leap.

chapter 1. summer at navia street.

navia.

summer. march.

allicia.

What is my favorite scary movie?

Probably life. And college. And summer, can’t forget about summer. I could list ten—no, maybe hundreds of horror films but life will always be something I’m always scared of. Second to that is college. I am totally not against it—I love money and I would love to have a job in the future which can totally give me money but what’s scary about it is I have to study to get there. Believe me, school and me and that studying are mortal enemies which leads me to the fact that I won’t be seeing school for at least two months because it is the start of summer break.

Oh. Summer. I looked at the window of my room to meet the eyes of the scorching heat and jolted down the number of days since it last rained on my white binder notebook. I kind of been planning to decorate the cover but life just gets in the way. I brushed the plain and boring white cover with my palm before putting it back on my desk drawer, I turned over my body using my swivel chair to the soundtrack of Psycho playing through my phone. Dragging myself with the swivel chair, I reached out to it to answer the phone call. I snatched myself a glance over my whole bedroom full of horror and thriller movie posters while I heard the sass over the phone.

“Where are you, girl? You’re supposed to be helping us pick snacks,”

I stared at Ghostface before pulling an answer.

“I was actually on the way but it was so hot I caught the flu,” I forced a cough which probably damaged my throat, “Well, you won’t be hot when we get to the falls…we’ll see you here, hon, bye!” Before she hung up, I heard another slightly squeaky voice saying goodbye.

As if no energy left, I turned the fan towards my direction to ease the heat. I snatched my grey hoodie hanging off my wrinkled bed and wore it on top of my spaghetti strap, blowing air out of my mouth, I stomped my feet out my house.

The convenience store was not that far from Navia Street but I was showering with sweat, whoever invented summer was nuts. Few more steps out in the street and my dumbass just realized I forgot to bring my essentials; umbrella, water bottle, portable fan, and loads of handkerchief or even some clothes because they would probably urge me to jump off the falls.

“Why do I have to come? I have plenty of entertainment at the comfort of my bedroom…going out in the middle of heat is like being barbecued alive,” I said to myself as the convenience store’s structure finally came to light. I was finally registering the two silhouettes of girls going around inside the infrastructure.

I released a huff of air when my sunburnt feet finally emerged to the cold winds inside the store. It felt like I came from the desert and the convenience store was an oasis. I ran towards the tall air-conditioner and hunched over it, trying to inhale and receive as much of the cold air.

“Girl…where is your things? Is the only thing you can offer at the picnic is yourself?” I slightly jumped from my position and turned to my side to meet a tall and sassy lady.

Her green kind of revealing top was partnered by short-short denim pants which totally complimented her very tanned skin. If I wouldn’t know better and if I was a boy, she would be someone I would call a reincarnation of a goddess. She lifted her eyebrows on me and clicked her fingers, signing me to answer her fast, “I told you…I was sick…and it was too hot I can’t carry my own things, I would melt,”

Kassiani raised her two arms in front of me, revealing two flavors of chips, “Okay? So, you’re here…cheese or barbecue?” A growl somewhat escaped before I answered, I lowered the hood and the zipper of my hoodie and went to one of the shelves on my right. “Buy the cheese one, their barbecue flavor tastes like the collections of all the things I’ve ever hated,”

“Why are you so bitter? Pick some drinks on the fridge beside you then,” Kassiani went to the other side of the store to buy some other stuff and I hovered myself outside the row of fridges, having an inner battle with myself if I should go with carbonated or juice ones. As I open the transparent door, a thought suddenly comes to mind, “You know guys, I figured this will be my year…the senior inside me is screaming to be a valedictorian and I know it’ll come true.” I walked on the white tiled floor while holding my head high with my pledge. A petite girl wearing a short yellow dress with sunflower designs jumped in front of me and wondered if the dumbass in me must have been out of her head.

“Is this going to include Dall or just yourself?” her cat eyes sparkled when she saw the yellow colored carbonated drinks that I picked up from the fridge. “Oh! You are starting the change from here…these are good choices,” she exclaimed, trying to be nonchalant about the color of the drink. She snatched the two one-litter bottles and went straight to the cashier. “Alli, you should pick something you like…” the yellow-obsessed girl who goes by the name Allicent pouted her lips when I didn’t move and just stared at her. “Please? Go bring something for yourself, it is my treat!” I smiled and finally moved around to see what to buy.

