Highschool Life for a Teenage Girl

Chapter 5: Too Good to be True

"So babe, today makes our one month anniversary."

I comment, looking up at James. My God, have I ever mentioned his eyes? I know a lot of people say that brown eyes are pretty basic, but I disagree. I love them. And there's something about his that drives me up the wall.

"I know." he smiles.

Over the last month, Emily, James, and I have been hanging out a lot together. I think we all really get along. She's actually someone I think I can call "friend" now. 

RING! 

"Oh there's the lunch bell! I'm gonna go hang out with Emily today babe, but I'll catch up with you after school for our one month present swap!"

I call to him as I take off out of our biology classroom door.

"Hey girl!" I met Emily by the big oak tree.

"Hey Cierra! So tell me, isn't today you and James' one month?"

I exclaim, "Yep!" 

"Wow. It's been a whole month! Congrats girl!"

"Thank you. I know right, he's a really great guy and I'm glad we got together."

"Hm, so um what are you doing after school?"

"Celebrating with James, why what's up?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see if you'd go somewhere special with me."

Her tone was...different.

"Special?"

"Yeah, it's somewhere I go when I need a break to think, It'd mean the world to me if you tagged along."

"Well I can't just blow him off...what if I bring him a long and we all can just chill? I think that'll be less awkward than me and him alone at a table anyway, he's still nervous around me sometimes."

"That'd be great! We'll walk out the front gate together and it's walking distance, sound good?"

"Yeah great, see you at 3!"

-

The clock just striked three, and I'm anxious and excited to hang out with the crew soon. I'm still a little thrown off by Emily's tone earlier, but I shrugged it off. I'm just crazy.

As I walk to the gate with James, holding hands, we spot Emily.

"Hey guys"

There's that tone again... okay, what is going on?

"Hey" James and I reply at the same time.

"Ready to get going? Cierra told you, right James?"

"Yeah she did" He smiles at me but notices my confused and worried face.

"What's the matter Cierra?"

"Urm...nothing. A bug flew past my face. You both know I hate bugs!" I gave a forced laugh.

They laugh as my conscience creeps up on me again...

Bad! Bad idea! Turn back now! GO HOME!

What am I thinking? Go home? She's my friend...and my boyfriend! I should be able to trust them.

GO. HOME. NOW.

I return to reality with a bad feeling. Why do I feel like this is a bad idea? I can trust these people.

I refocused in on my surroundings, I see James and Emily a ways ahead of me. It seems like they're talking about something, and they're out of earshot. I speed up to try to find out what I miss.

"Hey guys, you kinda left me behind a bit..." I say, trying not to sound worried.

"Oh sorry, we didn't realize." Emily speaks before James does.

"Well, how much farther from here?"

"Not that far, about 5 minutes if we walk a bit faster."

-

We approached the place, and I instantly got an eerie feeling about it. It was past a heavily plant infested gate, where you can't see the other side. There's a water front and a little wooden house that looks like it's been taken over by plant growth, why would Emily like it here? 

"So...is this...it?" I purposely let my worried tone protrude now.

"Yep... I love it here, it reminds me of the forest."

There it was yet again! That tone is scaring me, I don't like it at all.

"Emily...why do you sound like that?" I started to timidly back away.

"Oh, I don't know, it's just...something about this place brings a hidden side of me out."

I see a glare in her eyes that doesn't look friendly. Maybe I should've listened to my conscience.

"Well, um, this place scares me. Not to be rude! I'm just saying it's a bit cre-"

"Bag her."