'Katherine put you with us?' asked Dennis.
Lea nodded in response. Even though Katherine left her alone, clueless about her role, she couldn't just abandon her job, so she left to the school's auditorium as soon as possible.
'I guess I can see what she's up to, though,' he whispered.
Lea blinked in confusion. She didn't understand what that meant, but before she could ask, Dennis turned around and hopped towards Mark, who sat down beside some boxes a couple of steps away. He had this 'I-DON'T-WANT-TO-BE-HERE!' sort of look, and Lea guessed he was never enthusiastic about the play.
'So, Mark,' started Dennis, 'let's do our best!'
'Shut up,' said Mark with a demotivated voice. 'You always say that, and we never accomplish a thing.'
'Then why don't we accomplish a thing today?' asked Lea.
They both shot interested looks her way.
She dropped her backpack to the floor and searched for the papers Katherine left her. Katherine didn't take everything when she left them at breaktime. She left behind a timetable with the free lessons they were working on marked and a list of props they needed.
'The festival is more than a month away, so you don't need to prepare anything. For now, you can only check the props we have, and we'll order anything missing from the school.'
'You guys have your lists, Mark, Dennis?'
Dennis turned away from her once she asked and Mark didn't answer.
'You... forgot them?' she asked.
'It takes a lot of work searching for it,' said Mark and laid back. 'Thought I could use Dennis's list, but he forgot his.'
'Mark is a lazy bum, and Dennis is a waste of time.'
She guessed they will be a lot of work.
Mark stood up and asked, 'You're serious about doing this?'
Lea took time to process his question. 'Of course!' she answered with certainty.
Mark scratched the back of his head. 'Then, I guess we'll only be jerks if we make things hard for you.'
Lea was surprised, even though she barely knew Mark. It was basically the first time he talked to her, but more than that, she noticed he looked a lot like a certain person she knew.
But she wasn't going to mention that...
'Right, Dennis...?'
'Yea, I guess so.'
Lea sighed in relief. She made a mental note to tell Katherine that the boys weren't really jerks.
'Then, you can both go quickly to class and bring your lists over,' said Lea.
'I'm sorry. I don't think I made my point clear,' said Mark. 'It's hard work.'
'I forgot mine at home, as a matter of fact,' said Dennis.
They were hard work after all.
They managed to check most of the available props, but it took them time, falling over random sharp objects and Mark and Dennis shouting at each other. It proved difficult keeping the boys calm more than anything else. Lea guessed they were procrastinators, considering how well they did the job but never cared at the beginning. The hardest part, after making sure Dennis and Mark work of course, was navigating through the auditorium's backstage. Boxes were left in random places, and navigating all of them proved a hassle. There were too many places the things they needed could be, from the boxes placed at the wrong places, to the cupboards which were filled to the brim.
They checked half the list by the end of the lesson, and by that time, they were drenched in sweat, hungry and the last thing they wanted to do was go to class.
'We have to do that, though,' said Lea as they left the auditorium.
'I could ditch, but it's Lee's class,' said Dennis. 'He can know when you ditch, and I already got caught three times.'
'Four times,' corrected Mark, 'but it doesn't matter with me. I can sleep through class.'
These words were an abomination to Lea. Ditching and sleeping in class...
She turned away and decided to ignore them, unless she had work to do with them.
'What about you, Lea?' asked Dennis.
'I can't ignore them.'
'I don't ditch, nor do I sleep.'
Mark raised his brows. 'So you're a good girl? Never seen one of those before.'
'Mark, you need to be sensitive,' Dennis said.
'What was that?' Mark asked. 'Did you see a good girl before?'
Dennis coughed. 'I... I guess once or twice.'
Lea blocked her ears from what they were saying. She knew they didn't mean harm, especially in a time where ditching class and underperforming at school was considered cool.
Mark and Dennis continued bickering about good people till they reached their classroom. Fortunately, their teacher was informed, and Lea sighed in relief for that, only to be remarked on by Mark and Dennis.
'I don't need another Noah in my life,' she thought.
Katherine only laughed at that at breaktime when she told her of her day with Dennis and Mark. It looked like Katherine was only in a bad mood back then and wasn't really upset. Sure, she still looked slightly irritated, but she welcomed Lea's story heartwarmingly.
'They're like that,' she said.
She spent her break with Katherine and Sally in the emergency stairs. They were aware of the implications of doing that, but it was the best place to hide from Cherry. Lea didn't agree to it at first because it broke the rules, but Katherine and Sally insisted they needed some space of their own.
