THE JOURNEY OF SHEIRA HART

20 | I Had A Boyfriend. LOL

I was still pinned on my spot even after minutes of what just happened. Just when we were about to get struck with Monica’s spiky hair, another Mr. Grim appeared and declared to be Mr. Grim’s (from the Silver City) brother. I mean, that was totally unexpected at all. Pulling myself away from the surprise, I stood up, not feeling anything at all. The pain inflicted by Monica’s hair was gone and I feel light like I used to. I ran towards where Mikhael was. I turned him over and he was still unconscious. Without hesitation, I slapped her hard on his cheek causing him to jolt awake with his hand on his cheek.

“What the hell— Sheira?” He scanned the surroundings, looking confused. “What happened? Where’s Monica?”

“She’s gone,” I said, sighing as I sat down on the ground. I looked to where Jacob was and saw he was already awake. He looked around, as if wondering where he was and how he got there.

“Aren’t you going to go to him?” Mikhael asked. And for the first time—probably one of the rarest times he’s ever serious—I could sense nothing but sincerity in his voice. I stared at Jacob who looked so disoriented. We’re so near. Just about ten steps and I could go to him if I wanted to. "He was your boyfriend, after all."

But I shook my head.

“He’s had enough.” I looked at Mikhael who was already looking at me, as if checking if I really meant what I said. “Mr. Grim said they won’t be able to remember what happened here tonight.” Which also means he isn’t going to remember me. He wouldn’t be able to remember I was with him earlier. That for a brief moment, we got to communicate. Although indirectly. But I guess it’s for the better. With my death, I could see how it pained Jacob. I could almost taste the regret he felt as he sobbed his heart out that time we were in the hallway.

“He looked like he wouldn’t be able to forget you. Not until he dies, Sheira,” Mikhael said as if reading what’s on my mind.

I looked at Mikhael and he was also looking at Jacob. “A man won’t be able to forget the one he loves. Even if it takes decades. Or centuries.”

We looked at Jacob who stood up and straightened his uniform. The school guard was still unconscious and Jacob rushed to help him. We saw him call somebody. Probably the ambulance.

I curled my knees up to my chin. “Why? Do you have someone you love that you can’t forget?”

I heard him sigh and leaned back, using his arms as a support. “That’s another story for another time. More importantly,” he said, giving me a dubious look, “what happened to Monica?”

I shrugged. “She’s gone,” I said and looked at him. He furrowed his brows, clearly needing more information.

“Mr. Grim came and took her. He said he’s been looking for her and he gives his thanks to us for provoking Monica. That was the only way he found her.”

He raised his brows at me. “Mr. Grim came here?”

“If you’re talking about the one from the Silver City, then no. Mr. Grim has a brother, apparently.”

I jolted from where I was seated and looked at him as he suddenly sprang up and stared at me. As if he couldn’t believe what I just said.

“What?” I asked, looking at him suspiciously.

“You met Mr. Grim’s brother?”

“I did.”

“What did he look like?”

“He and Mr. Grim are very … opposite. He has short black hair and everything he wore was black.”

“Of course. He’s from…hell.”

“Hell?”

“You know, the place where souls like Monica go.”

I nodded. Realizing that it all made sense. Mr. Thanis Grim is someone whom mortals refer to as the devil. The one who punishes evil. Monica is someone whom Mr. Thanis was looking for so many years. And I didn’t wonder why Mr. Thanis would pick her up personally in the midst of her kill-everyone-who-doesn’t-want-to-be-friends-with-me extravaganza. She killed two living mortals, killed a soul, and attempted to murder two souls, and an innocent living human. I remember what Mr. Thanis said.

Whatever you do, don’t kill anyone. Or you’ll end up like Monica.

Which means Monica wasn’t like that before but then because of what she did, she somehow ended up like that. I never believed in ghosts and hearing these kinds of stories while I was still alive, I would have laughed my ass off. Or maybe shrugged it off as it won't be something aligned to my interest. But now is a different story as I have just encountered things that I wouldn’t have believed if I was still a living person. I didn’t know the whole story about why Monica turned that way. I didn’t get the chance to know. But I did hear stories before. She was someone bullied and outcast.

I sighed. From a distance, we could hear the sound of a siren approaching. Probably the ambulance.

I stood up and the wind was cold. I never really got the chance to analyze how I could feel cold when I myself is part of the wind. Mikhael stood too, stuffing his hands inside his pockets. I heard him sigh.

“You did great today,” he said and was still looking far ahead of us, where an ambulance just stopped.

I smiled. “You did great today, too,” I said and looked at him.

“That was one crazy experience but I’m glad I got to experience that.” He chuckled. We continued to watch the medics getting Jacob and the security inside the ambulance. But before Jacob entered the vehicle, he took one last look at the field, particularly where we were standing. I could have sworn I saw him let out a small smile before he went in.

I let out a deep breath. “The feeling is not mutual, di Angelo. I wasn’t glad that happened at all,” I said and turned to walk as soon as the ambulance left. The slime and anything that Monica destroyed were gone. I don’t know what Mr. Thanis did but it seemed like he did something to fix it. I don’t know if he just erased the security and Jacob’s memories. Perhaps he placed something in their minds to explain why they were there and why they were unconscious on the soccer field. That must be it. After all, supernaturals are called supernaturals because they can do unexplainable things. Just like what happened to Monica, it was something so unbelievable unless you’ve seen or had been at the receiving end of her strikes. What happened to me is a perfect example too. You won’t believe it unless you experience it firsthand.

