Chapter 6: A Safe Place

[biglenny]

 

Weeks had passed since Randall’s murder. Despite the police’s best efforts, they found no new leads and declared it a cold case. After Randall’s funeral, business continued as usual in Académie Le Tour; term papers were written, assignments finished, and years were completed.

To Jelena, however, the news and her expulsion from the Volauvent Society were still fresh in her mind. Whenever she met former friends at the society, they would ignore her as if they never met. When she tried talking to her, they’d say something along the lines of "It's all your fault Randall died" before leaving her. As a result, she locked herself in her room after returning from class or finishing her meals or assignments.

The mention of the word "skeleton" on the news shook her, as did the murder taking place at night. Someone out there still had the cowplant, enough to keep her in the confines of the Greek house as much as possible.

"It's all my fault," she mumbled. If only she told him that the gym was surrounded by wilderness, Randall would’ve been alive by now. "And now, no place is safe."

Hearing about her condition worried her parents, who were poised to hand the title of clanlady to her upon graduation.

"Thank you for coming, Priya," said Vlastimir.

"The pleasure is all mine."

“I'm wondering whether you could use your magic to heal my daughter’s depression."

"I'm afraid it’s not as simple as that. Even though I can improve other people's moods, magic can only go so far, as their traumas still linger. I too worry for your daughter, but some things are beyond my control. Besides, if it can be used for everything, what’s the point of growing to become better people?"

Vlastimir sighed. "You have a point. Selena and I wouldn’t have gotten this far if it weren’t for our efforts and perseverance. Very well. I'll see what I can do."

"Sorry I can't help you, but Sanjay and I will always be here to do our best."

"No worries. You did your best."
 

 

Vlastimir knocked on his daughter's door repeatedly. "Your mother and father are here, Jelena."

"Sweetie, we heard what happened, and we just wanted to talk to you about it, that’s all," added Selena.

However, they were met with silence.

"Hey, we may not be able to change the past. Sometimes, I even wished I could do that for my mistakes, especially those involving your mom. Over time, however, I’ve come to accept them and focus on what I can change, like how I react to things and fix what went wrong."

"And even if you still make mistakes," Selena added, "You can still learn from them. But the thing is, this is never yours in the first place. We thought the worst of our past was behind us years ago, and we had no idea it would come back again."

Silence followed, then came faint mumbling from the other side.

"It's my fault no place is safe."



 

After watching her parents, Ana walked downstairs and sighed. "I hope her depression doesn't kill her."

"It won't," assured Mowgli as he embraced her. "We've seen her coming out of her room for class, meals, or other solo activities, so don't give up hope."

"But she'd just repeatedly mumble about how it’s all her fault and no place is safe. This depression is putting her on some kind of BSOD as if she failed her responsibilities as dad’s heiress. Don’t you know how hard it feels to see your own loved one in a condition like this?"

Looking at his girlfriend's sad eyes made him sigh. The incident with his so-called friend still lingered in his mind. Even though Ana’s parents forgave him after he apologized, he still felt guilty, not helped by his parents scolding him and Parvati and grounding them for a month. He didn’t dare look at Apu and Padma out of shame. As time went on, he and Parvati tried not to dwell on it and focused on the present. This was the same for Ana, who didn't bring it up whenever they talked.

Jelena, on the other hand, has always had trouble letting go of past experiences. Granted, she had long been cautious and even wary of others, always preferring to watch from afar first, but the incident with Andy got to the point that she wouldn't hang out with others until they went to the Académie. Things were fine at first; she talked and studied with others, joined Ana and co., and even joked from time to time. Randall’s murder made her do a 180.

"I'm sorry," Vlastimir sighed as he and Selena walked downstairs with exasperated eyes. "She wouldn’t come out despite our efforts."

"No worries," replied Ana. "You two did your best."

"We better get help from a psychiatrist," added Selena, struggling to fight back tears. "And if that also fails, your father and I have no choice but to hand over the heirship to you. I see no alternative left in this."

Hearing what her parents had said, Ana stepped closer. "But what about us? There has to be something we can do."

"Sweetie," her mother put her hand on her shoulder, "I know it pains you to see her like this, and so do your dad and I. But we have to accept that some things are beyond our control."

