Jared ventured into a dark, narrow alleyway that was bathed in the eerie glow of the full moon. He pursued a singular purpose that consumed his every thought. As he walked deeper into the shadows, he spotted the silhouettes of two figures beside a rusty locked door, barely visible in dim light. It was Axel and Noah, their illicit cigarettes casting faint glimmers in the gloom.
Noah was the first to sense Jared’s presence, and he squinted suspiciously at the intruder. “Who the hell are you?”
Jared’s eyes blazed with a fiery determination as he advanced, his footsteps echoing in the quiet alley. “Are you the ones who punched ‘Silus’ in the face?”
Axel and Noah exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado momentarily faltering.
“What’s it to you?” Axel shot back, attempting to hold his ground.
Jared’s gaze remained as cold as a winter storm, and without warning, he unleashed a swift, powerful punch that connected with Noah’s jaw. The impact sent Noah stumbling backwards, his cigarette tumbling to the ground like a fallen star extinguished in the darkness.
Axel, sensing the urgency of the situation, moved to retaliate, but Jared’s fury transformed him into a force to be reckoned with. In a matter of seconds, Axel found himself overwhelmed by Jared’s unyielding assault, each punch landing with calculated precision.
As the dust of the brutal confrontation settled, the alleyway bore witness to the aftermath of their fierce clash. Axel and Noah lay sprawled on the ground, battered and nearly unconscious. Jared himself, his own fists bearing the marks of the ferocious brawl, stood as a victor over the vanquished, his anger still smouldering beneath the surface.
Silvia’s sleepless night had left her feeling drained and anxious, yet her determination provided her with a wellspring of strength. Alongside Dane, she scoured the halls of their school in search of Jared. Their unstoppable pursuit eventually led them to Axel and Noah. Despite being assigned to cleaning duty, they bore the unmistakeable marks of yet another fierce altercation.
Dane couldn’t help but comment on the obvious. “Did they manage to get into another fight?”
Silvia responded with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Finally, they spotted Jared in the distance, his eyes locking onto theirs for a fleeting moment before he abruptly turned and fled in the opposite direction.
“Is he running away?” Dane exclaimed in bemusement.
Silvia’s heart raced with worry as she implored, “Come on, Dane, we can’t let him get away.”
Jared sprinted further down the corridor, and Silvia and Dane gave chase. Dane, with his longer strides, eventually managed to catch up to Jared, his fingers grasping the fugitive’s shoulder to forcefully halt his escape. However, their combined momentum sent them tumbling to the floor—a chaotic entanglement of limbs and emotions.
As they sat on the ground, catching their breath, Dane levelled a curious gaze at Jared. “Why’d you run away, man?”
Silvia eventually reached them while breathing excessively. “Jared, you need to hear me out.”
Jared continued to avoid her puppy eyes. “If this is about me spilling your secret, I won’t.”
“It’s not just that. I want you to know my story.”
Jared, compelled by the sincerity in her eyes that sparkled with intense longing for his undivided attention, couldn’t help but be drawn into the enigma of her world.
Silvia, Dane, and Jared found themselves beneath the comforting shade of an old oak tree in the school’s expansive field. The dead silence between them was unbearable, punctuated only by distant shouts of students engaged in a lively game of soccer. The leaves above rustled gently in the caressing embrace of a mild breeze, adding a soft, melancholic undertone to the scene.
Jared, after a prolonged period of contemplation, finally grasped an understanding of Silvia’s arduous circumstances. “So, Silus vanished, and you’ve been living his life for the sake of your dad?”
Silvia gazed up at the sky, her glasses glinting from the bright sunlight. “Pretty much.” She altered her view to Jared, who was visibly distressed by the divulgence. “I know you must be thinking about all the things you did to me, but please know, I don’t blame you. After I discovered all the terrible things Silus did, I’ve regretted trying to live his life and giving up on my own. Yet, I can’t stop now, not after how far I’ve gone already. I also don’t want to disappoint my dad.”
