WHEN THE SEA CALLS
Chapter 58: A Strange Occurrence

Chapter 58: A Strange Occurrence

"Rhea?" Reece called. "I know Louie will want to know what we talked about or the reason you decided to sit with me and not him. You can’t tell him."

Rhea nodded. She has no plans to tell Louie that in the first place.

"You did not read my thoughts. Did you?" She asked.

"I did not. I promise I won’t. Or do you want me to?"

"Don’t do that," Rhea replied. "Don’t dare." Reece chuckled but said nothing. "I have been thinking," Rhea continued. "Do I have to sit with you today? I hope I don’t have to do that."

Reece smiled. "It doesn’t have to be today. I know you want to celebrate Louie’s birthday with him today. I won’t stop you."

Rhea sighed. She thought Reece would insist that she sit with him today. Thank goodness he did not.

"You should go in, Rhea. You shouldn’t keep your friend waiting. I am so surprised he isn’t out of the class yet just to look for you."

Rhea rolled her eyes. Louie does not have to do that.

"I am leaving," she answered.

"Please do. I will stay out here for a while."

Rhea left Reece by the window and walked into the class. Just as Reece had said, the students’ attention was diverted to Rhea. That was their first time seeing her dressed like that; a few of them had seen her put on a dress on her birthday. Rhea felt a bit awkward as she found her way to her seat.

"You are finally in," Louie said. "I was about to come find you... Where have you been? Why did it take you so long to come in?"

"I was speaking to Reece about something," Rhea wanted to say, but when she remembered what Reece said, she changed her mind.

Rhea shrugged. "Nothing special."

Louie stared at Rhea. He had seen her with Reece talking. He knew they had said a lot of things, and he wished to ask Rhea what she spoke to Reece about, but he decided against it. He shouldn’t try to pry into her personal life.

If she wants him to know. She will tell him.

"Did you get all these gifts?" Rhea asked pointing at the gifts on the table.

She had asked that to break off the silence lingering between them now.

Louie nodded. "Yes. I did not expect to get this much, though."

Rhea smiled. There were so many gifts on the table. Some were dropped on the ground.

"When are you going to open them?"

Louie shrugged. "I do not plan to open them in school. Maybe when I get home."

Rhea sighed. She wishes to see what the gifts are.

"Or do you want to open them with me?" Louie asked.

"Can I?" Rhea asked. "I don’t think that would be possible. You..."

"We can open them together in the car."

Rhea nodded. That is not a bad idea though.

"If you are okay with that," Louie added.

He wasn’t going to make Rhea do whatever she didn’t want to do.

Rhea nodded. "I am okay with it. I would love to help out. So what is the plan?"

Louie furrowed his brows. "For the gifts?"

Rhea smiled. "No. For today’s celebration. When are we cutting the cake? Have you spoken to Mr. Martins yet?"

Louie nodded. "I already spoke to him. We will be cutting the cake this morning. We can then head to our various classes after that. What subject do we have this morning?"

"Mathematics, I think."

Louie stared at his wristwatch. "Mr. Martins should be here soon."

"What about the cake?" Rhea asked.

"My dad’s secretary should be on his..." Louie’s phone began to ring. "I think he is here. My dad’s secretary." Louie picked the phone up. "You can come into my class."

The call he had with the secretary was a brief one. Louie only asked a few questions, after which he ended the call.

Reece walked into the class and waved at Rhea, who had to wave back because she didn’t want Reece coming close to her just to ask why she did not wave back.

Louie stared at Rhea and then at Reece. What could be going on between them? Why are they very close now?

"Happy birthday, Louie," someone said.

It was April standing in front of Louie. She stretched a wrapped gift to him.

Rhea nudged him slightly and he blinked. "Hi... Hi, April."

"She is giving you a gift," Rhea whispered. "You should take it."

Louie took the gift from her. "Thank you for the birthday wishes and for the gift too."

She smiled. "It’s my pleasure."

April left and Louie dropped the gift with the rest.

"What are you doing? What if it gets mixed up with the rest? How would you know which belongs to her? You should open it separately."

Louie furrowed his brows. Why does he need to open April’s gift separately?

"Why should..."

