Magdalene is bearing the fruit of our sins, and I don't know how to avoid these circumstances. I'm still too young to be the father of an unwanted child. I'm going to lose my mind if that happens.
"Don't worry, Ezekiel, I will find a way. I just let you know because it's your right. Please forgive me, as well as yourself," Magdalene said.
I thought that I needed to conspire with my stepmother because we were both liable to face my father's madness if it happened that he knew. I need to conspire with Magdalene in order to cover up the sin we committed.
"But how?" I asked. "Don't tell me, abortion?"
"No-no, just leave everything to me. It was all my mistake, and you're innocent, so don't bother yourself and forget everything that happened to us. Let's bury them in oblivion," Magdalene said.
Hearing those words, I felt grateful and relieved. But how could she simply say to bury the past in oblivion? How come she's not even affected by what happened? Furthermore, it couldn't be taken away from me to worry about. ... Although I know that Magdalene won't let anything wrong happen.
Until one day, I was totally freed from worries when it crossed my mind about Magdalene's plan. She won't abort it, and what I only need to do is to remain silent, stop acting weirdly like the master of nothingness, and most of all, I will focus on my studies, because that's the only thing that can save me from my tragic past.
Time flies. Magdalene's waist grew larger and larger and larger until it was going to explode. She was always staying at home, with my dad, with me, with a nanny, and sometimes with a ghost. I was thankful that even though the ghost seemed to be mad at me, she didn't touch my child or Magdalene. Instead, she became inactive.
I slightly miss her, the ghost. I miss her absurdity. I miss how she has helped me silently. I miss how she would sleep beside me, how she would cook meals for me, and how she would watch television with me. I miss everything she did.
Seven months have elapsed since I turned seventeen last August. I could not believe how I had survived the hindrances that blocked my way. Don't worry, I'm still attending the same school with my best friends, including Kate Choco, Liza Soberanio, and Lawrence Leron.
"Dude, I'm thankful that the ghost isn't sensing me anymore," I said while pulling the strap of my black backpack. I and Kiko are now walking on Alera Street towards Sequijor National High School.
"Are you sure that you're thankful? But why did you seem to be sad?" Kiko asked, looking right at his feet, which he couldn't almost see because his abdomen had grown larger than it was.
I didn't speak for a while and let my heavy footsteps reply. Kiko really knew me for a long time because he could guess what I felt, but there are some things that he didn't know, things that I want to forget because they're not worth remembering.
"Honestly, I miss how she would annoy me. You know, it's rare to be annoyed by a ghost, and I was lucky because I was annoyed by her." I tried to say it in a serious voice, but Kiko still laughed.
"Don't be hilarious, dude. I don't want you to defeat me."
"I don't have a plan either. I don't want to be funny like you."
"Hey, guys, wait for me!" Someone shouted. "I'll go with you!" It was Kate who was running towards us. She hasn't even tied her hair because of haste. We're not so merciless, so we stopped to wait for her.
"Kate? Is that you?" Kiko sounded curious as he looked at her.
"Yeah, why? Can't you recognize me now?" Kate asked.
She lowered her head, bit her pink rubber band like a childish girl, joined her wet hairs together in one hand while the other got her rubber band, and finally tied them together and looked up.
"You are becoming more beautiful every day, ah," Kiko complimented, then smiled at her. "So gorgeous."
"How could you say that? Can you stop bluffing me?"
"Do you really need to know? When we were young, you looked like chocolate before, but now how come your skin becomes whiter and whiter every day than it was?" Kiko explained.
"I know that I look like , but don't mind my skin. It doesn't matter if someone is brown, white, or black, because we don't have the right to discriminate against them. By the way, why did the cat get Ezekiel's tongue? I also notice that he's not talking more than before."
"How can you notice that he's not really verbose at all, and perhaps he's just glum that his crush didn't join us?" Kiko said.
"Crush?" Kate asked, then chuckled. "Who?"
"She is..." Kiko was going to say it, so I covered his lips with my hands.
"Just tell me; I won't tell anyone," Kate insisted.
Perhaps Kiko can't breathe well, as I hardly covered his mouth with my hands. Oh, no! Why did you bite my hands? You're such a vampire! I walked away and didn't mind them. I pretended to be fine, although I couldn't prevent myself from whimpering. My hands ached too much; I could even see a teeth-like bruise on them. What on Earth, does it bleed?
