Ara's P.O.V:

Breathe in.

Hold.

Breathe out.

I repeated the motion for several and make use of the school water supply to cool myself down. My reflection in the mirror was an indication that I am fuming mad, especially with the flashback that came rolling into my mind. When Jervis pulled me into his lap, I could feel my heartbeat quickened with pure anger radiating through me. He even my hair as if I am a pet. He sure is an infuriating man. I could always anticipate something that someone would do. But him? He always caught me off guard.

A real solid proof: He tried to molest my .

To make things worse, he is currently in my class who happened to seat neighbour and partner. I guessed today, the lucky god is not on my side. What ticked me off the most was the fact that he tried his best to annoy the hell out of me. He literally did everything he could to get my attention.

Even though I successfully ignored his tactic since I am more concerned with the conversation between white hair and Rose. Then again, Jervis' mouth is like a black hole who can never close on its own. He would continue to blabber on and on about himself that I'm not even interested in! I thought it will be over once he kept quiet but man, I was wrong. He threw his stationaries at me. Any object that should be tugged inside the pencil box suddenly found its way towards my body. Once he ran out of things to throw, he would poke my arm.

All these actions made me concluded that Jervis, is a tenacious man who used his persistence in a wrong way.

Why did he insist on demanding for my undivided attention is beyond me.

I know I am not attractive or y. And I surely do not have the best personality in the world. For whatever twisted philosophy that he thinks I belong to him, he better shove it up into his because I will not let him have his way. He apologised for his behaviour, but who knows what he will do in the future! If he attempts to harass me again, I guarantee that he would never have the privilege to celebrate father's day.

Making sure I am calm, I harshly shoved the black glasses into my face and adjusted it a little to ensure that I still look like a nerd. After I am satisfied with the way I look, I left the toilet. I made an effort to make an abrupt stop for every ten seconds while I walk back to class.

"Ara, what club do you want to join?" Rose turned around with a brochure dangling in front of me as her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I am fine with anything. You can choose."

"Track and field?" She asked with a hopeful tone.

"Anything but that." I threw her a stern look for bringing that up.

"Come on, light bulb. You're not her mother. She can join anything she wants!" White hair defended.

"Watch your tone, Zach." Jervis glared, and I rolled my eyes.

"How about choir?" Rose beamed, and I could see her dreamy eyes popping out from her face. That joyful aura is something I will never want to take it away from her. Never again.

"Choir it is then."

"The audition is held tomorrow at 2 pm. Straight away after school!" Rose disclosed, and my brows scrunched up as I groaned inwardly.

. I do not have enough time to practice!

"What's the matter? Are you worried about the audition as singing is not your forte?" Rose inquired with concern laced in her voice.

I nod my head meekly, "Mhmm."

"You can practice with me, and I will give you some tips!" Jervis offered, and I scoffed back in a heartbeat.

"How about you start practising to keep your mouth shut? I will be pleased."

"Well, I can definitely put my mouth to good use. Preferably somewhere in between your thighs." He wiggled his eyebrows.

With that, I took my 1.5-litre water bottle and hit his private part. Hard.

"What was that for?!" He clutched onto his groin and growled.

"You know why" I said with a blank face while he cursed under his breath.

"You're lucky that you are my m-" He quickly covered his mouth, stopping himself from saying anything further.

"Uh huh?" I prompted.

"Nothing." He smiled awkwardly.

As if on cue, the school bell rang which brought pleasure to my ears. Before Jervis can utter any words, I sprang up from my seat, grabbed Rose and rushed out in a split moment.

"Miss Neo and Miss Smith, I have not dismissed the class yet." Mrs i-don't-know-who stopped us.

"Too bad for you since it is none of my business." I retorted without glancing at her and marched out of hell.

Once the coast is clear, I tightened the strap of my bag and said "I will send you back to the apartment first. I need to go for a job interview later."

She nodded her head in response as she clung onto my arm while we went back to the apartment. I took a quick shower to freshen myself and changed into a new set of outfit: maroon hoodie paired with leggings.

"Ara! Let's sing When I'm Gone by Anna Kendrick. I will bring the cups for tomorrow." Rose notified, "You're going to an interview right? I will practice the first verse on my own, and you can take the second verse since it is easier."

"I know you dislike singing but please, do not screw it up alright? If you cannot sing in tune, then at least make sure that you hit the cups in a right beat and tempo. Or you can look at me, I can cue you in." Rose instructed, and I listened to her in silence.

That is probably the least of my concern right now. I have no idea how am I supposed to pull it off without her suspecting.

"Ara? Ara Lee! Are you listening to me?" She screamed, and I quickly regained my composure.

"Yes, I heard you. Do not worry, I will not mess up the audition."

"Okay. I shall start practising now."

I bid my farewell to Rose and took the public transport to the destination. The restaurant has five levels with a classic theme of antiqueness. I pushed the door open and instantaneously got greeted by a man in his late fifties.

"Welcome to the Gillfield restaurant. How may I help you, young lady?" He said in a polite tone.

