•SALOME ALAN•

Wild roses.

Dandelions.

Cosmos.

Bamboos.

I can't list them all. This place is literally decorated with all sorts of wildflowers.

"Tulips!" Theodora squeals behind me, squatting low to get a better look at the purple flowers by our left. She gently touches the petals like an egg, fawning over the bunch of tulips. Taiye on the other hand, take up her phone and started videoing the mesmerizing arena. We are still around the flowery field but I can spot some buildings just after the field of flowers.

I inhale deeply, the sweet scents of flowers that I'm not familiar with feeding my nostrils. Somehow, my eyes meet up with our teachers, they seem to be commenting on how beautiful the place is as they glance around, just few steps ahead of us. I don't know why, but I feel like Mr. Alex looks less tensed, unlike been in the vehicle. I'm only seeing his side face but I notice how relaxed his honey eyes is, how they magically become lighter and lighter, maybe due to the sun pouring down on us.

I'm not sure though. Although he was been chatty with Mr. Leo but still, at times, he acted like the other day we were in a cab from school while it was raining, and he'd keep his eyes on the tinted glass. It's not... Bothersome, I'd say. It's just noticeable.

Like on clue, my teacher spins around, too fast before I could avert my eyes elsewhere. Brown eyes piercing directly at me like he heard my thoughts.

This is weird. I should look away, my feet are getting numb that it's becoming hard to feel.

"Wow..."

Whoever said that saved me as I turn to the voice. Theodora. She's touching another flower that looks like... Chicory? I don't know.

I should be good in acting because I walk down to where she is, squatting low and staring at the flower she's admiring, smiling brightly like I wasn't staring at Mr. Alex seconds ago.

"What's the name?" I'm trying to partake in what Theodora is looking at. Why? Can't make it noticeable that I was just in a staring contest with my teacher.

"Chicory." Theodora replies, her eyes on flower. I've never seen someone stare at nature with this amount of admiration, her lips stretched in a wild smile as her slender hands poke it continually.

"Oh..." I nod slowly as though I'm trying to learn the names, at least I got this one right. I point to another flower standing out in the middle of a bunch of tulips. "What about that one?" 

She follows my finger trace, her eyes darting around. "Oh... That's a cornflower."

"Wow..." I drawl, nodding. How did she know so much about flowers?

"How come you know much about flowers?" I voice out my thoughts, making sure I'm properly backing our teachers. What can I say, I'm a tad embarrassed for been caught gawking.

Theodora chuckles, getting up and dusting her hands. I do the same, taking note of where to look and where not to look.

"Basically, my dad deals with flowers," She tell me as we stroll towards the vehicle, passing Taiye who is still taking pictures or videos. "Weird right?" She raise a brow.

I laugh softly. "Weird? No... At all. It's nice."

Theodora place her hands on her chest with dreamy eyes. "Thanks. That's how I actually know most flower names, wild or not."

"It's beautiful... Really, I admire that."

"Girls..." We all turn to Mr. Leo's voice. He's walking closer to where we're standing and we respectively move closer. From my side view, I can see Taiye tucking in her phone. "It's obvious that we came a bit earlier, and I'm sure you're all tired. Or..."

Theodora pouts, nodding slowly. "Yes sir..."

I purse my lips, folding my arms. I'm tired, at the same time, not tired. I think I'm addicted to the view, I don't mind staring till infinity.

I'm talking about the flowers.

Sighting Mr. Alex strolling over, I drop down my head, looking at the little rose flowers I had mistakenly stepped on. On a norm, it's not so easy to maintain eye contact with him, and I don't think I'm ready to do so anytime soon.

"Mr. Leo, when will the others arrive?" Taiye asks. I'm not looking but I heard her thin voice.

"Uh... I think they stopped to take a break more than twice. But It's alright, we can just go and get our permit cards and rest in our rooms." Mr. Leo suggests. "How's that?"

"Not bad..." Taiye and Theodora both chorus.

"Salome?" Mr. Leo ducks his head to see my face that I have to reluctantly take up my head to him looking at me with raised brows.

"Yeah... Not bad, we can..." I trail off, keeping my eyes elsewhere while instinctively intertwining my hands in front of me.

We then walk towards the building I spotted, just after the field, Mr. Leo leading while we tail behind. All this way, my eyes are on the building. We get to the front and I almost gasp at the perfection in front. The building. There are lights below the walkthrough, lighting every step as we get closer. When I heard the word 'camp,' none of these came to my head.

Taiye and Theodora are directly in front of Mr. Leo who's already collecting our permit tags while I try to hurry my steps to get out of Mr. Alex's sight. He's at my back, footsteps so elegantly as if things are about to get horror.

