The Unseen

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Rashal walked along beside me as we strode down the hallway filled with lockers. People were staring. But not at me. It definitely wasn't anything unusual, even though I had just done an amazing deed.

"Oh my gosh, Rashal! Are you okay?" shrieked a girl named Tiffany. She was the type of girl I really didn't like. You know what I mean. Too bubbly, to the point of blatantly seeming fake, who would go behind your back at the first sign of the drama that made up her whole life. Yeah, that kind.

Just as Tiffany had spoken, others crowded around us—well, Rashal—and bombarded her with dozens of questions.

"Are you okay?"

"Do you know who that new superhero person is who saved you?"

"Do you have any burn marks?"

Rashal, with a huge grin on her face, said loudly, "Guys! Stop! One question at a time!"

She didn't even look at me. In some ways, she liked having attention and hogged it when she did. Actually, that was more than just in some ways. She liked attention all the time. It was like she thrived on it, much in the same as Tiffany, but somehow I'd always thought Rashal was more real than others.

I felt a little left out as she began talking to them all. I took a step back from the large group and listened without a word.

To the person who asked if she was okay: "Oh, yeah, The Unseen saved me just in time!"

To the person who asked if she knew the identity of the superhero: "I'm afraid not. She was just there...and then she was gone. I will be forever grateful. I mean, I'd be dead if not for that person."

To the person who asked if she had any burn marks: "No way. The Unseen was, like, really fast! She saved me, then she disappeared. But the fire never even touched me!"

By now, I guess everybody knew The Unseen was a girl. I hadn't even thought that people might consider the superhero was a male, but thanks to Rashal the whole school knew my gender now. At least that wasn't a secret I'd been wanting to keep.

It sort of bothered me that they were talking about some amazing girl that they admired and I, that very person, was right there. And there Rashal was again, getting the attention for something she didn't deserve. I was always left out, and now that I had actually done something exciting that they admired, I wasn't even getting the credit for it. I was the one who actually saved her, even if it was fake. Anyways, what if the fire had gotten out of control? I still would have saved her, because it was my duty as The Unseen.

No, don't be mad at your best friend! I thought. Not good, Nikkia!

I couldn't help it. I was furious.

This whole stunt was supposed to be mainly about my publicity—and yet, Rashal seemed to be getting the majority of it. As always. Wasn't this how I ended up at the bottom of the social ladder anyways? People naturally cared about Rashal, since she was so bubbly and friendly, always in the center of things without a care in the world. Nobody cared about the weird loser in the back of the crowd.

Turning my back on Rashal and her new fans, I bitterly walked away, heading for my locker. I ran my fingers through by hair as I dialed my combination with the other hand. I wasn't just mad, I was totally fuming with rage at this point.

I sighed, smacking my forehead against the edge of my locker door.

"Hey, Nikkia. What's wrong?"

I jumped, and almost immediately felt a blush crawling on to my face. I hadn't noticed Hunter was at his locker; I had been so caught up in my anger. Oh, and let's not forget I had just smacked my head against a locker in front of him.