We had returned back into the house, but Maddie continued to look at me, unconvinced by the quick cover up I made. I returned to putting up the blankets while Maddie grabbed her phone. I turned to look at her puzzled.
"What's wrong? Aren't you gonna help me-" Before I could finish, she had nudged her phone towards my face. I moved back startled.
"Read this." She said without another word. I sighed but grabbed the phone. Scanning through the text, there was a small sketch drawn on an old, crumbled piece of paper. It was almost a perfect replica of the flower sitting right outside of my screen door. I then read the caption below it.
"The Clavem Abscondita, found in 1960. Ocean Researchers on the Bathyscaphe Trieste found a strange pebble sized nut. When grown, it is said to have a beautiful flame like color. Currently the only seed on the surface of the earth. Billionaires bid millions...." I ignored the rest of the text and didn't need to read anymore. Maddie was still facing me, disbelief written all over her face.
"Why are you lying Somnium?" She said. I couldn't help but to hear the slight waver in her voice as she said so. I thought back to Fulcrum, how much he had helped me. With a deep sigh, I turned to look at her with a smile.
"Cmon Maddie, you and I both know that the past is a little fuzzy, you can't believe everything you read online." I said, my voice almost ridiculing her. "Plus, that was what, over 50 years ago? I already told you that I just found it. Nothing more to it." I said. Turning to face the screen door. Maddie didn't respond for a second. But then she scoffed. I turned back to her to see her eyes narrowed down at me.
"I thought you said someone gave it to you?"
I kept quiet. My heart beat started to speed up.
"God, why am I so bad at lying!" I thought to myself. Maddie stood there quietly before nodding.
"I get it." She simply said. Grabbing her things, she dialed a number on the phone before placing it next to her ear.
"W-where are you going?" I said. She didn't respond. Instead, she walked towards the door.
"Maddie!" I said following her. She still ignored me. I finally caught up to her and quickly grabbed her arm. She shook me off swiftly.
"What are you doing?" I said. She let out a small laugh before turning to me. An icy cold glare staring back at me, unwavering. I couldn't help but to shudder.
"Those things must be pretty expensive huh?" She said quietly. I continued to stare at her perplexed.
"What are you talking about a Maddie?" I said. She only let out another laugh.
"What? You expect me to believe that you just happen to have such a priceless plant growing in your house? Really?" She yelled, her voice echoing off the walls. "I was even starting to wonder.. how you got into BIA in the first place." She said. I felt my eyes start to sting. I clenched my fist tighter.
"Don't say that Maddie! I don't know what your talking about but please, calm down first!" I responded. I couldn't help but hear the tremble in my words.
"Your such a great actor, you know that? Pretending to be my friend, lying about how much your mom actually makes. Where is she by the way? Hmm?" Maddie's voice no longer held a sweet and soft tone to it.
"Maddie! She's at work! Where else would she be." I tried by best to cool down my emotions, only to get caught up in them again. My response only seemed to make her angrier.
"Really! A doctor you said? And for all I know, your dad could actually be at the top of a skyscraper!!" She yelled. "Don't think I believe your sob story any more. People warned me about liars like you." She sneered at me. I felt my chest go numb. My hands quickly fell back down to my sides. I remained silent. A tear trailed down my cheek. My lips trembling.
"What? Are you finally done lying?" She said. I looked back up to face her. My expression seemed to have shocked her. Her face quickly morphed into one of pure confusion.
"He's dead, actually." I said. Maddie stayed silent. Her cold demeanor only dropping for a second.
"My mom? She works as a nurse in the nearby office. Franklins Corps?" I said. "She works in your uncles company, ask him." I smiled. "Must be nice being able to talk to your father huh?" I added. Maddie's tone quickly morphing into something softer.
"Somni-"
"The school? I got there because of my grades, they were barely passable for a scholarship. Did you know that?" I let out a small, sad, and pitiful laugh.
"I bet you don't need to worry about that huh?" I added. Maddie remained silent.
"You said people told you about me?" I said. Waiting for her confirmation. I quickly went back into the living room grabbing the bag of expensive skin products. Maddie followed me, dropping her bags to the floor. I handed her the bag.
"Take it on your way out." I said staring at the ground. I couldn't even face her.
"Somnium let me-"
"Take it and go!" I yelled, my hand that was holding out the bag trembling. Just then, Maddie got a call. Picking up her phone reluctantly, she answered.
"Miss, I'm outside." Another voice said from the phone. She didn't respond for a second. We both stood there for a moment in silence.
"I'm.. I'm coming." She finally responded before cutting off the phone. Accepting the bag from my hand, she picked up her bags from the floor before turning to the door. I heard her quiet footsteps before the door unlocked. She paused.
"I'll, see you at school." She said quietly. Leaving, she closed the door behind her. Hearing it close, I fell to the ground on my knees. I let out a loud, ugly, sob. My tears rushing like a flood. I cried until my throat start hurting, the sky turned into a deep orange. The sun just beginning to set. I slowly got up, my legs could barely carry be anymore. I turning to the screen door before opening it. I walked out onto the sandy beach. barefooted, I stopped only when the warm scratchy sand was replaced with cold and damp sand. I stared out into the water. The sand ocean that called me before, now had a solemn and gloomy aura. I walked closer to the water. A gust of wind blowing me back, as if telling me to stay put. I ignored it. The wind continued to howl, blowing my hair in front of my face, as if giving me a final warning. I stepped farther and deeper into the water. The water suddenly rushing above my head, I was whipped under. Something warm wrapped around my arm.
Or rather, someone.
***
Sorry for the long chapter! Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of "The Secrets Below". Please support this story!