Nethania

Chapter 12: Mirror Terror

AVIA

I PLACED my hand on my chest when I peeked in the classroom. I sighed. The chairs and tables were aligned neatly and properly. The bulletin board was in its right place and the white board was clean and no crumpled papers and things scattered on the floor.

I thought that, that thing would happen again. I never expected that it would go back to normal like what I saw this morning. I stepped inside the room and turned on the switches and the bulbs illuminated the whole classroom. I rubbed my arms when I felt cold while walking toward my seat. My heart raced. My body hair stood up and creeps began hugging my soul.

It feels like I'm not alone here.

"Who turned on the air conditioner?" I asked myself since I was the one who got here first. I shrugged. "Maybe the maintenance staff turned it on for us."

"Hey! It's the early bird!"

I turned my head to the door when Vino's high voice echoed across the room. He was with Jamsen and Jeromy. Actually, they were roommates.

I gave them a small smile. Jamsen sat beside me and Vino made himself comfortable on the seat in front of me. Jeromy waved his hand and smiled to me and went straight to his chair and did his projects; he's the editor-in-chief, so he must be busy.

Vino faced me with a wide smile plastered on his face while his arm was resting on the top rail of his chair, and Jamsen was just looking stupid—I mean, he was just staring at me so plainly that his eyelids were drooping.

"You didn't answer my question yet," Jamsen said, placing his chin on his palm.

"Huh?" I gaped. "What question of yours?"

I didn't remember him asking me something.

"Why are you staying in the dormitory when your Daddy told you not so?" he asked, as if we were contestants on a game show.

I folded my arms across my chest. "Are you that curious, Jamsen?"

"No." He combed his hair with his long fingers. "I simply want to know what changed his mind? Did he realize that you're safe when you're with me?"

Dad let me stay here, not because of you, Jamsen, but because of Austin.

"Oh." I looked away. "It's because I want to. I'm their princess and I can get what I want, especially if my Mom is on my side."

He chuckled. "Just kidding. I know you can get what you want. By the way, I haven't seen Hannah and Hilary. Where are they?"

"They went to the restroom."

"Okay."

"Change topic, fellas!" Vino interjected, facing Jamsen. "I know you also noticed, Jamsen. Yesterday, Avia and Austin were having a nice chitchat." He faced me. "Tell me, Avia, are you available again for him?"

"Hell no! That was just a mere coincident, Vino. There's nothing more to our chitchat. It was just because of the prank that happened yesterday."

Jamsen cleared his throat. "Hmm... Is that it?"

"Uh-huh, that's all."

"So..." I eyed Vino with my sharp glare. "Why did you affront Austin yesterday? You yelled lunatic at him."

"That?" He sighed. "I wanted to tease him. I was bored that time. And it never failed me."

Just teasing? Playing, huh? It was so weird for him to do that. "Did Austin do something to you which you don't like?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"None," he said, shaking his head. "I was just bored yesterday and I teased him. Is that okay with you now? If you want me to apologize to him, I'll do it—"

"No need. He's fine," I cut his words.

"s**t! It's hot!" Vino exclaimed, leaving his seat.

"Vino, turn on the AC please," Jeromy requested. I looked around, we were almost complete in the class and still, Hannah and Hilary haven't got here.

I eyed Jamsen and he stared back, having no idea why I gazed at him. He definitely didn't know what I was thinking. My brows knitted when he walked straight to the air conditioner.

"Geez, Hey! It was already turned on!" I shouted.

"What are you talking about? It's off! I'm about to turn it on!"

Geez! When I came in, I felt the cold atmosphere. I even felt my flesh shiver. I really thought it was already turned on. It has been functioning since I came inside.

Geez! What just happened?

He turned it on and he was smiling while spreading his arms out in front of the AC, feeling and enjoying the cold air.

"Guys! Tyrone is coming here!" Hannah shrieked at the doorway, making everybody turn to her. I heard murmurs and mumblings echoing across the room. Tyrone was released yesterday and has now decided to attend the class.

"So?" Vino asked, unaffected by what Hannah shrilled about.

Hilary sat beside me. Holding a lollipop and licking it in front of me, breathing heavily. I guess, they ran from the restroom just to tell us that Tyrone would be attending class today.

"So what?" Hannah dropped her bag on her chair and tightened her ponytail. "He's coming!"

Vino shrugged. "Why are you so terrified? Tyrone won't kill you."

Jamsen eyed me and I stared back. He sighed while looking at Hannah and Vino, contending about Tyrone's arrival. I rolled my eyes at them. The room was filled with unnecessary mumblings and they added up to the noise.

"How about you? Aren't you frightened by him?" Hannah sat on her chair, eyeing Vino with raised eyebrows.

"Why would I?" He retorted, fixing his collar.

Hannah spread out her right hand toward the seat of Tyrone, which was vacant. "He's the suspected killer of Margaret and you aren't afraid? What the hell?"

"I believe he's not the killer."

"How can you say so?"

We turned our heads toward the door when we heard our classmates gasping. Tyrone was making his way to his seat. Austin and Nick were simply following him.

