TEARS IN RED STRING

THE DREAM AND EYES

LOVEFUL

MY DAILY routine every morning is to wake up, taking a bath, wear a school uniform, and lastly went to a mailbox. I am living alone yet I always receive mail from somebody I don't know. The letter always says, 'I hope you are doing fine.'

Honestly, I don't have any plans of going to school. Since I got my consciousness, that kind of letter is always with me. I don't know who I am. I don't know who my family is. I totally don't know myself.

I tried to free myself from this house that only I am living. I tried to explore the surroundings and the people, yet weird things suddenly come. The weird became worst.

It is the red string that always appears.

At first, I thought it was just normal. I thought that all people have that kind of a thing. I used to be friendly. Like, very much. But consecutively, my friends died after the red string occurs. I just told myself that maybe it was just a coincidence.

I just thought. Until it became rampant and I felt guilty. Until also I decided to isolate and locked myself inside my house.

Every night I cried because I just don't know what is happening. I don't know why I have this kind of life. I want an answer, yet whenever I did, many people just died because of me. From that day onwards, I started to become loveless.

I just want to keep myself inside the house to prevent myself to love other people because that was what I found out. Whenever I get attached to someone, I felt love, and later on, the red string suddenly occurs.

I just really wanted to stay at home until one day, the letter said that I should go to school. Many times I ignored it because I don't want to. Until such time a person came to my house and informed me that I passed my application in Questi High. I left dumbfounded and have no other choice but to just follow it because trouble may come if I won't.

Someone also sent money every week together with the letter. I don't know if they are just the same person but one thing I am sure of, I don't know them.

"Curchi,"

I snapped back when someone says my name. It's Lawrence. We are in the SC Headquarter, busy encoding something for the event. I just gave him a gaze. He is on his table on my right side, facing his computer.

"I suggest that we should coordinate with the Student Councils of the other department." he spilled and I look back at the paper I was reading.

"Why?" I just coldly said. I don't get his point.

"For the event to be more wonderful!" he smiled, showing his almost-perfect teeth. Our fellow officers diverted their gaze to us.

"The school's President entrusted us with this event. As far as I can remember, the intramurals last time were being organized by the College department and I did not hear that they are calling for our help." I said straight, looking at him plainly. "So---"

He cut my words short. "Okay, okay... keep it calm." he slightly chuckled and I just shook my head.

They are getting used to my attitude. And as much as possible I should maintain this one. After a while, we decided to stop what we are doing because we still have classes by 8 AM. We are getting punctual this week for our event. We were here already at 6:30 AM for us to have more time to do what is assigned to us.

"You go ahead. I shall be the one to close this room." I said to them after keeping all the things.

"We will go together---"

I cut Hannah's word short. "You may go. I have just forgotten something." I said and get back to my table.

"You sure? We will wait for you instead," said Lawrence, holding the sling of his bag.

"I said, I am fine. You go ahead." I said, a little bit annoyed by their repetitive words.

"Okay," Vince shrugged and the three just walked towards the exit of the room.

It is already 7:50 AM. Actually, I really don't have forgotten anything. I just don't want to walk with them.

I just waited for the clock to strike at 7:55 AM and when it is already, I immediately headed towards the door. But before I totally closed the door, I felt that there is an eye that is watching me. I roamed around my gaze but I just found nothing. I just neglect that thought and just immediately walk toward my classroom.

~•••~

'NOEL!!!!' SHOUTED the girl, with pink cheeks. She is looking at the man whose skin is burnt. She then placed him on her lap, crying hard.

This scenario again...

Then an image of a girl came into view. I cannot see her face, she is holding a cane while looking in the direction of the same man. "Noel!" she also cried.

The girl with pinky cheeks suddenly attacked the girl holding a cane. The former pulled the latter's hair but the latter still looks calm, not even affected. Then suddenly I gasp when the former suddenly fell on the ground, feeling weak.

'This is all your fault, Lora! You let the forbidden things happen!' shouted the faceless girl---

"Ms. Glavidin!" I immediately opened my eyes when I heard the shout. The face of our P.E teacher meets my eye. "I said to just rest for 10 minutes. Yet you are sleeping for almost half an hour!" he said in a full voice.

I just stood up from lying on the tree and just walked past him, towards my classmates who are forming a circle on the open field.

"Hep! Are you insulting me?!" he immediately followed me right after I get passed by his side.

I looked at him, ignoring the whispers of my classmates. "Did I? I just do not let another minute be wasted that is why I immediately go to my classmates." I muttered, calmly.

His face turned red. "Run!" he shouted at me in anger. Here he goes again.

I just shook my head and just do what he said. This is what he always wanted us to do whenever he gets angry---to run. I ran all around the open field without minding the heat of the sun and other student's eyes. I just focus my thoughts on that dream again. That same scenario. Those sad situations I just don't know why I am affected. I don't know them in the first place.

I don't know why I always have that dream. And what confuses me is that I can clearly see the girl with pinky cheeks and the man but not the girl with a cane. Her face is always blurry.

Suddenly, I stop in between my run when I felt again that there is an eye watching me. There are many students here that obviously watching me but there is something really weird. Again, I just shook my head.

~•••~

"Chi, here." Chelsea suddenly spoke beside me.

We are now inside our classroom right after our P.E class. I was just running the whole time and my body is totally tired. I wanted to rest my mind, body, and soul.

I just looked at Chelsea's hand that is holding a bottle of water. "No thanks," I said while opening my bag. "I have---" I paused as I picked up my water bottle inside my bag, already empty.

"You can have this." she still offered, smiling at me.

I just totally ignored it. "Thanks, but I'll just buy mine," I said and rose from my seat. I was just freely walking towards the door because my other classmates are in their locker, changing their clothes, or fixing themselves.

I am near the door when I suddenly heard her voice. "Chi, just accept my offer." she insisted.

She's really such a hard-headed!

I looked at her with an annoyed look. "Didn't you understand?" I snarled at her. "I just don't want to accept because I will just buy mine."

"I just felt bad!" I was shocked when she suddenly raised her voice. "I look like a stupid. I've done all the things just to prove to you that I can be a friend of yours. I tried but I felt bad because to you, it was just nonsense." she panted.

"Haven't I told you that I don't want a friend?" I directly said it to her. We seemed like creating a drama here. A nonsense drama.

I hate this.

"You did not understand me, Chi---"

I cut her off. "You are overreacting right now, don't you know that?" I frankly said that left her mouth gaped open. "If I don't understand, then it is not my problem anymore." I ended and just continue to walk towards the cafeteria.

Why some people don't really understand even though they are already been told? I hate it. I really am.

When I arrived at the cafeteria, many students are lined up in the cashier area. The cafeteria is located on the left side of the SC headquarter. It is covered with transparent glass so that if you are looking for someone in here, he or she can easily be found.

I just sit at the vacant table near the entrance for a while, waiting for the cashier area to be cleared. I don't know if I was just hallucinating but, there is a bottle of water suddenly appeared on my table right now. I am pretty sure there wasn't one here when I sit down.

I felt weird but I just ignored it. We don't know if this water is safe. In fact, we also don't know who put this bottle of water on the table. I just don't notice because I was busy roaming around my gaze.

When the cashier area is clear, I immediately headed towards it. Soon after I reached the said area, I almost cursed in hell when suddenly the school's bell rang, which signifies that the next period of classes is coming up.

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