Kassiani swiftly passed by my back, hugging a plastic tupperware of salad.

“Aside from summer, you also hate studying. That’s why Dall exists—Dall is the valedictorian,” she reached for another tupperware full of grapes.

“Yeah, I guess so. Studying is too boring anyways,”

“Well, have you seen him? Last summer before college and he was never early…grapes?” Kassiani handed me the tupperware with grapes and I picked one.

“Is this legal?” I said as I munch on the fruit.

“We’ll gonna buy them anyways, so…”

At this moment in time, I wasn’t still able to pick what I want yet.

“Kass…” I started as I looked at the convex mirror inside the corner of the store. “We have two summers left before college and…” she was staring at me intently and kind of looked annoyed that I was talking too slow. She munches on the grapes as I find my way to speak, “...have you figured it out yet? Your life, what’s it gonna be after high school?” She grew silent, pondering over what I said as she also looked at the mirror.

“Honestly…I don’t know. My mom says I would eventually figure it out and at the end of the day you gals are here to help me sort it out, right?”

It was my turn to be silent. Kassiani patted my back and hugged me, her long coiled hair brushed on my shoulder. She smiled as she caressed my hair, “You don’t worry, hon, we’re all afraid here living our first life…you’ll eventually figure out what you want,” I looked over the aisles and shelves and decided to not buy anything. Kassiani and I went straight to the cash register to compile the other things she got from the store.

“Oh…you didn’t buy anything?” Allicent’s worried face met us and I just smiled. I shook my head in approval when she kind of hesitated to pay the stuff and waited for me to add more. “I’m fine…I didn’t find something that I like,” “Maybe it was the clothes—they don’t sell clothes here, you may get wet at the falls, Alli.”

Shoot. Right. That is my need as of the moment. As my sunken face made its way to both their eyes, they spoke right after the other and assured me that I would never go out unprepared ever again.

“Don’t worry, hon. I’ll choke Luke if he dares to pressure you to jump. That shithead was so excited when he called me earlier,” Luke is an infamous member of our party, he loves the water and will make everybody around him love the water too.

“I think I have something in my bag…but it is too revealing for you, do you think you could handle it?” Allicent rummaged on her big shoulder bag and presented a yellow two-piece bikini with a white daisy design printed on both undergarments. I gagged at the thought and so did the male teenager cashier right in front of us. The scanner beeped with the last item and he slowly slid Allicent’s credit card at the machine while looking horrified at us.

“Boy, what are you lookin’ at? You’ve never seen a confident woman before?” Kassiani was ready to punch the traumatized boy just doing his job. I quickly hid the undergarments back in Allicent’s bag and looked her in the eye, “I’m actually fine with my hoodie…thank you…but me in a bikini is a horror movie,” I looked over at the male cashier staff and apologized with my eyes. I was too embarrassed to even say anything and Kassiani was there to traumatize the kid even more.

I pulled both of them out of the convenience store while replaying the boy’s traumatized face on my mind all over again. The scorching heat added to the list of what bugs my mind at the moment because we just stood at the entrance of the convenience store without anything covering the top of our heads.

“I think I overdid it with the bikini…but it was a pretty bikini, right?” Allicent tapped her shoulder bag and looked at me with pity. I gave her an awkward smile, maybe it will help me convey my message clearer. All three of us stood there for a couple of minutes and that whole time I was hugging myself over my hoodie, making it my barrier from the angry sun. It is always like this at Navia, when summer is on, no raindrop will ever land on its ground and that is why my lifelong goal is to track the times it rained at the place over the summer season—which I should be doing by now if I’m just skipping this annual first day of summer hangout with my friends.

“Will they ever come?” I uttered with a sigh as my hand travelled over my forehead, the burning asphalt road blinding my eyes. I guess sometime later my eyes will burn too. Kassiani was actually saying something to us and showing her phone but I was too preoccupied with the heat to even understand anything.

Sometime later, a bright light appeared in my viewpath and temporarily blinded me. It caught me off guard so bad I decided to go back inside the convenience store. However, the familiar loud and low honk registered in my ears—my mind had finally taken the reality that I will be going with my friends to this summer hangout when a tall dark-skinned guy with several streaks of braided hair appeared right in front of us. He immediately went for a hug on Kassiani but the latter pushed his body away and shoved the groceries we bought at the convenience store in his open arms.

