[October 7th 2019 - 7AM]
It has been around two weeks since Freja found out about Amelia's secret and since then, the two have been bonding not as strangers, but as sisters. Freja understands that Amelia can't replace the bond she and her sister shared but Amelia is someone who is kind, strong and affectionate just like Freya. She doesn't admit it, but she kind of looks up to Amelia. She's stupid, she's an airhead, she's unreliable at times. She isn't perfect like her sister. However, for the little girl it was a nice change of pace to have someone she could be herself around again. To have someone to relate to and see their struggles for what it is. She misses her sister dearly. Although, Amelia is welcome in her heart.
"Sis! It's time for you to go!"
Freja leaps onto the girl's bed and envelopes her in a long, affectionate embrace. For the past few days the little girl has been spending most of her time with her sister, reading stories, teasing her and playing pranks as well as getting her to help her with homework that she already knows how to do and eating snacks. She loves being around Amelia.
The girl reciprocates Freja's embrace with one of her own. She loved sleeping and hated to be woken up, but not by Freja. She thought it was pleasant to feel wanted by someone. She tries her best to be a reliable big sis to her.
"Ok, that's enough hugs for now. Let me get dressed and I'll come down in a moment."
"Okay! Bye bye sis!"
The little girl scampered out of the room, "forgetting" to close the door behind her.
"Damn, she got me."
Freya reluctantly tumbles out of bed and begins preparing for school today. Her routine had been the same as usual. Making her bed in the morning, brushing her teeth and hair, moisturising her skin using fancy products and applying some light make-up to her face to look more beautiful than she already was.
She then goes downstairs greets her mother and talks with her sister for a bit whilst watching the news on television. At the same time, she can be seen taking small bites at the English breakfast that her mother makes and giving the eggs to her little sister. She then leaves for school after saying her goodbyes to her family. However recently, there has been a slight change in that routine. Amelia, Grace and Holly had not been talking to her. It's been about four days since their last interaction.
Did she mess up? Did something happen to her dad? She thought endlessly about all the possibilities and could not find a conclusion. Had something relating to the second incident occurred, she would have been notified. Was Amelia being strung along by destiny? Were they going to distance themselves regardless of what the girl had done? Maybe it was because she rejected going to Amelia's house? Even though it could be seen as her following the guide of destiny, she rejected her invitation because that's what her heart was telling her to do. It wasn't some pre-ordained action that came to be because of destiny. Furthermore, the look on Amelia's face when she rejected her was one of satisfaction.
She doesn't understand why yet, but she feels as though it is not time for her to go back home. If destiny is on her side, they will bring the situation to her, so she doesn't have to force anything. That's what she is hoping for at least. She has not received any other advice besides "get closer to those around you", finding the book to be flawed in some aspects.
Or maybe it really was just that simple.
The girl arrives at school, alone but efficiently. She is used to being alone and finds the peace to be quite nice. No needlessly long rambling with grace in her ear. No unnecessary awkward situations with Amelia on the bus. Nobody to cut her off when she speaks with Holly not here. There was no longer a need to play pretend.
There was no need to pretend anymore.
"Hey Freya! Why are you just standing here by yourself?"
Ben had come up from behind, unaware of the girl's expression. He lightly taps her on the shoulder causing her to raise her head slightly from staring into the soulless, stone floor revealing something unbefitting of the girl.
"Freya, are you okay? Why are you crying?"
"I don't know…"
"Are you sure?"
"...They are all ignoring me."
"Who? Who is ignoring you?"
"Grace, Amelia and Holly."
"I guess I also haven't been paying too much attention to you recently. When did they start ignoring you?"
"About four days ago. They stopped replying to my messages. They ignore me in our classes together and when I try to meet them at lunch, they avoid me. If it wasn't for Freja, I don't know what I would do."
"Ah…"
"Hmm?"
"No, it's nothing. I'm sorry to hear that Freya. Anyway it's almost time for class, I better get going now. Bye."
"Bye?"
Ben jogs off into the distance, disappearing into the crowd that was forming in front of the entrance.
'What even was that interaction? Ben was acting a bit weird at the end there…I wonder if he knows something.'
The girl arrived in the classroom and began scanning around for her group to no avail. She would wait patiently for the first one to show, being Holly.
"Oh, hey Holly!"
The girl waves at her friend and receives no response. The girl stares at Holly as she sits on the opposite side of the desks, away from the girl. The girl frowns.
'Okay, maybe Grace will be more reciprocative?'
She waits and waits only for both Grace and Amelia to arrive together. She once again gives a callout with a small wave only to be ignored. They sit next to Holly. The girl sits in the corner isolated from everyone else, her eyes begin to water and her throat tightens. She doesn't know why they suddenly switched like this. She knew how important they were to her in this world, so why are they all ignoring her? She couldn't understand it at all. She sat in the corner, alone. All those memories of her sitting alone in a corner like a dog waiting for its owner came flooding back to her. The sound of bickering and whispers around the room became overwhelmingly clear.
