Ghost In Red

Chapter 3 - Her? I Don't Mind.

*Sydney Roswell's POV*

---

"What happened to your face, Syd?" Kevin Ramirez, my only gay cousin who is sitting on the driver's seat and waiting for us to arrive, asked with his raised eyebrow in curiosity, and I didn't bother to answer him as I go halfway around his car to sit shotgun.

"Don't ask her, Kev. She's not in the mood." Answered Vidia Logan, the academy's women's swimming team captain and my best friend since diapers, and she went inside the backseat with Emma York, my very nice neighbor.

"When was she in her mood before? Well, anyway, I will just ask her face. Hey, face, what happened to Sydney?" Kevin muttered, but I heard it clearly, and he asked while examining my rosy left cheek that definitely still has the handprint of the meanest person in the universe. The gorgeous goddess, Olivia Jillian Hunters.

I just don't know about her claim that I have stolen her boyfriend from her behind her back. I mean, damn, that was unexpected—the hand. I could not block it because that was the first time in my whole life that she attacked me. F*ck that person who made up stories about Ferrer and me! They could have replaced my face over some others and made the girl believe it. I don't like him, not because he is OJ's boyfriend, but also because he is a damn dude who thinks that he is a heartthrob and the campus crush. Like, who-what the heck are they kidding?

"Don't you know, Kev, that your cousin got assaulted for the first time by---" Emma began but was cut off by the gay.

"OJ? Is she the one? Oh, my goodness! She is so dead to me. When are we gonna do the job, Syd? It's going to be the perfect time to steal Daddy's taser. Why the hell would she slap you, b***h? Should we do it now? I really really will not go easy on her even if she has the silkiest and fanciest raven hair and pretty face, even if she looks nice in her red dress today. I'm gonna steal that outfit right after we do the job." He let out in frustration and babbled some absurd threats to the person who they knew that I never had good terms with, since forever.

They hate her like how they know that I do. She treats me nasty, and I treat her back nastier. I just don't know how to be nice to her if she never was one to me. She sees me ever since we met as her opponent in every aspect of academics, extracurricular activities, and now, including her dumb-a*s boyfriend. And for this nerd's sake, I am gay AF. Well, fine, closeted, since I knew the meaning of the spectrum back in my primary days. No one else knew, and no one should. Not even these people that I am with right now. It's only me, my dog, my dark closet, and the attic knew about it.

When my cousin didn't get any reaction and answer from me, he turned his attention to the girls sitting in the backseat. And Vidia answered him, "OJ has some edited pictures of Sydney and Harvey Ferrer together. And one of them is where they were kissing. Ew! And, OJ thought that Syd stole her boyfriend. What is it called, Em?"

"Cheated? Crept? Betrayed?" Emma responded with the best she knew, yet it is not in any of them.

"Oh, yeah, right, framed up. Someone had used her face. Maybe because they want our Sydney here to get mad... madder than ever towards OJ, or... So that OJ will be making a scene, and it really happened in the restroom earlier, or... They want OJ and her boyfriend destroyed. Yeah, it's either of those choices, Kev." Vidia enumerated, and she got some good points there. I just don't know who was the person behind it all.

When Kevin has sunk in the information in his twisted nervous system, he belted like a mad man, "It's a horrible crime! The person behind it should be peeled alive and be sprinkled with salt and vinegar, and be dried under the sun, then be fed to the hungry Gila Monsters. We deserve justice for this, girls! Sydney, are you not gonna do something about it? Your name and reputation are in grave danger. Do something, you b*tch!"

"Why don't you just start the engine of your rotten car, step on the gas, drive, and drop me home? That will make me feel better, Kev. Just stop talking about this bulls**t that I am in for now? All of you? Okay?" I finally spoke out about my burden that made them all shut their mouths, and the guy went to do what I told him to. I am just tired of it, and I badly want to go home and eat.

"If Olivia will ever attack you again, we should not ignore this issue, Syd. There is something that must be done. I know you are innocent. And the innocent should amass the justice they deserve." He uttered while keeping his focus on the road, and I just sighed in response as I look at the time on my phone.

