The Haunted’s Kiss of Regret and Repentance

I tried my best to apply my makeup and cover up the dark bags under my eyes. I wasn’t able to sleep properly last night because of everything that happened.

“Perry, I look like I’m a single mother to twenty kids. My hair won’t cooperate, and I feel like my eyebags are still growing like a plant.”

“That is over exaggerating things, Shyne. You look like you haven’t slept a wink for a week, but you don’t look like a single mother at all. Just a mother that probably has three kids and a busy husband that has no time for her.”

I threw the pillow beside me to Perry as she dodged it and disappeared from my room. My life would be a little easier without her, but it would also be empty if she wasn’t with me.

“Shyne! There’s a box here that was delivered this morning, and it says that it’s for you!”

Perry screamed from outside, and I went to check out the package. The brown box was only about a foot wide and half a foot in length. However, the way Perry carried it with a bit more force, I expected the thing to be a few pounds at least.

“Hey, Shyne. I guess I know who this package is from.”

Perry giggled as she gave me the heavy box and left while she hummed to herself. I followed her with a confused look, and she just looked back at me and winked.

“Perry, there’s no name written here. How do you even know who it’s from?”

“Oh, honey. You need to go get your glasses and check that little smiley face written beside your name.”

I looked at the smiley face that was mentioned, and I smiled when I realized who drew it.

“You and Brixton really need to fix yourselves after all of this curse thing is done. You guys are giving me heartburn with your drama.”

I laughed at her nonsense comments and took the box to the kitchen to check what’s inside. I wanted to go to my room, but after what happened last night, I can only last a few minutes.

I shook my head to avoid remembering what happened last night and focused on the task at hand. When I opened the box, there was a folded white bond paper with a handwritten note inside.

“You better do your best and let God do the rest, babe. I’ll be here waiting. I love you. xoxo Brixton.”

A crooked drawing of himself and myself was on the upper part of the nite, and it looked like he was hugging me.

I giggled when I realized that he probably avoided sleeping last night to make this gift and think of what he should put on the small note.

“So what did you get from your bashful lover boy?”

I opened the box and the both of us looked inside. It was a New King James Version Bible, a notebook, a box of pens, a box of chocolate, and a small box with a red bow.

“Wow. That guy is really practical with his gifts. I mean, seriously, Shyne.”

“Not practical, Perry. He just knows me too well to know I prefer these.”

I took out the small box and unwrapped the bow. Inside was a beautiful necklace with a heart pendant. I opened the pendant that was half an inch big, and I saw a photo of a semicolon.

“What is that? I was hoping it was a photo of him or the both of you or something. Why a semicolon?”

“It’s our secret, Perry. Now go get your things so we can leave. We have a few hours to travel back home, and I don’t want to stay here longer than necessary.”

I put everything back in the box and wore the necklace. I took a photo of me wearing it and sent it to Brixton with a heart and kissing emoji as a thank you to him.

I paused when I felt cold all of a sudden, but I shrugged it off and offered a quick prayer in my mind while I ignored the feeling of being watched.

“Hey, Shyne, let’s go.”

We drove for a few hours, which is longer than usual because of the traffic. I fell asleep the majority of the ride, but I thanked God that I didn’t dream anything.

“Hey, we’re almost at your house. You better compose yourself so your mom and dad won’t see a bird’s nest on top of your head.”

I combed my hair as the gates opened, and our car maneuvered in. I looked out the window and saw a shadow standing outside of the gate.

“Shyne, what’s wrong?”

Perry was whispering, and by the look on her face, she had an idea of what was wrong with me. I shook my head and decided to ignore what I saw.

“I’ll tell you later. Right now, the king and queen are waiting for their delinquent little princess to get out of this car.”

My sarcasm was oozing and I giggled at how much effort it took Perry to avoid hitting me when the door suddenly opened. The two of us got out, and Izzy was the first one to embrace the two of us before Perry nodded at my mom and dad.

“Hi mom, hi dad.”

I gave each of them an awkward hug and kissed both of their cheeks.

“Your mother told me that the reason the two of you are going home early is because you’ve already done everything that the school required, and you wanted to come home and get an early vacation? Is that right, young lady?”

“Yes, dad, that’s right. I was able to do good in school, so there was no need for me to take the extra classes that the school offered, and the school publication can contact me while I’m here. There is no need for me to be there since I can work online.”

I stood my ground and held my head high. The perfect posture that my parents have taught me. My father looked at me for a few seconds as if checking whether or not there was an error in any of the words that came out of my mouth.

“Very well then. Me and your mother have some important business to attend to for the next three days. I expect you and your brother to run this house properly while we’re away.”

