The girl feels uneasy when, after leaving the bathroom, an unfamiliar boy stops her. She carefully measures him with her eyes and keeps her gaze on his intimidated face. He looks embarrassed, is dumbfounded and is clearly following someone's instructions.
— Could you let me go? — she asks politely when it becomes uncomfortable for her.
The teenager shakes his head and looks over his shoulder when he hears someone's footsteps. Hannah leans out to see who made the strange boy swallow her saliva harder, but is unable to see anything as she is pushed into the bathroom.
The student leaves the door ajar and cautiously observes with one eye the two people whispering among themselves. Hannah is curious about who is secretly dating at this hour, but the boy reads her intentions and prevents her from making any move.
He puts his finger to his lips, telling her to keep quiet.
What right does he have to order her around when she doesn't even know him?
— I'm sorry — she exclaims as the men there move away. — I probably scared you, and that was not my intention. Mariah asked me to warn you. You should change rooms.
— Mariah? — repeats the girl's name, wondering if he is talking about the older student she met earlier in the bathroom.
— She wants to help you.
Hannah doesn't understand any of this. Why is everyone so afraid of this room? What secret is hidden in it if they claim it is in danger?
— Probably nothing disturbing has touched you yet, but it's a matter of time when you start living in fear — she declares.
She lifts her face and focuses her gaze on the mirror, on which there is a threat written in her favorite lipstick.
She turns on the light and, with a nod, directs the boy to look in that direction.
— Do you have that in mind?
The student's eyes involuntarily enlarge.
— Tomorrow, you should go to the headmaster and ask him to change your room.
— Can you tell me: what secret hides this place?
— I would like to know it myself — he says, staring at the words written in pink lipstick. — But if you don't, you'll most likely go crazy. I mean, you will go crazy. Rumor has it that that girl left behind a curse that reaches everyone.
— Do you think that's true?
He shrugs his shoulders.
— I don't know what I should believe anymore myself. They are all these stories just made up by people, or is there a particle of truth in them, but one thing I am sure of, you should not take this threat lightly. He says, pointing to the mirror with his finger.
*
Mariah discreetly leaves the room so that none of her roommates will notice her sneaking out into the hallway at such a late hour when it is forbidden.
She narrowly misses screaming when, on the way out, she falls right into the arms of a close friend. She has known him since she was a child, and they were previously inseparable, but the last two years have led to them meeting only in secret. Since Mariah got involved with Jimmy, she has distanced herself from her friend, but Nick doesn't hold it against her and is on her side at all times.
He is the only one who knows her secrets and also knows about everything that bothers her.
— You scared me. — An uncertain smile appears on his face. - Have you been to Hannah's room?
— I met her in the hallway. I warned her that she should ask the director to change rooms as soon as possible.
The girl nods and leans with her back against the wall.
— Thank you for doing that. For me, it could be dangerous if I ran into the wrong people.
— I saw them. — Mariah looks surprised. — I saw with my own eyes what you revealed to me in secret. I didn't let Hannah know the secret, either. I would rather not put her in danger.
— And rightly so. It will be better if the girl doesn't find out about anything. With the completion of the year, we will take all the secrets with us, and the younger classes will be able to focus solely on their studies.
— Do you think that when our yearbook leaves here, everything will go back to normal? — For Nick, this is unrealistic, but Mariah guesses the truth behind that room.
— I'm sure of it. — She looks into his eyes and forces a smile. — Nick... — she begins, noticing the concern on his face.
— If I could help you somehow... I'm unable to watch you suffer because of this moron. Even though you are stifling your pain, I can see how hard you are trying not to burst out crying in front of me.
It is these words that make something inside her snap, and she embraces the boy at the waist, putting her face to his chest. Mariah can always count on his support, and he is the only man who, over the long period of their friendship, has never turned his back on her.
— You could even beat him for me — she announces, smiling through her tears. — But we hide our friendship for a reason. Jimmy is vindictive, and your school life would be over.
*
Her stomach has been hurting since the morning. Although she is prepared for her first class, she feels apprehension about meeting a new class. She doesn't know what she should expect, since the people she met on her first day at school were extremely specific.
As if that weren't enough, she's troubled by a threat someone left on the mirror while she was taking a shower. She tried to ignore it, thinking that someone was playing a prank, yet she can't ignore the words of an older boy who warned her that she should change rooms, and as soon as possible.
But as if to look at it from another angle, there is nothing going on in the room. There are no paranormal phenomena. She has watched a lot of horror movies in her sixteen years of life, and so far, this room doesn't resemble any of them.
So what's the point of her having to escape from it already?
She has decided that she will wait a few days, and if something actually starts to happen, then she will immediately move to another room.
Walking down the corridor, she feels the stares of the students on her. She supposes that this is because yesterday she was embraced by a boy she doesn't know at all, and this caused a giant sensation among her peers.
However, this is not the only thing they are interested in, as a rumor has spread in which it was Hannah who challenged Joseph to become a better student than him. Everyone laughs at this behind her back, thinking that the girl is already completely crazy, although she spent little time in the haunted room. No one can believe that she will succeed because in their claim it is impossible.
But Hannah thinks otherwise.
Heading down the stairs a floor below, she looks over her shoulder, feeling a penetrating gaze on her.
