~*~
And then, I was subjected to watching my best friend throwing up in a trashcan after she lost a bet and was forced to eat an entire tray of pure... high school lunch.
I awkwardly stood there, holding a bottle of water I had filled from the fountain for her to snatch when she was done.
When the flow of undigested filth finally stopped, she groaned in frustration so loud that it echoed throughout the halls and possibly several classrooms heard it. She coughed dramatically, dry heaving, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Just thought it was over, she doubled over, shoving her face into the trash can, and the process repeated itself.
"Uh, are you ok?" I asked over the sounds of the devil. "Should I call an ambulance?"
She finally stopped and gasped for air.
"Yeah. It's all gumdrops and ice cream in here," Brooke took a second to choke out and pulled her face out of the trash can, pinching her nose to hide from the terrible smell.
She snatched the water out of my hand just like I had anticipated and chugged it down. Right after, she spits out it into the trash can, getting some of it on my shoes, "What the hell is in this?"
"It's water," I mumbled and shook my shoes, trying to get some of the liquid off. She apologized and dug out a tissue from her skirt pocket.
"How can this godforsaken school even manage to make fountain water taste bad?" she shuddered.
I threw away the now wet tissue, shrugged and tossed her a mint which she caught with her mouth.
"Thanks," she mumbled.
"Anything for my dearest friend who was just dying of food poisoning in front of me," I smiled.
She groaned and sat down on the hall bench, "I can't believe I lost that bet... I thought I was going to die while swallowing that expired coleslaw. I can still kind of taste it.."
"It's all over now," I reassured her and patted her shoulder.
"Wait... Holy— I feel so great!" she jumped up from her seat and spun around. "This is why I don't mind throwing up sometimes. All those dangerous toxins being removed my stomach immediately really makes you feel great doesn't it?"
"Riiiiiight," I nodded. "You better not have any side effects, you have to be in tip-top shape for the big day in two weeks."
"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed. "Jeez, why did I ever agree to that? And it's only two weeks away?!"
You see, as a celebration for our school being open for ten years, a special event was issued.
The Juniors were chosen to dance and sing on stage this year unless a select few chose not to, while everyone else joined together, chatted and ate with the other grades and parents for an entire school day. We were also chosen to help the Seniors prepare the stage, tables, and decorations, but they were too lazy, so they're forcing us to do all of the work.
The event is supposed to last until an hour after the beginning of school to three hours after the usual school time ends.
"You're going to do great, you're an amazing dancer," I reassured her. "I was dragged into this too, so you won't be alone... Anyway, class is gonna start, so we should be going now," I said and grabbed her arm.
"Do we have to go?" she whined like a kid. She stopped after I pulled her pierced ear.
After our last classes, where we both did absolutely nothing and passed notes instead and were definitely going to regret it, we walked out together, books in hand. We were ready to pass out right then and there until someone caught my eye.
"Hmmm.. Hey Brooke, do you know who that is?" I nudged her side.
"Who?" she stopped walking as I did and leaned in as I pointed in front of us, hiding behind a wall.
He had his head down, leaning against the wall in the hallways using his phone. I could see just enough of his face to know that I have no idea who he is. He had kind of a babyface but in an adorable 'hot' kind of way.
I recognized everybody in the school and their full name by heart even if I didn't speak to them, but he didn't ring a bell, so naturally, I was curious.
"Oh yeah, he's new, I think his name is Izaac," she replied and walked a few steps to open her locker, turning away from him with me so there is no suspicion. "Why? You think he's cute or something?"
"What? No," I said. His face shifted and I caught a longer glimpse, but nothing significant.
"Good, because I think he's a sophomore, you don't need any rumors going around."
"Really?" I raised a brow. "I just want to know everybody in the school, no matter what grade."
"Sure," she said sarcastically and nodded. "Then go 'know' him."
"What do you mean?"
I knew what she meant.
"Go talk to him!"
I glanced at him again, trailing down his form.
"He doesn't seem to be in the talking mood," I said. He seemed annoyed at something.
"Talking mood talking schmood. You're a social butterfly!" she hyped me up. "You can talk to anyone: Party pooper or mean girl."
I looked down and shrugged. I was definitely not a butterfly, in fact, Brooke was the butterfly here. I was still a cocoon. I like to let her think I was just a modest butterfly so we have something in common.
"I'll try."
She squealed and leaned against the wall, slightly hidden while I awkwardly shuffled closer to him. He seemed to be furiously typing away at his cellphone. I wasn't sure if I wanted to interrupt some random guy and his angry texting session.
I looked down at his hoodie, and when he moved his arm, I saw something that embarrassingly made me gasp.
You see, in my free time, I'm an artist. I get my art printed and sold, I do commissions as well to make money on the side that helps out my parents.
His jacket had tons of little pins of them from different shows and games, then I saw one of my older, exclusive pins with art from a lesser known video game while scanning them.
My gasp must've startled him, because his head snapped up.
I was taken aback by what little of his features I could see. His eyes were a certain shade of hazel green I've never seen before that mesmerized me.
His bangs were perfectly swept over the left side of his forehead, to me, it made him seem cute and innocent, accompanied by his smooth skin and slight babyface. I didn't have time to think or look at him further before he raised an eyebrow and spoke.
"Can.. I help you?"
"I.." my voice faded for a moment. I don't know why I couldn't strike up a conversation. Maybe about the pin, or the fact that he's new to the school, but I could only choke. "Uh, sorry, thought you were someone else."
"Oh," he mumbled and frowned. I looked away with a red face, I could feel his gaze burning on my back.
