《The Mirror Looked Back at Me》


 Chapter 1 - The Meet

    I looked in the mirror, and the mirror looked back at me. I was crying. Every time a tear dropped on the floor, there was an echo of her voice in the room. My head was sore. How am I so stupid. I could''ve prevented this. I failed. Now she''s gone, and I''ll never see her again.


    Chapter 1 - The Meet


    Monday. That one word makes me go insane. As the alarm clock kept beeping like crazy, I dragged myself out of my bed and did my routine that I''ve done for the past five years I''d say. Get up, shower, dress, eat, brush teeth and get out of the house, nothing special you see.


    When I went downstairs, I saw my grandma making my breakfast and lunch. She noticed me and smiled.


    "Did you sleep well, dear?"


    "Yeah, I did" Which was a lie, as I only slept for two hours max as I stayed up all night watching.


    "That''s great to hear, and I made you some eggs for breakfast and some curry for lunch."


    I gave a slight smile to her and thanked her. She''s the only person in this world that cares about me. She puts so much effort in the meals she makes me. I ate it up and did the boring the routine and said my goodbye as I left the house. The day was quite lovely, it was cloudy and dripping a bit, which is a relief from the heatwave we had a week ago. All of a sudden, I got a tap on my shoulder. I looked behind me and saw it was Ace.


    "How''s it going man?" he bumped me on the shoulder with a smile on his face.


    "The same old stuff, what about you?"


    "Doing great! I heard there''s going to be a new student today. Hopefully, it''s a girl" he grinned in a smug look.


    "What you''re hoping to get with her or something?"


    "Well, maybe if she''s hot or something" he laughs as he scratched his head.


    Ace is the only friend I have, he hangs out mostly with the other students, but he always has time for me. We usually walk and leave school together, or we go to each other''s houses. I got some good memories with him.


    When we made it to the school, Ace said his goodbye and went to join his other friends. I don''t mind that as I know, I''m probably the lowest ranked out of all his friends. At least if I have someone to talk to that''s not my grandma, it makes me want to live on this Earth for just a bit longer. As usual, I was the first one in the classroom. I rested my bag down on the floor and sat on the chair, and I put my head on the table to try to catch up on some sleep, but that wasn''t successful as the bell rang and most of the students came storming in. When the class settled down the teacher came in with a girl behind him. Is that the new girl Ace mentioned? She had her head down, trying not to get any attention.


    "Good morning" he looked at everyone as he tapped his pen on the desk.


    Everyone responded with a good morning.


    "As you may know by now there''s a new student. Lilly is not from here, but in fact, from South Korea. Her English isn''t good, so please give her time to learn how to speak it properly" as he finished his sentence, she raised her head, showing her face. You could hear whispering and a bit of giggle throughout the room.


    She had white hair and black eyes. Her lips were the colour of pink cotton candy. She is slim, and her body is overall pretty perfect. Lilly is also a nice name.


    She sat down on the other side of the room when the teacher left, some girl tapped on the shoulder and started talking to her, but the new girl didn''t respond with words but instead nodded. I didn''t give it too much attention, and I began to fidget with my pen. The next teacher came in, and we started our work, the classes went quite fast, which is surprising as it had my least favourite subjects, History, Biology and Geography. After the class ended, I went to Ace''s classroom and waited as he got out of his classroom. He finally came out with his face and clothes covered in paint. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Art class?"


    "Yeah! It was so much fun!"


    We walked to the vending machine to get a quick drink as we usually do on a Monday, I usually get orange juice while he gets Dr Pepper.


    "So, did you get the new person in your class?"


    "Yeah, she''s in our class."


    "It''s a girl?!" he''s voice went to a higher pitch, and his face got all red, "Is she hot?"


    "She''s pretty, I guess."


    "Do you sit next to her?"


    "Nope, she''s actually on the opposite side of the classroom" I got a coin from my wallet and put it in the vending machine, and pressing the buttons ''B'' and ''2'', orange juice dropped, I picked it up and punched the straw through the hole.


    "That sucks..." he''s face dropped. "Now you guys can''t be a romantic classroom couple" he groaned.


    I spit out my orange juice with a shocked expression on my face.


    "What are you talking about? I thought you wanted to go out with a girl!"


    "Well, now that is true, but I thought of it in class you never had a girlfriend, did you now?" he gave a cheeky smile as he poked me on the chest couple of times.


