Ghost In Red

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"Hey, Syd! Are you sure that you are not going to ride with us home later?" My cousin asked me while we were eating lunch at the academy's canteen, and I nodded my head in response.    

"Yep. You can go ahead. It might take me an hour tutoring Yasmine at the library." I answered and took a bite of my sandwich, and I saw on the side of my eyes that Vidia was about to get my apple juice box; then, I slapped her arm.    

"Ouch! I need just a sip." She retorted and still got the empty thing, and I smirked when she looked disappointed in finding out that it had nothing inside. She already finished hers, yet she can't get enough.    

"Alright, I still have to go somewhere, too. And that means I won't be riding with you home." Emma let out, and we all turned our heads to look at her face. "What?" She asked while her eyebrows are meeting each other, and Kevin answered, "Wow! Then that means... Vidia is going to pay for the gas this time. For the first time in forever."    

"Whatever." My best friend muttered, rolling her eyes, and reached for the gay guy's bottled water.    

We all need to prepare for our quarterly exams next week, and I am tutoring a seventh-grader neighbor, Yasmine Reed, with her math lessons since her mother will pay me for the job. I'm cool with not reviewing because we all learned our lessons from teachers' lectures, and I read in my spare time.    

It's been more than a month that I feel like something big has been lacking with my school life— her. Yes, I miss her... So much. Not a day passes that my mind won't think of her and worry about her well-being. I don't know how she has been doing, and neither do her friends. I don't know if she has woken up already or is still unconscious. I want to visit her badly, but there would be too many expenses if I fly all the way from here to the opposite side of the country. But I am glad that Grace told me she would call me if she arrives in OJ's room since they have a flight with her friends to NYC this weekend to visit the girl.    

The classroom has been so different without her— without us bickering and disagreeing about things relating to academics. I feel like she has taken away with her that joy I feel whenever I see her stare at me with her bitchy face. I miss her voice and everything about her. Oh, OJ, please get back here sooner. There are lots of things that I want to say to you. I want to make everything good between us. I want to make friends with you. I want to make you feel that I am not the Sydney you knew way back then. There are also lots of people who miss you so much. There are so many lessons that you missed, but I am sure that you can catch up quickly.    

Well, that girl is impressively intelligent.    

After eating lunch, we all went to our classrooms, and Emma nudged me when she caught me looking intently at the supposed-to-be empty seat beside Grace Thales. There is something that caught my attention with the person who got a red dress sitting on it. No, I have to be just hallucinating since I have been thinking about her extensively and dreaming about her since that day. And, I have been wishing that whenever I arrive here in the classroom, she would be there sitting beside her best friend.    

I shook my head lightly and rubbed my eyes, but I am still seeing her. Nah, this is not making sense at all.    

"Are you okay, Syd?" Emma asked me, a bit worried, and I turned my gaze to her, then back to where I was looking at.    

"Yep. I'm fine. I thought I saw something on OJ's... Seat." I answered and wondered why there was nothing there this time. Hmm. Yeah, I was only hallucinating earlier.    

"What? What is it?" My friend curiously asked, pulling her chair beside mine, and took a seat as she kept on looking at me for an answer.    

"Nothing. Nevermind. Do you have your book with you? I left mine in the lockers. Can I take a final scan? We still have five minutes before our long quiz begins." I dismissed the topic, and I took my seat beside her.    

She handed me the thing and muttered, "I hope I will get a passing score for this one, though. That quiz last time was horrifying."    

I turned to look back again to Grace when she called me as she walked nearer to me, "Hey, Syd! Can I talk to you after class?"    

"About what?" I asked her, and she took a deep breath before replying, "Just about some things. Change of plans for this weekends' trip to NYC. I'll tell you more about it later."    

"Okay. Sure." I told her, and she showed me a small smile, then turned her gaze to my seatmate. I looked at Emma, and she smiled so brightly at the girl.    

I just noticed that Grace seemed gloomy today. She must have cried last night since it's evident in her face this morning. Love problems, I guess.    

