Scattering Lilac Ashes

Chapter Twenty-Two

Piper still wasn't on the bus Lila took the next morning. While odd, it wasn't the end of the world – Piper had somehow arrived at school yesterday morning, so Lila supposed it would be the same today.

Thankfully, Lila's locker didn't seem as though it had any further intruders. The photo was still face-down inside. She pulled out her English and Biology materials with a sigh before heading off to the Language Block.

Asher was outside their English classroom and gave her a sideways glance but otherwise didn't interact with her. His hands were firmly shoved in his pockets and he was glaring at an innocent-looking palm tree that was swaying gently in the breeze outside the classroom. It felt as though he was oozing a steady stream of anger. Lila didn't dare approach him.

They still sat next to each other in English despite the fact that the project was over. No one had wanted to change their seating arrangements so late in the term, so Lila was stuck beside a broody Asher. She hoped he wasn't angry with her as she tried to listen to Ms Shard's lecture on the next book that they would be analysing for the next term. It was Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which enthralled no one.

Biology was next, and neither Cecelia nor Lucas spoke to Lila. She thought it was odd, but they didn't seem unfriendly either. Perhaps they were concerned with their final Biology exam next Monday. Lila couldn't dwell on it, however. She had more important things to worry about.

As she made her way to her locker for morning tea, Lila's phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and saw an unknown caller was calling her. Curious, she answered, slowing her pace on the pathway.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Is this the right number?" a male voice asked, breathing heavily.

"For what?" Lila asked sharply, tilting her head to the side. A few students turned around to look at her, but turned back around almost as quickly.

"For the whore," the voice said, sounding almost as perplexed as Lila felt.

"Who is this?" Lila asked, alarm rising in her voice. "How did you get my number?"

"What a tease," the voice sighed before hanging up. Lila stared at her phone for a moment before putting it back in her pocket, shaking her head.

Elise and Grace were already standing at Lila's locker, each holding a piece of fruit for morning tea.

"Hey," Lila said, still unable to shake her confusion, "I just got a weird phone call."

"What about?" Grace asked, taking a bite of her apple.

"Someone asked me about a... whore?" Lila replied, pulling out a mandarin from her lunchbox.

"That's weird," Elise frowned. "Wrong number?"

"Hope so," Lila laughed, closing her locker door. They hadn't made it very far towards the Home Ec building before Lila's phone buzzed again. It was another unknown caller.

"Hello?" Lila asked as she answered the call.

"Yo!" a male voice distinctly different from the one that called a few minutes ago.

"Uh, who is this?" Lila responded.

"Jackson," the caller said, his tone distinctly flirtatious now. "How much are your... services?"

Lila hung up immediately, her mouth agape. What was going on?

Her phone buzzed again, and she saw it was a text message from yet another unknown number. They were asking what services she was offering and how much. She passed her phone to Grace, who looked at the message in bewilderment.