10. Scare

 

CHAPTER 10

 

 

 

 

Scare

 

 

 

 

 

     Sunday was mostly the same as Saturday, except when we went to church. We snorkled, made a video blog, lay on the white pristine sand, played beach volleyball, built sandcastles, and sand sculpture of a turtle, and we also did scuba diving, and Paulo carried me on his back for half an hour for no good reason. It was a tiresome day, but it was worth it. It’s really a great thing that the sun wasn’t so hot, though I did plan to have a tan for a change.

     The yacht came by dawn in the morning. I was awakened after being tired of the part that ended by midnight. Paulo took my bags as I left my suite and put my sunglasses on. Troy was behind us, more alive than I am, and he’s doing something in his phone that I didn’t mind until my phone rang. Omigod. Of course he’ll call Lauren. He called me every three hours yesterday, which made me bring my bag everywhere I go. I even checked if he called after we snorkeled, and yeah, he did.

    “Um, you go ahead, I just need to go to the bathroom,” I said to Paulo.

     “Sure,” he smiled.

     I headed to the restroom as fast as I can, though I don’t know where else there is other than my room. By the time I answered my phone, I was halfway the hallway, catching my breath.

     “Hey,” I pretended to yawn. Doesn’t he realize what time it is? You shouldn’t have answered the phone; maybe he had thought that you’re still sleeping instead, dummy. The voice muttered in my head.

     “Hi. Um, am I disturbing you?” he asked.

     “Yes... I mean no, I just woke up and...” I hope you hang up already, I wanted to add.

     “Okay. I’m so sorry if I woke you up. I thought you’re getting ready for school.”

     “It’s fine,” I yawned, this time for real. “I just hope I can go to school tomorrow,”

     “Do you still have a fever?”

     “Yeah,” I told him that I have a burning fever last night to make him call less. And fortunately, it worked. Last night.

     “I’m really disturbing you, am I...” he said as a rhetorical question.

     “Kinda,” I chuckled weakly. “Gotta go, my dad is coming in, bye.” I shut my phone.

     I ran again to catch him stepping out of the hotel as the guards surrounded us again. I breathed rapidly then turned my head up high, as if nothing happened. Troy flickered to me then looked straight again. I almost trip when he did that, but fortunately, he didn’t notice me.

     “What took you so long?” Paulo whispered to my ear.

     Let’s see, you all are in the first floor while I was running in the third floor. Hmm, I don’t really know exactly. “It’s a girl thing,” I lied.

 

 

     The trip home was fine. I spent most of my time sleeping while they were partying. I can hear the loud music despite the fact that I’m wearing ear muffs and sleeping mask. It was cold as always, and I was wrapped in my jacket under the comforter. The air conditioner is probably turned up high, and I doubt if they feel the cold since they’re dancing until I woke up.

     When I woke up, we were almost in California already. I didn’t really get a good sleep, though I was in a good mood when I woke up. After eating, Paulo and I played table tennis then headed to the arcade and bar; I didn’t drink any alcoholic drinks and I just stick with the punch. I can say that I love parties, but I swear to myself that I would never drink any alcoholic drinks, and would probably stick with wine.

 

     “Bye, um, see you around in the neighbourhood,” I said to Paulo.

     “Right,” he was about to kiss me when Troy pulled me in the arm.

     “Not with paparazzi around,” Troy muttered. “Unless you want to be called a s**t or flirt in the internet,”

     As much as I want to disagree, he’s right. The last thing I want is to have a lot of haters. “Right,” I went in to Troy’s Ferrari, which is now driven by Harry.

     “I know you two are dating, but could you keep it low key? My mom’s going to kill me.” Troy whispered.

     “Fine. Besides, since we’re back, I’m officially not your responsibility,” I looked to him.

     “Not until we reach our house,”

     The trip home was fine; silent. Well, except when Harry talks, which is rarely. I put my phone in silent, just in case he calls. And he did, though I didn’t answer it, of course. It was traffic, and took more than an hour just to get home. I texted Mandy about some updates and what’s new; okay, and maybe I asked a few juicy gossip.

     I went out of the car as soon as Harry parked and welcomed by a black Labrador as I opened the door.

     “Hey there,” I crouched to have a better sight on the dog. “Whose dog is this?” I asked Harry as he went in.

     “Mine,” Troy muttered. “Just to scare my enemies,”

     “Then you probably got the wrong dog... he doesn’t scare me,” I petted him. “Wait, your dog? How come I haven’t seen him for the past week? And what’s his name?”

     “Jasper. He was on my dog sitter since I was in my tour.” He walked up the stairs.

