JILLIAN
The sun rays have invaded my room through the window. It’s a bit open and the curtains are being flown by the air that’s able to come inside. Today is my birthday but I don’t feel happy or excited about it. All I see is this woman staring at me with her weird smile plastered on her face.
“It’s time,” she said.
“What if he forgets about the promise?” I asked her.
“No. He won’t. He wanted to help you out of hell.”
“Hell?”
“This life you have with your family.”
I stood up to prepare myself though nobody in this house cares about it. I’m all alone again and if they come home, I’ll only get new bruises. They also fight for small things. It’s annoying. Angelo is coming back. That only means I can see that mansion once again. I think I miss him.
A smile curved from my lips as I watch the forest from the window pane. The wind is making the tre
JILLIANMy body is shaking a bit while my hand is forming a fist as he walks towards me holding the woman by the waist. So, it is how he holds a woman he likes. The woman smiled at me and I’m forced to reciprocate that smile though I’m so broken. I’m jealous.“Jillian, she is Carina, my woman,” Angelo spoke. My world felt like it stopped spinning. I can’t believe what he just said. I forced to maintain my composed self and act as normal as possible.“Nice to meet you,” Carina said extending her hand for a handshake. I shook with it as immediate as possible.“Nice to meet you too.”Everyone in the mansion are plastering a happy smile on their faces. Nobody knows what I’m feeling right now. They won’t understand though; they aren’t human beings.“I told you, he will come back,” the woman that’s tailing me all this time spoke again. “By the way, call me Hailey,” she added.
JILLIAN“A demon has risen, my grandma once told me. He only rises every time after sleeping for years.” My classmate’s voice woke me up from sleeping on my desk. My head is still plunged on my crossed arms above the table listening to their loud voice.“There’s no such thing as demons. That’s just a story for kids,” my other classmate said.“So you are saying I am a kid?”“No, silly.”“What if it’s true? She said he is leaving in a forest, in a mansion.” I lift my head after hearing what she just said and turn my body to face them.“What’s the demon’s name?” I asked making them raise their eyebrows at me. They are just a chair apart so they can hear me clearly.“Angelo,” she answered though she ignored me after that. They started talking about something else while I am still watching them.I have no friends at school because I’m scared about
JILLIANMy day went normal and when Angelo showed up again, he is back to his normal self as if nothing happened. Seeing him only reminds me of the things that I don’t know.“Do you want to do something today?” he asked.“Chores?”“No. I mean other than that.” I furrowed my eyebrows since I can’t seem to think about anything. “Come one, don’t you know how to have fun?”“Fun?” I think I never know what that even feels like. I’m clueless.“I’ll help you with chores, we are going somewhere,” he said. After he really did help me with everything, he took me somewhere. He took me on a river that I didn’t even know exist near our place.I don’t want my feelings for him to deepen that much so I didn’t allow him to hold my hand anymore. We have a basket of food good for us. Hailey also came with us like I’m having a chaperone. The two ran to the water like kids w
JILLIANIt’s morning again and I’m busy like always. He came visible again wearing his attractive face. I tried ignoring him but he started helping me. He grabbed on the vacuum that I’m holding to do it himself. I have no choice but do something else.“Are you okay?” he asked while I’m dusting the cabinet of my parent’s room.“Yeah.” My short reply made him all silent as we finish everything. I don’t if he finds it weird but I hope not. It’s not good if he suddenly asks what going on with me. I might burst my feelings out and he will ghost me.I went to the kitchen fast to take a chair and use it to climb the tall cabinet dusting the top. I don’t know why Hailey suddenly pushed the chair as if it’s an accident. My body jolted as I tightly close my eyes to wait for my body to feel the floor. But then I didn’t, I was between Angelo’s arms when I open my eyes. It made me startled seeing how close we are.