"Job interview."

"I'm sorry, but we are not hiring anyone." He frowned.

"I received a call which stated that there is a job opening here and I could drop by for an interview," I explained.

"What's your name, young lady?" He asked.

"Ara."

"I mean, Arianna Neo." I wet my lips and replied.

As if on cue, the old man eyes widened in recognition. He swallowed his saliva and said "Oh, of course! Please follow me, Luna."

Luna??? This is the second time I heard someone calling me that name. I made a mental note to interrogate Fabio later.

The old man brought me into a conference room and poured a glass of water for me. I noticed his hands were shaking vigorously while setting the glass on the table.

Do I have the 'hey-i-am-a-' stamped on my forehead?

"The manager will arrive shortly. Please wait here and call me if you need anything." He spoke in a rush and bowed his head down, waiting for my reply.

I thanked him, and he left the room without looking back at all.

Weird, I thought to myself.

After waiting for five minutes, I grew bored and decided to practice for the choir audition. I scratched my chin, thinking of the ways to ensure that I get only a passable grade.

Ugh, whatever. I shall run through it one time first. I googled for the song and scanned through the lyrics. As I zoomed the phone screen, I used the other hand to take the cup and gobbled down its content. Taking a deep breath, I hit the tempo with the empty cup and gave it a shot.

I got my ticket for the long way round
Two bottles of whisky for the way
And I sure would like some sweet company
And I'm leaving tomorrow
what you say

When I'm gone...
When I'm gone.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
You're gonna miss me by my hair
You're gonna miss me everywhere
Oh, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

Before I could finish my last sentence, someone cut me off through his/her applause which caused me to spun around.

My eyes widened in recognition as he stood there, with a broad smile "You have a beautiful voice."

I gasped at the man in front of me. "What are you doing here?!"

.

He heard me sing.

. My. Life.

"This is my family business." He raised his hands up in surrender.

No wonder I find the name so familiar. His surname is Gillfield. Family business or not, it cannot be a coincidence. Without sparing him a second glance, I ignored him and left the conference room.

"Where are you going?" As expected, he tagged along.

I continued to march down the hallway and ignored his questions.

"Why are you leaving? I thought you came here for an interview." He asked, again.

I disregard his existence and let my eyes roamed around, trying to find an exit sign.

All of a sudden, he grabbed my arm and slammed me against the wall, with both of his arm trapping me. Instinctively, I moved my head further away from him, but it was useless. He closed the gap between us as he leant his head down and our forehead collided.

"I asked you a question." He growled lowly, and I could feel his hot breath tickling my neck.

I held my breath as his eyes bore into mine.

"Answer me." He demanded.

"I changed my mind, " I pretended to be calm, even though every single of my nerves is yelling at me to get out from this awkward position.

"Do not leave me hanging again. Am I clear?" Jervis commanded.

Under such circumstances, I did not show my defiance. Instead, I nod my head to show my consent. He is on the upper hand, and I will not do anything to trigger him.

Feeling satisfied with my response, he let me go, and I did not waste any more time. I used my elbow and hit his neck with full force. That caught Jervis by surprise as he choked on his saliva, with his face turning into shades of red.

"I am not dumb. You tricked me into this." I said, with my voice going an octave higher.

"What do you mean?" He said and smiled sheepishly.

"The old man stated that there isn't a job opening yet I got an interview in this which happened to be your family business?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Well, there must be some mistake in the management then. I am confident that we need you to work for us." Jervis his lips, looking nervous.

"Oh, really? How do you explain the incident at school then? First, the swap in classes. Then, the seating arrangement and project partner! Heck, even your locker is right next to mine?" I snorted.

"Everything is a coincidence."

"No. It isn't. You made it happen." I retaliated.

"How can you be so sure?" Jervis took a step backwards as he fidgeted. Sweat formed at the side of his forehead.

I guess someone is not a great liar.

"You your lips and shove your hands to the back of your pocket. Those are signs of you, lying to me."

Suddenly, his eyes sparkled in delight "You observed my body language?"

"Is that all you can think about?" I raised an eyebrow at his replies.

"So, you do notice me." He beamed. For a moment I could say he looked adorable. Only a second.

"Look. I do not know what your motives are or what you want with me. In fact, you are not aware of the things that I am capable of. So, do yourself a favour and leave me the hell alone." I shoved him towards the brick wall and marched off, not bothering if I hurt him.

Even if I did, he kind of deserves it.

"Arianna Neo, do not walk away from me! I am not done talking with you." I rolled my eyes. Oh yeah, like I will stay put because you asked me. Without further ado, I sprinted out as fast as I could.

While I was running along the lane, I felt a burning sensation at the back of my throat. It got worse when I increased my speed as my stomach twisted in agony. Leaving with no other choice, I made a quick turn to the alley and threw up all the contents I had for lunch. My face collided with the stained ground as I was too tired to move. Not physically but mentally.

I have no idea how am I supposed to keep up with this. With all the dramatic events happened in my life, I always eat to accommodate my emotions. Not that it makes me feel better, more of feeling numb. Whenever I eat, I tend to forget most of the things that have been hogging down inside my mind.

