I woke up on the couch with Em' laying her head on my lap sleeping peacefully. I look over at the time and it was already seven thirty.
"Oh shit, I'm going to be late for school." I say jumping off the couch. "Em' , wake up we have a half hour to get ready for school!" I say quietly as I gently wiggle her shoulder.
I rush to the bathroom and check my hair for dirt, grass, or mulch left from the park fight yesterday.
I saw nothing but just to be sure I ran my hands through it. I tied up my messy brown hair because I didn't have enough time to fix it. I quickly brush my teeth and grab my backpack. I fell asleep in my clothes last night and I'm rushing so who cares? It's not like anyone's gonna know but me and Em'.
I ran to Em's room and grabbed her backpack and shoes. After I ran downstairs I threw Em' her stuff and took two apples from the fridge.
"Come on , Em' the bus leaves in three minutes we gotta go!"
We both ran out of the door and made it to the bus stop in time where our brothers were already waiting.
"Why the hell didn't you wake us up?" I hissed.
"We were going to but forgot ."
"Oh yea, forgot. That's why."
The bus pulls up a minute later and we climb in. I sit in the back next to Em'. Grant and Blake sit the middle.
I cross my arms, put my hood on and sink down in the seat.
"Anything wrong, Avia?"
"No."
"You've worn the same hoodie for three days."
"So? Many people do."
"Just checking."
For the rest of the ride to school I just sit there silently watching whatever was out the window .
—
We arrive at school and as soon as I walk in Mrs. Crocker stops me. "Avia Caylor?"
"Yes?"
"Your hood."
"Oh, sorry." I respond slipping my hood off.
"Remember no hoods inside."
"Got it."
I stop by my locker and put away my backpack. Everything around me feels...weird. I don't know how to explain it. Like it's just empty and cold.
The bell rings and I go and find my first class.
Mrs. Crocker was sitting at her desk ready to take attendance as everyone walks in.
I sit in the very back corner and see Vrai walk in. What the hell is she doing here?
"Alright class we have a new student today." Mrs. Crocker says walking up to the front of the class.
"Her name is Vrai Lovelin."
Funny her last name is Lovelin when there's no love in her.
"Would you like to introduce yourself, Vrai?" Mrs. Crocker asks with a smile.
"Sure." Vrai says grinning . "I'm Vrai and I come here from the other middle school across the street from here. I'm excited to meet all of you and get to learn more about my new school."
"Nice job Miss. Lovelin! You may sit down now anywhere you'd like that's not already taken."
I snarl as she takes her seat. I keep my eyes on her the whole class. Who knows what she'll do?
Will she take me to the bathrooms or outside and try to hurt me again? Shit, are Romi and Khailea here now too? Shit. I need to find out.
—
After class was over me and Vrai were the last to leave. I grab her shirt and throw her against the lockers.
"Vrai? What the hell are you doing here?"
"Trying to get closer to you."
"Why? That's kinda creepy."
"I know."
"When is this going to end?"
"Never."
"Really? You really plan on torturing me forever?"
"Pretty much."
"I'll get you, Lovelin."
"I'd like to see you try, Caylor."
—
After school I run outside and meet Em' on the bench. "Forget the fucking bus we're running home." I exclaim as I grab Em's hand.
"Why?"
"Vrai goes here now."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I think they introduce new students on the school website. Let me see if Romielle and Khailea transferred here too." I open the school website on my phone and see the page for new students. "Here we go." I click on it and read down the list. After skimming around ten names I see their names . "Em' here they are. Romielle D. Redferne and Grace Khailea B. Nystrom."
"We have to report what's been going on."
"No, then I'll go to jail."
"Right, forgot about that."
"We need another plan. I'll think about that."
"Okay, report to me when you've got an idea."
"I will. Now let's get the hell away from here before Vrai pops up from nowhere again."
—
Once we made it home Dad was watching a football game on the couch.
"How was school, girls?" he asks without looking at us.
"It was okay." I respond.
"Anything happen?"
"No..."
"You sure?"
"Yes...I'm sure..."
"If you say so."
He gets up and kisses Em's forehead , "How is my Emmaline Sunshine?"
"I'm all good." , she answers.
"I'm glad."
I ran up to my room to write out a plan to get rid of Vrai. This girl has to go.
—
I was at my desk for hours trying to sketch out a plan to get rid of Vrai but I couldn't figure it out. Nothing seemed right.
"Avia?" I hear a knock at my door and Mom's voice.
"Come in."
"Hey, what's going on? You've been in here forever."
I couldn't tell her what I was actually doing, she doesn't even know Vrai exists let alone her being my worst enemy trying to torture me everyday.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Yep."
"So you've just been sitting here for hours ?"
"Yes I have."
"Then what's with all this crumpled up paper and pencils and why is your desk lamp on?
Shit, she has me there. "Uhm, I've just been...doing my homework. Really hard essay and I kept messing it up."
