Chapter 1: Just me and an expected plot twist.

It is a picture of me but I hate it. Not because I hate the face I see rather it’s the date at the back of it. ”May 11, 2025” the day I died.

Sounds confusing right? Let me tell you the story. It all started one morning.

Growing up in the city having a normal life, some can even call it as average or simple. My dad works at the bank as an accountant while my mom takes good care of me. Normal life, normal worries. Oh school is great! I have some friends too.

“Hon, Its time to wake up. The bus will be coming.” I look back whose familiar voice was that, it’s my mom.

“I’m getting up,” I reply with a coarse voice. Mon went back down after I woke up. Oh goodness its Monday again. Who doesn’t hate Mondays right? The first day of the week and will be suffering for the next 5 days. Is it just me or that weekends disappear in a blink of an eye. I swear it was Saturday the moment I open my eyes its Monday. “What date today is again?” I ask myself while I open my phone. Today was April 15, 2025. I should get up and face the shitty reality up ahead. Shoot! We have a quiz in History class. Well its stock knowledge again, I guess.

I got up with pajamas printed with flowers and in a room full of clutter. I can’t deny of course. I don’t have the time to clean it up yet. I comfort myself back for the useless reason for not cleaning. What should I wear today? I examine the pile of clothes laying around. Oh! this dress with a round neckline, embellished with little red beads that formed small flowers where it standout beautifully as the dress was colored white. After spending 30 minutes to get ready. I rushed down to eat breakfast. Consequently, I saw mom cooking pancakes when I reached the table.

 “The dress looks great on you,” mom said. I simply replied with a thank you as I hurriedly shove down food in my mouth as the goal was to finish immediately. It looked like my mouth was a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. Flying crumbs of the pancake can at least spread all over the floor to be followed by milk which can spray over the face of my mom in front of me. Thankfully that kind of disgusting scenario didn’t happen, I simply chewed the best I can and swallowed like my whole life depended on it. The bus came at exactly 8 am. I finished eating. I immediately stood up and kissed my mom goodbye. Walk out the door and enter the bus.

“Okay where do I sit?” I questioned myself as I walk by the 3 front chairs. Until I saw my friends. “Hi everyone! How was your weekend?” I asked them as I sit down at the vacant seat just behind them. “It was okay. Same as always,” she said with a sleepy face by Belinda. Belinda is my best friend since the start of high school. Lucky enough we were classmates ever since. She is a very fun and happy person. We agreed in almost everything. She was a big fan of the famous celebrity, Alexander. She adores him like a God. I tell you if I said she was screaming when I gifted her a cd album of Alexander released on her birthday, I thought she might die out of excitement. Of course like always she was wearing her t-shirt with alexanders face printed on it paired with black jeans.

Sasha was wearing a brown pleated skirt. Her top was a cream color camisole then she wore a cardigan to finish the look. “And what about you Sasha?” I said. While waiting patiently for Sasha’s reply I comb through my hair. She replied with “Well there is something that happened”. My jaw and Belinda’s just dropped then immediately shouts “then please do tell”. Straight lock on Sasha. Eagerly waiting on the story that was going to be better than any news flash in the television or radio. “I got a boo…boy…boo...Bo…boyfriend”. She stuttered while saying it.

We started screaming until the bus driver yelled at us for screaming. We sounded like chickens that was laying its eggs first thing in the morning. We tried to be calm as much we could be then I settled slightly afterwards ask her “Who is it?” however before we could continue our morning chitchat the bus has arrived. We were at school. It suddenly hit me like a random basketball right in my face, quite literally. “What in the world happened?” I said at the same time I rub my forehead with my hand as it hurt from meeting the ball with great speed and force. I was lying flat on the floor as I look above me my friends looking down to check if I was alive.

A muscled hand stretched out to help me get up “I am very sorry for that Freya,” said by Hunter as he helped me get up from my weird situation. Hunter was my close friend since we were born, basically what you call a childhood friend. He’s a basket player at school. Slightly frivolous and naughty. He’s the type to choose going for basketball practice than attend classes. According to him life is like the sports basketball. We need to stay focus to win the game and by that he means just skips school, apparently school is a big hindrance for his dreams. “Well save me you’re sorry if this happens again. Sorry is for things you didn’t mean and also to say you’re never going to let it happen again.” As I hold his hand to get up with a grinning smile on my face. “Truly, I’m sorry okay. Your dress now is dirtied.” He said trying to persuade me that he’s sincere. I pat myself to remove the dirt. The bell suddenly rings as if it was telling us to run for our lives coz hell was ready to fall upon us. Oh shoot! The quiz in history. I’m definitely going to fail it again. It was 8:30 in the morning.

