Summary: All schools have that one story... but no one knows for sure if it's real or not.
Once part of a compilation but I think it's better to be separated... Let's just say it's for my sanity. lol
A little something for Halloween. Not romance 'cause they're kids.
imagination
A hand rose up from the sea of students and its owner said, "Ma'am may I go out?"
The teacher gave the child a sideways glance. "Naminé? Oh yes, you may."
The girl promptly stood, hurriedly went to the door as the lecture continued. She wasn't even aware of the envious glances of her fellow classmates as she closed the door, silently as possible. Naminé was too busy repressing the feeling in her bladder. Heaven knows that she planned to wait it out, thinking that it was embarrassing to raise her hand for something like that but she couldn't. It would be very hard to keep it in for another thirty minutes. And she wouldn't want to see what would happen if she did try.
If she didn't know her limits then, she knew it now.
So she walked as fast as she could in her current state, the blur images of the doors she passed by was barely registered in her mind. Naminé was truly despising the fact that the restroom was so far from her room.
Turning right, she entered the female area and several doors faced her yet again. But sadly, only one out of five was allowed to be entered. Don't ask her why. It could be out of service or maybe the janitors were too lazy to clean additional seats that they chose to close it up.
Every step she took echoed loudly in the silent room. The noises of the chalk scratching the board was gone, like the rest of the sounds created by the students who was bored out of their minds and was tapping their pencils on their table or making noises with the use of their nails. All of it was not heard in the restroom and that fact made the poor little Naminé tremble. The air around seemed very cold that it raised the tiny hairs on her nape.
Gulping, she stepped closer, reaching out a hand to open the door. Then she stopped, spotting a pair of shoes on the space below the door.
Someone was using the only available stall!
Naminé whimpered as she pushed her legs closer, doing everything she can to prevent herself from urinating right on the spot. The other doors near her didn't budge when she pressed a hand on it. Realizing that she had no other options, she crouched down. After a minute or two, she faced the occupied cubicle again to ask the girl inside if she was done but what she found almost stopped her heart. The door was not closed and...
No one was inside.
She dumbly stared at the space below to make sure, checking to see if she was not mistaking things. But no one was really inside.
Maybe it's just my imagination, Naminé shook that thought away. No, it's just my imagination.
The loud creak as she pushed it open was frightening but she had no choice.
She have to go.
Naminé started to repeat in her mind that it was only her imagination as she went inside, not bothering to close the door because that would only scare her. Her lavender eyes kept shifting from left to right searching for something amiss. Body shivering not only from releasing her pent-up body fluids but also from the atmosphere. She could've hummed to distract herself but what would she do if someone echoed that besides her?
Bullets of sweat rained her face as she forced herself not to think that someone would grab her hair, hand or worse... her feet.
Thankfully, nothing did.
After she was finished, she frantically went out. Ran as tears prickled her eyes, the drum of her heart was ringing loudly in her ears. She didn't dare try to look behind her and see if there was someone there. In her haste to leave that place, she hadn't flush the toilet or even put her skirt down properly but that didn't matter. She just arranged it on the way to her room.
Was that really my imagination? She allowed herself to ask as she was running on the long corridor.
Never in her life had she felt like that in her school. But it was also the first time that she went to that place alone. Thank goodness that there was no mirror on that place or she might've fainted.
Puffs of breath escaped her as she reached her classroom. She went inside with no preamble, relieved to finally be with some company. Stiffly sitting on her assigned seat.
"Nam? What's wrong? Your face's so pale." Her friend's concerned voice snapped her from her state.
"I'll tell you later," Naminé said after calming her heart enough to talk coherently.
The lecture passed as slow as vacation came. And all Naminé could think was the fear she felt earlier. The coldness of her hand still hadn't disappeared, she clasped her hands together to warm it and to prevent it from trembling. She have to tell it to someone whether they believe her or not. Keeping it to herself would only drive her insane.
=•=•=•=•=•=
"So, what happened to you?" Kairi asked as they took their packed lunches out of their bags. The other students sitting with their own groups also did the same, chatting like usual about mundane things in life that they found entertaining.
"Kai, I'm not insane right?"
