want many things, just that opportunity and the chance to apologize for whatever had made her angry with me. I wanted her to forget everything that happened and be friends once more. Holding onto anger all the time wasn’t good, especially with a friend.

 

Classes ended, and it was time for lunch. Everyone hurried out of the class except me; I had no reason to rush. So, I took my time organizing my things until everyone was gone, and I became the last one to leave the class. When I got out, Debby was there, waiting for me.

 

"Hi," i said.

 

"Hi. Did you say you needed my help when we were in class?" She asked, I was surprised that she had heard my whispered plea.

 

"Yes, I did. Why didn’t you say anything then?" she replied.

 

"You are right. Yes, I need your help. But not here. Let’s sit somewhere so we can talk. It’s something a little embarrassing," I confessed.

 

"Okay."

 

We found an empty table at the cafeteria, located at the back, and sat down with our lunch. I didn’t know how to start, afraid I might make her angrier, but I began the conversation anyway.

 

"I’m sorry about the last time we talked; you must be hating me right now," I said.

 

"No, that wasn’t your fault, and you are one of the people I can’t hate. I just don’t think it will be good for us to be friends. It is too dangerous for you, and I don’t want you to get hurt," she explained.

 

"What are you talking about? Who’s going to hurt me? Is it because I saw that bracelet? You know what, just forget it, okay? I need you to help me; you know there is a test coming up, right?" I pleaded, trying to change the subject.

 

"So what?" she replied, indifferent to my academic concerns.

 

"Look, I know you're really good in mathematics, so I hoped you might be able to help me out," I said, trying to appeal to her expertise.

 

Five: Dreams of Destiny:

 

 

In the midst of our conversation, a boy approached, accompanied by a couple of others. He exuded an air of confidence, evident from his splendid attire. While I pondered, he took Debby's hand and pulled her up, addressing her in a familiar tone.

 

"Hey, babe, how are you doing? Is this guy bothering you?" he questioned, his tone laced with possessiveness.

 

"Hey to you too. This guy, his name is Donald, and he's my friend," Debby responded, defending our friendship.

 

"Sure, a friend. Nice to meet you, Don. I'm Kelvin, and you better treat her like a queen before someone gets hurt," he asserted, his arrogance evident. Kelvin had recently transferred to our school, bringing his wealth and a circle of followers. He and his brother lived a life of affluence, untouched by financial worries due to their inheritance.

 

He had moved here because of Debby, who used to be his girlfriend at his previous school. His ostentatious demeanor and constant flaunting of his wealth didn't sit well with her. Although Debby seemed content with him, I couldn't shake off my distrust for Kelvin, sensing something insincere in his eyes.

 

After school, I pedaled my bicycle home. On my way, I encountered Debby and

 

Kelvin driving past in his car, surrounded by a crowd of friends. For some reason, they laughed at me. I couldn't fathom their mockery, but amidst the laughter, I noticed Debby refraining from joining in. Her silent support offered me a sliver of comfort.

 

Upon arriving home, my dad was in the dining room, having already prepared dinner. I went to my room, changed my clothes, and joined him downstairs. As soon as I entered the dining room, my dad remarked, "Seems like you're too busy today even to greet me."

 

"No, dad, I'm not busy; I'm just distracted," I replied, my frustration evident.

 

"Distracted? By what? A girlfriend, perhaps?" he inquired.

 

"Dad, did you know that I might be dropped from my class if I get an average below C in mathematics?" I confessed, sharing my academic concerns.

 

"I didn't know, son. I'm sorry; that's what's been troubling you?" he sympathized.

 

"That isn't the only thing distracting me. There are these kids at school, wealthy and mocking me. Dad, I truly despise them, and I wanted to confront them," I admitted, expressing my frustration.

 

"Listen, son, life has its ups and downs. Be strong, and these challenges will pass," my dad encouraged, offering his wisdom.

 

"The truth is, dad, I don't know if I'll ever experience good times in my life. It feels like every day is getting worse," I

 

confessed, my despair evident.