Jared, leaning sluggishly on his knees, buried his face in his hands as he wrestled with a storm of emotions. “Why did Silus have to end up being your brother?”
“He wasn’t always such a bad person…but I don’t know who he is now.”
A heavy silence settled over the trio once more. Dane, ever the peacemaker, sought to dissipate the lingering tension. “Anyway, now that you know her secret, I hope you’ll help her out.”
Jared sat back up, still avoiding eye contact, his voice barely audible. “I’ll just…I’ll pretend I don’t know anything.”
With those words, he rose to his feet and began to walk away, leaving Silvia and Dane behind. Silvia made no move to pursue him, weariness settling upon her shoulders.
Dane attempted to inject a note of optimism. “Uh, at least he’ll keep his mouth shut.”
As Silvia watched Jared’s retreating figure, her curiosity was piqued by the sight of his bruised state of his fists. “Huh?”
In the days that followed, Jared’s irrepressible guilt became an oppressive presence in his life. It weighed on him like an unshakeable shadow, casting a grey cloud over his every thought and action. The mere sight of Silvia at school was a persistent reminder of the wrongs he had committed against her—a constant, nagging source of pain that he struggled to bear.
Opportunities for conversation with Silvia presented themselves, but he deliberately avoided them, despite the yearning in his fragile heart to make amends. He ceased his visits to her at her part-time job, further distancing himself from her—his self-imposed exile a form of self-punishment.
Silvia, however, respected his need for space and understood the depth of his remorse. She didn’t press him for explanations or additional apologies, believing that time held the key to healing the wounds between them.
Silvia went about her daily life with grace and resilience. She remained dedicated to her academic studies, diligent in her part-time job, and responsible in her personal commitments. Yet, beneath her composed exterior, she carried a silent hope that someday, Jared would find the strength to forgive himself and bridge the chasm that had opened between them.
Dane’s arrival at Silvia’s home for their study session was met with a sense of anticipation. As he entered, he took a moment to look around, absorbing the familiar surroundings. His heart raced, and he couldn’t help but wonder how this day would unravel.
“Where’s Camila?” he inquired.
“She had to run an errand for her mum so she’s going to be a bit late.”
“Is your dad at work?”
“Yeah.”
Dane halted without showing his face to Silvia. “So it’s just us two here?”
“Yeah, why?”
“…Just checking.”
Dane remained cautious, not revealing his true feelings. He headed into the lounge and placed his bag near the coffee table. As he settled in, a mixture of excitement and nervousness coursed through him, aware of the significance of being alone with Silvia in her home.
Silvia, meanwhile, moved gracefully into the kitchen. She paused for a moment, casting a fleeting glance in Dane’s direction before breaking the silence. “Do you want anything to drink?”
Dane, maintaining his composure while feeling the stirrings of something deeper, replied, “Any soda is fine.”
Silvia nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Dane to collect his thoughts. As he waited, his eyes wandered and fell upon a family photo adorning the wall. It captured a cherished memory from Silvia’s childhood when life was uncomplicated and their laughter was genuine.
Dane approached the cabinet below to discover a framed picture of himself with Silvia and Silus, all sharing a bond of childhood friendship. He felt a warmth in his heart as he recalled the fond memories of their past—memories that seemed distant, yet precious. Approaching the photo, he had the urge to touch it gently, his fingers tracing the image of their youthful faces. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, filled with nostalgia for the simpler days they had shared—a momentary escape from the complexities of the present.
Returning to the coffee table, Dane focused on organising his school notes, trying to compose himself after the rush of emotions triggered by memories.
Silvia re-entered the room, placing a can of cola beside his notes. As she sat next to him and leaned in to examine his work, Dane was acutely aware of her presence. The subtle floral scent that surrounded her was enticing, painting his cheeks with a delicate shade of pink. Each breath he took seemed to carry the seductive fragrance, and he struggled to concentrate on the study materials before him, his mind repeatedly drawn to the proximity of Silvia.
