ã€ŠTriskaidekaphobiaã€‹


 Chapter 1: Hauntings of the Past.

    Day 1: September 1, 2013, Sunday.

    For me and my dad, today marked the start of our new life. We recently moved to Magnolia, a famous town often mistaken for a city because of its great tourist attractions and high-quality establishments. We moved here to start anew, to forget that tragedy. My mom passed away four months ago in a massive fire incident. I was in school when it happened, and Dad was at work. Sadly, Mom didn''t survive and passed away. We wanted to forget, but how could you possibly forget something terrible like that? So I guess moving on was the right word to use.

    But moving on would be extremely difficult; losing someone you love so dearly wasn''t easy. I couldn''t accept it, especially considering the anomalies and strange circumstances surrounding what happened to Mom. The authorities said it was an accident¡ªa faulty fuse blew up¡ªand my mom was unfortunately caught in it. Their investigation might have been accurate and correct, but the authorities were unaware of some strange events before the fire. Mom was acting very odd in the days leading up to the accident. Her behavior was so bizarre and sudden that it made no sense.

    "Nicole, are you done unpacking? Want some help?" My dad asked me as I was lost in thought.

    "I''m almost done, Dad. Just a few boxes left, I got this," I answered.

    Ever since we lost Mom, my dad took on the role of becoming both my "father and mother," and he was doing a great job at it. He was an author; that was where we got most of our income. He decided to use a pen name instead of using his real name, "Reuben Fenton," for security and privacy purposes. I didn''t mean to brag, but Dad was quite famous. His books were well-received and always sold out because he really has a knack for writing good stories.

    As an avid reader, I always found myself reeled in by his great works. Also, probably because I was a book nerd and an aspiring author myself, he would always ask for my opinion. For example, he would tell me his new ideas for his book, and if I said it was good, he would go with it. And if I said it was bad, he would think of a new one. He also lets me be the first one to read his books; I guess that was my privilege as his daughter. Or you could say that my dad was just a doting father. But I really appreciated him and everything he did. In addition, it helped me with my goal of writing a book someday.

    "Hey Nicole, want to hear your papa''s new idea for a new book?" he asked as he helped me sort out some of my belongings, even though I told him I was almost done.

    "I''m all ears, Dad, and thanks for the help, that''s the last box," I replied.

    "Okay, listen, I plan on writing horror this time, what do you think?"

    It was his first time writing a horror novel, but knowing Dad, he must have studied the genre already and had the basics covered. And even if he didn''t, his amazing sense for writing was more than enough to make it work.

    "Well, that''s a first. Did you specifically pick horror because I like the genre?" I playfully asked.

    Dad laughed heartily and said, "Was it really that obvious? I want to try something new, and horror is in the trend."

    "I''m sure it would be great, Dad. I take it you already studied the genre and are ready to cook something up?" I said while pointing to his study.

    "You bet I do! With your approval, I''m sure this will be a big hit! Time to start working."

    Dad swiftly went to his study with a huge smile, but before he entered the room, he said, "Why don''t you go out? Explore around a bit, familiarize yourself here in Magnolia."

    "That''s a good idea, Dad. I might as well pay a visit to my new school. I don''t want to be late on my first day tomorrow and be called a delinquent transfer student," I jokingly said.

    "I''m sure your new classmates will like you! Take care, Nicole. Don''t stay out too late, okay?"

    As Dad finished speaking, he gave me a pat on the head and went to work on his new book. Since I had a plethora of free time, I decided to explore Magnolia a bit. I put on some new clothes, fixed my ponytail hair, and grabbed my bag.

    But before leaving, I overheard something. It seemed to be coming from the television¡ªa live interview exchange between a tourist and a TV host.

    "We are now live with the on-the-spot interview, where we roam around our lovely town of Magnolia and ask our lovely tourists what about our town piques their interest!"

    "Hello, sir! May I ask for a little of your time for a short interview? We are currently live on national TV!"

    "Really? Sure! Hi Mom, I''m on TV!"

    "Awesome! Have you seen the whole town yet? May I know what you think of our lovely town of Magnolia?"

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "It''s been great so far! I especially love the view from the lookout tower! And¡ª"

    The exchange between them continued. I was about to turn off the TV when the tourist said something that caught my attention.

    "We came here for the tourist spots, but the viral rumor going around this town is what really made us come here! A curse plagues this town for 13 days, from the start of the month until the 13th day. So cool! So, we want¡ª"

    "13 days, a rumor, and a curse"¡ªthose words caught my attention. Besides Magnolia''s great tourist attractions and high-quality establishments that made it popular with tourists, this particular hearsay also attracted a lot of people and pulled them into the little town. A curse the people called The 13 Plagues¡ª

    "Lame..." I murmured.

    I mean, come on. Who would believe such things? What was wrong with 13? It was just a regular number, so I guess the real question would be, what was wrong with the people believing those kinds of rumors? But funny enough, I found it hard not to believe in the same rumor I called lame just now. There had been several strange reports and cases in this town over the past few years, and the odd part was that they all occurred between the start of each month and the 13th day.

    "Hey, Dad! Do you know about the rumor going around this town? Don''t tell me that''s why you wanted to move here of all places, you want to use it for your new horror book?" I yelled jokingly to my dad, who was now inside his study across the living room where I was in.

    As I waited for him to respond, I suddenly felt a cold breeze; it was so frigid that it felt like I was inside a fridge.

    "S-s-so cold..." I said while shivering.

    I looked at the windows; they were all closed, and our fans couldn''t emit such a cold breeze.

    "Dad! Why did it suddenly turn ice-cold here? Do you have some secret super-powered AC in your study?" I shouted humorously again to my dad.

    While waiting for my dad to throw back a joke my way, I proceeded to turn off the TV. However, I noticed that something was very off about it. And the more I stared at the TV, the clearer it was that something unusual was happening. First, there was no sound coming out of it. It was dead quiet¡ªnot just the TV, but the whole room suddenly went silent. Second, the videos shown on the TV were not the same ones I was watching earlier; they were different. I couldn''t make out or ascertain what it was; there was just a sequence of bizarre flashing images. However, I could clearly distinguish a lone woman, just creepily standing there in the grotesque graphic shown on the TV. Not to mention the fact that it was freezing in here; things were getting pretty strange.

    As I gazed intently into the TV and tried to understand what was happening, it suddenly turned off, leaving me staring at my reflection on the TV. Then I immediately noticed something from the reflection¡ªour house''s front door was now wide open.

    "Why is the door open? Did Dad go out?" I stared at the door, confused about what was happening.

    I tried to rationalize what was happening¡ªthe cold temperature, the TV, and now the front door. These series of events were not your typical daily occurrences that would just happen in any household. Also, I just noticed that my dad has been eerily quiet for the past minute or so.

    Needless to say, I was quite terrified at the moment. Even for a horror buff like me, who has read and watched countless horror books and movies, this was too much. I hurriedly went to the front door to close it.

    "I know I closed you earlier... Don''t go opening on your own again, okay?" I said to myself amusingly while locking the door. I tried to make light of the situation to relieve the tension I was feeling.

    Now, it was time to check on Dad, who has been relatively quiet for a while now. Maybe he just didn''t hear me, or he was just too focused on his writing. Perhaps the walls in his study room were thick, or it was just plain soundproof. While absorbed in my thoughts, I suddenly felt something on my shoulder.

    "Huh!" I gasped and quickly turned to see what it was...

    And it was just my dad.

    "Whoa... are you all right, girl? You looked like you''d seen a ghost, why are you shaking? Are you not feeling well?" As he said that, he placed his hand on my forehead.

    "You startled me!" I exclaimed.

    "I was calling for you earlier, you didn''t hear me?" I followed up.

    "I''m sorry... I was so fixated on my writing and didn''t hear you. Did something happen?" My dad asked me in a concerned tone.

    He was probably worried about me since the way I reacted was pretty uncharacteristic of me. Well, I mean, anyone would be freaking out if they were in the same situation I was in just now. And speaking of that, the temperature was back to normal. I glanced at the TV, and unsurprisingly, it was now turned on again.

    "I''m fine, Dad. I was just going to ask you if you want anything from the store. I''m planning on stopping by one later," I said in my usual composed and calm demeanor. I didn''t want to worry my dad over something that I was not even sure really happened or was just a figment of my imagination.

    Due to what happened to my mom a few months ago, I suffered from PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder. The first few days after the incident were so hard for me; it was hell. I couldn''t eat, talk, or even do things on my own. It was a total shock. I was very close to my mom, so her death was too much for me. Similar incidents like this happened before, I could see visions others couldn''t see, and I would undergo strange situations or events that were all inside my head. In particular, I would always see my mom in my dreams every night, reaching out her hands to me as if she were asking for help. And worst of all, even while I was awake, I would still see her...

    If not for my dad, I could say that I wouldn''t be here anymore. When I realized and saw that I was not the only one who was devastated by Mom''s passing, I decided not to make things worse for Dad. Instead of worrying him and causing him more pain, I vowed to myself that I would be there for him and support him with everything I had. And now I could say that I was in a better place mentally and emotionally. Thanks to my dad and the treatment I received.

    I didn''t want to worry him again. I figured I was just tired from moving, and the anxiety of living in a new town caused me to hallucinate again after some time.

    "Oh great! Can you fetch me some energy drinks? I''m planning to go all out tonight! The ideas are brimming in!" my dad proclaimed excitedly.

    "I got you, Dad. I''ll be back in a few. See you later," I said as I waved goodbye.

    "See you later, Nicole. Have a nice stroll around town," said my dad while waving back to me with a huge smile.

    And with that, I went outside to explore the new place I live in, Magnolia... A town that has more to it than meets the eye.