'The boys can act like total douches, but you shouldn't bother yourself. They never mean harm.'
'No,' said Sally, 'you're the last person to say that, Cat.'
'I don't know,' said Lea, 'they looked like fun, but they ruin it all. I can't say I found it pleasant with them.'
Katherine raised a brow. 'That's weird. You looked excited when you told us of your exhibition in the backstage.'
Lea was caught off-guard. She did speak of them harshly, but she had a reason.
Then, she felt it.
Lea stood up, and Katherine and Sally jerked backwards from the surprise.
'Er... Cat, Sally, I think we... we should... leave,' she said.
Sally and Katherine exchanged looks with each other. 'Gurl,' said Katherine, 'what's wrong? Why? I thought we explained why we're here. I don't want to see mould again.'
'Don't you think that's a bit harsh?' Lea said. 'Maybe we can all be friends?'
'Why did you suddenly change your mind?' asked Sally.
'Because I want to save your lives,' she thought.
The presence was increasing steadily.
'Well,' Katherine looked at her watch, 'Break time's not over yet, so I don't see a reason to leave.'
'Well...' Lea's gear turned to find an excuse, 'The more time I spend here, the less time I can use to get familiar with the school.'
Katherine narrowed her eyes. 'I think you're hiding something, but that's a legit excuse.'
Interestingly, the presence disappeared in that second. Lea's eyes widened, and she looked backwards at where it came from. Katherine and Sally exchanged confused looks about her behaviour. She walked up the stairs to check, and Sally stood up.
'Are you claustrophobic or something?' asked Katherine. 'Why are you so panicked?'
'If you insist so much, then we can really leave,' said Sally.
Katherine sighed and stood up. 'When you're ready, though, tell us what's wrong.'
Lea looked backwards at them. They moved only when the reason why she wanted them to leave disappeared. That presence might come again anyway. It was better to leave.
###
'You don't have someone to go home with?' asked Cherry at home time.
Katherine stood beside the classroom door, shooting glares at Cherry, who stuck at Lea again while she packed her bag.
'No, unfortunately,' answered Lea.
'I can go home with you!'
Lea panicked. 'I... I... My house is kind of far.'
Cherry gasped. '...yet you still go home alone?'
Lea nodded and closed her backpack. 'Where do you live at, Cherry?'
Cherry giggled. 'That doesn't matter.'
'Cherry! Come on, we'll get late this way!' a boy called from outside the classroom and Katherine jerked to the side. He had this impatient look on his face.
'Wait!' Cherry said. 'I'm talking to a friend! We can all go home together!'
He sighed. 'Cherry, we need to visit grandma today. You can go home with her another day,' he said as he walked inside the class.
Katherine had this victorious look on her face.
'Wait, wait!' She turned back and faced Lea. 'Wanna come home with me?'
'Probably in the weekend,' Lea said. 'I need to study for my calculus test tomorrow.'
The boy held Cherry's arm. 'Let's go.'
'Wait, wait.'
'I'm not gonna wait,' he said and dragged her outside.
'Wait!' she yelled, but he still held her arm firmly. 'Lea, Lea, we can hang around tomorrow, maybe?' she tried as a last ditch attempt.
'Probably,' said Lea.
When Cherry and her brother were out of the scene, Katherine released this light evil laugh. It made Lea wonder if she ever knew Katherine.
Lea dangled her backpack in one shoulder and walked towards Katherine. 'Never knew you could be evil, Cat.'
'Me? Can't be, I didn't do a thing,' she said.
Lea shot her a flat look and sighed. Once Lea passed by the door, Katherine held her school blazer. 'Wait, Lea, you're really going home alone?'
'Can't be helped, right?'
'Don't you know anyone who lives near you? What about Mark or Dennis? You guys seem to walk in the same direction.'
'Really...?' She didn't know that.
Kathrine nodded.
'There's no point. For all you know, we might walk in different directions later. Besides, it looks like they left already.'
'Well...' Katherine scanned the classroom. Everybody left home already. 'Maybe they're still in school.'
'Katherine, give up,' said Lea. 'Why do you insist in pairing us up, anyway.'
In that second, a very sluggish smile appeared on Katherine's face. Lea was taken aback for a second. 'Who? Me...? No way, you're imagining it.'
Lea took a couple of steps backwards. 'I'm afraid I'm not imagining it. Anyway, see you tomorrow!' she said and ran away.
'Wha... Wait!'