She gazed at him with shimmering eyes. “Is there anything you’re struggling with?”
He avoided her eyes out of embarrassment. “U-um, pretty much everything, but maths is my biggest weakness.”
A genuine smile graced her lips. “Let me help you with that.”
As Silvia leaned in closer to assist him with his notes, Dane’s heart raced. Her presence was intoxicating and overwhelming, and he struggled to maintain his composure. The proximity between them was electric, and he found himself drawn to her in a way that he hadn’t anticipated.
As Silvia’s dense nature prevented her from sensing his internal struggles, Dane gazed at her with adoration. Her kindness and willingness to help him had ignited a spark of affection within him, threatening to engulf his rationality. His fingers slowly moved instinctively towards a lock of her hair, a gesture driven by the rush of emotions that surged through his veins. He hovered on the brink of sanity, ready to lose himself in the moment and reveal the depths of his feelings.
But just as he was about to cross that threshold, an abrupt interruption shattered the fragile equilibrium between them—the doorbell’s chime that rang through the air. Silvia rose to answer the door, and Dane took the opportunity to slap his own cheek lightly, a self-inflicted act to quell the desire and self-consciousness that had gripped him.
“What the hell was I about to do?” he mused silently.
The arrival of Camila offered a much-needed diversion from the underlying tension that had been simmering in the room—tension that Silvia remained blissfully ignorant of. Camila entered with an apology for her tardiness, but her perceptive eyes immediately caught the nuances in Dane’s demeanour. She glanced at Silvia, who remained unaware of the unspoken sentiments swirling around them.
“I knew it…” Camila whispered to himself, her eyes holding a knowing glint.
Taking her seat, Camila placed her phone on the coffee table, its shattered screen impossible to ignore.
Silvia’s genuine concern prompted her to inquire about the damage. “What happened to your phone?”
Camila glanced at her cracked device, her thoughts involuntarily drifting to Jared’s inexplicable behaviour. “Oh, this? Jared bumped into me, and it fell out of my hand.”
The mere mention of Jared’s name stirred a tempest of lingering emotions that had taken root deep within Silvia, like a haunting refrain she couldn’t escape, leaving her yearning for his once-supportive presence.
A few tranquil weeks drifted by, marked by the daily routines of school, study sessions with Dane and Camila, and Silvia’s steadfast commitment to elevating Silus’ abysmal academic performance. The long-awaited annual examinations for grade 11 finally descended upon the school, and Silvia found herself well-prepared to confront this daunting academic challenge.
Over the course of a week, she tackled a series of tests that covered a spectrum of subjects, including mathematics, English, modern history, arts, physics, and physical education. Each day brought its own trials and tribulations, and Silvia overcame them with focus and determination.
During the practical component of the physical education examination, Aiden and Dane, both of whom had opted for the same elective, focused on Silvia’s turn. Dane, in particular, was left utterly astounded by her exceptional speed and agility in running, though Silvia didn’t particularly stand out amongst her male classmates in terms of physical prowess.
When the time had come to submit Silus’ art project, Silvia’s gaze lingered upon it one last time, untouched and unchanged since her initial encounter. She believed that leaving it incomplete was more fitting than tarnishing it with her own touch. In an uncanny twist of fate, the drawing’s unfinished status seemed to mirror the ongoing riddle of her brother’s existence—an unsolved enigma shrouded in mystery.
As the rigorous exam week came to a close, a collective sigh of relief swept through the student body. They eagerly began to embrace the impending holiday with renewed enthusiasm, eager to shake off the stress of examinations. However, their elation was soon tempered by a stern reminder from the teachers about the upcoming exam results. The knowledge that their fates would soon be posted on the noticeboard for all to see cast a shadow of uncertainty over the students’ celebratory mood, and anxiety mounted as they awaited the verdict of their hard work and dedication.
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