Ghost In Red

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“This is you, isn't it?” The familiar woman asked me, looking straight in my face like she was scanning it, and I don't know how to deny her claim.    

I looked closely at the picture in her hold that she showed me, and I remembered that I was inside OJ’s little brother’s room in this shot. And I presume they have CCTV there. Very nice!    

I took a deep breath to keep calm, and I stuttered in reply, “Uh… well, I….”    

Then I turned my gaze to OJ, who had been trying to wave both her hands near Mimi’s face, and I tried to think hard about how I would explain everything to this woman and how to convince her not to let these policemen take me to the station and send me to jail.    

I know it was a bad idea to break into the Hunters’ mansion last night. But at least we got what we needed, and I know it's going to be worth it. Yet if I'm going to jail, then everything is… sh*t.    

Hold up. I'm still a minor! But still.    

OJ turned to look at me with an apologetic look on her face and said, “I’m sorry, Syd, but I guess it’s all on you now. My only plan is… talk to her privately in your room. Then tell her the truth… the whole of it. I know she will believe you.”    

I nodded my head lightly in response, looking at Mimi to tell her something.    

“I don’t know what I should call you, Ma’am, but I know someone close to you calls you Mimi. I’m Sydney Roswell, by the way. Nice to finally meet you. Mind if you come in? I have a lot to tell you.” I said and opened the door wider to usher her inside while the two policemen she’s with sat on the hood of their patrol car at the front yard and looked at my every move.    

“Oh, thanks. My name is Meredith Cruz. And I know who you are, Sydney Roswell.” She answered, and OJ sheepishly laughed when I shot her a glare.    

Heck, I know she told this woman everything about me, rants about how she hates me, and probably, every little thing we have been through our whole school lives. Now, I know, I am sure as hell that I am a little effed up right now.    

“Wow, I wonder what you know about me, Ma’am, or who told you about me,” I said as I kept staring at OJ’s grinning face while she walked backward as we all headed to the living room to have a chat.    

“You can’t blame me, Syd. I just did what I could. And she’s the person I trust the most with my… everything. And she’s my very truest friend. A mother figure to me. And you… you were… one hella super f*cking b*tch to me ever since. So, no, don’t give me that look. Good luck, though. I know you can convince her.” The annoying ghost in red explained and winked at me. Then she merrily sat on the headrest of the couch adjacent to where I sat.    

And I just rolled my eyes at her in response.    

“Mmm. I know you know who Olivia Hunters is, don’t you? I’m sure you do.” Mimi asked, making me nod my head in reply and said, “Yep. We have been classmates, schoolmates since… preschool? Yeah, preschool.”    

“Is everything alright here? Ma’am, I’m going to ask you again. What illegal things did my sister do? Maybe you had just mistaken her for someone. She’s a good girl. I know she won’t do bullsh*ts. I need to know what's going on. I'm her guardian.” I heard Wendy ask, sounding a bit mad when she stepped out of the kitchen and eyed the woman on the couch beside me.    

Oh, girl, she shouldn’t stress out herself because of me, or she’ll give birth here in no time.    

“Uh… Wendy, I uh... Everything's under control here. Relax. We are just talking, and Miss Meredith was just asking me about something. There’s nothing to worry about. Well… Why don’t you just… prepare the men in uniform outside some juice and snacks. Yeah, thanks.” I reasoned out, and she luckily agreed and went back inside the kitchen.    

“Alright, where are we? Oh, OJ! Yeah, I know who Olivia is. In fact, I am so sorry about… uh… her situation right now. It’s a horrible accident. And I… uh, I hope she’ll be okay soon.” I told Mimi, and she sighed deeply and looked straight on the floor.    

I turned my head to OJ, and she smiled warmly at me.    

“I hope so, too. Excuse me for tearing up. I just missed her so much, and there’s not a day, an hour that I don’t cry for her… especially with her condition right now.” She answered and wiped the side of her eyes, and I bit my lower lip, trying not to lose myself and cry, too.    

“It’s okay, Miss Meredith. I know she’ll be better in no time.” I replied, and she seemed to have composed herself and looked me in the face.    

“You can call me Mimi. And… I came here because of this. Pardon me for bringing police officers with me. It was Mr. Gubbels who had reported this incident, and we have no driver currently in the house. So, I just rode with them. And I do want to know why… or how what… Ugh, I don’t exactly know what to ask. But, here, is this you in the picture? There’s actually a video of you in Jonas’ room. Did you break into the Hunters’ mansion last night?” She said and asked me, and I nodded my head in response as I didn’t want to deny nor lie. It indeed was me. It’s crystal clear.    

“Oh, well… I don’t know how to explain this, but I only hope you will believe me. Yes, it was me. And uh… I’m sorry, but it was a need. We needed to get something there.” I said and looked at OJ, who seemed to anticipate what I would tell her nanny, and Mimi painted a confused look on her face.    

