Crimson Angel

by Yume

  Fifth step

  The Sentiments

  Time ticked by and it had been a month since I met Len. We became close friends and I couldn’t deny he was a good assistant in studies. Whenever I encountered difficulties, he always found the solutions for me. And I also got to know him more, including some of his habits.

  He liked to say “Mind if…” when he wanted me to do something for him. He never ate lunch and still remained energetic throughout the day. He would go to the canteen with me and love to watch me eating, which usually made me feel weird. Once he told me I was cute with a mouthful of cucumbers and I almost hit him. All subjects appealed to Len except sports. He never lied about detesting sports although he was basically the fittest boy in the class. He jogged with inhuman speed during gym and he could manage to do two hundred times of push-ups in thirty seconds. He was outgoing and extroverted so everyone in the class grew to like him. Needless to say, he was popular among girls but he rarely took any notice of them. It was still a mystery why he chose me to be his company. Each time Len came out from the washroom, he swung his wet hands in the air splattering water everywhere. Next, he would have his hands stuck in his pockets, looking utterly cool. His smiles were the best of all. Nobody could resist his smile, not even boys. Edmond despised him, indeed. He was determinedly trying to get him but I wouldn’t let that happen. Len loved to tease and joke with me but mostly he was just cheering me up. I couldn’t see through his optimistic personality and he was keeping his family secrets all along. A couple of times I spotted George with him when he waited for me in the morning or after school. That butler never changed a bit. His black suit had gradually become the common remark of him. Any time I saw a dark figure, I would assume it was George.

  Life was pretty normal except the fact that these days lots and lots of pets disappeared in the neighborhood. Winnie tried to warn me about that but I didn’t see how a pet-murderer could suddenly target a teenage girl. Anyway, I was melancholy about the death of these pets. Either being kidnapped or tortured, it had to be tough on them. They were pets but they also had lives and souls, I believed.

  Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who cared. Len was very much enraged about this issue. He even cursed those who harmed the pets. I didn’t know he was such a pet-lover.

  Today, I suggested hanging out in the park after school. Len agreed right away.

  We played on the swings and the sunset was magnificent. I could feel the warmth and the joy of the day. Winnie used to bring me here when I was small and there was so much to reminisce.

  “Alice, do you like parks?” Len asked. We were facing each other.

  “Sort of, cause I used to come here.”

  Len nodded understandingly. For a moment, we just stared at each other and then…He made a move.

  We were so close that I could feel his breath. He pressed his lips against mine gently.

  The feeling varied strongly with that when Edmond kissed me. The way Edmond did it was a bit persuasive and overwhelming. It made you feel he would never let go of your life and you would always live under his shadows. But Len, he was so tender and meek. He didn’t even need to use any force and I was already yielding, ready to devote my whole life to him willingly.

  Len withdrew himself quickly but that enchanting moment seemed to have lasted forever.

  “I’m sorry.” He blushed and apologized.

  Why would a boy apologize after kissing a girl?

  “Don’t be silly.” I smirked. “A boy doesn’t apologize after kissing a girl.”

  “I do.” Len grinned and held my hand.

  I didn’t want the night to fall. It kind of spoiled everything when Len told me he had to leave.

  “Why?”

  “I have something to do.” Len said. “I’ll catch you later, Alice.”

  He swiftly kissed me on the cheek and vanished into darkness. I was left alone at the crossroads.

  Still grumbling, I walked home alone. That was when I witnessed something dreadful.

  It sounded like some creature yelping and automatically, I was lured to the back of the street, right into a gloomy alley. The screeching sounds grew louder and I could feel the goose bumps, the hairs on my arms standing upright.

  I didn’t dare to make a noise. I just stared with my eyes wide open, at the shadow around the corner.

  Someone was in the corner doing something.

  As the recent incidents about pets popped up in my head, I was alarmed. Whoever near could be the pet-murderer. I lifted up my bag, preparing for attacks as I peeked.