 

"I understand what you're going through; I had a similar life when I was your age. But I grew up, finished school, and built my own life. You will too," he reassured, offering hope amidst my despair.

 

That night, I went to bed early, and I had another dream about Debby. We were in a breathtaking garden; she stood before me, wordless yet expressive. In an unexpected turn, Kelvin appeared, arrogantly claiming Debby as his own and declaring their impending marriage. Debby's attire transformed into a princess-like wedding dress. My heart raced with fear, unable to fathom Debby choosing him over me.

 

In a sudden twist, Debby chose me, defying Kelvin. However, the dream's

 

setting shifted dramatically; the once lush garden turned into a desolate, rocky terrain. A mysterious, towering figure emerged, urging me to save Debby. Just as I began to comprehend the gravity of the situation, the dream shattered, leaving me perplexed.

 

I woke up in a cold sweat, the vivid dream lingering in my mind. It was an unusual experience, leaving me with an unsettling feeling. I glanced at the clock; it was five in the morning. One question echoed in my mind: was this dream merely a creation of my subconscious, or was it something more profound?

 

Attempting to dismiss the dream, I focused on the day ahead. It was Friday, one of my favorite days, and I intended to enjoy it. My plans included a visit to the

 

cemetery, a place I hadn't frequented in a long time. The thought of my mother's grave brought a mix of emotions; questions about her death lingered, unresolved and haunting.

That day, I tried my best to shake off the unsettling dream and concentrate on my plans. After breakfast, I set out to the cemetery, a place I hadn't visited in a long while. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the tombstones. As I approached my mother's grave, a rush of emotions engulfed me.

 

I stood there, gazing at her tombstone, adorned with fresh flowers left by a caring soul. I knelt down and whispered, "I wish I knew what happened to you, Mom. I miss you every day."

 

Lost in my thoughts, I spent some quiet

 

moments at her grave, contemplating the mysteries of life and death. Eventually, I rose to my feet, wiping away a tear that had escaped my eye.

 

The day continued, and I decided to focus on positive activities. I took my bicycle for a ride around the neighborhood, enjoying the freedom it offered. As I pedaled through familiar streets, my mind wandered back to Debby, the enigmatic dream, and the cryptic figure that had appeared within it.

 

When I returned home, my father was in the living room, engrossed in a book. I decided to confide in him about the strange dream, hoping he might offer some perspective. As I recounted the details, his brows furrowed with concern.

 

"That sounds like more than just a dream, son. Dreams can sometimes carry messages, though it's hard to decipher their meanings," he said thoughtfully, his gaze distant.

 

Feeling a bit restless, I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind. As I strolled along the quiet streets, I found myself pondering the events of the day and the strange occurrences in my dreams. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden hue over the neighborhood.

 

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. I turned around, and there was Debby, standing a few feet away. Her presence was unexpected, yet strangely comforting.

 

"Hey, Donald. I've been looking for you,"

 

she said, her eyes searching mine.

 

"What's going on, Debby? Why have you been looking for me?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

 

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I need your help. There's something important I need to tell you, something I can't share with anyone else."

 

A sense of urgency filled the air, and I felt a deep connection with her, transcending the boundaries of ordinary friendship. "Of course, Debby. I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'll help."

 

As we walked together, Debby began to reveal a story that sounded almost too fantastical to believe. She spoke of a hidden realm, a place beyond our

 

understanding, and a powerful force that sought to protect it. I listened, captivated by her words, my mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what she was sharing.

 

With every detail she shared, the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place. The dream, the mysterious figure, and the cryptic messages began to make sense in the context of Debby's tale. It was as if the universe had chosen me for a purpose, a purpose that involved saving a world I had never known existed.

 

As the night deepened, we continued our conversation, discussing the intricacies of this otherworldly realm and the challenges that lay ahead. Debby's presence and unwavering determination filled me with newfound courage and resolve.

