WEINI - "Are You There?" - Part 1

She was the most beautiful girl in the class. He was in love with her.

How can anyone not see the beauty of her smile? Always lighting up the room. Her presence envelopes people in calmness. However, he can see it. Every part of it. Her aura. They both talk and laugh at each other's joke. They have their own language no one else know. They both nod at what the other haven't said. They are a part of each other.They both became great friends. They both fell in love, together. They do everything together. Then, they got hurt together.

It was only the first year they've met each other. And they knew it in their own hearts, that they clicked. How can fate be so cruel to tear them apart? How?

Like this : Natalie is migrating to Canada. That's it. Just so simple.

For the last few days she was still in this school, they savoured every single moment together. Grab hold of it, and devoured it like gluttons. They texted each other every night. No, they are not together. They are not JUST good friends. They are not lovers either. They are better than lovers - soulmates.

Natalie was really sad, having to leave her best friend Lisa. Most of all, she's heart broken having to leave Nigel. She told Lisa how much it hurts. How much all of this means to her. She cried when she told Lisa, how painful it feels. But no one, no one can understand how painful it was, because they weren't her.

On the last day she was here, she hugged Lisa. She so much wanted to hug Nigel too, but she can't because they should keep some distance. After all, they have more matured minds rather than those of their mates.

Years have passed, and they were still in contact with each other. Lisa became one of Nigel's best friend. They've even Skyped together with Natalie before. They had to set up a date and time because Natalie, you see, was living in a different time zone. It was hard enough to catch her online. So every minute was precious.

One time, Natalie was so busy with her school she felt so guilty because she couldn't come online to chat or reply to Nigel or Lisa's emails. She was having a dilemma whether to let her friendship with Nigel blossom or just keep a distance for now. Because of how much it hurts her. She feels the emptiness. That hollow feeling. It feels so weird.

One really weird night, when Nigel fell asleep while surfing the net, he had a weird dream. He dreamt that Natalie finally came home and he was waiting for her at the Arrival Hall. He was so excited he just want to run inside and greet her the minute she steps out of the aeroplane. Just scoop her up and hug her really tight and kiss her.

Natalie, on the other hand, had called him on Skype. However, he didn't pick up because he was asleep. Natalie didn't know. Of course, she was miles away in Canada. Natalie turned off the computer and went to school, heart broken.

About one week later, Nigel got a call from Natalie, excited, he connected the line. They chatted for hours. Just like before and Natalie didn't even bring up the fact that she called two nights ago. During the call, Nigel was checking his call history with Natalie, then he saw a missed call from one week ago. He asked Natalie about it. Natalie looked confused.

Suddenly, Nigel's brother called him. He turned around to answer. When he was going to answer, he realised that no one was at home. Everyone went out for dinner, he was alone at home. So who called him? When he turned back to the screen, it showed that there was no one on the other side of the line. It showed a room with a bed, a chair and a wardrobe. The chair, where Natalie was sitting just moments ago, was empty. Suddenly, the lights in the room was turned off, but no one was at the switch. The switch can be seen from the screen. Then the line was disconnected.

Nigel felt goosebumps rising at the back of his neck. What happened?

Then he heard the familiar jingling of the keys and the front door opened. His family was home. He ran down the stairs and asked his brother if he called his name just now. His brother looked at him worriedly and shook his head.

Nigel went to sleep with questions in his head that night. What exactly happened?

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The next morning, Nigel woke up feeling like last night was all a dream. He was late. He brushed his teeth and went to school without breakfast.

"Hi! Nigel!" Lisa greeted Nigel.

"Hi..." Nigel greeted back.

"What's up? You look like you haven't been sleeping for days and you didn't shave," Lisa commented.

Nigel's hand moved up to above his lips. Feels rough. "Nope, I haven't..."

"You look old... and look at your eyes. Haunted," Lisa said, she shuddered to give her words some effect.

"Haunted..." Nigel repeated mindlessly.

"Yea, something bad happened? You saw a ghost?" Lisa asked jokingly.

"I don't know, something weird happened," Nigel started.

"What? A ghost slept beside you?" Lisa prodded.

