Chapter 1
The only sounds coming from the dimly lit hall was of the rhythmic din of Aileen Mason's shoes hitting the polished floor as she trudged along, holding her books up to her chest. She didn't want to go home, not when her father had probably been drinking all day…With one pale hand, she pushed away her ebony locks, staring down at the floor. She was far from pretty; at least, according to most of the boys at school. The young girl lacked the shapely body of her peers; instead, she was tall and lanky, her large, dark eyes filling most of her narrow face.
"Hey," a voice called out to her, and she slowly turned, her eyes shyly averted.
It was Brad Richardson, the quarterback of the school's football team and top of the class. Aileen felt her legs go weak as he smiled at her, hurrying up to stand beside the thin girl.
"Aileen, right?" He asked, grinning.
"Y-yes."
"I think we have algebra together. Mr. Carmara, right?"
Aileen blushed as she stared at Brad's handsome, tanned face, feeling her heart thump within her chest. She nodded, peering up at him with her black eyes.
"Y'know, you really should talk more. You have a really nice voice," he told her, then politely asked to carry her books. Aileen managed a frightened smile, wondering how she had suddenly become so lucky. Someone like Brad never would have talked to her, let alone ask to carry her books.
As they walked silently along, Brad cleared his throat.
"You really have to come out of your shell sometimes. I mean, you should learn how to trust people," he said, shifting the pile of books in his hand.
"I know," was the soft reply.
"Well, you know that dance that's coming up Friday?"
Aileen felt her face flush a deeper crimson.
"Uh-huh."
"Would you like to go with me?" Brad inquired, pushing back his dirty blonde hair.
"Really? S-sure! I've never bee-been to one before!" Aileen's world to spin with wonderful rapture. But then she frowned.
"What about Pam? Isn't she your girlfriend?" She questioned, her face still deep red.
"Nah, we broke up last week. Listen, I gotta get to practice. You still want to go?"
The other teenager eagerly nodded, then waved to him as he rounded the corner. This was the first time in her life that anyone had ever been kind to her, and she felt an enormous weight lifted off of her shoulders. She practically ran out the door, pausing when she recalled Brad still had her books. Aileen dashed back into the school, completely forgetting about the disaster she was bound to encounter when she arrived home to her drunken father.
Brad's voice echoed in the empty hallway, and she smiled, preparing to go and talk to him.
"So did you ask her out, man?" It was Anthony, Brad's friend. Aileen stopped.
"Yeah. Now you gotta pay me that five bucks you owe me," Brad said, and she peered around the corner, watching the two.
"No way. Not until you actually take her to the Spring Dance," was his friend's response.
"I don't know. She's so ugly, I think I'd be sick if I went with-," Brad started, before Aileen stepped into view, tears streaming down her face.
"Aileen," he said.
"I heard everything," she whispered, waiting for him to deny it, to say that he liked her.
"Yeah, well. Cat's outta the back. I didn't really want to take you," Brad replied.
"W-why not?"
"Have you looked in the mirror lately? God, do something about that acne, it's gross." Behind Brad, Anthony laughed coldly.
Aileen's mouth twitched as both of the boys broke into wild laughter, making cracks about her greasy hair and tattered clothes.
"Really, you should take a shower," Brad teased, and then gasped as he noticed the gray spiders crawling over his bare hands. Screaming, he tried frantically to brush them off, but to no avail.
"Wha-what the hell? Get them off!" He shrieked, as more spiders appeared, covering his skin with a moving blanket.
"Help! Hel-Help!" Anthony was yelling, "I'm-I'm on fire!"
Still thrashing, Brad fell to the floor, unable to see because of the swarming insects. Aileen watched them writhing, though to her eyes nothing seemed wrong. She did not make a sound as she marched away, wiping her salty tears away.
"That felt good, didn't it? To get your revenge?" Someone said from the shadows, and Aileen narrowed her dark eyes as a woman with glasses and a sinister expression came into view.
"Yes," she said, though her voice had taken on an icy quality.
"Come with me then, child," the woman said, her eyes as soulless as Aileen's.