As I stopped at the bench by the street to prevent the bleeding, I heard someone's footsteps going towards me. Definitely, I didn't expect that Kiko could hurt me like this. His teeth are like sharp swords, which made me think not to cover his mouth again.
"Oh! Ezekiel, what are you doing here?" Liza asked in a worried voice.
Certainly, I hadn't recognized her at first because she looks different right now. She was wearing a fit uniform, and I could almost see her white legs sparkle when hit by the sunlight. There's something weird I felt about Liza, but I don't know what it was.
She wasn't wearing any sleazy clothes before; she was always wearing uniforms that seemed to cover her whole body; and most of all, she didn't want to go away with Lawrence, but now it seemed that she had changed a lot.
Liza got closer to me; she could almost join her body to mine. Does she want to glue her body to my back? Until she slowly touches the wound on my hand. I felt it was cold, like the hand of a dead person, but what I always talked about was that people with cold hands have warm hearts.
"Don't worry, that's just a little pain, so stop emoting," she whispered right at my temple, and I felt uncomfortable, so I turned and stood up straight, facing the girl, which made my adrenaline flow.
"Are you going to school with me?" I asked.
"Yup, I can do nothing in my life, so I will better attend school and be closer to you. By the way, where are your friends?" Liza replied.
"My friends? They have already left me alone. You'd better not think about them, because they're also not thinking about you. How about you? How's your boyfriend, Lawrence?"
"Lawrence? Honestly, I don't like him, but you. He's not my boyfriend; he was just bothering himself by courting me, but I'll never answer him. I already have someone, and it wasn't him, but you."
Those words didn't really make my head pound. It wants to jump out of my rib cage because of euphoria. How come my crush is still single and she also has a crush on me? But I must not let her get me easily. She might just be joking and end up hurting me.
"So let's go now. I don't want to be late to my class, and you too, especially since we're not in junior high school anymore," I said.
"Yup, let's go there now. I am eager to see those students again."
Liza held my hand and happily pulled me. It isn't funny, but her moves made me curious. Not to brag, but it seems that I caught her. She's holding my hands tightly, as if she doesn't want me to leave. What kind of feeling is this? My heart beats fast and loudly.
After a few moments, we reach our school, but it seems that Liza won't let me go. Many students were looking at us, seeming curious. Maybe they thought I and Liza were lovers, because that's what I wanted.
"You're the perfect match!" they shouted. Is that so?
Alone again. Liza didn't stay any longer beside me. She was seized by the bombastic guy. I don't know why I have bad blood with Lawrence. I admit it. I'm jealous that he's always with my crush. They are sitting beside each other, but I noticed that Liza's eyes sometimes visit me, and I also visit her in return.
I hadn't noticed that the morning class had ended quickly. I hadn't felt tired of looking right at my crush. Just a look is enough for me. Although she has changed a bit, I still enjoy looking at her for some inspiration, which pushes me to continue in my studies.
After the bell rang, I stood up when someone stopped me. It was no one other than the vampire boy. I know what he's going to say, and that's what I'm waiting to hear from his frightening lips.
"I'm sorry, dude," Kiko said while pushing my arm. "I hope you didn't get hurt by my bite. I'm really sorry, but don't worry because I didn't tell Kate about your crush." He made his voice sound serious.
"Can you stop saying that? She's looking at us, and please don't push my arms, because they still ache. "Get your backpack and let's go for the better," I replied, which made Kiko let go of me.
He stood up, got his backpack, and perched his heavy arms on my shoulder, which made my shoulder drop down. Perhaps that caused me to have a big muscle because Kiko serves as my barbell. We went out of the classroom.
"Ko, have you noticed something wrong with Liza?" I asked.
"Something wrong? Why are you asking me that?" Kiko replied.
"You know, I was always observing Liza, but it's the first time that she acted differently from the old Liza that I knew."
"That's just normal, dude. A person can change unexpectedly. Perhaps you're falling deeply in love with Liza so that even little things about her become apparent to you, or perhaps that's just hunger."
"Perhaps let's go home."
Life is a pile of monotonous days and nights. The dawn had just arrived, and we were going home again. I thought that it would be, but not so, especially when there's someone who wants to go with us.
Someone suddenly held my hands, which made me jolt. I wasn't expecting anyone to do that, because even though there are many girls and even boys who have a crush on me, they won't attempt to hold my hands, or else I'll punch them.