  To my fright, I saw no one. The corner was vacant except for a cat was lying dead there. I rushed to corpse and looked around. I was certain a few seconds ago a person was here making the pet suffer. But where had he gone? He couldn’t have walked out since I was around the corner all this time.

  Then, suddenly, a pair of hands enclosed my neck. They tightened as I struggled to break free. Someone was strangling me and lifting me up from the ground. My legs kicked but no sound came out from my mouth. I tried moving my elbows to see if by accident I could smack that person’s face but I was in no such luck. I was suffocating. An acute pain went over my body. Blood was flowing at the fastest rate in my arteries and terror had taken the control of me.

  It was unbearable. I was being murdered.

  Just when I thought I would faint and perish, someone appeared and the grip around my neck loosened. My attacker let out a cry in anguish and the next thing I knew was darkness.

  I regained my consciousness after awhile and saw Len kneeling down beside me.

  Dizziness hadn’t left me and I couldn’t really see his face. It didn’t take me long to realize I wasn’t wearing my glasses. My hair was messy. My uniform was wrinkled. I was in total mess.

  “Are you alright, Alice?” Len asked apprehensively.

  “I’m…okay…” My hands started searching for glasses.

  “There.” Len put them on me and I thanked him.

  “What happened?”

  I could tell we were still in the dead end of the alley, in a shadowy corner where no one else was present. Standing and guarding next to Len was his butler, George. I wondered what had just taken place. Did Len save me? He could have. He was so strong and such a good fighter.

  “You were attacked and luckily George came by and saved you.”

  “George?” I looked up. George was still expressionless.

  “Ms. Alice, do you have any injuries? If yes, we can take you to the hospital.” George offered kindly.

  “I’m not wounded.” I tried to stand up but that was a challenging approach. I found it hard to balance myself. At last, I stumbled over and fell straight into Len’s arms again.

  You could never imagine his strength. Even if his exterior was no different from any other slim boys, this guy seemed to be capable of lifting thousand tones. I knew it was rather exaggerating but it was how I felt in his arms. It was like no one could ever get you.

  “Who’s he? Is he the pet-murderer?”

  “Probably.” Len nodded. “We have already called the cops.”

  That was weird because when I looked around, there was no cops or anybody. My attacker had also evaporated without a sign. If they had really informed the police, by any time, they should have arrived and Winnie would be taking me into her arms.

  “Len, tell me the truth.” I glanced at him desperately. “What happened?”

  Len wasn’t the usual kind to tell lies so immediately he unraveled everything.

  “We’ve taken care of him.”

  “Huh?”

  Did they…kill the pet-murderer?

  “No,” George said. “We didn’t kill him.”

  “I just thought you wouldn’t want to call the cops and worry your parents, so George will manage it later.” Len grinned. “Are you sure you have no broken bones and…”

  Under the bright moonlight, Len’s eyes were twinkling like the stars above. For a second, I thought they were shining
red, like two bloody diamonds.

  “What are you looking at?” Len leaned forward and his eyes returned to blue.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head.

  Nothing…

  “I’ll take you home.” Len took my wrist and my bag.

  “I can…”

  Len shushed me before I could say anything.

  “You must have had enough frights tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t walk you home. If only I had, you wouldn’t have been attacked.”

  Winnie was at the doorway waiting for me and this was by no doubt a bad sign. I had already prepared for the worst.

  However, it turned out the other way round. Winnie ran to me with her face flushed with worries and mother-love.

  “Oh, Alice, did you hurt yourself? We can go to clinic, you know.”

  “What?” I frowned, thunderstruck.

  How did she know…?

  “Len?”

  Len nodded at me. “I called her and said you fainted in the street. You are working too hard these days.”

  “If it wasn’t for Len, it would have been a disaster.” Winnie turned to Len. “Thank you so much for saving my daughter. Do you and your guard want to come in? I’ve just cooked the dinner.”

  “It’s very kind of you but I think we had better be going.” Len rejected politely.