"And that's what we've told your sister as well. Unfortunately, she didn’t respond to us at all. Unless we get external help, we'd be stuck in this situation forever."

Ana sighed. Having a sister, particularly a twin, different from her in many ways, has been frustrating a few times. If this continues, she'd have to step in even if the Ramaswamis would hesitate because Mowgli's parents support her relationship with him. She shuddered at having to shoulder the responsibility she felt unsuited. Only time will tell if this has to happen.

----------

On happier news, the Ramaswamis rejoiced when their third child Apu went to college with his high-school sweetheart Angelique Holliday. They wasted no time getting engaged, a promise they made before attending the Académie. As overjoyed as they were at the news, Sanjay and Priya still insisted that they continue their studies until graduation regardless of their relationship status. No child of theirs will grow up uneducated.

Ana tried to smile at the news when hanging out with Mowgli at the Lounge. After all, time with her boyfriend should be a fun, relaxing affair. As soon as they met, however, her smile faded. Her twin's condition lingered in her mind.

"How has she been holding up?" said Mowgli, who also stopped smiling.

"Not good. Even a visit to the psychiatrist didn’t improve her mood, though she has gone out of her room a bit more often than before, albeit for school work."

"That's an improvement, isn’t it?"

"Not quite. She still ignores me as she paints, does her assignments, and practices chess. Even though she doesn't mumble while doing those things, I dare not interrupt her, in case she lashes out to me."

"Oh? Has she done that to others?"

 

"Yup. A few people who visited us tried talking to her, but she told them to go away. It didn’t help that they still followed her into her room, so I intervened before things got worse. One of my professors talked to her about her lack of cooperation with other students in group activities, but she said, 'Not my problem'. I confronted her about her attitude, but she shrugged me off."

Ana took a deep breath and sighed. "I better get her somewhere she could have peace of mind because this has been going on for too long. I can only wonder what graduation day will be like for us."

Mowgli leaned towards Ana. "You know," he whispered, "I have an idea. Why don't you two go on vacation? It’ll help you two release some tension."

"Would Lena think it's safe?"

"I hope so. My family went on vacation a few days before I went here, and it helped my mood a lot."

"OK, but why do you have to whisper to me like it's a secret?"

"Just in case anyone with black blazers notices us."

Ana nodded. Jelena was friends with them for a while, but they shunned her and blamed her for Randall's murder. Ana confronted a few for their treatment of her twin, but they threatened to mess with her grades and frame her. This made Ana’s blood boil but she could do nothing, lest a fight would put her on academic probation or worse, expel her. Since then, she avoided them, just as they avoided the Greek house.

"Mind if you tag along?"

"I'm in. Just tell me where we’re heading before you tell Lena."

"OK, thanks for the advice. Oh, and send Apu my congratulations on his engagement."

"Thanks."

----------

 

Ana took a deep breath and sighed. She may have the plane tickets ready in her pocket, but she is still worried about Jelena’s reaction. Will she lash out at her like what she did to others? Here goes nothing.

"Hey, Lena," she said.

"Go away," replied Jelena.

"I just wanna tell you that I understand where you’re coming from, even when we disagree. I get what you mean when you say you shouldn’t have met your ex-friends in the first place, but it’s more like you shouldn't take what they said to heart. Besides, they were never your friends in the first place. I mean, what kind of friends blame one another for things beyond everyone’s control?"

There was a deep sigh from the other side of the door instead of the usual "It's all my fault" or "No place is safe". If Ana heard it one more time, she'd snap.

"Now, if you don’t mind, Mowgli and I have a flight to catch. We don't wanna miss our spring vacation to Twikkii Island."

"Wait," said Jelena before Ana reached the stairs.



 

Ana turned around and smiled at Jelena walking out of her room. This better be good.

"Did you just say Twikkii Island?" said Jelena.

"Yup."

There was a brief silence before Jelena broke it.

"I miss that place."

"Me too."

Jelena closed her eyes when a tear rolled down. "I wish I could come with you guys."

Ana walked towards her sister and patted her shoulder. "Actually, you are. I have three tickets for us and Mowgli. Let me help you pack up."

"Will we have enough time?"

"Of course."
 

