Chapter 15: Looking into the past

Back to school, I was starting to think the whole school thing was a mistake. I literally slept through all my classes, I was finding it more difficult to sleep at night. I yawned tiredly as I walked along the empty hall, itching my head. I could barely move my feet. I opened my eyes after yawning, only that I was seeing another hallway, the same but more old fashion and newer. Students laughed and chatted, going on with their normal lives. Unlike now, then you wouldn't see students kissing each other in public.

I clutched my book to my chest, walking cautiously, no one could see me. I stopped when I saw a girl sitting at her wooden locker, reading quietly. Another girl sat down beside her, sketching something down.

"Drusilla, do you think Madam Rube would like my sketches?"

"Sure, Esme, he would love it," the girl reading the book said absent mindedly. The girls looked like they were between fifteen to sixteen. Drusilla had long curly black hair which were braided into big tails, tan skin and thick black eyebrows. Esme had her ash blonde hair permed. Her blonde hair didn't go too way with her albino skin, small freckled skin and yellow eyes. If I had something to say about it, Esme wasn't much to look at.

"Not him, you dingbat, I'm talking about Madam Rube," Esme said sheepishly, nudging Drusilla with her shoulder. Silla nodded, still not paying attention. "Silla, you are still not listening to me, pay me attention would ya!"

"Shh, I'm almost at the good part," Silla shushed, the book seemed very interesting to her. Esme sighed sadly.

"Nobody ever listens to me," she murmured.

"I do, and I always will," someone passed through me and joined the girls, sitting beside grinning Esme.

Victoria.

She looked quite younger here with paler skin and beautiful royal blue eyes. Her plum lips shone brightly with purple lipstick, her hair was platinum blonde. Victoria was still a beauty to behold, even more with the white hair. The colour suited her so well, like it was made to fit her alone.

"Victoria, I'm so glad you could join me, look what I sketched today…" Esme showed her the sketchbook. Tori took the book to scrutinise it while Esme stared anxiously, chewing on her pencil and hoping for a good comment.

"Esme, these are beautiful," Tori admitted with sincere administration. 'There is no way on this planet any reasonable seamstress would see this and throw it away, you are hired for sure."

"You really think so?" Esme asked with tears of joy twinkling in her eyes.

"I know so, right, Silla?" Tori leaned forward and looked at the black haired girl. She reached her hand forward and snatched the book.

"Hey! Who… Oh hi, Victoria, when did you get here?" Silla asked with a smile. Tori stared at her blankly, "what did I do?" She quietly passed the sketchbook to her. Silla gasped when she saw the drawings. "Wow! Esme! You have outdone yourself with this one! Another masterpiece!"

Esme blushed, her blush extended to her ears. It made her look like a freckled elf for she had elflike ears. "I have to show Quincy this!"

"Show me what?" Another girl asked as she sauntered to them, a guy beside her. She had reddish brown hair, dark reddish brown hair with electric violet eyes. Her lips was a little bit odd, but other than that and her beigelike skin, she was beautiful.

The guy beside her had the same hair colour, only that his eyes were mulberry and skin cream. They even had this trait of similarity, they were twins.

"See what Esme drew," Silla passed the book over to Quincy who took it daintily. She smiled when she saw the sketch then passed it over to her brother. Esme's blush redden more, she obviously liked the boy.

"Esme, if you don't enter this in the contest, I'll kill you." Quincy smiled. The guy looked at her from underneath his lashes, intentionally tormenting the poor girl. Esme played with the hem of her dress as she stared at me hands, his reply mattered most.

"It's beautiful, Esme, I am certain this would make Madam Rube choose you over all, your work makes others look like nothing." She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at his comment.

"How would you know that? You haven't seen the other works." Quincy snorted.

"I know because no one is as talented as my Esme,"

"Stop," Esme said sheepishly covering her face.

"Please, you people shouldn't start with the love thing, this is why I don't like my brother courting my friend, it's disgusting." Quincy looked serious but I could tell she was only teasing Esme.

