Eleven

His eyes squint on her, he can tell how shy she is being the laughing stock by her flushed cheeks and constant pursing of her lips.

He must have been staring at the ground again even though he was blindfolded so he didn’t hit the piñata. She’s always looking down she doesn’t even notice the jackpot just right above her!

She stumbled once again, the cheers and laughs of the crowd irritated Wilder. He’s uneasy, he took a deep breath.

Geez, he can’t help it.

Fertine tried to put the baseball bat, she wondered why it felt lighter this time.

Wilder put his hands over hers as he helped her with the baseball.

The sweet scent of her hair filled his nose as he moved closer behind her back.

He gulped as he tightened the grip over her hand in the baseball bat. He’s strong stance begins her fragile body. He felt her take a deep breath from behind.

In one move, he hit the hanging heart along with the loud pounding on his chest, he struck hard, enough to defean him from his heart’s thudding behind Fertine.

Ferritin removed the blindfold, her mouth gaped at hundreds of candies pouring like rain, endless.

Wilder’s eyes remained on her, stunned by her genuine joy as she held her hands to catch the falling candies.

She turned to her, bountiful candies on her palms. “Candy ready.” She tearfully said.

He smiled at her, warmth touched his heart at her happiness but he doesn’t know why there’s sadness on her innocent eyes.

Geez, isn’t there still enough candy? Is that why she’s almost tearing up?

He was distracted by his colleagues minding their own business, grabbing the candies in the ground. He immediately bent down and got into a fight with them.

“Go away!”

“Give it to me!”

“Wilder---”

“Fuck off! The candy is mine. Hi You weren’t the one who broke the piñata.”

“But Mrs. Gano said it was all---”

He glared at him. He regretfully dropped the candy from his hands.

“Good.” He smirked at him.

He turned to Fertine counting the candies in her palms.

“This is it,” he said. He presented the candy he stole.

His heart raced when she flashed a smile at him. Finally, he made her smile. He’s the reason why she’s smiling. Well technically it was the candies but without him, she wouldn’t have gotten the candies so inderetly he’s the reason.

“Tsk, stupid activity. He is the one who won the game.” Geo shouted as he approached him.

He glared at him.

“Tsk, it’s pre penge for candy!” he said to Tori who was already slapping candy.

Before Tori could eat the candy, Wilder took it with the others in his hand.

“Hey Bro that’s mine!”

He ignored her protest behind him. He gave the candy to Fertine again who could barely hold it.

“Thank you, Wilder.”

He couldn’t take his eyes away from her… Her smile is so heart warming.

“I haven’t eaten the candy yet but I can taste the sweetness in your eyes Der.” Geo whispered.

“You look like an ant that gave candy to the queen ant. You look like Der! Do you bet that’s Nerdy?”

His eyes squinted at him.

“You’re really good Fertine!” Freeda said.

“Hey please!”

Before even getting it, he spoke, “That’s only her’s Freeda.”

She frowned.

“It’s not okay!” it laid out the candy for everyone. He closed his eyes tightly as Geo and Tori took him there.

Wilder frowned as almost all of the candy he worked so hard to get and grab was just handed out by Fertine.

She only kept one!

“Is that over?”…

“Obviously. What can they do?”

“Whatever it is. I don’t want to be involved.”

“Tsk, you said that earlier too. You don’t want to be in that situation, do you? You’re the winner!”

“They are.” Tori corrected, the devious smile on his face is irritating Wilder.

“Oh where are you going?”

“My tent.”

“Why don’t you convince me Der?”

“I don’t need to convince you Geo”

“Tsk, it looks like you’re just going to follow someone.”

“What’s up? Who’s going to follow?”

“Ask Wilder, he’s the one to follow.” He grinned.

Wilder shook his head at Geo. Even when Geo is really pissed off. He turned his back on the two before Tori could speak, frowning as she looked at Geo. It still doesn’t seem to know what it’s talking about.

He looked around.

Searching for her but she’s nowhere in the crowd.

He took a deep breath.

Where did that nerd go?

