Monthly Restart

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

-August 06: Thursday-

“Teacher said we’ll only play today!” a boy said, his chest moving up and down as if trying to regulate his breathing. “We won’t study today!”

“Really?” the girl asked in a faint voice. The two children obviously looked tired and rest-deprived. “Sounds fun.”

“Yep!” The young boy’s answer made the him and the girl he’s talking to giggle. “Maybe we won’t feel sick if we’ll play.” The boy added, causing them to chuckle even with their current condition.

“Stop it!” Daisy shouted as she held her ears tight, her pained eyes were looking at the boy and her younger self as they continue to laugh, but their giggle sounded eerie as their voices echoes in a scary and high manner. “I said stop!”

The giggle alone can tear Daisy’s ears apart, but then, footsteps coming from the three children approaching them added pain for her because of the steps sounding loud as if imitating her fast heartbeat.

“I..can’t..run…anymore..I’m tired.” the girl who’s one of the three said, her pants started to become louder and louder and eventually became a screeching yell.

The laughter, the footsteps, and the panting that became a never-ending yell. “Stop!!” Daisy shouted and shuts her eyes closed.

And the moment she closed her eyes in her dream, her eyes shut wide open as she woke up, her breathing fast and she felt like she ran lots of miles. Feeling tired, she raised her hand and held her forehead, feeling the sweat despite her airconditioned room.

What the hell? She thought as she tried to fight her fast breathing that matches her quick heartrate by countering it through forcing herself to breath slowly. “Nightmares again.” She muttered to herself before deciding to slowly sit.

 Not in the mood to sleep once again, she looked at the clock to check the time: 4:21 a.m. It’s still early. She took her phone from her table and open her social media, deciding to busy herself by scrolling through it.

She went to her notifications and saw Sasha asking for a friend request which is sent 8 hours ago, causing her to look at it curiously. I thought we’re already friends online. Thinking that Sasha just created another account, she accepted it and went back on scrolling.

From her friends’ pictures, shared posts, memes, and other videos they posted online, none of them entertained her. It’s boring. And just as she though that, she landed on Sasha’s other account’s post: psychology fact.

August 5(Wednesday)

Caption: Just a random information for the day

We attribute outside forces for our own failures but blame others for their own misfortunes. When explaining behavior, we tend to attribute our own good fortune to internal factors and negative outcomes to external forces. When it comes to other people, however, we typically attribute their actions to internal characteristics. For example, if we accidentally hit someone, it's that person’s fault for not avoiding it; if a person gets caught while lying, it's because the person sucks at lying or hiding. This tendency is known as the actor-observer bias.

“She really loves psychology, huh?” Daisy commented after reading her shared post. Finding it more interesting than the rest of posts online, she clicked on her profile and went to read her past shared posts.

August 04 (Tuesday)

Caption: This is pretty interesting, don’t you think?

Psychology Facts of jealousy study says, Jealousy occurs most often when you are unhappy with your existing situation. It is a complex emotion that encompasses feelings ranging from fear of abandonment to rage and humiliation. Consider it your subconscious’s way of trying to motivate you.

“Motivate? Really?” Daisy snorted. Shaking her head, she continued scrolling to see the next post. While reading the next shared post, Daisy rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

August 03 (Monday)

Caption: this is our info for today!

People really do report experiencing love at first sight in the instant they encounter a person. It's a strong initial attraction that could later become a relationship. This normally starts as being intrigued by the person you just met, but ‘love’ might later on develop if they will spend some time together.

“She believes in love at first sight?” Daisy thought before chuckling. “No offense to her but this is pretty cliché and it won’t happen in real life.” She said before sighing. “A hopeless romantic type, huh?”

Sensing that things might get boring if the facts were about love, Daisy shook her head and exited Sasha’s page, returning back on scrolling through the posts by her online friends.

5:02 a.m.

While aimlessly scrolling at her social media, a notification popped up, showing a message sent to her.

Eric: You’re supposed to be sleeping. Why are you up already?

“What’s his problem?” Daisy muttered while staring at the message with knitted. Rolling her eyes, she replied: I can say the same to you.

Eric: I’m normally awake by 4.

“Why so early?” she asked herself after seeing him reply not after a minute of sending her response. Curiously, she chatted: Why? You got a long morning routine o something?

Eric: Quit dodging my question. I asked you first.

“Who cares on who asked first?” Daisy scoffed. “He could’ve answered me first before reminding me to answer his.” She muttered while her hands typed her reply: Whatever. I just can’t sleep after a nightmare. Nothing new.

