Secrets Rest In Lies, A Petal Falls Then Dies

Chapter 1

Change is feared by many people but changed is what I wish for the most.

-

Another day of school or in my case, another day of hell. Daylight begins to leak a small hint of light through the curtain, signalling me to get up and out of bed. The winter season has only just started and I already wish summer was here. Never the less I manage to get out of bed and pull on a pair of warm clothes and tie back my strawberry blonde hair into a neat ponytail.

When I head downstairs it's a different story. Sam, my foster carer as well as my too good for her own good grandmother, is waiting happily at the dining table with a plastered smile of joy and a plate stacked full of freshly cooked pancakes. The smell drifts me towards the table and I  begin to dig in. 

Small talk is all I can manage, sort of like a defence mechanism for an asocial, for reasons hard to explain. A full conversation with new people is generally a quick hi, then an equally fast bye. I passed through a lot of foster parents whilst I was growing up but Sam has been with me the longest and for that, I'm honestly really grateful.

I have a decent amount of friends but even I found it hard to keep in touch with most of them after the incident. I can understand how they feel though, probably best they find better people who actually want listen to them ramble on with bitchy shit talk about their so-called miserable lives. I do have two friends that stayed with me no matter what, they made sacrifices just for me and I appreciate that. 

-

Melody approaches, always eager to see me after the holidays even though we hung out the day before. You will rarely see a frown upon her glistening face. She is a prodigy straight out of a Disney movie, with shoulder length chestnut hair, vibrant hazel eyes, and naturally tanned skin.

Tain walks up beside melody and I can already tell by the look on his face that he has had quite the night. I giggle a little knowing exactly why that might have been. Tain always looks at his best, no matter what the occasion might be. He has silky platinum blonde hair, soft greeny-grey eyes, and sun-kissed fair skin.

"Yo Rose, long-time no see hey?" Melody always starts the morning with a little bit of humour, the three of us laugh at the clear sarcasm.

"Hey to you to Melody, hey Tain how was your night? Cause it looks like you had a huge one, in more ways than one I should say." I let out a small giggle, as does Melody. Tain replies with a tired groan and mumbles something under his breath.

The three of us head off to our lockers and prepare for the long day of stress filled classes.

-

Art has always been one of my best and favourite subjects, it's what has helped me recover. My favourite quote is from an artist by the name of Horace.

  "A picture is a poem without words"  

All aspects of art create a picture so within this quote not only is one meaning placed behind it but rather thousands, the definition you choose to describe the quote's purpose is then the only true meaning but just for yourself.

Mrs Sterre, the teacher for the arts is never, not quoting someone and though some are inspiring, not all can be considered at all mind-blowing as she likes to consider them. Most of the time she can be pretty spunky but lately, her attitude has been a bit off. Everyone thinks her husband left her and honestly I'm not surprised. From what I have seen, Mrs Sterre's hubby is a prick but what does it matter what I think. Pretty sure he cheated but whatever.

The topic for today's lesson is collages and I'm creating one full of past memories that possess a clear example of loyalty, so most of the pictures will be of my cat Miffy. Melody and Tain are lucky they might just get a picture in my project too but that will cost a lot of chocolate chip cookies that a limit should never be placed on. I silently laugh at the thought of them actually doing that.

-

The overly annoying bell rings for lunch, I pack up my books as fast as I can and race to the lockers. I regroup with my friends and we exchange the gossip we overhear in our classes, either about someone breaking up or getting pregnant. So, in other words, the usual.

As the conversation continues I slowly start spacing out and already I can feel the heavy stares from Melody and Tain burning a hole right through me.

"What?" I demand with precaution not to seem suspicious as though my eyes were anywhere else but towards their eyes, which they weren't. And I can immediately tell from their expressions that they are not fooled.

Tain almost immediately responds with, "Oh so when you turn as red as a bloody tomato you most definitely are not staring at a cute, ruby-eyed certain someone who you just happen to pass by and the fact that you have a crush on them wasn't completely obvious?"

"Makes sense right Tain? I would never have guessed, I mean it's not like we've known each other since we were kids or anything." Melody starts going along with Tain's playful behaviour.

"Okay Okay," Clearly I need to work on my acting skills. "and so what if I was?" I question with a mischevious grin. 

They playfully make fish faces and kissing sounds in an attempt to embarrass me, which is sadly having an impact on me and making me blush even more than I already am. I love them but gosh they can be mayhem.

We all start laughing hysterically.

-

The day continues with a calm vibe and I say my farewells to my two favourite people before heading home on the bus, earbuds in and listening to the blasting sound of music drowning my ears from the outside world.

I arrive home just minutes before 4:00 pm and let my heavy bag fall to the ground, I let out a sigh of relief with the weight now off of my back and head to my room upstairs to study for a maths exam. First day back at school and I already have to prepare for a maths exam, just fantastic.

I gaze my eyes towards my alarm clock and am surprised to see that it's almost 9:00 pm. Well, shit. Those hours I was meant to spend studying, I spent sleeping. I jolt up from my desk chair in surprised shock from hearing the doorbell ring downstairs. It rings again, Sam must not be home which is unusual but I guess I'll get the door.

I sleepily head downstairs and walk towards the front door only to open it to a package placed on the ground with my name addressed atop of it. I close and lock the door with the small brown cardboard box held in my hands, still confused why I would be receiving anything considering I never ordered a package.

I sat myself down on the lounge room couch and open the box. I stare at the contents in confusion, inside there is one small clear wristband and a piece of paper with what looks like instruction written on it. On the paper it instructs,

'1. Place the wristband around your preferred hand and let it adjust in order to attach.

2. A screen should have then lit up on the band and shown a clock that would have started counting down from a time based on when you shall meet someone.

3. If you dare try to remove the band or not bother to place it on at all, there will be consequences to your actions. 

4. If you speak to anyone about this, they must keep their mouth shut otherwise they too will be punished.

Ps. This shall benefit not only our experiment but also your future, good luck.'

I hold the wristband in my left hand and question whether or not I should do what the note says, I mean it could just be some practical joke. But then again... I decide to place the band on my right wrist and feel a tiny pinch of something poke through my skin for a split second.

"Ow! What the fuck?!" Maybe I shouldn't have followed along with this.

A timer appears on a tiny screen, it starts counting down for one and two weeks from exactly the moment I put it on. I attempt to move the band but it won't budge, who the heck sent this thing? Why was it sent to me?

The door starts to wiggle open, Sam must be home. I pack everything back into the box as fast as I can and race upstairs before any words can be exchanged. I place the box carefully under my bed and make sure it's hidden. I'll think of something I can do to get myself out of this situation tomorrow, for now, I guess I'll sleep on it.