“Do you know how hot Allicia felt? You better fix the air conditioning on this baby,” Kassiani reached for my hand and walked with me towards the black hand-me-down minivan of Luke which he owned when he was sixteen—he’s eighteen right now. I looked over the exterior and even the bright sun couldn’t hide the fact that the minivan had ages since it was last brought to the carwash. Kassiani opened the sliding door and struggled for the meantime before Luke hurried over to help, he says it needs special care and technique in which Kassiani rolled her eyes to.

“Do you want me to help you clean this thing?” Allicent’s voice appeared right behind me.

“Girl, he says he loves the water but can’t even wash his car…I don’t know about this boy,” Kassiani butts in as she squeezes herself at the left most part of the front seat of the backseat. I thought she’s going to sit beside Luke in the driver’s seat but as I made myself comfortable on these rugged uncomfortable seats, I saw a familiar clean cut light brown hair of the person sitting at the front seat in the rearview mirror. He looked in our direction to reveal a medium-sized scar running from his right ear to his right lip and surveyed the passengers on the back before landing on me.

“Luke hasn’t fixed the air-conditioning…sorry,” he looked over to me to catch a glimpse of Allicent. “If you want to sit beside her, do it…I mean, she’ll be happy for it,” I explained as I double checked the air conditioner facing me. “Luke drives carelessly, Alli. He needs someone to control him before we die,” he uttered small prayers after the mention of the word ‘die’ and I hopelessly gave up rummaging the flaps of the air conditioner. I found myself looking over my shoulder and seeing the reddened face and very thick glasses of the boy sitting at the furthest seat of the minivan. He waved at me and my eyes discovered a huge duck pool inflatable right beside him with his giant expedition backpack almost covering his small frame.

“Are you alright, there, Phoeble? Do you need help?” I asked because he looked like he needed some, he shook his head and fixed his glasses. “I’m fine…we’re…all fine,” he was referring to the inflatable duck. I smiled at him and surveyed the inside of the backseat—we have Phoeble at the end, Allicent next, and Kassiani and I at the front. I looked back at the guy in the front, “Carwyn, where are the others?” He kept staring at me from the rearview mirror.

“Dall will be late, not surprised. Rio will have his car, Kiko had deliveries but he said he’ll turn up soon.”

“Where the hell is Luke?” I looked outside as Kassiani made the comment, we saw him getting a Slurpee before riding in the driver’s seat. “How are you gonna drive if you’re drinking a Slurpee?!” Kassiani’s voice is naturally loud and we’re used to it but this kind of proximity to her will make my eardrums bleed.

“Okay, okay, Ma…hold it while I drive,” Luke passed the large blue cup full of pink slush, he made a little mess on his floor and Kassiani’s hand when he shakily handed the frozen drink to her. I actually got scared it might fall over us so I helped balance the cup as Luke started the machine of the car. The sound of it starting was both a horror and a bittersweet episode, it took Luke at least five times turning the key before it eventually started. The air conditioner actually opened as the machine has but it didn’t give me chills but pure frustration, it gave out very hot and humid air which I personally despise as of the moment. I inhaled some hot air and it made me cough badly.

The hot air added to the heat I’m feeling as I pleaded with Luke to turn off the air conditioning because it was hopeless. “Can you turn off the air conditioning, Luke, I’m gonna melt here!” He hurriedly turned it off when he saw Kassiani’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

All of the ride towards the falls was either filled with Luke blasting his hip-hop songs on the aux or just me fighting my inner demons with the heat inside the minivan. To be honest, I was already soaking wet even before we got to the falls and my body was itching and burning everywhere. I can’t be as comfortable as Kassiani says I can, I was also fighting the urge to sip on Luke’s Slurpee and found out that this is what I should’ve bought back at the convenience store instead of going out empty handed. I felt like I’ve wiped my face fifty thousand times all throughout the car trip and I have done one more until Luke screamed we’re already at the falls.

I looked out the window and all I could see was the never ending greens of the forest surrounding the water, the leaves were swaying but the greens weren’t enough to block the sun and its furious rays. I sighed deeply as I lifted myself from the melted seats, I literally saw my sweat stains in those but Kassiani assured me that it’s fine and she’ll make Luke clean the van tomorrow. I immediately pulled my hood over my head as I stepped on the scorching asphalt and sprinted on the nearest soil that I could find, the dirt I wouldn’t mind touching my feet, it’s the heat I’m scared of.

