A Blessing or a Curse

Chapter Seven: Red Circles

Lucas sat in his room, the sounds of the school dormitory muffled by the thick walls around him. A calendar lay open on his desk, each day carefully marked off in thin black ink. His gaze fell on Friday the 13th, a date he'd circled in bold, red marker—his personal target, the day he planned for everything to end. He felt a thrill run through him at the thought. Everything he'd worked for, every lie he'd told, every moment of patience—it would all pay off soon.

As he stared at the calendar, he imagined the chaos that would unfold: students running, alarms blaring, the looks of fear on their faces as they realized what was happening. He leaned back, closing his eyes, a small smile pulling at his lips.

But his solitude didn't last long.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by Amilia's cheerful voice. "Hey, Leo! You in there?"

Lucas snapped back to reality, quickly folding the calendar shut and tucking it into his desk drawer. Taking a deep breath, he plastered on his usual friendly expression and opened the door. "Hey, Amilia. What's up?"

She stepped inside, holding a notebook and a few scattered sketches of what looked like yet another gadget she was designing. "I just wanted to show you some ideas for our class project!" She plopped down in his desk chair, her eyes flitting around his room before stopping on the edge of the calendar sticking out from the drawer.

"Oh, by the way," she said, leaning over and pulling it out before he could stop her. "What's up with the red circle on Friday the 13th?" She raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her face. "Planning something secret? Or do you just love horror movie references?"

Lucas's heart raced, but he kept his expression calm, tilting his head as if he were slightly amused. "Nothing that exciting," he said with a chuckle. "It's my birthday. Thought I'd mark it for fun, you know? Seems like the perfect date for a birthday, right?"

Amilia's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. "Oh, no way! That's awesome! We should do something to celebrate. Maybe a party or something! We could invite a few friends, get some snacks, make it a proper Friday the 13th birthday bash!"

Lucas feigned surprise, a touch of awkwardness, and nodded. "Maybe... I've never really been big on birthdays, though. But I appreciate it."

Just then, Jack strolled into the room, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked between Lucas and Amilia. "What's this about a party?"

"Leo's birthday is next Friday!" Amilia explained, beaming. "We're totally doing something for it!"

Jack gave a tight smile, his eyes flicking to Lucas, studying him. "Funny you didn't mention it sooner, Leo. You don't look like the type to keep quiet about something like that."

Lucas shrugged, forcing a relaxed laugh. "I don't make a big deal out of birthdays. Just another day, right?"

Jack's gaze lingered a moment too long, suspicion evident in his eyes. But he nodded slowly. "I guess. But if we're doing something, count me in. I wouldn't miss it."

Lucas smiled back, hiding the irritation simmering just beneath the surface. Jack's skepticism was annoying, but manageable. He'd just have to be more careful around him, make sure there were no slip-ups. Jack's suspicion could be a problem—but nothing he couldn't handle.

As Amilia chatted on, discussing party ideas and plans for the night, Lucas couldn't help but feel the thrill of anticipation growing within him. The day was approaching. Soon, everything would fall into place, and no one, not Jack, not Amilia, would see it coming.

He had waited long enough.