Wilder didn’t know what he is doing but he tried to make sense of everything by reading a conversation of someone else’s phone that he picked up. It doesn’t have any password or whatnot.

Nikki: Who are you? And what are you doing with my boyfriend’s phone?

Cohen: What are you talking about, Nikki? It’s me, Cohen, your boyfriend. This is my phone.

Nikki: Don’t play this prank, whoever you are. It’s not funny.

Cohen: A prank? What are you saying?

Nikki: Yes! Stop acting foolish and end this nonsense. Let him rest in peace. He’s already suffered enough. Show some respect.

Cohen: Nikki, my love…

Cohen: What are you saying?

Nikki: Don’t call me that! Cohen is the only one who can use that endearment, and you are not him.

Cohen: But I am Cohen, my love. What’s happening to you? We saw each other just yesterday, and now you’re acting strange.

Nikki: Stop it right now, or I’ll contact the police to trace these messages!

Narration: Overwhelmed with emotions, Nikki let go of the phone, allowing tears to well up in her eyes.

Narration: The time read 2:15 am.

Jane: I can’t believe someone would do such a thing!

Louis: Nikki, we’re worried about you. Those heartless people have no compassion! They’ll go to any lengths to mock and disrespect even the deceased!

Sanna: Is he still texting you?

Nikki: Yes, but I blocked the number. I was shocked to see his name appear on my phone’s notifications.

Jane: It’s unbelievable that someone would use his phone to play a prank on you. Maybe Jayden is behind this; you know how reckless and senseless he can be!

Sanna: Nikki, are you still there?

Jane: Please, answer us! We’re extremely concerned about you. It’s 2 am, and you’re still awake.

Louis: How long will you remain like this, Nikki? Until you move on?

Nikki: I can’t just move on, Louis. He’s not a passing fling; he’s my boyfriend. He means everything to me. We had plans for our future, for growing old together. I can’t simply forget all of that. He’s my world.

Jane: But he’s gone, Nikki. What will you do? He can’t be with you anymore. Perhaps he’ll visit you in your dreams, but he can’t be with you in the real world, in your waking life.

Louis: That’s what I’ve been saying. The police don’t care about the belongings of the deceased; they give them away to strangers!

Sanna: It’s likely that someone is tampering with his phone and messaging you, Nikki.

Narration: Nikki’s attempt to respond to her friends was interrupted by a call from Cohen. She stared at the incoming call for a long moment before it stopped ringing.

Nikki: He’s calling!

Jane: Someone is probably up to something. Maybe he’s trying to scam you, using Cohen as bait?

Louis: It’s possible. Never answer that call, Nikki.

Nikki: He knew my name. He called me Nikki and used our endearment.

Sanna: That’s probably your name in his contacts, Nikki. Don’t worry about it too much. I’m getting tired now, so I have to go.

Jane: Same here, Nikki. Reach out anytime you need to talk.

Louis: It’s been a month, Nikki. Delete Cohen’s contact and change your phone number. You need to move forward, even though it’s difficult.

Nikki: You are dead Cohen! Damn it! Why am I even talking to you?

Nikki: You are not even Cohen! Stop messing with my mind would you? You are not helping at all.

Nikki: You don’t know how hard it is to lose someone. So please leave me alone and let Cohen’s soul rest in peace.

Cohen: But I’m not dead Nikki! I’m your boyfriend! What are you saying I’m dead? That is stupid.

Cohen: I cannot believe you would believe your friends over me. We have known each other for five years!

Nikki: Cohen– whoever you are, stop it. He is dead! This phone belongs to Cohen and he is dead. How selfish are you not to respect that?

Cohen: Baby please…

Narration: Nikki was confused. The way the stranger texts her was the same way Cohen used to text her.

Nikki: This can’t be. This is impossible.

Nikki: You are not him.

Narration: Tears rolled down Nikki’s cheek as she remembered the accident that happened. She can’t take this ridiculous prank anymore. She typed on her phone one last time.

Nikki: I will report this to the police!