  “But…that would be…”

  Len exchanged looks with George, who just nodded.

  “Well, maybe I’ll take a seat for a few minutes but George will be going.”

  Winnie’s face brightened up and together we entered the house. I still had not an idea why Len had to call Winnie and lie. And more importantly, what did he mean when he said George could handle it? What did they do to the attacker? I was beginning to feel chills. Somehow, with Len next to me, I felt insecure. HE WAS INSECURE TO ME.

  Len threw himself onto the coach comfortably and I just stood there.

  “What’s wrong, Alice?”

  “You know what is wrong.” I stated. He knew what I was thinking. He always did. So why was he still asking?

  “Alice, I never mean any harm to you.” Len sat back. “You have to trust me.”

  “It’s not a matter of trust. It’s a matter of truth. You are covering many things from me. I seem…”

  I couldn’t go on because Winnie had returned from the kitchen holding a plate of tea.

  “Len doesn’t drink tea.”

  I said and Winnie stopped.

  “Alice, you’re so funny.” Len took a cup of tea and drank it. “It’s sweet, Winnie.”

  “Alice, you must be fed up.” Winnie advised. “Why don’t you take a shower and go to bed?”

  “I still have some unfinished business.”

  “Don’t dare do the homework. You are already working too hard!”

  “I am not working too hard!” I yelled and immediately I regretted it.

  “I’m sorry, Winnie, but I have something to discuss with Len.” I grabbed Len by his tie and dragged him upstairs.

  “Wait up.” Len was falling behind. He was pushing my hand away. I let go in the end.

  “What?”

  “Where…is…the washroom?” Len stuttered. His face had turned pale. And I meant PALE WHITE. He was breathing hard, puffing. He looked as though he would collapse.

  “Len, are you alright?”

  That was a moron’s question. Clear enough, he was in soreness.

  “Toilet…”

  I led him to the washroom and he shut the door behind him. Even outside, I could hear him throw up and whimper. My heart was racing so fast. I didn’t mean to be vulgar. I was just seeking for some truth.

  Why would he vomit anyway? Was it the tea?

  “Len, are you okay?”

  I knocked on the door and it swung open. Len was wiping his mouth with tissues.

  “Yes, perfectly fine.”

  I studied his look. He had turned back to normal again, his face with some colors and spirits.

  “I can’t stand green tea.”

  That was nonsense. As far as I knew, he could not stand anything. Any food. Any desserts. Any drinks.

  I stayed back and an instantaneous terror stroked me.

  “Who are you?” I interrogated. “No…what are you?”

  “Alice?” He tried to take my hands but I smacked him.

  I smacked Len.

  Hard.

  He placed his hand on his burning cheek, startled. “Why would you do that, Alice?”

  He sounded hurt.

  “I…” Tears trickled down my face. I didn’t know why either. Why did I slap him? He was at no fault. He saved me and had always been there for me when I was down. Yet, I hit him.

  “Alice, you want to know the truth, don’t you?” Len said calmly, brushing the hair from my face.

  I turned away because I didn’t want him to see me weep. It felt awkward.

  Without my permission, he pulled me into his arms, embraced me and comforted me as if I was a child.

  “I promised to tell you anything except my family and my home.” Len muttered. “So, ask…”

  “It doesn’t matter now.”

  I was in no mood to ask anything. I didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere. As long as Len was there for me, it was enough. There was no reason for me to dig out everything about him. Even two lovers could have their own secrets. That is called privacy.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Maybe later.” I said and withdrew from his hug.

  “Okay.” Len said. “Do you need help in homework?” “Er…”

  I had got piles of homework waiting for me. I was still in difficulties combating with that.

  “Don’t you have your own homework to deal with?” I asked.

  “Oh, I finished it.”

  I admitted I felt a bit envious, but that was not surprising, for Len always behaved inhumanly. If he could read a book within two seconds, he could have completed a piece of worksheet within 0.5 second.