 

In that moment, I made a silent vow to help Debby, to stand by her side and face whatever trials awaited us. Little did I know that this decision would lead us on an extraordinary journey, one that would test our friendship, our strength, and our belief in the unknown.

 

And so, beneath the night sky, Debby and I forged a bond stronger than ever before, ready to embark on an adventure that would change our lives forever.

 

 

SIX: The Enigmatic Threads of Fate:

 

 

I skipped afternoon classes that day as I planned. I went to the cemetery walking here and there looking for her name on one of the stones. It had been long time

 

Since I visited her and there wasn’t so many graves at that time like now.

 

After searching for several minutes I finally found it at the center of the cemetery. I went closer to see it more clearly. I was heading toward it and I saw a symbol which looked very familiar.

 

 I asked myself where did I see it but I couldn’t remember. I took a plane paper and my pencil and drew it. So that I won’t have to come here every day to make sure it is the one. While I was drawing it I saw a vision of Debby, it was after school and she was looking for me.

 

I saw her entering my class and get out I saw her asking people about me, some of them I knew and others I didn’t. Some of

 

them said that I wasn’t at school at all and other said I left early. But all these things left her confused, she didn’t even know what to believe.

 

She got out of school standing at the parking lot confused. I wanted to help her but I couldn’t connect with her mind. I don’t know why, but at that moment her boyfriend came she seemed startled. When I was eager to know what he was going to say I got cut out, then I felt like I woke up from a deep sleep. I started to wonder if it was a day dream or if it was real.

 

I looked around and I was in the same place I was but, I was sitting down and I was looking at my mother’s grave. I was confused what was real and what was not, was it a dream or a vision, whatever I just saw a moment ago.

 

I even wished if I could have someone to tell me these things. Who would understand and who won’t freak out or won’t think it was some kind of joke.

 

I decided to go home after I finished drawing that symbol from the stone. I looked at the grave for the last time and took my bicycle with me. I kept thinking about the dream I dreamt last night, but I couldn’t understand a thing about it.

 

It was all eccentric, I couldn’t match out the puzzle that I saw last night, I wished I could at least understand what that man said.

 

Another vision appeared of Debby in the car with her friends arguing. I tried to wake up but I couldn’t, I tried to think about something else but it was useless. I was near the road and I tried to listen to the sound of a car. At least I will know if there was a car and I would stop but that also was in vein all I could hear is her and her friends.

 

Then, suddenly I couldn’t know if I was moving or standing or sat down or fell on the ground. I was freaking out at that time.

 

I tried hard not to listen because I believed it was not fair to spy on somebody else’s life. Even if you love them, but at the end I failed and ended up listening to them.

 

Her friends wanted to go shopping to buy some clothes for the Saturday party. It was a birthday party of one of their classmate. She refused and said she wanted to go home. As usual unexpectedly the vision disappeared, I looked around and I was standing beside a tree and my bicycle on my side. I took a deep breath and kept walking again.

 

A minute passed and a car stopped, it was a Lexus and I knew this car because it is one of Debby’s friends’ car. And I was right, it was them. They were dropping off someone there, but I couldn’t see who was getting out so I stopped to see who was getting out.

 

I was astounded to see Debby there. She was the one who was dropped off from the car. I crossed the road so I can meet with her and the first thing I did is ask her,

 

“Debby, what are you doing here this place is not safe for people like you? And weren’t you with your boyfriend?”

 

          “Hey calm down, I just came with my friends. And I want to be with you for this time, so forget about him he is not our concern now, Okay?”

 

“And how did you find me? How did you know you will find me here?”

 

          “You know. You are my soul mate, no, that was a joke. We were driving with my friends and I saw you on the side of the road and asked them to drop me here. That’s how I found you.”

 

  “Oh! Sorry, I was just freaked out when I saw you.”

 

“No problem, I thought you might have some time today so that we can study

 

something this afternoon. I couldn’t tell you earlier because you weren’t at school.”

