The Secret

Chapter 1

If this was the wild, I would be at the bottom of the food chain. But this was high school and even though I'm still at the bottom, at least I'm safe from being eaten. This was your normal high school and I was your normal outcast. Aura Thomas was my name but its not like its important. No one ever uses my name, teachers call me 'You in the back!' and other students don't call me at all. Well all except for my one and only friend Grace Harvey. And no I'm not the girl who is a loner but has that one hot friend that everyone knows and drools for. She was just as plain as me. And unfortunately because of our last names and the fact that Mr. Feder wanted to sit us in alphabetical order, I was forced to look at her messy brown hair that was pulled into a loose ponytail. 

"Who can tell me who was the first to declare war which ultimately started World War I?" Mr Feder asked and I was the only one raising their hand. It wasn't that nobody else knew the answer it was just that Feder was so easy that you could never come to his class and end up with a 90. But I liked to work hard for my grade. "Yes, you in the back," he said pointing at me. I wasn't lying when I said teachers didn't know my name. 

"Austria Hungary when they declared war on Serbia," I said proudly and Mr. Feder nodded his head before continuing with his lesson. 

"Ok, partner up with the person next to you and answer the following question..." Mr. Feder read the question out loud and soon the classroom was filled with noise that had nothing to do with the lesson. I looked over at Grace who was busy working with her partner before placing my head on the desk. I hated group or partner work since I always ended up alone. I felt at tap on my shoulder and looked up to see Rebecca smiling at me. 

"Hey you want to be partners?" she asked flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder. Rebecca was one of the girls who people never forgot their names. She would be the lion of the school a.k.a. the most popular girl. And that's why I was confused as to why she was actually talking to me. 

 "Sure?" I said giving her a weak smile. She grinned before taking out her phone and started to text. This was why I hated partner work because I usually ended up doing everything not that I minded. It's not like I had anything better to do. I was almost finished when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"What's your name?" Rebecca asked me when I finally turned to her. 

"Aura." 

"Mhmm," she said before going back to her phone. I narrowed my eyes at her before finally completing OUR work. I smiled triumphantly and was about to tell Rebecca that I was finished but she shot out of the chair causing it to fall backwards and every pair of eyes on her. "Aura isn't feeling well! Can I take her to the nurse?" she announced to Mr. Feder.

Wait, what? Last time I checked, I was fine. So why was she here lying to the teacher? I know people didn't want to do work but damn, I was already finished! I checked my temperature just in case I was missing something. Nope, perfectly fine. I didn't even know people were watching me until I heard Rebecca clear her throat. The first time I get attention is the first time I don't want it.

"I... uh... um," I stuttered. Rebecca rolled her eyes and roughly grabbed my arm to pull me up. I was about to tell her off when she spoke up.

"See? Can we go?" she asked once again but this time she didn't wait for an answer. She rushed out of the room dragging me behind. Once we were out of the room I pulled my arm away and glared at her. 

"What the hell is your problem?" I glowered at her. I didn't liked to be touch especially if it was one of the Barbies. That was my nickname for her and her crew. Not very original I know but I'm not that creative. 

"Just follow me Ana," she said as she started to walk away from me.

"It's Aura. Why would I go with you and you can't even get my name right?" I spat at her and she turned around her eyes narrowing before she gave me a friendly smile and walked toward me. I watched her uncertain of what she would do. Rebecca was crazy if she didn't get her way and here comes Aura the Challenger here to defy her. 

"I'm sorry Aura. Will you come with me for a sec, it's important," she said still with that annoyingly sweet smile. I slowly started to walk and she smiled triumphantly before walking in front of me. I followed her until she stepped in front of the girls bathroom. 

"If you needed to pee, you didn't have to carry me along. I don't believe in peeing in groups," I said rolling my eyes. She said nothing as she entered the bathroom and I cautiously followed her. I was surprised to see another member of the Barbies, Jada. To me, Jada was nicer than Rebecca even though I don't know her. She wore a black headband to pull back her short black hair back and she had black rimmed glasses. When she smiled you could see her dimples through her mocha skin. 

"Uh, what's going on?" I asked slowly, finally noticing the other girls in the room. They were the finishing members of the group: Kaitlyn, Yvonne, and Nelly, the triplets. They all stared at me with their arms crossed. It made me feel uneasy.

"She's perfect, right?" Rebecca said with that familiar annoying smile. I looked at each of them confused as to why she would call me perfect. I was far away from being perfect and I'm not just saying that so people could call me perfect. Trust me, it's a fact. 

"Yes! Yes! The only really attractive thing about her are those grey eyes. Maybe I should get contacts, what do you guys think?" Yvonne asked her friends and they all talked amongst themselves while I stood there feeling stupid. Yeah, they were insulting me, but I grew up with that kind of a abuse so it didn't hurt. What they were saying was nothing compared to what my parents used to say before I went to live with my brother. 

"Uh, hello?! Why the hell am I here?" I screamed at them when I finally got tired of their useless incessant chattering. They all stared at me with plotting grins. 

"We need you to do something for us," Jada started. I continued to stare at her until she finished. I hated when people took stupid pauses. "You're the only one who could do this."

"What exactly do you want?" I said annoyed that she took another break. 

"Will you promise to listen to us?" Kaitlyn asked. 

"No," I said crossing my arms. I was in dangerous territory but if I was going to go, then I would go out with a bang. People would say, remember Aura? She's the girl that died but she died being difficult.

"Ok, whatever. You're not known in this school obviously since I didn't know you even existed which is why you're perfect. Since I don't know you, it means Daniel doesn't know you," Rebecca said.

"So what? You still haven't answered my question," I mentioned and they all rolled their eyes at me. I guess I said the wrong thing. 

"See, Rebecca feels that Daniel is hiding something from her and she wants you to figure it out. If we send someone he knows that both of them know, he won't open up to them. But he doesn't know you," Nelly said joining in on the conversation.

"So? You're not afraid that he might just fall for me instead?" I asked thinking of all the books I've read where the impossible happens. But instead of them taking me seriously, they laughed. 

Kaitlyn was the first to stop laughing "No." 

Rebecca stopped and walked until she stood in front of me. She grabbed my hair which I did in a braid and placed it over my shoulder. I almost hit her but I refrained from doing so. "You're hair is nice but it's too long, covering your butt. We don't have to do a lot of work on you."

I stared at her narrowing my eyes into slits. "I didn't agree. Why would I when all you guys did was insult me this whole time? Screw your plan," I said before turning around. I almost made it to the door but I felt a hand on my arm and Rebecca turned me around. I almost snapped at her but I saw how she looked so vulnerable.

"Please, I love Daniel and I feel like he's drifting away from me. I don't want to lose him. I'm sorry if we made fun of you, will you please just do this?" she said letting a lone tear fall from her eye. I sighed and she slowly released my arm. The term love these days was so overrated but who was I to rain down on her delusion? I wasn't that heartless. 

"Fine, but I want something in return." I gave in and she gave me a genuine smile. 

"Anything, thank you so much!" she said pulling me into a hug and soon her friends joined in the affection I wanted no part of. I rudely pushed them away and gave them a forced smile. 

"What do you want me to do?" I asked and they filled me in on all the details of their plan that was sure to fail.