    (Stay tuned for Chapter 2.)

 Chapter 2: Truths and Lies.

    Day 1: September 1, 2013, Sunday.

    Here I was, leisurely exploring Magnolia. It was such a charming town; one would think this was truly a city because it had the vibe and aura of one. It was bustling with locals and tourists alike. Anywhere I looked, I saw happy and smiling faces, people enjoying themselves, and families walking around together.

    "Must be nice..."

    To be completely honest, I was jealous. The sight of a complete and happy family prickled my already broken heart.

    "Anna, dear. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

    "Curry! I want curry, Mama!"

    "All right, dear. We''ll have curry tonight. Papa, dear. Let''s stop by the market to get the ingredients.

    "Sure thing, honey. Come on, Anna. I''ll carry you on my shoulder!"

    "Yes! I can see the world from up here. Papa is amazing!"

    As I admiringly watched the wonderful family in front of me, it reminded me of the past when my mom, dad, and I used to go on trips. Mom always brought stuff she made using her favorite orchid flower every time we went on a trip. Varying from bracelets, necklaces, rings, and even flower crowns, I especially loved the necklaces. As for Dad, he taught me a lot of cool stuff, like how to fly a kite, play catch, and hula hoop. Fun fact: I was an expert at hula hooping. Those times were so much fun.

    However, as much as I wanted to reminisce about the past when my mom was still alive, unfortunately, it was difficult for me to do so. Because of the extreme shock caused by the incident, my memories of the past, especially of Mom''s, were in complete shambles. But there was no use moping about it, it was not like my memories would get magically fixed if I stressed myself over it.

    I continued my stroll around Magnolia. I went to check a few local shops and stalls, grabbed a cool drink to take with me, and did some window shopping at a fancy boutique. Naturally, I saved the best for last. I was absolutely looking forward to trying this town''s famous signature dish, the Magnolia Skewers. Word on the street was that if you ate this dish even once, you would get addicted to it.

    So, I bought some and sat on a bench at the local park. And not going to lie, it tasted fantastic. Describing the taste would take too long, so I would express it using one word: scrumptious.

    After letting out a sigh of satisfaction, I blurted out to myself, "That skewer hit the mark. No wonder it''s this town''s signature dish."

    Suddenly, a cute voice from across the bench I was sitting on surprised me. "Are you a tourist? I''ve never seen anyone besides me enjoy this town''s skewer as much as you did!"

    I hesitated to answer initially because, as every good parent told their children, "Do not talk to strangers."

    But upon closer inspection, the person who talked to me didn''t seem too bad. Frankly, she appeared to be completely harmless. Nevertheless, it was better to be safe than sorry. So, I didn''t answer and just politely smiled at the blonde-haired girl staring at me with a huge smile.

    "Oh my gosh! You''re so pretty!" The blonde girl exclaimed happily. As she said that, she stood up and quickly ran to where I was sitting. And needless to say, it was awkward.

    "Can I help you with anything?" I asked the girl standing in front of me with a grin on her face.

    The girl pouted. "Come on! Don''t be so grumpy! It''s just that this is the first time I''ve seen you around, and you don''t look like a tourist," she went on.

    "So, I got curious about you, and you''re just so pretty! Like, so pretty! You also seem to like Magnolia''s Skewer, which happened to be my favorite, so¡ª"

    This girl, whose name I didn''t even know, kept going on and on... So before she talked my ears off, I decided to interrupt.

    "So, what''s your name?" I asked her while smiling. This proved effective as she stopped talking, her eyes widened, and she appeared delighted.

    She held her hand out to me. "I''m Katie! Katie Marsh! Nice to meet you!" The girl said with a big smile.

    I know I just said not to talk to strangers, but Katie looked perfectly fine to me. At least that was the feeling I got from interacting with her, and since an opportunity presented itself, I might as well grab it.

    I shook Katie''s hand and introduced myself. "The name is Nicole, Nicole Fenton. Nice to meet you too, Katie."

    "I guess you would do," I whispered to myself.

    After exchanging introductions, we sat down and spoke for a while. Katie was a native of Magnolia, born and raised. Coincidentally, we were the same age, both 16.

    She almost told me everything about the town: the best places to eat, where to buy clothes, and the talk of the town. Well, I did press her lightly to test her, and she immediately chattered away. I didn''t know if Katie just trusted me that much or if she was just carefree and gullible. To be honest, I was slightly worried about this girl. Didn''t her parents tell her not to talk to strangers?

    But thanks to her, I achieved what I had planned to do. I got useful information about Magnolia from someone native. I didn''t want to live in a new place without prior knowledge about it, especially with all those peculiar rumors going around.

    As I initially thought, the most obvious problem was the rumored curse, The 13 Plagues, as people called it. This rumor dates back as far as the ''60s, at least according to Katie. It started when people suddenly began to vanish without a trace and then inexplicably appeared out of nowhere. Then, a strange illness afflicted the whole town. And worst of all, people started to die.

    The 13 Plagues was derived from the strange pattern that occurred in the town¡ªa sequence of bizarre phenomena engulfed the town at the start of every month up to the 13th day. At first, weirdly enough, casualties only happened on the 13th day of every month. The first day up to the twelfth, they only consisted of, for lack of a better word, minor casualties. People got hurt and struck down by disease, and the town as a whole plunged into a pit of misfortune. Only on the 13th day would people wind up dead or missing, never to be seen again.

    I asked Katie for the specifics, but she only knew the gist and the town''s consensus about the strange occurrences. I guess even the town had no idea what was happening or who was behind it. But she did mention that the peculiar pattern had drastically changed over the years. As time passed, significant casualties began to occur on the first to twelfth days as well.

    "Do you have any more questions, Nicki?" Katie asked. By the way, she decided to start calling me "Nicki" during our chat.

    Before answering, I glanced at my phone to check the time. It was already 6:47 p.m. It was getting pretty late, and I still hadn''t checked the school I enrolled in. I had lost track of the time.

    "Would you happen to know where Magnolia Academy is?" I asked.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Katie and I were the same age, so there was a high chance we were also both in the same grade. I figured she might also be attending Magnolia Academy because it was the go-to school in this town.

    "Of course! I''m a student there! Will you be going there too, Nicki?" Katie exclaimed.

    Bingo. As suspected, she was indeed a student at Magnolia Academy. So, when I told Katie we were going to become schoolmates, she immediately offered to accompany me to the school and show me around. However, since it was a weekend, we could only tour outside the school because it was closed, and no staff members worked on Sundays.

    After some time of walking, Katie and I arrived at the academy. It was a sight to behold, as expected from the top school in a famous and prosperous town. It was incredible.

    But even the sight of the grand academy didn''t stop me from noticing something off. On our way here, the number of people we passed by and saw drastically decreased; the locals still outside were few, and the tourists or non-natives were mainly the ones still out and about. Some stalls and shops around town also started closing, with only a couple still open. Compared to how lively and crowded the town was early in the day, now it suddenly felt desolate; it was kind of ominous.

    Katie also started to act differently, her bubbly and contagious happy demeanor was gone. She became more wary, and fear filled her eyes. I was actually surprised by the sudden shift; she was like a different person.

    "Here we are, Nicole. Magnolia Academy," Katie declared as she reverted to calling me "Nicole."

    "Thanks, Katie. Not calling me Nicki anymore?" I said with a laugh to get a reaction from her and an idea of what was going on.

    Katie giggled. "I''m sorry, Nicki... It''s just that I was having so much fun with you and lost track of the time. I didn''t realize it was this late already. I''m just a bit scared, is all..."

    I guessed it already, but Katie''s reaction confirmed my suspicions. It was The 13 Plagues curse that was causing Katie and the townspeople to behave strangely.

    Since we had accomplished what we came to do, I told Katie it was time to head home. I would admit, I got carried away exploring the town. I guess I was trying to escape, I wanted to keep myself occupied by doing stuff to keep my mind off what happened earlier today. Mainly the woman I saw on the TV while I was hallucinating¡ªMom.

    It had been some time since I last had one, so seeing Mom again, even as a hallucination, distressed me a lot. All my suppressed emotions¡ªstress, anxiety, and fear¡ªsuddenly came flooding in all at once. It was very overwhelming.

    "Let''s go, Katie. I''ll walk you home as a thank you for today," I said confidently to relieve Katie of her anxiety.

    The sun had set already, and I was not sure how far Katie lived from here and from my house. But I was quite confident that I could take care of myself. Besides, I didn''t care about the curse or rumor going around. My hallucinations were more than enough for me, thank you.

    As we turned our backs from the academy and started walking home, Katie suddenly grabbed my arm. She yanked so hard that it actually hurt.

    I fluttered. "That hurts, Katie, what''s wrong¡ª" Before I even finished speaking, I saw Katie staring at something in the distance with her mouth wide open. She was pointing at the academy.

    I quickly looked at where Katie was pointing and saw a woman standing behind one of the windows inside the academy building. It was dark, and the distance between us and the woman was far. However, both Katie and I could ascertain what we were staring at, albeit in minor detail.

    I looked at Katie, who was clearly bewildered, and decided to lend her a helping hand. "Staff members of this academy are diligent, working even on Sundays? Wow..." I said in jest.

    Katie was already anxious before this, so I felt the need to lighten the mood to calm her down.

    "Or perhaps that woman is a thief? We need to call the authorities then." This time around, I wasn''t joking. I reached for my phone, dialed the number, and put it on the loudspeaker.

    "No, Nicole... It''s the curse..." Katie mumbled.

    I ignored Katie and waited for the authorities to pick up the call while staring at the woman in the window, who, for some reason, was still standing there. For a thief, she was clumsy. Getting caught and exposing yourself to be seen were big mistakes to make as one. But I was no thief, so I haven''t got the faintest idea of the "Do''s and Don''ts" of one.