 

    “I had to check up on something this afternoon. Let’s go home, that will be a good place to study.”

 

We went home together and I took her on my bicycle but I didn’t like the idea. But she kept on insisting that she wanted to, so she left me with no other choice.

 

I was worried because I’d never ride with anyone on my bicycle before. I thought we were going to fall, but it was totally different I was able to ride perfectly well and we arrived safely.

 

We got home but time was running out because it was almost late evening and Debby needed to go home. So I told her

 

that we will study tomorrow just like we planned. Before she left she looked like there was something bothering her. I asked her what is it and she said she wanted to tell me the truth about the bracelet I saw the other day.

 

She pulled her long sleeved blouse and I saw the bracelet. It had the same symbol as the one on my mother’s gravestone. I couldn’t understand why this symbol would be doing on my mother’s gravestone. I kept looking on the bracelet to see if I could find anything that could help, may be a caption or a letter or anything but I saw nothing.

 

But I refused to talk about it. Apart from that I didn’t want to complicate things anymore between us like the last time, because I didn’t want to lose her again for interfering with her personal life.

 

Then I gave her a suggestion that she will go home and think about it, and if tomorrow come and she felt like telling me then I would listen.

 

“Do you want anything to drink?” I asked her because I thought we could have few minute to chat a little bit, and it won’t be bad to invite her in,

 

          “Water will be great.”

 

I invited her inside and gave her some water. We had a little chat and it turned to be a conversation and then it heated up.

 

We didn’t even realize it was already dark and dad came back from work. He came to the living room and found us because he heard sound of people laughing. And he said,

 

“It looks like we have a guest today.”

 

          “Hi, dad.”

 

    “Good evening Sir.” she greeted but she looked worried but she gained courage after seeing my dad smiling.

 

“Son, why didn’t you tell me that we will have a guest today?”

 

     “Oh! My god, look at the time it is already dark I got to go. I had a great time with you Donald. Nice to meet you, Sir,” she said while heading to the door.

 

“Yah! Sorry for keeping you all this time”

 

I went to the door and open it then I escorted her a little till we reached at the corner near to her home. I kept watching her till she reached the gate to their house then I turned around and went back home.

 

When I reach at the door home I had vision Debby entering inside her house. She found her mother waiting for her with a furious look and she asked her,

 

“Where have you been till now? Don’t you know time to come back home?”

 

          “I was with a friend we were chatting and I forgot to check the time. I’m sorry mom.”

 

“And who is that friend whom I don’t know because I called them all, even your boyfriend, and you were with none of them. Tell me this new friend you have got.”

 

The vision was cut off and I heard my dad calling me from inside and said,

 

    “Aren’t you going to come inside? You have been standing there like a statue for a while.”

 

“Sure dad, I was just enjoying the breeze out here and I’m not a statue.”

 

     “Alright, come in here and help me with these plates.”

 

“Okay.”

 

I went to the kitchen and take plates to the table to get ready for dinner. While wondering when will these mysterious visions end or how to stop them from

torturing me.

 

But it has only been two days anyway so maybe they appear to me because of the feelings I have for her, I thought. They are the one driving me nuts but I hope they will eventually disappear after some time.

 

I encouraged myself hoping it to be true because if not I was going to have to tell Debby about it even though I didn’t know how she was going to take it.

 

The dinner was ready and everything was on the table. And dad sat there waiting for me because I went to take out trash.

 

When I was there another vision came and fled. I couldn’t see clearly what it was so I just ignored it and went back to the house. I sat there and looked at the food. There was meat, soup and baked cakes for dessert, the food smelled nice. I took my share and dad also did the same.

 

I started eating and when I finished eating half of the plate a real vision came. It was Debby arguing with her mother again and she was the one who started talking and she said,

 

“He is our neighbor on the other side, and his name is Donald,” she said with a depressed voice I can tell it from her tone.

