An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 09: A Shadow From The Past

AHVI TAKEDA

The blade sunk into my finger and I grimaced. The edge had gone blunt and it hurt slightly more than usual. I ignored the feeling though, focusing on the open journal in front of me. As the first drop of blood fell on the paper, I felt a weight lifting from my shoulders.

My eyes burned as I cut deeper. A few drops fell in quick succession, pooling on the yellowing pages of my journal. I put the blade on the side as I picked up my pen. Dipping the nib in my blood, I scribbled down the same words I had been writing in my journal for the past five years.

As the words took form, my guilt eased a little but it was still there. It was a dark, looming presence in my chest like a cauldron, that no matter how much I emptied, still remained full. My vision blurred and a few drops of tear fell onto the page, mixing with the blood.

I wiped them away quickly, breathing through my mouth because suddenly, the air had become scarce. I didn't know how many more times I would have to confess to my mistake to redeem myself but I didn't feel any closer to redemption than five years ago.

My phone pinged with a notification but I ignored it. I didn't like to be disturbed when I was sitting with my past open in front of me, when I was the most vulnerable I would ever be. The notification ringtone rang through the room again and I sighed. Three more messages in quick succession had me putting my blade down and turning to it.

It might be Ren texting me so I didn't want to ignore it. I was more worried about my brother than he realized. I picked up my phone just as another text came through and I unlocked it to find six messages from an unknown number. Frowning, I tapped on the text chain. The conversation opened and my frown deepened.

Unknown number:

Hello, Ahvi.

Remember me?

I don't think you do.

Wait, I will give you a hint. Maybe you'll remember me then.

Gianna's party. Five years ago. You, me, and Cal.

Ring a bell now?

My heart dropped to my stomach at the sight of the name I had tried so hard to forget, the name that even now rang in my head when I was asleep. The snack Ren had made me before leaving for work rose up my throat, ready to be let out.

My thumb shook as I typed a response, my panic getting the best of me. Why was she texting me now? After all these years, why reach out now?

Ahvi Takeda:

Hailey?

The response was immediate and it made me wonder if she was sitting with her phone, staring at the screen, watching the bubbles dancing on screen as I wrote back to her.

Unknown number:

Atta girl!

You got it.

It's Hailey.

I swallowed, feeling my very core shake. I glanced at my journal, the dried blood on it and wondered if I had somehow manifested her back into my life.

Ahvi Takeda:

What do you want?

I wasn't trying to be hostile but my text did sound that way. I genuinely wanted to know what was going on. I wanted to know why Hailey had decided to make a reappearance in my life.