Regan sat down, trying to not look at anyone. However, students kept glancing and even staring at her. She didn't know why they couldn't mind their own business and leave her alone.
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But this had been going on for so long. Literally everywhere, and she didn't have any better thing to do. They had their own mind. She wasn't going to force them not to look.
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Just when she thought that was finally eating in peace, she noticed a red haired girl coming closer to the table.
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She had a typical bad girl look, but with red hair instead of blonde. No worries, there were two blondes behind her.
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"Hey, weirdo," she said, her eyes narrowing with a disdainful scorn, "What's with that scar?"
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Her bluntness caught Regan off guard for a moment, but she had heard these words enough, "What is it to you?" she retorted.
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The girl raised an eyebrow, but her expression had darkened slightly, "I'm just asking," she said with a shrug, "You should be grateful someone as pretty as me is talking to someone as ugly as you."
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The people in the background had had their attention shifted, and now their eyes were on them. Regan could feel a surge of defiance build within her, but she had to keep her cool, "You think I care?" she shot back, her voice stronger now.
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"You won't talk like that to me," the other retorted, setting her soda on the table with a furious move, "I'm the principal's daughter, I can expel you whenever and wherever I want."
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Regan leaned back on her chair, her nerves already fired, but she was in no mood for fights, "Get away from my table," she hissed back. But the girl didn't move, she actually whispered something to the blonde one beside her. Regan didn't want for them to speak, she stood up and left the cafeteria, leaving behind a trail of whispers and rumors.
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The hallways were suddenly feeling too suffocating, so she decided she'd sit somewhere outside. She found an empty bench under a tree's shade and sat there, continuing to eat.
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But there were footsteps heard, and she looked up to see another girl coming. Regan's frustration raised. Was she one of those jerks?
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She had long brown hair and with pink curtain bangs. She was fancily dressed, with a white long shirt underneath a black corset, tight black pants and black boots that reached her knees. Kind of different, considering most wore ankle boots and sneakers.
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"Regan, right? We're in the same class," the girl spoke, her accent weird and unheard.
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Regan didn't notice her in the class. Maybe because she wasn't looking at anyone. Maybe because she was trying to escape the mocking eyes.
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"Yes?"
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"I'm Vesper," the girl replied, flashing a bright smile, "Nice to meet you."
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Regan was caught aback by her smooth approach, and she felt a weird feeling of suspicion for a moment, but quickly shoved it away, "Nice to meet you too," she said.
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The girl stood there for a moment, as if in some daze, but shook her head. "Nice t-shirt," she remarked, noting Regan's shirt. The most apparent thing about that tee shirt, were the words written in bold, "STAY AWAY".
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"You have a good fashion sense too," Regan replied, not trying what else to say. She had never been good at conversations, but she had been good at making them awkward.
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"So, do you want to be friends?" Vesper asked, her smile never faltering as she leaned against the tree.
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"Yeah, sure," Regan mumbled, though what she said mirrored nothing of what she thought.
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"Great," Vesper said, her smile turning into a smirk, "Let's exchange phone numbers."
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"Isn't it too fast for that?" Regan retorted.
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The other's expression didn't change, "We're classmates, girl. Of course, we're going to have each other's numbers. I'll give you mine, and you give me yours."
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Despite the weirdness of the situation, Regan found herself exchanging numbers. They talked for a while, learning that they were neighbors. Vesper was keen on talking about herself, but just surface things. Her family, hobbies and interests. Regan felt slightly uncomfortable at the thought that she'd have to talk about herself too. She didn't have much to tell about herself, apart from reading and singing sometimes.
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The lunchtime passed, and with it, the school day. Regan left the building without looking back, not waiting until she'd get home.
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But even as she thought she'd find a shelter of relief, the whole walk home, she felt perilous, like someone was following her.
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She hated turning around, but she couldn't help the slight pang of fear form. Her pace quickened and she held the house's keys in a position for a self-defense weapon.
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As soon as she reached home, Regan threw the bag on the floor, locked the door, and sighed. It was more of a sigh from tiredness, than one from relief.
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She decided to her homework, to drift her mind off the uneasy situation. But it started to creep up again, like a vine tightening its grip.
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She managed to get through her homework, thought that feeling didn't entirely dissipate. When the aunt came home, Regan barely spoke about her school day, and didn't tell her aunt about the red haired girl, or about Vesper. It wasn't too important anyway.
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After they ate dinner, Monica went to her room to do her work assignments and Regan played a game in her laptop. She didn't know if it was just her mind, but she could still feel a little unease in her chest. That feeling hadn't gone anyway.
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She lay on the bed and tried to sleep, trying to not remember the non-belonging feeling or the scary stuff about being watched. It was no use.
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She took her phone, scrolling the net, sitting up a bit higher. A small sound clicked on her window and she immediately tensed, her heart nearly stopping. She jumped out of the bed, swiping the curtain aside, but there was nothing. Just the night, dark and cold, and a stray cat wandering through the streets.
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Sleep came to her, but it was an uneasy one, full of intrusive dreams.
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The next morning, she woke up from the sunlight resting on her face brightly. She hadn't slept that bad and was thankful for that. Well, she was very thankful.
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She got ready quickly, wearing some baggy jeans and a white shirt, combing her brown hair and putting it up into a messy bun. Her aunt was sipping at her coffee, flashing her a wide smile, "Good morning, dear."
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"Morning," Regan replied, walking to the fridge and picking a granola bar. But the next thing that Monica said raised her mood a little. She had brought a new car and was giving the old one to her. Regan couldn't believe it for a moment, and hug her aunt tightly. The keys felt purposeful in her hand, and she couldn't wait to drive.
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They said goodbye to each other and Regan left, feeling grateful of her aunt's act. She could've just sold it, but she didn't.
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When she arrived at school, she stepped out and could feel people looking at her. But she only looked forward and buried her face in her phone.
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Only to see Vesper's missed calls and messages at 3 AM.
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"Hey girl, you're awake?"
"Are you there?"
"Ya told me you stayed up till late..."
"Regan!"
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What a weirdo, Regan thought. She had told her she stayed late, but not the specific time. She hadn't expected Vesper to stay up that hour, either.
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Her first class was literature. As she entered the classroom, all eyes shot up to her, and Regan fought the urge to cringe. She didn't look at anyone and sat somewhere in the middle of the row.
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Vesper was sitting on the desk before, her face giving off an annoyed, almost irritated expression.
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"I texted you at night, why didn't you answer?" she asked, quite coldly.
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Regan's eyebrows furrowed, "I was sleeping at that time, what did you text for?"
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"But you told me you stayed awake late at night."
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"Yes, but not up 3." Well, she stayed up that hour, if her mind decided to play the sleepless state a little longer. So, it was something she couldn't really control. She wanted to sleep earlier but her mind had other plans.
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The literature teacher started the lesson and Vesper turned away.
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Regan sighed.
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She followed the lesson and did the assignments. On the class breaks, only a few would still glance at her. That was all she noticed because she herself wasn't looking at anyone at all. And the boy that stared at her from the day before, well, he was seated somewhere else and was minding his own business. Good. It was good when they minded their own business and no one messed with her.
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She looked at the phone and only five minutes were left for the bell to ring. Vesper had skipped her classes and when the bell rang, she came back, getting her things.
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"Are you leaving?" Regan asked.
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"Huh? No, just getting my phone," she answered.
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"You left your phone here?"
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"Yeah," Vesper replied nonchalantly. "Are you coming with me to the cafeteria?"
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"I... yes, I was going." She didn't want to go there at all, but she couldn't stay all alone in the class.
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