"Salome." Mr. Alex calls from behind me. My hand freeze on the door. No more slow horrific steps, means he has stopped in his tracks. Taiye who was just in front of me walks in and close the door behind, and I gulp hard, slowly turning back.

"Sir?"

I'm a meat. A dead meat. He's furiously going to scold me for staring at him. But he's not saying anything.

He's not saying because you're not looking at him!

Sweat form on my forehead as I meet his face. He's five steps away, hands in pocket and eyes on me. I know this look, I know it so well. It's the kind of look he'd give me if I fail to perform well in answering questions. It's stoic, cold, yet somehow calm.

I chew inside of my mouth, darting my eyes from his face to his clothes. It's so hard keeping eye contact.

Oh God... Please just talk.

"Your lace." Mr. Alex takes out one hand from his pocket and point to my sneakers. Instinctively, I lower my gaze to see what he mean. "It's untied."

Oh...

My mouth form an 'o' as I quickly squat low to tie it up. How come I didn't notice? In that position, I raise my head.

"Thank you sir." I truly am.

Without saying anything else, he walk pass me, open the brown door and close it behind. I bite my lip, knotting the white lace faster to meet the others. When I'm done, I get up and look down at my shoes.

When did he notice when it got loosed?

Getting in, Mr. Leo had already retrieved our permits. He stretches mine to me and I collect the tag that has a blue rope attached, looking at the name and my room number. Never been to camp so... Don't know how it all works.

"You girls can go ahead, you're in the same room right?" Mr. Leo asks, trying to get a glimpse of the numbers on the card.

"Mine is 3." Theodora shows him where the number is indicated.

"Number 1." Taiye adds, wearing it over her neck.

I need no more conformation to know we are in the same room. Great.

"Number 2." I mutter, adjusting the strap on my neck.

"Lastly, try not to misplace these cards. Take it everywhere you go because it's the vital thing that can take you in and out this premisses." Mr. Alex tells us as he shoves his hands in his pocket. I know teachers will have a total separate place but the idea of having my teacher in the same building with me tingles my stomach. I'm not going to admit though, it's cute enough for him to notice the littlest thing like a shoelace.

I don't think it's an hotel, there are no pretty ladies in uniform behind the counter, just a guy seated beside the door, head down as he work on the rest tags.

"Okay sir." The three of us chorus, drowning in the information.

Mr. Leo flashes a smile. "You can go on now."

I press my lips as I turn around, swinging my hands back and forth. The mild A/C is enough to lure me to sleep.

Theodora and Taiye proceed towards the stairs made of glass and I follow behind, leaving our teachers behind. Soft vibrations accompanied with a ringtone I'm familiar with buzzes through the quiet place and I halt to take out my phone.

My dad. He's calling again.

Their steps slowly fades away into our allocated rooms but I'm still stagnant, looking at my phone yet unable to pick. The last time he called, we didn't speak much and it bothered me. He asked if I was already at school, if we've moved and to take care. But it's baffling.

Why isn't he asking why his papers were littered? Anything relating to why I also left that way?

I let out a shaky exhale, a tad bit glad that the ringing has stopped. Tugging in back my phone, I glance behind. Mr. Leo and Mr. Alex are walking out, probably to their space.

This is weird. I am happy yet... Concerned. This is camp, where I never had intention of going but ended up coming with the perspective of having fun. But now... I don't know if I can do that with ease. Constructively, I walk up the stairs in slow strides, my head steadily reminding me that I can't run away from what I saw.

Maybe I shouldn't have entered his room in the first place.

My eyes dart from one door to the other as I walk down the hallway, counting down in search for my room number. I can't count the amount of rooms but there should be around twenty or so, each with a number just at the top of the door.

Room number ten.

I pause in front of the door at the end of the hallway, checking my tag to be sure I'm in the right one. Inhaling deeply, I hold the gold knob, turning and slowly pushing it open. My mouth hangs open at the view in front of me. With the same method, I close the door behind me, the light thud making Taiye look up from her phone.

Oh, she didn't even notice me at first.

Ignoring her gaze, I further my steps, taking in every bit of perfection. This surely wasn't what I was expecting. It's a double decker bed, two down and two up in the most creative way ever. Obviously a room for just four people. A standing mirror by the edge of the bed and a huge television plastered on the wall.

(The bedroom☺)

"Oh, you're here." Theodora's voice pulls me out of my reverie. She came from where I suspect would be the bathroom and like she saw me gaping, a toothy smile appears on her lips. "Beautiful isn't it?"

I nod my curly head. "Yes... I wasn't expecting a room like this, honestly." I voice out, admiring the clarity of the mirror. I can see Theodora's brow furrow from the mirror.

"You've not been to camp?" She asks.

I chuckle, turning around to face her. "Yes, weird I know."

"So weird."