“Smell the grass…the dirt…just like I dreamed they’d be…” I looked over and found the singing voice was from Luke, I stared at them at the minivan from where I was standing which is the threshold of the forest as I soak my feet on the cooling dirt. Luke’s singing was halted when Kassiani playfully hit his head and asked him to carry our stuff. The falls is not entirely in the middle of the forest but we need to walk a bit more to reach it. Carwyn and Allicent finally reunited and went for a hug. If I was a stranger and I don’t know them, I would really think that they are an odd couple—perfect but a strange pair.

I was planning on helping but figured they can carry their stuff themselves and I will be here cooling myself with the forest. I didn’t realize that Phoeble had already reached my position and only do when he spoke with a stutter, “You…just have to look…and…and wonder how many great…great things in store inside the…greens,” he looked at me as I stared at the forest, I was so focused on the trees that I found myself answering him a minute later.

“Huh? Yeah…yeah…the forest is nice,” but I wasn’t mesmerized by the greens. Normally, I would be fine around the forest and we have gone here a thousand times but today is different…the shiver in my spine was worse here than when I am watching the scariest paranormal or slasher film. The kind of fear that lingers on someone’s head all throughout the time.

I tried to divert my attention to Phoeble and I saw him hugging the large yellow duck inflatable in his front and carrying his bulky backpack on his back. “Do you have to bring everything today? We have gone here almost a thousand times and there’s no new thing to discover,” I uttered as I lifted under his backpack, I kind of lifted the end of his plaid shirt but I didn’t see anything over the backpack’s bulkiness. He cleared his throat before hugging the duck tightly, “Allicia, there’s…always…always something to find here…you…just have to look…for the right spot,” I found myself defeated by Phoeble and silently walked behind him as Kassiani and Luke led the way. Phoeble almost tripped because of the duck and I had to help him carry it towards the falls while I overheard Carwyn and Allicent talking and catching up behind us.

As I’ve said, the falls are not really that far from the threshold of the forest but unusually, we are taking a long time to arrive in which I thought to tell the others but I went silent because maybe it is just a me thing. The breeze whistling through my wavy hair was accompanied by the warm sun. It was odd because I can clearly see that it is hot but I’m not feeling hot but the shivers on my spine were tingling my whole system. I wiped the sweat on my face, it was cold, and I was not as sweaty as before. Maybe this is just nothing and I’m just overreacting.

“Why do you have a very big inflatable again?” The thought of bringing an inflatable duck in the falls bugs me so much as it bugged Phoeble on his decision. “Grammy…she insisted I bring it…she says…I can’t swim well…and…and accidents happen all the time,” Phoeble paused before surveying me as we caught up to Kassiani and Luke. “Well? Where…are your…things?” I stopped carrying my side of the duck and presented myself as if I’m a model of something. I turned around two times and showed off my outfit which consisted of a gray hoodie, denim shorts, and brown sandals I actually borrowed from my mom’s costume closet. “This is it! I brought myself and the hopes of not being wet at the end of this.”

Phoeble was about to point out if I had a bag with me but we got distracted by the screams of Luke. They were happy screams because he already found the falls with a small river below. A minute later while we were catching up, we heard splashes of water and more excited screams. I bet Luke already jumped from the cliff and Kassiani will be mad at him for teasing with water.

I breathed hard the fresh and cold air coming from the falls as we were revealed by the dense forest that we walked in. The splashes and ripples of water clashing with each other filled my ears, the crystal clear sky blue shade of the river looked so refreshing in the eyes that the oddness of the breeze suddenly disappeared for the meantime. My eyesight was filled with either blue or green and no in between, except maybe yellow because I just saw Allicent’s very bright yellow dress.

I went to help Phoeble and Carwyn arrange our things while the others were busy changing and taking off their clothes. Kassiani took off her top and revealed a dark pink swimwear together with her very short denim shorts. Allicent took off her dress and revealed her yellow one-piece bikini while Luke was already swimming in the river with just his shorts with a dizzy dark blue pattern. I went back to organizing when Carwyn asked me to hand him the yellow sodas that we bought earlier. I opened the plastic tupperware of grapes and munched over the fruit, I handed Phoeble and Carwyn each and they took it. I usually don’t track how many times Carwyn had brushed his hair with his hands but I think it was at least three to five times per hour just the same when he fights himself when organizing and reorganizing the things we bought.

