What I Thought I Knew

A Strangers Words

The sound of lockers shutting is heard all through out the hallway as relieved students make their way out of the building. It was finally Friday and a three day weekend. Kara was looking forward to not having to be at school for three days. She places her textbooks in her locker, not planning on seeing them until Tuesday. Right now, she was extremely thankful for her free period she had sixth period, that allowed her to finish all her homework.

She was just shutting her locker when she noticed a girl a few lockers down staring at her. As if she was an algebraic equations she couldn't quite figure out. "Um, can I help you?"

The girl's eyes widen when she realized she was caught, but then she quickly becomes more confident. "Where'd you get that scar?"

Kara's hand subconsciously goes to the scar that's just above her right eyebrow. "I ran into a coffee table as a toddler, why's it matter?" She stares at this girl with slight confusion and annoyance.

"Do you know who Karina Thomas is?" The girl's confidence not wavering for a second.

The name triggers some form of familiarity in Kara's mind, but she won't admit it. "I don't know what your talking about, and stop watching me you freak." She snaps at the girl who just shrugs.

A slight smile on her face, "okay," the random girl says before turning around and walking away.

Kara felt very unsettled by the interaction and she couldn't explain why. Walking out of the school, she makes her way to the parking lot. She was so focused on what the girl was trying to get at, that she wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings, so when her best friend Vicky puts her hand on her shoulder to get her attention, she jumps, startled. "Heya, ready to go home?"

Kara shakes it off, quickly adjusting and smiling at her friend. "Yeah, we're still planning on going to Jacksons party, right?"

Vicky nods, walking around to the passenger side of the car as Kara unlocks it. "Yeah, I told my parents I was spending the night at your house."

Kara starts the car as Vicky buckles her seat belt. "And, My parents are barely ever there, so they won't notice that we're not even there for half the night." Even though she says it with a smile, the undertone still carries the bitterness she secretly felt about her parents lack of attention.

Pulling out of the school parking lot she begins to drive towards her house. "Hey," Vicky's voice says softly, drawing Kara's attention to her. "Who needs parents when you have me," then in a more light hearted tone, "if you want I can even reprimand you for not eating your vegetables, and scold you for staying up too late."

Kara laughs, rolling her eyes, "your an idiot," this causing Vicky to smile at her accomplished goal of making her best friend laugh. They had been friends since she was seven and Vicky six so nine years. They met the first day of firstgrade when they both didn't like what they had been packed for lunch and decided to trade. They were like sister's by this point of their friendship, and with the amount of attention Kara's parents actually gave her, and the amount of time that Kara had spent at Vicky's house, she was treated as if she really was Vicky's sister.

"But you still love me," she calls in a sing song voice. Kara smiles, now in a better mood and temporarily forgetting the earlier conversation with The stranger.

"That's true, unfortunately," Kara tells her, Vicky fake gasping while placing her hand on her chest.

"Wow, okay then, I see how it is." The smiles not leaving either girls faces. Kara pulls into the long driveway leading up to the mansion size house she lives in. After parking in front of the garage, both girls get out, making the decision to leave the book bags in the car.