10.
My memory of a ten year old Daniel Alec was that he was an only child and that he came from a family of politics. His Aunts, Uncles and even grand, grandparents were in a family of politics. For example, his Mom was the ex-Mayor of Forest Dream and now his father was the Governor of the whole state. When Highschool came he was sent to another city to pursue his music career. He had a band and I was pretty sure eveyone in our town knew him, you'd be an outsider if you didn't know Daniel.
Back then, the girls, even Dewn had had an unhealthy obsession over him.
And now, as I was standing right in front of all of them. I could see the connection they had tied together with him and whatever was that connection. . . It had something to do with Dewn.
Dewn broke the hug, leveled her gaze to Daniel and then her pink lips slowly broke into a grin. There was a slight pinch at my heart from seeing the sight because It's been so long since I saw that beautiful smile, It felt like I was seeing a glimpse of the girl that I used to know.
"When did you get here?" she asked, still looping her arms around his neck.
"Last night, I came to see you here cause I know you're always beside the Lowers." he chuckled and planted a quick kiss on top of her forehead.
Etha shoved them both playfully making them fall back to the couch laughing, "Cute but stop blocking my way, and what are you guys waiting for? Sit, doggies, sit."
Everyone started settling down after the laughter had died down, we sank onto the couch. I sat between Chase and Izzy.
They were in the middle of talking about their plans in the future. Building casinos in a large city, trying exotic asian food and sky diving on every part of the world. Even Izzy was becoming comfortable which wasn't a surprise anymore since she was getting friendly with the girls too. Dewn and Daniel were so close to each other, it almost felt like they were going for each other's faces. Daniel was about to nibble on Dewn's ear when I stood up, raised my arm to excuse myself to go to the bathroom because the truth was I needed to get some air.
The hallways were coastclear, I marched to it quietly and let myself took in the family portraits of the Lowers on the brown walls, some of their pictures included the Goldens, even Mom which wasn't a surprise since she too was close to Mr. and Mrs. Lowers back then. I walked a few steps more until their loud voices died down in my ears. There was music though, and I had no clue where it was coming from, it was very familiar, I brisked walk to follow the sound but it looked like I was getting nowhere.
After a minute of wishful thinking, I figured that the sound was coming from my left side so I turned to the direction and pumped my legs harder, I was sure I was almost there. . . And then the music got louder as my eyes found a door from the side ajar, it was the only door that was open, the others were shut and looked empty with people. My heart skipped a beat, who was playing that song? How did they know that song?
I slipped inside the tightness of the ajar door and found a face staring back at me.
"Samantha? You know that song?" she was standing beside a massive collection of vinyl records, swanked on a large shelf.
"Yeah! I love Beach House, especially this record." she replied. I had never found a Beach House fan until now, my bestfriend couldn't understand my obsession with the band.
Whoever owned this room was probably a musician or someone who just really, really loved music. Because the room wasn't also full of vinyl records, it was like a studio. Full of instrumental equipments. There were two strat guitars, drums, piano and synths.
"You will grow to quick, then you will get over it." Samantha sang along to Victoria Legrand's hunting voice, beaming at me.
I couldn't believe she was a Beach House fan. This song was me and Dewn's favorite. We'd play it over and over again all afternoon. I used to believe this song was actually made for us.
"You're a fan too?" she asked over the music, raising a brow.
I nodded and gestured her to shut up because I wanted to feel the song. When Alex's solo started, I decided to ask her to start a conversation. She was just sitting beside Arriane earlier and now she was suddenly here. I guess she liked being away from the crowd too.
"Do you own this room?"
Samantha turned the volume down but the music was still loud, "No--"
"WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO GET IN HERE!?"
Dewn's voice boomed over the music, Samantha quickly stopped the song from playing. My heart dropped at meeting her facial expression. Why was she so angry?
"I thought I might try to--" Samantha spoke but Dewn cut her off, "I am not talking to you," her eyes darted to me.
"I-I heard the song playing and I wanted to listen." I explained.
She ran a hand over her hair and bit her lips, "I hate that fucking song and no one is allowed to get in here,"
She hated it? But this was our song! And how come she had a room full of vinyls when this wasn't even her house.