  “No, I finish one in 0.1 second.”

  That really drove me crazy.

  I swore to him he could break all the genuine records but he said he didn’t bother to try something so silly. He did have a temper.

  “Ha, you get lost in that question, right?” He was pointing at my homework book.

  “Yes, just teach me and stop teasing me.”

  He did as told. With his help, I completed what would have taken me a day within thirty minutes.

  “You’re brilliant, Len.”

  “Am I?” He was so self-righteous.

  “No, I change my mind. You are stupid, Len.”

  Len laughed. “Just so you know, I’ll be in your services anytime.”

  “The project’s coming up, who are you going to group with?”

  That was a ridiculous question. We only had each other as company so the answer was pretty obvious. “You.” Len answered. He had stretched the word “you” so that it sounded like I was significant to him.

  Winnie entered the room without warning. It was a luck she didn’t see us kiss because we almost did.

  “Well, I guess I’ll be going.” Len stood up. “Thank you so much for letting me in.”

  People didn’t normally say that, did they? It was as if he was a bad person and we let him enter our house.

  “So fast?” Winnie asked. “I have just prepared the fruits.”

  Len smiled bitterly. “I think I really have to go.”

  “Yes, Winnie, let him go.” I showed him the way down.

  “Call my name if you need me.”

  It was quite hilarious.

  “Are you a superhero or what? How can I call your name and you’re here?”

  “Spiritual comfort. Don’t you realize that?”

  I crossed my arms. Every now and then I did that whenever I felt Len was speaking bunk. “Never heard of it.”

  “It works, really.”

  Soon, Len faded in the dark, his voice still echoing around my ears.

  Wh
en I was back to my room, the windows were wide open. The wind was trespassing cruelly and sent all my worksheets flying. I locked the windows and drew the curtains quickly.

  Soon, I discovered the red paints on my desk. No, they weren’t paints, more like blood. Nauseating smell was overflowing the room. I stared at the words written.

  STAY AWAY FROM Him

  Sixth sense

  The Fellows

  Len didn’t come back to school for a week.

  He went missing without any symptoms. It was just as unanticipated as his usual behavior. I had been trying to contact him but no matter how many times I called him, the reply was air. I was getting so impatient that for once I thought my mind would explode. I could never forget what occurred that night. The red paints kept whirling in my head and without Len, the riddle would never be solved.

  I presumed there were three things I had to learn about. The first mystery was to define the person who wrote that sentence. The second question was the invader’s intention and his or her relation with Len. And the third one was- how exactly did he or her get into my room? Seriously, my room was located at the second floor of a three-story blue house and that person had only two possible paths to get up there, one of which was the ladder and the other one was through climbing up a tree. As far as I knew, there were no ladders in my garage and there were no trees next to my room but one in the middle of the garden. That would indicate the person flew to reach my room. It sounded rather infeasible to a sensible person like me. Or…there was another possibility. Was Len the one who left the note?

  No, I was sure he wouldn’t do that. I would have seen him write it before he left. So, what could be going on?

  On the other hand, I was struggling to tackle another thing- the disappearance of Len. One day he was there and the next he just vanished out of nowhere. Where did he go? I was not a patient person and if he thought this was a funny game, I swore I would never forgive him this time. While I was confronting all kinds of worries (which were mostly because of him), he was not even by my side. If he had asserted he was my friend, there was no way I could accept it.

  Len’s absence stirred up quite a lot of problems in school. People, especially his fans, began throwing various questions at me and my answers were always dissatisfactory. I was downhearted, totally. I wanted to denote that even I did not fully understand Len’s attitudes and behaviors or maybe our friendship was not even real. He might have got transferred to another new school and met some new friends or he might be on a vacation. At least, if only he had called, I wouldn’t have been so sad and all.

  “Alice, what have you done to Len? Did you scare him away?” Tom asked ironically.

  I was in an awful mood, not bothering to answer him. If he wanted to make fun of me, he had better seek another more appropriate time.

