Song of the chapter is
Heart of Darkness by Sam Tinnesz

-37-
-Veronica D'Rosario-
-Present-

____________

Paper Lantern
26 November, 2030
2:45 pm

When the line goes dead on the other end, I'm left perplexed.

It was clearly Moose's idea to accompany me for the second meet with Zayn but it seemed like he had apparantly forgotten about it or had another plans.

The least he could do was inform me.

As that thought crossed my mind, I felt like an absolute fucking hypocrite immediately. How could I ever lecture him about being clear of his intentions when all I had done for the past eleven years was run away?

I shook the thought away and stared at my phone screen. A long sigh escaped my lips.

I had no right to ask Moose about his whereabouts or even demand his promised presence when I had spent countless instances breaking every single promise that I had ever made to him. I would be a hypocrite if I did so.

I was worried, that was all.

He wasn't the kind of person who would evade calls without an excuse, especially in times like these. He probably had something going on in his house....with his fiancee. My palms squirmed in place at the thought of that.

Keeping my phone down, I sipped my coffee and stared out the glass panel of the Paper Lantern. The entire diner was see through so it wasn't a hassle to look at the downpour outside. I watched as the raindrops raced against the window and then glanced at my watch.

It was 2:47 pm.

A whole seventeen minutes had passed and there was still no signs of Zayn anywhere. I half contemplated leaving but then realised that if I wanted to get more information out of him, I need to stay patient.

Even if he was a late-latif.

Drumming my fingertips against the granite surface of the table, I took another sip from my cup when the phone in my hand buzzed. I looked at it with apprehension, fearing another text from the killer, but no....it was just Zoya.

'Is he there yet? Did you guys meet?'

I had informed her about today's meet with Zayn this morning and she had insisted that I text her every hour so that she could make sure that I was okay.

I smiled slightly and texted back.

'No sign of him yet.'

I rubbed my hands together to prevent them from getting colder than they were already. A second later, she texted back.

'Is Himanshu there?'

'No. He has been declining my call. I don't think he's coming.' I texted back. She took a whole three seconds to respond.

'Just come home, V. It's not worth it.'

Before I could respond to that, I felt a gush of wind beside me as Zayn swooped in the seat in front of me.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, Veronica. The traffic was bad due to the rain." He explained as he took off his partially wet scarf and put it on the table. I watched as he removed his bag and took out his phone.

"It's no problem. I just got here anyway." I lied.

He gave me a warm smile. "So how are you?"

"Well,... considering I'm being hunted for blood..... I'd say I'm doing pretty good." I answered sardonically.

His cheeks flushed as he looked elsewhere.

"Sorry, dumb question." He apologized.

"Um....can I ask you a question?" I asked, trying to evade the awkwardness of the situation.

"Yeah...yeah go ahead." He stammered slightly, but answered diligently.

"Why did you approach me that day?"

He looked surprised by my question at first, but then slowly, a look of familiarity washed over his features.

"Veronica,....do you remember how me and my dad used to always visit this diner back when you and Aunt Jennifer used to run it?"

I blinked. "Yes."

"Why do you think that was?" He asked, a slow smirk on his face. "I mean, granted, the food here was great. I loved every bit of it. But....that wasn't the reason we used to be regulars here."

"Why then?" I questioned.

He leaned forward. "Because you guys helped us get back on our feet again."

"What?"

"I know....you may not remember it, but...my mother passed away in a drink-and-drive incident when I was eleven. The people who were responsible got acquitted. After that, my dad became this hollow shell of a person. He wouldn't leave the house, he would be depressed all day. I was young so I didn't understand that it was depression at the time...but...it was."

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and leaned back on my seat, listening patiently.

"But then one day, when I was returning from school with him, I felt hungry. And we were passing by the diner so I asked him to stop and get me something. We came, he bought me a burger and some fries and I was happy. But then it was time to pay....and when we went to the counter, my father realised that he didn't have enough money in his wallet."

My brows furrowed.

"Aunt Jennifer....could understand our state. She told my father that it was okay and that he could pay her later,....that watching me be happy was enough payment as it was for the time being." He said.

I smiled as I felt an upsurge of emotions within me. Jen had always been kind, the kindest to everyone.