Narration: As what Nikki expected, the police didn’t listen to her that much, they saw her as an inconvenience because she was not able to help them with her boyfriend’s case.

Nikki: Why won’t you guys listen to me? I’m telling the truth! Someone out there is using my boyfriend’s phone! Maybe they stole it from the car crash or what.

Agent Nicholson: Don’t waste our time Ms. Vanderburgh.

Nikki: I’m not wasting your time. Why won’t you listen to me? I’m trying to help you with this case!

Agent Nicholson: There is no case, Ms. Vanderburgh. You said it yourself when we interrogo you.

Nikki: Yes, but what about his phone? It is stolen and someone is using it to prank everyone on his contact list!

Agent Nicholson: You have no proof of that Ms. Vanderburgh.

Nikki: I do, here look at it!

Narration: Nikki rammed her hand on her sling bag, trying to reach her phone but she was not able to get a grip of it. She opened the bag widely and shook it. Hoping to see her phone but to her disappointment it wasn’t there.

Agent Nicholson: Don’t ever come here again Ms. Vanderburgh. You are such a liability to us police officers.

Nikki: But—

Narration: Before Nikki could defend herself, agent Nicholson left already. She sat on the chair helpless, staring at her bag. She squinted her eyes and there she saw her phone on the bag wallet.

Nikki: There you are!

Nikki: See? It’s here!

Narration: Nikki opened her phone but it was low battery, no one was listening to her in the police station, it was worthless coming there so she decided to go home.

Narration: She charges her phone and once it opens. A notification ring. She took a deep breath before reaching the phone.

Mom: You went to the police?

Narration: Nikki doesn’t know why she felt disappointed when she saw the notification was from her mother and not from Cohen.

Narration: Even though the real Cohen is dead she misses how his name pops up notification every morning, noon and night.

Mom: Nikki, why did you go to the police? What happened? Are they still after you?

Narration: Nikki’s sighed. She grabbed the scrapbook with old photos of her and Cohen under the bedside table. She scanned through the pictures while talking to her Mom.

Mom: Why are you so careless Nikki?

Nikki: I’m not careless, Mom. Nothing happened. I talked to Agent Nicholson about Cohen’s phone. She didn’t believe me when I told her that someone was using it.

Mom: Of course no one would believe you. Cohen is dead. Whoever is using that phone is just messing with you. Maybe they know something.

Nikki: Will you stop talking like that Mom? That is the reason why Agent Nicholson thinks I’m the reason behind the car accident!

Narration: When Nikki was admitted to the hospital, the policemen interrogated her. Agent Nicholson conspires that she is somehow behind the death of Cohen even though she was with him the night their car crashed.

Mom: Agent Nicholson is suspicious, Nikki. I don’t know why she’s after you. Maybe there’s something between her and Cohen.

Narration:Nikki squinted her eyes.

Nikki: How could you say that Mom? Cohen doesn’t even know her. Besides, Cohen would never cheat to me. He is a loyal man and he would never do something that would hurt me.

Mom: Did you forget what he did to you on Halloween?

Nikki stares into the air as the memory of the past comes back to her.

Mom: I don’t want to forgive him but you insisted on taking him back after all of that! He is a weird man, Nikki. You know that yourself. He is nothing like your father. I don’t know what you saw in him.

Nikki: Mom let’s not speak ill of the dead okay? Past is past, I don’t want to remember Cohen that way.

Narration: Nikki’s mom replied to her messages but her mind is too cloudy to even respond to it.

Narration: Her eyes landed on the scrapbook she made on their first anniversary. She looked at their pictures, holding hands together, kissing and hugging.

Narration: Looking at the photos made her miss Cohen. Tears pooled in her eyes.

Narration: Without even thinking, she searched for Cohen’s contact and typed on her phone.

Nikki: I miss you, Cohen.

Narration: Nikki stared at the phone for minutes. No response. Maybe she was just imagining everything. Maybe it was all an illusion.

Narration: She took a deep breath and put the phone down. Cohen was dead, she can’t change that but she has the right to grieve for him, in any way that would help her heal.