*After morning class, it was time for lunch*

Somehow I survived the questionable quiz that was beyond of my knowledge, I was like how a soldier went to battle to fight for the nation. Unfortunately the soldier had nothing with his hands but a pair of pistol. In a land full of people fully of armored and geared to help them survive the bloodbath while this poor lonely soldier only had a pair of pistol, each filled with 6 bullets and his barely what you can call a armor to at least fight. Like the soldier who almost lost but fought with all its guts and strength, we won. The paper went back with the grade 83 out of 100. As for me the battle was victory worthy of praise and prizes.

It was lunch time as the bell rang to inform everyone it was time to take a break from the hellish classroom. “Belinda! Let’s go to the canteen before the swarm of zombies come,” I told her as I tap her by the shoulder. She quickly look at me laughing “You and your imagination sure does run wild, are you a 9 year old kid?” she said. It seems weird but I get this comments a lot. People tell me I think like a child and usually just run around carefree. Some can even say I’m a happy go lucky person, always smiling and just go on with life. I don’t have preference in anything as long as it is not a bad thing so everytime they asked what I wanted to eat I usually just say “Anything”.

“Yeah, but where’s Sasha? I looked at her chair she was gone.” I curiously ask her thinking she might know for they sit much closer. My seat was at the back of the classroom while both of them sit down near the teacher.

In the beginning of the school year, we sat together in the middle row however we simply can’t stop looking at each other. We’re eager to talk rather than listen. We couldn’t help ourselves to dwell in the circumstances that we are sitting beside each other and you know girls we love to pry on all kind of stuff like gossips and stories we hear in the hallways or anywhere. The consequences were us sitting far away from each other.

She responded to me with shaking her head and saying she also didn’t know. Right there, just there. We looked at each other with enthusiasm. “She went to her boyfriend!” We were yelling at the top of our lungs. How can we even forget? Of course you would want to be with the person you love. You just want to be in their side forever like a very sticky lollipop in your old cardigan made from wool which was given on your birthday by your grandma. From which it can never get out of it. Well that was how Sasha was acting since getting herself a boyfriend. I guess? That’s love. Well before me and Sasha kill ourselves out of excitement, better move our feet to find her.

Through the halls we walk and look for the girl with the hidden treasure. We tried the canteen first and found nothing. Next the vacant classrooms, again nothing. We tried the school grounds unfortunately still nothing.

We scavenge up and down to look where this treasure might be hiding. Did mini interviews as to know the eyes of the witnesses who saw Belinda. We were acting as if we were the famous Detective Sherlock Holmes. Knitting little pieces as to answer the top question in our heavily long list of queries. Who is this person? No one seems to know the person but as far as we know the person has black hair, At least taller than Sasha which we can guess at least the person is 6 feet tall, He has brown eyes and has broad shoulders. The description could be anyone. But a few people said he was Prince of a foreign country and some say he was a famous actor. Of course those were just jokes. We were just ordinary people. So guessing who the person is was already out of the picture. I suppose we have to wait so we can meet him. Wait, does she even want us to him? Then why did she run off the second the bell rang. The questions now are exploding in my head. Resembling what we commonly see in New Year’s Eve. Hundreds of fireworks lighting the sky with colorful colors and surprising us how each one could look so different or how the sound they make.

I invite Sasha to buy some soft drinks to freshen ourselves from the tiring scavenge hunt we just did. A can of cold soda and a sprite for Belinda. I started to chug down the can of soda as if I were drinking the purest drink that can quench your thirst in a blink of an eye, which was true. The tiredness I got from the hunt in finding Sasha’s boyfriend. Half an hour pass by. I figured we should go back to our rooms for the classes are about to start again.

“Hey Belinda! I think Sasha should be back in our classroom too, let’s go back. It’s time for English.” Knowing Sasha, her character being secretive even to us is not surprising. Maybe she is still embarrassed or the boyfriend doesn’t want to introduce their self yet.

I suddenly remembered when we met Sasha. It was first day of class, she was the only transferee in senior year. A series of stories where behind her as a transferee in school. Some say she was from a rich family that suddenly run out of business. For the reason why their family was here settling down in the place where normal people live. Funny isn’t it? How could people say that right? Well people saw them with things that worth thousands of Dorie (Money currency). Another factor is they lived in the most beautiful house in the neighborhood. Even I saw it with my own eyes. She went to school with a channel bag and even had her own car to pick her up after school. So the story just went on and eventually has its twist, they say their families runs a big drug corporation or how they had some connection to big politicians. All in all, I just look at her still with a mysterious face. Rumors were just mere rumors for me so I just didn’t cared.

Until that time I saw her on the streets. It was pass midnight when I was ordered by my mother to buy her some food for she was hungry, as I walk along the street to find a store which was still open. There I encountered her. She was crying in the middle of the road, it was a faint cry at first. I walked closer to the sound and saw her crying at the front of her house. Didn’t know what I should have done but I approached her and whispered “what are you doing here?” She quickly stopped crying and looked who was talking. “You don’t have to know. Just leave me be,” she replied with eyes still wet from crying too much afterwards she continued to cry. To be honest, I really didn’t care what happened or what is causing her to cry so much that she was balling out her eyes out. So I just sat there with her without question. She just cried her heart out then later on leaned against me for support. She was just crying and crying through the night. I didn’t go back, I felt how sad she was so my legs stopped working and I just stared at the beautiful night sky.