After most meals, I will vomit out the food because I am ashamed of myself for eating too much. At first, I thought it was normal. I figured it is completely okay to have such symptoms.

It was only after I started the habit of reading, I came across enough reference books to know that such behaviour is characterised as a form of eating disorder. Despite that, my condition gets worse each day. I have never told anyone about this, not even Fabio or Rose. I am afraid that if they know the real me, they will leave me. Like everyone else. With another heavy sigh, I picked myself up and strolled out of the alley with shaky legs. Ignoring the burning sensation in my stomach, I continued the journey of the job hunt.

***********

"Ara! Finally, you are back!" Rose looked excited to see me. As if a child waiting for her long lost mother to return.

"What's the matter?" I asked, smiling a little.

"How was the job interview?" She questioned.

.

"Great. I managed to get a bartender job at one of the nightclubs nearby." I replied without thinking.

"I thought you hated clubs? You only went to a club once and said you hated it. Your sister is the one who lo-" Realising what she just said, she covered . Rose looked at me in pity, and I cannot help but feel irritated with it.

"I am sorry, Ara. I did not mean to bring that up." She pressed the tip of her nose and sighed.

"It's okay." I bite my lips, refrain myself from spilling out the truth.

"I did not mean to upset you. I know I should never speak about that incident again. It just slipped out of my mouth." She hiccups. The way her eyes are swelling tells me that she is on the verge of crying.

No, Ara. She does not need to know about this. Not after what I have put her through.

"It's alright. You lost someone you cared about, too."

"But... that is different from you losing your biological twin sister! Your family!" Rose bawled. All her tears came flowing down like a tap water that cannot be closed. Without further ado, I held her in my arms and her back gently. I kept quiet the entire time while she fell asleep in my arms as I carried her back into the bed.

That night, I could not sleep. At all.

I decided to make myself busy by figuring out the growling issue. The people in this town has pretty abnormal behaviour. I might not be aware of their background, but I know enough to conclude that: they are hiding something. Just like Fabio.

The several instances that I encountered here are similar to what I have experienced with Fabio. Recently, he has been acting strangely. He got worked up easily, and he eats like an animal. There was even one time where I saw him lifted a car with one arm.

At first, I thought he was on steroids, or he was going through his puberty. When he invited me over to his house, I came across this book that I believe can give me all the answers I seek for. Before I could finish reading, Fabio barged right in and snatched it away. He told me that the book was off limits.

Scrolling through my contacts, I dialled for Fabio's number.

"Bonjour!" Fabio chirped.

"Regarding the question..." I started

"What question?" He feigns innocence.

"I am completely cool with you not answering my question. Just FedEx me the supernatural book that I saw at your house."

"Why will you need that? I told you those are fairy tales used to pacify the children's imagination." He responded.

"Is it? Then why did you overreact?"

"Drop it, honey. The lesser you know, the better." Fabio's tone changed, to several octaves lower.

"See. You are doing that thing again. I do not think it is even humanly possible to have such a deep voice."

"Funny how you keep persisting for answers you already know." He laughed, and I could picture him smirking. As much as the voice sounded like him, I know whoever speaking now is not Fabio.

"Who are you? Are you possessing his soul?"

"I guess you have another enquiry added to your 'things to solve' list, Miss Detective." He said, sounding amused.

"Leave him alone, or I swear to god, I will come over to France and deal with you myself." I threatened. As much as this new found information scares me, I will not let my fear gets in the way. Whatever the hell that thing is, I remind myself that I need to help Fabio get out of it. So, I have no time for such emotions to affect me.

"See, the thing is, I am a part of him."

"What do you mean by that?" I frowned.

"I do not wish to lie. Drop it, please." Fabio's normal voice came back, but something was off. It sounded like he is controlling himself and that got me to ponder, why will he do that?

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Nothing. Don't worry about me."

"Is there a demonic Satan living inside you?"

"What? No, A. I do not want to talk about it, but I am not possessed, okay?" He assured.

"Then tell me, please. I need to know."

"You're my best friend. No matter what happened, we will figure it out together."

"Why are you so hell bent on wanting the truth huh?" He raised his voice.

"There are times I do wish you are a dumb , so I do not have to be so wary of everything. I do not have to think before I speak or weigh my actions before I execute it!"

"I cannot afford to lose another person I cared dearly about. Not again." I said while my lips are trembling.

"You of all people should understand that." I hung up the call, beyond frustrated that I still did not get my answers.

Less than five minutes, Fabio tried texting and calling me while I ignore him. I get that I am at fault for pushing it too far. Everyone has their fair share of secrets. I do respect that. But I know him. He is feeling miserable and unhappy. I have no idea how could I make him feel better when I am not sure with the cause of it.

My phone rings for the umpteenth times and I grew tired of it. I huffed out a sigh as I switched off my phone. 

Realising I can no longer have a peaceful rest, I watched the reruns of The 100 till morning arrives.