Monsters And Us

Chapter 7: Friday

I was walking through the forest it was dense and everything felt like time stopped, I felt my bare feet crunch among the twigs and leaves and everything was quiet which was strange. Not even the birds were chirping, just silence it was beginning to dig inside my brain and bugged me and made my skin crawl thinking there could be something evil within the forest. I looked at every branch and every tiny little detail and saw a carving in the tree to the left of me, a mature western hemlock that looked around 95 feet, the closer I got the more noticeable it got and soon I was able to tell it was an arrow facing to the left I felt like I saw that symbol somewhere and when I touched it the symbol glowed a golden color and slowly turned so it was facing to the right and suddenly the forest came alive, the bird started singing, the squirrels and chipmunks came out of the trees, and deer frolicked in the fields and at that moment I felt safe and slowly walked until I saw another carving from afar and as I did with the other I got closer and it resembled an arrow head that was faced downwards so the tip was pointed towards the ground and noticed the animals were avoiding that part of the forest and I saw something in the distance and felt a force push me past the tree with the arrowhead carving and soon the silence returned. Almost like I was pushed into a glass dome cut off from the rest of the world, and soon darkness surrounded me as well as coldness and shivered and felt as if something was watching me. I walked around the silent forest watching for anything suspicious and saw a trail and started following it hoping it'll keep me safe and saw a light at the end and quickly ran to it because in my mind light equals safety. But as I was running I began hearing twigs snap behind me and then quick footsteps behind me and just as I got to the light, something grabbed me. I woke up instantly in a cold sweat and breathing heavily I didn't know exactly what that dream meant and it scared me, I looked at the clock besides my bed, 3:30am. Great I got 3 and a half hours of sleep I thought to myself before laying back down in my bed and looking up at my ceiling and slowly drifting back into a deep sleep. The alarm rang loudly and I sat up in bed feeling like I hadn't slept at all that night, I check my phone multiple calls from an unknown number and texts as well ranging from "hello?" to "wake the f**k up b***h and answer me" which by the amount of text and calls I knew it was my ex once again and I press the block number button once again before noticing the time 7:15 am, good I'll be on time this morning, I get up out of bed and head to my closet and grab a long sleeve t-shirt which was black, dark blue skinny jeans that look worn, and lastly grabbed a black utility jacket that used to belong to my dad and black boots and started getting changed.  I looked around my room and grabbed my backpack and opened it and set it on my desk chair and grabbed papers off my desks, thankfully I finished my homework before the party and put them in my backpack, I grabbed some books for my classes such as chemistry, governments and economics, and algebra and then my camera as well as my phone which I plugged in my headphones and started listening to system from The Queen of the Damned soundtrack and closed my door behind me and walking down the stairs and into the kitchen to microwaved a breakfast egg and bacon biscuit before heading to the bathroom and doing my makeup in a natural goth look. I finished my look and went back to the kitchen and took the biscuit out of the microwave burning my fingers on it and putting it in the fridge while making sure I got everything for school, grabbed my house keys and some money my mom left me for lunch and grabbed the now cooled down biscuit before heading out the door and locking the door and walking to the bus stop, enjoying my biscuit as I walked. By the time I actually got to the bus stop I had already finished my breakfast and was putting the wrapper in my pocket till I found a trash can to put it in and see a few people there including Elliot. He complimented me on my makeup as well as a few other people, there were about 10 kids at that bus stop most looked like the preppy type and cheerleader and athletic type, then I saw a flash of light and was blinded. It took a moment for my eyes to readjust and I heard Elliot's voice scold the person.

"Really dude, blinding the new girl at least turn off the flash and ask her for a picture."

"Dude sorry, just needed something for the yearbook"

My eyes readjusted and I see the person who Elliot was talking to, it was Edmund from the day before, he was holding up a big camera almost like mine but on a more professional standard and with a strap around his neck as well as his shoulder bag. He smiled widely towards me before apologizing and holding out his hand which we shook in a friendly way.

"I'm Edmund Lusher, school's photographer and lady's man" he said jokingly

"Yeah I know we met yesterday remember? I'm Annabel" I said

"Oh...yeah sorry I have really bad memory"

Edmund laughed and pushed Elliot closer to me and stepped back and pulled his camera out, getting reminded to turn flash off and focused the camera on us.

"Alright say cheese"

We both smiled and put up peace signs and heard the camera click as it took a photo of us, Edmund looked down at the screen and smiled before showing us, it was a perfect shot of me and Elliot and I smiled as it was the first picture with my new friend.

"I'll print out this picture for you both to keep, have some new memories right new girl?"