"Look at him." Vino pointed out Tyrone when he and his friends sat in their respective seats. "The way he held his chin up was to show that he was not guilty—"

"No, it's not what I'm thinking," Hannah raised her voice. Lucky her, only we heard her words. "What if he's just showing his innocent facade and hiding his real identity?"

"That's insane, Hannah. That's only a what if. You didn't know what the truth was?"

"Stop you two! Shut your mouth now. Our teacher entered the room," I said, making them zip their mouths, but their stares at each other were still screaming for an argument.

OUR FIRST, second and third subjects ended. Our fourth subject is about to befall upon us.

"s**t, I'm starving," Vino groaned, holding his stomach.

"Only one subject left, Vino, and lunch is coming soon," Jamsen said, patting his shoulders.

Due to the many school activities, we even sacrificed our recess time just to complete our seatwork that was given to us late by our second subject teacher. What had gotten into his mind to give us a late seat works? It should be given at the start of the class, not ten minutes before the class ends. I believed that it wasn't called an assignment because we submitted it after recess. And now we were a little bit frustrated and starving because of his late seatwork.

"At last, he came in," Hilary said, nailing her stare to our teacher. Mr. Hilles.

"The terror invaded the room," Vino joked, suppressing his laugher. Yeah, he was the only one who was laughing at his own joke.

Our class went on, and when Mr. Hilles turned his back to us. We heard a crackling sound from Vino's bag. He was eating chips that he had hidden inside his bag.

"Hey! Stop eating! You might get caught," Hannah reprimanded him.

"I'm good at this. Please let me, I'm really starving," Vino pleaded. His eyes were gleaming in sadness while munching chips.

Hannah shook her head and continued writing on her notebook. The room was so quiet and solemn. I could even hear every sound my body makes.

"Oh, crap!"

I saw all heads moving toward the spot where Austin sat. Hannah eyed me and I just shrugged. I c****d my head and peered at him. His eyes were wide open and his mouth was gaping. When he noticed everyone was staring at him with furrowed eyebrows, he looked down but I could see his chest moving up and down while sitting steadily on his seat.

"What is it, Mr. Hilardo?" Mr. Hilles asked him, holding his book. "I'm not tolerating any student to say swearwords in my class. Now out!"

"W-Why?"

"That's your punishment for saying a swearword, you even said it when the class was quiet. The c-word you said was very clear and audible. Now out."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

He carried his bag and walked down the aisle. Nico pulled the bottom hem of his uniform to restrain him from leaving, but Austin eyed him and smiled. I noticed his brows were furrowing and he was subtly shaking his head. There was something that was bothering him. He wouldn't act that way if he just saw nothing and felt nothing.

The door closed and I returned my gaze at the board and continued writing.

"Austin was a bit weird today, huh?" I heard Jamsen mumble beside me. I leaned back in my seat and stretched out my hand to write on my notebook.

My pen spilled its black ink on the paper. My hand began to tremble and my heart began to pound hard. The cold air got cooler and chills began running down my spine. My hand stopped after writing the letter N.

I was still staring at my notebook, unable to move, just feeling the weird aura of the room. I quickly raised my head and looked around. Nothing is suspicious. I gazed side by side and found nothing. All my classmates were bowing their heads in their notebooks while copying some notes.

I felt someone was staring at me.

I stared again at my notebook. This time, I felt even colder and I felt my hair was standing up and creeps began crawling onto my skin.

I felt it was in the mirror.

I slowly raised my head and stared directly at the rectangular mirror resting beside the white board.

My eyes widened, my mouth gaped and my heart constricted. I felt someone was choking me to death. The air could barely enter my lungs. I grabbed my chest while I breathed heavily, unable to feel my body while I couldn't take my eyes off her.

You again?

The unknown creepy girl was in the mirror. She was still wearing her dirty uniform and the fresh blood tainted her whole body. Her half face was covered with her untidy hair, and the other half was covered with blood.

Her bloodshot eyes were glaring at me with an ear-to-ear grin on her face. The blood had discolored her teeth, and it was exuding from her mouth, dripping down to her neck.

I could barely breathe. She spread out her hand toward me like she wanted me to join her. I couldn't move. She was dragging my soul to her.

She stopped grinning and began mouthing my name.

A...vi...a....

Then she grinned again and stepped her foot forward. Before she could get out of the mirror, I stood up, moving my chair and rushed straight to the door and got out. Slamming it closed.

"Ahh!" I screamed while running away from the classroom.

"Hey! Hey! Calm down!"

Someone hugged me. "Go away!" I pushed him away, but he kept hugging me. I could smell his sweet scent while my face was embedded into his chest.

"Ssshhhh I'm here, I'm here..." he hushed me while running his hand on my head down to my back repeatedly. My system gradually calmed down. I stopped squirming and remained standing while he was hugging me.

He held my chin up and I saw his face. I haven't realized that I shed tears. I only knew when he wiped it off from my eyes. I sniffled and looked down.

"Don't cry now. She's gone."

"Austin.." I sniffled, moving away from him.

