Curiosity Never Killed The Cat

Chapter 5: Chemistry

Room 320, 12:57 pm

RIIIIINNNNGGG*

I walked into my next class with Cassie by my side. Luckily we ended up in the same chem class. We sat down at the lab station in the front on the right-hand side. The teacher was standing at the front of the class welcoming students and giving them instructions.

Everything seems pretty mellow except for one small detail. The strange chick from this morning is sitting right behind me and Cassie. She's been in every single one of my classes so far. I'm not really sure how that's possible. Back in japan I only ever shared the same class with one or two friends. So how did I end up sharing every single class with this creepy stalker? Not to mention, I'm pretty sure this girl has no friends because I haven't seen her talk to a single person. She's even sitting at her lab station alone. For some reason, the teacher doesn't look like she minds that much.

I could feel her stare, which sent a wiry sensation surging up my spine. It made me feel restless. I turned and looked at her. Her pink low-hanging pigtails rested on her shoulders cascading down her chest. Her fiery eyes were like pools of melted gold as they fixated on me, and only me. She smirked at me once she'd gotten my attention. It was so strange, the longer I looked into her eyes the less aware of the world I became. I finally snapped out of my trance when Cassie shook me awake.

But this didn't make the girl very happy. She broke her gaze to stare at Cassie's hand on my arm. Then she glared at Cassie. She flinched and turned back around, I did the same. Then she whispered to me.

Cassie: "That's Joy."

Delilah: "What?"

Cassie: "That girl, her name is Joy."

I paused. She seemed a little freaked out.

Delilah: "Okay, but why is she staring at me?"

Cassie: "I don't-"

Teacher: "Cassie, if you don't find my instructions worth listening to then maybe you shouldn't be in my classroom."

The teacher noticed us whispering, which didn't make her very thrilled.

Cassie: "S-sorry ma'am, it won't happen again."

Cassie went quiet.

Well great. I really want to know what she was about to say. But I also don't want to get into trouble so I'll just ask her later. For now, I'll just do the lab.

Hallway, 1:58 pm

After we finished chem we started walking down the hallway. I was still curious so I gathered the courage to ask.

Delilah: "What can you tell me about that girl? Joy, I mean."

Cassie: "Well there really isn't much to tell."

Delilah: "What do you mean?"

Cassie: "She's lived here her whole life just like the rest of us, but no one knows much about her."

Delilah: "Oh come on how is that even possible? She seemed to know who you were when she glared at you."

Cassie looked at me. She seemed genuinely confused by the whole situation. I could tell it bothered her.

Cassie: "But that's the thing, I've never really talked to her. Nobody does. She's always alone and everyone avoids her. She has this stand-offish vibe."

Delilah: "Seriously Cassie level with me here, you're telling me in 16 years no one has even uddered a word to this girl? That's not possible."

Cassie: "Well no, I mean when we were elementary students I remember sharing the same class as her. She seemed pretty nice at the time, quiet but she had some friends. But I don't know that must have ended at some point, because the next time I saw her she'd died her hair and spoke to absolutely no one."

Delilah: "Did you try talking to her? Like at all?"

Cassie: "Well by that time all the rumors had spread."

Delilah: "Rumors?"

Cassie: "Yeah, everytime she passed someone in the halls people would whisper. Everyone said she was bad news. Someone said they saw her smoking in the back of the school, and another said she lost her shit and beat some poor girl half to death because she commented on her hair."

The hell?

Delilah: "That's insane, who would beat the shit out of someone over dyed hair?"

Cassie: "That's what I'm trying to say, everyone avoids her because they say she's insane, and it's not like she's fighting the rumors or denying them. It's like she doesn't care."

Delilah: "Yeah, I'm not so sure I believe the rumors. They seem a little far-fetched. But there is definitely something off about that girl. My question is, why does she keep staring at me?"

Cassie: "I don't know, maybe it's because you're new? She might be curious."

Delilah: "Yeah well she sits behind me in every single class, I hope she doesn't stay curious for long."

Cassie: "Hey if she ever bothers you let me know okay? I've got your back."

I stopped and smiled

Delilah: "Thanks, anyway this is my stop."

We were standing in front of the art room. Aka room 867.

Cassie squinted and looked at the door for a few seconds. Then it was like a light bulb went off in her head.

Cassie: "Hey, Noah has this period!"

Delilah: "Really?"

Cassie: "Yeup!"

Her old confused expression was replaced with her glorious smile. She seemed to be back to her old self.

Cassie: "Well I have to get going, my class is right down the hall."

Delilah: "Alright I'll see you later."

Still smiling, Cassie briskly walked down the hall and entered the room on the left.

I looked at the door for a moment. Art class. My second favorite place in the world. Don't get me wrong I can't draw a stick figure to save my life, but there has always been something so peaceful about an art room. I only hope this place will provide me with time to take a breather and let my mind rest after the weird events of today. I exhaled sharply as I grabbed the doorknob and disappeared across the threshold.