The Haunted’s Kiss of Regret and Repentance

“Shyne, what is the matter with you? We’ve called your name three times already. Are you alright?”

I snapped out of my hallucination when Perry touched my arm a bit harder than expected. I felt like I was losing my mind, and I began to look straight at Brixton and Rex.

“I’m sorry, I was in deep thought, and I thought I saw an insect near my leg, so I just froze, but it was nothing.”

Perry saw right through me and gave me a look that told me we would discuss the scenario later when we got home. I always tried my best to change the subject and focus on the task at hand, which is separating Rex and Brixton.

“Why are the both of you so tense, Brixton? Seriously, you look like you don’t even wanna try the white chocolate frappe I ordered for you.”

“”I want to be here, babe. I’m sorry if I’m zoning out. Why don’t I order another cake for you? My treat, but only for you since Perry here looks like she has eaten enough already.”

“Hey! No one but a fellow female can comment on the amount of a fellow female’s food intake. Just admit that you want me and Rex to leave so you and Shyne can have a date.”

“Wait, does this mean Brixton is your boyfriend, Shyne?” The three of them were looking at me, but my eyes were locked with Brixton.

“Actually, Rex, Brixton is my best friend, and I treat him as someone I could always definitely trust,” I earned a small smile from Brixton.

“Also, I don’t remember correctly when the both of us began to officially call each other babe. I guess it happened naturally between Brixton and me, and it kind of just stuck as a nickname for each other. I am not even shocked that you would think me and him are in a romantic relationship.”

“Oh, then that’s good, I was planning on asking you on a date this weekend, and I thought maybe we can catch up with each other more properly. I rushed you to the hospital before, and I want to know what happened to you.”

“A date is fine, but I am a little too busy these past few weeks and the weeks ahead, Rex. I’m sorry, but I would have to give you a rain check on that one.”

“It’s fine, I am staying here in the country for good, so I can have plenty of time to catch up with you whenever you have the time for me. Can I get your number so I can call you, or you can call me whenever you decide that I’m worth the spare time that you have?”

Rex stayed for a few minutes before he left the three of us to meet with his father online. The entire time, Brixton was quiet, and I didn’t like the looks he gave both me and Rex. Perry never gave any good solution either. She decided it would be better to leave both Brixton and me alone to have quality time together.

I ended up telling Brixton the truth about what was happening to me for the past few months and why I was constantly zoning out whenever he was talking to me. I also began telling the truth about my situation with Rian, his curses, and my hallucinations.

“So your ex is now tormenting you wherever you go, and you froze because you were hallucinating again?” There was both shock and anger in Brixton’s voice as he spoke quietly and forced himself to avoid screaming in disbelief.

“Yes, and the reason why I haven’t been going out on our usual food dates is that I didn’t think you should be involved in this. I wanted you to stay out of trouble by not being involved in whatever I was going through.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Shyne, you are important to me. For the love of God, Shyne, you are more important to me than I would like to admit. If this is happening to you, you should have at least given me a heads up to help you.”

“Okay then. From now on, I will tell you what I’m going through. But, I will only tell you what is appropriate for you and things I might need your help with. Deal?”

“I hate that deal, but I have no choice, so, fine, I’ll take that deal. I’m sorry if I was a jerk when Rex was here. The guy makes my blood boil, and I know he is up to something fishy. I don’t want you to get hurt by that man, babe.”

“You are such a drama king, Brixton, and your overprotectiveness is getting out of hand. If you don’t trust Rex, babe, then trust me enough to know when and how to avoid getting hurt.”

Brixton drove me home after sharing a few words of God from the gospel. I was reminded that his mother was a pastor, and I felt great that the only male that I fully trusted now was the one driving me home. The presence of the shadowy thing was nonexistent as I was fully immersed in our conversation during the drive home.

“You still owe me more dates, babe. A dead stalker is not enough for me to forget all of the dates that you owe me, Shyne.”

“Fine, fines, fine, you are such a drama king, babe. I will personally make sure that I will have a date with you again. Now, you better drive home safely, okay? I don’t want you to be distracted with the thought of free food from me.”