     “C’mon, Jasper,” I stood up and led him upstairs; and he followed me without any hesitation.

     “Don’t influence my dog,” he muttered, opening the door of his room.

     “Whatever,” I went in my room and change to my mauve shirt and black shorts. I put my curls on a high ponytail then slip on my black flip-flops. I unpacked the clothes that I didn’t use, and then placed my dirty clothes to the basket with the other dirty laundries. I was planning to wash my clothes, since I don’t expect Zoey doing it, and it would be a shame of me if I let her do it. I put my phone in my pocket carried the basket when my phone vibrated.

     “Hello?” I said.

     “Hey, it’s me again,” Troy said.

     “Oh hey, um, I’m sorry I haven’t answered your calls,” I murmured as I took a peek to see if he’s anywhere in sight, then closed the door and sat on the foot of my bed.

     “That’s fine. You sound better now,”

     “Yah. And I think I’ll be going to school tomorrow,”

     “That’s great,”

     “Oh, and Mandy said that we’ll have a quiz in English tomorrow,”

     “Oh,” he sighed. “Is that all?”

     “Yah, and no homeworks,”

     “Great,”

     “Taylor,” Zoey knocked on the door.”

     “I need to go, bye.” I shut my phone before he could reply. I hope he didn’t hear Zoey’s voice. Okay, she didn’t shout my name, and her voice is a little low so, he probably didn’t.

     “Yes?” I opened the door.

     “Your mom is calling. She said she can’t reach your phone.”

     “Oh, I forgot to charge it,” I bit my lip.

     “Here,” in my surprise, she gave me her phone.

     “Hello?” I asked.

     “Hey sweetie, I’m just checking on you,” my mom said, her voice calm as always.

     “I’m fine.”

     “Are you being a good girl?” she asked as if she’s talking to a kid.

     “Of course,”

     “Can I talk to Troy? Just to make sure that you’re telling the truth,”

      Why does she always need Troy? “How about Zoey? He’s kinda busy,” I lied.

     “No, I want someone who you’ve been for the past few days,”

     I sighed. “Fine,” I headed to Troy’s room and opened it without knocking. “Wait just a sec,”

     “What are you doing in here?” Troy asked, lying on his bed, as he caught the ball in his gloves.

     “My mom wants to talk to you... just tell her that I’ve been good,” I put my hand on the phone so that my mom wouldn’t hear anything.

     “You? A good girl?” he laughed.

     “I’m serious,” I sighed and put the phone on my ear, “Mom, call you back, he’s just taking a shower,” I said and shut Zoey’s phone.

     “You made me grounded and you want me to do a favor for you?”

     “C’mon,”

     “What is it for me?” he sat up straight and crossed his arms.

     “What do you want? I can give your car back.” I can’t believe it. I’m gonna do something for him just for him to say that ‘I’ve been good’ to my mom.

     “Hmmm... tough one,” he placed his thumb and forefinger on his chin, as if he’s solving a math problem. “Do whatever I want whenever I want,”

     “What?” for how long?”

     “Not that long. Maybe the whole time you’re staying here,”

     “What!” I shrieked. “That’s too long!”

     “A month,”

     “No way!”

     “Until I’m not grounded,” he said his last offer.

     “Deal,” I called my mom, “Hi mom, he’s ready.”

     “Okay,” my mom said.

     I gave the phone to Troy, and then sat on the beanbag chair next to his bed. I crossed my arms and ready to listen to every word he’s going to say. He’s a good liar, so I don’t have anything to worry about.

     “Hey Mrs. Torres, it’s a pleasant to talk to you again... yes, your daughter had been good lately and been an angel and never a pain for the whole time... yes, I’m telling the truth... trust me, I’m not lying. She didn’t order me anything... and yah, I was taking a shower when she knocked on the door... yes, you can count on me... she’s not flirting with anyone as far as I know... sure, you can always call on my phone,”

     “What?” I mouthed the word.

     “You want to speak to her again? Oh, okay... bye,” he tossed me his mother’s phone. “She believes me,”

     I breathed in relief. “Right... what’s with the, ‘you can always call on my phone’ thing?”

     “She said she wants to check on you, and I just said that she can call me,”

     “And what if I’m out? Or with Paulo?”

     “That’s your problem, not mine. It’s hard to lie you know. I almost choked when I said the whole second sentence... I’m such a sinful person because of you,” he said sarcastically.

     “Whatever,” I went out of his room and gave Zoey her phone.

     “Come back here.” Troy muttered.

     “What?” I walked back and stood in front of his bed.

     “Since we have a deal, your first task is to ask my mom to let me free so that I can ask a girl to a date,” he was lying on his bed again, his hands supporting his head.

