original

Beside Her Always

Chapter 1: Anything but Paradise

'Deep breaths, don't lose your head. '

'How did you get here?'

'Try retracing your steps.'

I looked up, light beams peeked through the tree leaves and the wind blew gently, brushing my skin with its cool whips. I let a breath go, I hated this place. I scanned the area. I was completely surrounded by gigantic, green trees and the sound of creepy insects, waiting for you to drop and die so they could feed on your flesh.

This was all my fault, I was so caught up in my thoughts that by the time I realized, I was already lost.

I heard a bunch of twigs crack in the distance and I turned to face the noise, instinctively holding my breath. Something was approaching. I scanned my surrounding, there was no way in hell I was dying in this place, on this island, in the middle of nowhere. I ran behind the biggest tree I saw, stooping so that I was less visible.

I rolled my eyes at my silly behaviour. 'What was I even hiding from?' Definitely not the old people in the village who didn't have the time of day or strength to walk this deep into the forest. This was all Ray's fault, always filling my head with deadly 'what ifs'.

The walking stopped and I took a peek at what I was hiding from. I curled my brows in confusion. No one was there.

"I must be going crazy" I whispered to myself.

"You must be" A voice echoed in my ear and I screamed in shock, punching the owner of the voice. I backed away, taking a look at the damage.

"Jesus woman!"

My breathing slowed and I held back a laugh. It was Ray, one of the few young people on this island. He rotated his jaw, looking at me with death in his eyes, his really cute eyes. Along with the fact that he was the cause of my reaction, I enjoyed hitting him so much because of how handsome he was; he was something I knew I might never have and it felt darn good knowing I could punish him for that. I sat up from the slightly cold floor.

"What do you want, errand boy?"

He stopped rotating his jaw before walking up to me, a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his award winning lips. He stretched out his hand and in the very same moment, a shaft of light caught his face, highlighting his all too perfect features. I was so mesmerized I almost gave him my hand but swatted his away just in time to save myself. I got up.

I knew why he came and that was exactly why I got lost in the forest to begin with. He stepped back, an amused smirk slipping across his lips. I rolled my eyes, brushing the dried leaves from my hands and butt.

He laughed "Fine, Australian moth, your work awaits"

I scoffed, knowing I should just walk away but how could I?

"Go fu…" I began, choking on my words as a bug flew and lodged itself into the back of my all too delicate throat. I couldn't breathe and the more I choked the further down it went. My eyes began to water, I couldn't see anything. If this wasn't death, I didn't know what was. Almost immediately Ray wrapped his arm around my waist and before I could comprehend, his free hand came thrusting in my upper back and the bug came flying out of my mouth.

I looked down at the despicable little insect.

"What is that?" I managed, my throat a bit sore from our unfriendly encounter. It had glistening yellow wings and really big scary eyes.

"It's a corn bug, corn bug" he stifled a laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?" I asked genuinely, my voice hoarse.

"Me? Nooo, Noooo" he shook his head unconvincingly. I glared at him, before walking off.

"Not that way Cornella"

I huffed, biting my lips before heading in the direction he was pointing. I decided that this time, it was best if I didn't answer, as it was my response that brought me into this mess in the first place. I walked in front of him.

He faked a cough "Corn bug, I swallowed a Corn bug, I'm dying, save me" He mocked with another cough, holding his throat and at that moment I knew, if I didn't kill him, my name would no longer be 'Mia Amelia Stennett'.

I would have made good on my promise if he wasn't so darn fast. He ran away, quickly turning into a barely discernible silhouette flashing between the rows of trees. Even though I became tired, I had to keep following his shadow because I had no idea how to get back.

When we finally reached the village, he stopped but I was too worn to even look at him. I sat on a patch of nearby grass, trying to catch my breath.

"Aren't you tired?" I managed. He hadn't even shed a sweat, he looked completely unfazed and we were running for over a mile.

He gave me an uninterested glance "You need to take better care of your health, what if someone tries to kidnap…"

"Ray, for the last frikin' time, stop asking me dumb shit like that. I'm on an island, we are surrounded by sea and frikin old people. Who the hell would even…?" I trailed off. He was giving me that face again, the face where I've done something that pisses him off. I searched my previous actions.

"What?" I enquired.

"Just shut your face and go to work." he huffed before disappearing. I sighed before forcing myself up and towards the God-forsaken place.

