Ariel ran and ran through the school as she was crying. She missed Sarah. Everyone missed Sarah, but not as much as Ariel. She was her friend since kindergarten. All Ariel can do is just try out her problems. Ariel went through the abandoned janitor closet, her secret spot in the back of the school that she can use when she's in distress. Sarah told her best friends as soon as she found the spot. Together, they decorated the secret room with fairy lights, school chairs, and their favorite rock band posters, The Black.
Diana and Xiaba saw Ariel running to their secret spot, so they rush to help Ariel. They both know Ariel really cared for Sarah.
"Is everything okay Ariel?" Xiaba asked while closing the door behind her, checking for anyone who saw them enter. They can see Ariel's back when entering, hearing only Ariel's quiet sobbing.
"We know you loved Sarah, everyone did. Sarah's in a better place now. She's away from this living hell." Diana said. She was fighting back tears. Seconds flew by before Ariel finally responded.
"I guess you're right. No one can escape this living hell. I'm just going to miss her. I loved her." Ariel said sadly, wiping off her tears from her face.
"Thank you guys for looking out for me. I wouldn't be able to survive without you two. I love you so much, guys." Ariel said emotionally, picking herself up and stretching her arms apart. "Group hug?"
They all huddle and hug each other, all together wiping and fighting tears.
The first day of school was not expected by anyone. "How eventful." Ariel said in her mind. First, Sarah's death. Second, the whole trance thing and the Aphrodite painting. Ariel connected the puzzle in her head. "Trance happened because of a Aphrodite painting. Is there a possible connection between the two?" Ariel then grunted in frustration. "Why me? Is this the universe trying to tear me apart? Why not choose someone else?"
"Ariel are you okay?" Xiaba asked with confusion, trying to find the secret Ariel is keeping.
"Oh I'm fine. Just dealing with some personal stuff." Ariel said to Xiaba with a bit nervousness in her voice. She then leaves the secret room.
Diana and Xiaba stare at each other with confusion.
"I can see through someone's soul and I know for a fact that there's something wrong with Ariel. She's hiding something from us. From her two best friends! Good thing I'm part Chinese and have an amazing grandma who can prepare an herbal tea that reveals the secrets of a person. Then she'll be a open book." Xiaba says in excitement and in knowledge.
"I don't hate or agree with your idea, but it's for the best of Ariel. This secret of hers is being a burden to her. Let's keep this a secret from Ariel." Diana says, raising her hand to clap Xiaba.
"How ironic." Diana says perplexed.
"Hey, um Mr, Doda, can I talk to you privately?" Ariel asks in sadness.
"Yes of course. You can always talk to me." Mr. Doda states.
"It's about the whole Aphro-" The bell rings for second period. "Ugh never mind Mr. Doda." Ariel leaves in frustration. Mr. Doda strokes his chin, watching Ariel leave his classroom.
Ariel walks to her second period, Art. The only thing she desires in this world is to express herself with a canvas and paint. Ariel takes a desk that is empty, right next to some annoying freshmen. Looking around the classroom, she sees some beautiful paintings that probably belonged to previous years. The polished, lavish wood frames beautifully complementing the paintings. Ms. Prick stands up behind her desk, moving her glasses to her hair. "Welcome to Art. My name is Ms. Prick and I'll be your teacher." She writes her name on the whiteboard, constantly circling it. "This was one hell of a school day, but let's put that past us. Before we start getting on the real stuff, I want to see your skill. Right now I'm passing out some printing paper. You can draw whatever; self-portrait, landscape, I don't care. You have twenty minutes." She gets out her phone to put on a timer. "Your time starts…. now!" Everyone starts rushing as soon as she starts the timer. The freshmen are scrambling to get a pencil. The sophomores are trying to be the cool ones now since they're not freshmen anymore.
Not even five minutes pass by before Ms. Prick's phone vibrates. She quickly gets up and checks her phone. "Important news everyone: we're heading to the auditorium for some students' death. Oh I almost feel bad for her." Ms. Prick says in a foolish tone. Ariel just feels the need to kill her on the spot. "Just leave your stuff here everyone." Ms. Prick says.
The hallways are pack. Everyone pushing to try to get the front row in the auditorium. Some students are crying, some are holding in their tears. Ariel can just relate and feel their pain. It almost feels like a piece of her just died.
Ariel spots Diana and Xiaba. Ariel waves her hand, trying to signal them to come get her. Diana and Xiaba spot her. They push their way in the massive crowd to meet with Ariel.
"Thank god I found you guys. I didn't want to be stuck with the annoying freshmen in my class." They all laugh. "Yeah their pretty annoying." Diana responds.
Diana, Xiaba, and Ariel all get seated in one of the middle rows.
"Diana did you ever have Ms. Prick as a teacher?" Ariel asks. "Yeah, last year, she's a pain in the ass huh?" Ariel nods with agreement. "Dude yeah she is, why doesn't anyone report her to Mr. Randal?" Ariel asks. "You do know that Mr. Randal is the man and that whatever he says, goes. Also, Ms. Prick has a contract with the school; there's no way she can get fired under any circumstance." Diana says with some defeat in her voice. "Lousy principle." Ariel can only say in that moment.
"If I can have your attention please? I know this is the first day of school, but we are sad to let Sarah go. Sarah was a good person." Mr. Randal says in a depressing voice. Ariel had enough of the whole Sarah thing. It's like it wants to haunt her. Ariel tries to block Mr. Randal's voice from entering her mind. She looks at the floor, disgusted at the fact there's trash everywhere. Ariel then looks up, only to see the whole student body slowly turning into bright red rose petals, the same one from Mr. Doda's classroom when the trance happened. There's rose petals everywhere. Ariel is stunned. She spots the same Aphrodite painting from Mr. Doda's classroom, peeking through the thick cloth curtains. "How did that get there?" Ariel asks herself. "It's happening again isn't it?"