Chapter 17

Work had passed like a blur, not fast but I couldn't find myself concentrating with the storm of thoughts that raked my brain.

My eyes shot to my wrist fearfully every few seconds hoping it was still that bland, thin silver strand that resided there and not a black bracelet.

The accident. The student who died. The unknown identity.

Last night, the police discovered who died.

A lump plagued my throat. It was stubborn and painful. Tears of guilt welled up in my eyes ever so often.

Angela.

It couldn't have been a coincidence. The way Mr Nathaniel spoke about her. That anger. It was definitely him.

George was the first person I called. He picked up with a hoarse throat.

"Hamper?" He questioned. It was kind of cute. Wait let's not get distracted!

"A-are you okay?" I asked hesitantly, slightly contemplating why I called.

"Fine." His voice didn't change tones.

"D-did you hear about who died?" I slowly asked.

"Angela right?" He didn't seem to care. I couldn't help but feel kind of dumb.

"Weren't you friends?" My brows furrowed in confusion. Was I wrong?

A long silence passed on the other line so long I thought George hung up, until an awkward cough broke the silence.

"D-different type of friends" he awkwardly said.

I felt even more confused.

"What do you mean? So you were friends?"

"Hamper are you an idiot or just really innocent?" He seemed to snort on the other line causing me to frown. He didn't seem any different than usual.

"Either way you were friends so I just wanted to make sure you were feeling okay but, you seem completely fine" i sighed, ready to hang up.

Another silence passed.

"Why do you even care?" His voice sounded slightly irritated.

It felt like someone hit in the back of my head with a hammer. Why did I care? I recalled how both George and Kevin seemed to care when I didn't show up yesterday but, did they really care about me or...? I struggled to think of another reason, rather I didn't actually want to.

"I-I don't ... know..." i glanced at my silver strand of a bracelet. "Before she died, she attacked me"-

"What!" Georges voice caused me to flinch.

"Wait let me fin"-

"That crazy bitch..." he muttered with what might be a hint of melancholy, "always kept attacking any girls that came near me!" Or not...

Wait... were they friends... with benefits?

Ah! The story!

"Wait George listen! Mr Nathaniel stopped her before she could actually hit me" I paused hoping he didn't hang up.

"Go on" I sighed with relief at his voice.

"He seemed really mad and gave her detention. I think it really was him" I shuddered. The realisation that Angela died because of me gave me a chill. A chill mixed with fear and guilt.

"She had it coming" George said and before I knew it a customer came in so I quickly hung up.

A timid boy walked in. He was definitely in his mid-teens judging from his size, but his tense slouching made him seem like middle schooler. Severe acne crowding his face and neck, loose glasses slipped down his face and he pulled down his small hoodie over his head barely covering his zit filled forehead.

I smiled at him as warmly as possible, but his eyes rather than looking at my face were drawn to my wrist. I glanced at my wrist, nothing was there aside from the silver strand.

"Can I help you?" I asked, hoping to grab his attention.

"Y-you have one too" he stuttered in shock as he stumbled towards the counter I stood behind. I stared at him bewildered, grasping the metal baseball bat under the counter just in case.

He lifted his baggy sleeves and revealed the same thin silver strand that I carried since childhood.

"Y-you can see the bracelets too?" My hands suddenly started trembling furiously. Why was I so... so scared?

"Yes! I- I can!" He smiled, a wave of relief seemed wash over him as if he had been waiting for this moment his whole life. In contrast to him, I stood shaken at the revelation.

—————

The name 'Dean' was added to my small list of contacts as I made my way to the place where the richest of the rich lived.

I frowned as I thought about him. He had no clue why he could see the bracelets so no leads from him. Normally, I guess anyone would be happy in this situation but I felt more fear than anything.

The strange bracelets that I saw since childhood which I linked to being related to things like innocence and death were very much real. And I knew that before but now, now I knew that they were much bigger than just that.

I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts as I made my way up the hill to my dreaded gym session.

Kevin's house as always towered over me, beckoning me to my expected death. And I marched forward towards it, hesitating awkwardly the whole way.

I rang the doorbell. Nothing.

Again. Nothing.

I frowned as I turned around. The way back was long.

I rang one more time.

The door opened this time and a sweaty George in a tank top opened the door. His abs could be easily seen from the loose tank top and for some reason I couldn't stop staring.

"Done ogling Hamper?" An annoyed voice escaped the boy causing my face to redden.

"I wasn't! It was in my line of sight!" Excuses quickly made their way out of my throat as my face burned even more. God! Why was this happening?!

"That's what all criminals say" he tutted and shook his head.

"I-I swear!" He snickered at my flustered state and gestured for me to follow him.

He opened a narrow door enough for a single person to pass through and lead me down a spiral of stairs which I couldn't help but admire. Did I walk into the realm of fairies?

"I hate these annoying stairs" George, in contrast to me, groaned.

"Why? They're like something from a fantasy" I couldn't help but feel sorry for the unimaginative boy who just scoffed at my explanation.

Soon we came face to face with Kevin in a track suit who waited patiently for us to arrive.

"Cool stairs" I smiled at him. A strange warmth filled me as I caught sight of his face.

"Hello Elliot, back from work?" He was polite as ever.

"Ready for hell Hamper?" George sneered.

I returned his sneer with a wry smile.

"Not really..."

———-

George wasn't exaggerating when he said hell. My body ached everywhere without a single safe spot.

"Hold that plank Hamper! Don't you dare fall! You got ten more seconds!" I didn't know why he was screaming and had no energy to ask.

I fell before the ten seconds were over and lay in the same spot.

"N-no more!" I gasped out.

"That's what losers say Hamper! Are you a loser!" He screamed at my semi-dead and far from amused face.

"Yes" i sniffled.

"I also think that's enough George, it's her first day" Kevin, whom I once viewed as a devil seemed to sport a halo around his head.

"Tch fine" he sighed, annoyed at being rebuked.

"Thank you!" I cried at Kevin, he gave me a smile full of pity and handed me a glass of cold water.

I gulped it down and moved to sit on a bean chair, after I gracefully flopped down on it the boys also sat down on the thick carpet.

"So Elliot how was your first day?" Kevin teased my exhausted state.

"Great..." I could only muster up sarcasm.

"I expected more from you" George shook his head like a disappointed parent. It suddenly seemed like they were both siding with each other against me.

"Stop being so passive-aggressive against me" I groaned out and right after the words left my mouth my stomach growled. My face burned.

"I'll ask somebody to get some food ready" Kevin chuckled, as he promptly pulled out his phone and texted someone.

"Who exactly is 'somebody'?" George asked the question that weighed on my mind.

"The chef" he nonchalantly muttered.

Me and George mirrored each other's faces .

'Rich people...'

"Are you guys fine with Shepard's pie?" He smiled at us after reading a message on his phone.

I gave a thumbs up to him and George gave him a fist bump.

The air around us seemed so peaceful. The usual anxiety I'd constantly feel seemed nonexistent at that moment. Nobody staring at me whilst whispering to their friends. Nobody screaming at me to carry my weight while leaving bundles of domestic work to me. Nobody forcing me to smile and take any abuse I received from customers.

No... right now it seemed like my soul was finally at peace. I could die like this... after I get a bite of that Shepard's pie that is.