Don't Go Into The Woods

Chapter 25

The next few days seemed to fly pass as I spent them mostly up in my bedroom studying and preparing for the upcoming exams that were about to start as soon as I got back to school and it was reopened. I also tried my best to limit any chat time with Dimitri who felt the need to continuously check up on me once he had my number which he got from me after I thought it was only polite of me to at least let him know that I was okay after the incident in the woods. I struggled to refrain myself from texting him back, but I think I managed. When he told me he had gone back early to the school as his family had returned home, I was almost relieved to know that he was no longer here in my home town. A part of did wish I could spend some more time with him, but I knew better. I had to stay away from him. How was I expected to do that when I kept seeing him in my dreams every night? He would be standing at the foot of my bed watching over me as I slept. His eyes glowing in the dark. Some nights I even awoke from my dreams thinking that he was actually standing there. I had to physically sit up and check my bedroom to make sure he was not standing there.

Than there was this secret room that I knew I had to somehow get into. Trying to figure a way in there also plagued my mind.Between the Dimitri, that was pretty much the only two I kept thinking of. I came to the realization that I had to just be patient and wait for the right opportunity to sneak into the secret room unnoticed. I could not allow myself to be caught and definitely expelled from school. Or even worse. I don't know what the people of the town would do to an outsider if they found out I knew their secret. They were so hell bent on keeping their secret from the world. Anything was possible.

Christmas lunch, I was forced to spend it with my mom, Rick and his family who were all invited over. I put on a smile all the way till my cheek muscles were sore and I could no longer keep up the act. The moment I could retire to bed, it vanished and I could breath again properly.

The moment the car pulled up to collect me the following day, I was relieved to be leaving. My mom and Rick seemed equally pleased as they thoroughly believed that this school was doing me good. I was not sure of that yet. Though it did at least accomplish the fact that I still wanted to be there. That was an achievement of its own.

Pulling up in the front of the school amongst many of the students that were returning, I could not help, but feel like the time fast approaching was going to be a crazy and hectic one. Somehow I just had to get through it all. It all started rather quickly as the second I stepped out of the car, I sensed all eyes were on me. I tried my best to ignore the stares and whispers as I headed upstairs to my bedroom. I knew what this was all about. For that reason, I quickened my pace and almost flew inside, slamming the door behind me once inside. I breathed a sigh of relief as I leaned back against the door and just stood there for a moment or two. Suddenly I felt arms around me, squeezing me tight. I opened my eyes to find it was only Carmen who had bombarded me at the door. I sort of just stood there and watched as she hugged me before pulling away, releasing me eventually, and straightening herself up. She was surely happy to see me.

"You know what they are all talking about right?" Carmen said, cutting to the chase. "Even I was asked if the rumors were true."

"What did you say?" I asked.

"That they must stop buying into rumors and stupid childish gossip." Carmen said. She folded her arms and gave me a serious look.

I lightened up and gave her a half smile before heading over to my bed. Carmen dropped down on hers. It appeared that she had been here long enough to have already unpacked the luggage she had taken home with her. Looking at the bag on the floor by her trunk, I figured that she had brought back more of her clothes and by the look of things she had plenty of clothes. Perhaps even too much for the cupboards here could handle. I dropped my bag down on my bed and started to unpack. I really could not care less what any of these stupid people who bought into such gossip could think of me. If they wanted to think shit of me than that was there problem and not mine. If only that was all.