 

     “Now, you listen to me. You are not going to see that boy again, do you hear me? I forbid you from now on, unless you want to be grounded the rest of the year. And also, you have a boyfriend, don’t you have any respect for him?” her mother thundered with a very harsh voice I have never heard from anyone I know.

 

The conversation ended and I heard Debby sobbing and ran towards a door. It looked like her room, upstairs, on the left side of the house then someone younger entered her room. He was a boy, but on a spur of the moment the vision disappeared and I heard a reverberation of somebody voice and I recognize it was my dad’s, he was calling,

 

“Donald, are you okay?”

 

    “Are you okay?” he asked again when I blinked and looked at him.

 

“Yes, I am fine dad, my mind just flipped there for a second but I’m fine.”

 

    “Well, I got to tell you, you scared the hell out of me. You were still like a statue, just like at the door earlier, so I’m asking you again, are you okay?”

 

“I am totally fine dad don’t worry about me.” I looked down so that he won’t notice the look on my face because my mind was a little off.

 

    “I don’t believe you but I know you won’t hide anything from me, so I believe you will tell me once you have a problem.”

 

“Sure dad, I will never hide anything from you and maybe I’m just tired. I think some sleep will help.”

 

I took dishes to the kitchen and I went straight to my room. I was not ready to let dad ask me another question. When I got to my room that vision continued. The young boy was her young brother, he sat with her on her bed and say,

 

“I don’t think it’s fair for her to scold you like that, and you haven’t done anything wrong neither did he. I wonder why she would hate him so much!”

 

   “I don’t understand it either, but I’m not going to stop not this time.”

 

“Do you love him? What about Kelvin don’t you love him anymore?”

 

    “I don’t know I just feel like I have a bond with him which I can’t real explain and I real loved Kelvin, but now he has changed, it’s like he is completely a different person.”

 

“So you don’t love him anymore, but that’s alright I never liked him anyway. I will leave you to sleep, you must be tired. Good night Sis.”

 

“Good night and thank you for your support. I love you, but before you go come here.”

 

He went back to the bed and she hugged him and repeat thank you and I love you so much.

 

“Good night V.”

 

     “Good night sister and I love you too.”

 

 He left the room and my vision disappeared and I was back in my room lying on my bed. I was feeling really sad I didn’t know what was happening to me, and things were getting worse. I fell asleep trying to figure out what was really a problem, in the middle of the night I dreamt again.

 

SEVEN: Culinary Surprises:

 

 

There was this very tall man, young and handsome, but he had long white hair like my grandfather. He approached me where I was sitting on the rock. He came closer and looked at me very seriously, saying, "This is not just a dream. You have to remember everything I'm going to tell you because it's very important." He was still serious when he spoke these words.

 

"Who are you? What do you want from me? Are you the cause of everything that happens to me? Why do I see her everywhere and hear her conversations with other people?" I asked, terrified because I didn't trust him one bit and I wasn't ready to listen to him.

 

"The first question shouldn't be your concern right now. As for the second, I don't need anything from you yet. And the third, I don't understand what you mean by everything that's happening," he answered calmly, which made me feel a little more comfortable.

 

"These visions I see of her doing things, it wasn't supposed to be possible for normal people, not that I know of. Can you help me stop it? I mean, stop spying on her life?"

 

"First of all, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you are not a normal person anymore. Your life has changed since you completed the bond of the Armilla. You are going to be different. You've seen for yourself that you have a very strong connection with her. Those weren't life-spying visions; they were the foundation for the bond, for you to understand how important you are to each other. But now they won't appear again because you know. Don't let her out of your sight ever because she is the key to your success. She is a part of you now. If she gets hurt, you will be hurt.”

 

"What is this bond I completed? What does it mean, and how did I complete it? She has a boyfriend, don't you know that? They love each other very much."

 

"I'm in no position to answer that question right now. But you will know when the time is right. They can't be together; it must be you with her. Be careful with her boyfriend.”

 

"What do you mean by saying that?" I asked, confused because I had heard others say the same thing about him.