    As I pondered to myself if the woman was truly a thief, the ringing on my phone suddenly stopped. And an eerie laughter can now be heard coming from it.

    Katie and I were both stunned; we immediately looked at my phone screen. To our horror, the woman at the window we stared at earlier was now bizarrely on the screen. If I were to put it in a way that was easier to understand, it would be as though the woman was magically transported into my phone, allowing us to see her more clearly. It was a familiar face.

    The terrifying event made Katie let out a blood-curdling scream. All the pent-up fear she was holding in was released in an instant. And I totally understood her; I was also feeling quite spooked myself.

    Katie grabbed my hand and then dragged me away from the academy. "Let''s get out of here, Nicole!" A panicked Katie cried out.

    While Katie was pulling me to who knows where, I looked back at the academy and saw the woman still standing at the window. I also quickly peeked at my phone to confirm if she was still there, but she wasn''t there anymore.

    Nonetheless, I recognized that woman; it was someone I always saw in my hallucinations. My mom.

    I must be hallucinating again, but if that was the case, how come Katie was also able to see her? Katie also heard the laughter coming from my phone. Was Katie right that this was the work of the "curse"? The 13 Plagues? What was going on?

    After a few minutes of running that felt like an eternity, Katie and I stopped at the park where we met earlier.

    "Are you all right, Katie?" I said while panting.

    "No! I''m not fine! What the heck was that?" A breathless and exhausted Katie yelled.

    I didn''t want to let out more than was needed, so I didn''t tell Katie about my mom. She insisted it was the curse, but I believed otherwise. I just went along with it to end this topic. It was a sensitive matter for me that I didn''t want to talk about.

    After we both calmed down, I asked Katie where she lived, and lo and behold, we lived close by. And since I was a woman of her word, I walked her home.

    "Thank you for walking me home, Nicole... Please be careful on your way home, okay? Here''s my number, give me a call if anything happens," said a teary and grateful Katie.

    After exchanging contact information, I waved goodbye to Katie and started walking home. I checked my phone, and it was back to its normal state. I took note of the time as well; it was already past 8:00 p.m. My dad would surely chew me out for being out so late. The worst part of all, I wasn''t able to get him the energy drinks he asked me to grab for him. I was in trouble for sure.

    Upon entering our house, I immediately yelled, "I''m so sorry, Dad!" in anticipation of my dad''s imminent wrath. But to my surprise, no one was home.

    "Dad!" I yelled multiple times as I searched the entire house for him.

    After looking around for a few minutes to no avail, I checked my phone to see if Dad had left me a message about where he was going. When nothing was there, I decided to call him. This was out of character of him, he would never leave the house without telling me where he was going. And he was working on a new book; he would typically be in his study and writing at a rapid pace by now.

    While waiting for my dad to pick up, I heard a ringing inside the house. I followed it closely, and the ringing led me to my dad''s study. It seemed like my dad didn''t bring his phone with him, as I pointed out earlier¡ªanother odd behavior from Dad.

    I picked up the phone to end the call, and when the call screen closed, the last application or tab my dad used popped out. It was a conversation with someone named Henry.

    Poking my nose at other people''s business wasn''t my style, and especially since it was my dad''s, I decided not to prod and put his phone away. But inadvertently, I was able to read some of the messages before setting the phone aside. And one message stood out from the rest and sent a shiver down my spine.

    "Mom came to this town before the incident...?" I said dumbfoundedly.

    The message that stood out was the one where my dad was asking, or should I say, demanding Henry to tell him if my mom really came to this town before the incident. And to my surprise, she did. The Henry guy confirmed it with my dad. So, he must have gone out to meet with Henry to talk about it in person and in more detail. That explained why he was not at home, he was probably out all day because his book progress was nonexistent. His laptop''s screen only showed a blank, empty page.

    Usually, I wouldn''t mind if my dad kept a few secrets from me. Personal space, privacy, and all. But this was an exception. This was about Mom, and I couldn''t even begin to comprehend why he hid this from me. Now I started to wonder what other things my dad was hiding from me. I had so many questions with no answers available.

    With a heavy heart, I put my dad''s phone back where it was. Feeling sluggish and tired, I went to bed, but I was afraid to go to sleep. I hadn''t had any hallucinations for some time now, and then suddenly, I hallucinated twice today. And with the way things were going, it was inevitable that I would see her again in my sleep.

    I didn''t know what triggered or caused it, but it has been a while since the last. I wasn''t prepared for it at all this time around. I was caught off guard, and now I was afraid.

    But the fatigue from running around town earlier and the toll of my hallucinations made it hard for me to remain awake. And soon enough, I fell asleep.

    "Ol...i...via... I finally found you!"

    A frightening scream woke me up, and I dreamed about her again.

    I tried to calm myself down, but tears started falling from my eyes. They wouldn''t stop. I sobbed and shed tears all night as I thought of her.

    "Mom..."

    (To be continued.)

 Chapter 3: Warmth of Emotions.

    Day 2: September 2, 2013, Monday.

    My eyes and head hurt, and my body felt so heavy. Crying all night long wasn''t a good idea. I wasn''t able to get enough sleep, and worst of all, today was my first day at my new school.

    "I guess I''m really going to be labeled as a delinquent transfer student..." I muttered and got out of bed.

    I stretched for a bit and looked in the mirror; my face was awful. My eyes were swollen, and I looked miserable. I could cover my face a little using my hair, so tying it in my usual ponytail was out of the question today. I didn''t want people to start spreading weird rumors about me on my first day in school.

    While I was figuring out the best way to hide my face, my dad called for me downstairs.

    "Nicole! Time for breakfast! Are you up?"

    "I''m coming, Dad! Hold on!"

    I quickly thought of some excuses to explain to my dad why I looked awful this early in the morning as I descended the staircase.

    "Good morning, Dad. The first day of school jitters got the best of me, I wasn''t able to sleep a wink last night," I said convincingly as I sat on the dining table.

    "You better eat a lot then. You will feel better with a full tummy!" Dad said as he gave me a plateful of food enough to feed two people.

    No complaints though, the food on the table was so delicious that if my dad wasn''t an author by profession, he could easily pass as a head chef at some fancy restaurant or hotel. It tasted so good that it made me feel better. I needed this, I didn''t want to stress myself too much about the things that happened last night.

    "The food is great as usual, Dad. How come you''re so good at cooking?" I curiously asked.

    "I just got good as I did it, you know how your mom was such a terrible cook? So, I had no choice but to be the man for the job," Dad said while laughing.

    I just smiled at him because I wasn''t sure of what to say. I didn''t know or remember that Mom was a bad cook. It wasn''t my intention to bring her up, so things were kind of awkward. Talking about Mom was a heavy topic for us to talk about, I said us, but it was mostly me, to be honest.

    But the silence was broken by a morbid news report on TV.

    "A deceased body was found by the riverside this morning, the body has yet to be identified¡ª"

    "That reminds me, do you know about the curse going on around this town, Dad? The 13 Plagues, the people called it."

    It was subtle, but I noticed a change in my dad''s expression when I mentioned the curse. Was I right in my assumption that he knew something about this town? And did it have something to do with Mom''s death?

    "Yes, I do, sweety. I thought this urban legend would be a great inspiration for my book! I actually plan to ask around town later for reference. Does the rumor bother you?" He asked.

    The 13 Plagues... At first, it didn''t bother me one bit. However, taking into account what happened last night with Katie, I was starting to think otherwise. Katie was able to see and hear my mom during my "hallucinations," and she went through the same thing I did. Which was impossible, ever since I started to see Mom and go through hell on earth, only I was able to see and experience it. It was a thing in my head and a huge reason why I underwent therapy and took medications.

    "I figured as much, but to answer your question, Dad. No, not at all. It doesn''t bother me," I said, smiling.

    After eating, I washed the dishes and went on to take a bath. Inside the shower room, I once again looked in the mirror to check on my swollen eyes.

    "I look dead..." I mumbled as I gently stroked my eyes.

    While staring in the mirror, I found myself thinking about the dream I had last night¡ªwhy did Mom call me "Olivia"? Even though my memories of her were hazy, I could never forget how much my mom loved me and the warmth of her embrace. I also believed that she would never forget about me. But my mom, who always appeared in my visions, was different. All I could feel from her was rage and despair. It didn''t feel like my mom, I knew it was only a figment of my imagination, but even so, it hurt me to see Mom like that.

    When I was done taking a bath and about to get out, the lights started to flicker on and off. It was times like this that I found the most infuriating. It was really hard to tell if it was real or if I was hallucinating.

    But ignoring it would be a bad idea; a flickering light could cause a fire, and I didn''t want something like that to happen again. I checked the light switch and flipped it off, but the flickering didn''t stop. So I decided to just get out and tell my dad about it.

    However, when I tried to open the door, I couldn''t get it to open. It felt like it was locked from the outside, even though there was no way to lock it from there. Of course, I checked if it was locked on my side, and it wasn''t.

    I was about to yell out for my dad when I felt a sudden, chilling breeze on my back. The temperature in the room dropped. My instinct told me that someone or something was behind me. So I immediately turned to figure out what it was, but nothing was there except for my lone reflection in the mirror.

    With my back behind the door, the lights still flickering on and off. I was staring directly at the mirror inside the shower room, looking at my reflection... but not for too long. As the lights turned on and off, my reflection in the mirror began to change.

    Every time the light turned back on to illuminate the room, my face reflected in the mirror gradually turned into a face of anguish, and then blood began dripping from its head, covering my reflection''s face in blood.

