Chapter 13.

  Sometimes we just want to enjoy life despite all the triggering situations. Happiness is another thing to be learnt. But does it last?

During this week, it was really going to be a stressful, lots of preparation and at the same time a fun one. Well not for everyone, reasons best known or rather not known at all.

"Been a while... You know" Darby casually flung her hands on Nate's shoulder.

"Get your hands off me" He roughly pushed her hands making her glare at him pissed.

"You didn't ask how I was faring? Not cool " Darby blurted still lingering around Nate. Darby had to admit she secretly had a crush for Nate, but at the same time she pushed all those feelings for the sake of her late sister not that she deserved it and for her the sake of her name in school.

Nate scrutinized her with a calm look on his face. " You look really okay to me " He walked on heading to the halls.

"Seriously... Doesn't the prom remember you of a very memorable day...Uh?" Darby said slowly with a cocky smile on her not too innocent face.

Nate stopped as he heard her speak, where was she getting at?

Was she trying to make him feel bad?

The prom as she said was a memorable one. Last two years on the day of the prom he had proposed to Jade McNeil in front of the whole students and they won the best couple of the year.

Memories he had once cherished  but now hoped he would forget all those memories like it never existed.

Nate turned to Darby who still had a cocky smile on her lips. " Mm... you are right" He nodded his head walking on and trying not to get angry and he didn't want to show how her words had affected him.

  But Darby still kept on with her daunting questions and talks.  "I can really remember those moments, you -"

"Don't you think that is enough?" He flashed her a fake smile.

"Sorry if you think am talking alot but the memories kept coming-"

"Hey, Ariel" Nate was so relieved he had saw Ariel at a distance coming to their direction as usual Ariel was a knight in shining armor always there when you needed someone to help you out and that was right now.  But it seemed she had saw them but still acted like she didn't see them.

"Hey,Nate"

"Are you heading to the auditorium?" Nate asked hoping her answer was affirmative.

"Yes, I need to meet Kema and Matt at the auditorium," That was when Ariel noticed an annoyed Darby by his side. " Been awhile, Darby" She flashed her a warm smile.

"It really is, you don't come for cheerleading practices anymore" Darby smiled while faking a sad tone.

"I quitted a long time ago...which you knew" Ariel retorted calmly.

Okay ...what's happening?  Nate thought as they both interacted in an unusual manner. Maybe he shouldn't have called Ariel or do they know each other and was Ariel a cheerleader? She definitely didn't look like one.

"We should go now, see you later Darby" Nate Interjected while facing Darby.

"Sure" Darby slowly said leaving the both of them.

Nate looked at Ariel whose hands were crossed and had a angry but calm expression.

"Didn't know you guys had a beef ongoing" Nate stated.

Ariel walked on.

"I wasn't heading to the auditorium so whatever you have to tell me should better be worth it" She turned to him with a pissed tone.

"Okay... thanks for coming my way . That girl is a real pest" He uttered with a relieved sigh.

Ariel didn't respond as she approached the music room which was was empty except they had classes and fortunately there was wasn't classes.

"Why the music room?" Nate asked as he entered the music room.

"You could leave. I didn't ask you to call me" she glared at him with a knowing look.

"Actually we need to talk...I finally unlocked the phone." With that Ariel stopped on track immediately facing him with her eyes widened.

"For real?"

"Yeah... it wasn't as hard as I thought, easy peasy" He added with a light chuckle.

"So have you found anything strange in the phone?" Ariel asked really curious.

"No...I thought we should actually see it together since we both looked for it" Nate stated sitting on a chair beside the piano.

Ariel could only smile lightly.

Nate took out his backpack taking out a small black bag, he opened the bag to bring out the cracked phone.

"Hope no one knows about this?" He slowly asked as Ariel sat beside him.

"Do I look like a snitch or something?" Ariel asked giving him a knowing look which made him chuckle.

He switched on the phone as they anxiously stared at it, it was like it took ages to switch on or maybe they were just really anxious at the same time scared.

He swiped opened the phone revealing the home screen, Nate made a quick deep breath as he clicked the phone's contact.

Surprisingly, there were no recent call logs or missed calls like "Did someone delete her recent call logs?" Ariel asked with a hint of disappointed and suspicion in her tone. They had hoped to see an unknown number or something.

"We shouldn't lose hope...we still haven't checked her messages" He immediately closed the phone's contact scrolling to the phone's message.

But there were no messages from any unknown number, he clicked on a particular message that had the name ' Jade '.

I need your help urgently! - Jade

Thursday,Jan 20. 10:30pm

                        I told you not to call

              or chat me.

                        10:35pm.

We are going to get screwed together, someone knows our secrets. - Jade.

10:37pm.

I don't know what

you're talking about, quit

this whole shit!

10:39pm.

He's back and when I mean

back...in a different form.

You saw everything fuck'en

thing don't act like a saint.

10:40pm.

Meet me tomorrow at Villes

Park by late noon. Don't

Screw me up if not ,

you and

I are going down together.

No one is safe here.

10: 41 pm

"Am sure she never came..." Ariel muttered slowly.

"What man? What are they hiding that they were both killed?".

"Cruel secrets?".