When Aaron went to bed that night, he was still in deep thoughts. All the time on the summer camp, he had tried to avoid the thoughts, but now they just filled his brain totally.
Why was Gui Gui and Sam acting like this towards each other? They both used to be open and friendly to everyone, but suddenly they talked in a cold tone and each tried to get his support.
When he couldn’t sleep no matter what, he began to read a book, “Never Ending Story”. How he’d wish that there really existed a story that never ended, and that could drag him in so he could escape and become a whole different person. A person who wasn’t a murderer.

Gui Gui didn’t came by the next few days. Samia kept trying to make Aaron more chat able, and Aaron continued to turn his thoughts loose. When Samia had been there for a week, she sat down next to Aaron with a serious look in her eyes.
“Aaron, we need to talk.”
Aaron looked up from his book and closed it when he saw her expression.
“Yes?” he said.
“I want to know why you’ve changed so much. Don’t you like me anymore? Or do you like that Gui Gui-girl better? Why can’t we be just as we used to?” she said.
“That was many questions…” Aaron said hesitating.
“Don’t try to avoid them!”
“I will not. But I will answer them in my own order.”
Samia took a deep breath. Aaron looked at the floor.
“I still like you, but not in that way. That is also why we can’t be just as we used to. But you will forever be one of my best friends,” Aaron said. Samia looked a bit downhearted, but then looked up and smiled. Not bright, but a I-am-strong-enough-to-accept-that smile. Aaron continued.
“I… can’t say if I like Gui Gui better, because I don’t feel I have the right too.” It had been hidden for too long. He had to let it out.
“Which leads to your first question. Why I’ve changed so much.”
Samia frowned, and then said:
“Does it have something to do with Gui Gui?”
“First I want to know if you’re mad at me.”
“Not the least. I could never be mad at you. If this is your choice, I won’t force you, that will only be bad for both of us.”
Aaron was relieved that she had accepted it. That was the good thing about Sam. She was lighthearted, and didn’t bear grudge.
“Then you must promise not to tell anyone, especially not Gui Gui or Jiro. I tell you this, because you are the only one I can trust, who wouldn’t take distance from me afterwards,” Aaron said.
“Of course. I swear,” Samia said serious.
“I need to let it out; it has gnawed my soul up from the inside.”
Samia wondered what could be so bad. She kept silent, and waited for him to go on.
“In the start of March, I asked two boys on my old school of I could join the basketball team. They would only let me in, if I did something in return. They asked be to drive a girl from our school into a ditch on her way home, so they could take her money,” Aaron told. Samia frowned again.
“That girl… was named Emma. Or Wu Ying Fen. I accepted the job, as I thought she would just be able to drive home afterwards, and we would not be discovered. The last thing was true. The first turned out not to be true.”
Samia started to put two and two together. Wasn’t Gui Gui’s real name Wu Ying Jie? It sounded similar to Wu Ying Fen.
Aaron started to rummage in on of his drawers. He took out a newspaper cutting that he had hidden. He gave it to Sam, as he sat down again.
Samia took the paper cutting and red it. She suddenly understood everything.
“You…” She looked at Aaron, half frightened, half surprised.
“Yes. But it wasn’t on purpose, I only found out the next day. I really didn’t mean to…” Aaron couldn’t hold back his tears anymore, and hided his head in his arms. Samia laid a hand on his back.
“You blame yourself?” she asked.
“If it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t have… wouldn’t have…” Aaron couldn’t say more.
Samia tried to calm him down.
“It was an accident. I can’t believe you haven’t told anyone before. It must feel terrible,” she said. “But now that you’ve let it out, it should feel better.”
Aaron tried to say something again.
“She was Gui Gui’s sister. Twin.”
Samia suddenly realized why Gui Gui had such a big importance. Just her luck that her uncle was psychologist, and couldn’t blabber about anything else on family meetings.
“But if you want let yourself be with her… What do you want then?” she asked.
“I want… I want her to be happy, now that I’ve caused her so much pain. And because she deserves it.”
“But you won’t let yourself be happy. That was obvious, when you said you wouldn’t allow yourself to like her,” Samia said.
Aaron looked surprised at her. Samia continued.
“Then tell me. Do you only like her because you feel guilt, or do you truly like her?”
“I try not to like her because of my guilt, but I can’t help it.”
“It’s obvious then,” Samia said, and stopped talking. Aaron wiped off his tears and took a deep breath to calm down. It actually felt better to let it out.
“I know it is no use to tell you, but this wasn’t your fault. You were forced to do it, and then an accident happened. You can’t blame yourself,” Samia said.
“Sam, I do blame myself. I could just not have asked to be on the basketball team, and then none of this would’ve happened.”
“Isn’t that a bit far out?”
Maybe she was right.

Sam decided to travel home two days after. Aaron’s parents were a bit surprised by this decision, but thought that it maybe had something to do with Sam’s own parents. Sam had spent the day before her departure with talking with Aaron about his situation. Aaron felt relieved that he finally could talk about it, but he missed Gui Gui. He had become so used to have her close, that it felt weird not to see her every day.
When Samia was gone, he suddenly felt very, very lonely. He decided to call Gui Gui.
“Hello?” she answered the phone.
“Gui Gui?” Aaron asked.
“Aaron? Is it you?” Gui Gui asked a bit surprised.
“Yes.”
“Why did you call me?” she asked.
“I just wanted to talk to you.”
“Are you getting tired of Sam?” she asked a bit sarcastic.
“Sam is home by now.”
“Really?” Gui Gui asked very surprised. “Why? Shouldn’t she stay for two weeks?”
“That was the plan, but she decided to go home earlier.”
Gui Gui didn’t answer for a while. She was happy, but also a bit shy. Aaron just waited for her to say some more.
“Why don’t you come over? Jiro is here too, it’s a long time ago since our last meeting,” Gui Gui said a bit hesitating.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Aaron said, and felt kind of happy. Now that he had thought and talked so much about Gui Gui, it would feel a bit weird to see her again, but he looked forward to it. And Jiro was there too. Jiro and Gui Gui were his springs of lightheartedness and happiness.

On his way to Gui Gui’s house, he met Genie, who was walking in the opposite direction.
“Genie!” he said surprised when he saw her.
“Aaron! Where are you going?” Genie asked.
“I’m on my way to Gui Gui, Jiro is there too,” Aaron asked.
“I was just on my way home from shopping.”
Aaron looked at the big bags she was carrying, and wondered why girls thought they needed so many clothes.
“Can I come with you?” she asked.
“Uhm… I think so, Gui Gui shouldn’t have anything against you coming along,” Aaron said.
“Great!” Genie said happily. “We went shopping together yesterday, she bought a really cute shirt and…”
Genie continued to tire Aaron’s ears with talk about shopping and clothes, until they arrived at Gui Gui’s house.

***
Sorry for the long wait, in return, I’ll update more than once today :D
Aaron told Sam his secret. We must hope she doesn’t tell anyone else. Her half-brother arrives in next chap, see if you can guess who…
Please (x1000) comment!! I would be so happy :D

- Blitz