That's not Theodora. We both snap our heads to the surprising voice of Taiye. She uttered the last statement yet her head is still low in her phone, legs crossed. Like she knows we're looking at her, she raises her head.

"What?"

"Uh... Nothing," I shake my head, a tad glad that she actually  said something.

I know I sound like I indirectly won her heart but... Thumbs up to me.

Theodora sighs heavily, and throw herself on the bed, her feet wiggling in the air. "This is definitely my bed guys." She rubs the bed with her hands, feeling the texture. "God... So soft..." She turns to me. "Salome, you staying up or down?"

Scrunching my nose, I let my eyes do the suggesting by looking at the upper beds. There all look homey, staying up or down would be equally nice.

"Up, I'll stay up."

Theodora smiles warmly, nodding. She sit up with her elbows. "Taiye, what about you?"

The light skinned girl place her phone beside her on the grey couch. "I don't know... I'll just wait for the fourth person to come and choose, I'm okay with either sides."

Thoughtful...

"Oh... That's thoughtful." Theodora voice out my thought, while I walk to settle beside her.

"How is camp like?" I want to bring up a conversation and I hope I started it well enough.

Theodora's eyes light up instantly. "You're here Salome, what can I say? See for yourself?"

"Exactly." Taiye chips in again. Why do I have a feeling something keeps going on and off with this girl?

Clasping my hands together, I nod understandingly. I'm here, I'll see it for myself.

"Although there's a school not too far from here, university actually. Owen." Theodora says.

My eyes widen involuntarily. "Owen university?" My voice a bit higher. I mean, I've always heard of it but had no idea it's around here.

"Yes..." Theodora drawls. "I actually thought of applying there to school, but unfortunately, it's an art school, designed just for art students."

My mouth form a big 'o.' I remember going through the internet for an assignment and stumbling upon the breathtaking aesthetics of Owen University. The building alone is scattered with creativity.

"So... You've been there?" Taiye who suddenly looks interested in what we're discussing, asks. It's like she's trying to hide how happy she is right now but her eyes is betraying. They appear more shiny. If there's anything like that.

Theodora tucks her legs beneath the bed. She has already owned it after all. "Of course, if not by sneaking out of-" She claps her hand over her mouth like she's starting to spill more than she suppose to.

I tilt my head to see her face. "It's okay, Dora. You can tell us." Theodora slowly withdraw her hand then glance at Taiye who's just staring blankly at her either.

Taiye shrugs. "It's in the past so..."

Theodora bite her lower lips. "Okay... So that was last year. I went with my friends from-"

"Our school?" I anxiously interrupt.

"No no... Remember those girls that opened the gate for us? Yes, with them. They took me there."

The bed sinks a bit and that's when I notice Taiye has changed positions. She's now seated at the edge, close to the headboard.

I clear my throat, looking back at Theodora. "Do you think it would be possible to, you know... Sneak out this year?"

The room dies in short silence.

"Uh... I'd just ask then again, I pray they'd agree." Theodora says.

"Why won't they?" Taiye butts in, her voice so thin it's slowly getting to annoy me.

Theodora cranes her neck to see her clearly. "Because they also sneaked out too. You can just -just go into Owen without proper... Wait. Why are you so interested?" She asks, a small frown raising on behind face. "Aren't you a science student?"

All of a sudden, Taiye get up, a hard glare on her face as she storms towards the bathroom. With force, she push it open, walk in, and bang it hard behind, making me shake.

I turn to Theodora. "Okay... What just happened?"

She tears her eyes from the bathroom door to me, her eyes wide. "Uh... Anger issues? But I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

I only stare at her, at the confused look on her face. When they say people are weirdly different, is this what they mean?

                                                ***

"Jesus Christ!"

I freeze at the loud proclamation from Theodora. I just stepped out of the bathroom after been troubled if I should or shouldn't wear what I changed to. A poker dot black and white short and a matching black singlet.

"Any problem?" I walk closer to where she's still seated on the bed, her eyes as wide as saucers swallowing me on every step.

"WOW! wait..." Theodora grips my hands as I attempt to seat. She's already changed, now in white shorts and blue crop top. "You've got to be fucking kidding me Salome."

I can't help giggling at her. She twirls me around to get a proper look at my body, occasionally muttering 'wow' like an ambulance.

"I've always been this way, Theodora." I fold my arms beneath my bust, looking at her. It's clear she doesn't believe me because she takes two steps back, feeding in my features and shaking her head.

"How did you... Like... Have this... " Her words are all jumbled up while her hands does justice to what she's trying to say. She keeps tracing it all over my bod like I'm a total different person.

I understand Dora, Zara does the same.

Speaking of Zara, I can faintly hear the sound of buses, maybe they are here already.