I watched from the other side of our gate as Brixton drove away. I couldn’t feel the presence of the shadowy figure as my mind revolved around the thought of another date with Brixton. My smile widened more when I opened our flat and saw Perry and Kath smirking like idiots while they were sitting on the couch.

“So, did you kiss him yet, Shyne? Please tell me that you got the true love’s kiss that can break this stupid curse. It has been months of torture, and I want to get a goodnight’s sleep for once without the fear of you screaming in the middle of the night.”

“Perry is right, Shyne. I want to know the juicy stuff. Did the two of you admit your feelings to each other yet? Or do we have to find a worse scenario for the both of you to get together?”

“I think Shyne is having a hard time choosing between Rex and Brixton, Kath. Man, I can’t believe we are all single, and yet Shyne is the one who has both the living and the dead fighting for her.”

I threw a pillow at Perry, and the three of us laughed genuinely after months of worry. However, the moment was short-lived as I remembered the conversation that Brixton and I had at the shop.

“I told Brixton about Rian and the curse that he made. I also told him of my hallucinations and nightmares, but I didn’t have the guts to tell him about Rian’s threats during the dream. I don’t think I can tell him that he might be in danger because my ex believes that the two of us have a relationship aside from being good friends.”

“Shyne, I think I speak for both Kath and me when I say you made a mistake of leaving that detail behind. Brixton still has the right to know whether he is in danger or not.”

“Brixton’s mom is a pastor, Shyne. I believe that he can handle the truth if you tell him about Rian’s misunderstanding. Both of you are not in a relationship, so you don’t have to worry about anything from Rian. I’m sure that he won’t blame you for any misunderstanding that Rian has.”

That night, Kath stayed in our flat, and we all stayed in my room. The ambiance was better, and although I was still bothered by my guilt towards Brixton, I still fell asleep as soon as I laid my head on my pillow.

I woke up inside a room that I never imagined I would visit ever again in my lifetime. I tried moving my hands and legs, but I was frozen in place. I fought back the fear that crept up my spine as the scenario changed.

I felt like I was watching a scene on television as I saw Rian come inside his bedroom and near the bed where my frozen body was laid. He climbed up the bed and hovered over my body as I began to move stiffly.

My arms circled Rian’s neck as he kissed my nose and helped me sit up on the bed. I was wearing a white shirt and shorts while he wore nothing but his jersey shorts. Rian suddenly looked towards me as if he saw through the veil of the television-like scenario. He continued to stare at my eyes and refused to look at my body blankly staring at him. As my body that was hugging him began to turn into dust, his arms fell to his side, and he began to stand up.

My entire body shook as Rian walked towards me as if he was walking towards the television screen. I was frozen in place as I waited for the next move that he would make.

Rian stopped a foot away from me, and he turned around to take a thin cloth under his bed. He stood on top of his bed and tied the fabric on the wood that looked thick enough to support a heavy material.

When I understood what Rian was about to do, I did my best to try and reach out my hands to grab his shoulder near me. However, there was an invisible force like a forcefield that prevented me from reaching him. He finished tying the cloth, and he began to turn around to look at me.

However, instead of looking at me, Rian stared blankly at me as if he was looking at something else behind me. I couldn’t turn around as I closely watched his every move. All the words that came out of his mouth were Latin words that seemed like nothing to me. But, knowing the letters existed, I tried my best to quiet my beating heart and read his lips as clearly as possible.

After Rian finished reciting the words, the entire room quickly became darker and darker as he began to climb up the bed again to complete the deed. I tried to move again, but my whole body froze as I realized I was only viewing the past happenings inside the room.

I turned around when Rian finally jumped with the cloth around his neck. As I turned around, everything was silent, as if the word was muted by force. My eyes landed on the thing that he was looking at previously. My name was written on the wall of his room as he stared at it while he did the deed.

My tears fell as I tried to cover my mouth for the scream to be concealed. Under my name, he wrote, I love you forever. The room began to be surrounded by a cloud of thick black smoke that made it impossible for me to see.

Before everything became completely dark, I decided to turn around, and the fading image of Rian above the ground made me release tears of guilt. An arm suddenly pulled me, and I closed my eyes as I hit a chest that I assumed was a man’s.