“Can you bring me the alcohol?” Carwyn pointed at the brown backpack behind me, I handed it to him and he pulled out a huge bottle of alcohol and sanitizer. He puts a majestic amount on his hands and tells us to sanitize ourselves too. “Is it one litter? That’s actually very huge!” I was actually mesmerized by the one-litter alcohol and sanitizer bottles. The smell of it stung my nose but to be honest, I feel very clean.

I looked over my shoulder when I heard squeaking, it was so loud and bigger than Phoeble that he struggled to tap my shoulder so I stood up to meet his eyes. “Alli…let’s go swimming…the duck will…will save us…in case,” my lips formed into a downward line as I told him the truth.

“I don’t have my clothes, remember? There’s Luke, he’s very willing to swim with you,” when he heard his name being mentioned, the soaking wet and catching his breath Luke ran to reach our position. He immediately snatched the duck and held Phoeble’s hands, “Yes. Alli is right, I am very willing to teach you how to swim well, Peebs.” Phoeble almost tripped again because Luke was dragging his arms in excitement, he hasn’t even had a proper closure to our conversation.

I was about to go back to sitting at our picnic mat when my eyes went into Carwyn who was just staring at Allicent from afar while she was swimming by herself. I nudged his shoulder and he immediately wiped it with his hands—he took a massive sanitizer again just because I nudged him. I sat beside him, but was not too inside his proximity, perfect for talking with a clean freak like him. I pulled my knee closer to my chest and made sure I wasn’t messing with the stuff Carwyn organized.

“Why don’t you join her? Nothing will be lost if you just spend time with her,” Carwyn pulled the collar of his dark yellow polo shirt before gulping and not breaking his sight towards Allicent. “I don’t like getting dirty, Allicia, you know that. This water…is full of dirty things and I intend to be clean until we go home. Besides, Allicent is fine with our other friends than me,” my eyes darted on Carwyn, who, if I’ve known no better, I will just think that he’s a crazy level clean freak.

“Is it the only reason?”

I gulped when he didn’t answer and continued.

“You know…my fears were just fears for the people I love. I’ll conquer it and be brave if it means my person’s happiness. Allicent will be thanking you for hanging out with her—I swear, just seeing you beside her makes her so happy she looked like the sun…or sunflower…or summer,”

“But you hate summer…does that mean you hate Allicent, too?” I sighed before internally screaming curses while looking at his light brown eyes which had no idea what I’m saying at the moment. I was about to explain what I meant when I heard voices approaching our picnic mat. There were both voices of a man and women and I already have an idea on who joined our party at the falls.

Soon, a figure of a tall man in the center of two unfamiliar girls entered the threshold of the falls. Their voices echoed the whole place, the two girls were consistently squeaking in joy as they playfully tease and be mesmerized by the guy they went with. The three sat with us on the picnic mat, Carwyn got a little angry that the tupperware he organized was disorganized by one of the girls. As much as the two girls were having fun, the man did too. His grin was always playful as he speaks with the girls, he often shows off the uneven colored patches of skin in his neck which he believes is his best feature. He was diagnosed with vitiligo so…

The girl with the long straight blonde hair kept on caressing Rio’s buzzcut blonde hair while they ate grapes suggestively. Seriously, I wouldn’t dare look at grapes the same way again. The other girl with the black short hair was caressing her way into Rio’s chest in which at this time I looked over at Carwyn who was also disgusted.

“Care to say hi to us?” Carwyn was already reorganizing our stuff when Rio broke his attention to the girls. “Oh…hi Carwyn…hi, baby,” he was relating to me, I gave him a disgusted look at the thought of calling me that pet name. “These are my girls…they just moved to our neighbourhood and they asked to say hi to you guys, right?” Rio was telling us about their names but I got preoccupied by the person next to arrive at the scene.

Rummaging through the woods, he lifts his heavy duty backpack a lot of times. His sunburned cheeks were partnered by the sweat stains around his neck on his black large shirt. His footsteps were heavy and the branches he steps on break so easily. I stood up to go to him, greet him because I haven’t seen him since the last day of classes and it was just two days ago. I stood in front of him and it made him stop walking. I raised my right hand in silly excitement and looked up at him with a grin on my face, “Hi! Dall!” as if he was infected, he also grinned which made his eyes into a line and his red cheeks more round. He placed his left hand across my right and held it so tight. “Nice to see you again, Alli!” He uttered and we ended with a warm hug, it was so much better to hug him because he feels so soft and warm. He pushed me away gently and pointed at his sweaty shirt, “Let’s go, why do you have to be so late?” I asked as I dragged him to our picnic mat.

