Before Sundown

Forest-time stories

We soon finished all our classes, but I haven't interacted much with my new friends; not even Elaine, after our odd conversation during the history class. 

As expected, it was pouring rain. I stared dismayed into the distance through the glass front door of our high school, then watched all the people finding something to cover their heads as they were making their way out in the storm.

"Do you guys want to do something fun one of these days?" I could hear Robin speak loudly behind me. But I wasn't sure if I was included in the guys. 

I could hear my friends' voices briefly agreeing and I bashfully looked at them over my shoulder.

"Blair?" I heard my name and I turned my whole body around, with my eyebrows raised.

"Are you coming?" he asked me too. I couldn't help but smile slightly. They did want me around, after all. It was just all about this weird tension surrounding the mysterious and not-to-be-discussed murder. 

"I'd love to", I replied cheerfully. "What are we going to do?"

"Shopping?" Macie started.

"No way", Anne was quick to shut her off, making a cute little frown appear on Macie's face.

"How about a hike? Or, like a road trip?", Andie added, which seemed to catch everyone's interest. As I noticed, Andie never talked a lot, but when she did, you could bet it's going to be something clever or a good idea.

"That's more like it", Robin agreed with a smirk on his face, crossing his arms. Everyone seemed on board with the idea, except Macie, who was still mourning the loss of a potential shopping day. I'm not going to lie, I'd enjoy a shopping day with these girls as well, but maybe next time.

"How about a hike when it doesn't rain?" Elaine started. "If you remember the last time..." they all took a second to ponder, then started laughing. I assumed they've had a funny, yet unlucky experience before, so I joined in with a smile.

"We could go this weekend", Anne said, scrolling through her phone. "It shows great weather here." As long as no one gets murdered... I thought to myself but without sharing it, as everyone was already so uptight about this. 

Suddenly, my phone rang and pulled me out of my thoughts. I quickly looked for it through the things in my bag, then checked the name of the caller; it was my grandpa. He was probably waiting to pick me up.

"I have to go, guys. But I'll see you tomorrow!" We all said our goodbyes, and I swiftly made my way out of the school, holding my bag above my head, just so I'll get wet as least as possible; my hair isn't going to love this one. I noticed my grandpa's car parked nearby, so I sprinted over there.

"How was your first day?" he asked, as I was trying to catch my breath, adjusting in the car seat. 

"It was actually good", I said. And I wasn't even lying. Of course, besides the murder thing. And Vlad; but my grandpa didn't need to know all of that. "I made some new friends, and the classes weren't too bad either. I might go hiking this weekend!" I quickly listed all the safe events of the day. 

"Seems like you got really busy!" he answered, with a laugh. "I'm glad you're settling in, kid." I quickly smiled to him and turned my head to my right, watching the rain droplets racing down the window. I wasn't sure that I was ever going to really settle in this town. Maybe it's me that's the problem, or maybe Sigswood is just strangely beyond my comprehension.

***

The week passed by fairly fast, with no more emotionally impactful events. I started to get used to the school's floors plan, as well as my new classmates. I started to get to know my new friends better, finding common interests and discussion subjects, the lunch break being sometimes way too short for the amount of things we wanted to share with each other; which is why I was getting more and more excited for our road trip this weekend. But still, there was this one thing out of the ordinary this week: Vlad hadn't shown up all week. I know, I've been told he was a famous ditcher, but disappearing in the very first week of school, really? This thing, just like many others around here, seemed very off to me. But no one else seemed to be bothered; so what else was there besides letting it go?