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm here."

"I thought you walked away?"

"No I didn't." He shook his head. "I stood here by the window and copied our notes."

I nodded and leaned my abdomen against the railing. "You saw her, right? That made you shout in the middle of the class," I asked, without turning to him.

I couldn't believe I was talking to him right now. I swore to myself that I wouldn't ever talk to him again. Unfortunately, I breached my own rule.

"Yes, I saw her," he replied, leaning against the railing.

"I saw her too. She was in the mirror. I felt like she was taking me with her. She's bloody and unbearable in sight." I fixed myself by combing my hair and wiping my face off with my handkerchief.

"Yeah, I know. But don't be terrified. I'm here to protect you."

I nodded. I couldn't stand up to him, even though I wasn't allowing myself to be treated like that by him; and how was I going to stop him from protecting me? He said it and that's his responsibility. All I have to do is to wait for him to prove his words to me. After all, I was already used to his words before.

"Who is she? I didn't know her," I changed the topic, glancing at him.

He sighed and looked below. "I have something to tell you, but perhaps this isn't the right time to tell you about it."

So he hid something from me, huh.

"I'm fine. You can tell me right now," I said.

I was still recovering from what I witnessed earlier. I tried to forget it, but it would take me a long time.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay." He stared at me. "She was the girl who told me about you in the abandoned room. After she spoke to me, I asked her name..."

"Did she answer you?" I asked.

He looked away. "Unfortunately, she didn't say her complete name."

"So what did she say?"

"She only said 'NE', that's all," he replied.

I shook my head in disappointment. "What? Only two letters?"

"Yes."

"She's terrifying. I couldn't forget her face!" I exclaimed.

"Mr. Hilardo and Miss Montevestre," a hoarse voice reached our ears. Mr. Hilles was leering at us. He doffed his eyeglasses and cleaned them with his small cloth. The way he stared at us was full of lust and aggressiveness.

"You two were acting weird earlier. Are you having a difficult time with your academics? You can approach me anytime if you have something to clarify in your lessons, especially you, Miss Montevestre," he said with full authority.

He was leering at me, so I looked away and stared below to avoid his gaze.

"We're fine, Sir Hilles. But thank you for the offer."

"Fine, I guess that's all I can offer. I'll get going now."

Mr. Hilles left us and students filled the hallways when the bell rang.

We eyed each other. "He's weird, Austin, do you feel it?" I asked."

"Yes. So stay away from him, Avia. He's dangerously weird."

I nodded.

"Do you mind if—"

"Dude!"

"Avia! Are you ok?"

I wasn't able to hear Austin's voice when Hannah approached me along with Hilary, Jamsen and Vino. And also, Nico and Tyrone approached him.

I glanced back at him and caught him staring at me when Hannah dragged me away from our spot. I didn't know, but I felt fine and relieved when I was with him, especially when he hugged me.

THE CAFETERIA seemed half full today, huh? I looked around the place when I noticed fewer students were ordering at the counter. We had finished ordering our food and were only left to find a seat to settle on. We have our own exclusive lounge in the Elite Chamber, but we don't have one in the cafeteria.

"Let's sit here," Hilary led the way to our seats in the middle and settled in there, placing our orders on the table.

"Why did you run away earlier, Avia?" Jamsen asked.

We began eating our lunch.

"Yeah," Vino agreed. "After Austin got out of the class, you followed him. Is destiny playing with you two?" He chuckled while covering his mouth.

I shook my head. "No, I just need to go to the restroom and I forgot to excuse myself from the class," I lied. Yah and I needed to. I decided not to tell them about the girl in the mirror. They wouldn't believe me anyway.

"Whoa, that's probably full of liquid," Vino exclaimed.

Hannah leaned closer to me. "Mr. Hilles said that you two were acting weird and he even assumed that maybe you and Austin were dating—"

"What the hell?" I cut off her words and rolled my eyes. "He said that? I can't believe him. What if our classmates believed that? That's a shame on my part!" I exclaimed.

"Why? Are you still angry with him?" Hilary asked, then sipped her soda.

"Yes," I lied. I wasn't even sure if I was still angry with him or not. After what he had done for me, I don't think so.

Sorry guys. I'll be a liar for awhile. I couldn't tell you what's on my mind right now because we haven't figured it out yet.

"Hey guys, check out this story! It's not entirely made in a novel form but it was mixed with poetry, I guess?" Hannah informed us while staring at her phone.

"What's that?" I asked.

She eyed us. "Do you have Read101 on your phones?"

"No," Hilary, Jamsen, and I all agreed.

"I have!" Vino raised his hand, informing us that he had the app Hannah was talking about.

"Then if you have, read this one and if you don't have the app, install it immediately," Hannah commanded.

"I'll have it later," Hilary said.

"Me too," I coincided.

"Who's the author? So that I can upload the story you're telling me about," Vino asked Hannah.

"Username, Chubbynitta," she replied.

"Ohh... Chub...by...nit...ta." Vino was typing on his phone. "I got it! Is her story entitled Angel's Misery?"

"Yes! That's it."