“Good…we only have Kiko to wait then,” Carwyn was the first to speak when he saw Dall with me. He was the one left sitting at the mat because Rio was standing up and getting ready to swim. The two girls, who I still don’t know the names of, quickly took off their clothes and tossed it to the picnic mat as if we’re their laundry people. The three of them went to the cliff right beside the falls and jumped together. The splash that they made actually went and reached our seats. Carwyn looked so calm but he was already uttering prayers in his mouth as he brushed his pants that the splashes made wet. The rest of the people swimming on the river became loud. I think they are trying to play a game called chicken fight with the players of boys against girls—a very disadvantaged part for the girls because it may not look like it but Rio and Luke are athletes.

“Hey, why aren’t you swimming with them?” For the millionth time, I told Dall the reason for my swimming ban today. “Well, that sucks…do you want to go see the cliff? I think the view will be better from up there.” Dall stood up and set his things aside before handing out his arm for me to hold. I guess seeing the cliff won’t be a bad idea.

As we were making our way to the cliff full of bushes, branches, and rocks, I looked at my friends who were swimming and saw them having their teasing stares. Luke actually whistled to us and sang a love song while he followed us on the crystal blue water. Dall held my hand when I stepped on a rock and almost fell over as we climbed the man-made stairs towards the rocky cliff. The stairs were creaking as we advanced our steps and some rocks were falling in the water but as long as Dall is here, I won’t be scared.

We arrived at the rocky cliff, our friends who were swimming below us looked small but the landscape was so mesmerizing from up here. Once again, the vast greens and blues were all that filled my eyes but in no coincidence, a hazy figure of something black appeared not far from us, well it is not just a figure, it was figures. I tapped Dall’s shoulder and pointed at the hazy figures.

“What’s that? Right in between those trees?”

“I don’t know…maybe I should call Phoeble so we should see,” Dall and I were about to go down but in my poor and unfortunate luck I saw Luke standing behind us in a pushing position with his palms facing towards me. The next thing I know, I was already submerged in the freezing waters, my ears are blocked and my nose can’t force oxygen to go out. I stayed calm and focused on floating myself on the surface of the water, one dunk at a time. The last dunk ended up being the scariest one, a dead white cat came floating beside me which led me to swim as fast and far away from the water. When I reached the rocks and looked back, the image and body of the dead white cat disappeared from the water and it was so crystal clear again.

I looked over at our picnic mat and walked towards it soaking wet, focused on the new guy who joined our party. He was wearing his black sunglasses that are evidently larger than his bony and long face. His long hair with black roots and red strands got swayed by the breeze, I flicked my hand in his direction to make him wet, “When did you arrive? And why do you have your own chair?” I said as I inspected the small red foldable chair that he brought for himself.

“Elsher…that man wouldn’t possibly like me sitting on his pretty and fucking clean mat so I brought one. It’s fantastic and comfortable,” he pointed his head towards Carwyn who was still busy reorganizing our stuff, Kiko clasped his hand and watched as our other friends arrived at the place.

“Are you a vampire, bruh? What’s with the shades?” Luke went beside Kiko and immediately hugged him while he’s wet. Meanwhile, Kassiani and Allicent have reached my position to caress my wet arms and shoulders. “Are you fine? You look scared at the water,” Allicent handed me a water bottle while Kassiani stared at Luke. “I thought you promised no dares for Allicia?! Shithead!” She went to literally choke him while Luke tried to make Kiko as his shield, they acted like a cat and mouse until Kassiani finally choked Luke while he laughed.

“He probably likes it…” Kiko proceeded on surveying his pale arms to look for any bruises because Luke had a tight grip and power he can’t control sometimes. I was about to go towards his side when we heard Dall and Phoeble calling us from across the other side of the falls. If I remember it clearly, it is on the side of the forest that I saw the figures.

“Hey guys! You should see this!” It was Dall.