Rhea groaned. "Do you not..."

"The secretary is here," Louie announced and that ended the conversation between Rhea and him.

The cake was brought to his desk. "I have spoken to the Principal. You can have your cake with your friends this morning. And your dad would be paying for lunch today. For everyone."

Louie furrowed his brows. Everyone?

"For all my classmates?"

The secretary shook his head. "Everyone in the school."

Rhea’s eyes twitched. Louie’s family must be very rich.

"Of course they are." Rhea heard.

She turned around quickly. Who read her thoughts? And gave her a reply?

It wouldn’t be Reece. What she heard was a female voice.

Who could that be? Rhea wondered.

"It’s me. Don’t you know?"

Rhea turned again. The girl behind her was listening to music or maybe a podcast. She would have been the easiest person to speak to her in that clear voice with so many students talking.

The voice she had heard was a clear one and a calm one. It wasn’t a whisper, but it wasn’t loud enough for people beside her to hear.

Who could be playing pranks on her? It wouldn’t be the bluestone. Would it?

"You finally remembered me." The voice came out softly again.

Rhea groaned. Why does the stone keep playing pranks on her?

"I am not here to play pranks on you. I am here to accompany you."

Rhea rolled her eyes. She never asked for it to accompany her. Why would it want to do that?

"You can call me Sapphire."

"Why should I call her that?" Rhea mumbled.

Louie tapped her slightly and she looked up. "Are you okay? You seemed lost in thought."

"I... I am fine," Rhea replied.

But she wasn’t. With the stone penetrating into her thoughts, how would she concentrate in class?

"What are you thinking? I am not here to distract you."

"And you want me to believe that?" Rhea said out loud before she could stop herself.

The bluestone, or rather Sapphire’s voice, was so loud and calm that it sounded like she was having a conversation with someone sitting or standing close to her rather than a conversation with her inner thoughts.

"Is there something you do not want to believe me for?" Louie asked.

Rhea shook her head. "No. I..."

She sighed. How is she supposed to convince Louie that she wasn’t talking to him?

"Why don’t I tell you what to say to him?" Sapphire said.

Just shut up and mind your business!

Rhea snapped back. Luckily she did not say it out this time.

"Rhea? I asked a question," Louie said.

"I am so sorry. It was just a line from the movie I watched yesterday. I am practicing the lines," she lied.

Louie stared at her. Why does he feel like Rhea is not only lying to him but she is also hiding something from him right now? He sighed. He just has to play along. Though he doesn’t know how long he would be able to do that.

"The movie must be an interesting one," he answered.

Rhea nodded. "It was... Where is your father’s secretary?"

Louie furrowed his brows. She doesn’t know? For how long has she zoomed out?

"You did not know that I left the class. Did you?"

Rhee shook her head. "I did not. Did you?"

"I did. With the secretary."

Rhea was shocked. How come she did not know that? Was it because she was having a conversation with Sapphire?

"I... I must have been lost in thought," Rhea answered. "I am sorry."

"Why are you sorry? It’s okay to get lost in thought sometimes. I just hope you won’t let that affect you."

Rhea shook her head. "It won’t. I promise."

"Mr. Martins is here." Louie pointed.

Rhea looked forward. Mr. Martins was standing in front of the class. Beside him was a young girl who looked so much like Rhea. She was smiling.

"Do we have a new student again?" Rhea asked.

"What new student?"

Rhea pointed forward. "Beside Mr. Martins. Can’t you see her?"

"There is no one besides Mr. Martins," Louie answered.

Rhea furrowed her brows. What does Louie mean by that? She can see a girl close to Mr. Martins.

"Can’t you see the girl in..."

"There is no girl with him, Rhea. What are you saying?"

Rhea was sure there was a girl close to Mr. Martins. She can still see her.

Rhea groaned. It can’t be the bluestone playing pranks on her again. Can it?

"It’s not me," Sapphire answered. "I did not do a thing."

Rhea furrowed her brows. Then what is going on? Why is she seeing someone who Louie can’t see?

The girl waved at her and then disappeared.

Rhea was surprised. Why does this suddenly feel like something she had experienced before?

"Of course you have," Sapphire answered. "You can’t remember?"