Annabel's Little Secret – Episode 16
Episode 16
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Vanessa’s Pov:
“His…His name?” She stuttered, a little crack in her voice.
“Yes, Annabel. What’s his name?”
She paused and smiled feignly, staring at the floor.
“How can ever forget his name? It was Sang-Ook” she replied, making my eyes droop.
What? She got it!!
That was his name!
“I had really crushed on him so hard” she continued in a wistful smile.
“Too bad I didn’t have the chance to be with him” .
I stared at her dumb founded, not knowing what to say.
I…I was thinking she’d be unable to get the answer.
“Vanessa, are you alright?” She asked, probably surprised at my sudden silence.
‘Of…Of course. I’m fine” I replied with a nervous smile.
Then, I stood up.
“Um…I’ll just be in the room with the rest of the girls”,.
“Really? Okay, then.goodnight”, she said and gave me a parting hug.
“Goodnight, dear” I replied quickly and left the room afterwards.
As soon as I shut the door behind me, I paused for a while and thought. Oh, God!
Annabel was able to answer the question. If really were an imposter, then there’d have been no way she’d have been able to answer it.
So, does that mean she’s Annabel?
*
I walked into the room and met Renee and Esther who were waiting anxiously for feedback.
“Hey, how did it go?” Esther asked immediately, opening her palms.
“Is she really Annabel?” Renee asked.
I sighed and sat on the bed and explained everything that happened to them.
“Oh, My God!” Esther Exclaimed.
“You mean she answered the question?” Renee also asked, disappointment echoing in her voice.
“Yes. And I’m…kind of fazed right now. She answered it without stress or faltering” I replied.
“So…does that mean she’s Annabel?” Esther asked the same question in my mind.
“I don’t know. And that’s the problem. Only the real Annabel can answer that question.’
“But, if she’s the real Annabel, does it mean she’s responsible for everything that’s been going on?”
“Thats the problem. How did she get to change so swiftly?”
“Guys,” Esther called and we turned to look at her.
“Do you remember the day I had gone into her room and almost read through her diary? And when she came out of the bathroom and met me with it, she almost ate me up”.
“Are…you tryna say she’s hiding something in her diary?”, Renee asked.
“Yes! And I think the answers we need might be in their diary”.
A short silence stepped in.
“I think you’re right. But, how do we get to read the diary? She’s never gonna give it to us willingly” I said.
“Maybe she doesn’t have to give it to us willingly” Esther said.
“I have a plan” she added with a smile.
*
*
#Next_morning.
Annabel’s Pov:
“I’ll be waiting downstairs” I told my sisters as I stood outside the door of their room.
“Okay, Annabel. We’ll be there shortly” I heard Renee reply and I went ahead to take the stairs.
I walked out the sitting room to the balcony and waited for them and after a while, they all arrived.
“Hey, look who’s looking good to go to school today” Esther teased as they approached me and I laughed.
“Well, one needs to look good always”,I rolled my eyes and we went to the parking lot and took our rides to our different destinations. *
*
Hours Later.
Esther’s Pov:
My sisters and I returned home shortly after we all left with Annabel, claiming we were going to the office.
Well, that was the plan.
We were to leave the house together like we used to. She’d go to school while we pretend we were going to the company.
Then after a short while, we were gonna come home and search for her diary. At least, that way, we can be sure she won’t be around to stop us.
“Are you sure we’ll find it?” Renee asked as we opened her room and walked in.
“Well, we can’t be sure till we try” Vanessa replied.
We stood in the middle of the room and looked around.
“Okay; where do we start from?” I asked, running my eyes around.
“I…don’t think we should start from anywhere”, Vanessa smiled and walked over
to the wardrobe.
Wow!
The diary was right on top of it.
“You found it!”, Renee exclaimed and we both ran to her immediately.
She sat on the bed and held the diary.
“So…you guys are positive we should be doing this, right?” She asked and Renee and I looked at each other.
“Well, of course. We need to know what’s going on with our sister”, I replied and she nodded and looked down at the diary.
Then, slowly, she opened it.
She flipped pass some pages, probably looking for the date we were interested in – the day after the party.
And finally, I think she found it.
“Have…Have you seen it?” Renee asked immediately, but she didn’t reply.
“Oh, my God;” she gasped and covered her mouth with her palm.
My heart was now beating like a party drum.
My eyes dilated with a gush of curiosity.
“Vanessa?” I called and a tear escaped her eye.
“What’s written in the diary???”
TBC.