Alisia was a highly truthful woman. She called things as she saw them, and because of this, she had an uncanny ability to detect when someone wasn't being honest with her. Dubbed "The Lie Detector" from an early age, she could always distinguish her true friends from the rest. That's how she crossed paths with Larissa on the first day of their junior year at Dickson County High School.
Entering her 1st-period class, Algebra 2, Alisia immediately scouted the room for the perfect seat. She aimed to strike a balance - not too close to the teacher, avoiding the constant gaze, and not too close to the chalkboard to avoid appearing overly eager. Above all, she was determined not to sit next to the girls who giggled instead of solving equations, those who prioritized their appearance for the male gaze. She had vowed to herself since 7th grade never to be like them. Alisia had consistently prioritized her studies, thriving under the challenge and earning praise from her teachers for her high scores, setting her apart from her peers. She wasn't bullied, just ignored. No one lingered after class with her as she packed up her books. Her striking appearance, with dark hair and captivating blue eyes, gave her a beautiful yet somewhat enigmatic aura. While people acknowledged her beauty, she rarely attracted romantic interest from guys.
Breaking free from her daydream, Alisia finally settled into a seat in the middle of the right side of the room. She placed her heavy Jansport book bag on the desk and prepared for class, having arrived 20 minutes early to avoid any chance of being late. She sorted through crumpled papers from the previous year and set out her necessary materials and writing utensils on her desk, ready for math.
School had always come easily for Larissa. She effortlessly excelled in her classes, earning A's and gratitude throughout her school years. However, she tended to keep to herself. It wasn't that she disliked interacting with others; she just didn't feel the need. She had a few close friends with whom she engaged in surface-level conversations, but she struggled to find someone she truly related to. So when the pretty and popular Julie Beaty complimented her hair, Larissa seized the opportunity to join their group. Her new friends might not share her level of motivation, but that didn't concern her. She could navigate the world of gossip without worrying about the consequences. Nevertheless, she remained committed to her studies as she embarked on her junior year.
"Okay, 15 questions, and go!" Alisia grabbed her pencil and began working on the quiz but couldn't help feeling the presence of someone tracking her across the room. She peered toward the back, locking eyes with a girl from Julie's group, who was smacking gum and twirling a black ringlet of hair around her finger. The girl, adorned in a tight hot pink T-shirt that beautifully contrasted with her chocolate-brown skin, held eye contact with Alisia for a moment before returning to her work. Alisia shook her head, attempting to focus on her math, yet she couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious girl.
"Hey, do you know that girl with the dark curly hair?" Alisia inquired. "She was wearing a hot pink shirt." One of her closer friends, Celeste, answered, "Oh, Larissa? Yeah, she's in my 2nd period." "How do you feel about her?" Alisia muttered. "Um, she's okay, I guess. She talks to her friends sometimes, but she mostly keeps to herself," Celeste responded.
Alisia continued her journey down the hallway, unaware of her surroundings, when she unexpectedly collided with someone. "Oh, I'm sorry!" "No, you're fine. I'm pretty clumsy. This is not the fir-" Alisia stopped as she picked up dropped papers and books and noticed they were both reaching for the same book, And Then There Were None. Slowly looking up at the girl she ran into, Alisia let out a sharp breath, recognizing her instantly. "Oh, is this your copy?" Larissa asked, smiling, releasing her hold on the book. "Yeah, I've been reading it recently." Alisia gently smiled back. "It's my favorite," Larissa remarked, pulling on her bag. "Tell me about it when you're finished. We could start a book club." She finished the last part of her sentence with a wink before turning and walking away. Alisia stood there for a moment, a little confused about what just happened. "Was she flirting with you?" she whispered under her breath as she continued to talk to herself all the way to 4th period.
Larissa, usually immersed in conversation with Julie, found herself daydreaming one morning, struggling to engage in the gossip that had snagged the group's attention on the first day of school. "Larissaaaa," Julie called sarcastically. Larissa jumped, having been lost in thought for the past few minutes. "You won't believe what I heard." "I bet I won't," Larissa replied, reluctantly giving in to Julie's antics.
"Well, I heard from both Emilys that Zane was asking about you." "Oh, really? Wow," Larissa remarked, showing little interest. Zane Cullom was her ex, and she hadn't felt strongly about him, making his renewed interest a matter of indifference. It appeared to affect Julie and the girls more than her, as she remembered their shocked reactions when she informed them of the breakup. A few even shed tears. "Yeah, apparently he broke up with little Miss Blondie because he never got over you." "Oh!" Larissa exclaimed. The last thing she needed right now was more drama, especially with a guy she didn't even like.
Just as Julie was about to continue, Ms. Hohl took the front of the room, ending the conversation. Larissa was on the verge of slipping back into her daydream when she noticed someone across the room. She recognized the girl but hadn't paid much attention to her earlier. The girl was busy gathering her supplies for class, accidentally knocking over a neighbor's water bottle and spilling it in the process. Larissa watched, intrigued by this girl's dedication and precision, which shone through despite her initial clumsiness. Her dark hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing her captivating eyes, filled with passion and something else she couldn't quite define. Larissa observed her for a minute before the girl suddenly turned her head, locking eyes with Larissa for a moment before quickly looking away, unable to bear the awkward tension any longer.
As Larissa walked down the hall later, she once again came in contact with the mystery girl from math. With the help of one of the Emilys, she had learned that her name was Alisia. Alisia had just parted ways with her friend and was lost in thought while walking down the hallway. An insane thought possessed Larissa, and she quickened her pace toward Alisia, who was engrossed in her thoughts. When she got about a foot away from her, she stopped. Alisia crashed into her, dropping her book, pencils, and various crumpled syllabuses and worksheets. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Larissa said, quickly dropping down to help Alisia pick up her papers. "No, you're fine. I'm pretty clumsy. This is not the "fir—" Alisia stopped as she noticed that Larissa was reaching for the same book. Alisia looked up, obviously recognizing who she was talking to. "Oh, is this your copy?" Larissa asked, a bit sheepishly, her smile aimed at easing the tension. "Yeah, I've been reading it recently," Alisia replied, gently smiling back. "It's my favorite," Larissa remarked, pulling on her bag. "Tell me about it when you're finished. We could start a book club." Larissa, against her better judgment, winked and turned to walk away.
As Larissa walked away, her back turned to Alisia, her facial expression underwent a swift change. "What the hell was that?" she muttered to herself incredulously. Winking? Picking up her books? Larissa was left bewildered by her own actions and the magnetic pull that Alisia seemed to have on her.