The auburn haired girl raised a brow as she dropped her box on the table. "What're you saying? You're not."
Naminé leaned closer to her friend and whispered, "I-I think I saw a ghost."
"A ghost?" Kairi repeated louder which made others who heard look at them oddly.
"You sure you weren't seeing things?" a voice said, entering the supposedly private conversation of two best friends. The blonde girl scowled.
"...why are you here?" Naminé asked, not answering the seemingly innocent and geniune question. "You don't plan to sit here, do you? We didn't invite you to eat with us."
"Actually, Kairi did," Roxas said, nodding his head to the other girl on the table. "Ask her."
Naminé turned to the culprit, and received a sheepish smile. Now she have no choice but to eat with the one who seem to like making fun of her.
"Let them share the table this time." Kairi patted her shoulder. "There's no available seats anywhere."
Naminé looked around just to make sure and yes, there are no other tables. Seifer's gang took three tables for their games. And telling them on the teacher would just bring more trouble than solution. Most had wisely chose not to bother their antics.
"See," the blond jerk smirked. Seeing that he already placed his lunch box on the table, Naminé kicked his seat away and watched as he ended up sitting on the ground.
Satisfied with the loud thump of his butt as it connected with the asphalt, Naminé smugly said, "Payback."
He glared at her but that's just it. No punch or complaints. After all, she was just returning what he did to her a few days ago. He might've thought that she forgot about it but she didn't. All of the things he did to her was noted in her mind.
"Why are you sitting on the floor?"
As fast as lightning, Roxas stood up. "It's nothing, Sora." He didn't release the look he was subjecting her to as he brushed the dirt off his pants. Then the corner of his lips went up, much to Naminé's confusion.
Sora took the silence the wrong way. "You two fighting again? That's bad, you know," he said as he moved his seat closer to Kairi.
Naminé simply eyed Roxas in disbelief. Isn't this the time where he would throw her insulting words? Why's he smiling like that?
"We're not fighting. And what do you mean again?"
"Whatever you say, Rox~" The brown-haired boy waved off, and as the smell of his delightfully cooked food spread their table. He urged them to do the same. "Let's start eating, I'm sooo hungry."
"Same as everyday then," Kairi said with a giggle, ignoring Sora's protests she addressed the other guy. "What're you standing there for, Roxas? Take a seat."
Naminé stifled her laugh when Roxas grasped the chair as he sat. He should've done that from the start but it was not like she would pull that stunt on him again. She just did it to get back at him for making her experience that humiliation. He did said that was just an accident.
She focused on unwrapping her utensils as her three companions started a conversation about the history assignment. It was originally just her and Kairi in this small but cute table. But now, thanks to the added company, they would have a hard time eating. Their arms would occasionally bump together, she's sure but as she joined in on the conversation and added some comments here and there, she found that it might not be as bad as she expected.
=•=•=•=•=•=
It was taught that one shouldn't speak while eating but one of them was not following that rule—Sora. He was now sharing what he dreamt the other day—something about travelling from world to world and beating all the bad guys. Note that he was telling that story with excessive hand movements which might've been very amusing if the table wasn't on the risk of collapsing.
It was not a wonder, he always was the lively one out of all the boys in the class.
The two blondes tried to alarm Sora when he almost elbowed Kairi's glass. But it was too late. The lively brunet did, and the glass went straight to Kairi who was busy laughing to stop it from falling to her lap.
"Oh no," Naminé muttered as the red-haired gasped in shock.
"Tissues, Nam. Get tissues!" Roxas voice made her move again.
"Sorry Kairi! Sorry!" Sora repeatedly said those words as he grasped Kairi's arm.
The said girl giggled. "It's okay, Sora. You didn't mean to." She turned to the spectators and they instantly looked away.
"Here," the blonde girl said, offering a little bag of tissues she always keep on her bag.
"Thanks but it's fine," Kairi shook her head, releasing Sora's hold in her arm as she turned towards the door. "I'll just go to the toilet to-"
"-No!" The blonde girl interrupted, Memories of what happened to her earlier flooded. "You can't, there's..."
To her surprise Kairi said, "Okay." She took the tissue from her hands and started to dab it on her skirt. "It's about what you were gonna say earlier right? You still haven't said what happened."