  “Why are you keeping silent? I was right then!” Tom began to sing. “Alice scares Len away ~ Alice scares away Len~”

  There were always boundaries to everything and at this moment, I would say Tom had already crossed the line. MY LINE.

  I picked up a book and tossed it at him violently. It hit his head straightly.

  “OocH!” He cried in pain.

  Everyone in the class was witnessing the uproar and some were already giggling.

  “You don’t have to be that harsh, Alice!” Tom complained. “I was just kidding!”

  “Oh yeah?” I went up to him and he took a step backward, fearing me. I grabbed back my book. “I don’t think it’s a good one.”

  “Why are you so angry?” Kristy stepped in. “Len will come back, won’t he?”

  There, how should I answer that? I didn’t have a single trace of Len and I was quite pessimistic these days. I even considered the worst- Len never coming back.

  “I don’t know.” I said plainly and returned to my lonesome seat. Nobody really communicated with me afterwards. I could see sometimes some might try to approach me but my unfriendly look always kept them at least one meter away from me.

  I was used to that anyway. I had always been a weirdo in the class. Girls found me annoying because of my being too outspoken. They detested me for telling the truth too honestly, normally about comments on their appearances and clothing. Still, I did not want to tell lies. There was no good in saying all those sweet words just to gain a sense of recognition or to fit in. Even if I was in the crowd, I wouldn’t be happy that way. For boys, I was like some scary superwoman. They knew how wild and crazy I could get once they offended me. Plus, some were already the victims of turned down relationships so it was somewhat awkward for us to be any close friends.

  I admitted I could be weird at times and I didn’t mind people looking down on me because I knew, there had to be someone, perhaps on the other side of planet, just the same as me. And when I thought I had found one, he drifted away.

  The clock was chiming shrilly as I walked in the corridor. The bag felt extra heavy today. It was like my burden had somehow added to its weight. Children of lower grades were playing on the ground floor and I must say I envied them. I could remember when I was their age; I still had Ann and Jenny by my side but now, no one. If I had agreed to alter my personality a bit, my current situation should have been different.

  I was just out of the school gate when I discovered I had forgotten my Mathematics textbook. I had no choice but to rush back to the classroom. It was a long way there.

  How unlucky. I was thinking.

  I tried the knob, hoping it would turn for normally the classroom was locked after school. The door swung open and I smiled.

  I got the book out of my drawer and put it into my bag.

  BANG! Suddenly, the door closed in front of me. Overwhelmed, I turned the knob but it wouldn’t open!

  “Hey!” I started clapping on the door barking. “Open it! Someone, open the door!”

  It turned out to be one of Edmond’s pranks. His face emerged on the other side of the glass window with a cunning grin. Accompanying him was two of his “dogs”.

  “Edmond, what are you doing?” I asked.

  “Just passing by. What a coincidence, Alice.” Edmond grinned, waving a bundle of keys in the air.

  “Stop it, open the door.” I demanded.

  “No.” He shook his head.

  “What’s the matter with you?”

  “What’s the matter with me?” Edmond sneered. “This is funny, Alice. Let’s play hide and seek.”

  “Stop it, Edmond!” This was my last warning. This was far beyond a joke.

  “Did you see how insulted I was the other day? I am so glad Len is absent. Maybe he doesn’t even have the guts to come back.”

  “If it is about fighting with you, I think it’s a piece of cake for him.” I said truly. “He doesn’t even have to hide from you, Edmond. You should be mortified.”

  “Right, Alice.” Edmond moved away from the glass and his two friends chuckled. “I really should.”

  “Wait, Edmond.” I leaned forward, tapping the glass.

  They were laughing by now, seeing how frightened my face was.

  “Where’s your Len? Why isn’t he here to save you?” Edmond teased, straying further and further from the door.

  They were intending to leave and trap me in the room!

  “Edmond!” I shrieked.

  “What?”

  “Please!” I begged. I was not fond of it but I had to.

