Yesterday didn't actually go as planned. I mean, we were almost killed by a deranged demon serial killer. What was Vic even thinking, talking to a serial killer… us?
Well, he did promise not to leave clues for the Bossa Nova. At least that was a win-win.
I felt drops of water splash against my face and jumped up from the bed like I'd been caught by Jason and his gang of demons. But it was only Jaca, standing there with a cup of water. She was already dressed in a fitted blue gown, chains resting against her waist.
"Jeez, you pig," she sneered as she put the cup away.
That's when I realized I had been drooling.
I wiped my mouth with my hand, smearing the liquid onto my nightgown.
"What time is it?" I asked, yawning.
"9:30," she blurted, hanging her mini silver bag. "Lectures start in like thirty minutes."
Gosh. I'm going to be late.
I rushed into the bathroom to bathe and freshen up.
"My makeup's by the mirror," I heard Jaca call. "Put some on so you'll look less horrible." She snickered.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny," I snapped, rolling my eyes. "Too bad I'm not laughing."
"I'm off to class. Suit yourself," she said.
Her footsteps faded, and a moment later, the door closed behind her.
...
We were having English lecture when I managed to sneak in and take a seat close to Leo, the guy I sat with yesterday and of course, Jaca was behind me with her… gang.
"Hey, you look pretty today. Sleep well?" Leo asked calmly, his gaze fixed on me. It almost made me blush.
Fine. I did blush, a little.
"Yeah, I guess so," I replied, trying hard not to look at him.
He then pointed toward the front row, where Dian was sitting.
"Tasha's not in school," he said with a small smile. "Maybe you could make your move."
"Wouldn't that make me a bitch?" I sighed, dropping my bag on the table.
"You're going to be a bitch whether you try or not," he said. "It's your call."
I stayed quiet for a moment, staring at Dian. He was worth the try.
"You really think it'll work?"
"You never know."
Just then, Mrs. Chloe turned to face the class, setting her marker and books aside.
"Alright, class," she said, "let's forget about the notes on the board and have an interactive session, shall we?"
The entire class seemed relieved, muttering among themselves as pens dropped and notebooks closed.
"I'm sure you're all aware of the incident that happened yesterday," she continued, slowly pacing the room.
"Yes!" the class replied in unison.
"Now," she said, "I'd like each and every one of you to tell me your thoughts on the situation."
The class grew quiet. At first, everyone just stared at her like she'd asked a question that wasn't meant to be asked. Then, slowly, a hand rose halfway.
"Yes, dear," Mrs. Chloe said, giving permission.
The girl stood up.
"Well, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Rolla, Indian-American," she began, adjusting her square glasses, which seemed too big for her face. She wore a plain blue T-shirt with the words I'm a nerd! printed boldly in black at the back, paired with faded black jeans. Her reddish-brown curly hair was packed into a messy bun.
"The scene yesterday was quite unexpected," she continued. "We all know demons have lived among humans for generations, mostly known for their mischief and secrecy but this?" She paused, glancing around the room. "That was a bold statement. And something tells me it's only the beginning."
"Hope that something is also telling you the end," a guy from the back scoffed.
The class burst into laughter.
Rolla's fingers tightened around the hem of her shirt, but she didn't sit down.
"If history has taught us anything," she said calmly over the noise, "it's that demons never act without a reason. For all we know, they could be among us, in this classroom"
The laughter thinned. A few students exchanged uneasy looks.
Mrs. Chloe cleared her throat sharply. "That's enough."
Silence dropped again. Rolla finally sat, eyes forward
"That was nice of you to share with us Rolla, anybody else?" Mrs. Chloe asked and the class grew silent once more, no one was willing to say anything then she pointed at me "Ms. Derka, could you tell us what you think?"
What! Why me, I wasn't even raising my hands, what's her issue with me?
I stood up slowly, all eyes were on me, I was nervous, I could literally hear my heart beating, the whole class kept mute as If my opinion was valid.
"That was nice of you to share with us, Rolla. Anybody else?" Mrs. Chloe asked.
The class fell silent again. No one volunteered. Then her finger lifted and pointed straight at me.
"Ms. Derka, could you tell us what you think?"
What?
Why me? I hadn't raised my hand. What was her problem with me?
I stood up slowly, every pair of eyes snapping in my direction. My chest tightened. I could hear my heart pounding, loud enough that I was sure everyone else could hear it too. The room was completely mute, like my opinion actually mattered.
"Well, um… as you all know, I'm Peige Derka, from L.A," I began. My voice sounded thinner than I wanted it to. "And my take on what happened yesterday was… weird. It was really weird and frightening. Those poor girls."
I waved my hands awkwardly, trying to explain what I meant, then completely losing the point.
"It honestly shocked me. And last night, gosh, this guy took us to talk to the demon serial killer, and, man, that did not turn out well. We were almost killed. I mean, what was he even thinking..."
"Wait. Wait." Mrs. Chloe cut in, her brows knitting together. "I'm sorry, I'm confused. What exactly are you talking about?"
That's when it hit me. I had said all of that out loud.
Every single eye in the room widened. Even Dian was staring at me now. Great. He probably thought I'd finally lost it.
"I... I'm so sorry," I stammered, my face burning. "It was just a weird dream I had last night."
I bowed my head in embarrassment, then added so quietly only I could hear myself, "I didn't mean to."
The room went silent again, thicker this time. Even Mrs. Chloe seemed at a loss for words. The tension stretched, heavy and uncomfortable, until Jaca's voice sliced through it.
"Ohhh, so that's why you were snoring like a pig last night?"
The class exploded into mocking laughter. I shot her a glare, but she only flashed that irritating I-did-nothing-wrong smile.
I dropped back into my seat, my head hanging low. I couldn't bring myself to look up.
"Now you're one hell of a girl," Leo muttered with a chuckle under his breath.
I buried my face in my bag, wishing I could stay there until the bell rang and the class, and this moment was finally over.