I tried to convince Kiko to join us but he insisted he’s fine sitting in his chair. The rest of the party ended up following Dall and Phoeble on that side of the forest, we were already met with a distinguished stench and several groups of flies all over the place. I had to shrug off each fly on my body and to pinch my nose as we travelled a little deeper to the forest. I was walking at the furthest back. That’s why Kassiani and Allicent’s scream made me rush to go front, I also shrieked to see the unmoving body of a white cat laying on the ground. There is no visible flesh from it but it is clearly dead and the flies were buzzing around it. Shivers went down my spine when Dall picked up the dead cat and raised it to our eye level. This action made us realize that it was not just one cat. There were tens and I think hundreds of dead cats with different colors laying on the forest soils, they all have no visible flesh or blood on them but I believe they have been dead for some time.

I believe these are the shivers my spine made by the breeze.

Goosebumps ran through my body when the flies arrived at my bare legs, my wet hands tried so hard to swat and shoo them away as Kassiani dragged me from the horror. I was hearing the other two nameless girls complaining and deciding to go home and leave Rio after they saw the cats. I didn’t understand the rest of what they’ve been talking about because the shiver in my spine came back. I have finally realized why the breeze was so off earlier—it was the smell—it was the rotten smell of dead cats near us. I held Kassiani’s hands tight as we gradually quickened our steps away to go back to our picnic mat where I was overlooking the laid back Kiko staring at the skies above even if he didn’t take off his glasses.

The shivers on my spine reached the rest of my limbs, the heat that I was complaining about earlier disappeared from my system and only the cold enslaved me. As I took off my grey hoodie which is still dripping wet, I revealed my black spaghetti strap, also very wet. To be honest, the coolness of the breeze doesn’t help to make me dry, it’ll make me develop pneumonia anytime soon.

I nudged Kiko’s shoulder as I hugged myself together with my hoodie in my arms. He flinched and turned his head in my direction, he lifted his black sunglasses and looked straight to me before landing on my hoodie. He clicked his tongue before speaking, “I have an extra shirt here…you’ll love it,” he added and rummaged through his black shoulder bag that I remembered belonging to his grandfather. I looked over my other friends who were occupying themselves in tidying up our spot—Kassiani and Allicent were changing their clothes while Luke and Carwyn were helping each other with our stuff, Phoeble being amazed by what Dall did and already carrying his inflatable duck in his arms, Dall actually holding the dead white cat in his palms covered with a blue latex glove. I immediately looked away from the dead cat because even if I love to death watching horror films, it is still different to see the action unfolding right in front of my eyes.

A cold hand nudged my arm and I reached for the crumpled black shirt Kiko is lending me. I unfold it and saw a Ghostface character printed on it. I quickly snatched a glance at Kiko and he was already back on chilling in his chair while his lips formed a sheepish smile. I didn’t waste any time and wore the shirt over my wet top, “Just give it back later or just keep it. Fuck it, I don’t care, you do you, Elsher.” I was about to say something but Kassiani’s voice entered my ears.

“Where do you gals and gentlemen wanna go? It doesn’t seem like the falls is a right place now,”

“We should give the cat a proper burial…at least,”

Dall suggested as he moved the cat on his palms and faced it towards Kassiani’s direction. The latter shrieked and crumpled her face to disgust. I turned to my side to see a frowning Rio crossing his arms before whispering to me, “Baby, the girls have decided to leave—you be my girl now,” he proceeded on putting his arm on my shoulder in which I strongly opposed to that’s why I leaned back to dodge his arm.

“Auclair…stop fucking with Elsher. Find other girls somewhere,” Rio stopped insisting when he heard Kiko calmly talking at our back.

Soon, all of the party have decided to go somewhere to bury the dead cat. We rode the almost-dying and at-the-brink-of-end minivan of Luke except Kiko who brought his Mystery’s delivery motorcycle and Rio who brought his white convertible with him. We rode gradually until we decided to stop by the road overlooking a huge apple tree. There was no one anywhere else and the asphalt was looking brand new, only the swaying of the leaves were to register our ears. To us, this kind of day and scene is not that odd since Navia, specifically our neighborhood, is a no-no for tourists and locals alike.

I have decided to spend my time inside the comfort of the rugged seats inside the minivan. I followed my friends with my eyes as Dall slowly placed the dead cat on the soil that they prepared for it. Carwyn was beside him and uttered small prayers to the little one.

A cough abruptly escaped me and that’s when I realized something was dripping from my head, I wiped it and felt like melting again just like when we arrived earlier. I looked at the sky to meet the sun—it was the same as before and in the falls itself but why am I not feeling hot at the falls?

