It was almost dawn when Phidel and her parents’ flight touched the soils of Netherlands. Martin was by then already waiting for them at the waiting terminal when they sauntered in.
“Hey–” He called, instinctively waving them over on setting eyes on them. Though the mood was not a good one, both Jerome and Randy managed to put on a smile as they got a glimpse of him except for Phidel who was still in a bad state.
“Hello Martin.” Randy uttered, exchanging hand shakes with Martin as they neared him.
They exchanged a few pleasantries and finally headed to the car. Phidel and Jerome settled in the backseat whiles Randy and Martin took the front. After a few seconds, he sped off, hitting the main streets of Netherlands.
The night lights coupled with all those 5star shops and fancy cafés along the streets were quiet a sight to behold; not to talk of those huge bridges they drove by but in all, Phidel found no delight in them as she stared out of the window in silence.
Jerome understanding well what her daughter was going through, slightly stroked her back in encouragement.
Emma on the other hand couldn't keep calm. She shuffled to and fro across the room, fidgeting and biting on her nails while her breath hastened and her mind refused to rest. Like a wave that sweeps across the shore, she instinctively kept rushing to the window at every least sound that passed her ears.
Jade and Isla had by then, long retired to bed as they had to wake up early for school tomorrow; that was if they didn't want to be late. Moreover, they both had an early morning test to catch up with.
After almost an hour of back and forth to the window, Emma finally heard the engines of Martin’s car pulled up in the yard.
Few seconds later, she heard voices approaching the door. She fumbled a little, being a bit nervous to face her brother and Jerome. Not to even talk of her niece; how was she going to explain things to her?
They all trusted her with Phidelia but she had failed them; such a disappointment. Emma’s mind were hammering on these words when the door swung opened which drew her gaze to it. Her heart instinctively skipped a bit when Jerome first walked in with her hand draped around Phidel’s shoulders.
“Oh Jerome–” She cried, rushing towards them. “I’m so sorry.” She said, drawing both Jerome and Phidel into a hug. At that instant, Martin and Randy walked in with their luggages. “I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise.” They heard Emma mumbled amidst tears over Jerome's shoulders.
“I know Emma,” Jerome teared up, “This is not your fault. I've been a bad mother too. I was never there when she needed me.” She went on.
They shared their grievances for a while but had no other choice than to retire to bed since it was already late and they all needed to take some rest.
Jerome and Randy were given the spare room adjacent Martin and Emma’s while Phidel was left with Phidelia’s room which was on the same strand with Jade and Isla.
Slowly approaching the door, she pushed it opened, sauntering in with heavy steps as her eyes went lurking around whiles the door closed behind her.
Coming at a stop in front of the bed, she instinctively glanced heavenwards as she sniffed back a tear.
“Guess I should have been here earlier.” She muttered, returning her gaze back to the bed.
She was about to settle on it when a picture frame of her sister smiling brightly on the drawer beside the bed caught her attention. She took it, staring at those smiles while she sat on the bed.
Passing her hand on it, her mouth curved into a sad smile.
“I’ve been a bad sister, right?” She chuckled with a heavy heart. “I guess you hate me so much by now.” She mumbled while her eyes let go off those tears it had been holding hostage.
She laid back on the bed, curling into a foetal position while she held her sister's picture against her chest. With silent sobs, her eyes became heavier with sleep. She slimly shuts and opens it while trying her best to stay awake but nature couldn't be cheated; she finally drifted off to sleep.
*********
It's had almost been 2weeks since Phidelia’s disappearance which had her parents move to Netherlands. Isla and Phidel’s first encounter nearly had them at each other's neck as Isla mistook Phidel for Phidelia. They looked so much alike that Isla could barely make out their differences.
Luckily enough, Emma got there in time to resolve the misunderstanding and they had since been getting along well. But in it all, nothing positive had come out of their search as the weeks rolled by.
Neither were the school authorities giving them any good feedback. They seemed more reluctant than helping.
Judging from all odds, they were more vest in protecting the school's image than investigating in Phidelia’s disappearance.
Randy and Jerome on the other hand had no time to spare as they would soon have to return back to their works. They all sat in the hall with the exception of Isla and Jade who still had school; thinking on what to do as they were left out on options.
Lurking at their frustrated faces, Phidel resorted to the only option left.
“I'll will return to Wesley High in the name of Phidelia.” She said which had everybody glanced deftly at her.
“What are you saying Phidel?” Jerome queried. “We're yet to find your sister and all you're thinking about now is throwing yourself into the mess?” She blunted as anger eluped her. “You know what, ” She paused for some seconds while she tried to calm her nerves. “I think we're done talking about this.” She shrugged from her seat and hurried off.
Emma, Randy and Martin glanced at her back as she glided the stairs then back to Phidel and sighed.
******
It was already noon in Wesley High and the school wàs blusting with students moving to and fro the premises as they went on their own activities being it a break time. Tina on returning from a call to the teacher's office, sauntered through the quiet hallway which literary had few or no students passing by with some books in hand.
Half way through the hallway, she felt like she was being followed. Her pulse ramped up whiles her heartbeat increased. Instinctively she stopped and deftly turned to have a look but to her surprise, the hallway was empty...yet her heart wouldn't settle.
A chill of fear rushed through her, causing her to begin walking more quickly but she could still feel eyes on her.
An oddly primitive warning sounded in the back of her mind. The ache in the bottom of her gut told her something wasn't right.
“I need to find an escape.” She grumbled mentally to herself as her breath became deeper and more rapid.