The Crystal by Jones M (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

protection from crazy fangirls like this one," she said while pointing a finger at Selena.

"Hey!" she pouted.

"I'll just deal with this. I don't want Geoffrey to hear of this and scream at us for not doing our jobs," I said as I headed towards the group of five suspicious people seating at a far seat in the cafe.

The first thing I noticed when I was going to them was that they all tensed. I shrugged off the reaction, thinking it was no big deal. Selena's first guess was starting to make a lot more sense.

"Hello. What can I get you guys?" I asked. There was no way that I would give out my name to strangers who were giving me a bad vibe.

"Emery?" one of them asked. Another nudged the one who spoke. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"How do you know my name?" I asked. None of the five people answered. I decided to shrug it off, believing that I wouldn't like the answer.

"So what would you have?" I asked. The same one who said my name gave me their orders. As I went to the station and had their orders prepared, I couldn't help but think that I knew them. I had just gotten the orders placed on my tray when Selena's phone rang.

♪ Baby, you light up my world like nobody else...♪

My breath caught in my chest.

"I'll get that," she said as she took her phone and headed into the kitchen.

I felt as if I was frozen in time. My eyes were widened in shock, and I had no idea of what to do.

That voice... it was the same voice...

Everything began to click. The five suspicious people who entered the cafe, the fact that they wore hoodies and dark sunglasses, and how one of them knew my name.

It was my damn bullies!

CHAPTER 03

Emery's P.O.V

The tray that I was holding teetered towards the side and fell onto the floor, spilling the mugs that were full with the boys' coffee.

"Emery!" Selena scolded me as she came with a mop, a bucket and a tray to clean up my mess, but I was too shocked to reply.

"I know you may be tired and all because it's a Saturday, but please avoid spilling anything. Those boys may be our last customers, and I would really like it if we could go home early," she kept talking, but I tuned her out. The strangers who were huddled close around a table turned to see the commotion. I tensed under their gazes. Then they turned away.

"Don't do that again," Selena warned before going back to the kitchen. I would have been shocked by how fast she cleaned up the mess, but my mind was too busy focusing on something else.

I was still in shock, and I needed time to process the situation. My right hand formed a fist. I soon unclenched the fingers, causing time to freeze. Everything was reduced to pin-drop silence. The clock that was hung above the kitchen door stopped ticking. The figures in disguise, even though I knew them, looked frozen.

That gave me time to think. 

Okay, the Ordinary Brothers were in the cafe. 

They were in the cafe. 

Any other girl would have been screaming, begging for a photo with them or demanding them to kiss her. I think they would have also killed to be in my position. I, however, was not like those girls. The boys' presence reminded me of what they put me through, both physically and mentally. I felt trapped. I wished I had left early before they came.

"You can do this, Emery," I imagined my therapist telling me that. "You are a brave girl. You can do this without trembling. Remember, you cannot run away from your problems because it never solves anything."

Earlier, after I had seen Selena dancing to their music video, I felt relieved because I was sure I would never see them again. With the current status of the boys being in a boy band, the chances of meeting them were slim to none. Unfortunately, the universe decided to prove me wrong. Before I could formulate anything, the pin-drop silence was interrupted by a noise that came from the kitchen. Selena came towards me with a furious expression.

"I was remaking those people's orders when you froze time. I almost poured the coffee beans onto the floor! Next time, warn someone that you--" she yelled, but then she stopped when she saw the look on my face.

"What's wrong?" she asked as her eyebrows furrowed with worry. I sighed as I cursed the day. I never told Selena about the negativity that surrounded my first two years of high school. I never wanted to relive the horrible memories. Seeing that the boys were there, I had no choice but to tell her.

I took a deep breath before spilling what I had discovered.

"That band of yours, Ordinary Brothers, is here," I stated. She blinked, and then she blinked again. Her eyes slowly widened as her jaw dropped to the floor in shock.

Suddenly, she released a loud scream.

"I knew I was right! I mean, it was a long shot, but I can't believe I was right! Where are they?" she asked in joy, and I got angry.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned, a scrutinizing look taking over her face. Ever since I discovered What Makes You Beautiful was sung by my high school bullies, I was angry. Selena was a fan of them the moment she heard that song, and I felt betrayed.

"Because they aren't who you think they are!" I screamed, and I immediately felt bad for doing so. She didn't know anything, and it was not okay for me to scream at her. 

I could not think straight because the causes of my therapy sessions were around.

A look of fear took over her face.

"What are you saying? Are they erwiches?" she asked in shock. "Because if they are erwiches, I am done for."

"No, it's not that," I reassured her. "I know them. They were in my first high school before I came to New York."

"Wait," she said as she raised an index finger. "You knew them and I'm finding out about this now?" she was angry.

Wow. She must be head over heels in love with them.

