For the whole five years I had spent in high school, I had never for once speed-slipped into my clothes like the way I did that night. Not even when the school bus was already driving away.
I finally met Pamela downstairs after climbing down through the same window just like she did. Okay, maybe hers was more pro like.
My heart had skipped a beat when I missed a step. I felt so much fear that made me even considered using the front door like a normal human being.
" Did you bring your keys?," Pamela came up to me, whispering. Her eyes went to my empty hands, " You didn't bring it. "
" What keys?," I asked her with creased brows.
" Keys to your motorbike," she threw her head back in disbelief, " How were you expecting us to get there?,"
" Get where?,"
Now, at that very moment, there was no one on earth that was more clueless than I was. I couldn't even tell what was happening. I thought maybe I had had some kind of brain damage and totally forgot that Pamela and I were long time friends. And that we had made plans for the night.
" Okay, don't worry. I will go get it. Where did you keep it?" she asked me.
" You mean my bike key,?" I asked again like I hadn't already figured it out, " Dont worry, I will go get it myself." I said this her then turned on my heels and moved toward my house.
Stupid me. How did that even find it way to come out of my mouth. I said to myself as I fearfully began climbing up back to my room.
When I came back with both my key and two helmets. She smiled at me.
" Smart thinking. "
That was her first ever compliment to me. I felt my stomach boil with excitement. ######
So we both silently pushed my bike far away from the our homes before starting it. Then we rode away.
Again, to God knows where.
Forget the fact that it was in the middle of the night. I wasn't thinking straight. That would have been my excuse if something bad had happened. But instead something good happened. At least for me.
After following Pamela's precise directions, we finally got to the place. It was a house party. One of her friends was hosting.
I also found out I was only a ride to the destination. Nothing more. It wasn't a date or anything remotely close. She just wanted my bike.
I know, I know. I stupidly got myself used by someone I barely knew. But let me tell you. It was worth it. Though at that time, I also didn't see how it was slightly in my favour.
But then it turned out the heavens were smiling at me. As I reluctantly followed the more enthusiastic Pamela into the house I got weird faces from the people In the party. Most of them were also students at my school. But just like me, they weren't expecting me at the party.
The only person they were expecting was Pamela. Well, maybe everyone, except Jackson, expected Pamela to be there.
Jackson was Pamela's boyfriend. The person that was supposed to take her to the party. But because she was moving to a new house, and the distance to the party from her house was lengthy. Jackson had convinced Pamela not to go.
That was why he decided to bring someone else to the party. The girl he was shoving his tongue down her throat in one of the rooms that Pamela found them in. Her name was Sharon.
" Come, let's get out of here," I heard Pamela say to me as she ran out of the house.
I followed her out. Jackson tried chasing after her. Maybe to try and explained his awkward situation. Maybe to tell her that what she had seen was not what she was thinking.
When he saw we were on a bike, he lost hope and decided to call her name as we sped away.
It wasn't until after we were far away from the house did I began to hear Pamela's gentle sob behind me. When I offered to take her back home, she refused. She said anywhere, but home.
In the middle of the night?. What other place safe apart from home?, I asked myself.
In the end, I took her to the stadium. I was one place that made me feel at home. Though not at night. Before that day, I had never been at the field when the time was past nine pm.
We sat down there quiet until it became evident the silence was bad.
I cleared my throat and began to talk, " If there is anything I can do to cheer you up...."
" Be my boyfriend."
" W-what?," I stuttered.
" Be my boyfriend, " she repeated,
" Erhm, I'm not sure how that's going to help you. I mean, I don't think getting into another relationship would be the right thing to do." I protested, but deep down I was jubilating.
Pamela arched her brow, " What relationship?," she looked at me musingly, then shook her, " We are not going to be actually dating, silly. I mean I want you to pretend we are dating. There is no way I am going to allow that idiot think he broke my heart by being stupid. We would tell people that we have been a couple even before I caught Jermaine. That I just used his stupidity to end things with him."
" Oh," was the only thing I could say as all my hope that had gathered, shattered into pieces.
At that time, that was what I thought.
" That's a erhmm, " I nodded my head several times, " A fantastic plan. I think I get what you mean." I managed to reply, " Though,....."
The sound of someone's voice interrupted me. In fact, it wasn't just one person's voice. There were voices. And one of them was begging for his life.
As expected, my first instinct was get the hell out of there. But, when I turned to run, Pamela went the other direction toward the voices.
Maybe if I had continued running away, she would have followed me. Instead, I turned and followed her.
And that made us witnessed the cold murder of someone.
Plus, the killers saw us too.