    "Well...that is true, but don''t ever mention that again, please. You know I''m horrible talking to new people and especially girls."


    "Come on now, buddy! I know your shy, but you got to burst out the bubble of yours" he scratched my head like I was his younger brother.


    "Fine, I''ll try...but not go out with her! Just friends" I puffed.


    All of a sudden, someone tapped me from behind. I looked who it was, and it was the one and only the new girl.


    "Uhm, sorry. I want to get a drink" she smiled as she said the sentence with a robotic-like voice. As the teacher mentioned, her English wasn''t the best, but it had a charm to it.


    "Oh sorry of course" I moved out of the way, and looked back at Ace, but I saw him run across the hallway and then turn around gave me a thumbs up for good luck. I felt a shiver all around my body as I had no idea what to do. I looked at the new girl as she was looking at the drinks. She was biting her bottom lip and was thinking about what drink she wants.


    "??? ???? ?? ?????.(I don''t know what to choose)" she mumbled underneath her breath. I had no idea what she was saying. All I knew it was in Korean most likely.


    I turned around ready to go, to see where Ace went but suddenly my phone vibrated. It was a text from Ace.


    To: Kairi


    Subject: Empty


    You better not run away! This is your chance to talk to her. !! I SACRIFICED MY DR PEPPER FOR THIS !!


    I took a deep breath and did another 180 degrees and walked up to her.


    "Hey, I recommend the orange juice."


    She looked over to me, and I looked at her. Our eyes were connected.


    "Orange juice?" she said it in a soft voice.


    "Yeah, it''s healthy for you. It has Vitamin C."


    "Orange juice..." she got her change from her frog wallet and put it in the vending machine. She punched the straw through and started sipping.


    "So, how is it?"


    "Hmm..." she kept drinking the juice with her eyes being closed, as she was thinking. "Very good!"


    "Sweet"


    She finished the orange juice and threw into the trash. I asked her if she wants to go and hang out for the break, and she agreed, but before we could go anywhere, the bell rang, and I tried to laugh it off. We agreed to hang out at lunch.


    Next came English, when it came around the teacher asked can someone help her out for a couple of weeks. The person beside her wasn''t interested at all.


    "Anyone?" asked the teacher.


    I started to sweat. It''s the best way to get closer. Those seconds of thought felt like minutes. Even the clock was ticking slower. What''s the worst that can happen...I raised my hand slowly.


    "Ah, finally Kairi" the teacher he told me to sit down next to her.


    I switched places with the girl that was sitting beside her and, the lesson began. We whispered as the teacher was reading a book. I thought her some basic introductions like presenting herself, what you want, and all that stuff. It was mostly fixing the grammar bit. After the 40 minutes passed, the class ended. She thanked me, and I went back to my seat. The next class was mathematics, and that flew by. This was followed up by Spanish, which felt the same.


    When the bell rang, Lilly and I went outside, but it was still raining. I gave her a school tour. While we were going from class to class, there was a long awkward gap of silence, with her limited English and me just being a non-talkative person. We went back to the classroom to get our lunches, and we sat beside together. The curse of the silence was still upon us. It''s almost like it, ripped my voice box and I wasn''t going to get it back anytime soon. Lunch ended.


    After lunch, we did the rest of the subjects. The last bell rang, and it was finally time to go home. Everyone was starting head out. I grabbed my bag, and I was about to head out when someone grabbed my hand. After the sudden shock, I looked over, and it was Lilly. My heart started to race a tiny bit.


    "Hey, what''s up?"


    "Do...do you...want...want...want-" her sentence couldn''t string together, and she was clearly nervous. "Do you want to hang out today!?" she finally shouted out.


    A sudden wave of emotions hit my body. I''m surprised that Lilly wants to hang out with me, even though we had such awkward moments. All I had to do is to fight this curse of silence that has been with me for most of my life. Apart from Ace, nobody asked me to hang out with them. There''s one thing for sure that today was a rollercoaster of emotions, and it''s going to be a fight with my inner self. . .

 Chapter 2 - The Curse of Silence

    Chapter 2


    "Sure, why not."


    Her eyes started to sparkle as she heard my words. I put my bag on my back, and we headed out of the class. As it was still raining, I took out my black umbrella, and we started to walk. After a few seconds later I realised Lily was still in the rain and she was starting to soak wet.


    "Hey, do you want to go under?"


