Roxy wasn't expecting to see the sight that met her eyes as she pulled the door open– a cry nearly escaped her lips as a chill breeze of shock swept through her. She couldn't tell if she was seeing things or her mind playing tricks on her. But then everything looked so real.
Phidel on the other hand couldn't help staring at the surprised or better still shocked girl standing at the door.
She looked rather pale than normal –like she had seen a ghost. Her brows instinctively furrowed, quite puzzled. Studying carefully at her face, she looked familiar.
“Hey, are you... ” She muttered, trying to find out what could be wrong with her but before she could finish her sentence, Roxy bolted off. “Hey, you...” Phidel grumbled as she darted to the door but Roxy was by far gone.
She stared at her back with a creased brow as her back faded through the end of the hallway to their class and sighed.
Just then, the bell ranged once again –announcing halfway through their prep period.
Phidel deftly glanced at her wristwatch and huddled over to the sink for her bag, scampering out of the washroom with a renewed agender– to find the killers of her sister and give her the justice she deserved.
Just as Isla had shown her, she found the Principal’s office at the end of the hallway. She instinctively let a gentle rap on the door and a hoarse voice rasped her ears from the other side, inviting her in.
Phidel slowly pushed the door opened, sauntering in –only to find her sister already there; standing right opposite the Principal’s desk. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile on seeing her.
“Oh, you're here?” Principal Duean mumbled on seeing Phidel, whom he thought was Phidelia.
She initially had a cynical gaze on but instantly masked it with a smile, glancing at Phidelia with the corners of her eyes as she paced towards the Principal.
“I’ll call your homeroom teacher. ” He said, reaching for the telephone as Phidel neared him.
A few minutes later, the door slowly inched open once again; followed by a stout and strongly built body.
“Oh Mr. Karan, come in.” Principal Duean muttered on seeing the familiar figure at the entrance.
With a slight bow, he chanced towards the Principal and Phidel.
The next few minutes continued with Phidel answering some questions while Phidelia watched in the abstract. After what seemed like forever, the Principal finally let Phidel off the hook.
She walked with Mr. Karan out of the office and Phidelia darted after them as they huddled into the silent hallway.
“Guess this is good,” Phidelia uttered, catching up with Phidel while the latter threw a skeptical gaze at her. “I finally get to spend time with you.” She added with a satisfactory grin.
“And you think this’s funny? Tsk,” Phidelia sneered, making Mr. Karan glance at her.
“Are you okay?” He asked, just to be sure.
Phidel instinctively bobbed her response with a tight lip smile while Phidelia spontaneously chuckled at her bad acting.
“I can see you're really enjoying being a ghost,” Phidel muttered in a tight lip, her jaw slightly clenched.
********
Roxy had been trying for a while now to have Bella and Tina understand what she saw but none of them seemed interested. Bella was more obsessed with her phone while Tina was just over it with all those Phidelia stuff.
She felt Phidelia was ruling her life –even after her death and this was starting to make her paranoid. The weekend was all about Phidelia and even now. She was about jutting out her anger on Roxy when Mr. Karan walked into the classroom –his voice rasping the four corners of the wall.
Everybody instinctively lifted their gaze to him with a quizzical look written on their faces.
“Sorry guys but I will just take a few minutes of your time and I promise to make it swift.” He continued, throwing his gaze to the door as he beckoned someone in.
All the gazes of the students at that instant; followed suit, staring expectantly at the entrance at whoever it might be. The familiar figure of Phidel, now Phidelia instantly drove the class into rumpus with murmurs here and there as everyone went out with their guesses and questions of where she might have been.
Already, there had been this rumor swept across the entire school by Tina and her gang that Phidelia had run off with some gang of boys– painting quite a different image of Phidelia in the eyes of the students.
Bella nearly dropped her phone as a chill breeze of shock sent shivers down her spine. Roxy and Bella were no different as they couldn't believe the sight playing before their eyes.
“Were they in some sort of horror movie?” Bella couldn't help shaking such a buzzer thought off her mind.
At a point in time, Tina didn't understand what was going on anymore. Everything felt like she was kind of stuck in an underworld.
“Can we quiet down now?” Mr. Karan’s voice echoed, hinting at his presence as Phidel and the spirit of Phidelia took their stand in front of the class.
At that moment, a warm silence perpetuated the atmosphere –giving room to whatever had to be said. Mr. Karan then channeled his gaze to Phidel as he beckoned her to go ahead with what she had for them.
Phidel instinctively bobbed her head as the corners of her mouth quivered–taking a step forward.
“Well, guys...” She muttered as she paused for a while with a sharp sigh, “I’m sorry for making everyone worried. I promise to make it up to you all.” She hastily added, allowing her gaze to travel back to Mr. Karan with a knowing look.
Phidelia who was by then standing between her sister and Mr. Karan spontaneously gave her the thumbs up with a smile plastered on her lips.
With nothing more to say, Mr. Karan allowed Phidel to her seat.
Phidelia couldn't help acting all gibby as she followed her sister to the desk– settling beside her as a satisfactory smile swept her face.
“Are you that happy?” Phidel grumbled, slightly shaking her head as a scoff escaped her lips.
Roxy, Bella, and Tina were literally starting to feel suffocated with the turn of events. What they couldn't understand was how Phidelia was still alive. If they remembered clearly that night, they buried her themselves.
Moreover, if she was the one, then why didn't she say anything about what happened between them.
Tina had that instant had a nagging feeling something was up. It started with those voices and sounds and now this. Something was just not right. She thought.
Just then, the bell rang for prep over for at least 5mins rest before lessons start. Tina swiftly took her bag and darted off; followed by Roxy and Bella.