Chapter 4.

My mind was returning from the thoughts of my memory refusing to believe that Darren was the one who was throwing the stones, I immediately assumed that it was just an effect of liquor and reading; I refused to believe it was him.

My phone started ringing on the bed, so I ran to grab it, it could be my mother, but it wasn't.

Hi Reena, I'm Willy, your mother gave me your number.

Yes, I imagine it was her; ¿what do you want?

Well, I was about to sleep, said Willy.

And you call me almost at midnight to tell me that you are going to sleep...

Excuse me Reena, but ¿what were you doing?

...Looking at the night sky.

¿Are you outside the house?

I'm on the balcony of my room Willy.

I turned my gaze to the forest in front of the house, which looked very dark and creepy; until I noticed something strange.

Go back to the room and close the balcony, Willy suddenly told her…

The shadow of a person was in front of me, even though I couldn't see his face, I could feel his cold gaze on me.

Willy… there's someone outside, I told him very nervously…

Listen to me Reena, close your eyes and try to get to your bed; don't run; don't scream; and above all don't open your eyes; ignore him…

It's okay Willy: so I closed my eyes tightly and tripping over everything, I crawled to the bed, where I hid under the sheets without hanging up Willy's call.

Don't open your eyes, Willy reminded him.

I haven't opened them, Willy.

If you're under your sheets, open your eyes, and tell me how you feel…

Leave a light on and sleep Reena…

Thanks Willy, I will…

I hung up the call to get ready for sleep, but it was a bad idea, because his voice seductively in my ear was present and said:... ¡¡¡Reeeena!!!...

This isn't real; frustrated, I covered my ears and felt his breath on my hands, this isn't real…

Reena look at me…

Shut up, you're not real; you don't exist; you don't exist…

Suddenly a memory in my memory came back capturing all my attention: ¿how was the party Reena?

Great; the bride and groom looked very happy and in love.

That's what weddings are about: love and happiness Reena.

When I grow up I'm going to marry you, Darren.

There's a long way to go little one, you're still 6 years old.

It doesn't matter; What happens is that you don't want to marry me… I crossed my arms and pouted like a tantrum.

Okay, I'll marry you Reena.

Then Darren, you have to ask me like everyone else…

Darren drew a smile on his face and knelt down in front of little 6-year-old Reena, took her hands to look her in the eyes and said: Reena, in a few years ¿do you want to marry me?

Of course you do Darren, there's no need to ask. You already know that you do, she answered while jumping with happiness.

Then, Darren took a ring from his pinky finger and placed it in the palm of my hands to close them and cradled both hands with his and said:

Your fingers are too small for the ring, but when it fits you I want you to use it and put it on, you can't lose it Reena.

I promise not to lose it and use it when it fits me and then they will know that I am committed to you Darren.

And you should also know that since you are engaged to me you cannot have another boyfriend.

I won't have one, but you can't have a girlfriend either.

I only have eyes for you Reena, Darren said sweetly cuddling me in his chest while caressing my hair.

Suddenly I felt the whisper of Darren's voice in my ears saying: Reena wake up.

I immediately sat up in bed and saw the phone, it was 6:30 in the morning I let myself fall and sighed deeply... normally I wake up at 2 in the afternoon, I would have to be sick to wake up so early. 

Probably, so surely, my subconscious woke me up in the most pleasant way possible to start a new day.

Struggling with the sheets to free my body from the comfort and softness of its prison, I reached the bathroom to take a shower and put on something comfortable sighing and telling myself: another day living without living in me.

Once I was ready, I set out to check if everything was in order, and yes, I had everything in my bag except the pencils, so I looked under my bed in a box that I hadn't put away yet.

And indeed, the pencils were there, but a little mauve box caught my eye and when I opened it I was taken by surprise because there was the famous ring that Darren had given me. I dropped the box in fear and recoiled on the floor until I could breathe again.

I felt a great fear because I didn't know if what I was dreaming was my imagination or memories...

Even worse, ¿did I invent Darren? Because that ring was here... and if it was supposed to be just imagination, did he really give it to me? If so, this means that I am engaged to a ghost.

Anyway, I put the ring on my ring finger, after all it was very beautiful for me.

To be thrown away and kept in a box. What could go wrong?

¿Am I never going to forget it?

Ready to leave, Sam's voice made me come back.

Daughter, eat an apple before you leave; I'll be late.

¿Are you going to leave so soon again, mother?

Remember that the company is three hours from the house Reena... and if I don't get there, don't worry because I'll sleep in a hotel.

¿Do you think I care if you get there or not, mom?...; I don't care if you get there or not, said an annoyed Reena.