    She nodded back and went beside my side. We were touching shoulder to shoulder. There was a heat of energy from her that I could feel.


    "So, Lily, when did you move here?"


    "I moved here two weeks ago with my parents because they found a new job here."


    "I see."


    I could still feel the curse of silence with me. Carrying on a conversation is complicated, and another awkward silence broke out.


    "Oh! Do you want to go to a caf¨¦?" As she suddenly jumped in front of me with a huge bubbly smile on her face.


    "I''d love to!"


    I felt another shiver coming through my body. Is this a date now? No. No. Is it only friend thing, right?


    We entered a caf¨¦ named Yumman Caf¨¦. I''ve been in this caf¨¦ many times before with Grandma and her friends. It''s nice to go with a different person.


    We sat down on the hand made wooden chairs and ordered. I got a black coffee, and Lily got hot chocolate with marshmallows and extra sugar.


    "Are you not going to get sick?"


    "I''m only a bit wet. I''ll be fine!" she smiled at me across the table.


    "How was your first day by the way?"


    "Let me see..." she started to bite her bottom lip again just as she did at the vending machine.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there."It was great, and it''s all thanks to you!"


    My body started to get hot as I felt a fire starting in my stomach.


    "Are you for real? I mean, I didn''t do too much."


    "You did plus you are my first friend here..."


    Another flame burst in my stomach. It''s like she''s the wood and I''m the small flame. She''s making the fire grow more massive.


    After then I saw a tiny drop of a tear splash in the hot chocolate. Soon I realised she started to cry.


    "Are you okay?"


    I got up and put my chair beside her and put my arm around her to comfort her.


    "Yes, I''m okay... it''s just I miss my friends and my family back home."


    I rubbed her shoulders more and turned her face towards me. I wiped her tears with my jumper.


    "Listen, there''s nothing to worry about you''ll make new friends here. Don''t worry. It''s your first day here."


    She sniffed her nose and then wiped it.


    "I''m sorry."


    "There''s nothing to be sorry about okay? Here let''s go shopping."


    "Uhm, okay!"


    She wiped her eyes again and then laughed for a tiny bit. We went out of the caf¨¦ with the weather still being awful. We were again shoulder by the shoulder but closer this time.


    The rest of the day was spent going to shopping centres. We went to the clothes sections first and got some new clothes, which was mostly for Lily, but she got me a little bracelet. We got more snacks and all that great stuff.


    After a couple of hours of shopping, we went to the bus station. The bus came and, Lily went in. Before the bus doors closed, she turned around and smiled.


    "Thank you so much, Kairi!"


    Once again, she put more wood into the fire that was burning inside of me. My heart slowed down, and the whole world did too. The clock ticked slower. Suddenly, I felt two hands covering my mouth and making me unavailable to speak. The doors of the bus closed and I watched it drive away. Without a response, the curse of silence won again.


    I walked back home. Mixed feelings were all around me, happiness and disappointment, it felt like I didn''t do enough. She did all the work I just watched. I won some battles but lost some in the process. This is a war with myself and the silence that surrounds me like a demon or a curse.

 Chapter 3- The Scream

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 Chapter 4 - The Mind of Ace

    Chapter 4 - The Mind of Ace


    My eyes opened wide, and I rushed out of bed without a single groan. My usual boring routine felt brand new, even though it was the same. I put on my navy trousers, a white shirt with my navy jacket on top, buttoned and I ran out the door, with my shoe being incorrect and not saying goodbye to my grandma. Seeing Ace also raced to the school, I caught up to him and took some deep breaths.


    "Yesterday wasn''t a weird dream, right?" I asked as I get a hold of my breath


    "Not at all, it''s all reality."


    "You know Ace. I''m feeling kind of excited. Even though a new student in our school is getting beaten at home."


    "Yeah, life got spicey all of a sudden."


    We speed-walked to school, and for a change, Ace didn''t go to his friends as most of them weren''t in yet, but I knew why. We walked to upstairs and went to class 6-C, my class. I took a deep breath as I looked at the door and then looked back at Ace, he gave me a nod, and I burst open the door. Nobody was in yet. We walked in, opened the windows and sat down. Minutes passed, which felt like hours, the class started to fill up, and Ace had to leave to go to his class. Lily never came in that day. During the whole day she was circling through my head, the only thing I could think about or wanted.


    After school, Ace and I met up again.


    "Well, this sucks..."