"Anyways....we promised we would pay her the next time we came and so my father made it a resolution to get back on his feet again....so that he could repay Aunt Jennifer for her kindness." He explained, his eyes glistening. "I saw how my father, who could not move out of his chair, get a new job, get back on his feet again. The day he got his first salary, he brought me here again. To have the same burger and fries. And this time, he payed double."

I smiled, looking down.

"And after that, we came here almost every weekend to spend time. Aunt Jennifer became like family to us." He said, and looked at me. "And then she finally introduced you to us."

I looked back at him, recalling our first meet.

"I was the awkwardest boy to have ever met a girl." He said and I chuckled softly. "But I knew since the moment we met,....that I loved you."

I gave him a surprised look.

"Yes...I know... it's embarrassing...but..." He laughed, being self aware. "It was just...how I felt you know. You were as enigmatic as one could be. You were cute, you were polite, you didn't talk much.... how could I not fall for you?"

I blinked, rubbing the nape of my neck. "I wouldn't...."

"Oh don't worry. It faded after a while...when I saw that you obviously had something for someone else." He said. I raised a brow.

"What?"

"Oh come on, fifth grade? You became friends with Himanshu Arora. And completely forgot about me." He said.

I blinked profusely. "I didn't..."

"I know. Maybe it was just a teenage crush. It happens all the time. But at that time, I was naive. Couldn't really understand the concept of love." He explained. "And then the cherry on top happened. My dad's job decided to shift him to Diu. We had to move away from you guys and it almost killed me."

I gave him a tight lipped smile.

"I never forgot you or Aunt Jennifer, Veronica. You guys meant a lot to me and my father." He spoke softly, his eyes trained on me. "That's why I approached you that day. When I saw you guys over the news, I immediately wanted to contact you but didn't know how to. So I waited for my chance."

I sighed, taking a sip from my coffee.

"Mm. But um.....when did you return to Delmore?" I asked.

"Half a year ago." He responded, leaning back on his seat. "I'm a youtuber so it's a daily hunt for content. Seven months ago, I got the opportunity to come to town for a short film that I was shooting at the time. That took up about three months. So I decided to get a place on rent and just settle here for the time being."

I nodded in acknowledgement. "So your podcast....?"

"That's something I do in my free time but it's also gathered a lot of attention with the recent murders." He explained.

"What exactly do you do in this podcast?" I asked, feeling like a complete old person.

"Well, it's called D-Town Mysteries so I talk about the mysterious incidents that are or have taken place in this town. It's a local podcast so the audience are just town people. But it seems like....the only thing that has had a great impact on this town's history....are the 2019 murders....more famously the Alishka Malhotra case."

Hearing her name, even after an almost decade, still managed to bring chills down my spine.

"When I made an episode on those incidents, I realised that a lot of people never knew many things about you guys. They knew whatever the police and the media wanted them to know. I wanted to paint you guys in a good picture because I knew that.... whatever happened wasn't any of your fault."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and nodded.

"But.....now.... it's happening again and this time, the people...are more convinced that it is your fault that this is happening again." He explained and I sighed.

"It's because of the way the media is painting your image, Veronica. You need to change the narrative. You need to take things into your hands. You can't let them villainize you."

"What can I even do?" I shook my head as I asked. "You do know that the police has evidence,....fake....but still, and that says a lot."

"Yes, but only because the people don't know your side." He retorted, leaning closer. "Veronica, trust me, if you are able to convince the people that you aren't the villains here.... I'm sure it'll be a lot of help. This whole victim blaming thing needs to stop."

My gaze lowered before being transfixed on him.

"What do I have to do?"

A victory smile appeared on his face. "I'll record your statement to the public and put it on a special segment of the newest episode. Once they hear you, I'm sure they'll understand your side."

I sucked in a deep breath and nodded.

He pulled out his mini laptop and turned it towards me. I watched as the screen lit up slowly, to reveal a sound recorder app.

"Wow....you uhm...came prepared." I noted.

"I knew I'd be able to convince you." He said with a smile. I returned a small one.

He pressed a few buttons on the keyboard and finally pressed enter. Looking at myself on the screen was a little unnerving but I adjusted anyways. Clearing my throat, I began.

