Chapter 9

Nariza shook me hard. "Tell me. You talked to the demon?"

Nooo! Don't talk about my crush like that! "It hurts me."

"Huh?"

"H-huh?" Oh no. Did I just say that out loud? "N-Nothing, um, what demon?"

As heartbreaking it is to say, yes, Nariza is talking about (my crush) Rhyn.

"Rhyn. You talked to him?"

I bit my lip and nodded. And he even called me 'baby,' you know! Iiihh! Geez, I have to stop fangirling.

"H-How did you know?" Of course I already know how, but I still need to act.

"He told me." She let out a sigh, freeing my shoulder. "He didn't do anything though, right?"

Oooh, trust me, Nariza. I would love for him to do something to me.

"Do what? He didn't do anything, whatever it may be. I just found out that he wasn't dadi, like what happened to mister Peter before, that was it.. So you guys talked?"

Should I be jealous now?

Woah, calm down Aice.

"Yes. Maybe after you two talked."

"I'm sorry mami, when he was pretending to be dadi, he told me not to tell you that we were talking, but I thought you already knew so I didn't mention it anyway."

The novel said that Nariza was aware that Rhyn and Mielle had talked because Jace and her were talking before Rhyn took over. And the reason why they didn't let Mielle know was because they didn't want her to hope that they got back together, as she is the number 1 fan of their love team. Then, after Jace left the account, that was when Rhyn took over.

And yes, they 'broke up' again due to some misunderstandings they had.

"It's fine, he told me. I don't blame you for following what he said, he is scary. That's why he's a demon." She shivered.

"He doesn't seem like it, Mi. Why is he scary again? Why do you call him demon?"

"First of all, he's a doctor. You can say that he's Jace's best friend, but it's one-sided as Jace was the only one saying that he is."

I giggled. "Poor dadi, haha. But okay? What is the connection between him being a doctor and a so-called demon?" I guess this was the reason why I find doctors so appealing to me back when I was living as Aice Figuera.

"He's serious, cold, strict, doesn't smile, and blunt due to his profession. You know, he takes his career very seriously."

"Maybe nobody had been the reason for his smiles." Maybe he just haven't met me yet. Hihi!

"Oh no, kiddo, I'm telling you, Rhyn is a different creature. See, even his name is different? You pronounce it as RIN, but R-H-Y-N is the spelling. Gosh! He doesn't have a heart because he doesn't have any vowels in his name!"

"Hahaha! You're too judgy," to my crush. "Should I pester him?"

"Haha! Good luck to you, kiddo! That guy doesn't talk much. A lot of people are scared of Rhyn, as what Jace had mentioned before to me. Even Pan is scared of him, hahaha!"

"Oh yeah? I kinda want to see how mister Peter gets scared now."

"Hahaha! Jace said, when those two are in the same room, Pan would be on the farthest corner just to avoid getting close with Rhyn. Or he would hide behind Jace, or will just leave altogether and the reason would always be, 'something came up.'"

I laughed with her. "So Peter's talkativeness and outgoingness is the quietness, and what? Invertedness? Of mister Rhyn?"

"Something like that."

The bell rang, signaling the end of our lunch period, but my mind is already flying somewhere.

Should I take this chance and seduce Rhyn? Wait. No! Aice, what the heck? Have you forgotten that you're 16 and not 24?

I exhaled. For the first time since I became Mielle, I actually feel bummed. "This sucks."





@~@





Dadi?




I know I said I didn't want to message Jace first anymore, but I kind of didn't have a choice today. Nariza asked me if I could get anything out from him, since according to her (and the novel), Jace actually like talking to Mielle as she's a fresh air for him due to her innocence and childish manner, yet, intelligent mind.

Originally, Jace's and Mielle's conversations were full of deductions, the meaning of life, what is after-life, and such. And they really get into it, but of course, I don't do that as often as what was written because I don't want to be caught.

Jace is a smart man and he might see it odd that Mielle's knowledge is way advance than a normal matured 16 year-old girl.

Even though it was given that Mielle was, in fact, matured despite having childish moments.

Anyway, Nariza wants to use this advantage to find out anything about what's going on with Jace right now.

"I can just give her what she wants to know, but I don't think that would be a good idea."




Jace Miko Salguero: Still.




My eyes went wide as my heart went boogsh!

This is my crush, Rhyn's, infamous reply whenever Mielle messages Jace and he is using the account!




Oh. Mister Rhyn?


Yes.


Oh.. sorry.




Gotta play it cool.




It's fine. What's up?




My level of crush for you -- ugh, Aice! Stop it!