 

"I mean, when you are together, you will be unbreakable and strong. You will gain strength from each other, and nothing can get through to you. But with him, it will be different. He will weaken the bond, and he can easily manipulate her mind. So, you should always be with her."

 

"So, do you mean we will get married? Will we have children with her?"

 

"I didn't talk about that because I cannot see the future. I'm telling you about the legend which you are going to fulfill on our planet. Also, I know that she is going to be your strength, and you will be hers. That is what I have read. I have talked too much already. I have to go now. Sleep well."

 

He disappeared, and I found myself in my bedroom. I opened my eyes and switched on the light to see the time; it was three o'clock in the morning.

 

On Saturday, I woke up very early because I didn't want her to come and find the house dirty. Actually, my dad and I weren't used to cleaning up the house. The only things that mattered to him were his garage and the shop. Apart from that, he wasn't concerned. I was always busy with other things, and we didn't hire a maid to clean the house. I was excited to spend time with Debby once again today. When it reached six thirty, my dad was ready to go to work. I didn't know what to prepare for her. I thought my dad would have a good idea about what I should prepare. So, I asked him what I should prepare.

 

"Dad, any idea what I should prepare for my guest?"

 

"I don't know, anything you think she will like."

 

"Look, I don't know anything; that's why I asked for help. If I knew, would there be any need to ask you?"

 

"Well, I think you should wait for her to come first. If you'll excuse me, I need to go to work, or else I'm going to be late."

 

Dad left for work, and I started to clean up the house.

 

Cleaning up a house that hadn't been cleaned in a while is an exhausting job. I finished around nine thirty after four hours of cleaning. I wanted everything to be perfect when she arrived, so I tried to prepare everything that we might need. I made some lemonade and some cookies for refreshments, and I also set up all the school supplies to be ready when she arrived. Then I started to revise a couple of equations so that I wouldn't seem too dumb when we started studying. But I didn't get much done because she came a few minutes after I had started. She came in right away because I hadn't closed the door.

 

"Hi, how are you doing today?" I greeted her.

 

"I'm good, and you?"

 

"I'm always fine when I'm home."

 

"Good for you; you must have a very good home then."

 

"Hey, come have a seat and something to drink before we start. It's not very good, but not very bad either. I hope you don't mind, do you?" I looked into her eyes, but they were unreadable; they had no expression.

 

"No, thanks. I'm good."

 

"You can't say that. I prepared these for you. You will break my heart if you won't even taste, seriously." I tried to be serious, but it wasn't that convincing. However, she didn't seem like she was going to refuse.

 

She sat down, and I brought her a glass and poured some lemonade. She drank some and ate one cookie. I have to admit those cookies were terrible because I made them myself, but she didn't complain or show any annoyance.

 

She finished and commented, "The juice was good, but the cookies, you have to work on them a little more," she said, smiling when she finished. The one thing I liked about her was that she always smiled.

 

"Sure, I'll try to remember that. And one more thing I'd like to ask you: you didn't have any trouble at home last night because of being late, did you?"

 

"Everything was completely fine. Why?"

 

"It's nothing; never mind. So, what are we starting with?"

 

"I think we should start with mathematics. Solve equations first before you get tired because they seem to challenge you. Once you're tired, you can't study math."

 

We started right away, and at first, I couldn't solve even simple equations. It was like I had never studied them, but she was very patient. She didn't give up; she kept on using different methods and explained again and again. It took me an hour and a half to understand the concept. I found it very exhausting, and I was not sure if I would be able to continue.

 

I told her, "I think I need to take a break; this thing is really exhausting."

 

"But don't take too long; it should be just for a short while."

 

And she really meant it; I only took five minutes. Then we were back at it. She gave me some questions, and this time I managed to solve nine out of ten correctly. To me, that was like magic because I had never managed to solve equations before. I started to wonder if it had anything to do with the dream I had last night. Maybe I got them right because I was with her, but I refused to believe it. I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and kept studying. Afterward, we moved on to a new topic: algorithms.