With Jelena's suitcase packed, the sisters got in the taxi when it arrived.

"I just hope Twikkii Island is safe," said Jelena.

"I'm sure it is," replied Ana.

Once at Twikkii Island, Ana checked into a hotel room with a double bed and a single bed while Jelena soaked in a nearby hot spring, hoping that its steam would ease her mind.

When that didn't work, Jelena looked around the hotel for other things. The local massage technique intrigued her. She may have experienced some things here as a child, but there were others off-limits to children. Now as an adult, this was an opportunity to learn them. Fortunately, the hotel’s masseuse was happy to teach her.

"Lie on your back, miss," said the masseuse.

Jelena raised her eyebrows. Would that make it easier for the masseuse to rob her?

"Are you in or not?"

"Sorry, I'm in."

After doing what the masseuse said, hot stones were put on Jelena's back, but they didn’t burn her skin. After biting her lip to brace herself from the heat, she relaxed. For the first time since Randall's murder, she could calm down and rest, even if it was temporary.

Ana and Mowgli spent every opportunity embracing each other. College life left them almost no time to hang out together, and this vacation was an opportunity to make use of their time together before going back to their assignments and term papers. If only they had plates of grilled cheese sandwiches together and this moment could last forever.

Jelena watched them with narrow eyes and furrowed eyebrows. While her peers found love at young ages that continued into her university years, she spent most of that time studying and preparing to become her father’s heiress. Sometimes, she wanted to let go of herself and enjoy the moment, even if that would distract her from her focus on the future. She even considered impersonating Ana and kissing Mowgli to feel the thrill of kissing someone romantically. Imagine the taste of a man's lips locked with hers and the touch of his warm embrace wrapped around her.

She shrugged it off. Doing so would betray her twin’s trust and create an unnecessary rift between them. If only there was a man out there who would show her love and affection like that.


 

At a nearby temple, she tossed a coin at a shrine to Jumbok. It was, according to her parents, where wishes would come true to wishers with pure motives. She shrugged it off as a child, but as she got older, she wanted to try it out herself.

Please show me someone who'll love me as much as I love him, she thought.




 

The trio went to buy some clothes fit for the tropics, as they had been sweating since their arrival. Even though temperatures were down at night, it wasn’t enough to cool them down.

"Do you need any help, miss?" said someone as Jelena was browsing for a dress.

"I can handle it myself, thank you," she replied.

"Alright. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask."

After picking a dress to buy, she turned around and faced a handsome, red-haired man. Her heart was beating fast, but she couldn’t say a word. Something was different about him. His soothing voice and radiant smile took her away from her worries, including Randall’s murder. She felt like she could finally breathe again.

She took a step forward and smiled back. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hey yourself," the man replied. Jelena blushed.

"Lena," shouted Ana from afar.

"I have to go now," said Jelena. "I'm sorry."

"No worries, miss."

 

After changing into a comfortable dress, Jelena noticed that the man was still where they first met. Mustering her courage, she walked to him and shook his hand.

"Hey," said the man. "We meet again."

"Yeah. We haven’t properly introduced ourselves. My name’s Jelena, but you can call me Lena."

"Name's Jim Reeves."

"Your name rings a bell."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but I couldn’t exactly remember when."

"Anyway, how are you enjoying Twikkii Island?"

"It's great, though I’ve been here before and had good memories. I just…"

Jelena blushed. What if he was the man she had been looking for? What if the stories on Jumbok were right? She couldn’t describe it, but there was something about this man that pulled her towards him. But first, she wanted to get to know him a bit more.

They talked like time stood still, sharing various things they had in common like video games. Jelena’s eyes lit up when he mentioned that he participated in tournaments as a teen. Even more so when he mentioned a highly skilled player who won one with skill, which impressed him. That brought back memories of playing as a teen.

After gasping from the air from all that talk, she smiled again. This was the moment she had been waiting for, but who knew how he would react?

"You're pretty cute yourself," said Jim.

"Thanks," she replied. "May I?"

"I know that look, so why not?"

Jelena leaned in for a kiss, and Jim pulled her into an embrace. The warm touch of his arms and lips put her mind at ease even more. She could just kiss him again and again, and she could just set aside her worries. Perhaps Jim was the person she’d spend the rest of her time with, but she was open to seeing how things would go onward.



