》《》《

The Artwork

》《》《

MY THROAT felt like sand and the massive lump that formed hadn't moved from its place in my stomach. This made the thought of food unappealing.

Yet, I headed to Corral—Ralcor Hall to meet up with my friends as we did every day during lunch and sometimes, during dinner.

Everyone was at our table. Naomi, Kai, Rhys, and even Mariana. I would say it surprised me she was there, given how she up and left yesterday.

Kai was looking at me with concern in his eyes and took my hands in his once I sat down before he gave them a little squeeze.

"This was not your fault," he said. He knew exactly what I was thinking. "I'm always here if you wanna talk," he added, and I could only nod in response.

"Well, at least we won't be getting those devilish assignments and projects," Rhys said, a poor attempt to lighten the mood, but Naomi swatted his arm.

"Emrhys Author Jones!" Naomi shrieked.

"Yikes," Kai cringed.

"That is a very poor joke, Jones. She's dead."

"Exactly!" he replied, and Naomi only gaped at how nonchalant he was being.

"Geez!" he said, raising his hands, palm out, and at his sides. "I never knew you cared so much about Mrs. Morris. You should have told me she was your favorite teacher," Rhys said, a smile playing on his lips.

But I didn't get Naomi's reply as I zoned out of the conversation.

True, only a few liked Mrs. Morris. The murmurs were just from the shock of it, even at that, the shock didn't last long.

I wouldn't bet on it, but it wouldn't surprise me if the counselor didn't receive anyone seeking to talk about the unfortunate incident. Even some teachers felt she was too full of herself, but something about death puts life in a different perspective.

We wake up each day and some of us don't even acknowledge the benefits we have. We jump straight into our lives, head first, and put more focus on the sour parts of things and the things we lack, spending most of our lives in worry about the things that aren't right in them.

Hearing of someone's death, especially someone you knew, even if you didn't like that person, hits differently.

I know I should listen to Kai, that this wasn't my fault, but me being the last person she talked to before they rushed her to the hospital and thinking of the conversation we had, it seemed too much to be a coincidence.

I couldn't get her words out of my head. They probably made you forget.

Who were they? And how did she know them? I needed answers.

"Clara," someone called, and I blinked out of my reverie to see them all getting to their feet. Around me, people were leaving the cafeteria.

I looked down at my tray of fries, which were now empty, but I don't remember eating it.

"Figured you weren't eating that. Now I've got to go burn it out later. You're welcome," Rhys answered the question of how it finished before he left.

I stood and grabbed my bag, realizing lunch was over. The others walked ahead, and as I was about to leave, Kai held me back.

"Clara, I know something's bothering you. I can see it's eating you up, but you know you can always talk to me, right? I'm here to listen to whatever it is," he said with his brows slanted in concern as his hand rested on my shoulder.

Could I tell him? Who's saying that what happened to Mrs. Morris wouldn't happen to him? Was this even going to affect my real life back home?

But then again, if I didn't say something to someone, I could lose my mind over this. Plus, I needed someone's help, anyone. I couldn't possibly figure it out all on my own, and Kai was a genius, and also my boyfriend. Even if he doesn't know it yet.

"Do you have a free period today?" I asked.

"It's Friday, but yeah, Mr. James didn't turn up today," he said.

"When?"

"The last."

"Okay, meet me at the library," I said, and he nodded. He gave me a comforting hug that I wanted to remain in, but we both had to leave for our next classes, especially since mine was Art.

Today was Friday, and we were submitting the art projects Miss Loveleen had given us since Monday, today. I had finished mine, right?

I stepped into the art room and went straight to my usual seat beside Mariana. We still hadn't mentioned a word to each other since her outburst yesterday.

I pulled back the paper to reveal my artwork. It was just as I left it. A cave that felt so familiar. I don't know how I know this place, but I felt like I'd been there. Was it during some excursion? Though I don't remember us taking a trip to a cave as mystical as this.

I kept staring at it until Miss Loveleen stood beside me.

"Wow, this is astonishing Clara!" she exclaimed, and I felt the entire class' eyes on me. "And what would this be?" she asked.

"Cave of memories," I heard, but it turns out I was the one who said that. I didn't know how I knew that, but I just did. The words rolled off my tongue with so much ease.

"Oooh, and what does that mean?" Berta, a classmate of mine, asked.

"Oh! Let me guess, like a place where you can access your memories," Larry started. "That would be cool, eh! Imagine you wanted to fix something in your life. You could go to this place and pick the memory of the event you want fixed."