“Oh, come on. It was scary but it was fun!”

I gave Mikhael a blank look. “We almost died, if you forgot about that crucial fact.”

“We found out you had a boyfriend, at least,” he said and whistled. I swallowed hard. I had a boyfriend. I seriously couldn’t imagine myself to have a boyfriend. I didn’t know or rather…I couldn’t remember I had a boyfriend. It was even worse when I found out about it from Monica. Honestly, I still couldn’t believe it. It came from Monica. She must have been tripping with me. Just to mess with my emotions so she could get the upper hand. She didn’t need to do that, though. She clearly has the upper hand ever since the very beginning. Unlike her, I don’t have hair that grows and moves on their own. And I certainly don’t have hair that could be so sharp it could even cut through souls.

Monica might have been lying about it. I tried recalling what I saw in my room. I couldn’t see a single picture of Jacob. In fact, I couldn’t see anything that could have hinted to me that I had a boyfriend. There was just…nothing.

I recalled my life while I was still alive. I tend to be secretive at certain things. Perhaps I kept our relationship a secret? Or maybe we just got into a relationship and we didn’t really get to spend time together? But then one thing I was sure of was that I knew Jacob even before we decided to take our relationship to the next level (assuming what Monica said was true). And the way he mourned in front of my portrait was so heartbreaking to see. I knew we were close. I knew we were friends even before we got into a relationship (again, assuming that it was all true). And it’s a shame that we didn’t get to spend more time together and I don’t have any recollection of whatever memories we had. Assuming we had memories.

“You said your boyfriend could feel you. Why didn’t you hug him for the last time?”

“Like I said before, Mikhael, he has already enough. He has mourned enough. I don’t know but I feel like he could still remember me even after what Mr. Thanis did.”

He furrowed his brows before he looked at me. “Why? What did he do?”

“He probably made Jacob and that security forget about what happened here tonight. He also healed their injuries. At least the major ones. He cured your injuries too. Monica was having too much fun whipping you two with her hair rope,”

“Ugh,” Mikhael groaned. “That was the first time I wasn’t in my glorious state but then I have a proper excuse.”

“Nobody cares, di Angelo. No one’s here except for you and me. Nobody saw that ‘not so glorious moment of your life’ earlier.”

“But what if Monica gossips it all to the people in Hell?”

“Why the hell would they even care? They don’t even know you,” I said and rolled my eyes. Sometimes, I want to hug him but most of the time I just want to wallop him left and right.

He scoffed. “For your information, Sheira darling, I am quite a famous person. Not just in Silver City but I’ve been told I had quite a number of fans from other cities, too.”

I gave him a scornful look and he just groaned. “You haven’t stayed in the Afterlife long enough to witness that but I’m telling you the truth.”

I know he was telling the truth. I’ve watched his game. He’s quite good. And I also said before that he could be someone popular if he was alive. He could be someone adored and admired by many. But I don’t want to admit that to him. Not when I know how his head gets big whenever he hears a compliment. Mikhael di Angelo is many things and being humble isn’t one of them.

“Sure, sure.” I walked faster and he stepped beside me.

“Come now, darling. You’re hurting my feelings here.”

I faced him and he was grinning wide. “I believe you! And why do you keep calling me darling or sweetie, anyway? I have a name, di Angelo.”

He shrugged. “Out of habit?” he said. “You refused to tell me your name before so those endearments got ingrained on my mind. Deal with it.”

I scoffed. “Who made me so pissed in the first place?” I place my hands on my waist. “If you wanted to know my name you should have asked me directly. Why did you have to make it a bet? And with your friends?”

“Because I get to earn something and I get to know your name. That’s hitting two birds with one stone. Have you ever heard of that?”

“Oh yes, definitely. And I want to hit your head right now.”

He laughed. He just laughed when I’m all too serious. He then shook his head. “I can’t imagine you being so sweet and cute to your boyfriend,” he teased and I rolled my eyes.

“Come on! How are you so violent to me?”

I faced him and he halted, holding up his arms but his mouth was clamped, clearly trying to stop himself from laughing. “You kicked me off the bridge. And that is something I couldn’t—I wouldn’t forget. Even if I die a hundred times I will find you and kick you so hard even your grandchildren would feel it.” I panted and glared at him. Gone was his playful expression and it was replaced with a worried one.

“That is seriously the scariest threat I have ever heard.” He swallowed hard before warily taking a step forward.

I sighed. “As much as I want to wring your neck, I need you—“

“Say that again?” He placed his hand beside his ear. “You need me…”

I groaned. “I need you so I could find out the truth about my death.”

A wide grin was plastered across his face. As if he just won something. I ignored his smirk and continued walking. I looked at my watch and realized we still have time. I wonder what we could do next.

“So, where do we go next?” he asked. And honestly, I don’t really know. But then I remembered my funeral. What my dad and uncle talked about.

So I looked at Mikhael. “I think we’re going to see me being scattered somewhere.”

He got the idea and nodded. I was expecting him to say something funny but surprisingly, he didn’t. He kept quiet and kept walking. I followed suit.

Visiting my funeral again…I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not.