"You didn't think of just erasing?"
"I messed up a whole lot."
"Oh...okay. I was just checking in on you."
"Okay, Mom! See you!" I say as she leaves.
Did I act suspicious at all?
No, I was fine.
Nothing to worry about.
—
Fuck it. I can't think of anything. I will sometime though . For now I have to take whatever shit Vrai throws at me.
—
The next morning I woke up with the sun shining directly in my eyes. "Stupid sun, burning my damn eyes." I groan.
I got dressed and grabbed my backpack then quickly walked downstairs.
"Morning , Avia." Dad says pouring his coffee.
"Morning, Dad."
"Emmaline Sunshine." he says to Em" kissing her head.
"You know I hate that nickname, Dad."
"I know, honey. Sorry."
Our Emmaline Sunshine. She may hate it but it's true. She's the light in the dark. I'm the moon and she's the sun.
I sit down at the table and Mom puts everyone's breakfast down in front of them. "Thanks , Mom." I say.
"You're welcome."
"Careful Dad, if you read the newspaper and sip your coffee at the same time again you might make another spill." Grant laughs.
"Don't be silly, Grant. I won't spill my coffee again."
"Whatever you say, Dad."
Dad takes another sip of his coffee while looking at the newspaper. "See, no spill yet."
"Yea, yet." Blake remarked.
Dad reaches for a piece of bacon while still holding is his coffee on his other hand. Then boom, his mug tips and a little coffee spills on his shirt. "Damn. At least this time it's just a little drop."
Blake and Grant laugh and high five.
"Told you, Dad!" Blake belted while still laughing.
"No. You told me I'd spill it while reading the newspaper again. But, this time I spilled it while taking a bite of bacon."
"Like that's any better."
"Well, it's just a little spill and it only landed on my shirt. It'll dry fast." He added whilst dabbing his shirt with a napkin.
Mom looks out the window and called "Bus is here!" . Grant, Em' , Blake, and I all get up at the same time and dashed out to catch the bus.
—
I tried to think of ways I could avoid Vrai for the time being. She wouldn't hurt me around witnesses so I thought if I just stayed in a crowd, she wouldn't get near me. Let's just hope that works.
As I was walking to first period I tripped over something. I hop up off the floor and look back to see what it was. It was a journal. It looked old, dusty, and worn. I picked it up and —wait , this is someone's private journal , I shouldn't read it.
But I was tempted.
I open the journal and flip through it. Belonged to someone with the name Rowan Rose Rademacher.
Who the hell is that? I've never met a Rowan Rademacher. And if this is their journal , they must go here.
I decided to skip class and sit in the bathroom to read the journal in more detail to get a clearer thought.
I reopened the journal and saw a familiar name written down...Vrai L. Lovelin. It had all her information written .
Name : Charlotte Vrai Lore Lovelin.
Birthday : October 21st 2002
Age as of 2015 : 13
Family : Sienna Harley Lovelin
Atlas Lovelin (father)
Lucy-Kate Lovelin (mother)
Address : 455 7th street, Aurora , Colorado.
"Where the hell did she get all this information from?" I thought.
I read farther down the page.
She hurt me. I was her victim. She bruised me and beat me every time she saw me. She's a monster.
Someday, I'll find her and destroy her. Make her suffer like I did.
I closed the journal and thought, wait...Vrai has pulled this shit before with other people? I have to find this Rowan girl—
I hear the bell ring and at least five girls walk in. I just sat in the stall waiting. I couldn't let them see the journal.
Nearly five minutes later and they all were out. I got out of the stall and glanced around. No one. I put my hand on the door handle and turned it . As soon as I open it I see Khailea staring right at me.
"Why are you just standing there?" I asked.
She didn't reply and pushed me back in the bathroom.
"What the hell?" I snapped.
"You can't escape , Avia. You're going to be our toy for as long as we feel like it."
"No. I'm not going to let you."
"Really?"
"You don't scare me. Neither does Romi or Vrai."
"Really?" she repeats, pulling a knife from her pocket and holding it to my neck again.
"I got one of those too." I pull my knife from my hoodie pocket and held it out towards Khailea's heart.
"What's that book you got their?"
"None of your business."
"Let me see."
"No."
"Avia , let me see the book."
"No."
She lunges toward me and I smacked her as I hard as I could in the head with my backpack.
She fell to the floor and I ran out.
"Shit, that was close." I sigh. "Those bitches come out of nowhere. It's like they're always following me."
I determined to cut school and I ran outside and over to the convenience store nearby.
I open the fridge doors reached for a soda. I went to pay for it then immediately left.
Where the hell do I go now? I wondered. I sat on the bench and opened my soda . The wind was getting strong and I heard wind chimes near by. The cold air blew my hair around as I sat in silence thinking of where to go.
That's it. I thought . I knew where to go now.
I'm going to find Rowan.