"Kai," Naminé whispered in gratefulness.
"Put this on your lap." Sora offered his jacket to Kairi. "So no one's gonna think you peed on yourself."
"It's your fault in the first place," Roxas remarked. Naminé understood now that he said those kind of things only to lighten the situation.
"Hey!" Sora protested playfully.
Roxas' sky blue eyes met her purple tinted one. "So what happened?"
"...I saw something in there."
"The ghost?" Kairi asked, lowering the volume of her voice. "You saw a ghost in the cr?"
The blonde nodded deeply. They might not believe her but she started to retell what happened. Their expectant looks made her unable to resist delaying it. And she had to tell someone anyway.
"Why don't we go and look if it's only your imagination?" Sora suggested with a huge grin.
"Are you okay with that Nam?" Kai asked as the urge to do some ghost-hunting like Sora was nagging at her to go.
Naminé pursued her lips. "I..."
"Let's not, Naminé's too scared to go there-ow! Sora?!"
"What? I didn't do anything!" Sora said, raising his hands.
"I'll go," she eventually spoke after a minute of debating. "Let's go there."
Instead of whooping in triumph Roxas looked oddly concerned. "You sure?"
She gave a little smile. "What? You scared to go there?" He fervently shook his head. "Don't worry, I won't back out."
=•=•=•=•=•=
And that was how they find themselves outside the said room after class. Most students chose to go home immediately unlike their group who was intent on trying to investigate whether what Naminé saw was true or not. The sun would soon go to the other side of the world and they should hurry before that happens but they stayed rooted on the entrance.
"Hey Sora, why don't you open it first?"
"Why me? This is girls restroom y'know. I can't just barge in. Why don't you open it, Rox."
"I asked you first."
"Gee, thanks for acting like a gentleman, you two," Kairi said sarcastically. The three looked in awe as the auburn advanced and turned the doorknob. "He's right though, boys shouldn't be allowed here."
"It's okay. No one will know, besides this is just a one time thing." Naminé said.
A little pushing here and there, they entered the restroom. Naminé stood nearest to the door, she'd watched horror movies that blocked the exit so she'd like to make sure that wouldn't happen to them.
"...So where did you see it?" Roxas' question made them feel the gravity of the situation. All of them wary in making loud noise with the steps they took.
Naminé merely pointed on the certain door in response. Not having enough guts to go near there again. "I saw her feet at that gap. I think it's a girl, she's wearing black shoes with blue pants.
"Pants? That's a horrible combination," Kairi remarked before her hand flew to her mouth. "Sorry."
"But it's Wednesday, we don't have P.E. today." Sora curled his brows. "And blue? Ours are maroon right? Maybe it's someone from another school."
As they were talking, Roxas took a step forward, his hand reaching to open the door. Naminé wanted to stop him but she just froze.
The other two heard his heavy steps and waited with bated breath as he slowly pushed the door...
To find no one.
They all breathed sighs of relief.
"It's not there," Sora said, relieved at that fact.
Naminé was about to invite them to go home but Roxas spoke, "Maybe there's really nothing there."
"No!" Naminé exclaimed, a little hurt that he didn't trust her word. "I really did see it."
"C'mon Roxas, Naminé wouldn't lie about that, don't you think so?"
"Don't mind him Nam," Kairi said. "He's just being his usual mean self, okay?"
"I didn't say that she's lying," the blond began. "I was just..." The next words were met by the air and silence took over the four of them.
Naminé was still waiting for him to repeat what he muttered but a sound interrupted him from finally letting it out.
A loud knock.
Fear went back in again in a speed of light. Naminé and the others took their time to look behind only to find...
"What're you all doing here? In the girls comfort room of all places?"
"Ven!" Sora exclaimed as he ran to hug the guy.
"You scared us," Kairi said, her hand placed on the left side of her chest. "I almost had heart attack."
Ventus' brow rose but he moved his hand to urge them closer. "Time to go home, you kids. You wouldn't want to stay in here for much longer, do you?
They all shook their head much to his amusement.
"How'd you know we were there?" Roxas asked.
