Dark Secrets

Chapter 1: But I Can’t Turn Away (2 of 2)

I used to have a lot of friends before when I was in Korea but making friends here in Canada isn’t that easy but I’m lucky to find one true friend from the start.

I’m supposed to be a 1st grader since I didn’t finish my 1st grade but because I’m 7 and I passed the exam to be a 2nd grader as well as part of the school’s ballet team, the school allowed me to skip 1st grade and be a 2nd grader instead.

Ten months later, it’s the end of the school year and start of summer vacation.

Alexa invited me to visit her in Mississauga, Ontario so my mom and I went to Ontario and left dad at Vancouver until July ends.

“Is your hand hurting again?” Alexa ran with me when I asked her to come and play like a code that only us knows.

“Yes, sorry.” touching my scar. “Sorry if you have to see me everyday like this.” crying at her.

“What are you saying sorry for? It should be me saying sorry because I can’t do anything for my best friend.” Alexa tearing up.

“That’s not true, you’re helping me to cover up and keeping this secret to everyone.” wiping my tears.

“Uhh … may I leave you here for a while?” twisting her legs. “I need to go to the toilet.”

“I’ll stay here, just hurry.” telling her to go while staying still at the bench as I endure the pain on my scar.

The pain stings like I’m being poke by thorns although it’s just a scar but no matter I’m experiencing this every day I can’t get used to it.

“Are you alright?” an older boy appeared in front of me. “Do you need help? Does your hand hurt??”

I just nodded at him in response while sobbing but what he does next really surprised me.

He holds my hand to see if I’m wounded but when he saw my scar instead of getting disgust like what other kids feel whenever they see it, he touched my scar by tracing it with his finger.

“Ah sorry, I don’t know why I’m thinking that it’ll take the pain away.”

“But it did.” looking at my scar. “It should be hurting for half an hour more but you stopped it. How did you do that??!”

“Do what?? I just touched your scar; I didn’t do anything special.”

“Found you!” a beautiful girl holds onto his arm. “You didn’t even try to hide, Toto. Who is she?” looking at me.

“I don’t know, I just saw her crying here.” glancing at me. “Let’s go.” about to leave with the girl when I grab a hold to his hand. “Huh??”

“May I go with you? I don’t know why but I just feel like I need to hold your hand, please take me with you.” pleading at him.

“You said you don’t know her, but why is she holding your hand?” girl asking the boy. “I think you’re the one who made her cry too.”

“No, I’m not.” boy denying the girl’s accusation. “Hey, you, if you want to hold my hand will you tell my sister that I’ve got nothing to do with your crying?” turning to me.

“Sister?” looking at the two. “Ah yes, he actually helped me.” holding onto his right hand with both of my hands.

“If you say so, you want to join our game?” girl smiling at me.

“Mmm. Thank you for letting me play with you.” nodding at her.

“My hand.” boy glancing at me. “You may hold onto me but don’t grab it too tight.”

“Sorry.” loosening my grip. “Thank you, older brother.”

“Older brother huh? I’ve always wanted to hear that from her.” pointing at the girl who’s walking off first. “I’m older than her but she never called me older brother, she’s calling me like how our older siblings calls me. Well I’m not calling them older brothers and older sisters too so it’s understandable.”

“I’m an only child so I don’t know about having siblings.” holding his hand while taking a walk with him.

He brought me to play a game with his other siblings who all seems to be older than him and only the girl who came for him was younger.

“You, you’re not lost??!” boy looking at me with confusion. “I thought you were lost that’s why you’re sitting alone at the bench.”

“No, I’m not.” shaking my head as I sit on the grass.

“The reason I took you with me is because I thought you were lost but now that I know you’re not, I should take you back, let’s go.”  reaching out his hand to me.

“Let’s stay here for a while.” pulling him down. “I’ll be back before sunset, let me rest.” lying on the ground.

“You do know that you’re lying directly on the grass right now?”

“I know, but it’s alright. I’m doing this with my dad sometimes anyway when we’re looking at the stars on a night sky.” I said.

“I disagree with this idea but if a girl is lying comfortably on the ground then I guess I can get dirty too.” boy lying beside me. “I tried lying on sands by the beach before but this is my first time lying on the grass with a girl that I don’t even know.”

“Because you never ask, you and your siblings just played with me even if I’m not your friend.” facing him. “I also don’t know you.”

“Let’s just stay unknown to each other.” boy facing me. “Kids who always play with us is being forced by their parents because they want something from our family.”

“Huh?? I don’t understand.” confused by his statement. “You and your siblings are fun to be with, why do other kids have to be forced by their parents to play? And what do they want from your family?”

“Business? Money?? Connection??? I don’t know what exactly but people approached us with intentions.” looking at me. “You’re not lying to me, right? You really don’t know me or my siblings?”

“Well I can see that your family is rich but I really don’t know you or anyone.” looking straight to his eyes.

“Do you know the Nevaeh?” turn his head to face the sky above.

“The Nevaeh? Is that a new English band? It sounds too fancy though to be a rock band.” facing the sky too.

“Hahaha, I don’t know if I’ll be insulted or not, but you’re the first one who dared to tell me about that.” laughing.

“Huh? I don’t mean to insult you, is that your favorite band??” I anxiously asks since I really don’t have any idea.

“No, I believe you now.” facing me again. “Even if you’re lying you won’t say that about the Nevaeh specially to me.” smiling at me.

