Coming back

Despite Cayden's insistence and his team begging him to come with them for a celebration, Yvann came home with his father.

For the first time after his mother died, and he remarried, Yvann ate with his family, a smile on his face and feeling light-hearted.

He spent half of the evening having a chess match with his father. Nizah and Sene watched at the sides, and so did Zoe.

It was a tight match. But in the end, his father still won. And for that, Yvann was to clean his father's car this coming weekend.

Loser had to do something in exchange. And he didn't mind.

Even his brother Zoe volunteered to join him.

After the little feast, he went inside his room and lay in bed. Sleep was far from his mind.

He has been thinking of Szeina a lot.

What happened between them and how ashamed he felt.

She was probably thinking that he had done something bad. He didn't have the time to defend himself. The stupid voice chose that moment to interfere.

Staring at his ceiling, placing his hands on his head to serve as a pillow, Yvann thought of all the possibilities if he had been able to answer her question.

How did he come across the necklace?

In all honesty, it was all an accident.

He couldn't even begin to explain what happened. All he knew was that he heard the voice inside his head, causing the searing pain that it usually brings with it.

He was inside his car.

Due to the unbearable pain, he had closed his eyes.

When he reopened them, he was no longer inside his car.

The dead body laid in front of him, and the rest was history.

Upon coming home on that fateful night, the rain poured outside. Yvann had no clue what just happened and the only evidence of that crazy event was the necklace.

"Could it be…?" He trailed off, rising to sit on his bed. The realization only dawned on him.

Now he was more determined to find her.

He needed to clear his name.

He needed to tell her the truth.

--

Szeina blinked at her reflection. She grabbed a fistful of her hair and wondered how it was possible.

Her black dye was gone. Her hair was now blonde. It wasn't even her natural hair color, and yet it made her look like it was.

The hue was close to white, and she tried to think who might have done this.

Her mind came up blank.

Neyandro was the last person whom she talked to last night and he would have no reason to color her hair.

Why would he?

Granola wouldn't do it either. Queedor? No.

By some miracle, did her hair dye on its own overnight?

Throwing her hands in resignation, Szeina slammed the bathroom door shut. She was surprised to find Queedor patiently waiting for her inside her room.

He looked as surprised as she was, and Szeina didn't have to wonder why.

"Don't ask. I do not know how it happened and nope, it wasn't my doing." Szeina blurted out, her breathing getting exasperated.

Queedor held her gaze and offered a small smile.

"I was going to say that it actually looked good on you."

Szeina shook her head in utter disbelief.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? My hair dyed itself last night. On its own."

Queedor chuckled.

"You'll find a lot of stranger things, Szeina. Trust me."

"Oh, I do. If the Rebels aren't enough, here's a self dyeing hair problem. And then more to come. Brace yourself." Szeina didn't mean to be sarcastic, but she couldn't help it.

She had come to love that raven black color. It made her oceanic eyes stand out.

Realizing this, she blew out a sigh and stared at Queedor.

"Sorry. I'm just ranting."

It was Queedor's turn to shake his head.

"No need to apologize, love. Anyway, today is your lucky day."

Szeina narrowed her eyes at him.

"Define lucky."

He brandished a car key towards her and beamed.

"You and Neyandro are coming with me."

"To where?"

"Oh, you know, back to what remained of our home. There's something we needed to get there. Something important."

"What does it have to do with me and Neyandro?"

"It has everything to do with the both of you. Trust me."

--

'Curiosity always kills a cat.'

Szeina tried not to think of negative thoughts when Queedor had hit the brakes. He parked the car two blocks away from the home they used to have.

It was nothing but ashes now. Yellow police tape surrounded the gate, and Queedor pulled out a small device from his pocket.

Szeina watched as he put it in front of his eyes and was silent for a moment, his attention focused on the ruined remains of their former house.

"All clear." He said after a few minutes. Neyandro glanced at Szeina from the passenger seat.

"Are you alright?"

Szeina faked a smile and nodded.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Neyandro shrugged.

"Just checking."

"I'm sorry if I had to drag the two of you in here today. But like I said, I need the two of you to get the thing we left behind."

"Can you tell us what it is now?" Szeina inquired, trying her best to hide her impatience.

She was getting tired of all these secrets.

But she didn't want to dump too much information inside her head all at once.

Queedor caught Szeina's gaze from the rear-view mirror.

"We'll get there, love."

With a sigh, Szeina let the issue go. Queedor opened the car door and got out. He gestured for the two to follow suit.

Riding along to get it over and done with, Szeina walked beside Neyandro. They passed by the back gate and trotted behind Queedor.

They were careful not to ruin the police tape, else it would raise suspicion.

The ruined remains of what used to be their house left it roofless and with scattered fragments of the cemented wall and ruined furniture.

Szeina tried not to think of the happenings before they were forced to leave what was supposed to be their home until she and Neyandro finished school.

But it was inevitable.