"It's a memory. You can't fix it. You're only supposed to look through it," Miss Loveleen added, sounding like the conversation piqued her interest.

"But it could be possible to change something in it, like doing something different, something you didn't do in the past," John added.

"No, that would just mess everything up," Marlene said.

"How?" I was the one who asked this time.

"Well, it's simple. If you go back in time, you're not meant to do anything different, 'cause even having the simplest discussion with someone that you didn't have before can change so many things. Then imagine doing something bigger. It's like cause and effect."

"Yeah, we can only control our actions, but not other people's words, thoughts, or reactions," Berta said, agreeing with Marlene.

"That's wonderful guys. An excellent piece of info which we can use any time any of us, supposedly have the opportunity of visiting our past," Miss Loveleen said and chuckled before turning to Mariana.

I went through the conversation that just played out. Was that what I was going through? Maybe I was to go through the memory and change something I did wrong. It's a long shot, but that might be it!

I thought back to when I was here. The only person I was on bad terms with was Lilly. Did that—

".... the keeper of the cave of memories," I heard and turned at once. Mariana had said that. I looked at her artwork to see a portrait of a man.

"Wow. I see you two merged ideas. That's terrific. Great minds think alike," Miss Loveleen said, but I couldn't focus as my eyes hadn't left the portrait.

There was a thought the picture prompted, but the more I tried to grasp it, the farther it slipped away. I knew him and I knew there was a connection between him and this cave.

She just said he was a keeper.

"But Mariana, I thought portraits were not your forte?" John asked.

Her simple reply was, "People change, don't they?"

"That is true, but excellent job, girls. You both get an eight of ten. These pieces could make it to the art exhibition this year," Miss Loveleen said as she walked to the front of the class.

"But I thought I had a guaranteed chance," John whined. I didn't get her reply though as I kept on staring at the painting.

"Looks familiar?" Mariana asked, and my eyes finally left the painting to find her brown eyes peering back at me.

"Do you know him?" I asked.

"Funny thing is, I don't," she said with a light chuckle.

Then I remembered.

"Wait a minute. Didn't you say you were doing the Eiffel Tower?" I asked. She said it was where her parents found love or something like that.

"I did? Oh, I did! Yeah, I was, but this popped into my head and this was the only way to get it out."

We were both silent. I looked ahead to listen to what Miss Loveleen was saying, but her words fell on the walls.

When the bell rang, we both left, walking side by side, still not saying anything. Were we good all of a sudden? I wondered if I could tell her everything that's been going on. The fact she thought about this keeper might mean she's supposed to help me somehow. But I still have to find out what's bothering her.

"Clara!" she called out.

"Huhn?"

"I asked if you know what it means?"

"What's that?"

"The painting. Isn't it weird we both drew something related to this cave of memories and what do you think of what our classmates were saying? Do you think this place exists?"

It definitely does 'cause I know I've been there, I just can't remember when or how.

"Did you just say you've been there?"

Oh! Did I say that out loud?

"Um, I don't know. As you said, I got it in my head, and painting it was the only way to get it out." I don't know why I lied, but I didn't feel I could trust her. Something was strange.

Different.

Whenever Mariana and I had any arguments or disagreements, we wouldn't talk to each other till we resolved it, but now she wasn't even regarding it. I should ask her about it.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure."

"What was—"

"Finally, you're both good again," Naomi cut what I was about to ask short as we joined her by the lockers. "You don't know how it feels to be the third wheel when your two best friends are arguing. Terrible, in case you didn't know. Of course, you wouldn't know," she said.

"We weren't arguing, and you can't be a third wheel in an argument," Mariana said.

"Yeah, well, you guys are on good terms now and I can eat dinner with both of you again. Speaking of which, Lockhart was particularly more annoying than usual yesterday," Naomi said.

"Is there any time she isn't? She's just jealous she doesn't have the friendship we have," Mariana said.

Jealous?

Maybe that's it. She's jealous, but why? She also has a group of friends. Well, I wouldn't call them friends, but she has them, regardless.

I guess I needed to talk to her. I never asked what happened after she had left and when we met each other here, I didn't care to ask.

I always thought she hated me because I was with Kai and that she liked him, but she got a boyfriend, Noah, before Kai and I started dating and seemed pretty content, so that wouldn't have been the reason.

I had to talk things out with her. She must have another reason she disliked me, and I had to find out why. That could just be my ticket out of here.

》《》《

How are you seeing Down Memory Lane so far? Loving it? Hit the star icon to vote and drop a comment on what you think.

Vote, Comment, and Share

The Sparkling Authoress
Mis. A

》《》《