The Acceptance Game

Chapter 3

Alexis was back at school. Amanda was checking if she was fine for the whole day and Alexis felt cared for. Sometimes, a little too much that she almost let her guard down.

It was lunch break and everyone was still hanging around in class. School food wasn't very exciting anyway. However, Alexis had nothing to do and she was about to leave when Lauren grabbed her arm.

"Hey, nerd," she smiled sneakily. "Did you go to Daryl's house that afternoon? After all the PE drama you created? Tell me what happened."

Alexis cringed. She knew she did not try to create drama on purpose. It was too attention seeking and that would be the last thing she would do. "Nothing happened. By the way, can we meet after school? I want to talk to you about.. About.. Daryl."

Lauren totally judged her. But she agreed in the end.

"Sounds like fun," she said.

<<>>

School finally ended. Surprisingly, Alexis did not get to see Nico for the whole day. Where did he go? Was he hurt from what I said? Alexis got worried for Nico. He had been disappearing once in a while recently. She knew that Nico probably hated her right now and she would be the last person he wanted to see. Alexis put these thoughts aside as she went to meet Lauren. She had so many more things to worry about.

"So, what is it? You like that dude?" Lauren giggled. "He's quite a keeper, actually."

"I just want to know more about him for um, personal reasons...I need to know if I can trust him. I swear I am not hitting on Daryl," Alexis said, praying that Lauren would understand her intentions. "Believe me. Tell me everything about that guy, please?"

Lauren raised an eyebrow. It was the first time someone requested to know so much about Daryl. She was glad Alexis did. She knew so much about him

"His name is Daryl. Daryl Brethren. He's seventeen, just like you, Alexis. And he's like a quiet, cool guy. Amanda assigned him to take care of everyone's welfare in the class since he's the oldest. He's one responsible chap too.. And he's secretly a fighter," Lauren continued. "One day, he walked into the class just like you did. Everyone was confused about his past as well so we began to find out more. Was he just a normal transfer student? Or was he someone else? Someone more powerful perhaps? Or someone who did something monstrous."

Alexis gulped. What if Lauren and her classmates found out who she really was?

"So we all did some research. Unfortunately, the closest we could get to his background information was that he live on his own and he is rich as hell. Nobody knows how. He is also the only child in his family and he used to be a hockey player. Used to. His information sheets from year 2010 to 2011 disappeared from the school office and what happened then was unknown. It was a legit mystery up till today. Even the school principal have no idea who took the papers," Lauren explained. She was getting agitated and now she was pacing up and down as she talked.

Alexis had heard enough. She had cold sweat down her spine. Daryl's story sounded rather smiliar to hers and that made her even more afraid. She felt that it wasn't safe for someone like Daryl to know anything about her own past. Alexis shut her eyes tight. She tried to breathe. Calm down!!! Urghh!!

Fear was taking over. Alexis had no choice but to run as fast as she could away from Lauren. Nobody should see her transform if she ever did. She hid in the bathroom cubicle until everyone - Lauren, Amanda, her classmates - gave up on calling her to come out. She rushed back home and locked herself in her room until midnight. She was shivering under the covers, from the cold and the fear. It was too overwhelming for Alexis. She couldn't take it any longer. She didn't care anymore, as long as the pills make her feel better. Eventually, she reached out for the bottle of sleeping pills and swallowed a good handful. Too many that she almost died.