Narration: Even though her hands are shaking she typed once again.

Nikki: If this is really you Cohen, where was our first kiss?

Narration: Nikki didn’t dare to blink as she stared at her phone, waiting for a response. Her throat went dry when a notification showed up.

Cohen: School gym, under the bleachers. It was Friday afternoon. You were still wearing braces back then.

Narration: Nikki’s mouth gaped open, appalled by how detailed Cohen described it.

Nikki: How did you know that? Did you check the notepad on Cohen’s phone? Is that how you know it?

Cohen: What? No. Baby I’m Cohen. How long will it take you to realize that I’m your boyfriend?

Narration: Nikki was doubtful about everything. Heck, she doesn’t even know what is real and what’s imagination at this point.

Nikki: Really? If you are my boyfriend, what would be my favorite food?

Cohen: That is a trick question my Nikki, you like a lot of foods. Everything is your favorite. Except ginger tea.

Narration: She was taken aback with what he said. It seems that this man really knows her but she wants to find out more. How far will this man pretend that he is Cohen?

Nikki: Good, I wonder how you found out about that? Oh I know! Through our old messages in this conversation.

Nikki: That’s right! You back read from our old conversation to answer this. For your information. I reported you to the police. They will look into it and you will be in jail, Mr!

Cohen: That is not gonna happen.

Nikki: What? Why?

Cohen: I didn’t steal anything. This is my phone.

Narration: Before Nikki could even type a reply, Agent Nicholson messaged her. She tapped on the notification and opened it as quickly as she could.

Agent Nicholson: Good Day Ms. Vanderburgh. You need to come to the police station for some updates regarding Cohen Griffin’s case.

Nikki: Cohen’s case? What happened?

Agent Nicholson: I can’t disclose any information through messages. If you want to know about the updates on the case, you need to come here.

If you can’t cooperate with us, we will not entertain any whims of yours Ms. Vanderburgh.

Nikki: Whims? I’m not whimsical, besides I’m willing to go. You don’t need to say all of that.

Agent Nicholson: Then do as you were asked.

Narration: Instead of wasting her time trying to prove herself that she is not talking to the real Cohen, she grabbed her things and went to the police station.

Narration: While she was on her way, she couldn’t help but tell her friends about the pending case of Cohen.

Louis: There is an update about Cohen’s death.

Jane: An update?

Louis: Isn’t it a car accident?

Jane: Why is there a case? It is just a car crash. Nothing happened right?

Nikki: Yeah, I think so too but Agent Nicholson thinks differently.

Jane: Yes because she is attracted to a dead guy.

Louis: Jane?! Why would you think like that?

Jane: People have different and weird kinks, Louis. Who knows if she is kissing his cold lips at the morgue?

Louis: That is gross Jane, atleast give Cohen some respect.

Jane: You should tell that to Agent Nicholson. She is suspicious! Maybe she is the reason for Cohen’s death, the reason behind your car accident Nikki.

Jane: She is insisting that you are a part of it even if you almost died from that car crash.

Louis: I can’t believe I’m saying this but Jane has a point. She is the one who keeps on pointing a finger to you. Right when you wake up in the hospital she appeared and condemned you as a suspect.

Jane: See? There is a foul play Nikki.

Louis: I’m sure that the one texting you right now is part of her plan too.

Jane: Louis is right, what if she has an elaborate plan to make you believe that Cohen’s spirit is texting you? But in reality it was really her!

Nikki: Cohen doesn’t know Agent Nicholson, how would they be related?

Nikki: I don’t know what is going on anymore.

Jane: Be strong, Nikki. You will go through this but right now you need to find out the truth.

Narration: Nikki sighed as she looked outside the car window. She can’t help but think of the times that Cohen mistreated her in Front of other girls, in fact in front of hot girls.

Narration: Yes Cohen is a loyal man but he is just human, he gets attracted to hot and beautiful women and sometimes he forgets about Nikki.

Nikki: Is Agent Nicholson related to Cohen in some way?

