Caiden

Staring at the empty ceiling above me made me wonder how I end up in this situation; confused as fuck; covered by blood, who I didn’t even know who belong to; and lastly, hiding from my own friends.

Did everything start with a fairytale introduction? No. This isn’t a work of fiction nor fantasy, but as crazy as it seems, I rather believe I have lost my mind.

Let’s just say, once upon a time, my friends convinced me to know the truth over my sister’s disappearance, five years ago. We believe the truth will always prevail, but when everything unfolds, I finally understood why some secrets are bound to be secret forever.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

It was evening, I remember trying to focus on the reviewer in my hands. After numerous attempts I shove my head on the book I was reading, this was supposed to keep me distracted from the fact that I felt uncomfortably afraid to let my sister and her fiancé leave the city.

A loud groan escaped from my mouth, frowning, I look at my sister, Camille, who is busy packing her clothes. Camille and Mix have been planning to take a couple of vacations before their wedding next month. Lucky for me, I can’t join them since I have a lot of pending tests this week and of course, I do not want to be a third-wheeler, feeling like air between two love birds. No thank you.

As if she can feel my gaze, she paused and look back at me, with those assuring eyes.

“Do you really have to go?” those words sent like I was about to lose her. I know I insisted Camille to join MIx, take a break from all her work, and enjoy herself, but here I am questioning my sister’s decisions.

“I thought you liked the idea?”

I looked down, took a deep breath, and after a few scratches on the back of my head, I faced her once again. Worried, is plastered all over my face, something about this trip made me anxious to let her go.

A warm embrace traveled all over my body ‘and then an assuring smile etched from my sister’s lips, "don't worry about me, I'm going with Mix. What you need to worry about is your math, go ace those entrance exams, and if you do I promise you I will take you to the beach."

"For real? You're not joking, right?!"I can't believe what she said, my eyes are all wide and my jaw dropped, almost forgetting about the fear I felt earlier.

We've been planning to go there but we can't afford a trip since my sister fund both of us with her minimum wage job.

"Ok, fine I will focus on my study now. Take care always. Tell Mix if something happens to you I'll skin him alive." I warned her.

"No need to be brutal," Camille chuckled and continue packing.

That same night, Camille and Mix took a flight to Ko Samui. After they left, I decided to take a break from studying and scroll some time away on Twitter. According to Camille, the flight might take more than an hour depending on the situation. I prayed and prayed to the heavens, that both of them will land safe and sound on their destination.

My media feed is full of news and events about the upcoming 45th anniversary of East Mountain Beach Resort this January 31. I don’t understand why the ruckus and excitement, similarly to Camille’s reaction when Mix invited her to join him on the island.

It’s just a five-star resort and the biggest of its kind, nothing special. TBH!

Bored with the content, I forced myself back into my table to study. Better ace all my tests for a day at the beach prize.

An hour later, I heard the annoying, buzzing sound my Pomodoro timer made. I picked my phone and stare at the clock for a whole five minutes before deciding to check on my sister. Though I may act like I don’t appreciate my sister sometimes, Heaven knows how much I love her, I will do everything to protect and help, Camille.

I messaged her first with random letters and symbols that don’t even make a single sense. Realizing that she had seen it, I continue doing the same thing over 10 times until finally, she decided to respond.

“What!?”

I puckered my lips, I put too much effort into sending her those, but in my disappointment—tsk—I only received one-word text. Very cruel.

I’m about to throw my phone on my bed but the three jumping dots popped in the screen, telling me to wait for her another text.

She sent two this time, the first one is: “Do you miss me already baby bro?” followed with, “And please for Pete's sake stop spamming.”

I found myself giggling with her response, I quickly typed “Who told you I miss you? SCAM!” and hit send. While typing for another reply I remember something, “What 'baby bro'? Ain't your brother, I thought you were an only child when you introduced yourself back in 5th grade. Who's your brother, aye?”

Then I found my phone ringing with the familiar Avril Lavigne song, Hello Kitty. I waited for the chorus before answering Camille’s call, she didn’t even bother to greet me.

“Stop sulking and go study Caiden, I'm gonna take a rest now.” There were traces of annoyance in her voice but I can feel she’s faking it.

I replied with a simple, “K”, to annoy her more.

“Anyway, have you eaten? Make sure to eat or I’ll fly back to Bangkok.” I rolled my eyes because of the sincerity in her threat.

I raised my brows as if she can see me trying to annoy her more, “Ready the plane ticket then. This man is not planning to eat, at all.”

I laughed silently when I heard my name being called out loud in frustration from the other line.

Putting another flame on the fire, I said, “Look a concerned stranger.”

“Eat or the snake man will eat you.”

“Sike! Who believes in such a thing? I'm not a baby anymore, I'm a big boy now.”

I heard a tapping sound from the glass in the other line, drifting me to her sense of seriousness, “Well, the people of Ko Samui do, especially those who reside near the East Mountain Beach Resort.”

I felt backing out my shit, “Ehh, don’t scare yourself, you’re in EMB. Go to sleep, don’t worry about me, I’ll eat later. Bye.” I ended the call, she just gave me chills because of that snake man myth, tsk.

Now, I felt more worried than before. I bit the tip of my index finger, what if it’s true?