"Oh look it's Amelia, don't go near her or you will get bullied too."
"Isn't she kinda ugly? Why does she even try?"
"She's a bit of a whore right? The girls apparently caught her fucking around with older dudes.
"Isn't it better if she just dies?"
The girl began fleeing the silent classroom trying to escape their harsh words. She ran outside for fresh air and for an honest cry before going back up.
"Sorry. I had to go to the bathroom."
She gives a faint smile. Nothing out of the ordinary the girl had hoped.
"That's fine Freya, just give the heads up next time."
"Will do Mrs. Scott."
She sits back down, glancing over in the direction of the three girls who pay the girl no attention whatsoever.
Form time was complete and it was time for the hellish day to start. It is week A so the day led with double science. It was a group practical which required you to get into groups of 4. Amelia had tried getting with the 3 girls. However, they had already landed a 4th member. She was forced to join a group with people she had never spoken to before. It was hell.
The next class was history. She was alone in this class as none of her friends did history. This was followed up by Geography in which Amelia was in, yet because there was a supply teacher, Amelia had opted to sit alone.
The final lesson of the day was Maths. Since Freya, Amelia and Grace were all top set students, they had all resided in the same classes for Maths too. However, they didn't really get to speak much if at all in this class due to their strict teacher. Another full day had gone by and without a reason why, she was ignored by the trio of girls.
She had quietly made her exit from school, ordering a taxi to come pick her up and drop her off at home. She wasn't interested in talking to them anymore, she just wanted to go home and be with Freja.
[Freya's house - 3:20 PM]
"Welcome home dear. How was school?"
Her mother greeted her at the door as always, bringing up her mood a little bit.
"It was great, yeah! It was mostly just prep work for exams and stuff but it went well. Do you know where Freja is?"
"Oh yeah. She had to come home early today and I had to stay home, so I got your Aunt Masie to pick her up. She's staying over there at the moment."
"What? Why did she come home early? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah it's all okay, their school just had a power outage."
"Oh I see."
"Hmm, you seem a bit down today. Is everything okay?"
"Yes mum. Everything is fine."
The girl sighed deeply and just climbed up the stairs to her room, halting in front of the door to sob. It took the girl a little while before regaining her composure.
She hadn't been this alone in so long. It felt unnatural. They had been avoiding her without reason. She was being isolated and she didn't know why. The girl wept quietly, shovelling her face into her palms. She was confused, embarrassed and angry at herself for believing she could be happy with others.
[Ping!]
That's when the girl was alerted by the distinct sound of a notification reaching her phone. Was it Amelia? Was it Holly? Was it Grace? Who was it? The girl's heart sank upon seeing the sender.
[Contractual Misconduct - Defiance]
[Freya Wilson has ignored 3 or more messages from the contractor and as the contractee, it was Freya Wilson's duty to uphold the terms and conditions of the contract. This breach of contract has been seen as a first warning and your first punishment has been decided upon and served to you directly. All things that you care about, slowly begin to exclude you in exchange.
You can choose to void the contract now, if you do not wish to undergo the rest of your punishment timer. The amount of time left on your punishment is:
5 days 8 hours 43 minutes 21 seconds.
If you choose to void the contract, Freya Wilson will never be able to become an author under the rules of our contract.
Best Regards,
Destiny.]
She dropped the phone in her hand with an audible thud smacking the floor. The girl did not realise that the messages she had received from destiny held so much weight. She had been spending her time with Freja and actively hung out with her friends on video or voice calls using her laptop and had not been checking her phone. She doesn't message people often and normally has her phone on do not disturb. She had it off these past couple days in hopes that someone would reach out to her so this is the first the girl is hearing about this.
"Wait…I can void the contract? That means that I don't have to endure being manipulated by Freya's fate anymore. But wait…this condition at the bottom. If I choose to break the contract, Freya will never be able to become an author? Ah right, that's what she made the contract for in the first place right?"
The girl picks the phone up off the floor and intensely reads over the message to make sure she understands everything.
"So Freya's fate is in my hands? If I choose to void the contract my punishment will end immediately. However, Freya will never be able to become an author."
The girl began ruminating on all the bad that Freya did to her. All the times she was frustrated or upset or confused or tired of being around her. What has Freya done for the girl that was worthy of her upholding this contract? Nothing. Freya is someone she has nothing but a deep hatred for.
Her heart burns for vengeance. Her body breathes for justice. Her brain thinks of her suffering.
But the girl's soul…was one that had hope.
[Do you wish to void the contract?
Yes/No?]
She took a deep breath. The girl had made her decision.