The Ordinary Day
1254 Words
By the time Aria reached the school gates, she had almost convinced herself that the nightmare didn’t matter
Almost
She adjusted her backpack and checked her phone
Seven missed messages
All from Maya
MAYA: Where are you?
MAYA: Aria
MAYA: If you make me walk into class alone again, I will expose you
MAYA: I mean it
MAYA: ARIA
Aria smiled
She typed back
ARIA: I’m literally here
Three dots appeared immediately
Maya turned around from where she was standing near the entrance
“Finally!”
Aria barely had time to react before Maya grabbed her arm
You said you’d meet me at seven forty
I did
“It’s eight.”
“That’s close enough”
That is not how time works
Aria laughed as Maya dragged her toward the building
For the first time that morning, she felt normal
That was what she liked about Maya
Maya didn’t ask too many questions
She didn’t care about strange dreams or why Aria sometimes woke up exhausted
She cared about homework, gossip, food, and whether Aria had remembered to bring money for lunch
Normal things
Things Aria desperately needed
“So,” Maya said, lowering her voice dramatically, “I have news.”
Aria glanced at her
“What kind?”
“Interesting news”
“That’s never good”
Maya grinned
There’s a new student
Aria sighed
“That’s your big news?”
You haven’t seen him
“I don’t need to”
“You definitely do”
They reached their classroom
Maya leaned closer
“He’s apparently transferring from somewhere up north”
“And?”
And he’s gorgeous
Aria rolled her eyes
You say that about everyone
I do not
You said it about the cafeteria worker
“Because he was gorgeous”
“He was sixty.”
Beauty has no age
Aria laughed
Maya pushed open the classroom door
Then she stopped
Aria nearly walked into her
“What?”
Maya didn’t answer
She was staring toward the back of the room
Aria followed her gaze
A boy sat alone beside the window
He wasn’t doing anything
He wasn’t talking to anyone
He was looking outside
Dark hair
Black jacket
Pale skin
There was something strangely familiar about him
Aria frowned
“Do you know him?”
No
“Then why are you staring?”
Maya whispered, “Because that’s him”
“The new student?”
Maya nodded
Aria looked again
The boy turned
Their eyes met
For one strange second, the classroom disappeared
Aria heard rain
She smelled wet earth
Her chest tightened
And she saw two pale eyes between the trees.
White
She blinked
The classroom returned
The boy was still looking at her
Then he slowly looked away
Aria’s stomach twisted
“Are you okay?” Maya asked
Yeah
You went pale
“I’m fine.”
Aria forced a smile
“Just tired.”
She walked to her seat
She didn’t look toward the boy again
But she could feel his eyes on her
⸻
The morning passed normally
Math
English
History
Lunch
Nothing strange happened
And that almost made Aria feel better
Almost
By lunch, she had completely forgotten about the new student
At least, she tried to
Maya dropped into the seat across from her
So
Aria looked up
So?
You’ve been staring at the new guy
I have not
You’ve looked at him six times
“You’re counting?”
Of course
Aria rolled her eyes
“I just think I’ve seen him somewhere before
Maya’s expression changed
“Where?”
I don’t know
The answer bothered Aria
Because it wasn’t true
She hadn’t seen him before
Not in real life
But somewhere else
In the nightmare
The vampire had looked at her the same way
Like he recognized her
Like he had been searching for her
Aria shook the thought away
The new student wasn’t a vampire
That was ridiculous
He was just a boy
A strange, quiet boy
Probably
“You’re doing it again,” Maya said
“What?”
Thinking too hard
I’m allowed to think
“Not during lunch”
Aria smiled
Then something cold brushed against her wrist
She looked down
Nothing
Just a strange sensation
Like someone had whispered against her skin
She rubbed her wrist
“What?”
Maya was watching her
Nothing
Aria looked across the cafeteria
The new boy was gone
⸻
After school, Aria walked to the small bookstore where she worked three afternoons a week
It was quiet there
She liked that
Books didn’t ask questions
Books didn’t stare
And books certainly didn’t appear in her nightmares
She spent the first hour arranging shelves
The second answering customers
By four thirty, she was sitting behind the counter with a cup of tea when the bell above the door rang
She looked up
No one entered
Aria frowned
The door had opened
She could see the street outside
Empty
A cold breeze slipped into the shop
Then the bell rang again
Aria stood
“Hello?”
Silence
She walked toward the door
Nothing
She looked down
A black feather lay on the floor
Aria stared at it
She reached down
The instant her fingers touched it, a strange image flashed through her mind
A forest
A red moon
A pair of glowing eyes
Then—
nothing
Aria dropped the feather
Her breathing quickened
“Okay.”
She stepped backward
“Definitely not normal”
The bell above the door suddenly rang
Aria jumped
An older woman stood outside
She looked at Aria through the glass
For several seconds, neither of them moved
Then the woman smiled
Not warmly.
Almost sadly
She turned and walked away
Aria hurried to the window
“Wait!”
But the woman had already disappeared into the crowd
Aria stood there, confused
She looked back at the feather
It was gone
That evening, Aria returned home just before sunset
Her mother was in the kitchen
Cooking
Everything looked normal
Too normal
“You’re home,” her mother said
Yep
“How was school?”
Fine
Anything interesting happen?
Aria dropped her bag beside the stairs
“Actually, there’s a new student”
Her mother’s knife stopped against the cutting board
Again
That tiny pause
Aria noticed
“Mom?”
Her mother looked up.
“What?”
“You’ve been doing that all day.”
“Doing what?”
“Freezing whenever I mention something.”
Her mother smiled.
“I’m tired.”
Aria didn’t believe her.
But she didn’t push.
Not yet.
She grabbed an apple from the counter.
“I’m going upstairs.”
“Aria.”
She stopped.
Her mother was looking at her strangely.
“Yes?”
“Stay away from the forest.”
Aria laughed.
“The forest?”
“Just promise me.”
Aria’s smile faded.
“Why?”
Her mother looked toward the kitchen window.
“I don’t want you going there.”
“Mom, I’ve never even—”
“Promise me.”
Something in her voice made Aria stop.
“Okay.”
She nodded.
“I promise.”
Her mother finally relaxed.
“Good.”
Aria headed upstairs.
Neither of them noticed the shadow standing beyond the kitchen window.
Watching the house.
Watching Aria.
And when Aria closed her bedroom door, the shadow slowly disappeared into the trees.
That night, Aria fell asleep believing she was safe.
She didn’t dream.
Not at first.
But somewhere far away, beneath the roots of the forest, something opened its eyes.
And whispered her name.
“Aria.”
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