3 FESTIVAL

The next day went like a blur, I agreed to dance for the festival. I think I want to back out- but before I can go run out of our room, Nash was already at the door.. Laughing.

"Damn, you jerk" I said and threw my notebook at him. He catched it perfectly and walked closer to me. "What are you doing? Go away!" I demanded, everyone was so busy picking songs for our performance they didn't notice Nash was having fun teasing me.

"Well, look at them. They're so excited for the dance" he said and pointed at everyone who was in front and having a lot of fun, I chuckled lightly while shaking my head side to side.

"If you only knew, they just want me to do something stupid in front of everyone." I said and snatched my notebook from Nash. His eyebrows furrowed and blinked his eyes a couple of times.

"So, people are like that?" He asked, a bit confused. Wait what? Why is he talking like that? Are you not human or what? I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"You're talking like it's your first time seeing people in real life, why? Do you always look at them from afar?" I asked, and now I'm regretting it, I shouldn't have asked him.

I saw how his eyes turned into something so scary.. This was the third time that I saw him like this, it was like in any moment right now he can kill them, or even me.

"Hey Nash, I was just kidding! Stop being so serious." I said and he blinked maybe three times before he can smile again. I felt relieved when I saw him smiling again, I was really scared.

"Ashleah, can you please refrain yourself from talking about.. Death and such?" He said, I was confused but I just nodded and didn't even dared to ask him why.

"Nash! Ashleah! Here's your dance!" We both turned around and looked at our class president, I gave Nash a small smile before walking away, he did the same.

"Nash, do this!" I told him, I moved my body with the beat and glanced at Nash but I soon started laughing when I saw him trying so hard to dance with the beat.

"I can't do this!" He said while pouting like a kid. I slowly patted his head and continued laughing, gosh! Is he a clown or what?

"Seriously? And you were so confident that you want to dance with me!" I said and clapped my hands while laughing at him, we're currently inside the dance room. Everyone was busy with their own performance.

Yes, their own performance. For our event, we will have a stage play, group act (singing), and my dance with Nash. But why do I feel like we can't do this?

I chuckled, well I would give him an A+ for effort. It sure does look like he was trying his best to dance with the beat, but his body doesn't cooperate with him.

I slowly walked beside him and stopped him from dancing, I shook my head and smiled. "Here, let me give you some extra help." I told him and started teaching him the very, like really very basic steps of our dance.

He's a fast learner, that's for sure. I looked at the time and snapped my fingers. "It's already 5! Want to take a break-- Where are you going?" my eyes held confusion when I saw Nash fixing his stuff while holding his tumblr.

"Gotta do something! I'm sorry Ashleah, see you tomorrow." He waved his right hand that was holding the tumblr as for his left hand that twisted the door knob, opening the door before running outside.

I am.. kinda.. curious, what's so important that he literally went running outside the dance room? I shook my head slowly and just sighed. It's not my business, stop it Ashleah!

5 days passed and it was like a routine before the clock strikes 5 he would always say that he was doing something, but he really got the hang of it.

Dancing. For a person like him, you can see that he really started to improve. It was as if the beat was created for his body. But still, I am curious. What are you doing Nash?

Getting my bag, drinking on my tumblr I was scrolling through my social media, I do have my social media but I use it for school purposes only.

But what made stop was an article 'Death is a PERSON!!' of course, I clicked the article. I mean, I was curious!

'Death is a PERSON.

We've been investigating about this for 10 years now. And now that we interviewed a lot of people to be proof that death, the very thing that we all are scared of is a person!'

I shook my head as I stood up straight and closed the dance room's door and started walking down the school's corridor. Just what kind of nonsense is this?

'The people we've interviewed wanted to keep their identity a secret but they saw it with their own two eyes, they were beside the death bed of their love ones when they saw a man near them. Looking at them so intently.'

I didn't know why but that made me stop from walking, it sent shivers down my spine. I slowly gulped, I was already sweaty but after reading that part, it was almost like I just came out of the shower!

'Death, is a person. Hiding with us people. Why? Why is he doing this? What's your role?--'

I couldn't even finish what I was reading when suddenly someone called my name, I was so surprised that my phone almost fell.

Ah, it was Nash. "N-Nash! I thought that you were gone!" I said and he just chuckled and walked beside me.

"Well, I'm here now. Let's eat? My treat!" I just nodded, I mean, even if I say 'No' he would probably do everything for me to come with him. What a jerk-

"Where are we eating tho?" I asked him, he was now carrying my bag, yes I mean it doesn't look weird right???

"I don't know, where do you want to?" He asked me, I glared at him. Seriously dude? Wait let me punch you- HAHAHA I'm kidding of course, or am I?

"I was asking you first tho!" I said and he chuckled while shaking his head softly. Wow, you look so gentle huh?

"Well then.. Let's just eat somewhere I think you would like!" he said and pulled me, ah seriously! Am I a rope or something?!

The day went well, as I opened the door of our house the smile from earlier didn't fade not until I heard someone inside our house.

"Ashleah, where have you been?" That made me freeze on the spot, as I saw the man I've been longing to see. His brunette hair was still gorgeous as ever, his eyes were still perfect and round as ever. Pointed nose and thin but slightly pinkish lips.

The man right in front of me was.. "Dad." I blurted out, I saw how he raised his eyebrows, I just gulped and looked down but I suddenly heard clacking of heels. I took a glance from whom it was.

Her short platinum blonde hair was still gorgeous and perfect as ever, as her blue eyes were piercing on me. Her plump red lips weren't smiling, her pointed nose was perfect and she.. looked so beautiful.

She was my.. "Ashleah, it's been a long time." I tried not to cry in front of them. They finally came home. "Why are you avoiding my gaze?" She asked, and as if it was on cue I quickly looked at them.

Ah, my parents. They are indeed home but I don't feel any warmth or happiness coming from them. What should I expect right?

"We heard from your teacher that you.. are going to perform." Dad blurted out making the whole situation worse. I am so scared!

"Y-Yes. I am." I managed to say those words even tho I was trembling deep inside! Oh gosh, please make this stop. I am so scared!

"And you're going to dance?" Mom asked, I managed to nod and I heard her chuckling lightly. I smiled and looked at her but it soon faded when I saw how her eyes screaming how unhappy she was with the situation I am in.

"Dancing? Haven't we told you to give that up?" Dad said and now I feel so uncomfortable around them. I, again looked down. Fidgeting my fingers.

"Ashleah we told you that you should do more important things than that!" Mom shouted, and it made me flinch. Please stop. "When are you going to listen?!"

"Please stop." I blurted out, I was surprised but there's no backing out now. I looked up and saw how shocked they were. "If you dislike me that much, you shouldn't have given birth to me in the first place." I said and walked out.

"Ashleah!" I heard how Dad called me, I shut my eyes tightly and ran to the stairs as tears started flowing down my eyes. Goddamn it hurts so bad.

'It'll be alright.'

'I won't leave you.'

'Why are you crying?'

My eyes shut wide open, breathing heavily, what was that just now? I looked at my window, it was already dark outside, I took out my phone and it was already midnight.

But what was that dream? It feels so nostalgic and.. it made me calm down, but it feels so sad that I want to cry- no scratch that. I was already crying.

I slowly wiped the tears that are now dropping one by one from my eyes. Why? I feel like I've been longing for so long for that man in my dreams.

I shook my head slowly, I should stop thinking about it. Yes, Ashleah stop thinking about nonsense things.

The next weeks were a blur for me really, tomorrow is the festival and I wasn't even talking to my parents even if they were home.

"Are you nervous?" Nash asked me as he held out my re-filled tumblr, I took it and smiled.

"I'm not that nervous. I just want to satisfy you guys with my performance tomorrow." I said before taking a sip from my tumblr, he sat beside me and just looked down on the floor.

"You never change." I gave him a confused look and he just smiled at me. What is he talking about? "But even if our performance would be a fail, I won't judge you like them. I WON'T LEAVE YOU."

I didn't know why but it was like thunder that struck me, my eyes widened and a tear escaped my eyes. There it was again, the pain. The pain was overflowing that I can't even control the tears that continued to stream down my face.

"I'm sorry." he said and he wiped my tears away, why? why do I feel like I've known him for so long but I can't remember him? why..

His eyes held sadness and guilt as he continued to wipe my tears away, I didn't know why but my hands found its way to him and I hugged him tightly still crying.

"Wh-Why do I feel like I've known you for so long?" I cried out, and I heard how his breathing hitched and how his hands were trembling while caressing my hair slowly.

"I.. am sorry because I can't tell you." He said, his voice cracked. I cried even more, I was not a cry baby not until I met him. Just who are you Nash? "I won't leave you again like a big freakin' coward, Ashleah. I won't." he said as he pulled away from the hug and wiped my tears away.

The day ended like that, I felt so awkward! Ashleah you dumb bi-- Ah stop noooo. I pouted and groaned loudly. Damn it!

Today was the day of the festival, I was having a lot of fun. Just sitting here on the bench, having my alone time--

"Ashleah!" Oh, no-- I looked at Nash and chuckled, he was wearing his iconic hoodie from his first day.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him and stood up from the bench, he face palmed and scoffed like he was trying to say how unbelievable I was!

"So you're telling me you didn't notice what the time was?!" he blurted out, Oh shi-- I looked at my watch. 30 minutes left before our performance!?

"We got to go!" I said and started running, he did the same. I am so dead.

As I faced the audience, I closed my eyes tightly and took five deep breaths, after that I heard Nash "We can do this."

The song started playing as I moved my body to the beat, we were in the middle of the song when something- no someone caught my eyes.

I tried so hard not to act surprised, but I saw my parents watching in a not so far place. I continued dancing trying to convince myself that I was just hallucinating or what.

The dance finished and everyone was so pleased, even the vice president of our class who taught that I would embarrass myself. Haha! 1 - 0, vice pres! Do better next time tho.

I chuckled, but what made me stop was when I saw my parents. Mom looked.. intimidating as ever, same goes to Dad. I tried to find Nash but he was nowhere to be found.

"Ashleah, talk to us" Dad said and I just nodded still trying to find Nash using my eyes. "I.. am sorry." he said and my eyes stopped, legs started trembling and I bit my lower lip slowly.

"Ashleah, we're sorry because we didn't believe in you." Mom said, I finally looked at them and I saw how sincere they was. Why? Why are you so late?

I was ready to cry, when I heard a loud scream. "What was that?!" Ms. Millar shouted and I saw how a girl covered in blood ran to us.

"He was stabbed!" She cried out. "My boyfriend got stabbed!" She was now crying while her hands and legs didn't stop shaking.

I was about to run to her when I saw Nash walking from where the girl was while holding a necklace. What's that? It.. looks familiar.

The festival went to chaos, and that's how the festival ended.