 

The next day, Ana, Jelena, and Mowgli went to another beach to enjoy more of what Twikkii Island had to offer, such as swimming in the pristine ocean, playing in the sand, and learning the local fire dance. Watching the fire dancer’s every move captured Jelena's attention, and she learned it after some practice. Time will tell when she can show off her new skills to others.

On her way out, she ran into Jim again. This time, his skin was red from sunburn, so they didn't press against each other.

"Looking good as usual, Lena," said Jim.

"Thanks," she replied. "You’re still as handsome as ever. Would you like a little dance?"

"Of course."

Jelena guided Jim's steps to make sure he didn't step on her feet. It was different from the hula dance she watched as a child. He struggled a bit at first, such as not lifting his left leg when Jelena lifted her right leg. They still enjoyed it, however, and Jelena twirled Jim around to finish their dance.

One of the top highlights of their vacation was playing at a nearby abandoned pirate ship. Steering the wheel and fighting the pirate dummy made them feel like the pirates of old. If only they could sing a catchy sea chantey as the cherry on the icing.

"Aaaaarrrrr!" screamed the ghost of a pirate captain when they explored the cabin. "Who disturbed me rest?"

Jelena slowly stepped forward. "Me," she stuttered, her heart racing and bracing what he would do next.

"Then let's sing this jolly chantey, me matey!"

As the ghost sang a song, Jelena sighed. She thought the ghost would haunt or possess her, but listening to his melodic voice made her sing along. Even Ana joined them, much to her delight.



 

Sometimes, Twikkii Island's hot climate was too much, as Jelena fainted from heatstroke a few times at the hotel. If it weren't for Ana's timely intervention and available water, who knew what would’ve happened to her? She shuddered at having to be sent to a nearby hospital and add more money to their bills.

In the end, all good things must come to an end. Everyone wished that the vacation was longer, but they still had studies to focus on. For Ana and Mowgli, the vacation gave them an opportunity to be together in a different environment, away from the constant reminder of their assignments. For Jelena, it was an opportunity to not only learn new things she couldn’t learn as a child but also to find love after realizing that she lacked it. Thinking about the times she spent with Jim made her feel safe, away from the killer on the loose and her thoughts of blaming herself for the murder. If there was a source of consolation, she and Jim exchanged phone numbers before she left. Hopefully, there will be a time when they'll meet again.

----------

Time flew by after the vacation on Twikkii Island. First, the youngest Ramaswami Padma and her high school sweetheart Tobias Kwon went to the Académie. Padma majored in Political Science to prepare her for the military, which she longed to join as a teen. Tobias majored in Philosophy, which he said would help him think deeper despite people making fun that he'd end up working in a fast food restaurant from dawn to dusk.






Then Parvati got engaged to her boyfriend Rhett as their graduation drew closer. Sanjay and Priya were overjoyed when they heard of this news, as that meant the impending wedding of their firstborn and the birth of their first grandchild.








Meanwhile, in Verdant Cliffs, Vlastimir made a robot of sorts named Colossus. Selena asked why the name despite its size, and he said whatever came to his mind at the moment. She chuckled and shook her head, thinking that her husband had lost his mind, but still admired his dedication to his skills. Besides, the new addition to the Vidić household quickly settled down on his role by entertaining the family and learning some things on his own.

Things were looking up even for Jelena, who seemed to have moved on from Randall’s murder. She participated in a gaming competition hosted by RJeeves, revealed to be Jim in a chat. Being separated from long distances was still no barrier to them, especially since they played the same game together.

The tournament lasted two to three hours, but they made quite a team through level grinding, careful management of resources, and skillful tactics. Every careful move paid off in the long run, pumping Jelena when she climbed back up the ranks after not playing for so long.




 

Unfortunately, her computer broke down when she tried to play a game after finding time to do it, and in a rash attempt to fix it by herself, she got electrocuted and caused a fire.

No, no, no, no, no, no! What have you done, Lena?!

Jelena froze with eyes wide open while holding her breath from the choking smoke. Amidst the scorching heat, nobody else was with her, and she shook uncontrollably before steadying herself.

You can fix this.

She grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the fire out before it could spread throughout the room. Relief washed over her when she put out the lingering embers and took a bath afterwards. Even so, the accident left her so scared of electricity that she stayed away from electronics for a while. It took some reassurance from Ana that accidents will always happen and she regained her courage to use them. From then on, calling for the repairman was the only way to go.

 

It wasn't long before Parvati and Rhett graduated, leading to much fanfare. Jelena beamed with pride at her childhood friend entering the next phase in her life.

"Congrats!" she applauded.

"Thanks," replied Parvati. "I hope to see each other again."




 

As the final senior exams loomed closer, Ana took Mowgli on a date, where she had a surprise.

"Mowgli," she said, "We've been the best of friends since we were kids. Little did I know that I’d fall head over heels for you until we were in high school. Since then, I can’t imagine a life without you no matter how many curveballs life throws at us."

She took out a velvet box, revealing a diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?"

"Of course!" cried Mowgli. "I've dreamed of this moment for ages!"

They embraced each other, tears of joy flowing from their eyes.

 

Jelena fiddled with the velvet box in her pocket, careful not to let it slip away. She had invited Jim over from Twikkii Island, and he looked out of place in his tropical clothing. He forgot to bring spare clothes apart from a winter coat. Fighting the urge to chuckle, she took him to a restaurant in quiet Bluewater Village, saving him from the embarrassment he would’ve faced had they gone to downtown SimCity. Besides, the fresh air reminded them of Twikkii Island despite the cold weather.

"Is this your first time traveling outside Twikkii Island?" she said after they got seated.

"Yeah," he replied. "Everything’s so different: the food, the weather, the people. Ironically, I'm a tourist here after seeing many in Twikkii Island."

"Don't worry; I got your back."

"Thanks."

Jelena ordered a salmon for herself and chicken for Jim. He struggled initially because he was used to removing the meat with his bare hands instead of a knife and fork. Jelena chuckled and taught him the proper way to use these utensils. The tingling scent of their food kept them distracted from the occasional stares.

When they were halfway done, Jelena steadied herself from quivering. This was the moment of truth, in which she would propose to her boyfriend after hanging out together since the vacation to Twikkii Island.

"Jim, what do you think of living with the one person you love?"

Jim paused for a second. “I think it’s romantic in a way. Why do you ask?"

"You see, according to a family friend, my family must leave a legacy in my hometown Verdant Cliffs. As the next clanlady, I must find a suitable husband who’ll join me in continuing the family task."

"OK?"

Jelena wiped a sweat from her head and took out her box. No use deflecting the matter.

"Looking back at the times we spent at Twikkii Island, I felt safe and calm with you by my side. You’ve shown me a whole new world I struggled to understand for a long time yet yearned for, and I thank you for that. I love you, and I wanna spend the rest of my days with you."

There was a pause of silence. Jelena’s heart was racing. Jim smiled when he opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

"Lena," he replied, "Of all the people I’ve met, I enjoy your company the most. Not only do I love dancing with you, but I also love playing games with you even when we’re miles apart. You too have introduced me to a new world I'm fascinated by. Most of all, however, you’ve taken the time to get to know me, and I love you too."

"Does this mean you’ll marry me?"

Jim took out the ring and wore it. "Of course."

To celebrate their engagement, they snuck out to a secluded part of the restaurant and shared a tender kiss.
 

The girls finally graduated summa cum laude, and they threw a party to celebrate the occasion. Jelena insisted that everyone danced the hula, which had become a viral fad since everyone watched it on TV.

With engagement rings on their fingers and diplomas with them, Ana and Jelena beamed with pride as they tossed their valedictorian hats to the sky and caught them. After Ana found a suitable steward for the Greek house, it was time for the twins to enter the next step of their lives.

----------

A few days later, two men were meeting at the Vidić Greek house.

"Glad you could come, Yuri," said one of them, who has a rasping voice.

"Pleasure's all mine," replied the other. “How does it feel like being this house’s steward."

"Excited, especially since I got the girls' trust. Listen carefully because our next moves are crucial. Since that coward Andrija's failure, I've decided to face that family head-on, but I need you to play a part of it."

"I'm all ears. Just tell me what to do."

"Excellent. Let’s bite!"

"Let's bite!"