Monday, May 12

I searched everywhere for Faye. I remembered she wasn't in my class. To my bad, yet accurate good luck, Hamish didn't attend school today either. Could something have happened to them? It couldn't be a coincidence not to see both of them anywhere all day. Anyway, even if the morning was too calm to be true, I had to find them. Why did this happen just when I had made up my mind? It feels more like a test to my determination. I'd wait as long as necessary to talk to Faye about this shadow matter.

Tuesday, May 13

Not my favorite day, but I couldn't find a trace of the siblings today either. As this started to bother me, I decided to jot it down. Write to let off steam, then tear the piece of paper into thousands of shreds and throw them in different trash cans. It's not any ritual or anything, I just do it to make sure no one can find them all and piece them together to decode what I wrote. Although, thinking about it, maybe I'm exaggerating. I mean, what psychopath would bother to find all my shreds and then piece them together like a huge puzzle to extract a few useless phrases? I doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

Wednesday, May 14

Still waiting... still nothing. Don't tell me... What if something really happened to them? That wouldn't make sense... Maybe they're on a family trip or something.

Thursday, May 15

I give up, I doubt they'll show up this week. All this makes me think about how the window next to me shows that time passes by quickly. A few weeks ago, it was spring, but now the weather is cloudy almost every day. Thinking about it, I haven't had any strange visitors or weird dreams these days. I can't help but feel even more anxious about that. I can't believe I'm going to write something like this, but... I hope Hamish returns to class soon. Of course, it would be even better if only she came back, she's less annoying and seems willing to help... at least for now.

Friday, May 16 - no note recorded.

Saturday, May 17 - no note recorded.

Sunday, May 18 - no note recorded.

⎯⎯⎯✧࿓☾⎯⎯⎯

I had stopped looking for Faye, when in May's fourth week precisely my daily day was not as calm as it had been these past days-that's right, Hamish was back. And he was as obnoxious as always. I wished the whole day he just hadn't come back! Okay, okay, I might be over-elaborating. I did feel a bit glad he was back.

I really wanted to ask him what had happened these days he didn't come, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I know he was an open guy, but it's not like we were-friends. I felt like I shouldn't, like it was not my right to ask. So I kept silently wondering throughout the day.

I tried asking him about Faye... but same story. If I didn't feel close to him, could I? What if he thought something else? Why does this have to be so difficult?

I sighed as I watched from the tribune seats as they played rugby on the court. My classmates, that is, including the one I've been gladly avoiding even if I actually needed his help.

Why couldn't he be the nosy guy in times like this and ask me if I wanted to join them, just for the sake of giving me an aperture to ask him about-wait, I should be looking for Faye, that's right! If he's back, she must be back too, probably. I wonder what's her class. Whatever, I'll probably recognize her whenever I pass by. She must be back.

With that in mind, I stood from my place and scanned each area of the school. At least the accessible areas during lunchtime. I searched every floor, every empty classroom, every bathroom (I didn't walk inside the girls' bathroom, I'm not a perv, waiting outside at a distance for a while was enough), and all that for nothing. She was nowhere to be seen.

Had she not come back maybe?

"Hiya."

Ack! I turned to see who had spoken, only to find Faye. What's with this habit people have nowadays? It should be restricted!

"Hey, Faye," I greeted her nervously.

"Were you looking for someone?" Faye pondered, her expression curious.

"Uh, what makes you ask that?" I replied, trying to play it cool, but she stared at me as if it was obvious.

I shrugged, feeling a bit awkward. I mean, I don't think standing behind a tree trunk and watching the lunch tables is suspicious... or maybe just a little.

"Alright," I sighed, raising my hands in defeat. "I might have been looking for something... or someone."

Faye appeared unfazed by my response, standing right behind me as if she had been there the whole time. Wait a minute, what was she doing here?

I hesitated for a moment before continuing, feeling the need to confront her. "But, could you explain to me why you appeared right behind me just now?" I made emphasis on the 'you', imitating her skeptical look.

"I had a feeling you were looking for me," Faye replied calmly, her tone matter-of-fact.

Her response sent a chill down my spine. "Fine then, since you're here, there's something I'd like to ask," I said, determined to get some answers and since this was going nowhere.

"Hold up," Faye interrupted, raising a hand to stop me.

I wanted to ask what happened, but she pulled me towards the benches where I had first stayed, only this time we were standing behind them, hiddenly close, away from pretty much everyone.

There, she had a book. A hidden book she grabbed and glanced at as we stood.

"You were saying?" she asked, looking up from her book.

"Oh, um, I wanted to ask you something before I agree to everything you said about helping me," I said hesitantly.

She raised her eyes from her book. "Tell me," she muttered from behind it.

"How much do you know about me?" I asked.

"That's not something I can answer just like that. Tell me, how much are you willing to accept in knowing the truth?" she replied cryptically.

I didn't like her response at all. It wasn't even an answer, just more questions and conditions.

How much was I willing to accept?

I didn't even know.

I might regret this soon and retreat into hiding as I'm used to, but the nerves are killing me to figure out what's going on with me. Clearly, this isn't just my imagination at work. I need to find out, I need to know. Faye always seemed to have the vaguest answers to everything, but she's the only person I can trust with this for now, so I guess I have no choice but to go along with it, even though I can't fully trust all of this.

"I'm here to find the truth, no matter how bad or weird. Faye, I really need some help," I confessed.

She lowered her book, looking surprised by my answer. I could imagine she was expecting me to reject her offer even now. Can't blame her. I would've done the same to confirm the latter's intentions.

"Alright then, shall we meet later?" she proposed.

"Sure, see you later," I agreed.

The bell rang just as we arranged to meet after school at her house. Apparently, she had plenty of stored knowledge that she planned to share with me. Not because she stalked me or anything (though I still have my doubts about that), but because she noticed something "supernatural" as she called it, had been bothering me.

I just hope not to regret this. I'm really taking the next step.