When Sasha stopped crying she just stared at me and straight look me in the eye “Thank you” then went inside of her house. I was left at the side of the road clueless what have happened but I just went on my way home because I didn’t care from the start. I just felt that she needed someone.

I reached home after 2 hours and of course. I received a good amount of scolding like how she thought I was kidnaped or someone killed me. Nothing new so I let the scolding through in one ear and out on the other ear.

The morning of that day. I went to school as usual but I was surprised to see that Sasha was sitting beside Belinda. What was more surprising it seemed they were getting along just fine? I also sat beside them and the day just went by smoothly. From then on we were friends. Both of us still doesn’t know what her family does but she was fun to be with. She also stopped bringing her own car and started to take the bus. We knew everything about her, like her favorite color was purple which was quite obvious because her things were purple even the tiniest part was purple. All of that happened a year ago. We became best friends since then.

Shocks, English with Mrs. Murree is like walking in the dessert. Everything was an endless road, each of it consisted of lands full of sand. As far as the eyes can see it is just bare sand so walking through it would just make you run around in circle. How I would explain Mrs. Murree classes are.

What about I look at the front and see how Sasha and Belinda are doing? Hmm seems Sasha is busy with her phone. Sneaking a few messages to her boyfriend. How brave of Sasha when I can’t even pull my phone out of my bag. Can’t wait to go home and scroll away in Click gram. I do hope that this class ends so I won’t have to suffer much longer.

*The school bell rings for it was 5 in the afternoon. School was over for today*

The wait was over, the bell finally ended with Physics class. I feel I aged an eternity as I wait for the clock to hit 5pm. “Where are they? Why is there a lot of people in the front door? Hmm probably another announcement for the school dance. I kind of feel bad for myself in attending it when I don’t have a date but hey at least I am not alone. Belinda still going with me,” I tell myself. I look towards the seats of Belinda and Sasha. They were coming over to me.

 “Well someone needs some explaining to do,” I said to pursue her that she should reveal to us who she is taking to date in the upcoming dance.

“It would be best if we leave first so the commotion outside settles down a bit,” her reply while sounding so scared.

“Okay, but you have an idea what going on the noisy hallway?” I ask as my eyes sparkled to for answers.

“Yes, but let’s go out.” Sasha then turns around me and leads us both outside, where a man that look like how people described the man Sasha was with lunch break.

We walked through the hallway that was filled with people. It was so crammed that I thought I was in a zombie apocalypse. The people we were pushing just to get through. They were Zombies that was thirsty in brain juice and meat of the living. I waited until we reached the end of the hall and leave school grounds to ask questions. As we take on the mountain of people which made the hallway look as if it was 1000 meters long and it was slowly a fight for the fittest. Fortunately, we reached outside and Sasha’s car was waiting along with her driver. She told us to follow her inside. While keeping in mind it was a limousine. We were not alone, the guy that was waiting outside of our classroom is with us inside. Shyness started to appear in me but it didn’t stop me. “So are we just going to stare at each other? By the way, this car is cooler than I expected. Can we do this more often?” as I try to lighten up the mood inside for it felt like I could vomit anytime.

“It about time to come clean I guess. For starter meet Michael. He is the guy I’ve been wanting to tell you about,” she said happily announcing that she has a boyfriend. The guy does look handsome.

 “Um Hi, I guess.” he tries to speak but it feels like even him doesn’t want to be here. He is shy I guess.

”Oh I am Freya and the girl beside me is Belinda. Nice to meet you. Other than you being the boyfriend. Care to tell us your love story?” I replied in a normal matter and extending my hand to shake our hands. The car suddenly stops. The driver then opens the door revealing we are at Sasha’s house. I have never been in here inside before. I really don’t care how big the house but when your inside things are far more beautiful to look it give me medieval times. As to see how big and bulky curtains were then the paintings that surround it were surely old, maybe 500 years old each or even more.

Maids were guiding us where the receiving room was. As if the big entrance in front of the house was not enough to receive 3 people. We were seated in a big sofa, by we I mean me and Belinda. Surprisingly, she is calm and collected. Reading fictional stories like this must have paid off which explains why this can’t bother her even the slightest. “Everyone please help yourself for some cookies and tea. But if anyone prefers to have anything please don’t be shy,” she said. Sasha’s words after the extensive and extra morning.

“I’m good with this,” The reply of the eater, me.

“I think it’s time to tell you guys what is happening.” With a stern look on Sasha's face and started to tell her story.