"Hey Delmore. I'm Veronica D'Rosario, local resident and survivor of the Delmore 2019 murders, guest podcasting this chapter of The D-Town Mysteries." I said and looked at Zayn for assurance. He gave me a thumbs up.

God I really wish Moose was the one doing this. He was the one who had a way with words, not me.

"I know that whatever is happening in town right now is unnerving. Fear has a different meaning to each of us. We're afraid, all of us. And I know that whatever picture is being painted in the media may make it seem like it's our fault that this happening to us. But that's not true."

I breathed before continuing, "Whatever darkness is lurking out there.....has its own agendas, it's own receipts and reasons. But none of that weighs down on us. We were kids.....just seventeen when we faced a monster. Even after eleven years have passed, I can assure you that none of us....are able to live life normally. We jump at the sound of our phones, we can't sleep at night because of the evident nightmares, we are torn and broken."

As I felt an onslaught of tears coming, I rubbed the bridge of my nose to hold my composure.

"But we are trying. Every single day....we wake up and try to once again live through that nightmare. To be brave." I said as my voice quivered slightly. "And we are trying our best. So please.... have a little faith in us. We are not responsible for this. We are equally as innocent as you guys are. We're just ill-fated, that's all."

The diner's quietness sends a sudden chill down my spine and I feel the hair on my neck stand.

"And....I also want you to remember that it is okay to be afraid. 'The only one's who aren't afraid are the monsters'. Somebody whispered that to me in a dream once, it reminded me that no matter how many nightmares we are sent, we, the living, have to wake up and rise up against the monsters. That is all."

As I finished, Zayn slowly leaned forward and pressed enter again to stop the recording. I wiped the tears at the edge of my eyelids and looked back at him, as he took the laptop away.

"Thank you, Veronica for doing this." He expressed. "I can't imagine how hard it is for you guys to go through this again. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I managed to blurt out as I cleared my throat once again.

"Are you gonna order the same, babe?" I heard a voice echo beside me and I watched as Zayn smiled at the waitress. I followed his line of sight and found the same waitress, the one we had investigated the other day, standing by our table.

"Babe?" The question mark on my face was enough evidence of my confusion as I looked back and forth between the two.

Zayn smiled in acknowledgement. "Oh yeah... I forgot, sorry. Veronica....this is Shefali, my girlfriend."

I glanced back at the waitress who passed me a genuine smile.

"Oh...hi." I greeted.

"We've met already, babe." She responded, looking back at Zayn. "The other day.... when Stella was missing, she came to ask me a few questions."

Zayn furrowed his brows as he looked at me.

"Yeah, I'm sorry...if I came out rude that day.... I was just.....quite stressed... because I was trying to find your friend." I apologized.

"I figured." She responded, sitting beside Zayn for a second. "Is it true that you were the one who found her....you know....in the church?"

I shut my eyes and looked down instinctively, nodding. "Yeah.... unfortunately."

I heard her inhale a shaky breath. "God...that must've been awful, I'm so sorry, Veronica." Zayn said.

I looked back at him. "It's okay. I'm used to finding dead bodies by now."

A long moment of silence passed.

"Anyways.... I should get going....my friends would be worried." I said, swinging my bag over my shoulder. "It was nice to meet you guys. I'll talk to you guys later, bye."

Zayn nodded as his girlfriend beside him gave me an empathetic smile.

"Tell Aunt Jennifer to call me. I haven't talked to her in ages." Zayn said, as I adjusted the strap of my bag. I paused. He continued. "I hope she hasn't forgotten me."

I gulped visibly as I looked at him and nodded curtly. "Sure."

Turning on my heels, I strode towards the exit, my heart hammering against my chest. I could feel fresh hot tears stinging the back of my eye. I pushed the door open and stepped out in the pouring rain and let my tears flow.

A moment later, my phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out, expecting another text from Zoya.

But this time I was unfortunate.

'Like babies, lies grow bigger. Then they start talking.When will YOU?'

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ooo what do we think about this chapter?

writing veronica's pov is so fun for me because i get to experiment so much with her character. there's a lot of layers to her that is still left to unravel and it's up to you to figure her out as a person. it's quite fascinating actually.

remember to vote, comment and share the book as much as possible!

love,
Bosedisha