She is overwhelmed by momentary anxiety when she spots Joseph behind her. She tries to pretend to be tough, but his presence instills an indefinable fear in her. At any moment something stupid could come his way, so she fears that he will get the idea to push her down the stairs, although he doesn't have to, as she clumsily trips over her feet.
This fall could have ended unhappily for her had it not been for Jin, who is waiting for his friend. She falls right into his arms, embarrassed by this uncomfortable situation.
— Are you okay? — He asks thoughtfully, and when she lifts her head and sees his face, she skittishly moves away from him.
— Thank you — she says in a stifled voice.
— Hannah... — The girl is about to run away from here when she notices the smile on Joseph's face; however, the boy does not let her go and grabs her hand. He jerks her painfully and, disregarding her protests, sets her down in front of Jin.
— When an older student speaks to you, show him some respect and listen to him politely — he makes her aware in a tart voice.
Jin crinkles his eyebrows as he doesn't like his friend's arrogant behavior, especially the tone with which he addresses Hannah. He has no right to treat her this way and intends to talk to him about it to make him realize that she is untouchable.
He is overwhelmed by the feeling that Joseph may be picking on her, so he intends to inform him to stay away from her.
Likewise, he is not like Jimmy, who allows himself to be controlled and follows his best friend's every command.
— Do you have something to tell me? I'd like to have breakfast already — she says nervously, looking around to the side.
Jin sees that Hannah is restless and guesses that it has to do with the presence of Joseph, who intends to keep them company. She leans with her back against the wall and pretends to wait for someone.
— Why haven't you gone to the cafeteria yet? I will join you soon — he turns to his friend.
— I'm waiting for my kitten — he replies, glancing at Hannah out of the corner of his eye.
Heading down the stairs, Jimmy trails behind the boarding school attendant, correcting the gold watch on his left hand.
— Oh, there's my kitten already — he declares, raising his hand.
He puts his arm around his friend, and together they head toward the cafeteria. They laugh out loud, clearly making fun of someone.
Hannah has no doubt that she is the object of their derision.
— Danielle? — When the girl pays no attention to him, he tries again. — Danielle?
The teenager does not look at him at all. She doesn't react in any way. The first thought that comes to his mind is: is there a possibility that Hannah has lost her memory in the past three months?
Jin understands that her behavior is not an ordinary act. Something is wrong.
— Hannah? — Only after saying that name does the girl pay attention to him. — You know what, we should join the rest because they will take the best seats.
He sends her a slight smile and, with a nod, points to the corridor that leads to the cafeteria.
— Before we go, may I ask you one question? — He opens his eyes wider in amazement and nods uncertainly. — Why did you act like that yesterday? Do you really know me?
The 18-year-old slides his hand into his hair and massages his head, wondering what kind of answer he should give her. If Hannah doesn't remember him and doesn't know who he is, how can he confess the truth to her?
— My behavior was ridiculous, and I'm truly sorry for it. — His gaze is humble. — I won't say that I mistook you for another person because it would sound absurd, but I hope the moment will come when you will understand it yourself.
*
With a spoon in his mouth, she watches Jin eat his breakfast in silence, while Joseph, Jimmy and Tom, sitting next to him, are absorbed in discussion. They laugh loudly, drawing the attention of every student.
Hannah lowers her gaze to her plate of food when she is caught by the dark leader looking at his friend. She nervously begins to bury her spoon in the rice, feeling his cool gaze on her. The boy rests his chin on his hand and stony-faced looks at either his friend or his new student, wondering what they have in common.
He doesn't like the fact that the 16-year-old is trying to get close to Jin because he supposes that by doing so she is trying to alleviate her situation.
If she is trying tricks, why should he remain indifferent to it?
He smiles mockingly and angrily puts a piece of meat in his mouth, hitting his fork against his teeth.
Joseph hates it when someone tries to be devious and escapes from duty in the easiest way — through acquaintanceship.
Mariah appears at the cafeteria. The girl looks around the room, and her gaze finds Jimmy. A grimace of sadness runs across her face, although she is not about to admit that she is suffering. She tries to maintain her dignity and prove to everyone that she is a tough person who can cope after breaking up with her boyfriend.
She intends to sit down with a new student, but she is forestalled by a red-haired boy who brazenly sits down on the chair she has selected.
The girl presses her lips together, however, without saying a word. She simply finds another vacant seat and smiles under her breath as she notices the breakfast prepared for her. She leans across the table in a "Thank You" smirk to Nick.
The boy puts his fingers to his lips, assuring her that he has accepted the kiss.
Hannah looks at the redhead who has squatted next to her and blinks her eyelids, realizing that this is the boy she met in the evening after leaving the bathroom.
— Have you been about the director yet? — he asks, and when she shakes her head, he leans his elbow against the countertop and scratches his forehead. — Why haven't you done it yet?
— Because I haven't — she replies, clouding. — I don't know if I should believe it because living alone is quite pleasant.
— Moron. — The 18-year-old sums her up, before biting her tongue. The teen crinkles her eyebrows as she doesn't like the term he used to let her know she's making a mistake. — Sorry, I got worked up. You should just listen to Mariah, she wants to help you.
— I'm grateful that you take such good care of me, but as long as nothing happens there, I'm not going to give up that room. The thought that I would have to share a room with three other girls is overwhelming.
Nick raises his hands in a gesture of surrender, not intending to insist any longer.
— Your choice, but later, don't cry if it's too late.