The hallways of Westbrook High buzzed with the familiar sound of students chattering, lockers slamming, and the occasional burst of laughter. And as usual, there was also an underlying tension in the air, an electric current of fear and excitement.
Near the lockers, a group of students huddled together, their voices low and conspiratorial.
"Do you know about the old school building?" a boy named Alan whispered, his eyes wide with anticipation.
"Yeah, I heard it's cursed," replied another student, Mia, her tone hushed. "Especially room 3B on the third floor. If you go in there, you'll be cursed and might even die."
"Three years ago, a student died there," said a third, Jason, glancing around nervously. "No one knows if it was murder or suicide. The body was found hanging but was also covered in bruises. And after that, three more students died in the next five months. They were also found in the same situation. They say that those students were cursed. That's why they abandoned the building."
The group fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts about the ominous rumors. The bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. Reluctantly, they dispersed, still whispering about the haunted building.
In the classroom, sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Miss Fletcher, their stern yet fair history teacher, was droning on about the Industrial Revolution.
"Rena, wake up!" Miss Fletcher's sharp voice cut through the classroom. Rena's head snapped up, her long dark brown hair covering her face. She quickly removed her hair from her face with her eyes wide in confusion, shouting, "Yes, miss!" Making the class burst into laughter.
"She'll never change. She probably dreams about punching people in her sleep," Jessy, her mischievous friend, whispered to Kiara, stifling a giggle. Kiara, her cute and somewhat shy friend who was the crush of nearly every boy in the class, smiled.
"Rena, if you can't stay awake, maybe this will help," Miss Fletcher said, smacking Rena lightly on the head with the book she was holding. The laughter grew louder, and Rena couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
"Sorry, Miss Fletcher. I was just resting my eyes," Rena said, rubbing her head.
"Yeah, resting them through the entire class," Jessy teased. The class laughed again.
"That's enough, all of you," Ms. Fletcher scolded, glaring at them.
"Alright now. Let's get back to the lesson," she said, turning back to the chalkboard.
The bell rang for lunch, and the students poured out of their classrooms, eager for a break. Rena, Jessy, and Kiara headed to their usual spot under the big oak tree in the school courtyard. They spread out their lunches and began to share their food.
"Kiara, Jessy, you've got to try these nuggets. My mom made them this morning," Rena said, handing over a piece.
"Thanks, Rena. Your mom makes the best lunches," Kiara said with a smile, taking a bite.
"Want some chips?" Jessy offered. "Sure," Rena said, taking a handful.
Just then, a boy approached them, his face flushed with nervousness. "Uh, Kiara, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me this weekend?" he stammered.
Kiara blushed, looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested," she said softly.
He persisted, "Come on, just one date. Please?"
Rena, sensing Kiara's discomfort, stood up and stepped between them. "She said no, buddy. Take a hint and buzz off," Rena snapped. "And if you keep pestering her, you'll have to deal with me. Got it?" Her eyes flashed with a fierce intensity.
The boy, recognizing Rena from the karate club and knowing her reputation, quickly backed away, muttering apologies. Jessy laughed, shaking her head. "You really scared him off, didn't you?"
"Thanks, Rena," Kiara said, her cheeks still pink.
"No problem. Some guys just can't take no for an answer," Rena said, sitting back down.
"That's our Rena, always ready to defend her friends," Jessy said with a grin. "By the way, do you guys know about the rumors about the haunted old school building? Apparently it's becoming really popular these days because one of the seniors said he saw a girl figure from that building's third-floor window."
"And they say that if you go to room 3B, you'll see the ghost of the girl who died there," Jessy said, her voice dropping to a spooky whisper. "And if you see her, you're cursed."
Kiara rolled her eyes. "Oh, not this again. It's just a bunch of stories to scare people." Kiara shook her head. "It's just a rumor. There's no such thing as ghosts."
Rena, however, couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that settled over her. "Maybe, but still, it's creepy."
The final bell rang, and students began packing their bags, eager to leave for the day. Rena glanced out the window, her eyes drawn to the old school building. It stood in the distance, its windows dark and foreboding. A shiver ran down her spine.
"Hey, Rena, you okay?" Jessy asked, noticing her friend's expression.
"Yeah, just thinking about those rumors," Rena replied, tearing her gaze away from the building.
"They're just stories, Rena. Don't let them get to you," Kiara said, placing a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder.
As they walked out of the school gate, they heard a familiar voice calling them. "Hey, wait up!" It was Kyle, Kiara's older brother. He was in his 3rd year while they were in their 2nd year of high school. And since those siblings got the same genes, he was quite handsome with black silky hair and dark brown eyes like his sister, and also was the crush of almost every girl in the school.
"Hi, Kyle," Jessy said, her voice taking on a teasing tone. "So how's the most popular guy in school?"
"Very funny, Jessy. Hi, Rena. Kiara, ready to go?"
Kiara nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
As Kyle and Kiara said farewell and walked in the opposite direction, Jessy turned to Rena with a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, when are you going to confess your feelings to your childhood sweetheart?"
Rena blushed. "Never. He has so many girls crushing on him, and he rejects them all. I don't want to be just another rejection."
Jessy laughed. "You never know unless you try. But seriously, you're just going to keep quiet, huh? Even though Kiara already approved you as her sis-in-law."
Rena shrugged. "For now, yeah. And also, I never told her to call me that. Anyway, let's just go home."
Rena woke up late the next morning, her alarm clock having failed to go off. She rushed to get dressed and ran out the door, her schoolbag bouncing on her back. As she sprinted down the street, she collided with someone, sending her sprawling to the ground.
"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, looking up to see a boy in the same school uniform.
"It's okay," he said, helping her up. But before he could say anything else, Rena was already running again, shouting apologies over her shoulder.
Later that day, during break, Rena and the other girls were playing badminton in the schoolyard. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew the shuttlecock over the fence and into the old school building.
"No way I'm going in there," one girl said, shaking her head.
"Me neither," another agreed. "Let's just forget it."
Jessy, ever the mischievous one, suggested, "How about we play rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes in?"
Reluctantly, everyone agreed, and Rena lost. She sighed. "Alright, I'll go. But Jessy, you're coming with me."
The two girls walked to the old building, its facade looking even more eerie up close. They pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. Dust hung in the air, and the floorboards creaked under their feet.
"This place gives me the creeps," Rena muttered, glancing around.
"Yeah, but it's just an old building," Jessy said, though even she sounded a bit nervous.
They split up to search for the shuttlecock. After a few minutes, Rena found herself standing in front of room 3B. She hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. There, lying on the floor, was the shuttlecock.
As she bent to pick it up, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She stumbled out of the room, calling for Jessy.
"Jessy, let's go," she said, her voice shaky.
"Did you find it?" Jessy asked.
"Yeah, let's just get out of here."
They hurried back to the schoolyard, and when they rejoined their classmates, Jessy announced, "The building is just old and creepy, but there's nothing to be afraid of."
That night, Rena took a long bath, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling from her visit to the old building. She went to bed, but sleep didn't come easily. Her mind kept drifting back to room 3B and the dizziness she felt.
In the morning, she stumbled to the bathroom, still groggy from her restless night. As she brushed her teeth, she glanced in the mirror and froze. Reflected back at her was a girl with short brown hair, dark and swollen eyes, and wearing a school uniform just like hers.
Rena blinked, rubbed her eyes, and looked again. The image was gone. She slapped her face, the sting bringing her fully awake. "What the hell was that?" she whispered, her heart racing.
She shook her head, trying to convince herself it was just her imagination. But deep down, she knew something was wrong. The rumors about the old school building might not be just stories after all.
To be continued..