"It wasn't all good," I said, ignoring her sudden mood.

"But why didn't you tell me, Emery? What was wrong about them? I mean, they are perfect--" having enough of her shit, I cut her off.

"They were my bullies!" I shouted back. The anger on her face dissipated and what was left was pure shock.

"What?" she inquired in disbelief. I sighed as I walked to an empty seat next to the counter with her trailing behind me. As soon as we were both settled, I continued my confession.

"I had just joined a high school in Louisiana. I was the silent girl, the girl who kept to herself. After my dad died, I was sad, and I kept to myself. That was how I got the status of being a loner in school, and that was a decision I still regret."

***** Flashback *****

Four years ago

It was another ordinary day in high school. I was walking along the hallway with a few books, making my way towards the Biology lab when someone approached me.

"Hey!" he said with a smile. The cute boy had brown curly hair, green eyes that could pierce your soul, and a set of pearly white teeth that when exposed could brighten up your day.

"Hello," I replied with my own smile.

"I'm Harry," he said as he outstretched his hand. I moved my own hand and enclosed it around his as I firmly shook it.

"Emery."

"You are pretty," he said, and I blushed in reply.

"Thank you."

"You want to hang out? My friends and I are going to the movies this evening, and I was wondering if you could come along."

I didn't think twice about the reply. I had no one to talk to in the school, and I wanted to make friends. I hoped that would get rid of the invisible loner-tag that had been stamped on my back.

"Sure!"

***** Flashback over *****

"I don't get it," Selena said. "You said you gained the status of being a loner yet he invited you to the movies."

A little smile forced its way onto my face, and it changed into a frown.

"It remained that way. Apparently, an 'invite to the movies' means an invite to something like a birthday party with a piñata, and I was the piñata."

Selena's face paled.

"What did they do?" she asked, and I just shrugged, even though I was angry and sad at the same time. The memories of my first beating brought down my mood. A hard look took over my face to hide the emotions that wanted to take over my form. I stood and walked away from the seat next to the counter.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said as a sarcastic laugh left my lips. "They beat me to a pulp! That movie invite was the beginning of my worst high school years."

Tears began to block my vision.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Selena told me as she hugged me. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

I humphed. "No one believes one person who is lying about five."

"Didn't you have evidence?"

"I made a mistake by going after the wounds were healed. If I had gone immediately after they had bullied me, the abuse would have stopped." 

"Selena, I'd rather not talk about every bullying incident that involved them," I said before a sob escaped my lips. A while had passed of me trying to cease the sobs.

"I had nightmares about them," Selena tensed as the words left my lips. "Ever since I moved away to New York, I had bad dreams of them tormenting me or insulting me and making me feel insecure. Sometimes both in one dream. It was so bad that I had to start seeing a therapist."

Selena hugged me again as sobs wracked my body. She patted my back in a soothing way as some of the tension in my body was released.

"I have to leave, Selena," I said urgently as we retracted the hug. "I don't want to see them. I can't see them. Not now, and if possible, not ever."

Her eyes stared sympathetically before they averted themselves to something behind me. A look of shock appeared on her face.

"Too late," she said, and I instantly tensed.

"What are you talking about? I froze time, thereby freezing them. It wouldn't have worked unless they were..." my eyes widened at the realization. I turned from her and faced what she was staring at.

"...witches," Selena finished for me with the same shocked tone. My eyes widened and stayed glued to the five figures staring right back at us. They pulled off their hoodies to expose their faces, and they were staring right at us.

"Hello, Emery," Liam said with an uneasy smile. I stood unmoving. Wait. So, if they weren't frozen, then...

They heard everything. 

Everything.

My breathing started to increase as my heart's palpitations increased. Everything started to darken and I felt myself losing consciousness.

"Emery!" a collective number of voices shouted before I lost consciousness.

***********************************************************************************************

About two hours ago

Liam's P.O.V  

"So, we are really doing this, aren't we?" Ethan asked. We were all in our shared hotel suite. The sun had set and the night was settling in. Before the tour was to officially begin, we were given a week to do whatever we wanted as long as it didn't attract attention to us.

It was the last day of the said week before we had to start our tour. We explored New York with our bodyguard Trevor and the rest of the crew that would be on tour with us. We met some of our fans and took photos with them. Some shrieked, others fainted, and others... well, let's just say they wanted to be more than friends.

"Yes, we are," Zane replied, returning my mind to the subject at hand. "We'll just go over there and see how she's doing. If possible, we may even talk to her."

It took us a week to plan what we would do when we would go to see Emery, mostly because we were busy with other stuff. It was a good thing we found time to carry out the plans. We were going to see Emery, in disguises of course, to apologize for the pain we caused her. If it was possible, she would forgive us when she would see us because we were in a famous boyband. 

I did not mean for that to come out as cocky. It was just that