"Don't do that!"
"Why not? It could be fun."
"Just don't do it..."
"So you really believe those lame stories?"
"I don't. But she might react badly."
"It's just giving the weirdo a good scare. Innocent fun and nothing more."
As the lunch break was coming to an end, Maddox and Annie were arguing, their opposite minds clashing as usual. While Annie was sweet and caring, Maddox had an ill-temper and a mean way of being which only caused people to keep him at a safe distance. He was, as you'd say, the typical high-school douchebag.
"I'm tellin' you, babe," he grinned as he took his usual spot in the back of the class. "It's gonna be fun, you'll see."
Her only answer was a sigh. She didn't want her new friend getting hurt because of her jackass boyfriend yet she didn't want him to think she was some kind of saint either. She often questioned why she kept dating him. A quick glance cast in his direction though, gave her the answer- his beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair made Maddox a trophy, a surfer-like Adonis who was desired by all the high-school's girls, be they freshmen, sophomores or seniors. And the best thing was that he belonged to her. Annie was sweet and caring but her pride always got the best of her.
"Look, it's the Joker's sister!" a high-pitched voice came from the front desks just as a slim figure entered the classroom. Sasha, the biker chick, found pleasure in bullying the others. And, as the coward she actually was, she only directed her hatred towards newcomers and freshmen.
A general peal of laughter engulfed the whole class when Sasha's target had taken her spot next to Annie.
"Don't let her get to you," Annie softly whispered, a small smile blooming on her face before adding in a higher tone, "She only does that because she's too stupid to come up with something smart."
The biker gal could only clench her fists in a mute anger. There was nothing she could do or say against Maddox's girlfriend. She was too scared of him.
"So, Ophie," Maddox began in fake sympathy, "How would you like to come
with me, Annie and some friends to hunt some ghosts in the old hospital?"
The girl winced. Did Maddox just invite her somewhere?
"Y- yeah, I g- guess I can come," she stammered, blushing furiously.
Letting out a small chuckle at the sight of his girlfriend's irritated face, Maddox continued.
"All right. We'll be there at nine PM tonight. Don't chicken out, mkay?"
The girl nodded.
"I won't."
Ophelia Fay was a young, nineteen years old girl who had recently moved there from her old town. That, of course, involved switching schools too and it wasn't an easy task for the shy, anxious girl. People scared her, she stuttered and blushed like mad when someone would try to talk to her. She felt better when nobody was around so for most of the time she was seen alone, writing or drawing in a small agenda she always kept with her and for that reason, the rest of the students called her 'Weird Ophie'. They would either ignore her completely -thing that she liked-, either pick on her, like Sasha, who, for some unknown reason seemed to have hated Ophelia since the very beginning. Unlike most of the people who were bullied, Ophelia was quite attractive. Her long, coppery locks fell wildly over her shoulders, framing a heart-shaped face with a small delicate nose and sky blue eyes. The only thing that tainted her angelic figure was a long scar,
starting at the left corner of her mouth and ending right under her cheek bone.
Nobody knew exactly why she got that scar. Her parents used to tell her it was just a birth sign whenever she would ask them.
Of course, she never believed them but in time she learnt to live with that flaw and stopped pressing her parents for an answer. Luckily, some smart individual invented liquid foundation. It concealed pretty neat the scar.
The class passed as usual. The students pretended to be attentive while fighting the urge to fall asleep at the teacher's endless droning. Annie would cast some worried glances now and then to her friend, while Maddox couldn't stop grinning. His girlfriend
didn't utter a word when he made the invitation. Maybe she wasn't the goody two shoes he had though, after all. This night would be fun. The best he ever had in a while.
"As a homework, read chapters eight through nine and make a short summary," the teacher's low voice came after the liberating bell ring. Nobody bothered to write it down for they were too busy rushing to the door, laughing and cheering as they quickly got out. One more class and they would be finally free.
"Where you think you goin', eh, bitch?" sounded jeeringly Sasha's voice, just as Ophelia was slamming closed her locker.
Not a single word left the girl's lips. Sasha didn't scare her but she wanted to be left alone.
"Ain't gonna talk to me, huh?" the biker chick spat, hurling her fist into the locker's door. "Saw that? The next one will be your fucking face."
Again, no answer. The look of sheer hatred burning in Ophelia's eyes made the rocker scowl. So she wanted to play hard to get, huh? So be it.
The first hit sprung on Ophelia's face like a whip, throwing her head on the side. Tears stung her eyes, her cheek burning in pain.
Before they knew it, half of the students were surrounding them, all cheering for Sasha.
Startled by their shrieks, the biker raised her tattooed hand for another strike.
"What the-"