Sora gasped. "Oh my god, he must have those sensors." The brunet went far as to put his hand to his head and wiggled the fingertips, immitating that of an alien in his imagination.
Ventus laughed, ruffling the said boy's head. "Sorry to ruin your imagination Sora but it's not that. I asked Aqua and she said you went there. Two boys and two girls alone in one room. What do you think would happen?"
Roxas groaned. "Please Ven. Don't."
"Don't what, Roxie?" The older guy said, pinching the little version of him on the cheeks. It was times like this that Naminé wishes she also have an older sibling, she smiled as she watched them.
Roxas caught her gaze and stuck out a tongue. She just rolled her eyes, great! Now he's back to being childish again.
They slowly trod back with Ven looking at each and every classroom they passed in the corridor. Maybe he was reminiscing the memories he had in this school, he did graduated years ago to miss this. So the four children didn't complain.
"You know," he started after a while. "You really shouldn't loiter around here at night."
"Why not?" Sora furrowed his brows.
"Because there's a story that spread when I was here, they said that someone died here. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that she's around your age." Ventus pointed to the two girls.
"She?!" Kairi exclaimed.
"W-what does she look like?" Naminé asked even as she feared the answer.
"What story?" Roxas voiced his curiosity.
"Yes, it's a girl. I didn't saw her but..." The older blond handled the series of question well except for the last part. "You sure y'all wanna know?"
The first one to nod was Roxas, followed by Naminé and the others. They already heard the start, it would only make them suffer not to know the rest.
Ventus continued walking, abeit more slowly as he started the story. "They said they were having a festival. Everyone was outside, celebrating. It was all well and cool but in the morning, a parent complained that their child didn't go home. They searched for her in the village, every corner, every place they knew she could be but no one was able to trace where she went. They said she disappeared like thin air. But one of her classmates told the mother that she was in the school. No one believed her of course. Rumors say that her ghost goes around here in search of her body who still wasn't found until now."
"Well, that's the story. No one knew if it's real or not but my friend said that she saw the girl too. Poor little girl, right? She still couldn't rest in peace."
All of them felt the cold wind that slapped their senses awake. But Ventus didn't read too much into it unlike the children, all of them were sweating despite the cold. The most palest of all was Naminé.
Everyone of them knew that if the school has a festival, everyone is required to wear their P.E. uniform.
"...Well, maybe they're just spreading that story out to avoid kids loitering around here. Right, Ven?" Roxas said.
Ventus just grinned as he shrugged. "Maybe."
The bell rang at that moment as its everyday job of reminding the time—six thirty.
"Time to go home guys," Ventus said. "Or I'll leave you here."
Naminé heard the protests Roxas, Sora and Kairi made but the urge to look behind won the battle in her head. She gulped, seeing that the corridor was already engulfed by the darkness. Her eyes wasn't able to see much. And perhaps that's way better than seeing the glimpse of blue she spotted vividly at the end of the hallway.
"Wait for me!" She shouted as she went to catch up with the group with all the strength she had. I'm not gonna go back there ever again!
=•=•=•=•=•=
The click clack of heels echoed at the very silent corridor of the school followed by a sound of doors locking. She volunteered to help the janitor as always and was now assigned to close the rooms to avoid someone from stealing the school's property but seriously, who would steal in the restroom? What could they get there? There wasn't even a mirror or anything of value inside but thanks to the strict instructions of the principal, they must lock every room, even the restroom.
She eyed the room with tired eyes but before she closed the lights she noticed a child in one of the stalls.
"Why are you still here? Your parents must be worried sick about you," the teacher said, concern filling her voice as she took a step inside.
"Oi," a deep voice said that stopped her heart in fear. "Who're you talking to?"
"Terra!" She exhaled, now her heart raced in relief and for something else. "Your voice sound so eerie in here."
"There's no one there," Terra stated after peeking inside.
"What are you saying there's-" Aqua turned to tell him where the child was but... "Huh? Where'd she go?"
notes: So what do you think? Not scary huh. I hope it's not too lame. I quite like it.
I just want to ask, if you saw something like that will you run immediately? Or would you do your business?
And yes, she didn't check the ceiling.
11/17/17