 

As time passed, I began to understand unbelievably well, and I was becoming brighter. I even surprised her with the way I grasped things so quickly, unlike when we started. There was a moment when she stopped teaching, and we were solving equations and calculations together.

 

Time passed, and she couldn't believe it anymore. She asked me, "How could you manage to understand so quickly, or were you pretending all this time?" Her face was furious, which shocked me.

 

"I don't understand it either, and I didn't lie to you because I never lie. If you want, I can show you my tests, and you can see for yourself that I didn't lie to you."

 

"I believe you. Now that you know everything, I think I don't have anything else to teach you."

 

"Okay, let's grab some lunch; you must be very hungry right now. There's a restaurant nearby," I said.

 

"No restaurants. I want us to cook right here. I'm not going anywhere."

 

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, shocked to hear her say that.

 

"One hundred percent. Don't worry; it's going to be fun. If you don't know how to cook and your father is the one cooking for you every day, don't worry; I'll help you."

 

"Are you kidding me? I'm among the greatest cooks in the world."

 

"Let's see how great you are."

 

"So, what do you want me to prepare for you?"

 

"What would you want for yourself if I weren't here? Also, you have to let me help you in cooking, so we'll be cooking

together." Then she smiled.

 

I made the mistake of looking at her; I couldn't resist that shining smile, and that changed everything. I allowed her to make fun of me because I knew I wasn't that great of a cook. I allowed her to watch me cook, but that was not all. There was still one problem.

 

The problem was, what was I supposed to cook? Because on the weekend, we don't often cook at home, and apart from that, I had never cooked for a guest before. This was going to be quite a challenge.

 

A moment passed, and then I got an idea: cook hamburgers. I chose them because I had seen her eating them recently at school. I knew it was crazy, but I had no other choice. How hard could it be to make

two hamburgers?

 

I assumed they might be her favorite food, so I started cooking anyway. Though I was very aware I wasn't a very good cook, I tried my best to impress her.

 

 

EIGHT: Minds Intertwined:

 

 

I finished cooking, but I couldn’t take all the credit myself; she helped me just like she said she would. We worked together, covered in flour, laughing like kids. I wished this day would never end; being with her made me inexplicably happy.

 

The food was already on the table: fried chicken and cupcakes that Dad made, along with the hamburgers and orange juice we prepared. Before we started eating, I prayed, and she found it strange, as they didn’t do that at her home. When we began eating, I asked her about my cooking skills.

 

"Hey, won’t you comment on anything?" I inquired.

 

"The food is good, I mean, it’s delicious," she said.

 

"So, I’m a good cook then. If it were a test, I would have passed, right?" I teased.

 

"I can give you fifty percent, or sixty if it were a test," she replied, laughing as if she didn’t mean what she said.

 

"What’s so funny?" I asked.

 

"When I looked at you, you seemed to believe me. It was just a joke," she explained, smiling.

 

"I thought burgers were your favorite food, and I think I was wrong," I said.

 

"Yes, you were completely wrong about that. What made you think that?"

 

"I’ve seen you eating them more than twice at school for lunch. I guess I was being crazy and lame," I admitted.

 

"It’s not that crazy; you’re just exaggerating," she replied.

 

We finished eating, and she helped me wash the dishes. Everything felt perfect and exciting. Later, we decided to go to the beach to get some fresh air. I had to convince her because she was afraid her boyfriend might see her and ruin our perfect day. Eventually, she agreed, and we sat under a coconut tree a little far from the beach.

 

While enjoying the view, Debby insisted she had something to tell me. It wasn’t what I expected her to say.

 

"First, I never wanted to be away from you. I just didn’t want to involve you in my mess, but now my heart is failing me. I can’t stay away from you any longer. I’ve made up my mind; I want to tell you everything. I don’t want to keep the secret anymore," she confessed.

 

"What is it, Debby? What secret are you talking about?" I asked.