"Tell me," Theodora pulls me to seat on the bed, her eyes roaming all over. "You worked this out, right? I've never seen a high school girl with this kind of body shape," She leans closer to my ears. "Are you south African?"

I squint my eyes, trying to get where she's coming from before busting into laughter. "South what? No..." I shake my head frantically.

Theodora glances up, probably checking if Taiye would make a move. She has been laying on the upper bed since she bursted out if the bathroom.

"You do know that you're an oppression right?" Theodora raise a brow, a smirk at the corner of her lips.

"What do you mean?" I fan her off, getting up to get my white bag from the couch, just to hear another loud 'wow' scream from Theodora.

"Shit! Can't you two keep it low?!" Taiye yells, her voice filled with anger and irritation.

Theodora press her lips, accepting that her voice was indeed high, while I stiffen in a laugh.

I pick my bag and bounce back close to her, zipping it open. "You just got her more annoyed Theodora."

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes. "Tell me the secret Salome, what do you eat? Do you work out? Go to the gym? Use butt enlargement oils... Or pills?"

I can't help cracking in laughter now. Enlargement pills? No...

"Ewww no. I don't use any of that."

Theodora squints her eyes at me, indirectly telling me she doesn't believe. "Liar."

I sigh softly, stretched for my phone and swipe it open. "Look, I'll show you pictures of me growing. Maybe you'll believe me then."

She stare at me while I open my gallery, scrolling down to the pictures I snapped from my dad's photo albums. Theodora tears down her eyes to my phone while I look for five year old Salome.

Theodora taps on a picture which immediately enlarges to a picture of two toddlers.

"Wow... So cute," She beams, taking the phone from me. "But who's this though?" She zoom in the second person standing close to me. "Uh... Looking a lot like..."

"My brother." I mutter. This is the first time in years I mentioned that word. That one word that carries so much memories behind. Good... And bad.

Theodora's brows fold in total confusion. She went on zooming and zooming till all I can see is only his face, a small smile on his boney face with his eyes so deep I can't forget his they closed on me.

"Oh..." Theodora blinks fast. I don't know if she's gotten the message from the change of my facial expression or how low I pronounced the words, 'my brother.' I turn to see her already looking at me, her eyes searching mine to decode what's going on in my head. I smile stiffly.

"He's late though." I add, my voice still low and reserved. Theodora's open her mouth and close it back, nodding. She is short of words, obviously not knowing what to say. I'd feel the same.

"I... I'm sorry..." She says through the room which is no loner as quiet due to our classmates scurrying around. I wasn't wrong, they've truly arrived.

I breath out softly. "Yeah... It's okay. It's actually... Years back," I chuckle dryly, trying to lighten the mood. "I can't really remember what he looks like, thanks to this." I point to his image.

"Even though..." Theodora drawls, taking a look at his picture again. "You must have really missed him."

Yes, I do. I just don't talk about it.

"He was sick." I tell her, staring down at the dots on my shorts. "Really sick."

"Oh..."

I don't know why I'm telling her this, something I hardly told Zara. Or better still, she doesn't ask. She only told me to tell her when I'm ready. Here I am, telling Theodora about what I've always kept deep down somewhere in my heart. And it's... Relieving to do so. It still hurts but...

"Yeah..." I smile again, looking up to see that she's still looking at me.

It was just like a movie. A movie that I can't seem to get out of my head no matter how I try to. I can't seem to forget his cold hands felt in mine and even though I wanted to flinch, I just... Sat still.

The day I lost my brother.

Scared. Confused. Terrified.

Those where understatement to how I truly felt that day. My petite mind could only obey what he told me.

"Go and play, I'll be alright, I promise. I just want to rest, I'll join you. Hmm?"

Like he heard said, I obeyed. It was just the both of us at home and I was just four.  Leaving him inside and going out to  play, having no clue I just left my brother to... Die.

I made the worse decision ever. The one which I'll continue to blame myself for.

"His name was Sehkani." I say, my chest raising to how his name sounds on my lips. It sounds so... Different. So forgotten.

Theodora opens her mouth to talk at the same time the thudding of foots in the hallway, mixed with series of laughter and loud voices emits from the others that had just arrived.

"Seems like we're about to see our fourth roomie." I say. Theodora notices my change of subject but just smile brightly, muttering a 'finally.'

The squeaking sounds on the stairs pulls our attention to Taiye. She hops down and gesture to the door.

"Where are you going?" Theodora asks.

Without sparing a glance, Taiye replies, "To meet my brother," Open the door and walk out, slamming it behind.

I almost forgot Kenny is her brother. Total opposite twins.

Letting out a shaky exhale, I swipe open my phone again, just to see a new text from my dad.

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I think this chap is where the prologue falls in😇

Please vote and comment😍 I want to see your thoughts!🤗💖