Hello, Drudel…Run!

EPISODE TWO:THE NEW GIRL

Atheia sharply turns around to see if she is truly being watched, but everyone else seems to be paying attention to the car and to Soren. However, she still cannot help but feel strange eyes on her.

Or maybe she is just being paranoid.

“Thee!” A voice rings out. It is Victoria, one of her friends. “How are you doing, babe?” She asks as she bounces towards Atheia. Ava, their other friend, is also with her.

“I…I am okay, I guess.” Atheia responds, still flustered.

“Thee, are you sure you are fine?” Ava asks. “You look worried.” She observes.

Of her two best friends, Ava is more quiet but very observant, and it is very difficult for Atheia to hide anything from her.

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Victoria asks, now noticing the look on Atheia’s face.

“I just had a weird feeling, that’s all.” Atheia says.

“What feeling?” Ava asks as they walk towards Atheia’s locker.

“Like someone was watching me. It was creepy.” Atheia explains, still looking around.

“Really?” Ava says.

Victoria chuckles, “Look, you are basically the most beautiful girl in Lockwood High, so it is normal for people to stare at you. Look at you, for Pete’s sake.”

“Yeah, Atheia.” Ava adds. “You are the cynosure of eyes at our school, so it is normal for you to be stared at. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Thanks, guys.” Atheia says and they all walk to class.

Classes start, and Atheia’s mind is taken off her worries for a while. Later, it is time for the next period, and she leaves class with her friends. As they walk towards History class, a figure dressed in all black hurriedly walks towards them and bumps right into both Athia and Victoria.

“Watch where you are going, you dummy!” Victoria yells.

“Victoria…” Atheia cautions as she tries to see who it is.

“Sorry!” The figure looks at Atheia. She is a pretty girl with blue eyes and a lot of freckles. Her glasses are huge, and she is the perfect definition of a nerd.

“It’s..it’s okay.” Atheia stammers.

“Such a loser.” Victoria says, sucking her teeth. She does this when she is very irritated.

“Let it go.” Ava says as they settle in for class.

*

Lunch break is Atheia’s favorite part of school, as it helps her relax. She gets to chat with her friends while she watches Kai dote on his girlfriend, Mariah.

“Atheia, our sleepover is tonight, I hope you have told your parents.” Ava says as they take their seats.

‘Yeah, I already told them. They know I am coming to your house.” Atheia answers flatly.

“Will Kai and Soren be bringing you?” Victoria asks expectantly.

She has had a crush on Soren for a long time now, but the thing is, Soren is only interested in driving and watching Atheia. Nothing and no one else. Still, Victoria thinks there is hope.

How delusional can one be?

“Do I have a choice?” Atheia rolls her eyes.

“Cool!” Victoria says and claps her hands excitedly.

“We will be able to start planning your birthday party. It is in three weeks- that is no time at all.” Ava says. She loves to plan parties.

“Yeah, about that,” Atheia begins.

“What is it?” Victoria asks, already worried.

Atheia tells them what happened, and they decide to do something more fun that night instead of a sleepover, since there would be no birthday party to plan.

“But where will you get the sleeping pills?” Victoria asks.

“I have enough to take down an elephant,” Ava smiles evilly.

Atheia is about to speak when they all hear a loud crash from behind them. They turn to see what it is, and Victoria bursts into laughter.

It is the same girl from the morning. It looks like she missed a step and fell right into her food. Everyone at the cafeteria bursts into laughter, except Atheia.

“That is what you get for bumping into us this morning, you clumsy loser. Got to say, yellow goo looks better on you rather than black!” Victoria yells.

More laughter.

While this is going on, Atheia cannot stop staring at the girl. She feels sad for her, but there is something else. The goosebumps are back, and now, they are even stronger. Also, it feels like she knows this girl from somewhere.

Have they met before?

By the time Atheia is able to get a hold of herself and apologize to the girl for everyone’s actions, she has left the cafeteria.

“What are you doing?” Ava asks.

“I should go talk to her.” Atheia says. “No one should have to fall into their lunch.”

“Forget about that loser.” Vitoria says, and Atheia sits down to quietly finish her food.

*

“How was school today, Miss Jenkins?” Soren asks as Atheia gets in the car.

“Fine, but something weird happened at lunch.” Atheia tells him.

“Is it about the girl that fell at lunch? Cause that was funny as hell.” Kai butts in.

“Yeah. She just looked really familiar. I have a feeling that I have met her before, but I just cannot remember.” Atheia says, stroking her chin- something she does whenever she is trying to remember something.

Kai and Soren look at each other for a long time. Atheia wants to ask what it is about, but she decides against it.

It’s probably nothing.

Later at night, Soren drives Atheia to Ava’s house, and they offer Soren some food and drinks as he will be watching the house till morning. He gladly takes them, and soon, he is fast asleep.

Just as planned, Atheia, Ava and Victoria sneak through the back gate, get on a bus and arrive at the biggest rave party in town.

Atheia is so excited, as it is her first rave party ever. There are so many people, and it is so much fun. Red lights everywhere, with more than enough booze to go around.

“Come on, have a drink!” Victoria urges Atheia.

“You know my parents won’t let me drink. I am actually forbidden from drinking!” Atheia screams so her friends can hear.

“Fine!” Ava says and continues to dance.

Since they paid VIP tickets, they have couches to chill on. Black or red, Atheia really can’t tell. She decides to rest a little; she is not used to partying this hard. She pours herself some juice and smiles as she watches her friends have the best time of their lives.

Without warning, something drops in her lap. It feels heavy, but when Atheia looks down, it is just a piece of paper.

Now, where the hell did it come from?

Atheia picks it up and unfolds it. Her eyes widen as she reads what is in it.

“Don’t trust your family. Run!”