I smiled back at him and we continue talking till the bus came, my bus stop was around the halfway mark of the stops the bus made and took about 5 minutes to get from the bus stop to school and about 56 minutes if I walked, which is something I'd likely not do because I wouldn't want to wake up earl and take a 56 minute walk and come to school all sweaty and out of breath. I looked out the window of the bus at the area around me and zoned out, even with Elliot sitting next to me his voice was muffled and even though I had one earbud in, all I could hear was silence. I could feel the bus stop and the footsteps of many kids get on and then the bus going after every stop until it stopped for the last time but at this point I was still zoned out and Elliot had to nudge me to get me out of this trance of some sorts. Everyone was starting to get off the bus and Elliot stood there waiting for me, not sure why he did this maybe in a friendly way and I stood up and let him go in front of me and we were off the bus, the cold air blasting us as we got off the bus. Even though I was wearing a long sleeved shirt as well as a hefty jacket I still shivered and felt the cold all the way to the bone and was relieved to get into the warm school building. By the time we entered school it was around 7:20 and we got a few minutes before the first bell that signified the start of homeroom. I walked into the cafeteria that was near the entrance and stood there for a minute searching for a free table, which there wasn't really a table left without people sitting at it. Elliot disappeared from his spot next to me and I looked around for him, my anxiety getting higher and my heart rate getting quicker. I wasn't really the social butterfly and when I made friends I stick to them like Velcro monkeys and if they left I became like a deer in headlights scared of every single noise startled me and I felt like I was an alien on an unknown planet. I looked around and felt something grab my arm and almost jumped out of my skin and turned around and saw Elliot's smiling face and he grabbed my arm and dragged me through the crowd of people and to an empty table where Edmund sat. Elliot sat next to him and I decided to sit across from them leaving a 3 seat gap between us on both sides.

"So Annabel, how's your time at Port Angeles High?" Edmund asked

"It's ok, though it's only my 2nd day here"

"Care if I interview you for the school's paper?"

I nodded not thinking anything of it, before he brought out a giant pad of paper and multiple pens in a variety of colors and started writing down what I assumed were questions to ask me for the paper, he then began flipping pages and pages of writing and I looked at my phone before I saw a flash of pastel colors and then a loud screech as a chair pulled up on my left side and sat Michael in an outfit of pastel colors.

"Hiya Annabel" He said with a cheery tone

"Well your very bright today" Edmund said

"Well yeah I mean it is Friday"

"What's so special about Friday?"

"It's national Matchmaker's day"

"But what does that have to do with Pastel?" Edmund Asked

"Well me and a bunch of people got together and I guess formed a group where we dress in Pastel and help people find their Match"

"So like cupid? Shouldn't you do this around Valentines?" I said

"He did" a voice said behind me

I turned around and saw Reenie in a full on black goth look that would make any goth jealous of her outfit.

"Nice outfit" I said to her

She smiled a little at the comment and thanked me before sitting next to Michael and even though they were the closest of friends they couldn't be more different. Reenie looked down at her phone while Michael was talking to Edmund and Elliot about the matchmaking group and I start looking at my phone and start reading a manga I downloaded onto my phone, it was called Shingeki no Kyojin or Attack On Titan. My favorite character from the manga was Eren, Mikasa, and Levi, mainly the fact these characters are attractive and bad ass In my eyes. After getting sucked into the world of the manga and zoning out, I finally turned off my phone to hear the bell ringing loudly and most of everyone had already gone to their homeroom and Edmund, Elliot, Reenie and Michael were standing there waiting for me. I stood up grabbing my backpack and putting my phone on silent and in my pocket before walking to homeroom with them, I got to the full classroom and managed to grab a seat towards the back of the classroom and sit my stuff down and accidentally pushing my book off the desk and closing my eyes for the incoming bang but didn't hear it and opened my eyes to see the kid from yesterday holding my book inches from the ground, and hands it to me without even looking up from his sketchpad. I took the book confused at how he did that without even looking and decide to talk to him.

"Thanks, but um how'd you catch it without looking at it?"

He looked at me almost surprised I was even talking to him and it took him a moment to respond and he looked down at his sketchpad, his hood covering his eyes and I hear his quiet voice say,

"I have good reflexes, just knew it would be embarrassing to you to have the loud noise from it, guess that's my good deed for the day."

I was a little surprised he said more than a few words to me and thanked him before sitting back down next to him letting him draw in peace, I put the book back into my bag and grabbed my journal and started writing a story I've been working on since 2016 and been writing on and off from time to time. I kept writing until I heard the room go silent, the teacher opened the door and out came two people, a short blonde haired girl in a grey low v cut tank top and a bright pink skirt and heels, and a tall dirty blonde haired boy in a Letterman jacket and dark blue jeans.