Narration: Nikki reached the police station, she immediately looked for Agent Nicholson but she was nowhere to be found. Another police agent welcomed her.

Agent Carter: Hello Ms. Vanderburgh, I’m agent Carter. I heard about your boyfriend’s case. Agent Nicholson told us about it. I’m sorry for your loss.

Nikki: Where is Agent Nicholson? She told me to come here about the case of Cohen. What is the update?

Agent Carter: I can’t tell you anything about the case Ms. Vanderburgh. Only Agent Nicholson has the information.

Nikki: Where is she?

Agent Carter: She is not here at the police station. I think she was at the morgue to check the dead bodies.

Narration: Nikki’s eyes widened. Jane’s voice echoes in her head. Is it possible that Agent Nicholson is a weirdo? She is at the morgue right now but she told me to come here.

Nikki: What is up with her? She told me to come here.

Agent Carter: You can’t wait for her, Ms. Vanderburgh.

Nikki: No, I don’t want to wait. Can you tell me the address of the morgue?

Agent Carter: Yes, sure. Ninety six avenue street. Township light 579.

Narration: Once she got the address of the morgue, Nikki drove away. She was welcomed by a pungent smell making her nauseous, her stomach churning.

Nikki: Hello? Is anyone here?

Narration: No one answered Nikki, only a breeze of wind that entered through the hallway. She stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway.

She took a deep breath before turning the door knob. Jane’s thoughts flooded her mind. What if Agent Nicholson is really a weird psycho?

Nikki: Agent Nicholson?

Nikki: Agent Nicholson are you there? Can you hear me?

Agent Nicholson: What are you doing here?

Nikki: You are the one who asked me to go to the police station!

Agent Nicholson: This is not a police station, Ms. Vanderburgh.

Nikki: Then what are you doing here Agent Nicholson? What are you doing with that dead body? Is that Cohen?

Nikki: Are you fucking his body?

Agent Nicholson: What?

Nikki: You are a psycho!

Narration: Nikki tried to throw a stainless tray toward Agent Nicholson’s direction. She dodged it and glared at her.

Agent Nicholson: What are you doing Ms. Vanderburgh?!

Nikki: Get away from his body! How dare you do that to him! He is dead! Leave him alone! Give him peace!

Agent Nicholson: I’m not doing anything!

Agent Nicholson: Stop throwing things at me!

Narration: Within a second Agent Nicholson got a grab of her and pinned her down to the ground to calm her.

Nikki: Get away from me you sicko!

Agent Nicolson: What the hell are you talking about?!

Agent Nicolson: I’m trying to check his body! This is not even your boyfriend’s body! This is not Cohen Griffin.

Nikki: What?

Narration: Nikki finally calmed down. Agent Nicholson moved away and stood up.

Agent Nicolson: See for yourself.

Narration: Even if Nikki was hesitant to look over the body, she took a deep breath and tried her best to get a glimpse of the dead body.

Nikki: Who is this?

Agent Nicolson: I don’t know.

Nikki: What? You didn’t know who’s body this is but you are here doing something to it? You are a necromania?

Agent Nicolson: No! That is not what it looks like. We are trying to get a clue about Cohen’s death. When you came to the police station about his missing phone we tried to look into it.

Nikki: So? Did you find it? Is this the guy who stole it? That is impossible because the guy messaged me this morning.

Agent Nicolson: No, this isn’t the guy.

Nikki: Then what are you doing here? Aside from doing sick shits.

Agent Nicolson: Where did you even get that thought Ms. Vanderburgh?

Agent Nicolson: I’m trying to help you with your boyfriend’s case but if you continue to accuse me of such ridiculous things, you can solve his case alone.

Nikki: Fine, I’m not going to accuse you anymore but who is this?

Narration: Nikki looks over the dead body. By the looks of it, it seems like it drowned because of the hardness and gray color of its skin.

Agent Nicolson: This is our guy. He is part of our team who checks the tracking device on your boyfriend’s phone. We asked him to look into it and just this morning he was dead.

Nikki: What? How did that happen? Is that a coincidence?