I looked back at my friends at the apple tree and got confused to not see them. One heart attack later and they went back inside the minivan, there were a lot of thuds here and there and at some point I kind of believe that the minivan will break apart.

“Where to now?” Luke looked at us in the rearview mirror with a sheepish smile erupting from his face. A voice coming from our behind has kept our attention.

“We just buried a dead cat, don’t you guys think it’ll be better if we lead the spirit astray somewhere else? To…I don’t know, the skatepark, I guess?” Dall looked at each of us at the front.

“But it’s just a cat? What bad could a cat spirit do to us?” I actually don’t believe in spirits in real life, that’s why I was so fond of horror films. But, seriously, what and how could a harmless cat’s spirit do to us?

In the end, I sat back calmly at my seat as Luke led the way towards the skatepark. Apparently, when Carwyn says yes, the whole party agrees and even Kiko’s voice on the matter doesn’t count.

The cemented skatepark across the unengaged high-speed highway was full of teenagers—boys to be exact—showing off their skateboard tricks to each other and hoping they’re better than them. I am actually not against going here but I just have someone in mind when I see skateboards or skateparks.

Kassiani found herself dragging me out the minivan to join our other friends to watch some local kids show off their skills.

I looked on my right and found Rio jumping out of his convertible and lunging toward the only girls in the skatepark—which were definitely not the girls Rio wanted to be with. I overheard them screaming at him when he attempted to put his arms over their shoulder, “Rio, we’re literally together!” Rio was so confused by that statement and I wonder when he’ll get the hint that they don’t like him.

I joined the line that my other friends made at the front of the commotion around the skateboard performance of a boy who had the shiniest and longest hair I’ve ever seen in my life. I can kind of see that he got the looks and the skills—and the hair!

I was enjoying the performances when I unintentionally locked eyes with someone in the crowd across us. His monolid eyes deliberately pierced against mine as if he was talking to me through his mind. The last time that I saw him, he was skinny but now the bones in his face were visible and the weight of life was boring on his shoulders. I thought I went here to lose something but I guess I had to gain something in exchange. While the other people around me were focusing themselves on the skateboards, I found myself admiring him from afar.

“Is that Blackthorne?” I heard as soon as the last of the boys finished their tricks on the ramps. Rio immediately went towards the ramp and straight for the person he saw. I looked back and saw fear in his eyes but he somewhat chose to lock eyes on me and humbly—silently asking me to stop Rio from going towards him. I could do that—just in my dreams.

As Rio stepped forward, I was shoved upfront and into the ramp by other people—mostly the skateboard kids and some of my friends.

“Don’t you know this is a Blackthorne ban zone? Why do you have the guts to show up here with your worn out skateboard?!” Rio finally emerged right in front of Creed and managed to push him at the shoulders, the latter didn’t bulge and which is why Rio took the chance to snatch his indigo-colored skateboard—worn out and just one ride left will break it.

“Auclair! Stop this! Let’s go!” Kiko was quick to run towards Rio’s side, he tried to pull him away from Creed who was just standing straight. Rio resisted and was able to raise his hand at the level of Creed’s face but the action was halted when several other kids blocked Rio’s path to Creed.

“Do you even know who you are talking to? I am an Auclair! Auclair!” Rio shouted at the very long haired guy I saw earlier, they were facing each other eye to eye.

“We don’t care if you’re an Auclair! You are in our zone now, you must respect our family here!” The rest of the skateboard kids agreed to what he said and all of them raised their hands to put a thumbs down on Rio’s face. The blabber went on for some time and I found myself looking for Creed in the crowd, it was some time because the boys were really trying to present a real-life stampede at the skatepark, they were continuously trying to piss Rio so much more. When I got out of the pile of bodies, I circled the whole scene to look for a familiar black layered hair but it was really hard to search for something that didn’t want to be found.

As I was too focused on the search for Creed, I didn’t notice someone from the crowd breaking away from them and going straight toward me. It was in a blink of an eye when he already snatched my grey hoodie from my arm. My fault was actually bringing it outside rather than leaving it in the minivan. I was about to run for it but someone was already quicker to run behind the guy. It was Dall.

The guy was sprinting his way across the highway and towards the shortcut path to Navia Street, he left my grey hoodie at the center of the asphalt road and let Dall reach for it until a huge fourteen-wheeler truck came to our vision. Dall was looking straight at me, our eyes locked as he lifted my grey hoodie and smiled while his cheeks became rounder than before.