I had been here, on this island nick-named 'Paradise', almost four months now. My father claimed that it was his way of giving me an escape from what I'd done. But it wasn't an escape, it was more like a correctional prison, managed by elderly people. It wasn't all bad though, they are really… entertaining old people. It's just that something about this felt wrong. I felt wrong.

I swung the library door open, it was one of the largest buildings on the entire island and I had the honour (Cough, cough; sarcasm) of working here.

"Mia! It's so nice to see your face again" Mrs. Ida Hoe greeted. I smiled. I da hoe, as in, I am the hoe, get it. It never failed to crack me the hell up. Her mom must have hated her.

Mrs. Hoe was one of my favourite persons on the island. She has a very dirty sense of humour, she's in her late fifties and has a taste for creepy spiders and old vases. She also looks like a spider; her hair's dyed in black and purple and she has really tiny eyes she covers up by wearing glasses.

"Yours too. You have a very… um… satisfying face" I laughed and she threw a book at me. It missed my head by a lucky inch, landing on the floor next to my dusty foot.

My eyes widened in complete shock, not because I didn't expect it but because the book was so huge.

"Pick it up and if you ever get here late again, I will rip those beautiful eyes out" she smiled but I knew she was being serious.

I did as instructed before taking a seat around my desk. I sighed. How many more days would I be forced to sit in this place and watch Mrs. Hoe flirt with random old guys before I was allowed to return home? I started adjusting my chair, not because it was uncomfortable but because I was so bored. When I began receiving weird looks from the persons in the library, I resorted to playing with my thumbs. Only then did I notice a pile of folders on one corner of my desk.

"Interesting" I whispered to myself. Mrs. Hoe must have left them by mistake. I opened the first one, it was about someone named Kyle. It had everything about him, from the colour of his eyes to what brought him to the island. I took up another, it was about Miss Ven, the restaurant lady- My first favourite person on the island.

"Aborted a…" I closed the file. They were personal profiles of all the persons on the island. I looked around, no one was paying attention. If they had profiles on everyone I wanted to see mine... and Ray's. I smiled evilly. They say everyone on this island has something to hide, I wanted to know what Mr perfect's secret was.

I found my file but I couldn't find Ray's anywhere. Eventually, I gave up, sighed in defeat and channelled all my focus on my folder. It took a disturbing moment for me to open it but when I did, there was nothing. I skipped through the blank papers, just to make sure my eyes were working properly but it was empty. It was like I wasn't here or there was nothing to me.

I smiled. It was probably my father's doing and I was thankful, there was no use in letting everyone know the horrible thing I did. I threw the file onto the desk and it fell. I sighed in frustration, bending to pick it up. I gasped, a single loose page stuck out and I could see the words written on it, I tore it out and brought it into the light but the words were gone.

I curled my brows in confusion, before bringing it back into the darkened area. I grinned. I was so smart- the words returned!

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Hoe asked. I jumped in my seat, a bit frightened at her sudden appearance and I hid the paper under my leg before turning around with the folder in my hand.

I smiled nervously "It fell" I spoke nervously, returning the file to the stack.

"You didn't look in these, did you?" she questioned, a bit too serious. I shook my head and she looked so deep into my eyes, I thought I'd break.

"Okay" she nodded before snatching up the files and carrying them into her office. I exhaled, a bit relieved. I took the paper out, bending so I could take a look at it. It was a continuation of a previous page.

"Darn" I didn't get the whole thing. I began to read what I could.

°It read.°

'… danger. The truth about her life is being kept from her and may result in future implications. She must…'

"I knew it, hand it over"

I felt my stomach knot and I turned to face Mrs. Hoe once more, feeling defeated.

"It's mine, about me. I have the right to read and keep it" I refuted, placing the paper on my desk.

She nodded her head in agreement after a thoughtful moment "You're right" she spoke about to walk away, but instead she returned her focus to me.

"I'm sorry" She smiled and I curled my eyes in confusion.

"About what?"

She took a bottle of water from my desk, opened it and drank some. I shook my head, returning my attention to the paper about the same time water came spewing all over it.

"Whao!" I yelled in shock, as sprinkles of water soaked my t-shirt.

"About that" she mumbled before walking away.

I flashed the drops of water from my hands before grabbing up the piece of paper. It tore and crumbled into tiny little fragments and I felt my anger boil. I looked up at the sceptic glances and they pretended not to see anything. I recited the words I had read

'Danger. The truth about her life is being kept from her'

What truth? What does it mean and why was she so desperate to keep it from me?

The questions just kept piling up, I needed answers and I was going to get them. At all cost.