"You will never be accepted by anyone if you yourself don"t accept who you really are..."Ash once said, when he stopped me from killing my own life. If he wasn"t there I don"t think I"ll be still here standing and laughing with these people around me. I"ll never forget that words of him, it makes me feel like someone accepted me for who really am.
"What? Really? She gave that kind of reaction?!"
It"s Seia, Nami"s best friend and the only one who can withstand her risk-free personality. And they are talking about me.
"Yes, and that"s so epic! But well, Kano"s reaction still on top pfft----"
"Omg... I"ll never forget that pfft----"
And they laugh out loud together. I giggle, that was really an unforgettable shock reaction of Kano.
Then, Kano shows at them.
"Hey! I heard that! You two never learned! And Ela, don"t laugh with these brats."
Kano shouted and then he grabs them both towards Layla. The superior for them. But Layla only scolds them whenever they got hurt because of being careless. I let out a sigh. Do I really have to make a plan on how to leave them...?
"You alright, Ela?" Jinno tapped my shoulder and looking at me worriedly.
"Just bit tired," I uttered.
"Well, can"t help. They chased you the whole day that made you run nonstop."
That"s true. The bodies found at early morning and I was in the scene holding a knife so, literally they"ll accused me as the prime suspect.
"Don"t think too much, Ash is already making a move. He will make sure to clear your innocence." Jinno a.s.sures me so that I don"t think too much.
I"m not thinking too much, to be honest. I knew he"ll make a move to prove my innocence. It"s always like this. Ash is always doing something for me that makes me fall for him even more deeper. But I have to do something to stop myself to keep on falling...
"Is he in his room?" I asked because Nami said that he wanted to talk to me.
"Yes, he hasn"t gone out since yesterday plus Akane"s bag is on the door."
Oh, I didn"t notice that. Akane is the youngest sister of Ash and since he couldn"t go out and is always in his room, she is always there to accompany him and take care of him. She has this habit of leaving her bag on the door. That also indicates that they are inside the room. I bet... Akane is angry at me right now.
The door opens and Akane comes out in there, "He"s calling you." she murmured.
She can"t even look me in the eyes. She maybe once again had an argument with him about me. My chest feels tight. I just nodded and went inside. All the lights are off as usual and the sunlight from the big window behind him is the only source of brightness in here.
"Ash... I"m here." I almost crack my voice, whenever I see him I can"t help but blame myself.
He"s facing towards the window while sitting on his chair.
"Stand beside me," he commanded.
He really knows me well. But still... He"s a mean guy.
"About the incident that happened last night and the rumors--"
"Did you really do it?" He confronted.
"It"s not me, Ash."
"I know." Then he clenches his fist.
He"s angry. I just stare at him silently. I don"t want him to take responsibility for what happened.
Not again.
But how can I prevent that if this guy will never allow that to happen.?
"Ash... Can I ask a favor?" I asked.
"If that is about me not to take action then no is my answer. I will never allow anyone to hurt you again, Ela."
Sighs. Just when will you realize that what you"re doing to me is making me feel like I"m the worst person huh Ash. I am falling again on you, idiot.
"Hold my hand, Ela."
Which I did. He is just looking straight at the window while I"m looking at him worriedly. Every time I look at him there"s always a guilt inside me. Every time I look at his face I tend to blame and angry at myself. I"m just holding myself to be normal because he"ll feel that I"m thinking about that incident again.
*knock! knock!*
"Come in."
It"s Akane that enters the room. She"s walking towards us.
"Ash, the detectives are here. They want to talk to you and Ela about the case." she reported and then she gives me a small white folder.
And there I open it and see a pile of pictures that are glued to this folder. What I just saw made me speechless.
"Ok, tell everyone to gather in the lobby. We will now begin the investigation and Ela, of course, will corporate."
Akane went out of the room to gather everyone.
"What did she gives you?" he asked.
"A folder with the photos of the crime scene, it includes here the dead bodies of the kids."
I can"t believe that the Maiden did this.
"Before we go there Ela there"s one thing I want you to know."
I look at him and he is also looking at me.