     “And if she doesn’t agree?”

     “You need to make her agree, or I can call your mom any second now, and tell her that I was just lying and you were making out with a guy you barely knew for the past weekend.”

     “Fine. Wait, when?”

     “Tomorrow evening,”

     “Fine.” I walked out the door, spotting Zoey about to walk down the stairs. “Hey Zoey, um can I ask a favor?”

     “What’s that?” she asked.

     “Well, I wanted to drive tomorrow evening and shop, and I wanted someone to come with me. You know, to help me carry the bags... and well, I was hoping you could allow Troy...”

     “Sure honey,”

     “It’s okay even though he’s grounded?”

     “Like I said, the night I ground him, he’ll be glad to give you a tour,”

     “Right,” I smiled then went to Troy’s room once more. “You’re free... almost.”

     “Almost?”

     “Well, she only allows you if I’m coming. So you better just drop me off the mall, and then get your girl somewhere. You can use your car.”

     “Good,”

     I went back to my room and took the basket of dirty laundry and headed to their basement where their washing machine is placed. I can tell every part of their house without even asking. I still got it memorized. After I finished with my laundry, headed to their kitchen and took a bottle of water before heading to their living room. I searched on the racks of DVDs and stop when I found Saw 6.  I haven’t seen the sixth instalment due to my schedule; and because we lost the DVD. I took a bowl of popcorn and a can of soda then I turned off the lights and closed the window to add some more thrill. I missed watching horror flicks, since it how we wasted our summer last year.

     I remembered watching Paranormal Activity with Sophie and Jeff. On my perspective, the movie wasn’t as scary as I thought and heard it would be. Well, I heard people say that they can’t sleep after watching the movie and things like that.

     But Sophie and I had the same reaction after watching it: That’s it? We just wasted our two hours on that flick. Jeff was scared out by the ending, but other than that, no reaction. After watching the paranormal activity, we watched SAW until its fifth instalment.

     I ate the whole bowl of popcorn by halfway the movie, which made me get another one. The movie was kinda grosser than the last ones, but what can I say? I love popcorn; whatever I’m watching. I also took another can of soda, since I finished it by midway too. People say that they wonder on what’s wrong with my body. Like, I can eat a whole box of pizza then a few scoops of ice cream then sleep, and in the morning, they’re all gone, and the fats were gone.

     “Why is it dark in here?” Troy muttered, going down the stairs.

     “Can’t you see I’m watching Saw 6?” I said my gaze still fixed on the screen.

     “Well, you can watch it some other time. The game is about to start.” He flicked the lights on.

     “I’m almost finished!” I yelled.

     “Hey, don’t forget our deal. Do whatever I want, whenever I want,”

     “But...”

     “No buts,”

     I just stared on the TV as he turned the DVD player off.

     “What are you still doing here?”

     “Can’t I watch the game?” I said, almost finishing my popcorn.

     He looked at me then said, “Move,”

     I sat on the end of the couch, as I drank my can of soda.

     The game was fine. I was bored, since basketball isn’t really my thing, though Troy was shouting, cheering, as if he’s watching live. Well, if you’re a guy or someone who likes basketball, you do can’t help shouting if your TV is huge and flat screen.

     I took the pillow and texted Mandy instead. She didn’t reply and I was kinda sleepy. I covered the upper half of my face with the pillow and lay my head on the arm of the couch, and the next thing I knew, I was asleep.

     “Taylor,” a voice called my name from behind.

     I turn around to see Dylan standing, flashing his most adorable smile. I haven’t seen him since I left, but he sent me a few pictures of him.

     “Dylan,” I ran toward him and embraced him. I know I’m dreaming but he seems so real; his tanned skin, lean body, short fohawk hairstyle in his creamy coffee hair. And it felt so good hugging him.

     “I miss you,” he whispered to my ear.

     “I miss you too,”

     He suddenly looked at me with a serious face. “You need to trust Troy, no matter what happens...”

     “What?” I was bewildered on what he said. How did Troy got in here?

     He flashed another smile and said nothing.

     “Dylan? Dylan... Dylan!” I yelled as it becomes dark, and I was alone.

 

 

     “Taylor, wake up!” Troy shouted, shaking me.

     I opened my eyes, blinking twice, before I spoke. “What?”

     “Hmmm, how can I say this? You’ve been asleep for like two hours, and then you’d been murmuring Dylan for five times. And if you didn’t wake up when I shook you, I was going to pour ice cold water on you,”

     “Right,” I stood up then headed to my room. My dream was weird, and yet the meaning was naive.

     Dylan just said I should trust Troy. Well, that’s easy. I already trust that guy even on how he talks to me.