###
He should probably stop ignoring it. Maybe there was something in the surroundings. He didn't know when he will get that feeling again, but it bugged him to no end. Dennis blabbered about how fascinating he found the new kid, but Mark ignored him and focused on that feeling he had. Maybe he will understand what it was if he explored it, even though it made him panic, but he wanted to understand because it made him panic. It was as if some sort of danger was eminent.
Dennis stopped talking and glared at Mark for a second. 'You're not listening to me,' he said.
Mark snapped out of his thoughts. 'What...?'
Dennis kept quiet and stopped walking. It took Mark a couple of steps to notice he did and stopped too.
'Are you OK? You look pale.'
'Really...?' asked Mark.
Dennis nodded. 'Do you feel weird or something? Maybe you should get home as soon as possible.'
Mark was feeling weird, but he wasn't ready to tell Dennis how yet. 'You know Dennis, let's split. I'll go home alone,' he said.
Dennis was taken aback. 'Excuse me? Normally I would let you go, but I'll be a total jerk if I let you alone now.'
He wanted to get rid of him, partly because he wanted to understand what was wrong with him without interruptions, and partly because it didn't feel safe for Dennis to be there. He was acting mostly on instincts by that point.
'Well, that's true but-'
'Congratulations, your Dad might actually let you skip school tomorrow.'
'No, that's not what I want.'
'Excuse me,' they heard a girl's voice.
They turned back and found a girl around their age. She wore a school uniform, though it wasn't a uniform of their school's, and wore this lost look on her face.
'I'm sorry, but I think I took the wrong turn,' she said.
'Really...?' asked Dennis. 'We'll try to help,' he said and walked towards her.
Meanwhile, Mark stood in his place, confused as to why the presence disappeared. It was there a second before the girl showed up, but after she came, the feeling was replaced with this bugging feeling in his chest.
'Maybe I am just a little sick?' he thought.
'We're actually on our way there,' Dennis told the girl. 'You can come with us.'
'Thanks,' she said.
'Hey Mark, guess what?' Dennis said as he turned around. 'She said she lives near you, just a couple of blocks away.'
Mark raised a brow. 'Really?' He couldn't remember seeing her before. It wasn't like he left to explore his neighbourhood a lot anyway, so he excused it.
Mark was silent throughout their journey, but Dennis, being the talkative creature he was, never shut his mouth and kept conversing with the girl the whole trip, asking her about her school, who she is, and simply making a new friend. Mark couldn't help the feeling that she looked troubled whenever he asked her a question.
They soon reached a road crossing, and it was time to say farewell to Dennis. They each turned to their separate paths, and it was only Mark and the girl left. Mark wasn't interested in speaking, but it seemed that she got used to Dennis's chatter, she tried striking conversations with Mark a couple of times, but they soon ended up in silence because there wasn't much to speak about, and the conversations just rolled into silence.
'You two look close,' she said and tried again.
'Who? Dennis and I?'
The girl nodded.
'Yeah, we knew each other for some time now.'
'Are you childhood friends?' she asked.
Mark shook his head. 'No, but we were together for a couple of years. It feels like a long time. You might as well conclude we are.'
'So, you would feel bad if he stabs you in the back, right?'
Mark raised a brow. 'What...?' he turned to face her. She stared at the ground as they walked and had this melancholic look on her face. 'You're having an issue with a friend?'
'I'm not sure if I can call her a friend,' she said.
Mark scratched the back of his head and faced the sidewalk again. 'I'm not good with complicated stuff, but I guess you decide on your friends when you meet them. I guess a friend is someone you would place all your trust on. Maybe that's why people hate traitors so much. Nobody should act-' he cut off his speech when he noticed she stopped walking.
The girl was some distance behind him. He looked back and noticed how she stared at the floor, her eyes wide open, as if she couldn't comprehend something, as if she couldn't believe something.
'Are you fine?' he asked, and the buggy feeling in his chest came back.
'Why would you say... why would...'
He blinked a couple of times when he thought he saw her skin colour changing, but the sight didn't change. It was blackening gradually.
The air around them thickened, and a dark purple aura appeared around her. The look in her face changed to a vicious one slowly, a mad look. Naturally, Mark had no idea how to react. He stayed fixed in his place.
'I'm turning mad,' he thought.
There were the buggy feelings he kept having in random places, then this. The biggest problem was how real it all felt. Mark sighed and tried to ignore the scene, even though he would most probably be a jerk for doing so, but in a second, she changed completely to a dark, borderless unknown figure, and dashed towards him.
He panicked in that second and turned to the side.
His mind's gears decided to run for it after that, but when the figure looked at him, it shattered.
Comments (0)
See all