    "Indeed, our plan is ruined, but luckily I know someone that might help us!"


    "Ace, what the hell did you do?"


    We walked to the janitor''s basement that is at the very south of our school, and he was standing out the entrance with his hat tilted down and his nose stuck in the newspaper. Ace came up, and they whispered to him and took out a piece of paper from his pocket, it looked like some person, I tried to get a glance at it, and it looked like Ms Walsh. The stone age teacher, her hair is grey, and she has more wrinkles than a pug.


    The janitor grinned and opened the door, and Ace told me to follow him. We walked down the basement, and it was cold and very dusty.


    "Ace, was that Ms Walsh?"


    "Yes, it was. Our janitor really likes her" He smugged at me.


    "Wait...what was that picture?"Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I don''t think I want to tell you, but let''s say it''s Ms Walsh but without anything on her."


    "Ace, what the hell is wrong with you!"


    "Shhh...I told you, I''m friends with everyone, which also includes her ex."


    My mind went crazy but in the wrong way. I wanted to vomit on the spot, and I gagged once or twice. We finally reached the button of this endless staircase.


    "You ready?" Ace said with a cocky attitude.


    I nodded, and he turned on the lights. There was a body tied up in duck tape, he sitting there almost half-dead. I started to panic, and I started to run upstairs, but Ace caught me and dragged me down. He told me to wait, and so I did. Ace walked up crouched down, looking at the person, and the person didn''t probably realise Ace was there. He got the duck tape and ripped it out of his mouth, and the person screamed in pain. My whole body went weird again, and I gagged again, as seeing people in pain is a real turn off.


    "So, Mr Iwada. Will you show us where Lily lives or what?"


    Now, I knew what this whole situation was. Ace couldn''t get the information about Lily in the secretary, so he kidnapped one. I marched to ace and grabbed his shoulder.


    "Ace, what the fuck is wrong with you? We could''ve handled it another way and not kidnap him and by we I mean you."


    "True, but he was stubborn."


    He looked away from me and started to talk to him again.


    "Sir, I know you want to see your wife and kids as fast as possible, but you are not going anywhere without giving her location."


    It looked like Iwada was here for hours, and he was tired. Ace got rid of the tape from his eyes and smiled at him.


    "This can save a students life, you know?"


    He looked at him as his eyes were red from crying, then he looked back at me. I looked away. He signed.


    "Even, if I tell you...you boys and that pervert of a janitor is in deep trouble you know?"


    "You think they''ll believe old Tommy the Janitor and one of the best students would make a deal with each other and that the janitor kidnapped you and locked you up here?"


    Iwada looked around and gave a big sign.


    "You are a sociopath, and you know that, right?"


    "Only a select people know that Mr Iwada."


    "Well, then. Fine but at one deal. We''re not talking about what you found inside my desk, and I won''t talk about this."


    Ace agreed and sliced the duck tape in half, letting him go. I got the nearest first-aid kid and helped his bruises he got from banging the wall. Ace then spoke.


    "Iwada, I''m sorry for the trouble."


    Iwada laughed at loud and looked at Ace as he was about to kill him.


    "I mean at least I can say that once in a life I got kidnapped?"


    Ace laughed, and he patted him on the back. I thought I knew everything about Ace, but he''s not what it seems. Ace thinks this is his world, and I''m just a companion. It''s almost like he doesn''t care if people are in pain. We will drill into your head and stab you with words to get what he wants, and always gets away with it.


    After going out, we walked to the office and got the address. Ace apologised again, and they shook hands as nothing happened.


    Going out of the school it was starting to get dark. It was relatively silent until Ace spoke.


    "I''m sorry you saw that side of me. I can''t control it. Kind of feels like a demon controls me when I want something badly."


    I kept silence but showed my "its okay." I was still quite shocked form what happened but its steps we have to do, to resolve this issue as fast as possible.


    After reaching the door of my house, Ace jumped on me and hugged me crying.


    "From...now I will improve! I wanted to do good, and I saw you were disappointed."


    Another silence broke out.


    "Maybe, next time, don''t kidnap people?"


    I sudden burst of laughter came from both of us.


    "I promise I won''t. From now on, we''re are not going to harm other human beings to help a human in pain."


    "We more like you, but sure. You don''t want to cause more pain than trying to stop some being in pain, understand?"


    "Loud and clear."


    He let go, and we said our goodbyes.


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