  “Alice, don’t be afraid, Len will come to save you for sure.” Edmond shook his head and turned away.

  “NO!” I screamed, hitting on the glass harder and harder. “Please, come back, Edmond!”

  Their figures faded at the end of the corridor. I could see them laughing proudly to themselves. There was no way for me to escape now and I had a feeling Len would not be here to free me.

  I took a deep breath and sat down.

  “Jerk.” I accused. I cursed Edmond again and again, imagining the scene when he stepped on a banana and stumbled like a ball.

 
; The room was vacant and silent like hell. It was useless to sit and wait so I took out some of my homework and started doing it.

  About five minutes after I started my homework, I could hear footsteps coming. I stood up abruptly and headed to the door. Before I could scream for help, I saw Edmond with his two fellows coming to a stop in front of the door, their face twisted and drained with horror.

  “Quick!” Edmond ordered and his buddy slipped the keys into his hands. He inserted one key into the keyhole and turned the knob robustly. The door opened.

  “Um…” I frowned at what had just happened. Why did they come back? They couldn’t have changed their mind, could they?

  “You…” Edmond was in sheer terror. He had tripped backwards and fell onto the ground, his eyes wide open.

  “You are crazy!” One of his friends howled and pointed at me.

  Just when I was wondering what was going on, I saw, apart from them, someone was there.

  Three juveniles were standing, arms crossed, and staring at Edmond’s gang.

  Edmond quickly got up and together the three fled like poor animals under hunt.

  “You and your friends are crazy!”

  I heard him roar.

  I inspected curiously at the three strangers, who did not look scary at all.

  There were two boys and one girl. Good heavens, they were not any ordinary people but someone as gorgeous as Len. No, even more glamorous. One boy had gothic black hair and huge grey eyes. He was perfectly lean, taller than the other two. His pale white face seemed to shine under the light. The other boy had his fair hair gelled in tidy spikes, his face more round. He looked like some hot rock star on the stage, wearing several stuns, just like Len. The girl’s beauty was hard to describe. She had this shoulder-length brown hair and her eyes were yellow- GOLDEN yellow. She had a straight nose and a little mouth with pinky lips which contrasted strongly with her white cheeks. She had her hair departed on one side and fringe held with clips. Her large dangling earrings swung below her ears.

  I stared at them, amazed.

  “Are you alright, Alice?” The black-haired boy asked.

  I leaned backwards a bit. I did not recognize them at all and yet they knew my name.

  “Who are you?”

  The boy smiled. “Oh, we must have frightened you. Sorry, Alice. I’m Jim and these are my mates, Roy and Bess.”

  I raised my brows. “Do I know you?”

  “I guess not.” Bess said.

  “And…may I know what’s happening right now?”

  “Well, we have just threatened those morons to open the door for you.” Roy explained.

  I examined them again. They were dressing casually like someone from the street. They were not even wearing proper clothing, to be honest. Roy had a checked vast, a T-shirt painted with “ROCK!” and a pair of baggy trousers on. Jim was wearing a jacket and blue pants while Bess was dressed with a single flowered piece.

  “Where do you guys come from?” I questioned. “How do you know my name? Why are you…”

  “Alice, you have quite a lot of questions, don’t you?” Jim grinned. “Len has told us about your inquisitiveness.”

  “Len!” I exclaimed. “Do you know where Len is?”

  “Yes…umm… no.” Roy stuttered. “I mean, he’s sent us to meet you.”

  “What?”

  “Len’s quite hectic lately.” Bess said. “He thinks you’ll need help without him.”

  “So, you are Len’s friends?”

  “Yes.” Jim nodded.

  “I never heard he has friends!”

  It was true. Len never revealed he had companions outside school. He only told me about George and nothing more.

  “He does.” Bess smiled. “Maybe we are not his best mates but we are glad you are okay. Those guys are really mean, aren’t they?”

  “Never mind them.” I did not care much about Edmond and his friends, but rather how these people had made them scared that way.