Brooke made a weird face at me from the end of the hall and I dramatically shrugged it off and pulled my hoodie over my head in shame.
She mouthed 'what was that?'
"Uh.." I heard the boy behind me begin.
I mouthed 'leave me alone' to Brooke before either of the two could say anything and ran in the opposite direction. Well, that was the way to the nearest exit anyways. Brooke followed me, I could hear her shoes against the floor. I turned a corner so I had the perfect chance to stop and hide in the janitor's closet.
Right when she was going to pass by, I reached out and grabbed her arm. She yelped as I pulled her backward.
"What the hell Kal?!" she shouted.
"I'm sorry..." I looked at the ceiling. "He was wearing one of my pins and I freaked out. I'm just so bad at talking to guys in general. I think I'm better off just staring."
"See? I told you your art was great!" she patted my shoulder. "So you admit he was cute?"
"Oh God."
She laughed and patted my shoulder, "Cute little Kalena. Oblivious to puppy love."
"It's.. not love. I was in his vicinity for three seconds.. And you literally just got your first boyfriend a week ago and you've barely spoken with him since, what do you know?"
"Shut up Ms. Turkey-Leg. Anyways, we can't leave, remember? We have to start decorating the stage or whatever."
"Oh great, just what I needed," I groaned. "School ends and I still have to stay and help. I just want to sleep."
"Too bad princess, you have to do something!" Brooke laughed.
She ended up pulling me to the gymnasium, where the event would take place. It was humongous and would probably take forever to decorate, but the event was only in two weeks. I took in the sight of it completely empty and honestly quite hideous at the moment.
"Are we the only two helping?" I asked as I stepped inside.
"No, some seniors are supposed to help set up the tables and the walls and stuff..." she said. "Not one other junior wanted to help us sadly, but we should just start on the stage for now. If anyone from the other classes feel like helping, they're allowed to, but I doubt it'll happen."
I sighed, "Alright. We should at least get your boyfriend to help," I said, forgetting his name.
"His name is Max, idiot," she huffed. "And I think Quinn would be a great help."
"Ugh, Quinn can barely carry her book-bag without looking like a hunchback. Anyways, I'm going to get some chairs and art stuff, you can wait for me," I said and ran up to the stairs that were connected to the stage.
"Can I just go look for Max instead?!" I heard her yell back.
"Yeah, whatever, but hurry up!"
Off to the side was another room that contained lots of chairs and other supplies we would be using. I pulled open the huge metal door, barely able to hold it.
It took all of my strength to keep it open, so I held my foot in front of the door and grabbed the chair closest to me. The door also closed on its own, so I stuck the chair outside to hold the door open for me so I could get some banners and scissors in peace.
I was a bit paranoid about the door closing on me, even with the chair right there, so I ran over to the corner quickly and moved the abundance of supplies aside. When I felt something sharp poke me, I looked in that area and to my pleasure, found some scissors.
For the life of me, I couldn't find any banners or even stickers or marker to use on them.
And that's when something that will forever haunt me happened.
I heard something drag across the floor, something creaks slowly, and before I could process it, the metal door slammed closed behind me.
The room went dark. I began to scream: I was absolutely terrified of being alone in the dark. And with the addition that you can't open this godforsaken door from the inside, it just became more of an unpleasurable experience.
I stuffed the scissors in my pocket, ran over to the door and began to desperately pound on it. "HEY!" I shouted.
No answer.
And then, I was subjected to almost having a panic attack.
"BROOKE!" I tried again. She should've been outside waiting for me, just like I told her to. "ARE YOU BACK ALREADY? I SWEAR IF THIS IS ONE OF YOUR JOKES—"
"I'm trying!" shouted a muffled voice from the other side. I couldn't even recognize it.
The door opened slowly and jerked back multiple times as if the person was having a great deal of trouble opening it. I pushed it to help them, and finally, it opened fully and I held my foot in front of it.
"Thanks, Brooke," I mumbled and looked up. "Please don't hold that against me for the rest of my life."
I quickly realized it wasn't Brooke who opened the door.
"Uh.."
"Oh, you.." he said. The boy from earlier, Izaac, scratched the back of his neck. "I.. didn't know anyone was inside when I picked up the chair, sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it.. Izaac, is it?" I smiled and awkwardly stepped out. I guess I had to suck up my insecurities and have a successfully normal conversation with a stranger for once.
"How do you know my name?" he asked. "I didn't tell you."
"Oh, uh.." I coughed and dodged the question. "I'm known for guessing names."
"Oh, then let me try," he said. "You look like a.. an Agatha. Am I right?"
"How old do I look to you?"
"I'm kidding. I'm guessing more of a Naomi. You're rocking the nerd look.."
I sighed. "I'm Kalena. Anyways, are you here to help or what?"
"Er, sadly," he sighed and turned around, picking up the chair he had taken, walking to the center of the stage. "Apparently there weren't enough helpers, and barely any seniors offered. So they picked me and a few other sophomores who left early to do it instead."
I hummed. "Are you going to be in the dance too?"
"Yeah," he sighed again. "Hey, do you know when we're supposed to start practicing for that?"
"Tomorrow we're supposed to begin practicing during our free time in class.. and we only have two weeks," I answered.
He nodded, seemingly annoyed by the news.
"Goddamnit, I didn't agree to any of this. Can't believe I just got here and I have to help set up for the ten year anniversary of this godforsaken—"
"I get it," I interrupted him. "I really do, but I'm sure the place will grow on you."
I caught a glimpse of his lips curling upwards as he placed the chair down on the center of the stage, but he quickly pulled his hoodie over his head.
"I hope it does."