“Wow! You’re so pretty!” amazed by his appearance.

“Pretty? Me?? I’m a boy.” he laughs at me.

“Then you’re a pretty boy!” laughing back at him.

“Silly girl. It’s getting dark soon, I think we should go back.” he said.

“Ah right, will I see you again tomorrow?” sitting up.

“Not sure.” getting up. “We’re going back to Korea this Sunday so tomorrow Saturday we might be somewhere around and not here.” reaching out his hand to help me up.

“Thanks.” takes his hand. “Korea?? So, you’re Korean too?!” speaking to him in Korean. “I thought you’re from somewhere else …”

“Because I have a dark skin unlike my siblings?” speaking to me in Korean. “Well we’re all born in the Philippines but I’m the only one who got this color, and because of this people are saying things about me but it doesn’t matter I have my whole family behind me.”

“Speaking of family, I just remember my mom! She must be worried about me right now.” about to make a run. “I hope we meet again someday, and we should tell each other names.” waving good bye.

“Take care on your way home!” waving his hands.

Alexa’s house isn’t that far from the park so I’ve gone straight to their place and only her grandmother was there at the moment.

“Naughty girl! Where have you been?! Everyone is looking for you!” Alexa’s grandmother scolding me. “Alexa was crying because she thought you’ve been taken by bad people after she left you alone.”

“I’m sorry Nana, I went out to play with others.” looking down.

“You need to say sorry to everyone when they come back.” Nana shaking her head. “Tsk. Tsk. Go ahead and clean yourself up, I just hope one of them come back here immediately to let the others know that you’re safe.” sitting at her rocking chair on the porch.

Alexa’s older sister arrived after a few minutes but she had to leave again to tell the others that I’m already at their home.

I apologized to everyone for the troubled I caused to them and promised not to do it again.

“Sorry Alexa, I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, mommy wants me to sleep with her tonight.” taking my bear on Alexa’s bed.

“Fine, sleep with your mommy tonight.” Alexa hugging me. “You have to tell me everything, alright?”

“Promise.” pulling away from her. “See you tomorrow morning.”

“Mmm.” letting me go. “Good night, Desa!”

“Good night, Alexa.” walking out from her bedroom.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you sleep with Alexa tomorrow again but for tonight, you’re staying with mommy.” Mom leading me to the guest room. “How about you tell mommy first what you’ve been up to?”

“Sure, I’ll tell you.” hugging my teddy bear as I walk to the room.

I told Mom everything except for the first part that I felt a pain on my scar and the boy did a magic that took it away.

The next morning, Mom and I went out for exercise along with Alexa and her mom too.

I’ve been looking around the park thinking about the boy I met.

Although I don’t know his name, I know what he looks like.

We returned home after a few laps for our moms to prepare breakfast then went out again to buy groceries for lunch and dinner.

“You should’ve waited for me instead of going by yourself!” Alexa frowning at me after I told her everything about what happened yesterday. “Now I’m curious what that boy looks like.”

“I told you he’s a pretty boy.” having a tea party with her in the playroom. “I like him more than Billy in our class.”

“Really he’s greater than Billy?? But Billy always play the prince.” pouring imaginary tea to our cups.

“But this boy is a real prince, if you only see what he was wearing yesterday. He’s unlike any other boys that we know.” pretending to drink from the empty cup.

“Hmm … well I believe you but I wish that I see it with my own eyes too.” pretending to eat the toy cake.

“Alexa, do you know The Nevaeh?” reminded of what the boy told me. “You know I only listen to classical music but I know one English rock band and that’s The Beatles.”

“Yeah, I told you about The Beatles, but The Nevaeh, not a clue.” shaking her head. “Maybe Andrea knows, should we ask her?”

“Sure, let’s ask her.” leaving the play room with her to find her older sister but she also doesn’t have a clue about The Nevaeh.

It’s almost late at night but surprisingly my scar didn’t hurt all day long although I never want to be in pain but I’m expecting it to happen since I’m experiencing it every day.

I woke up the next day and I wasn’t even disturbed in my sleep so I observed it for another day but it never hurt again the whole day.

I told Alexa about it after she noticed that I’m not giving her signals anymore when my hand acts up.

“Does it mean that boy really has a magic??!” Alexa looking at me with excitement. “He really took away the pain from your scar?!!”

“Maybe, I don’t know. He stopped the pain that time and it never hurt again after that. Does he have magic touch??” staring at my scar. “I also think that my scar is getting smaller.”

“Let me see.” grab my hand to take a look at my scar. “How big it was before? I don’t remember it clearly.”

“As big as the middle finger, but it’s only the size of the ring finger now.” measuring my scar with my ring finger. “See, it’s smaller now.”

“Maybe scars become smaller as time passes by, we don’t know if it’s real magic or just science.” Alexa pretending to be smart.

“Maybe you’re right, it’s my hand that is growing bigger that’s why the scar looks smaller now.” getting her point.

“That’s what I’m about to say, you just said it first but I already thought about it.” looking away from me.

“Fine. You’re smarter than me. I stole your idea, happy now?”

“That’s more I like it. At least you know that I’m smarter than you.” laughing at her silliness. “You can dance ballet and your smart too, that’s why you’re popular at school.”

“No, I’m not.” getting shy of her praising. “Those mean girls will get angry at you if they heard that I’m popular than them.”

-End of Chapter 1-