"This case is just very simple. Everyone in here has an idea who did this and we believe in what will ever you say, that"s why don"t feel nervous and speak for yourself. We can solve this right away.. is what I want to say but we can"t be so sure."
I get confused as what he meant by his words at the end.
"What do you mean?"
"To simply put it right, don"t trust anyone else including them even on me."
Does that mean I have to limit myself on giving so much information? But what if some of it is important for this case? And if I don"t trust them even him then who will I trust then... I don"t even trust my own self so, what am I suppose to do..?
"I"ll remember that. Don"t worry." I just said as I push the wheelchair his sitting on.
He smiles as a relief.
But Ash... I can"t guarantee that I include you in the list even if you already said it, I don"t find any reason for not trusting the person who only did is to make me feel special. Still, you"re so mean Ash. Why still showing so much affection if you already rejected my confession. The double door of the lobby open and as we enter we saw them compiling in one place facing the two detectives in front of them. They look at us as we join the group.
They all smile on us while the detectives give us a serious impression. I can tell that they are on high-level detectives, especially that guy with a long silver earring on his right ear. He gives me an intimidating aura and yet so dangerous.
Our eyes met.
*Bdum..!*
I touch my chest. It just suddenly skip a beat. What"s this feeling? Why do I feel like I"ve already met this guy somewhere?
Ugh! My chest is paining so much.!
("I remember him..")
I freeze. What the h.e.l.l. Why am I hearing this voice at this moment? I"m not even scared or anything that will trigger this voice so why...??
("That guy with earing, you have to kill him... You have to kill him. You have to kill him! You have to kill him RIGHT AWAY!!!")
I immediately cover my ears. What"s this? It"s so loud. It"s tearing up my eardrums... I never felt this before. I never knew this voice can be strong like this.
"Ela? Is something wrong?"
Who"s this...
"Hey, what"s happening to you?"
"Ela? Are you hurt? Your ears are bleeding! Oh my G.o.d--Kano bring Mr. Brown here!!"
"Ela... Hey Ela!"
I can"t seem to recognize these voices. They keep on calling me.
I look at the guy... That guy wearing a long silver earring. He seems not panicking, unlike his other subordinate. He is just looking at me with a blank expression. Does he knows me? What"s wrong with him?
("Kill him!!")
Ugh.! Stop it already! I cover my ears again and now kneeling on the floor.
Somebody... Please help.
("There"s no way they can help you. No one will understand what"s really happening to you. Only me. Kill that guy... Kill him! Kill him.!")
Please... Someone...
"Ela... Ela, we"re here. Tell us what"s happening to you."
Tell you what"s happening to me..? This voice... It"s Layla. Will they believe me if I tell them..?
"Everything will be alright."
Jinno. Their voice... It"s getting clearer. I can recognize their voice.
"That"s right, tell us what"s hurting you."
Nami said and she"s holding me in my shoulders.
"This is so sudden. We were already discussing the case and then when detective Khan was asking you, you suddenly looked ill and terrified."
Seia. Detective Khan?
"If something is bothering you, you can tell us, Ela. You have us."
Akane.. but why her voice of them all it"s like she"s not worried about me. She"s trying to... But if it"s them maybe I can tell them.
"Ela..."
This warm and calm yet cold voice... Ash. Oh, yea... That"s right. He told me not to trust anyone. I lift my head up and saw them in front of me with worried faces.
"Kano is rushing now to get Mr. Brown so hang in there." Nami said.
I feel like want to burst in tears.
My eyes caught Ash rolling the tires of his wheelchair coming towards me with his face full of worries and... anger. And as he is now in front of me he touches my face, "Forgive me... Angela."
He apologized saying my full name while he caresses my right cheek. He"s close.
Ah... I get to stared his face at this close again.
No Ash, I should be the one telling that to you. I feel sorry whenever I stare at your face... seeing your blind left eye makes me remember what I did to you.
I have killed someone and have ruined many lives before... and there will be more coming in the future.
I am still staring at him, I move my hand and reach out his left cheek, caressing it on his blind eye.
"Apology accepted..."
To be continued...