Nothing much. I just thought dadi would be using this account now.


He won't be back for a little bit longer.
You need something from him?


Um, a bit. I just missed gossiping with him, ask him about life and get his perspective.


I see.


Yeah.. Uh, sorry mister for disturbing you.


It's fine. I'm not busy.


Really? Mami said you're always busy because you're a doctor?


Yes I am. But I'm taking a break right now.


Ohh, you eating?


No.
I'm watching my pet snake eating his best friend hamster.




I already know it's coming, but man, that still gives me chills!




...
Mami's right.


?


You ARE scary.


What? It's fun. Besides, the snake will spit the hamster out later on.


Oh God


:)




"Woah. Woah. WOAH! Oh shit! Shit! Is that a real smile?! Oh, my God!"

According to the novel, Rhyn was also talking to Nariza as he talks to Mielle right now. And he basically said the same thing about the snake to her, but she didn't respond the way Mielle did. Instead, she said it was 'Cool!' and even asked him if she could see it.

Of course he declined that, but now, was that smile actually meant for me -- Mielle? Or for Nariza and he sent it to the wrong conversation?




Uh-oh! Mister smiled!


?


I was told that you don't smile. Was that a wrong sent?


No.




"Wait. WAIT!" I had to put the phone down and calm myself. "The text -- the smile was for me! For me!" I'm covering my mouth right now and it is absolutely hard to not smile.

My phone went off.




It seems like Nariza had been telling you things about me, hm.


Hehe, not much. Just a bit, just warnings..


Warnings?


Like cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.




"Okay. I did not just type that!" Something flashed in my mind, as if I'd seen this before -- Mielle. She and Nariza had joked around this stuff before! It was those girls inside joke!

What's going on Mielle? Are you actually lingering around? Or, am I slowly gaining your memories?




Congratulations.


Eh?


You made me cough.





@~@





"Cough? What cough?"

"I don't know either. It was confusing even for me that I only ended up saying 'thank you' with a question mark at the end."

Nariza went quiet and thought for a moment. "I wonder, what did he mean by that? Don't worry kiddo, we'll find out soon enough."

"Oh? How?" Even I, Aice, don't know what it meant as that didn't actually happen in the novel.

"Once your dadi comes back."

"Right, right." We got to the bulletin board and jammed ourselves to the other students standing in front of it too, trying to read the flyer about the Halloween Ball.

Below it are the details of what the theme is going to be, which was what I already told to Nariza, and the venue. It will be held here in the quadrangle of the school.

"October 30 at 6 PM." Nariza read it out loud. "Looks like we need a mask, kiddo. No mask, no entry. It must be worn throughout the event, it said."

"Told you." We jammed ourselves out and headed back to the classroom. Our teacher just let us all out to check the bulletin board.

"I'm excited, kiddo! I'm going to start looking for the costume now. What about you?"

"Whatever I can find from the treasure box. I think Mielle -- I mean, I have somewhere out there that can be use. H-Hehe."

She beamed at me and swayed our hands. "Yes! Only the mask is missing."





@~@





There are few things that I'm afraid of, and one of them is what Mielle is also afraid of: moth.

"G-Grandma? Do you really n-need to leave tonight?" I held onto grandma Kimmy's blouse.

"Yes grandchild, I promised to my friend that if he needed someone to look after his grandkid if he's not at the house, I'm ready to go there and have a sleep over." She smiled at me. "Oh? Isn't that amazing to hear? Sleep over."

"B-But grandma.. can't you do the sleep over thing t-tomorrow?"

"Goodness gracious, Mil, I'm needed tonight, then you're asking me to come over tomorrow? What's that? A delay?" She clicked her tongue. "Let me go and I'm leaving."

"But grandma.. t-there's a moth.." I'm near to sobbing. This insect decided to get inside the house without permission!

"Moth? And? What is it going to do to you? You're a big girl --"

"I'm small grandma!"

"You're bigger than that thing you're scared of! Stop with this nonsense. Be strong. Pak! Be brave. Pak! And you'll be able to sleep. Boom!"

Yes, grandma Kimmy knows that Mielle is scared of moths, but what she doesn't know is I am scared of them too! So Mielle's and my fear are combined right now.

"Grandma!"

"Lock the door and go to sleep. You still have school tomorrow, okay? I'm leaving now."

"Grandma Kimmy!" I could only call on to her as she went away. After I closed the door, I leaned my head against it.

You can do this, Aice.

I swallowed a lump in my throat before turning around. "I-I'm not scared -- oh you gay cat! It flew! It fleeewww! AAHH!"

Chapter end