    The sight of myself looking like that terrified me to death. I was shaking uncontrollably, and my chest tightened. Panic also started to creep in, I couldn''t move or even yell for my dad for help. But I refused to give in, and I tried to calm myself down by closing my eyes to avoid the gruesome sight and to focus on my breathing to get it under control.

    I paced my breathing by counting in my mind as I breathed in and breathed out. Thankfully, I was able to regulate my breathing just enough to calm myself down, and now that I regained control, I was also able to move a little. Feeling a bit more confident, I tried opening my eyes. But that was a huge mistake.

    I was about to open my eyes when I felt a cold breath on my face, and the smell of it was so putrid it made me gag. But it paled in comparison to what I saw as soon as I opened my eyes. A disturbing sinister face was glaring at me, face to face, with only a few inches separating us.

    "Olivia!" The woman screamed at my face.

    The sheer terror filled me with adrenaline and enabled me to pull back and scream for my life.

    "Dad!" I screamed with every ounce of my being as I fell to the floor.

    Fortunately, my dad heard me and quickly came to my rescue. He was able to open the door from the outside and swiftly pick me up. I clung to my dad as hard as I could and cried my heart out.

    My dad held me tightly. "Nicole! Are you all right? What happened? What''s wrong?" His voice was filled with worry.

    Even though I didn''t want to worry him, I decided to tell Dad everything that happened, including yesterday''s events. I just couldn''t handle it anymore; the hallucinations I had since coming to this town were on a totally different scale compared to before. Also, I didn''t want to keep important details like this from my dad.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    As expected, the moment I told my dad everything, it was as though life was taken out of him. He looked dejected, he put me in his arms and hugged me. I did the same, and we stayed like that for a while, crying together...

    When we both calmed down, my dad helped me up and laid me down on the sofa. He told me that it would be better if I called in sick today and insisted that I should just rest.

    "I''ll call the academy, Nicole. Just lay down there, and I''ll make some porridge for you," my dad said as he proceeded to make a call.

    I was still shaken, and I felt terrible. The idea of staying home to rest was really appealing, but my dad mentioned earlier that he would be going out for work. I would rather go outside feeling dead than stay at home alone. I didn''t want to get in the way of Dad''s work as well, or whatever it was that he planned to do. My guess would be that he will try to find more information about my mom''s death.

    I stood up and stopped my dad from making the call. "No, Dad! I''m fine. I''m used to this, and I really don''t want to miss my first day at my new school."

    "You''re used to it, you say... I''m really worried about you, Nicole. You have been seeing these visions and experiencing all sorts of unusual stuff ever since you were a kid. Maybe we should go to Dr. Hillary for a checkup."

    Among the things my dad said, something stuck up like a sore thumb. His reaction when he said that was very clear, he realized he let out something that he wasn''t supposed to, and he immediately tried to change the subject.

    "In any case, just rest for today and stay at home. I feel bad leaving you like this, but I need to go now for work. Would you be all right on your own? Because I can stay if you want me to."

    "Dad... I know that Mom came here before she died, and I also know about Henry. So, please? Don''t keep me in the dark, and tell me everything..." I told him how I managed to find out and what went on yesterday night.

    Dad nodded and agreed to tell me everything. "You were always too sharp and smart for your age, sweetie..." he said as he patted my head.

    "What happened to me as a kid? Why are my memories so messed up? I have a lot of questions, Dad..." I always thought that my life started to become hell when my mom died; that was when the "nightmares" started. At least that was what I always believed, and now I found out that all of this has been happening to me ever since I was a child. It made my head hurt so much, and the feeling of not being able to remember anything even if I tried so hard was making me so anxious.

    "All right, Nicole. I concede. I will tell you everything later, when I get home, okay? I really need to go because I will be meeting the guy you mentioned, Henry. He is a busy person, so this is the only opportunity I have to meet him today. You see, he is the former mayor of Magnolia and the father of the current one."

    I agreed with my dad on one condition. If he was going out, then I would as well. I told him that I really didn''t want to stay at home alone. So, I planned to meet with Katie since she lived nearby and Dad wouldn''t worry as much if I was with someone.

    "I''ll come home as soon as I can, don''t stay out too late, okay? Call me if anything happens." We came to an agreement, and Dad went out to meet with Henry. The former mayor of this town and the father of the current mayor. Why was my dad meeting with people like that? And what relationship did they have with my mom?

    But the name "Henry" did ring a bell; it sounded and felt familiar. I tried to remember, but my head started to ache. I went to the medicine cabinet to get some painkillers because the pain was gradually getting to the point of being unbearable. Inside the cabinet, I found a bunch of medicines and a pressed orchid that my mom used to make. I recalled that she always liked to put that flower all around our house when she was still alive.

    After Mom passed away, there was a period when I indulged myself in things that would remind me of her. Her clothes, the plushies she bought me, and foremost of all, the stuff she made using orchid flowers. They became my solace and made my mom''s passing a tad bit easier to accept.

    However, I began to see horrible visions and went through unspeakable ordeals. The sight of my mom in the state she was in terrified me to a great extent. It made it difficult for me to look at her like that, and it reached a point where anything that reminded me of her scared me so much that I started to avoid all of them. I was afraid they might trigger a hallucination and that I would see my mom in such a gruesome way again. As time passed, my memories of her became distorted, and I eventually forgot how she looked or how she truly was. All I could envision when I thought of her was the "mom" in my hallucinations, which was utterly terrifying

    But for some reason, the sensation I was feeling looking at the orchid was strangely comforting. I used to be so afraid of them, but they made me feel really good this time. To the point that I almost forgot I was in bad shape and was feeling crappy. I was also able to remember something about my mom because of the orchid. So I decided to take it with me.

    After drinking medicine and closing the cabinet, the mirror attached to it was now facing me. It reminded me of the traumatizing incident I just went through earlier.

    "If I was already going through this even before my mom died... does that mean..." My brain started to think hard again, causing more pain in my head. The pain seemed to be the strongest and was coming from the top of my head. I grazed my hand at the spot, and I felt a scar of some sort. I never knew I had something like that in my head until now. It was also in the exact same place where the blood from my reflection''s head was leaking out when I was hallucinating earlier.

    "What in the world is happening to me? Really..." I said as I laughed in agony.

    Regardless, I didn''t plan to give up or lose to what was happening to me, and the orchid, oddly enough, made me feel really relaxed and peaceful. It comforted me as though my mom was the one comforting me. It was strange... But I was happy with how it felt. Feeling optimistic, I fixed myself up and went out to meet with Katie.

    We met at a convenience store that was close to our neighborhood and walked to the train station together. When I explored Magnolia yesterday, I chose to do it on foot and took the scenic route so I could fully enjoy what the town has to offer. But since we had school today, we decided to ride the train.

    After we took our seats, Katie slumped and sighed. "I don''t want to go to school today... I want to sleep more..." She yawned and took a nap.

    Katie mentioned while we were walking earlier that she wasn''t able to sleep a wink last night because of what happened. In the 16 years she had been in this town, that was the first time she experienced something like that. It made me wonder if it was my fault.

    The train we boarded was crowded, but it wasn''t as bad as I thought it would be. Considering the number of people I saw yesterday, I thought it would be packed.

    While Katie was taking a nap, I observed some people to confirm something. I glanced around inconspicuously so as not to be called a weirdo. As suspected, the spirits of some people were kind of low. I noticed it earlier when Katie and I were walking toward the station.

    As I continued to watch people, someone grabbed the edge of my sleeves. "Hello, miss... You''re so pretty," a cute child said to me with sparkling eyes.

    I was surprised, but it didn''t bother me. The girl who talked to me was the same girl I saw yesterday with her family. I think her name was Anna.

    The girl''s mom noticed and quickly apologized to me. "Oh no, I''m very sorry! My daughter just loves cute and pretty things. Come on, Anna. Say sorry as well, and don''t bother other passengers," she said while bowing her head.

    "I''m sorry, miss..." Anna said with a teary voice.

    To be honest, being called pretty multiple times was enough of an apology. Besides, I was quite fond of this girl. She seemed like a kind and sweet girl. I told both of them to don''t worry about it and that I didn''t mind.

    This little commotion woke up Katie, and she joined in on the conversation. She was really good at making friends. The way she approached and interacted with Anna and her mom impressed me. And in no time at all, she was able to become good friends with both of them. Thus we spent the rest of our train ride chatting and playing together. It was the most fun I had in a while.

    We got off at our stop and said goodbye to Anna and her mom. Still, we had to walk for a few minutes before we reached the academy.

    During our walk, many students from the academy started to greet us and approach us, particularly Katie. With her pleasing personality and pretty face, it was no surprise that she was popular with her peers. Katie was like the sun; she was so warm, bubbly, and energetic. Her entire personality just screamed enthusiasm, which pulled and attracted people to her.

    Inside the academy, more people approached Katie. Some of them started talking to me as well, curious as to who I was, but I just feigned a smile at them. I told Katie I still needed to go to the faculty office to sort out some things and find out which class I belonged to. I also really wanted to get out of there because I felt so out of place. So, we went our separate ways.

    Thinking about it, Katie and I were the exact opposite. Ever since I lost my mom, I have also lost a huge part of myself. I became disinterested in everything and started to distance myself from others. I pushed everyone away and just kept to myself. I became detached.

    Back where we lived before coming here, my friends, classmates, and the people around me were creeped out by my sudden shift in personality. They even gave me the nickname "The Ice Queen" because I was always stoic and didn''t show any emotions. They said I turned into a machine that had no feelings. So, you could say that solitude became my only friend. But I wasn''t always like this...

    "I guess it''s going to be me, myself, and I again at this academy," I mumbled as I walked to the faculty office.

    But in the distance, a cute, loud voice broke my internal monologue. It was Katie.

