Cloverfield

3: A bad dream

Alison texted her mom to pick her up when school finished before the break ended. Originally, she was planning on taking the long way home with the girls, talk about things, sing, she didn't know--have fun. But now fun seemed like impossible.

At least she had Emily on this class. She should be alright. There was just something about her presence that made her feel safe. Well, she did nickname Em her Killer because she always protected her.

Mrs. Hat bored the shit out of her. When will this class end? Ali wondered. Alison covered her mouth to yawn and then laid her head on the wall.

Suddenly, Ian entered the classroom and went towards her. Nobody did anything. And then he went pass her and grabbed Emily.

"Let go of her!" Ali cried, wanting to reach out, but not being able to move.

Ian chuckled and then began rubbing his hands up and down Emily's body with a sick smile on this face.

There was a ringing in Ali's ears and Em was trying to tell her something. But her voice was muffled for a few seconds.

"W-wake.... wake up."

And that's when Alison felt a hand in her shoulder, the grip wasn't rough like Ian's, it was soft and warm. The ringing in her ears became clear. The bell. She opened her eyes to see Emily next to her.

"Class is over." The brunette then studied her features. Ali had sweat drops on her forehead. "Were you having a nightmare?"

Alison nodded, gazing at her brown eyes. "Thank you..."

After a brief moment, she put her notebook and pen in her bag. Then stood up. "Let's go."

"So..." Emily started as they walked through the hallway.

Alison looked back, expectantly, but it was like her friend was lost for words. "So... I asked my mom to pick me up. Sorry if you were waiting for me to go back together."

"O-oh, um, that's not the case."

"Okay, well." Alison peeked at the parking lot now that they were outside. "She's here. I gotta go." Before she turned around, Emily stopped her and pulled her in.

"Sorry, I really missed you."

Ali giggled. "Don't apologize for hugging me. I love hugs." Because I don't get them at home. "Especially yours."

"I love yours, too." Emily grinned, her whole day made. "See you."

"See you," Alison mumbled and on her way to her mother's vehicle, she saw a short student from her grade passing by. "Hey, Mona. Can I borrow your notes for History?"

"Sure, Alison." Mona, a girl who was as nerdy as Spencer, started looking inside her bag. They weren't friends, but they were friendly. "Here."

"Thank you," Ali said and finally went inside the car, sitting on the passenger's seat. "Hi, mom."

"Hi. Is something wrong?" Jessica asked, turning on the engine and driving. "You wouldn't have texted otherwise."

"Mom... I want to quit field hockey."

Her mother pressed the breaks for a couple of seconds, but then kept going. "That's a lie, you're not a quitter and you love field hockey. So, what's really going on?"

"There's just someone there that scares me and I won't be able to stand them every day. I don't know what to do. I just know I don't want to be scared."

"You have grown up. You know bad dreams aren't real so don't let them be. You don't fear. You use fear to your advantage."

"How?"

"You make others fear you."

Suddenly, it made sense. If she turned her fear into rage and scared Ian off, he would leave her alone.

"I know you have it in you. You're a DiLaurentis."

Her mom believing in her, it was kind of sweet, I guess. But one thing Ali didn't want to become was her.

When her mother got mad, she was a totally different person. She wasn't the nice woman she, as a socialite, pretended to be. She was someone to be afraid of.

Alison got out of her trance and noticed they were on their driveway. She took her seatbelt off and walked with her mom to the door, which was opened shortly after.

She was greeted with the same smell of incense. She hated it. But it was the only thing keeping the odor of her brother's pot away.

She considered asking where her father was, but the answer was always the same: work, stuck in the office. She wasn't close to him, but they used to be when she was little.

She served herself lunch and ate alone in the dining room.

Ali definitely hadn't missed all of this. This was why she'd needed the vacations on the Hilton Head Country Club in Cape May. She needed a break from her family, an excuse to get away for a while.

She had asked her friends to come wirh her, but all of their parents had disagreed without an adult present. Spencer's parents had offered her to join Melissa, but all they would do together was fight, compete. Avoiding Melissa wasn't an option, at least for Spencer, who didn't want to ruin Ali's summer, even after Ali said she wouldn't do that.

Well, having Melissa attached to Spencer while being with her would have been useful back in the club. But no one could have known Ian was a cheater and a perv.

When Ali finished eating, she washed the dishes and went up to her room, mentally preparing herself for what she had to do the next day.