Author’s Note:

I hope you like it! Can’t see why, but honestly, I got this idea from a dream when I was napping! Teehee. Please review afterwards...

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Youthful Soul

CHAPTER 1

The beginning

“Ms. Braiz, wake up.”

Five more minutes...

“Ms. Braiz!”

Go away, just let me sleep...

“That’s it, Ms. Braiz! I’ve had it with you!”

BYUUURRR!!

Lindsay Braiz jerked up from her desk, her short, dark-brown hair dripping wet of the water Mr. Stevens just poured on her.

“What’s that for?!” she exclaimed furiously, standing up to the level of her old teacher.

“You were sleeping so soundly,” her teacher replied, as angry as she was, “So I had to pour a bucket of water to wake you up!”

“But still, you could have shake me or something!”

Her friend beside her nudged her and whispered, “He tried everything he could think of, Linds. He pinched you, shook you.. but you didn’t budge.”

“Your inappreciative attitude earns you three days of detention!” Mr. Stevens shouted. When Lindsay was just about to say something, he cut her off, “End of discussion! You’re standing in the hallway until my lesson is over. Off you go.”

Still fuming, Lindsay Braiz stomped out of the class, not forgetting to slam the door when she went out.

“Damn it, that monster! Ugh, I hate him!” she muttered to herself outside the class of 10-4.

XOX

“I don’t think Mr. Stevens is guilty at all,” her best friend, Alexander McGrath, said as-a-matter-of-factly. He has been absent because of flu since three days ago, and she was giving him visits for homework, also telling him what had happened for the last three days. Her visits were also around lunch time, so she has been having lunch in his apartment, too.

“What?!” Lindsay gasped, she leaned on forward. “He poured a bucket of water on my head! Good thing I didn’t get flu!” She had a towel on her head as she ate.

“It’s for your own sake,” he said ever so calmly. “You weren’t supposed to sleep during classes, were you?”

She stumbled off her words, “Well, I – I was tired and sleepy!”

“And we both know why you were tired and sleepy. Game maniac,” He finished his lunch as he finished those words.

“Pardon me?” Lindsay said casually, but her eyes were throwing darts everywhere. If sights could kill, Alex was lying lifelessly on the floor right now. He finally sighed, giving up. He likes debating with people, but definitely not with Linds because she ALWAYS wins the arguments. Probably he lets her to, or the effect of her blazing eyes with that dangerous will to kill... he doesn’t know. But one thing he does know and do: Never throw an argument with Linds for too long or she’ll turn into a killing machine... Believe him, he knows.

She stood up and brought the empty plates to the sink. Alex lives alone in a small apartment near school; his parents trust him to live independently. “Call it a practice of the real thing,” they had said. So, she really didn’t want to bother him by leaving the dirty dishes behind; she has to help, especially when he’s sick like this.

“Achoo!” he sneezed for the umpteenth time since she has arrived.

“Just go to bed, I’ll take care of the dishes,” Lindsay said, concerned.

“No, I’m just going to sit in the coach...”

She was washing the dishes when she saw something different of the view outside.

“Hey, have your landlord managed to sell the apartment next door?” she asked automatically.

“Apartment?”

It seemed like Alex didn’t have a clue what was going on. “Let’s visit your new neighbor when you’re fine again,” she said as she wiped the last plate with a napkin and put it in one of the shelves.

“Oh yea! I totally forgot about something,” Lindsay said, flopping herself on a coach across from Alex. “You know Judith Frankies?”

“Isn’t she the owner of Wing Edge Software? She committed suicide three months ago, right? The rumors said that she had had a money problem.” Alex’ expression was suddenly serious and interested. He is actually one of the handsomest guys at school; but his interests are so weird that people don’t ‘click’ with him; only Lindsay does, but that is also because her father is a police inspector. One of Alex’ huge interests is mystery cases. Oh yes, he is also bespectacled.

“The rumors are true. Anyway, her suicide note also happens to be her will. There, she wrote that she was giving the company to her personal assistant whom she trusted the most, Samantha Henstring. Well, Samantha Henstring came to my house yesterday night.”

“What did she want?” he propped his chin excitedly.

“She thinks Judith Frankies was murdered.”

Silence.

“Was she?” Alex broke the silence.

“No. But she jumped off her cruise to the ocean and her body is never to be found so the police is missing one big clue.”

“And?”

“Samantha insisted that she was right and my father said he’d investigate the case again to satisfy her.”

“Hmm. Let me evaluate the case. Three months ago, on July 7th 2005, Judith Frankies went on a night cruise with her crews privately. Then, the next morning, William Keyes, her butler, found her missing from her bedroom. The crews searched the ship but didn’t found any trace of her. That was the time when Mr. Keyes saw the suicide note on Ms. Frankies’ bedside table, along with her will. The note stated that she committed suicide because of money problem. The authorities checked her bank account and found it was almost empty,” Alex said almost to himself.

“That’s right. But one of the lifeboats is missing.”

“And it means something?”

“She might have gotten onto the boat and survived!”

“Nonsense. They’re in middle of Atlantic Ocean, she couldn’t have lived,” he chuckled, waving his hand, totally underestimating.

“There’s still the X Factor called miracle.”

“And there’s the Y and Z factors named nature and facts. Did you know that there are more carnivore fish such as sharks in the Atlantic Ocean than in the Pacific Ocean? She couldn’t have lived. Beside, she left a suicide note, right?”

“AA factor! She – “ Lindsay stopped mid-sentence. “Oh my God, we shouldn’t be doing this! You’re gonna get worse. Quick, to your bed,” she pulled Alex softly.

“No! Let’s talk more about the case!” he insisted stubbornly and childishly.

Alex can be the most adult, cool-headed teenager at school, but he also can be one of the most stubborn and childish from time to time. Like this for example.

“No, young man, you’re going to bed!”

“It’s not like you’re my mum!”

“I’m acting like one now, so move that butt of yours and let’s get moving before you get even worse!” Lindsay hissed, her eyes seemed ready to kill. Horrified, Alex could only give in.

And with that, she pulled him by his collar and dragged him (brutally, mind) to his bedroom.

She took off his spectacles and put it on the bedside table. “There’s a glass of water on your bedside table and I’ve bought you some aspirin and flu medicine. I’m going to be outside, you just take a rest and relax, okay?”

“Yes, Mum.”

“Call me that again and you’re toast,” she said serenely, but dangerously, then left the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

To be continued!

This is only the beginning, the first clue of the puzzle! Stay tuned and please review! Thankies!