    "Nicki! Let''s have lunch together, okay? I''ll text you, do not even think of running away! See you later!" She left as quickly as she came.

    Her silly little stunt put a smile on my face. Moreover, it removed all my doubts and warmed my heart. I was really happy and glad that I met her. My friend, Katie Marsh.

    (To be continued.)

 Chapter 4: Facade.

    Day 2: September 2, 2013, Monday.

    I knocked on the door of the faculty office and waited for a response. When someone said, "You may enter," I opened the door and went inside.

    I bowed and greeted everyone in the room. "Good morning. May I know where Ms. Rhea Dhees is?" I politely asked.

    "Nicole Fenton? I am Rhea, you may come here." A pretty, professional-looking young woman raised her hand and signaled for me to come to her desk.

    When I was making my way to Ms. Dhees, I felt an unsettling leer directed at me; it was enough to make me quiver. I discreetly tried to search where the bad feeling was coming from when one of the male teachers greeted me.

    "Hey, Nicole. We heard about your situation. If you need anything, feel free to let me know, okay?" A huge muscular teacher said to me as he reached out his hand.

    I had always been good at reading other people and figuring out what they wanted from me. This guy was bad news; he was the one leering at me just now. He must have thought I was just some pushover girl he could take advantage of because of my situation. The way he was ogling me was disgusting. I really didn''t want to shake his hand, but the situation called for it.

    I was about to reach the teacher''s hand when a striking, tall guy with distinctive white hair yelled out for him.

    "Hey, Mr. Cam! Can I get my piercings back? I promise I won''t wear them on academy grounds anymore, and please don''t suspend me from basketball practice!" The white-haired boy said while repeatedly bowing his head.

    This prompted the teacher to withdraw his hand and address the boy who called out to him. It was a relief.

    He subtly clicked his tongue, "Okay, okay! Don''t yell inside the faculty office, Edward. And don''t call me Mr. Cam! I''ll talk to you later, Nicole," The teacher said as he went back to his desk.

    While I looked at the huge teacher return to his desk, I noticed the Edward guy looking at me. And when our eyes met, he gave me a wink as if to say, "I got you." He was sharp; he must have noticed my hesitation to shake hands with the teacher. To show gratitude, I bowed and smiled back at him to say, "Thank you." for what he did.

    Upon reaching Ms. Dhees''s desk, I sat down. "Hello, Ms. Dhees. I am here to talk about my medical history and to ask which class I belonged to," I said respectfully.

    "My, what a polite girl! You can just call me Rhea, there is no need for formalities, Nicole," she said with a smile.

    I obliged and went on to call her Ms. Rhea. We discussed my whole situation. I asked her who knew about it at the academy, and it seemed only the faculty members and high-ranking staff knew about it¡ªwhich was good. She then went on to tell me that I would be part of class 2-A¡ªthe class that she was supervising. We sorted out everything, and I became officially a student at Magnolia Academy.

    "I know your doctor gave you the go signal, but don''t push yourself too hard, okay? Take it slow and steady. I am here if you ever need anything," Ms. Rhea said in a comforting and soothing tone. She was a good teacher, and I was glad to be in her class.

    "Edward! Come here," Ms. Rhea called out to the white-haired guy who was about to leave.

    "Nicole, this is Edward. He is in the same class as you, he can be difficult sometimes, but he is very reliable. So, I will have him show you the ropes, okay?"

    Edward approached me and held his hand out. "Hey, dollface. So, your name is Nicole. I''m Edward! Nice meeting you!"

    This guy... He was overflowing with confidence and seemed to think really highly of himself. But it wasn''t off-putting in any way. I couldn''t sense any ill will from him or anything like that. He felt genuine¡ªa very straightforward guy. His attitude didn''t bother me, but calling me dollface did. I didn''t want another grandiose nickname like that.

    I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you as well, old man. My name is Nicole," I said sarcastically, smiling.

    "Ouch! Old man? At least I called you pretty, that was harsh," Edward said while scratching his head.

    The three of us shared a chuckle and proceeded to class 2-A''s classroom.

    Ms. Rhea told me to wait outside while she and Edward entered the room. It was your classic "Wait till I call your name" transfer student moment you always see in a book or anime.

    "Okay, class. Take your seat. I have someone to introduce to you today." I could hear Ms. Rhea''s voice from inside.

    "Really? I hope it''s a pretty girl!"

    "I wonder why they transferred so late in the year?"

    "It will be totally cool if it''s a foreigner!"

    The classroom became noisy because of the announcement. Hearing their anticipation made me smirk. It was the perfect scenario for the plan I had in mind.

    "Quiet, everyone! I can''t introduce her if you are all making such a ruckus." With Ms. Rhea''s skillful handling, the class immediately went silent. She was certainly an amazing teacher.

    "Come on in, Nicole." Taking my cue, I opened the door and stepped inside the quiet classroom. I stood beside Ms. Rhea.

    "Class, this is Nicole. Please be nice to her and help her adjust to her new school life, okay? I''m counting on you, everyone."

    I bowed my head. "Hello everyone. My name is Nicole Fenton. We just moved here from Northwind. It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I hope we all get along," I said confidently.

    There was another reason why I didn''t tie my hair in my usual ponytail. Leaving it down made me look more welcoming and warm. And with my eyes a bit swollen, it created the guise that I was a "kind, approachable, and polite" transfer student. Who would have thought that my swollen eyes would come in handy.

    I also deliberately introduced myself assertively and with optimism. The combination of being confident and welcoming was the recipe for having a "magnetic" personality.

    As expected, when I lifted my head and faced everyone, there was a sudden uproar.

    "Oh my gosh! You''re so pretty!"

    "Please become my girlfriend!"

    "Do you have a boyfriend?"

    "What school did you come from?"

    A huge commotion enveloped the room, and amidst the uproar, a familiar, cute voice stood out. "Nicki! Over here! I''m so happy we are classmates!" It was Katie. She did mention she was in class 2-A. I was relieved to see her, I had someone I could trust in this class.

    I also spotted Edward looking at me. And when our eyes met, he winked at me again. This guy just loved to wink. But I knew he was seeing through my "act." He was a keen one.

    "Okay, class! That''s enough!"

    The ruckus immediately stopped due to Ms. Rhea''s loud voice. She pointed me to my seat, which coincidentally was in front of Katie''s seat. And on the right of my seat was Edward.

    When I took my seat, Katie immediately greeted me with her pleasing and warm smile. Edward also tried to talk to me, but I ignored him.

    To my left was the window. I glanced outside and saw the front gate of the academy. And it suddenly dawned on me, based on the position and distance of the gate from the window, along with the building''s layout. This was the same window where the vision of my mom from yesterday was standing.

    It gave me the creeps and made me feel uneasy; I felt sick. I could feel it coming... It was starting again... Then suddenly, just like magic. When I looked at the orchid flower, it calmed me down and relieved the anxiety that was building up. I regained my composure and was able to prevent myself from hallucinating. I was really glad I took the orchid with me because I absolutely didn''t want to start a scene on my first day in class.

    Perhaps noticing my brief moment of distress, both Katie and Edward asked if I was all right. They must be really paying close attention to me if they noticed it. I was fairly good at hiding my emotions, hence why the people from where I lived before called me The Ice Queen because of how stoic I was. I told them that I was fine and that they didn''t have to worry.

    The class started, and I was able to acclimate myself in no time. It was a breeze, to be completely honest. I participated in class, answered questions from the teachers, interacted with some of my classmates, and so on. I fitted in like a normal student, and not going to lie, it felt weirdly nice.

    Lunchtime came as the academy bell rang. A bunch of my classmates started to gather around me and began asking a lot of questions. My "plan" was coming to fruition, this was the result I was hoping for when I introduced myself the way I did.

    Since I was alone in a new environment with no one to trust and no information whatsoever. Well, there was Katie. But what I planned to do was to create an information network by building "fake" relationships with the people here and making good connections. That way, I could blend in well with everyone if they thought I was their "friend," making it easier for me to have my way. And since my classmates were kind enough to lay bare themselves to me. I would gladly take it. People who approached you on their own were the easiest to use and manipulate.

    With a plan in mind, I entertained everyone who came to me and gave my best "kind, approachable, and polite" girl impression, and soon enough, everyone in the class took a liking to me. However, there were a few who were irked by my presence and the attention I was getting. They glared at me as if I were some slime in a video game, I would probably be dead tenfold by now if glaring at someone could kill. But I didn''t mind it; you couldn''t please everybody.

    While I was busy pretending to be the "perfect" girl, Katie grabbed me and pulled me into the corner of the room. This surprised everyone and put us even more in the spotlight.

    Katie put her arms around me and whispered, "Hey, Nicki! You were not this nice to me when we met yesterday! Even today when we were walking together to the academy! What''s with the sudden change? Don''t tell me it''s the hair!"

    Katie was a lot sharper than I initially thought. She even noticed that I didn''t tie my hair in a ponytail today. So I told her the truth¡ªat least half of it. That I just wanted to fit in with everyone. I also apologized to her for the cold shoulder when we first met and that I would make up for it by buying her lunch today.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "Deal! Let''s go and get Pen too, she should be in the library. Then the three of us can eat together!" A happy Katie exclaimed.

    This "Pen" that she mentioned¡ªI wasn''t sure, but maybe she was referring to Penelope Craig, who was also in our class. She was seated far away from me, so I wasn''t able to get acquainted with her. I guess she would be fine since Katie seemed fond of her.

    We returned to our classmates, who were eagerly waiting for us. I told them I had to go because I would be eating lunch with Katie. Some of them let out a groan of disappointment, and some were even clearly sad because they wanted to eat lunch with me. They were so into me now.

