I HUMMED ALONG THE SONG on the radio as I washed the dishes. The pending assignment with Julianne was finally done. Just one more day of school drama. It was the last day of school tomorrow before our summer vacation started.
My mind wandered to all the places we could visit during the break. A new amusement park was to open in the next neighborhood. Although Mom still hated roller coasters, maybe a water park would be fine. Dad would need to find some time off from work, but the thought of the upcoming vacation filled me with excitement. Mom would be pleased to see that I had already finished washing the dishes. As if on cue, the doorbell rang. I dashed to the door, eager to see my parents and hear about the party. However, my excitement turned to disappointment when I saw two police officers' faces instead of my parents'.
Their expressions held pity as they stared at me. My gaze dropped to an evidence bag on the ground, containing the gown my mom had worn to the party. My entire body froze as I took in the sight.
"Where's Mom?" I asked, but my words didn't seem to register. I couldn't catch my breath. Where was I?
I woke up startled, my breath coming out fast and shallow. I glanced around the room, drenched in sweat and with my heart pounding. I calmed down a bit as realization dawned upon me, I was in my room. It had just been a nightmare. Everything was fine. But, in truth, it didn't feel fine.
Tears streamed down my face without invitation as the room began to feel constricting, my anxiety taking hold. Why... why did this have to happen to me? Closing my eyes, I counted to five and focused on taking steady breaths, just as my therapist had taught me. The air seemed to grow still along with my racing thoughts.
When I opened my eyes again, I surveyed the room. My breathing had steadied, and my mind was gradually untangling from the grip of the nightmare. The digital alarm clock on my nightstand indicated it was twenty past seven. Shoot. I hurriedly climbed out of bed, berating myself for sleeping through the blaring sound of the relentless alarm clock.
Trixie meowed, announcing her arrival as she began to cuddle with me. Letting out a sigh, I smoothed out the uneven patches of her greyish fur and made my way to the shelf where Aunt always kept Trixie's treats. She quickly forgot about me as she devoured her breakfast.
In the shower, the disturbing memories of the nightmare and reality started to fade. I scrubbed my body clean, paying extra attention to my hair which had grown quite long during the fall. My thoughts wandered to my choice of clothing for the day. The idea of blending in was appealing, so I had to choose carefully.
In the end, I opted for a yellow crop top with sequenced writing and dark jeans that had trendy cuts. I combed my caramel hair down and applied minimal makeup, always eager to fit in. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I took a deep breath and reassured myself. It would be fine. No one knows me. No one will find out.
"Good morning, dearie," my Aunt greeted cheerfully as I padded down to the kitchen, "I've got your pancakes and syrup ready."
"Good morning, guys. Thanks, Aunt," I replied back with a smile as I sat down to eat the pancakes.
However, the morning had to have its share of drama.
"Why don't I get any pancakes?" my sweet Uncle chimed in as he stood up from the couch.
"Only if you weren't allergic to milk, Jeff," Aunt shot back.
"Come on, I read in a paper that milk tends to exacerbate anxiety problems," I paused midway while bringing the pancake to my mouth, narrowing my eyes to see what he was up to. That was clearly fabricated, his way of getting under my skin.
"Do you have an issue with me eating pancakes?" I questioned.
"No, I don't. I was just let-"
"Please, Jeff, just be quiet," Aunt intervened, "Abby, finish your breakfast and get to school."
Uncle and I continued to exchange stares until a beep interrupted our standoff. A message appeared on my screen, indicating a text from Mikayla. She mentioned she'd be waiting at the office for me. I smiled at the message and quickly finished my pancakes with extra syrup. Uncle just eyed me, but I didn't really care.
"Have a good day at school!" Aunt called out as I walked out onto the porch. I waved back, giving her one last glance before hastening down the street toward school. Welp, it seemed I might be running late on the very first day.
Beverly Hills High School stood like an oasis of green amid the sea of hills. It boasted two football fields, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as classrooms, gymnasiums, table tennis courts, and libraries.
In the heart of the expansive fields, on a cobblestone pavement, stood a grand bronze statue of a horse, depicting a fragment of the school's history. I gaped at my surroundings in awe as if it were my first time encountering something so magnificent.
My previous school had been decent, but this seemed to be straight out of a top architect's catalog. As I marveled at my surroundings, someone startled me from behind,
"Boo!" Mikayla playfully pulled the prank, causing me to let out a startled shriek.
''Oh my... your face," Mikayla burst into laughter between words. I joined her laughter, realizing my reaction had been quite comical. I was just too paranoid.
However, from the corner of my eye, I spotted an all too known figure walking down the hallway. No way.
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