Well, we are not that close, but we talk casually about things and OJ. I know that she knows that I don't really hate her dear friend because she must have heard it way back when I cried my shit out when everyone blamed me for why OJ got into that accident. And, I did become pretty honest to my friends, in which all were shocked to know that I am just pretending that I hated the girl. Though I still have one big secret that I kept from them— fine, two. One is I'm gay, and the other is me being crazy in love with my enemy. They shouldn't know those yet because it would be the surprise of the year— no, the big bomb of my high school life—fine, my whole life. And, I would be announcing it if ever I see the perfect time for it. But if not... I'm fine being inside the dark closet for now until I will be confident enough to tell it to everyone.    

Grace went back to her seat when the teacher walked in, and I squinted my eyes when I saw something again on OJ's chair. I may be just seeing things that my head makes me think, but I am not mistaken. It's her. And she's wearing the same red dress she wore that day. No, I must have been staring too much at my painting of her way back in the attic, where she looks exactly like this one I see now. Oh, I better get some therapy if these things I feel and think will make me unwell. I am overthinking everything about her, and it makes me see unreal things.    

I averted my gaze in front when the teacher began with her instructions about our long quiz.    

---    

"I won't be going with the girls this weekend. And, I think I should just go there after the quarterly exams. I want to stay there longer." Grace told me when she went to me after we were dismissed, and I nodded my head lightly in response.    

"Alright. Well, I need to think about going there, too. But it depends if Wendy would show signs that she will give birth within the week or not." I answered and saw her face lightened up when I mentioned my thoughts. Yeah, I would love to visit OJ if Grace will go there alone and not with her bitchy and quite mean friends.    

"Really? Then, tell me if you have your final decision because we could go there together." She uttered with a broad smile, and I told her, "Yep. I will. Let's just hope that my nephew won't be too excited to come out."    

We laughed, and I noticed that eyes were gaping at us. They must have been weirded out why I was laughing with my enemy's sidekick.    

After talking with Grace, I went straight to the library to meet up with Yasmine to begin our session.    

---    

"Hey, little girl! Remember to check your email tonight. I will send you before seven the PDF form of the questionnaires you need to answer, alright?" I reminded the girl when we were about to part ways at the library's stairs, and she saluted, saying, "Aye, Madam! Thank you so much. But are you sure that you won't accept my thank you offer of some foodies at the diner fronting the Academy?"    

"No, thanks, I'm fine, Yas. Maybe tomorrow, since it's Friday, and I'm sure you will get a passing score on that assignment I gave you. Good luck with it." I declined, and she pouted her lips that then turned into a smile.    

"Alright! Tomorrow then! Bye, Sydney!" She bid me goodbye and went running in the direction of the exit gate.    

I let out a breath when I looked around the place and headed out to go home.    

I fished my phone from my bag when I felt it vibrate, and I sat on a bench under a tree fronting the library to check what I had received.    

My left eyebrow raised when I read the email I have received. It's from a customer. She wants me to paint this picture of her and her daughter that she attached. Hmm, another one way for my trip to NYC would be possible. I need to get this done quickly.    

I need to reply that she just needs to send the payment once it's done and shipped out.    

As I typed a reply email to my customer, I noticed someone wearing red took a seat beside me.    

I was about to send the email, but I paused when I heard the person speak.    

"You know what, Sydney... I want to apologize for everything. For not believing what you told me that you have no involvement with Harvey. I'm sorry, too, that I slapped you. I really feel bad about it. But yeah, I want to tell you that you are amazing and..."    

The voice that I have been missing so much ringed in my ears, and I gulped when I turned my head to look at the person in a red dress. Oh, no. No, this is not real at all.    

I blinked multiple times, trying to shake off the sight before me, but then, she continued talking to me but not looking at me.    

"Do you know that I kind of see now, looking back at our history, that we were both like cats and dogs? But I should be the cat." She chuckled and went on, "If I just have the chance to live again, I would like to start something new with you."    

I closed my eyes, hoping that if I opened them again, the sight of the girl in red would disappear. And I inhaled deeply, made my mind relaxed, and decided to open my eyes.    

"No, you are not real," I muttered when she's still there, and this time she looked at me with a surprised face.    

"You can see me?" She asked me in shock, and I just shook my head in response.    

"I think I am going crazy." I let out and quickly stood up to head home.