    Katie backed me up by declaring that she was my best friend. And anyone that would get in our way would be severely reprimanded. And to my surprise, it actually worked. Our classmates backed down, and they really looked scared. Was Katie the secret boss of a gang or something? I wasn''t sure what was crazier, this girl who threatened an entire class? Or our classmates who took her threat seriously?

    The chattering was interrupted by a loud yell, "Hey dollface! So Kat already got to you, huh?" It was Edward, who just casually walked to us. As I thought, this guy was also in the same league as Katie in terms of popularity and how well-liked they are. Both of their presences were intimidating and overwhelming. You could classify them as the popular, cool kids at the top of the school hierarchy. So, all except one person who was around me went silent and just stared at Edward, captivated by his striking appearance.

    "Ed! You talk like you already knew Nicki. Calling her dollface... Did the two of you already meet?" Katie, the one person who wasn''t affected by Edward''s charisma asked.

    "Of course! We bumped into each other in the faculty office. We are best friends too, right dollface?" Edward said confidently while looking at me.

    This was perfect, I already established that I was "smart, confident, and welcoming." The ingredients for the perfect student act. So, if we added being funny in there as well. All the groundwork would be laid.

    "Right. We need to respect our elders, Katie. That''s why I paid attention to this old man when he approached me earlier," I said nonchalantly.

    The whole room burst out into laughter.

    "Oh my gosh, Nicki! I didn''t know you were so funny! Serves you right, Ed!" Katie exclaimed while laughing her heart out.

    Edward groaned and put both his arms on the back of his head. "Come on... don''t call me old man. I''m calling you dollface as a compliment, you know."

    Because of the sudden light and cheerful mood in the room, our classmates who were intimidated by Edward earlier started to talk and tease him as well. And as planned, they complimented me for being not just pretty and smart but funny as well.

    But being in the center of the spotlight was not all fun and games. When everyone had their sights set on you. Among those looking eyes, some were likely to be evil and repulsive.

    I felt the same disgusting leer I got earlier in the faculty office. But now it was coming from some of my classmates who were acting casually with me. They were trying to get close to me and even attempted to touch me. These scums would pay...

    "I could smell your lust even a mile away... You degenerate," I thought to myself. These losers really believed I was just a pushover transfer student. But there was also a limit to how much I could take. They would regret thinking that they could prey on me.

    I was about to disregard everything and blow my fuse when Edward yelled again, bringing me back to my senses. "Okay, enough with the jokes! Come on, Nicole. Time to show you around school."

    That was close; I was just about to let it rip. I almost lost my cool there. I started thinking darkly and negatively. I was also getting to the point where I was beginning to insult and talk badly about my classmates in my mind. This was also a huge reason why I kept myself distanced from people after the incident. I became a "sociopath"¡ªwell, not really, but maybe a bit?

    Due to my unstable mental health, whenever I got angry or fed up, it was being amplified by my condition. So whenever I reached my limit, all I could see was red. The doctor said that losing my mom changed my behavior immensely. Some of my "original" or "normal" behavior prior to the incident changed. And since I became so detached and antisocial now, maybe I was friendly and outgoing before. Who knows, my memories were a mess.

    The doctor already gave me the green light and told me I was in good condition. I was stable, and even now I could confidently say that I was a fairly patient and calm person. But just to be on the safe side, I still avoided anything that could make me angry, especially the things I hated the most.

    But do not misunderstand me. I wouldn''t go on a rampage or go bananas and hurt anyone when I got mad, at least not physically. I was more of the type to verbally abuse someone and cause emotional and mental damage.

    I didn''t want to get out of control and do something I would deeply regret. That was why I detached myself from people so much; I didn''t want my dark secret to come to light ever again.

    "Ms. Rhea did say something like that. All right, let''s go." I waved goodbye to everyone. And I told Katie I would meet up with her later.

    I accepted Edward''s invitation for two reasons: first, I wanted to get out of the classroom and compose myself. Second, this guy was really sharp. He noticed how some of the boys were acting "cozy" with me. And when he saw I was uncomfortable with it, he interfered. I could use this guy: his wits, authority, and popularity.

    "If you even lay one finger on Nicki, I''m telling you, Ed. You will face my wrath!" Katie threatened Edward; she didn''t sound like she was joking.

    Edward raised both of his hands in the air as if he were being arrested. "I know, I know! Jeez... You can be really scary sometimes, Kat. That''s why no one dares to mess with you because you would just straight up beat them to a pulp!"

    "Hey! What''s that supposed to mean?" Katie roared, and she continued to reprimand Edward. They looked like a tiger chasing its prey rabbit.

    I told both of them that lunch would be over soon if we didn''t get a move on. So they stopped playing around, and Katie said that she was going to fetch "Pen" so we could eat together and introduced her to me later. We said our goodbyes, and Edward began to tour me around Magnolia Academy.

    Edward showed me all around the best places inside the academy. He also let me in on the latest news, gossip, and rumors. He told me everything I wanted to know without me even asking him. He made for a fine escort.

    Two things stood out while walking around the academy: first, the vibe was not what you would expect out of a grand-top academy. Given that there were a lot of students doing normal student things, you could feel the tension and uneasiness in the air. It felt like they were afraid of something.

    And second, Edward. Walking with him just accentuated how popular and well-liked he was. Everywhere we went, someone would always greet him¡ªgirls, boys, students, and teachers alike. Walking together with someone as well-known as this guy would definitely spark some weird rumors, along the lines of "the new transfer student getting snuggly with the hottest guy in the academy." Just thinking about it made me shiver; I didn''t want any of that. But this was exactly what I needed. He would be perfect as my protector.

    "Hey, why does everyone look so tense? Did something happen?" I asked Edward, who was walking ahead of me.

    He stopped walking and looked back to face me. "Oh! About that, Nicole. You see¡ª" He then went on to explain the reason for the academy''s restless state.

    "The curse," I whispered, taking the word out of Edward''s mouth. I already knew the answer; I just wanted to squeeze out more information from him. Besides, I fancied playing the part of a "poor damsel in distress who doesn''t know anything." I got the feeling that he was the type of guy who would "protect and keep you safe," so this would draw him in.

    "It''s the curse of this town, The 13 Plagues, we call it. You just moved into town, right? I guess being in charge of taking care of you, I should probably tell you about it," Edward said with an expression and tone different from his usual self. He sounded serious.

    Wait a minute, when did he become the person in charge of taking care of me? What the heck? But it was all according to plan; he was being reeled in by my fishing hook. Edward was observant and smart, he could definitely see through my "perfect student act." So I decided to interact with him normally without any charade, while also leaving myself a bit "exposed"¡ªto make him feel special for the different treatment I gave him. Guys like him loved to be treated "differently," after all.

    He repeated the same thing Katie told me yesterday. The academy was on edge because it was that time again¡ªthe curse was starting. Going by what I knew about the curse so far, yesterday was supposed to be the start of it. They said it always starts at the beginning of each month, up to the 13th day. So, did something happen yesterday? Then I remembered the news report earlier this morning. But there was no way, right?

    To clarify my assumptions, I asked Edward with a concerned tone. "Did something happen from someone in the academy?"

    As I said those words, Edward looked crushed. He was nowhere near his usual self; he looked like he was about to cry or something. Bingo, I hit the mark.

    He told me that he, along with the basketball team, went out to celebrate another win yesterday. They were out until late doing various stuff like eating at different shops, going to karaoke, and even hitting up on some girls. This guy, I swear.

    Nothing out of the ordinary happened; everyone enjoyed themselves and had fun. All of them went home feeling satisfied and happy. But when morning came, the team was greeted by an alarming news. One of the team members just vanished without a trace. The parents of the said team member contacted everyone from the team and the academy. They said that their son did return after the team''s celebration, but when they came to check on him this morning. He was just gone, so they immediately reported it to the authorities.

    The academy already took the necessary safety precautions. They informed the student body and asked them to report immediately if they knew something that could help with the investigation. That answered why everyone was anxious. They believed it was the curse. I guess the announcement was made before Katie and I arrived at the academy.

    "I''m sorry, Nicole. I didn''t mean to burden you with heavy and dark topics like that. I was supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around!" Edward declared as he forced a smile.

    He came close to me and looked at me straight in the eye. "Don''t worry about that silly curse, I will protect you, Nicki." He winked.

    He was back to his usual self, which was good. Because I didn''t want to "exploit" someone who was down in the dumps, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Now then...

    I took a few steps backward to put some distance between us. "No, thank you. I could handle myself," I told Edward confidently. He was the type of guy who could easily get the things he wanted because of his status and fame, everyone around him turned into a yes-person because of his overwhelming charisma. So, if I treated him differently from what he was used to and pushed him away a little. He would easily fall deeper into my clutches.

    "Ouch! That hurts a lot more than I thought it would. If I said that to another girl, they would be jumping for joy, you know!" Edward insisted.

    "Too bad. I''m not that "another girl," I replied teasingly.

    This made Edward laugh cheerfully. During the time we spent together on this tour. That was the first time I had seen him so happy. He was opening up to me, and I was seeing his true self and feelings.

    Edward then bowed in front of me. "That concludes our tour around the academy. Did you enjoy it, my lady?" He said it in a polite and gentlemanly way. Imitating a butler of some sort.

    This guy sure liked giving me nicknames. But I did have fun, and I got to know a lot of things about the academy thanks to him. So, I decided to play along with him as a thank you for today. And also to put the icing on the cake.

    I smiled at Edward and did a curtsy. "I did. Thank you for escorting me, Edward. I greatly appreciate it."

    He didn''t react or respond to what I did; he just ignored me. After all the trouble I went through playing along with him, this is what I got? But as I raised my head and saw Edward in the state he was in, I thought, "Perfect." to myself.