 

"About the bracelet you saw that day when we were together," she replied.

 

"I told you to forget about it. I don’t want to upset you," I said, concerned.

 

"Listen, there is a secret about it, and I want you to know. I got really scared then. I was worried about what would happen if I told you. But now I understand," she said.

 

"Then tell me, if I really need to know," I urged.

 

"That bracelet you saw that day, you weren’t supposed to see it," she admitted.

 

"What are you saying, Debby?" I asked, confused.

 

"I’m saying that the bracelet is invisible; it can’t be seen. That’s why I got scared because nobody ever saw me wear it, not even my family," she revealed.

 

I was bewildered. "Where did you get it then? Who gave you something like that?"

 

"It was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me as a gift before she died," she explained.

 

"Did she explain why it’s like that?" I inquired.

 

"I’m afraid I didn’t get the chance to ask her for an explanation," she replied.

 

She wasn’t wearing it that day; she had put it in her pocket instead. She seemed just as puzzled as I was. I asked her, "Why aren’t you wearing it then? Did you lose it?"

 

"No, I put it in my jeans pocket. I just don’t think I should wear it right now. I don’t think it’s safe anymore; it might be dangerous. Don’t you think so?" she questioned.

 

I wasn’t good at giving advice. At that moment, I didn’t know what to tell her, whether it was yes or no. I didn’t give her a straight answer, so she could make her own decision. I asked her a question instead, "Do you think your grandmother would give you something that could harm you?"

 

"No, I don’t think she could do something like that," she replied.

 

"I think you have your answer then. Can I see it?" I asked.

 

She took it out of her pocket and handed it

 

to me. As I touched it, something strange happened; I felt an electric shock run through my arm, and I instinctively threw it onto the sand. She looked at me, alarmed. "Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?"

 

"I don’t know. I felt something when I touched it, like an electrical shock ran through my arm," I explained.

 

She took it away, regret in her voice. "Donald, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have given it to you; it’s all my fault. Do you feel any pain? Maybe we should go home now, and you can check your arm."

 

"Don’t worry, I’m fine. You’re just exaggerating things," I reassured her with a smile.

 

We decided to go home, but as we walked back, Debby's phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and talked for a few minutes. When she hung up, she turned to me, looking sad. I asked her, "Is everything okay?"

 

"Yeah, everything is fine. It’s just that Kate told me about this party at our friend’s house," she said.

 

"Oh, I think you should go," I said, although I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted us to spend the whole day together. But it was okay; we would see each other soon, I hoped. I looked at her and smiled widely, assuring her I was fine with it.

 

"Are you okay with it if I go?" she asked, scrutinizing my response.

 

"Yeah, and I think your boyfriend will be waiting for you there. You should go; I’ll be all right," I said, watching her leave until she disappeared around the corner. I sensed her loneliness after she left. I wondered why she, with a boyfriend who had traveled half the world to be with her, wasn’t excited to be with him. She didn’t seem to care.

 

It’s not that I didn’t like her; I liked her a lot. I had never felt this way before, at least not that I could remember. When I was with her, I felt whole and free; I forgot all my problems. But there was a problem: I didn’t want to be the reason she broke up with her boyfriend. I didn’t want her to be with me because she wanted to escape from her boring boyfriend. I wanted our relationship to be natural, out of love and nothing else. So I told myself to wait, not to pressure her, and let her choose of her own free will.

 

The pain in my arm was gone. I went home, feeling happy in a way. Dad was already back from work, as usual, and he was preparing dinner.

 

I greeted him cheerfully, "Hi, Dad, how are you doing?"

 

"Hello, son! I’m doing fine, actually," he

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: Denis Daniel
Bildmaterialien: Bing,
Cover: Bing
Lektorat: Bing, ChatGPT,
Korrektorat: LOYISO KHANYISO.
Satz: Large
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 31.12.2023
ISBN: 978-3-7554-6553-9

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
My readers, friends, and my family because you are the ones who inspired me to make this story.