  “Alice, why don’t you save your questions now and let us leave this place first.” Jim seemed to read my thought and suggested.

  Therefore, we left the school.

  “So, where’s Len?” I asked, with Bess on my left side and Jim and Roy on my right side.

  “He’s busy.” Bess said.

  “You’re not answering my question.”

  “Alice, we can’t tell either.” Jim confessed.

  “Why did he send you to me?”

  “To protect you.” Roy blurted out.

  “Huh?” I looked at him doubtfully.

  “He means to hang around with you.” Bess corrected.

  “I don’t need anyone to hang around with me.”

  “You’re really cute, Alice.” Jim tittered. “I can see why Len likes you.”

  “Len always likes girls with a temper.” Roy added.

  “Excuse me?” I felt mocked, in fact. I didn’t see why a tempered girl was cute and more importantly, what were they trying to say?

  “You see, we can be very good friends.” Bess said enthusiastically. “If only you accept us.”

  “I have no problems with that.” I muttered.

  “Great!” Bess put her arm around my shoulder. “Alice, do you like schools?”

  “Um…average.”

  “I hate schools.” Roy groused. “They are pretty much a waste of time.”

  “People aren’t like you, Roy.” Jim reminded. “They don’t have knowledge to every single thing and finish all the work that fast.”

  “What do you mean by that?” I began to feel interested. “Do you also finish a worksheet within 0.1 second?”

  “Yes, why not?”

  They were looking at me as if I was a freak. I hushed and thought deep. So, was I the only one who had problems? No, certainly not. Everyone in the class could not possess that extraordinary learning ability except Len. That would mean it was only Len’s and his friends’ abnormalities.

  “Oops.” Roy shut his mouth. “That doesn’t always happen though.”

  He seemed as though he had said the wrong thing previously.

  “Yes, it depends on our conditions.” Jim nodded. “Do you know when you get enough sleep; you study more efficiently and effectively?”

  “I see.” I knew deep down they were just trying to make me feel better because they might think they had lowered my self-esteem boasting about their inhuman abilities. The truth was I had got accustomed to that, not long after I met Len.

  “When’s Len coming back?”

  I reckoned if they did not want to inform me what Len was handling, they could at least give me a time when Len would be back. I longed for him so badly. I yearned to see him. To see his face and his smile.

  “Soon.” Bess assured. “Very soon.”

  “He can’t wait to see you, too.” Jim said. “But you have to understand. He has a complicated family and his parents actually have high expectations from him. From time to time, he has to engage in business.”

  “Do Len’s parents own a company?”

  “Yes, a worldwide one.”

  “Doesn’t he have to study too?”

  The moment I said it, I took it back. Len could perform distinguishably without studies. It was not a big deal for him to skip class.

  “Why has Len never told me about his family?” I murmured.

  “He has his reasons in doing everything. Perhaps he doesn’t want to let others know how his family pattern is like. That’s all.” Bess said.

  “So, he’s rich after all.” I thought. “That’s why he can afford a butler.”

  “Can you tell me how you menaced Edmond and his friends?”

  “Oh, that coward is easy to handle.” Jim sniggered and whispered to me. “He has no guts at all.”

  I doubted. Edmond wasn’t really the kind to get scared easily. Last Halloween, he broke the school records in entering 20 haunted houses consecutively without screams. Once, I even believed there was nothing which could possibly make him
shiver.

  The three new friends walked me home in spite of my objection. Somehow, I felt they took different paths from mine.

  “We have the responsibility to stay beside you.” Jim pointed out.

  “This is the task Len’s confided us.” Roy said, grinning.

  “Really, Alice, we have no problems at all.” Bess reassured. “We want you to be happy because we are friends. And when you are happy, Len is also happy.”

  “Um…” I found nothing to say.

  I just waved at them.

  “See you tomorrow.” Jim said keenly.

  We would meet again? I thought they also had their own schools to attend.