Agent Nicolson: No, for sure it wasn’t an accident. Did you see his body? He was killed, and someone drowned him in his house pool.

Agent Nicolson: They tried to make it look like an accident but he didn’t just die because of drowning.

Nikki: Huh? What do you mean?

Agent Nicolson: He had a head trauma, his head had a cut. They probably knocked him down.

Nikki: So you mean that someone did this to him on purpose? Maybe he found the location of Cohen’s phone? Someone is after him.

Agent Nicolson: Whoever is sending you those texts Ms. Vanderburgh is not your boyfriend. Unless it is his ghost leading you to something.

Narration: Nikki stayed silent. What if it’s really Cohen’s ghost? What if his death is not an accident? I’m not supposed to be with him in that car but I insisted on going with him to his work.

Narration: What if he is telling me the truth? That he is really Cohen, besides he gets all the answers right when I ask him about it.

Agent Nicolson: Don’t tell me you are thinking that the person texting you is his ghost? Sorry to burst your bubble Ms. Vanderburgh but ghosts are not real.

Nikki: What if they are? What if you are right? That it’s his spirit?

Agent Nicolson:I’m joking around Ms. Vanderburgh, don’t be ridiculous.

Agent Nicolson: Anyways, did you see something on your boyfriend’s dead body? Something unusual?

Nikki: Unusual?

: Since Agent Nicholson mentioned it, Nikki has never seen Cohen’s body. When she left the hospital her parents brought her home.

Narration: Even if it’s already a month he never saw Cohen’s body. They had a burial of him but he never looked at the casket. She was too hurt to see him lifeless.

Nikki: I never saw his dead body.

Agent Nicolson: What? Have you ever seen it? You are his girlfriend yet you didn’t see it? Maybe I was right Ms. Vanderburgh. Maybe you are part of his death.

Nikki: Why would you think that? I was in a car crash. We are together. I died with him that day!

Narration: Agent Nicholson stared at her.

Agent Nicholson: I’m going to report my findings about our agent. For now, don’t ever message or reply to that guy sending you texts through your boyfriend’s phone.

Narration: Agent Nicholson left her alone inside the morgue. She stared into the dead body in front of her. Right at that moment she started to question why she didn’t see Cohen’s dead body.

Narration: She was about to leave the morgue when her phone rang. It vibrated through her pants. She reached for it and looked at the caller ID. It was Cohen.

Narration: She didn’t know what to do, without even thinking she answered the call.

Nikki: Cohen?

Damn, what the kind of shit hole did I jus read? This is why I shouldn’tpick any kind of phone that I get. Now it is getting creepier. But why does it feel like I knew someone who will kinda have a conversation like this?

*

“W-what are you doing here?”

Fertine greeted him as he entered the woman’s tent. He caught up with him fixing things. He looked inside the tent and it looked like he was going to sleep because of the blanket on top of his thigh.

“Uh…” Wilder scratched the back of his neck.

He couldn’t utter a word. He was stunned by her innocent round eyes staring back at him. He kept his hands to himself, controlling himself from the urge to tuck the strands of her hair, falling in her face.

The red part of his lips. She wasn’t expecting him but he also didn’t expect himself to switch partners with Freeda.

His eyes remained in her lips. Geez, what’s wrong with him and he can’t take his eyes off that?

Maybe ‘cause it looks delectable and soft?

He licked his lips and jammed his hands on his pants pocket.

“I want to give you this. I still have it.”

He held out three pieces of candy. Fertine looked down at that.

“H-You shouldn’t have bothered—”

“I don’t like candies…” he paused, “but you do.”

There it goes again, the glint of pain in her eyes. Fertine avoided looking at him.

“Take it, it’s a shame.”

“T-thank you.” He said. He gasped when their fingers slightly touched.

He took the candy then turned his back. He returned to fixing the tent as if his presence was no longer there.

Geez, does he really just want candy from her? That’s all? She’s acting like he doesn’t exist when he’s still there!

He even had a hard time making his tent because it was far from the others. Then that’s it?