"No! What's with you and ghosts? Now you are scaring me!" Nigel said.

"I don't know. You're scared?" Lisa teased.

"No, haha. Scared? No, I'm not," Nigel said with a nervous laugh.

Lisa looked skeptically at Nigel, "Well, I'm not convinced..."

"Well, too bad then..." he said.

The bell rang. School has started. Nigel was distracted the whole day. When he went home that day, he was really tired. He took a nap. After dinner, he went online. Of course, Natalie can't be online at this time of the day, it's four in the morning in Canada! Natalie must be sleeping. But there it was, Natalie's name, online. He forgot all about last night. He clicked call on Natalie's name and the line connected.

Natalie's face came into the screen. She looked a bit... off... she was wearing the same shirt (or was it?) as the day before. This time, she looked a bit sickly. Like she was having fever or something.

"Hi! Why are you awake at four in the morning?" Nigel asked curiously.

"I couldn't sleep. I slept really long, since 6 in the evening. Too tired yesterday..." Natalie replied tiredly.

"Oh! So what exactly happened yesterday night... I mean, morning... you know, on your side..." Nigel asked.

"Oh... erm... I needed to go... hey, I have to go now... bye!" Natalie said and the screen went blank.

WHAT? Nigel thought. She just hung up on me!

What is happening?

Suddenly, the screen showed the room again. There was some shuffling at the mic on Natalie's side. However, no one was in sight except for the chair, the bed and the wardrobe.

"Hello? Natalie?" Nigel called out.

No reply, more shuffling.

"Hello?" Nigel called again.

The shuffling has become really deafening now.

"Are you there?" Nigel tried.

The shuffling noise has stopped. Now, there was an eerie silence.

"Are you there, Natalie?" Nigel asked, feeling goosebumps rising on his hands now.

The screen went blank.

Nigel was shocked for a moment, then he turned off his computer and went to revise.

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One week later...

One unread email.

From : <Natalie Sigman>
To: <Nigel Smith>
Subject: Sorry, for not being online for 2 weeks...

I'm sorry for not being online for two weeks. I was in the hospital and they wouldn't let me use the computer. I met an accident (but I'm fine now! No worries! ^_<) one day after I called you and you didn't pick up! So what happened? Why didn't you pick up?

Two weeks? But I just chatted with her one week ago and she hung up on me! Nigel thought to himself. Now this is really weird. He called Lisa and told her what happened.

"Didn't you know? Natalie's elder sister called me and told me about it! Oh gosh! I thought you knew! I was so worried. I thought that was why you looked so pale the other day... but I didn't dare to ask you straight..." Lisa explained.

"Oh... thanks anyway..." Nigel said. After talking a bit about school, they hung up.

What exactly happened?

From : <Nigel Smith>
To : <Natalie Sigman>
Subject : What do you mean?

You make that accident sound like it was nothing. YOU WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR TWO WEEKS!! How can I NOT worry? And sorry, I slept that day. Are you sure? Because... I thought I saw you online last week...

From : <Natalie Sigman>
To : <Nigel Smith>
Subject : What are you talking about?

Because I'm fine now. Okay, apology accepted and you're forgiven (^_^). But I was in the hospital the whole time! And as I said before, they wouldn't let me use the computer!

From : <Nigel Smith>
To : <Natalie Sigman>
Subject : What happened?

Then what happened? Because I saw you online that day! I swear! And then we had a call, and you hung up on me!

From : <Natalie Sigman>
To : <Nigel Smith>
Subject : I have no idea what you're talking about.

I totally have no idea what you're talking about because I was in the hospital the whole time. How can we Skype when THEY WOULDN'T LET ME USE THE COMPUTER? You're creeping me out, mate!

From : <Nigel Smith>
To : <Natalie Sigman>
Subject : Sorry, maybe it was a dream...

Maybe I messed up with a dream... sorry.

But Nigel was sure it wasn't a dream. It was real. And he was sure. So who exactly was it he saw in the screen for 2 times in the two weeks Natalie was in the hospital???

Who?

Was it Natalie's somehow spirit, coming out when she was asleep to keep Nigel company or something else???

WEINI

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