Chereads / Long past dawn / Chapter 6 - Chapter Five.

Chapter 6 - Chapter Five.

彡Victim彡

Malia meeting Annike, Sekeenat's best friend, wasn't at all pleasant.

First she made fun of her blonde hair,then she called her flat. And now she's giving her the nickname 'bone straight', because she was too slim. Her words were always to blunt and too hurtful. Sekeenat said she was only teasing her,but that didn't make Malia dislike her any less.

Malia didn't like Annike at all at the moment. She didn't like how Annike was

teasing her about her slim figure.

Malia had always been skinny, and she wasn't used to being teased by anyone.

And yet Annike seemed determined to tease Malia in the worst possible ways.

"You really should eat more," said Annike. "I'm not trying to be rude or

anything, but you're so thin."

They were at the cafeteria,three other girls sitting with them. Sekeenat at her right,Nebula at the far end of the table,and Karissa beside Nebula.

"I'm fine," Malia replied. She pushed aside the extra plate of jollof rice and

plantain Annike placed before her. "Thanks anyway."

Annike smiled and shrugged. Then she picked up her fork and began shoveling

the plantain into her mouth.

Karissa reached over and took another bite of her food. An idea popped up in

Malia's head.

"No, actually I do need your help," Malia told Annike. "Why don't you give me some tips on how to bulk up?"

Annike stopped chewing and looked at Malia. Her dark eyes stared back at

Malia. "Huh? You don't need to bulk up. Then you'd be too fat. That's way worse than being slim."

Malia forced a frown, tilting her head. "But it would look better if I did. Weren't you the one

who said so?."

Annike paused for a moment. Then she put down her fork and wiped her mouth

with her napkin. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But you know that being

too skinny isn't healthy, right?"

"Really? I've never heard that before. Isn't that weird?"

Annike laughed and shook her head. "No, it's not weird at all. Most people are just afraid to say what they think because it might hurt someone's feelings."

Malia's face scrunched up.Okay, wow,so you have no issue at all in hurting my feelings then. Malia thought to herself, eyeing the girl in front of her.

"Look, Malia," Annike continued. "Just like everyone else, you're going

through puberty. That means your body is changing. But don't worry,it won't

last forever. In fact, it will eventually go away."

It sounded strange to Malia when Annike said her body would soon go away.

Annike stopped talking and looked away. "Anyway, let's change the subject.

What do you want to talk about?"

"Oh,uh…"

"Hmm…," said Annike. "Well, I guess we could talk about the other classes. Did

you know we have different teachers for each class?"

Malia quirked an eyebrow."I mean, I guess that makes sense. If they teach us differently depending on

our needs and abilities." Malia said.

"Right," Annike responded. "And speaking of new things, I hear we also get a brand-new teacher for History. A woman named Miss Lydia. I haven't met her yet, but I hear she's very strict and demanding."

"Oh, yeah." Malia looked up at Annike. "Have you met her?"

Annike shook her head. "No,not really."

"Are you two done eating?" asked Sekeenat. "Can we please be quick? Lunch will

soon be over."

Annike and Malia both nodded. They finished their food quickly and then moved

out of earshot to continue their conversation.

*~*

Feranmi Adelakun was a petite,brown skinned fifteen year old. She was tagged the prettiest in her set. Feranmi loved it when she got complimented for her beauty.

She fed on those compliments.

Feranmi Adelakun was your stereotypical 'popular,yet still lonely'. Her so called friends barely even knew a thing about her. They all just followed her around because of her popularity.

Feranmi had always felt like a lonely child. Her parents were barely ever around,her siblings were either off to college,or in their husband's house,her so called boyfriend preferred to play PS5 with his friends than hang out with her,and her so called friends were barely there when she needed them.

Her whole life seemed to be going down hill lately. Full of complete darkness.

But then came this little ray of light in her life. The reason for her smile.

Feranmi stared at her reflection,a full-blown smile spreaded on her face,her eyes twinkling with the light she never thought she'd see again.

She felt happy. She was happy again.

And it was all thanks to him.

Feranmi bit her lip as she thought of her previous encounter with her ray of light earlier that day,her stomach fluttering just by thinking about his beautiful face. She could still smell his cologne around her.

Feranmi looked like a lovesick puppy in a daze as she stared distantly into the mirror, her smile still intact.

This always happened everytime she thought about him.

The dazed look. The big smile. The dragonflies in her tummy. The increase in her heart beat.

He did these things to her.

Things her boyfriend couldn't.

Feranmi sighed, snapping out of her daze.

Her boyfriend.... What was she going to do about him?. She couldn't possibly-

Feranmi blinked a few times as she felt a strong breeze pass through her. She shivered, confusion slipping in her expression. What the heck was that?. She thought to herself.

Her gaze caught something from behind her through the mirror,a figure slowly making an appearance. It started from their knees,until the rest of their body slowly made an appearance.

The thing behind her had wild hair covering their face,pale skin,and sharp claws resting on both sides of their body.

Feranmi screamed from the top of her lungs. The thing behind her glared at her,its eyes glowing red from it's hiding behind the curtain of wild hair.

Feranmi screamed again. She turned around, facing the thing in front of her,her eyes turning red from the tears forming,her mouth hung open in shock,and her breathing turning ragged.

She couldn't move. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Feranmi and the thing had a little staring contest. The latter glaring daggers at the petrified little girl. Then they launched themselves forward. Feranmi screamed once again, jerking herself backwards, slipping on the wet tiled floor and hitting her head on the sink backwards. Hard.

The thing watched as the girl's body fell to the ground, her neck dislocated from her body,and her body limp.

Glowing red eyes glared at the lifeless body on the toilet floor, lips twisting into a sneer,until slowly, they turned upwards,a wicked smile making its way on their face.