“We? Were you with someone last night? What did you do? What did you get other than Jonas’ toy car? What are you going to do with that?” She curiously asked me, and I scratched the back of my not-itchy head while I thought of the perfect alibi. But I need to tell the truth.    

“Actually, Mimi, can we… Can we talk in my room? It’s okay. I don't have bad intentions. I need to tell you something in private. It’s about OJ.” I told the woman as I stood up from the couch, and she did, too.    

“Alright. I don't know if I can trust you, but I'm curious.” She agreed, and OJ showed me two thumbs up.    

“Way to go, Syd! That’s my girl! You got this!” She cheered, making me scoff, and she went up first upstairs in my room.    

---    

“Are you kidding me, Sydney?” Mimi asked after I confessed to her the whole truth about OJ being here with us right now and the help she asked me the other day. And here, this woman, for sure, doesn't believe me at all. Like, who could, right?    

“No. I'm telling the truth. I told you it would be hard to believe, but it is the truth. She is really here with us. And she is sitting right next to you. I know it’s insane, and I did freak out when I first saw her. But I got used to it. She’s undoubtedly so annoying---” I explained again, and she turned her head from left to right while her eyes widened in bafflement, but then OJ cut me off, yelling, “No! I wouldn’t be annoying you if you were just nicer to me!”    

I gave her a duh look on my face and emphasized to her, “At first. Annoying at first. I’m not yet done, Oj.”    

Then the girl zipped her mouth shut, thankfully.    

And I turned my attention back to the woman who looked at me weirdly.    

“So, yeah, Mimi, she kept convincing me that she was OJ and followed me everywhere I went until I agreed to help her. It's hard to believe that we are… uh, doing something together because I do know about our history, and I know she told you things about me and us. But well, I am the only one she found who could notice her. And I know by that look on your face, Mimi, that you think I'm crazy. Trust me. I’m not.” I kept explaining while the woman clearly didn't know how to react.    

Oh, that look on her face is too predictable. I know no one would easily believe me.    

Mimi opened her mouth, but she didn’t say a word and closed it back.    

“What I did in breaking into the mansion is all for OJ. I will do everything for her. And I do know about the days that were left for her life. She told me everything. And I want to save her from her end if she won’t show signs that she’s getting better within her given time. It’s up to you if you believe it or not. Just don’t let her down by handing me over to the police. We have so much that we still need to accomplish together. But I’ll return what I took. The toy car, and... but the pictures of her Veronica Dawson… I still need them. I’ll return them after. Please? For OJ. I know you don’t want her to die, too, Mimi. Just let me do my part to make up for all the mean, rude, nasty things I said and done to her since we met. You don’t need to believe if I am certainly seeing her ghost or not, but I only need you to trust me. I know what I’m doing, and no one can stop me.” I confessed and felt my chest tightening as I could feel myself about to cry.    

If I need to beg her and kneel, I will do it.    

As I kept staring Mimi into her eyes, I saw how her tears built up quickly and fell.    

“Oh, Syd, thank you. You really are an angel.” OJ whispered, and I smiled at her. No, you are my angel.    

The woman wiped her tears away and cleared her throat before she spoke.    

“Sydney, I don’t know what… Uh, I don’t know what to say. All I know is you seem to be honest to me. No one knows about the time she’s left but her family and us. I don’t know what's the truth, or what your plan with OJ is… But I absolutely would want to see her again.” Mimi replied, and I let out a sigh of relief, but suddenly I flinched when I heard OJ yell, “Oh, my gosh! Syd, look at this picture of you! Come on, look at this!”    

“What’s the matter? Stop yelling. Will you?” I asked her as I stood up to look at the photo of me as evidence that Mimi placed beside her that OJ kept looking at.    

“What?” Mimi asked me with her puzzled face, and I answered her, “OJ’s talking to me about the picture you brought with you. May I see it again?”    

“Oh, sure. Here. Ooh, look at these goosebumps I have now. Ollie, my darling, if you really are here, always remember that I love you. Your Mimi here loves you so much, and I miss you.” She replied and talked to the girl in red who was pouting her lips and seeming about to cry.    

“I miss you, too, Mimi, and I love you, too, so much,” OJ said and attempted to hug her nanny. And I should do what I can to help, so I told the woman the ghost’s message, making her cry more.    

“Alright, what did you find here, Oj?” I asked the ghost after her emotional moment with Mimi, and she pointed something at the 4r-size picture in my hold.    

“Look at this faint human figure here, like a shadow near you. It’s me, Syd. Look at that closely. It's red! And I am wearing red. See? It’s me! The camera caught me as a ghost!” She said excitedly, and I did see what she meant.    

“Woah!” I let out in amazement, looking at it, as it’s truly amazing.    

It’s her, indeed.