It seemed as if we really did something wrong to her because she started marching over to the vinyls and grabbed the Depression Cherry record which was the Beach House record that was playing, There was horror in my eyes when I realized what she was about to do,
"Dewn, No! What are you doing?"
"I want to throw it for years now anyway and seeing your face doesn't help!" she tore the disc in half and then to pieces until the remnants all fell to the floor. I could only gape at a now dead memory.
She was breathing heavily, eyes cascading down to the result of her actions. I hated this Monster!
"Why would you do that!?" I shouted, "You're so horrible! WHY!?" I lost my cool that I didn't notice Samantha was taking firm grip of my hand.
"I don't know what is happening but Clea we need to go, come on."
Samantha tugged me and dragged me out of the room. I cried on her shoulder and it was a miracle that she didn't ask me anything, she just let me wet her shoulder.
When I composed myself and was sure that I had the energy again to face them, Samantha and I returned to the group. Chase was the one who run to me first, he held my face to examine it.
"Did something happen?" he asked.
I shook my head, Thank god, Samantha agreed to kept what happened between us.
Izzy swatted Chase's hands away and pulled me into an embrace, "You look like you cried, what happened?"
"No, I didn't." I tried to force a laugh, "I was in the balcony and Samantha joined me, the wind was strong and debris went to my eyes."
"Oh come on, Clea doesn't cry. She's a tough girl now." Fala joked.
"Where's Summer? We're actually planning to go somewhere." Reeds chimed in.
"Where?" Chase asked.
Arriane was the one who answered, smirking, "We're going to Cambridge."
"Are we allowed to join?" Samantha asked.
"Sorry but this is sort of a childhood friends bonding," Fala answered.
No one noticed that I was quiet during the ride, Dewn was able to sleep the whole ride while the other girls drone on and on about the strange occurrences and rumors on the not so famous Cambridge building in our town. Chase probably thought I was just tired so he didn't bother me, he'd pull a joke every now and then but I wasn't in the mood to laugh. I was a bit scared though, because Cambridge still gave me goosebumps every single time.
The sea swallowed the sun when we got there, we had to go to a store to buy flashlights and all. I had no clue why they wanted to go to Cambridge, all I knew was that they were going to leave after summer and we needed to make the most of it.
"So this is it, huh?" Etha asked, as we all stood in front of a graying and ruined building.
"Who's going to go first?" Arriane asked, eyes scanning our group.
Izzy went to hug me on the back, "Clea, I'm so scared. What were these people thinking?"
I mentally agreed at my bestfriend.
"Rock, paper, scissors and the one who loses will have to enter first." Etha suggested.
Chase folded his arms, he reminded me of a baseball player from the seventies which was weird, I know. "I'm going to go first." he declared.
"No, we're playing a game tonight." Reeds said in a serious tone, and then slowly her lips crept into a smile, "I made a game here, I had a crew last night who set up a set of CCTV cameras all over the place and they build a small game for us."
"Eh?" Fala gave a puzzled look.
Reeds stood straight up like a real leader, she reminded me so much of a model who lived alone in a city which was probably true except for the fact that she was a real dork who secretly loved this kind of whims. "The game is very easy, go to the top floor building and then find the small flag, whoever wins will get a date for two. The game will be played by pair."
Etha scoffed, her face reddening from the fright or maybe from what Reeds had just said, "What!? I'm not going to be stuck with Fala again and accompany her ass to buy playgirl magazines."
"Bitch, this game is clearly for Chase and Clea," Etha added in a low voice.
Fala retorted, "What the hell are you talking about? You read Harem, you can't talk." then she turned to Reeds, "FINGER!?" Fala rasped, embracing her leather jacket, I could see her clattering.
"A mannequin fingers, right?" Arriane asked but Reeds pretended not to hear her as she replied,
"Don't worry, we're all going to play the game,"
Etha chuckled nervously and made a whooping sound, "We can choose to not play the game right?"
Reeds looked at Etha incredulously, "What are you talking about?
She gestured to the Cambridge Building
"Dozens of ghosts are waiting for us inside."