It's still early, but I am sure that Wendy is already home and cooking some good dishes for dinner. It's Valentine's Day, and she asked me to help her with her garden date with her husband, my older brother, Adam.

I just don't care much about the issue because I know my truth, and it is up to that girl if she will discern it. I know she is smart enough to know what she should do. She was just mad earlier and mad people do something stupid. Though she was never nice to me or I do to her, I truly don't hate her, and I don't get mad at her. I just enjoy every bit of the time that she is treating me differently from everyone else that she knows. Yeah, I am the only one who she treats like how she does. And I kinda like it. I feel special. I think it's something that would make you call me a mild masochist. Well, I just invented that term about me. Fine, I deeply know that she is the reason why I knew I am into girls. Yeah, she is. Is it weird to treat your crush rudely? Or is it weird enough to crush on someone that hates you so much? Like, damn, who can't like her? She is definitely a charmer that draws you near her, and you will fantasize---alright, I better stop right there.

But honestly, I don't know what everyone else would think if they knew that I am not straight. I'm scared.

---

"Are you sure that you are alright, Syd? You could just knock on our door or wave at me from your window, and I will always be available for counseling. Yep. But I charge... food." Emma uttered when we stepped out of the car, and we waved goodbye to my cousin and Vidia, who just drove away.

"Yeah, sure, I will, Ems. Thanks, by the way." I replied and headed straight to my brother's house that is just beside the Yorks' residence. I have lived here ever since the day we sold our late parents' house. We need to because Adam was in debt at that time, and our parents have some, too, before they got into a road accident one rainy night, which took both their lives six years ago. Thankfully, Adam's wife for two years now is a very nice woman.

When I stepped inside the house, the smell of the sauteed garlic lingered in my nose, and I yelled and asked the pregnant woman in the kitchen, "I'm home, Wendy! Has Adam mentioned when he will arrive?"

"Hi, Syd! No, but hopefully, he won't be held by his boss for overtime." She answered while getting a cup of water to put in the pot, and I went to get my water bottle inside the fridge to drink some cold water.

My twenty-seven-year-old brother works as a mechanical engineer at a small car rental company in the city, and I help pay bills whenever I can get part-time jobs on weekends. Well, I am often hired by our old neighbors to trim their grasses and paint their fences or walls, tutor some kids, and some jobs are mine to keep. No, they are not illegal. I just don't let many people know. I need to save up for my education in college because no one will. Though I aim to earn good grades for scholarships, I don't think I will get to the highest rank when we graduate because of someone. Yeah, that girl, who comes from one of the elite families, thinks I am competing with her at school and about everything. It just sucks to be me.

"He better not because I would end up devouring all that we'll cook. Oh, hello, my little peanut nephew, you helped your momma here, huh?" I answered and talked to the unborn baby in her womb.

"Mhmm, now what happened to your left cheek, Syd? Toothache?" The woman asked when she noticed the red spot on my face, and I went to think of the perfect excuse.

"Oh, this? Umm, no, I just... A mosquito has bitten my cheek, and I... You know, I slapped it. Slapped it real good. It still has a mark." I told her the perfect alibi, and I hope that she is convinced.

"Okay. Did it die?" She asked curiously, and I nodded my head just to make this conversation end. I don't want her thinking about my problem because it will stress her out, and it's gonna be bad for her and her baby.

"So... Wen, I will just go upstairs and change clothes, dump this bag, and I'll get down, so I can begin cooking the pasta," I told her as I headed out of the kitchen to go to my room.

---

After I slipped in my house clothes, I went down again and wondered why Vidia is calling on my phone. I really don't wanna talk if it's going to be about OJ again.

"What's up, Vid?" I greeted the person on the other line as I stopped in the middle of the stairs, and I waited for the girl to respond.

"Syd, you better turn on the TV and watch the news. Hurry!" She uttered that puzzled me, but I continued to go down and headed to the living room.

"Why? News? What is it ab---" I asked her but didn't finish when I turned the TV on with the remote in my hand, and what I saw made me freeze in place.

"OJ Hunters got into a car accident, Syd. Are you on it? Sydney?" I heard my best friend's faint voice, and everything around me seemed to be in slow motion.

Gosh, no. It can't be.