Eric: Nightmares? Since when?

“Why is he interested? Will he make fun of me if I’ll say the truth?” she wondered but still replied honestly: Since start of August? I don’t know. I’ve been having nightmares every night. It’s creepy but I guess I’m getting a hang of it now.

Eric: what’s in your nightmare?

Daisy: It’s kids. They’re playing, but it doesn’t sound fun or anything though. It’s creepy, the silence, the way they talk, the way the words echo as if scaring me. I’m being childish while talking about this but still, I’m saying the truth. kids haunt me very night.

Eric: It only happened this time?

Daisy: Not really. My diary said it’s normal because whenever August comes, I always have nightmares. I don’t believe it at first but I’m experiencing it now.

Eric: Did you told anyone about it? What did they say?

Daisy: Why are you so curious? And no. I said nothing. It’s just nightmares. They’ll think I’m weak if I’ll complain over something trivial.

While waiting for his reply, she was surprised when her phone switched into an online call. “What’s up with him?” she whispered to herself before pressing the green to answer his call.

“What else are in your nightmares?” Hearing his first words, Daisy rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Not even a good morning?” she scoffed. “Anyways, aside from eerie kids, a school, weird noises and creepy echoes and sounds, there’s nothing more, I guess.”

“You’re not afraid about it? You’re not even wondering about it?” he asked, causing for Daisy to fell silent for a few seconds. “Hey.”

Sighing, Daisy spoke. “Why would I? My question will always stay as a question I can’t answer. I can’t remember anything. How am I supposed to stay curious over something I know I will forget again?” she asked bitterly.

One. Two. Three. More secosnds past and none of them spoke. Before Daisy could open up a topic, the line went dead. “He’s always rude, isn’t he?” she said and looked at her phone who’s now back at their conversation.

She gazed at the clock and saw that it’s 5:22 a.m. already. “Mom’s probably awake.” She said and put her phone on her drawer before standing up and did her morning stretch.

She then walked towards the door and walked straight down to their kitchen, seeing her mom who just put the glass down, probably done drinking her usual warm water in the morning routine.

“Good morning?” her mom greeted n a questioning manner, surprised to see her awake earlier than her usual. “Did you forgot something at school so you need to go there earlier or something?”

Daisy smiled and shook her head while her hand pulled her sleeves to properly cover her arm. “I just set the clock at the wrong time, mom.” She said and chuckled. “I accidentally set it on 5:20 instead of my normal one.”

Her mom nodded and walked towards the hanging pole rack beside the refrigerator where she hangs her aprons so she can ‘easily’ take it ‘without’ and worries. “Why do you keep your AC at a low temp? Do you love wearing long sleeves that much?” she asked while tying the apron.

Daisy nodded and walked towards the table to take a sit. “Pretty much.” She said and leaned on her chair. “The weather’s pretty cold but I want it colder so I can enjoy my long sleeves.” She said with a grin. The bruises won’t come off for a few days or weeks, that’s why.

Her mom chuckled and prepared the ingredients she needs to cook. “Fine.” She said and looked at her daughter with a teasing stare which made Daisy roll her eyes. “Mom. Where are you thinking again?” she asked, knowing her mom too well. Gosh, if this is another one of her teenage imaginations, I’m calling dad.

Her mother just shook her head, her smile still in tact and is now focused on preparing their breakfast. “You know, I just can’t help but wonder on how close are you three already.” She said, her eyes and hands still busy on slicing the ham.

“Three? Me, Theia, and Nathan? Or me, Theia, and Sasha?” she asked, completely oblivious on her mom’s questions.  “No, not them.” Her mom chuckled. “What I meant is the boys and you.”

Daisy remained quiet. What does mom want me to answer? Seeing her daughter’s confused face, she laughed and elaborated it for her. “What I meant is Eric, although he’s your childhood friend, he’s been away for years and I know you don’t remember anything. So, he’s kind of new to you, if we’ll look at it in your point of view.”

Ouch. Daisy grimaced. No need to point out that I can’t remember anything. “And then Calvin’s pretty new to your school, right?” her mom continued, ignoring Daisy’s frown. “So, you three clicked out pretty fast.” She said with a smile, now readying to cook the ham.

“And?” Daisy asked, still not getting her mom’s point of questioning their friendship. “They’re my friends, just like Theia, Nate and Sasha. What’s wrong with it?”

“They’re babying you.”

“No, they’re not.”

“They didn’t let you get your own food back then.”

“They’re just being kind.”

“Theia said you’re getting special treatment.”

“You believe her over me?”

“Yes.”