"So Mr. Tyndall and Mrs. Ingram any reason why your 20 minutes late to homeroom?"

"Well Mr. Stork, coach needed help with putting away some equipment from outside because it's gonna rain today and Melanie forgot her uniform in her locker in the girls locker room and had to wait for coach Mable to come down and unlock it." The boy said,

"Well, I'll just call them to verify your story."

The teacher began going to the phone and the girl looked nervously at the boy and he looked back at her and heard the teacher on the phone.

"Well hello Mr. Keegan, how are you? Well, I'm calling cause a student of yours claims he was down at the gym with you bringing in some equipment, is this true?"

Before anyone heard a response the boy spoke up quickly and said,

"Wait don't!"

"Yes?"

"Ok ok me and Melanie were in the courtyard making out."

"Ok, next time I'll actually call him"

The teacher hung up the phone and the class erupted with laughter and I saw Melanie elbow the boy in the side and sit down in the seat on the other side of the room. The boy looked down before taking the last empty seat right next to the teacher's desk which made things even more awkward for him, and I felt bad for him I mean anyone would lie to not tell anyone what they were actually doing. Homeroom went on for what seemed like hours until the bell to first period rung and I got up and saw the boy next to me was gone already and I was confused how he got out of here so fast, but put it in the back of my mind and began packing up and heading to my first period which is my governments and economics class. I walked into class and barely anyone was in there yet maybe a few kids and they were and I decided to sit in the back of the classroom and draw for a few minutes before the rest of the class got in and see Reenie get in minutes before the bell is rung and she sits down next to me. Class went on for what seemed like hours and I almost fell asleep quite a few times but thankfully managed to get through the boring class without any incident. I got up from the desk as soon as the bell rang and grabbed my stuff and waited for Reenie and began walking through the halls looking at my schedule(every other day had 2 different classes, gym and health were on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and art and photography was on the other days) so today was Friday so it'd be art and photography which I was happy about because those were the types of classes I liked the most. So next period was British Literature with Elliot, Michael and Reenie which might be fun because I like reading and writing and might learn and read something new and plus my friends are in the class too. I sit down in the back of the class as always did and nothing much really happened the rest of the day, more homework on the 2nd day of school and boring classes up until gym, I didn't have my uniform yet so all I had were gym shorts and a t-shirt and got out to the gym to see the same kid who grabbed my books, in black gym shorts, black shoes, black t-shirt and was away from everyone else. I don't know what it was about him but even though his eyes weren't on me I felt like he could see me looking at him like he could feel my presence and it made me very uncomfortable and was in a trance just looking at him when I feel something grab my arm and I jumped out of the trance and saw Michael smiling at me with his gym uniform which was a pair of green and white shorts and a green t-shirt with the school's name on it.

"Who are you looking at?" He said searching around and setting his eyes on the boy in all black.

"Do you have a thing for him or something? I mean you don't even know his name yet?"

"No, but I'm getting to it. And no I don't have a thing for him, can't I just try to befriend a guy without it having to do with liking them in a relationship way?"

"Sorry, it's just you seem fixated on the guy and usually that means you like him"

I sat on the bleachers with Michael and waited for the class to actually begin which wasn't long after and the gym teachers came out, a middle aged male with graying hair, a whistle around his neck gym shorts and a green polo shirt with the school name on it and his name which read "Coach Mark Keegan" and a younger woman around 30 with bleach blonde hair, a whistle around her neck as well only she wore a pink polo shirt with her name that read "Coach Rachel Mable" and white thigh high athletic shorts and she also had a tan. The kids in the gym class separated into two groups one lined up in front of Coach Mable and the other to Coach Keegan, Michael got up and walked to Coach Keegan's line reluctantly and I sat there not sure who I was assigned to and stood up awkwardly not knowing what to do when I heard my name called.

"Annabel Bowyer?"

I turned to see Coach Mable's warm smiling face looking at me and she asks again,

"Are you Annabel Bowyer?"

"Yes." I say quietly,

"Ok, sweetie your in my group, you're new here right?"

I nod as I walk over feeling all eyes on me as I stand at the back of the line, and hear them do roll call and then Coach Keegan's group goes on the other side of the divider of the gym and we started warm ups which was basically stretching our muscles and getting our bodies woken up. And I began doing standing foot grabs and attempting to touch my toes without bending my knees when I hear a loud bang that scares most of the group and out comes.…