"We aren't together," Esme said shyly.

"We would if you stop rejecting me," he said frowningly.

"But I'm not your type, Quinn, I lack beauty and what it takes to be with a…"

"I've told you to stop making decisions for me, Esme," Quinn said angrily, "you are not my type and yet my feelings for you haven't waver. Stop making excuses and tell me to my face that you don't want anything to do with me because you prefer the far older boy that parades himself as a soldier. If you really want me to move on, then stop using the same excuse, look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel a thing for me. I'm leaving first." He trampled off, cursing under his breath with his thick British accent.

"I didn't mean to anger him, I just can't accept him," Esme cried. Tori wiped her tears away.

"It's okay, Esme, we understand why," Quincy said sadly, "I believe Tori is close to mixing up a cure for your illness, then you would be fine and be able to date with no fear of dying."

"I'm almost there Esme, just one more ingredient to go." Tori assured her. Esme nodded. The whole thing faded away when my phone buzzed. I blinked my eyes in shock, another trance.

I knew the school was old, but I never knew it was that old. Victoria and her friends attended this very same school. Only then, it was highschool, not college.

I shook my head and continued walking, I saw the janitor trying to move a heavy bucket. The old man needed to retire. I hurried over to him with a smile. "Can I help? I'm strong."

"Sorry, child, I don't want to bother y…" I lifted the bucket up easily. "Oh, can you help me throw that outside and keep it in my closet?"

"Sure thing, sir, you go rest while I handle this, you need to quit this stressful job."

"I can't quit, my child, I have mouths to feed." He said sadly. I started walking while he followed me slowly.

"What exactly do you wish to do if you had enough money to?" I questioned curiously.

"Reopen my shoe business, that's for sure. Debt made me shut it down, I sold everything and had no profit to buy more. I'm not that old, just the stress of life." I looked at his salt and pepper hair, indeed.

"Have you cleared your debts?"

"With grace, last month I paid the last money. Now I have to save up for my granddaughter's college fee, her parents are no more and it is my responsibility to care for my son's children. Once she can get the scholarship to attend this school and her brother get the final money for his treatment, I'll think about my dream."

"Hmm, how much are we talking about here? For everything to be settled?"

"My dear a thousand euros won't solve it,"

"How much do you need?" I repeated.

"€5000, that's if I want all the problems of my life to be solved." I laughed mentally, that peanut?

"Your name is Janitor Josiah Haworth, right?"

"Hosea Haworth," he corrected. I smiled and nodded.

"Get some rest, sir, and don't freak out when your phone rings." I winked at him and hurried to the other hall. After throwing the soapy water away, I brought out my phone and called my manager.

"Candy, good to hear from you,"

"You too, Seth, you too. How's my charity fund coming?"

"Still getting pumped, you still have many across the world donating each passing day, and your daily wages from your stories in Amazon are coming in handy. I already forwarded the money to all the orphanages and hospitals you listed, don't worry."

"Do I have any money left in the account?"

"Millions, why?"

"Help me get the account number of a Mr. Hosea Haworth that works as a janitor in my school. Dark skinned, salt and pepper hair and brown eyes. He's about Judith's height due to aging and…"

"Got it," I smiled, that's why I love having him as my manger, he is also a computer lord. "How much am I forwarding to him?"

"€6500,"

"Anything else?"

"Brush your teeth, Seth, I can perceive your bad breath from this angle." He laughed and hung up, I could never ask for a better manager.

I pocketed my phone and carried the empty bucket to the janitor's closet, swaying the bucket as I hummed. I stopped when I heard incoherent whispers in the empty hall, the voices were unclear. I shrugged it off and continued my way to the closet. Immediately I opened the door, I was catapulted into another trance.

The room was dark, larger than the main janitor closet. I couldn't see anything but equipments and cleaning supplies. I looked behind me, the hallway was empty and free of all sound and people. I looked back into the closet, and once again, I could hear voices, and they weren't from normal people.