    His eyes were sparkling, and his face was all red. His mouth was wide open with awe. He looked like he saw something breathtaking, I guess my curtsy was just that good.

    All my actions leading to this point were calculated: my body language, tone of voice, and the questions I asked. I never once called Edward by his name ever since we met. I figured I could use that as my "Trump card" when the right moment arrived. I just needed to stir his emotions a little and set up a situation where calling his name for the first time would leave the best impression. It was a huge help that he was easy to predict due to his personality. So I just led and pushed him a little to create the perfect scenario. He began opening up to me, and calling him for the first time in that circumstance was paramount and the key to my plan. Everything fell into pieces, and the impact it had on him was significant. It was a success; he was now under my spell.

    "Hey, are you all right? What happened to you?" I asked the dumbfounded Edward.

    Abruptly, he turned his back against me, as though he didn''t want me to see his face. "Oh, Nothing! Come on! Let''s return to the classroom and eat our lunch. Kat must be waiting for us," Edward said while in jitters.

    I followed right behind him, and we headed back to the classroom. As I walked behind him, Edward mumbled something. I wasn''t able to fully hear it. But I could throw a guess as to what he said.

    On our way back, Edward gave me a handkerchief. He noticed that my eyes were a bit swollen and asked if I was all right. He offered to bring me to the infirmary room. But I told him I was fine and it was just a result of not getting enough sleep because of first-day school jitters. He didn''t believe me and insisted on at least lending me the handkerchief. So I accepted it to make him feel more strongly that he needed to protect me, I would have him act as my shield against pervs and sickos.

    Edward Carl, if I were to describe him. Perfect would be the best word to use. He had those striking good looks, and he was very keen and sensitive to his surroundings. Furthermore, the guy was smart and quick-witted. His personality was also endearing. He was kind, compassionate, and had a strong sense of justice. But for me, his most redeeming quality was that he was not even a bit condescending. Yes, he may be a little overconfident, but he was not arrogant in any way. Excluding Katie, he could be the closest one I could consider a friend in this academy.

    Unbeknownst to me, Edward was already beginning to develop feelings for me...

    (To be continued.)

 Chapter 5: Fleeting Happiness.

    Day 2: September 2, 2013, Monday.

    When Edward and I returned to the classroom, our classmates greeted us with a barrage of silly questions. They were curious to know what the deal was between us.

    Edward handled it perfectly and told everyone that we were just friends. And the reason why he showed me around was because Ms. Rhea put him in charge to take care of me. He was exaggerating though, all Ms. Rhea asked him to do was show me the ropes, not to become my babysitter or anything.

    His declaration made some of our classmates sigh in relief, while others let out a sigh of disappointment. I guess some of them were shipping Edward and me, and those who had a crush on him were relieved that we were just friends.

    ¡°Okay, everyone! Give Nicole her space, she just transferred so don''t overwhelm her. Let her eat lunch in peace at least,¡± Edward announced in class.

    Perfect, this is what I was hoping for. Edward¡¯s authority at the academy would serve as my protection. If we also included Katie¡¯s influence, my life at this academy ought to become peaceful. All was according to plan.

    Speaking of Katie, I wondered where she was. She was not to be seen anywhere in the classroom. I checked my phone to see if she sent me any messages.

    While rummaging through my phone, Edward sat on the table in front of me. ¡°Dollface, can we exchange numbers? Think of it as my reward for showing you around, no?¡± He said as he twiddled his phone in front of me. Well, he did help me a lot today. And he has already shown how useful he could be. So I didn''t see any reason to decline; in fact, having his contact information might prove useful in the future.

    I was about to exchange numbers with him when the classroom door opened loudly. It was Katie, alongside another girl from our class, Penelope Craig.

    When Katie saw how close Edward was to me, sitting at the top of the table in front of me and all, she went into a fit of rage. She swiftly got in between us and began roaring at Edward.

    ¡°You punk! How dare you act so flirty with my Nicole!¡± She shouted as she pushed Edward with such force.

    ¡°Hey, wait, Katie! Don¡¯t¡ª¡± With how strong Katie¡¯s shove was, Edward fell to the floor with a loud thud, causing a ruckus. To be honest, it looked painful.

    ¡°Nicki! Did Ed do anything to you?¡± Katie asked as she touched all over me as if to check on me.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Katie. I¡¯m more worried by the way you¡¯re touching me, to be honest,¡± I remarked.

    Katie giggled, and she suddenly cuddled up to me. ¡°There you go again! I¡¯m just making sure you¡¯re all right, Nicki!¡±

    This girl¡­ I didn''t mind her clinginess or how affectionate she was, but it was embarrassing when she did it in public and in front of many people. The whole class was looking at us, was she not aware?

    While Katie was busy snuggling up to me, I noticed the girl she came in with, Penelope, as she offered her hand to help Edward up. ¡°Are you okay, Edward?¡± Penelope asked the poor guy who was still on the floor.

    ¡°Thanks, Pen. I¡¯m okay...¡± Edward got up with Penelope¡¯s help.

    When Edward was back on his feet again, he and Katie began to butt heads once more. Since they both possessed the same dominant personality, I guess it was inevitable for them to clash like this.

    Ignoring those two, I walked up to Penelope and greeted her. ¡°Hello, your name is Penelope, right? Mine is Nicole, it is a pleasure to meet you.¡± I held my hand to her.

    Penelope was delighted and immediately shook my hand. ¡°Yes! My name is Penelope Craig. I¡¯m so delighted to meet you, Nicole!¡± She introduced herself.

    Now that I had seen her up close, I could immediately tell that Penelope was far from a bad person. She was someone I could trust or become real friends with. Props to Katie; she has a good eye for people.

    Noticing that Penelope and I were already acquainted, Katie quickly left Edward and came to us. ¡°I see that you two already met! That¡¯s good!¡±

    I told Katie that we should head out to the cafeteria now to buy her lunch while there was still about half an hour left for lunchtime, and we should hurry up if we wanted to finish in time.

    ¡°No need to worry about that, Nicki! I already bought lunch when I met with Pen earlier. Ta-dah!¡± She brought out a sandwich and a strawberry flavored milk.

    She told me that instead of treating her to lunch as I promised earlier, what she wanted now was to go to a cafe with me and Penelope after school. To celebrate our meeting.

    I would like to go but I have important matters to attend to. My dad promised to tell me everything later. I told Katie that I had some urgent business to attend to and I didn¡¯t have enough time for a cafe outing. So, I suggested that we could get some Magnolia Skewers after school while we walked home and that we could go to the cafe next time. Both of them agreed, and we made plans to go to the cafe on another day.

    While chewing on the scrambled eggs she got from my lunch, Katie grumbled. ¡°Ed, that guy! He never paid much attention to girls before. So I wonder why he''s so interested in you, Nicki!¡±

    I answered Katie with the most obvious and simplest answer. Edward and everyone else were interested in me because I was a transfer student. Transferring so late in the year was unusual, and add the fact that I moved to a town with a strange rumor. That would definitely pique people''s interest.

    Katie let out a long sigh. ¡°You really don¡¯t understand how big of a deal you are, Nicki.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked confusedly. I hadn''t the slightest idea what Katie was talking about.

    Katie then began to tell me that it was not because I was a transfer student that made people so curious about me. And the real reason why people were so intrigued with me because I was a knockout beauty with a mysterious allure around her. She insisted that I had the charm to pull people and make them look at me. She mentioned that it was also the reason why she talked to me yesterday. She said I just looked so stunning, and the enigmatic air I had was so bewitching that she wasn''t able to control herself; she just had to approach me.

    I looked at Katie, dumbfounded by what she just said. I never paid that much attention to my appearance or to how people thought of my fashion and style. I didn¡¯t have the luxury to do it, my constant struggle with my emotions and psyche kept me occupied at all times. But who knows, maybe I gave it some consideration when I was still an ordinary girl.

    ¡°He may be playful and close with a lot of girls because of how he is, but Ed is very respectful to them. I hate to admit it, but he is a decent guy,¡± Katie remarked as she munched the sausage she got from Penelope¡¯s lunch.

    Penelope offered more of her lunch to Katie, and she added to Katie¡¯s statement. ¡°I agree, Edward is really nice. I heard that a lot of girls confessed to him. But he rejected all of them. I wonder why?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to get in trouble if he did have a girlfriend, so I joined in to confirm it. ¡°Maybe he got a girlfriend or something?¡± If I were to use Edward, it would be for the best if he didn¡¯t have a girlfriend that would get in my way. I didn''t want any catfights.

    Katie and Penelope both answered that Edward didn¡¯t have a girlfriend. The three of them have known each other for years now, and Edward never once had one. He was always known for being on friendly and close terms with girls. With his playful nature and lighthearted attitude, girls would often gather around him. However, even with all the affection and attention he was getting, he still didn¡¯t show signs of being in love or interested in someone. Thus, he rejected everyone who confessed to him.

    ¡°Well, I totally understand why Ed is so into you, Nicki! You¡¯re just so lovely!¡± Katie chirped.

    ¡°I agree. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Edward this interested and happy with anyone. You¡¯re amazing, Nicole!¡± Penelope happily added.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    I highly doubted what they just said. I believed that Edward was just bored, and he was just amused by how I interacted with him. It was a new sensation and experience for him, and that was why he kept on bugging me.

    As we ate, we talked about a lot of things. Like how the two of them met for instance, Katie and Penelope met each other during their first year in junior high. Penelope said that she was an introverted and awkward person, so making friends and talking with others was difficult for her. She was also often bullied or made fun of because of her quiet and eccentric personality. But thanks to Katie, all of those changed.

