The Division

8

"Is this some type of prank?" I asked, walking into the living room where Simone was tutoring Michelle.

"What are you talking about?" Simone inquired, adjusting her glasses.

"This." I said holding up the letter, "Are you and Jay pranking me or something? Is it because of what I saw this morning?"

"N-no." Simone stuttered; brows furrowed in confusion, "Why would we prank you? What are you saying?"

I handed the letter over to Simone. She opened it and it burst into flames.

"Ack!" Simone shrieked, "What the hell Gwen!?"

"I-It..What?"

"What was that!?" Michelle questioned, eyes widening in amazement, "It was really cool Gwen, where did you learn it? YouTube?"

I shook my head, "A cat brought that letter to me."

"What on Earth just happened?" Simone whispered to herself, staring blankly at her hand.

"Maybe someone at school is messing with you?" Michelle suggested, spinning the pink gel pen in her hand around. "I know some kids who are capable of doing such."

"Yeah..That's probably it."

The next day, I couldn't concentrate in class, I was thinking of the event that took place last night. I ended up failing the assessment given to us because of my absent mindedness. Something was telling me that letter wasn't a prank at all.

I looked outside the classroom window; Principal Easton was walking around whispering something to himself. Weird. I raised my hand and asked to go to the restroom. I was excused.

As I was washing my hands in the sink, I looked in the mirror, that's when I saw it, the creature from the day before. An eerie shadowy figure with glowing red eyes was staring at me, I froze.

"Just a hallucination." I whispered reassuringly to myself. I washed my face with water and looked in the mirror again.

It was still there.

But, closer.

I wanted to scream, call for help, but I wondered what would happen if I did. Maybe the entity would attack and kill me, like all those horror movies. 

Frozen in place, my gaze lingered on the figure in the mirror. I knew I couldn't stay there forever, so I made the risky decision to look back and see if that thing was actually there.

I turned, nothing. It was gone.

I used the opportunity and ran out of the restroom, next time I needed to use the W/C, I'd just hold it in.

Jay noticed my uneasiness during lunch and asked me about it, I just shrugged.

That's when Arielle walked over and hugged me from behind. I looked at her confused.

"Gwen!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me once more, "How are you today!?"

"Good, I guess."

Simone gave me a look before asking Arielle, "What's your problem? Are you on something? Seriously, I'm genuinely concerned."

"What do you mean what's my problem?" Arielle asked flashing the widest smile, "Is it a crime to say hello to a..Friend." She dragged the word.

"When did we become friends?" I asked and the red head smiled, "Just Now!"

Arielle pulled me up from my seat, "Come sit with us!" She beamed, pointing at a table in the distance where Lisa sat.

Simone grabbed my wrist, "She's not going anywhere." My cousin growled.

"Yes she is." Arielle smirked dragging me, Simone held tight.

The two girls started a game of 'tug of war' with me as the rope, Once I had enough, I snapped.

"Why are you guys fighting over me!?" I demanded, pulling away, "I have the right to choose who I want to stay with."

"Who do you choose then?" Simone and Arielle asked in unison, glaring at each other.

"Simone obviously." I replied, returning to my seat and sliding in. Arielle rolled her eyes, "Fine. Your loss." She shrugged before walking off with her usual confidence.

"Weird." Jay remarked, I nodded.

"Yeah."

I was walking to my last class deep in thought when I bumped into someone. I was drinking a strawberry smoothie when I fell from the impact. The drink flew up into the air and spilled all over the person I bumped into.

Who is this person?

Avien.

It was Avien.

Shit.

He looked at his shirt disgusted and wiped some of the drink off before glaring at me.

"You." He seethed grabbing the strings of my grey hoody, I gulped.

"I thought I warned you." The boy said before pinning me to the lockers, choking me as I gasped for air.

It didn't take long for my transition to glory to begin. I could see the afterlife already.

Luckily, it was cut short by the vice principal.

"What's going on here?" She began, Avien let me go and I fell on the floor.

"Gwen!" She said totally ignoring the boy that just tried to kill me, "You're late for class...AGAIN!"

I couldn't speak, my throat was too sore.

"Detention." She said before turning to the dark-haired boy.

"Avien, get to class." She told him before leaving.

Avien crouched down to the ground where I was still gasping for air, "You're lucky that lady interrupted us, dwarf. I would've killed you." He chuckled.

This would've been a great time to stand up for myself, but...I didn't. I just sat there, breathing heavily.

"Anyways," Avien continued, standing up, "See you around." He winked.

No, I don't want to see you around.

I spent the afternoon in detention drawing. Vice Principal Penn watching me.

At four o' clock, I was allowed to leave. Jay and Simone would've probably been at home, assuming they didn't stop at some place to get snacks or something.

I was walking through the halls when I heard Arielle's voice in one of the classes. It sounded like she was having a conversation with someone. I peeped through the window and saw no one. She was speaking but she wasn't talking to anybody.

"I don't know what to do." Arielle said pacing around, "I don't know how to find out more, the girl doesn't trust me, what am I supposed to do?"

Silence.

"I could-" She continued, "But, that would be weird. Are we sure she has the sight?" She pauses, "She looks dumb."

I listened carefully, wondering if they were talking about me.

Suddenly, Arielle looked out the window and I hid. 

"I think she's here." The girl said before walking towards the door. I ran out of school and hopped on my bike, cycling as fast as I could.

Something was wrong and I could feel it.