I WAS WARNING YOU, I WASN'T ASKING FOR PERMISSION!!!, Sam shouted at Reena, grabbing her hair tightly; this was the first time he had done this, but it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Just then Willy arrived to witness Sam's treatment of Reena, but it was obvious that he would pretend he didn't see anything.

Good morning, let's go for a walk around the town, Reena.

Goodbye mother…

Don't wait up for me daughter.

Without giving importance to the incident with my mother, I walked with Willy to the town taking the forest path that was the shortest way to get to the city.

¿What do you know about last night?,

¿Do you mean what you saw last night?, it is believed that it is a spirit, ghost or a specter that haunts this place.

Spirit!! You mean it is a ghost. ¿Do you believe in those things?

¿You don't believe Reena?, I shook my head thinking about it.

I don't blame you; almost no one here believed in that until they saw it.

And what is the spirit supposed to do I said in a sarcastic tone?

I don't know; it sleeps, it babbles the word Tiger; it sobs the word Tiger and sits in the pond to cry saying ¿Where is Tiger?.

¿Tiger?

Immediately another memory invaded my mind.

Pig…

¿Why do you call me Pig?... asked Willy…

Because in Spanish it would be pig and you look like one hahaha

Aha…So you know English, well Tiger because you are a little tiger or tigress…

From one moment to the next I was in the center of Bergen and I had no idea how I got there, since my memories were controlling my mind.

The deep voice of a young man came greeting Willy: Willy we didn't know you had such a beautiful sister.

She is not my sister Luke; but I present her to you, her name is Reena Claymore.

Then let me tell you that I am the most eligible bachelor here, her best friend and cousin darling, my name is Luke… A pleasure Luke.

It seems that destiny wants us together, because I spend my time at Willy's house darling.

Then we will see each other more often Luke, said Reena.

Take a seat… Willy sat in front of me and Luke behind me, apparently Willy is one of the most diligent in his studies, because he immediately took out his books and began to read them while he turned around to my seat to talk to Luke while one of his friends arrived.

Have they told you about the ghost that comes out where you live? Aren't you afraid?

Thanks for reminding me that I'm afraid of ghosts, but I don't believe in ghosts.

So¿ what do you think it is Reena?

I don't know, but you have to be more afraid of the living than the dead.

The sound of some kids arriving was present and Willy turned around to sit next to me…Reena, concentrate on admiring the place, don't join Luke to talk about ghost stories.

But I was just asking, Luke protested jokingly.

The shout of a very cheerful boy was present accompanied by a boy with a cold attitude as well as his gray hair and black eyes, his cold countenance was scary.

I present to you the beautiful Reena Claymore, the owner of the ghost house.

You are more beautiful than I thought; a pleasure, my name is Felix.

Felix hugged Reena immediately, letting her know that he was someone trustworthy.

I'm glad to know that you had heard of me Felix.

How adorable you are, we will surely be inseparable; Óscar, don't just stand there, come and introduce yourself.

Hello Reena, I'm Óscar.

Felix took a seat in front of us and Óscar sat behind next to Luke, although at all times I felt his cold gaze scanning my soul completely, which made me feel guilty as if I owed him money or something like that.

The laughter echoed in my ears, but my mind was trying to figure out what that cold boy who was looking at me with such hatred wanted.

Suddenly, Willy's voice took me out of my thoughts and I looked at him with a face of hatred, I couldn't believe that Willy was doing this to me.

¿What do you think? You are the only girl among us who is not scared by our presence…

If you wanted to commit suicide you would have done it alone; ¿why take me too Willy? Reena joked.

Poor thing, why do you have to be so evil with this little lump of love... said Luke...

Well, said Felix, I propose that everyone go to my parents' club, today it will be closed to the public, but for you my friends it will not be, I will let the other boys know.

We will see each other again Reena Claymore, said Óscar.

The hours  passed by and my mind was somewhere else, each of my cells was spinning around her thoughts. ¿Who is he? ¿Where is he from? ¿Why did he choose me in particular?...

There are things that we are not able to accept when we have them in front of us.

I immediately let out a scream, because Luke had interrupted my thoughts while I was walking through the forest to my house with Willy.

You idiot scared us, Willy claimed.

I'm sorry, but you shouldn't come down this path, you know, I'm saying it because of the ghost.

Don't worry, I don't believe in those things, said Reena.

I'm sorry to tell you that if you were scared by Luke, if you see the ghost you will surely faint.

Don't help me so much Willy, joked Reena.

Okay, people, today we are going to have fun with the boys and Reena has to come...