Today felt different. Not just a subtle change, but a jarring, unsettling shift that left me on edge. I woke up to the sound of my alarm, dreading the day ahead. My body ached with a sense of foreboding, a heaviness that I couldn't shake off. 

I dragged myself out of bed and into my closet, searching for something to wear that would match my mood. A blue hoodie and sweatpants seemed fitting for the gloomy day ahead. 

As I made my way downstairs, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. And then, like a cruel twist of fate, a notification popped up on my phone. I rarely received notifications, and when I did, they were usually from school or some mindless game I played. But this one was different. It was from someone with the username "Gotcha." I hesitated before opening it, wondering what kind of sick joke this could be. But as I read the message, my heart dropped into my stomach. It was a link to a website that promised to reveal a secret about West Maple's star football player, Owen Cas. My mind raced as I tried to figure out what the secret could be. An affair? With someone at school? 

My stomach churned as I thought about all the possibilities, and the fact that I could have been completely oblivious to it all. And just like that, the link disappeared from my phone, as if it knew I was done reading. 

My mind was reeling as I tried to process what I had just read. But before I could even fully comprehend the situation, I was already being bombarded with thoughts of my own. Did Jessica know? Did she deserve this? 

As much as I wanted to hate her, the thought of someone being cheated on still evoked a sense of pity within me. I felt like I was in a daze as I made my way to school. And to make matters worse, my car had broken down, forcing me to take the dreaded school bus. 

As soon as I stepped on, I could feel the atmosphere shift. Everyone was looking at me, whispering and staring, as if I was the newest piece of gossip. And in a way, I was. 

I scanned the bus for an empty seat, but they were all taken. Except for one, towards the middle row. I made my way towards it, tapping the guy sitting there to signal that I needed to sit. As he turned his head, I was struck by a sense of familiarity. It was the same guy from the hospital, the one who had caught me in a moment of weakness.

"Are you following me?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 "Don't flatter yourself," I retorted, trying to push away the strange feelings he brought out in me.

"My car broke down." He just smiled and turned back to the window, leaving me to sit in awkward silence. 

But as I sat there, I couldn't help but overhear the gossiping behind me. Everyone was talking about the mysterious message, and how they couldn't believe that Owen would do something like that. But I knew better. I had seen his true colors before, when I was the "it" girl, and he had done things that still haunted me to this day. In that moment, I felt a surge of anger towards him, but also towards myself for ever being fooled by his charm. And as the bus rumbled on towards school, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets were hiding behind the seemingly perfect facade of my classmates. 

I stumbled as I got off the bus, my mind already consumed with thoughts of the upcoming day. But as I stepped onto the pavement, something or someone tripped me and I was sent plummeting towards the ground, bracing myself for the impact. But it never came. 

Instead, I felt warm arms wrap around me, pulling me back up. I opened my eyes to see the familiar guy looking straight into my eyes. Till this day, I still don’t know his name. But at that moment, I was completely mesmerized by his piercing gaze. His arms were strong, but not overly muscular, and I could feel a sense of protectiveness emanating from him. But before I could fully process what was happening, I pushed him away and hurried off the bus, my face burning with embarrassment. 

How could I let myself get so caught up in the moment with a stranger? As I rushed to my first class, English, the school bell rang, signaling the start of the day. I quickly made my way to my seat, trying to shake off the strange encounter on the bus. 

However, my thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. The teacher went to answer it, revealing a girl with an edgy style - Nike dunks, baggy jeans, and a t-shirt with the band American Rejects. Her hair was dyed with bold streaks of blue and purple, adding to her overall mystique. She was undeniably pretty, but there was something intriguing and complex about her. 

The teacher introduced her as Mrs. Morris, our new English teacher, and she made her way to the back of the class, sitting right beside me. I couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity towards her. 

As the class continued, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was staring at me. I turned to see the new girl, Samantha, looking at me with a curious expression. 

"What?" I raised an eyebrow, trying to hide my discomfort.

  "I forgot my pencil at home. Do you mind lending me one?" she asked, breaking the silence. I dug through my backpack and handed her a pencil, still feeling her gaze on me. 

"My name is Samantha," she said, sticking her hand out for me to shake.

  "Elle," I replied, shaking her hand back. 

"I know we don't know each other, but do you mind helping me find my classes?" she asked, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. I looked at her and nodded slowly, feeling a connection with this mysterious girl. Maybe we could bond over our shared discomfort of being the outcast at school. But as I turned back to my work, I couldn't help but wonder what secrets Samantha held behind her cool and confident exterior. And I couldn't wait to find out.  

*Timeskip*

First period was over, and Samatha and I were getting along great. I was so rushed trying to pack everything that I forgot my notebook, so I instructed Samatha where to go while I returned to Mrs. Morris' class to get it.

I was ready to enter when I saw the door had closed. I gazed through the small horizontal rectangle window and saw Mrs. Morris and Ow-

Omg.

They were kissing on Mrs. Morris's desk. Omg. The rumors were true. I swiftly walked away. I hope they didn't see me. 

*Timeskip*

Two days have gone by. Samatha and I have gotten pretty close. Apparently, she moved from Michigan. She is the youngest of her siblings, and the rest are in college.

Even though me and her have been hanging out for a while, it has kept my mind off my sorry for nothing father, but what I can't get out of my thoughts is the incident in class. I understand that it is none of my concern, but if that is true, what else can be said?

The good news is that no further information has emerged from that strange individual. Perhaps that was a one-time thing.

*Ding*

Uh oh. Perhaps not.