"Mango!"

Imagine waking up at seven because a boy is yelling a fruit through the neighborhood.

But I keep going, even with that disturbing thought. "Mango!"

She was already acting weird yesterday night when Teresa and I walked her. I had to pull her back into our house. This morning, I hadn't even properly opened the door before she ran off. Now I can't find her anywhere, and that might be one of my biggest fears.

I give up on watching on the right side of the hill and go to the other side, towards the center of the town. "Mango!"

I hear a bark I'd recognize out of a million, and then I'm running down the hill.

I keep on yelling her name as the barks come closer. They come from the beginning of the countryside.

"Mango—" I'm so focused on her when I finally see her, that I don't notice the... whatever in front of me until I bump straight into it. So hard that I fall backwards.

Was that a pole? Because my forehead will be blue for the rest of the week.

"Jeez." I hold my hand against the aching skin, looking up. "Oh!" And then I get up, so fast that it hurts. "Sage! Are you okay? Oh my— I'm so sorry." I help her up as carefully but fast as I can.

She doesn't look good— well, I mean, she looks fine, but not... fine. Her face is as pale as a ghost, eyes big. Her hands are shaking. One of them is pressed against her forehead, too.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you. I lost Mango and was running. Where does it hurt— your forehead obviously, are your elbows okay?"

"Thomas," she gasps.

"Yes, hi." I wave my hand in front of her eyes. "You're seeing just one Thomas? Wait, how many fingers am I holding u—"

"Mango just dug something up. Someone." 

"Yes— wait, what?" Did I hit my head that hurt? "Repeat that."

"Mango just dug someone up," she says again, breaths heavy. "I didn't know what to do and I wasn't able to get my phone because it's hard to touch buttons with the broken screen so I went to get Dad or someone and—"

I interrupt her by squeezing her upper arm. "Show me."

Nodding, she starts walking. It only takes a few feet for us to arrive at the hole Mango has appeared to dug.

I take a look in there, vaguely afraid of what I'm about to see. In there, at the bottom of the hole, I see a head. I can't see if the rest of the body is still attached because the hole isn't that big, but the man is visible.

His eyes are open. Lifeless, though. It's... my PE teacher.

Hell no.

"We have to get him out of there," Viviette says from a distance. Probably doesn't want to look again, which is very understandable. "Call nine one one, Thomas. And tell him—"

"Tell him?" I repeat. My voice comes out rougher than I intended it to. Mentally, I apologize. I can't help it. I liked this man, and this sight is horrific. "He's dead." 

Now she does step closer. "No, he's not. He was coughing one minute ago," she says shakily. "He was alive."

"Yes, was," I mutter.

"Okay, just call, Thomas!" Now she starts to sound frustrated as well. "Maybe they can save him. Hurry."

My hands are also a bit shaky while I pick up my phone. I make the call as fast as I can, and then we wait.

☯︎︎

"You okay?" After a whole round of questions, Vi and I were free to leave. Some neighbors had been watching from a distance. It surprises me neither of our families are here.

Minho and Aris must be at school already, Dad at work, Finn also has a job somewhere, Mom might just be too zoned out to notice the things going on below the hill, and Vi's parents both also have to work.

"I guess." She shrugs. "It was just... shocking to see that."

"Yeah," I agree. "Is your head okay? It was a hard hit."

"Might grab an ice pack before we leave to school, but it'll be okay. What about yours?"

To be honest, ever since I saw who I bumped into, the pain became a dull detail in the background.

"It's fine," I assure. Viviette blinks a few times, rubbing her forehead as she hisses. I don't think it became a vague pain for her. I feel a pang of worry in my chest, "Let's go to my house."

"No. We have school. I—"

"School can suck it up. They won't mind when we tell them what happened. Let's just go."

Her then soft smile comes as some kind of reassurance, but I still don't give up, and take her inside.

"Just gotta survive Mr. Taylor's yells if he does mind," she says.

I chuckle. "I doubt he's going to notice. But hey, if boredom cures headaches, then he will be useful for once."

She laughs out loud. The sound is so familiar but still feels so nice to hear. I find myself studying the lips that make her laugh audible— no, stop. I force myself to look at her eyes. At the crinkles in the corners of them, which always appear when she laughs.

As we walk inside, she moves her hair out of the way. The simple movement makes me swallow and force my eyes away. I distract myself for just a few seconds by grabbing an ice pack and towel, in which I put the pack.

"I'll hold it myself," she suggests this time.

"Good idea," I say, my voice a little too high. I clear my throat. "Let me know once you think it's okay."

She nods, pressing the towel against her forehead. "Maybe we can already start driving as I hold this."

"Oh, yeah." I blink. "Sounds fine."

We step into my car. A bit concerned, I sometimes glance at her, but she seems okay, holding the cold towel against the bump.

First ruining her phone, now hurting her. Going so well.

But that's fine, something tells me. Two years ago, these things wouldn't have been on my mind that much. I probably would've offered to buy a new phone. She would've declined, and I would've been fine with that, but now it's different. And I feel guiltier about the bump.

We enter the school terrain. I see Teresa in the distance. It's probably the first break right now. She waves happily at us.

I wave back, more guilt tugging at my chest. Not because of the fall.

Viviette also waves back— doesn't pay attention, and nearly trips over a loose rock. I reach out to steady her right on time. My hand is warm against her arm.

"You okay?"

"Mhm. Thanks." She swallows.

I stuff my hands in my pockets. "No problem," I mutter. I do my best to focus on nothing more but Teresa as we get closer.

"Hi." I press a kiss on her forehead. And just like that, Viviette is no longer creeping into my thoughts. It's just me and Tes right now. For a moment, at least.

"You okay?" She asks worriedly. "Y'all are late."

"Yeah, long story," I sigh out.

"I'm gonna check up everyone else," Vi says. She mumbles something inaudible before she lets herself in the school building.

For one second, my gaze lingers on her previous place, then I turn to Tes. "I'll explain. Though I'm pretty sure the school will know the news soon."