JILLIANBefore I could lose Angelo, I immediately change myself acting so normal when he is around. Like always, he is with me again, helping me with chores. Today, he is wiping the dusty window pane while I am busy folding my clothes. The only thing that’s on my head now is to change my life just like what he wanted to see.“When is Carina coming back?” I asked breaking the silence.“I don’t know. She didn’t state any fixed date but after she takes care of everything, she will come back here,” he answered.“So, you won’t be coming here anymore.”“Nothing will change. I will still visit you and bring her too.” He walked towards me after he is done. “It’s the last window. What am I gonna do next?”“Rest,” I replied shortly and continue what I’m doing. I can tell he is staring at me even I’m not looking at him and it’s awkward.“Why do you have to be born a Sagi
JILLIANForgetting about the weird thing he just said, we both landed in the park unconsciously. My money is just good for street foods so I bought them for both of us. He didn’t complain about it and just tried the food. He didn’t ask a lot of stuffs to and just follow where I go.We also went to the zoo.“Why does animals has to be like this?” he asked and I just shrugged. I took him out fast since he doesn’t look happy about those animals on different cages.“We have to help them,” he kept saying while I’m pulling him to the exit. People are staring at us now so I exerted all the force left in me until we are finally outside.“It’s complicated,” I just told him. We walked like a meter but he is still glancing at his back to the zoo. I have to distract him, but how?I tried thinking much harder on where to bring him. Realizing that it’s afternoon, I pull him agai
JILLIAN“You seem really weird today. Aren’t you gonna talk to me? I mean, we are done with everything here and I’m inviting you to the mansion—““Do you know someone named Selena?” I cut him off when I came back to my senses. It looks like he didn’t see it coming and wasn’t prepared. His face is surprised.It took a minute before he went back to normal. “Why do you ask?”“Come on, now you are throwing me a question too. I need a yes or a no.” I crossed my arms getting serious to the topic. He went to the door opening it.“Well, the answer will be there in the mansion. Let’s do something else that will surely help you gain back your memory,” he said waiting for me to go with him.“You are confusing me,” I walked like a sulking kid to him and walk outside after locking the door.“Jillian, are you sure you wanna know about Selena?” he asked.“I
JILLIANAngelo sent me home and even sent me to bed after I have eaten. I acted normal though I don’t feel right. I just can’t stop liking him that easy. He watched me as I turn to the side cuddling with my bolster. He suddenly went near me caressing my hair. The next thing he did made my heart crazy. He kissed me on the head.“Goodnight Selena,” he whispered.“What?”“Hmm?” His hand is still on my head.“Why did you do that? And why would you whisper something like that?” I asked very confused and bothered.“I always did this to you since before. Since the very beginning of your life,” he said.“Why would you do that?” I asked another question.“You we’re just a kid when she died and entrust you to me. I promised I will watch you all my life. History simply repeats itself Jillian, but I will do my best, it will be different in this life
JILLIAN“Jillian,” Carina came to me wearing a serious face. I immediately turn my body to her and stopped walking around to listen what she wanted to say.“Is there something going on that I don’t know?” she asked me straight.“What do you mean?” I became flustered all of the sudden.“Angelo is getting colder and colder.”
ANGELOIt’s another night that I’m left staring at her peacefully sleeping. I always do when she sleeps. I weirdly would want to watch her this way. It’s making me think, at least she is at peace at this moment. I wonder what she is dreaming by now.Carina is coming back; I can feel her. When she comes here, I will finally find the answer to my questions.Things are getting complicated as the days passes by. I’m getting comfortable with Jillian. The more she smiles, the weirder I feel. I think I’ve become attached that I cared a lot now.
JILLIANAngelo showed himself breaking the glass door where we passed through. He held my hand tightly as we both run to the fire. I didn’t know how my chains went off so suddenly. All I cared about for the moment is the forest and the mansion.“Angelo, take me with you. Never allow them to find me again,” I told him gripping tighter.We stopped in front of the huge fire eating up the trees covering the large tract. The fire bringing such a huge distraction looked like it’s speaking death to anyone who’s gonna run though it but I can’t feel it’s heat.
JILLIAN“Who is Carina?” The doctor asked leaning a bit closer.“She is my proof,” I answered confidently.The doctor took his laptop of the bag he has with him and typed things on it. “What is her surname?”I realized I don’t know that I can’t answer. My stepmom’s smirk made me grin.
JILLIANI didn’t say anything that’s why I ended up being locked inside my room. The medication is fixed but I don’t want to be part of it. I think the doctor is gone now.“Jillian,” Angelo spoke again, trying to take my attention.“Are you listening?” Hailey waved her hand in front of my face, making me blink and look at her. She rolled her eyes and cross her arms. She even disappeared from my sight, leaving only me and Angelo.
JILLIANI punched the air after putting the telephone down.“Oh yes!” I screamed in joy. My parents just called and said they can’t still come home and that I should take care of the house.
JILLIAN“You are not coming with me at school again,” I told Angelo when we are finally walking home.“I’m still going, and you can’t do anything about it,” he said with a confident voice.
ANGELOThe wind only whispered that it’s all about Jillian so I watched her all the time thinking what it might be. I can read she is feeling awkward but I’m still doing it. She even asked me multiple times but I didn’t answer her that she tried looking herself at the mirror.“Stop staring at me, it’s weird,” she complained and grab the
ANGELOJillian stopped walking and faced me after I mentioned her surname. Her face is wrinkled and curious about it now. I can read it. Even she won’t say it out loud. I admit she has grown into another woman. This is not the Selena I know. Well she is not her anymore, she is Jillian.“Do you know my father?” she asked while we are halted under a shade of a tree.“Why do you ask?” I also give her a question to avoid answering it. The truth will just break her into pieces. Their surname came from a root of a huge chaos before. My first life is being reminded to me.I hear her frown as she narrows her eyebrows turning her back. She must be irritated by my responses. If I get back to it, my scar with split open again. I can’t let the hatred once again grow inside me. The dark past should be hidden for now.We reached her house and I decided