❪ 𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 ❫ , SBG

𝐄𝐏. 28

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┆⋮＃༘⋆⤷ CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT ; TRUTH OR LIE .
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•••

"Okay, well uh—" malik then stood up before making his way towards the lamp and turning it on, I could still see the two shadows which made a shiver run down my spine, what the hell was the second shadow for?

Ben noticed this too and nodded his head towards the two shadows. I nod, letting him know I see it too and he wasn't the only one going crazy.

"Do you- do you notice anything weird about my shadow?" Malik asks the two adults.

"Well- not uh...not particularly. no?" One of them replies.

The room was filled with silence as malik rubbed a hand over his face from exhaustion. they don't see anything? so its something only we can see? he thinks while frowning.

"Are we supposed to notice something?" Ashlyn's mother asks malik.

Malik shakes his head. "Ah- no, forget it. don't worry about it, I was just being silly. Ah! but we do need your help. my friend here? logan? he's been getting bullied. that's how he got that bruise on his neck. Ashlyn told us that you guys could probably teach him some self-defense, but he's a little anxious to learn on his own, so we offered to learn with him. If you don't mind, could you teach us the basics?"

Mr.Banner turns to his wife as he agrees, "I mean, I don't mind-"

"Me neither. sounds pretty fun actually."

•••

We sat inside the school bus, malik was preparing his weapon as he sharpened it up. "Oh holy shit, this is totally gonna work!" he says excitedly and shows me the skinning knife.

I yelp and jumped back, "hey— careful where you swing that thing. It could've swiped me." I said while scratching one side of my head.

"Sorry." Malik apologizes before turning around to show ben who grabbed the handle of the knife, examining it.

"Don't you think it's a tad ironic that we chose this place for shelter because of the high walls, yet now we have to fortify those walls?" Tyler questioned.

I don't reply as I sat down in a seat, sighing as malik teased logan with the knife while he grinned playfully. Logan shooed him away as he kicked him by the leg.

Malik sighs as he checks his watch, "I gotta be home right now, so see y'all in a bit in my uh— nightmare? or dream? anyway, BYE!" he dashes off the bus.

Man, he was a fast runner not gonna lie.

•••

Once malik made it home he sees the door open, Malik's mother waves when she sees him. "hey- how was school?" she asks with a small smile, she was really trying— for him.

"Uh..ca- can we talk?" Malik asks as he glances at his mother with furrowed brows. "I'm- uhm— where's dad? I wanna talk to him too."

"I'm here." Malik's father says, a small smile on his lips as he sat down next to malik. the both of them regret the way they've treated him, and it's only a matter of time before they realize how much they love him when they lose him.

Malik reached inside a small drawer and handed both his parents two separate envelopes, Scottie— Malik's mother takes the envelopes and handed one to his father also— Cory. there names were written delicately as malik sat back and watched their reactions.

Scottie furrows her brows. "Do we open this now? Malik, is something wrong? is somebody bothering you?" she was instantly worried— as usual.

"No, no! don't- don't open that now." Malik replied as he frowned again. "That's for later. If- if anything goes wrong you both know that regardless of how much we've had our own differences, or how many arguments we've had, I still love the both of you."

Cory brows furrowed as well. "Son, what- are you saying that this is a—"

"Fail-safe? yeah, if anything goes wrong." Malik replied sadly while shaking his head. "I'm probably just talking crazy but you never know."

"Malik." Scottie says before she walks over to her son and kneeled down as she cupped his cheek, her fingers running through his now short hair. "You're my only child, I know when something's bothering you. is it what we did? baby I'm sorry– do believe that me and your father are trying to make things right."

"It's not that, I forgive you. It's just.." malik trailed off and rubbed his eyes. "you won't understand. but don't open those, okay? you might not have to open them at all but I'm just saying..if things don't work out like how I want them to? Just keep those and open them when I'm gone not while I'm around."

Scottie turns to her husband, Cory also looked at her before he slowly nods. "Alright, we aren't gonna open it until you're ready." he replied.

Scottie lowered her head sadly before she just nodded in reply. "Alright, we love you."

"I love you guys too." Malik says before wrapping them both in a hug, Scottie and Cory wrapped their arms around him and held them close.

But behind them in a mirror? Was a phantom.

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT