Chapter 13: the mystery
When I saw her, my jaw nearly dropped.
She wasn't the same as before. No dark aura. No frightening presence. Just a girl—calm, almost gentle, standing there like she belonged.
"Sorry," she said softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Your shampoo—I was using it before. It's still in my bedroom."
Precious' mom responded immediately, like this was the most normal thing in the world.
"That's fine, Eve. Go get it if you need it."
Eve nodded, but before leaving, she paused halfway up the stairs. For a brief moment, her gaze locked onto mine.The room grew heavier the moment she smiled at me. Not the eerie, bone-chilling smile I had seen earlier at school—this one was soft, casual, almost human.
"Divine, welcome home," she said, as though she had always belonged here. Then she vanished upstairs, the sound of her footsteps fading into silence.
I was frozen. My lips parted, but no words came. What just happened? Was this the same "ghost" Precious warned me about? Why was she here—in his house—laughing and moving like she'd always been alive?
Before I could gather my thoughts, Precious's mother chuckled lightly, sipping her tea.
"So you already know each other."
I forced a nod. "Yeah… we just met a few hours ago at school. She came to see Precious, and he intro—"
"You must be mistaken," Precious's mother cut in sharply. Her voice didn't waver, but her eyes flickered, just for a second. "Eve hasn't left this house. She was helping me with the dishes right before you arrived."
I blinked. "Helping… with dishes?"
"Yes." Her tone softened again, casual, almost dismissive. "You must've confused her with another girl. It happens."
But no—it wasn't confusion. I knew what I saw. That same face. That same aura. The way she looked at me in the classroom, almost warning me. I wasn't losing my mind. Was I?
"Divine, are you alright?" she asked gently, her smile maternal and comforting.
I nodded too quickly. "Y-yeah, I'm fine."
"Good. Then don't let your tea get cold."
My fingers tightened around the cup. I forced myself to sip, though my stomach churned. She wanted me calm. She wanted me distracted. But I couldn't ignore the question clawing at my chest.
"Ma," I said carefully, lowering the cup. "Who… is she?"
She looked at me with calm eyes, but there was something buried deep in them, something she was hiding.
"She? Oh, you mean Eve?" She spoke the name like it was harmless, ordinary. "She's my younger sister, and a close friend to Precious."
I nearly choked. Younger sister? Close friend? That wasn't what Precious had said.
"But… I never knew you had a younger sister." I tried to sound casual, lighthearted.
Precious's mom chuckled softly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "She isn't blood-related. She's my step-sister. Came to live with us years ago. You probably just never noticed."
Her explanation made sense on the surface—but the pieces didn't fit. Precious himself had told me she was his "ghost friend." Why would he lie? Or worse—was his mother lying now?
Before I could push further, the front door creaked open.
"Good evening, Mom."
Precious stepped in, schoolbag slung over his shoulder.
"Good evening, my son!" His mother stood, her face lighting up. She hugged him warmly. "How was your day?"
"Well… it was okay, I guess." Precious shrugged.
"I'll go get your food ready," she said with a soft laugh, hurrying into the kitchen.
The moment she left, the air in the room shifted. Precious turned, eyes locking onto mine. His steps slowed, almost cautious.
"Divine?" His voice carried surprise, but also tension. "What are you doing here?"
I leaned forward, unable to hold back anymore. My voice came out low, steady. "Precious, I've got a lot of questions to ask you."
His brows furrowed, confusion—or was it fear?—flashing across his face. "Questions?"
"Yes." I set the cup down, the sound sharp against the table. "About her. About Eve. About the things you're not telling me."
For a moment, silence filled the living room. Precious didn't move, didn't speak. His eyes flickered toward the staircase—where Eve had disappeared moments ago. Then back to me. His jaw tightened, his hand curling into a fist at his side.
And in that silence, I realized something.
He wasn't surprised that I saw her.
He was afraid that I had.