“We will, dad. I hope you and mom have a safe trip.”

“Let’s go now, Lyna. We are going to be late.”

My mother gave me a nod before the two of them left. Perry, Izzy and I stood straight and waited for their car to disappear, and the gate closed before the three of us gave a sigh of relief.

“Being your cousin is really a stressful job. I’m going to go inside and sleep for a while. I am exhausted because of all that traffic.”

“Hey, big sis, while Perry sleeps, want to go to the mall? By the look on your face, it looks like everything in your life is in chaos and you need some down time with your little sister.”

“I thought that mom and dad told you that I was in charge and not you?”

“Yeah, but you’re not in charge of a mall, only the house, so it’s an area where we can both be in charge of ourselves. Besides, I want you to fill me up with whatever happened to you back in your flat.”

Gave up trying to force my sister to stay at home. I knew that she just wanted to talk and shop. If there was one thing that me and my sister have in common, it was going to the mall to find coffee shops and spending money. Though among the two of us, she was better at saving money than I am.

“Let me change first before we go. I want to wear something that’s a bit pleasing to the eyes. I might just see the twin demons in the mall again.”

“Twin demons? Do you mean Trixie and Nixie?”

I was walking to my room while Izzy followed me close behind. I nodded and I could hear her groan in frustration.

“Does that mean you saw those two somewhere near your school?”

“No. I saw them at the mall while Brixtona nd I had coffee at one of our favorite shops. They made a little scene so I had no choice but to fight back with my words.”

We were inside my room and I began to change my clothes while Izzy sat on the bed and kept asking questions about my encounter with the twins.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Shyne, you know that the moment they left, they would have probably told uncle and aunty about what happened back there.”

“I know. That’s why I made sure to text uncle and aunty while Brixton drove me back home. Those two gave me the biggest headache of the century. I can’t believe that we’re somehow related to them in any way.”

The two of us went straight to the mall to find a coffee shop that we’ve never tried before. I seldom go to the mall here, so it’s mostly Izzy telling me where to go. The bodyguards just followed us a few meters away, and as per my directions, they also had a good time drinking coffee and talking while tailing us.

“Hey, Izzy, I really want to ditch them again.”

“Why would you do that when you’re technically in charge of everything while mom and dad are away?”

“Bad habit I guess.”

“We don’t have to ditch them, but we can make them think we’re ditching them so they’d have a panic attack or something. You look like you haven’t had any real fun for a while.”

“You and mom said you guys are going to church more often. I didn’t expect you to give me ideas like this.”

“Yeah, but there’s no harm in playing a prank on them. Besides, I know that you’re just trying to distract yourself because it helps you ignore the shadows following you, so it’s my job to help you relax.”

Her comment was a bittersweet truth to me, but I nodded at her suggestion. However, upon mentioning the shadows, my smile faltered as I recalled what had happened the night before.

“That fallen smile tells me that I messed up a bit. I’m sorry if I mentioned the shadow, sis.”

“It’s alright, Izzy. I don’t feel like running away from the guards. I guess I really just want to take a nap or something, but I can’t because there’s that fear of dreaming about them.”

The two of us sighed heavily as the heaviness thickened.

“Hey, Shyne, how about we just go to one of the art shops near here. There’s a new art shop here that opened a few days ago. You could spoil yourself and get that heaviness out of you for a while. Sunday is in two days, so you can just relax yourself while waiting for help to come.”

I nodded and we went straight to the art shop.

“Hey, Shyne, is that you?”

I turned around and I felt the color drain from my face as my hands and feet became cold. Amy, the black haired half chinese woman who was five feet tall approached me. She still looked slutty as always, but she looked a bit more mature with her slutty secretary attire.

“It’s me, Amy! How are you? I heard that you and that Rian of yours already had a family and everything before you left. I wondered why it wasn’t all over the nes since the De Leon’s heiress just had a baby with a commoner.”

I felt bile rise inside of me, and couldn’t answer her. I knew that Rian once told other people that I was pregnant after I left, but I never expected the news to reach one of the best gossipers in the city.

“I remember that Rian also said you were wild in bed. I never knew that such a perfect heiress could be a wild animal like you.”

She gave me a sarcastic smirk and a wink.

“Excuse me bitch, but my friend isn’t as big of a slut as you. Now, please stop making a little scene and embarrassing yourself. An heiress should not be caught dead speaking to a common whore in a store.”

Amy and I turned and saw a redheaded woman wearing skinny jeans and a red crop top with matching red high heeled boots. Angela De Marco was standing a few feet away from us with a smirk directed to Amy’s pissed off face.