    One day, when Penelope was ganged up on, Katie jumped to her rescue and befriended Penelope. And ever since then, they had been inseparable. Judging by how Edward and the class were genuinely afraid of Katie when she threatened them earlier, it seemed like Katie was truly a savage. Katie was not only a "sun,¡± she was also a tiger.

    Now eating the fried veggies she got from my lunch, Katie said. ¡°Pen is really shy and quiet, but when you talk about books or the stuff she¡¯s interested in, she can talk non-stop, I tell you. By the way, both of your lunches taste so good!¡±

    Hearing her praise the food my dad prepared made me happy. And watching Katie eat happily was oddly relaxing and satisfying. So, I decided to give her more.

    ¡°My dad prepared it, he is a great cook. You can have this too, Katie.¡± I gave her a portion of my fried shrimp.

    ¡°Thank you, Nicki! And thank you too, Nicki¡¯s dad, for the delicious food! Let¡¯s eat!¡± Katie cried out in happiness.

    ¡°Katie really loves to eat delicious food, she looks so cute munching them down.¡± Penelope giggled.

    While Katie was busy eating, I spoke to Penelope. ¡°I love books and reading as well. May I know what genres you like and who¡¯s your favorite author?¡± And that was the trigger. It was like her whole personality and demeanor changed.

    ¡°You love books? Then we are kindred spirits! What genres do you read? Who is your favorite author?¡ª¡± Penelope enthusiastically went on and on.

    Katie calmed down the exhilarated Penelope, ¡°Um, earth to Pen? You didn''t even answer Nicki¡¯s question. You just outright asked the same thing she did!¡±

    ¡°Oh! My bad! There goes my bad habit again!¡° Penelope chuckled while fiddling her fingers.

    Penelope then began opening up to me. I learned that she was a huge fan of the author Ben Ton, who happened to be my favorite as well. She said she loved reading his work, and it was her dream to meet the author one day. In addition, she was also writing her own book and was a member of the academy¡¯s literature club. We are indeed kindred spirits. As I spent more time talking with Penelope, I grew to like her more and more.

    We finished our lunch and were getting ready for afternoon class. Katie and Penelope went to the restroom while I stayed in the classroom. Edward saw this opportunity to continue where we left off last time.

    ¡°Come on, dollface. Let¡¯s hurry before Kat returns,¡± said by a nervous Edward.

    If I were to believe what Katie and Penelope told me earlier, this guy was interested in me because he liked me. It was unlikely, but if he really saw me in that way, I wonder what made him like me.

    ¡°Not so tough in front of Katie, are you?¡± I said in jest. As we exchanged contact informations.

    ¡°That girl is crazy, you know. And why is she acting so familiar with you? Like she owns you?¡± Edward asked curiously.

    I didn¡¯t answer his question. I just winked at him like he always did to me and motioned a ¡°keep-quiet¡± hand gesture.

    ¡°Sshh¡­¡±

    Edward turned beet red and was lost for words. This guy was so easy to read. But I liked him, in a friendly manner, though.

    The afternoon bell rang, and lunchtime was over. We all went to our seats, and class started. Just like in the morning, I didn¡¯t have any trouble in the afternoon classes, it was pretty easy. I actually had more trouble with how both Katie and Edward constantly tried chatting with me while class was still in session. I was surrounded by carefree, easygoing, and popular kids.

    Soon enough, class ended just like that. So was my first day at Magnolia Academy, it ended up quite different from how I imagined it would be. Mainly because of Katie, Edward, and Penelope. They made my first day at the academy fun and exciting, and deep inside me, I began to look forward to my academy life here with them.

    I sorted my stuff and was ready to go home. Several of my classmates invited me to walk home with them, but Katie, the savage she was, turned them down on my behalf. Good job, Katie.

    Me, Katie, and Penelope began to walk home. Edward wanted to come with us, but he said something came up on the basketball team. It must be about what we talked about earlier. I wonder if they found the missing member, I hoped they did.

    We chatted about a lot of things as we walked home, they mentioned that our academy had a lot of clubs. Since Penelope was part of the literature club, she invited me to join her. I thought it might be a good idea, and it would make for a great experience and practice for writing a book.

    Katie also thought of joining since she wasn¡¯t part of any club, but decided not to since she was not good with books and preferred clubs with physical activities. She said she was thinking of joining the volleyball team at first, but something happened between her and one of the core members that made her decide not join. Seeing how mad and annoyed Katie was when we talked about it, I didn¡¯t pry further on who it was, but I did wonder who it was that made Katie behave like that.

    ¡°Thinking about that girl¡¯s face pisses me off! Katie roared as she munched on the skewers we bought.

    ¡°Calm down, Katie. Just enjoy the skewers,¡± I told her, as I also ate my skewers. They were really the best, it was not as good as my dad¡¯s cooking. But it was definitely out there when it came to scrumptious food.

    ¡°Speaking of physical activities, don¡¯t we have PE class tomorrow?¡± Penelope asked while she blew the hot Magnolia skewers the three of us bought.

    ¡°PE huh? I like the class, but I¡¯m not too fond of Mr. Cameron. He is a little touchy-feely, don¡¯t you think? There¡¯s also that weird gossip about him,¡± Katie said in a serious tone.

    Mr. Randy Cameron, the male teacher who was sizing me up in the faculty room this morning. I asked them the details about him, and they told me that the teacher got along well with everyone and was respected by the whole academy, students and teachers alike. Apparently, he was an Olympic athlete in the past and won a gold medal in his time. He appeared to be nice and the kind of teacher that students could rely on.

    However, some unpleasant issues were floating around Mr. Cameron. People said he would approach female students in the guise of giving them special lessons, inviting them to his house or other private location for a one-on-one tutorial of some sort. They said that the teacher would promise to give you a letter of recommendation for a university of your choice if you accepted his special lessons and kept everything a secret.

    And for those who turned down his invitation, he would use his status and authority as a teacher to coerce the students into accepting his demands. Abusing and blackmailing the students to scare them into keeping their mouths shut.

    Needless to say, the academy already investigated the matter but to no avail. There was no proof to support the claim, and no one ever came out to testify.

    Even though the hearsay was disturbing and the teacher was crazed in the head, he produced great results by leading the basketball and volleyball teams to the nationals, a feat that was not easy to do. His influence and fame as a former Olympic gold medalist brought the academy a great deal of recognition as well. So the academy couldn¡¯t dismiss the teacher or do anything rash to him without substantial evidence first.

    I knew they were just rumors, but with my personal encounter with the guy. I definitely sensed something nasty about him. But if the academy couldn''t do anything to him, then there was also nothing I could do.

    Those kinds of people were what I truly hated the most¡ªthose who took advantage of others and had no issues trampling over other people''s feelings. Especially the sickos and lowlifes who would abuse and exploit others, particularly women. They made my blood boil¡­

    ¡°They should all just die¡­¡± I whispered to myself, my mind becoming filled with dark thoughts.

    But before the darkness fully consumed me, Katie and Penelope began pulling me, and before I noticed it, the three of us were running together, hand in hand.

    ¡°Come on, come on! We need to do that! Hurry!¡± Katie shouted happily.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Nicole! Picture taking time!¡± Penelope yelled excitedly.

    The place we were running off to seemed like a photo booth, but it was fairly large, like a mini establishment. I supposed places like this were common for a tourist town. When we got inside, there were a lot of people, mostly tourists. The place also had clothes, accessories, and even toys you could use for the photo booth.

    But the fee was quite expensive, the price was at a point where a bunch of high school students wouldn''t be able to afford it. When I saw how sad both Katie and Penelope looked, it kind of hurt me a little bit. I suppose I was really growing fond of these two.

    With the money my dad was earning, I could say that we were fairly well-off. So I paid for the fee and asked the girls. ¡°What are you both looking sad there for? Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± I said to them, smiling.

    Katie and Penelope both came running to me, looking like they were on cloud nine.

    ¡°Whoa! Where did you get that much money from? Thank you, Nicki! I really wanted to do this with you and Pen. Thank you!¡± Katie shouted with joy as she cuddled up to me.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Nicole! Now we can take a picture to commemorate our meeting,¡± Penelope giggled.

    I just told them that my family was pretty well off, and that was where I got the money. Both of them were sensitive enough to not ask more questions. They were really good people.

    We entered the photo booth and tried on some of the stuff they had. Almost all the clothes available were vividly cute and weren¡¯t up my alley. So I just picked the most normal-looking one.

    Katie saw me and declared she had a wonderful idea. She asked Penelope to lend me her glasses because she wanted me to look more mature and give off a ¡°beautiful librarian¡± vibe. As usual, I had no idea what she was talking about. Once we were done preparing, we began taking pictures.

    I wasn¡¯t well-versed in this kind of thing, so I just copied what they were doing. But it helped that Katie was leading me and teaching me how to pose and smile properly. She was an expert at this.

    When the pictures came out, I noticed that my smile in them was genuine. It was not a forced or faked smile. I guess when it came to these two, even my reserved heart could feel happiness and peace.

    Katie handed me one of the pictures. ¡°Here, Nicki! It¡¯s yours. The three of us look so cute together!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°Thank you again for this, Nicole. The one line from the book I read fits here perfectly. ¡®Here is to the beginning of our beautiful friendship,¡¯¡± Penelope agreed.

    All three of us received copies of the photos. They turned out nicely, it was worth the money. I looked at it once more, and it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling. This photo would serve as a good reminder of this day, a happy memory I could remember for the rest of my life.

    We continued on our walk home, chatting about some random things and having fun. It might be normal and dull for your average person, but for me, it was a precious moment. I was glad I met Katie and Penelope and became friends with them.

    Unfortunately, those fun and precious moments didn¡¯t last long¡­

    (To be continued.)