“I-” before Daisy could say something in response for her mother’s answer, her father spoke, causing her to look behind her and saw her father on his way towards them. “It’s still early and you two are on it again.”

Finally. Daisy sighed and her eyes followed her dad as he took a sit ta his chair beside her mom. “Mom’s being delusional again.” She said, a frown written on her face. “She keeps on putting the wrong interpretation on the friendship me, Eric, and Cal has.”

“But they’re babying her, right? You saw it too.” Mrs. Evelyn countered without turning around and just focused on cooking. “If the twins didn’t tell them to stop giving you a ride to school, then maybe Eric’s here to grant you a favor.”

Before answering, her dad faced her then focused his stare on the table. “Considering what I saw,” he paused as if calculating everything from the beginning. “Yep.” He nodded, now looking at his daughter. “They’re showing favoritism for you.”

With a sigh, Daisy shook her head. “Never mind.” She said, giving her father a blank look and glanced at her mom who’ still facing the food she’s cooking. “Think what you want to think.”

***

10:31 a.m.

Daisy quietly stared at her desk while their professor, Mr. Wrights, is busy fixing his projector that suddenly stopped in the middle of their class. However, her silence was interrupted when someone tapped her shoulder from behind.

“Hm?” she hummed, tilting her head to the side to see Sasha who’s seated beside Calvin who leaned forward to get closer.

“Did you know that-” before Sasha could continue what she’s whispering, their professor spoke. “I think there’s nothing I can do regarding my projector.”

The moment he talked, Sash immediately moved back to sit properly, acting like she’s not about to chat while their professor’s busy. “Can someone go and fetch the school technician at the ICT building?” he asked, his eyes roaming at the whole class.

“Let’s see,” he paused, still in thought on who to command. “Miss Valentine, can you?” he asked, causing for the called girl to stand up and answer with a nod.

Nice. I can talk for Daisy for a while without her. Theia thought, a smile spreading on her lips but it was soon removed when Sasha talked. “But can I bring Daisy with me? In that way, I can make sure that I won’t get lost along the way.”

With her request, Theia’s smiled immediately dropped as she lowered her head to hide her disappointment. Yep. I’m not the only friend, aside from Nate, that’s close to Daisy now. Fine.

“Sure. You two can go now.” As their professor gave his go signal, Sasha’s smile widened and looked at Daisy who’s stood up and looked back to her with a smile. They then made their way to their classroom’s door, Theia secretly followed them with her eyes.

Noticing her behavior, Nathan nudged her, causing for her to lift her head and look at him curiously. “Don’t.” His single word confused her more. He then sighed and ruffled her hair, making her frown.

He leaned towards her ear to whisper his next words. “Don’t be jealous. You’ll get used to her presence soon.” Shocked, Theia backed away and looked at him with wide eyes. “You don’t have to get close just to say that, stupid jock.”

Instead of replying back, Nathan just smirked and shook his head before focusing on his notebook with unfinished notes due to their lesson being interrupted once again, acting like nothing happened.

Meanwhile, Sasha happily walking with her arm linked with Daisy’s, both currently in the second floor. “Let me refresh my mind.” She said, pausing for a while and closed her eyes with a smile.

“After we turn at the left building, we’ll go straight then turn right, then straight again.” Giggling, she opened her eyes and looked at Daisy with an excited smile. “Did I memorized that right?” she asked, taking a step forward to stand in front of her without breaking their linked arms.

Daisy chuckled and nodded. Before saying anything, her eyes then turned at the running guy behind Sasha. The guy’s pushing a cart filled with boxes that blocks his vision which has books inside them, the sound of the wheels and his fast footsteps echoing the almost deserted floor.

“I can’t see in front of me but get away! I’m in a hurry!” the guy shouted, still busy in running.

Daisy immediately pulled Sasha to the side, causing for the two of them to harshly hit the wall, making the two of them hit the wall with their left arms.

Ow! Daisy winced after the impact. “I’m sorry!” the guy said, shortly giving them a glance before focusing on running once again.

“I can’t see in front of me but get away! I’m in a hurry!” he shouted once again, this time, his pace is getting a little slower a she reached the last room of the second floor.

“Are you okay?” Sasha asked while gently rubbing her arm. “That guy must be in a real hurry if he’s running around like that.” She commented, followed by a small giggle.

“Yep, I’m fine.” Daisy said with a smile, trying hard not to verbally express the pain that added another bruise that she needs to heal. Great. The bruises were not gone and then there’s this other one. Great. So great.

“Let’s go?”  I swear. I’m suing this day if I get hurt once again.