Deception

3. Now You See Me, Now You Don't

Ava pulled hair into a ponytail as she walked into the locker room. Sweat ran down her face and she was exhausted, her body was drained from her last class of the day, P.E. The strong smell of body Oder and the loud chatter welcomed her. She slid past a group of sweaty females and walked to her locker. She opened her locker and took a deep breath. She took her time and allowed the other girls to shower and leave before she even thought about changing. Ava had always been shy of her body. She grabbed clothes her and walked to the showers. Ava turned the knob and let the steam hit her face. She slipped off her gym clothes and let the hot water hit her skin. She grabbed her body wash and let the liquid hit her rag. The cold soap and against her warm wet skin made her body all soapy. Her mind began to run at ease as the water ran down her body. Pictures of her mother's face plopped in her head. Her recently washed face, pale skin and two long braids gave Ava some hope. Hope that maybe her mother was sober enough to rejoin the family. To put together back what Ava has been missing her whole life, her mom. Ava heard the gym door slam loud and heard footsteps.

I thought everybody had left. She thought to herself.

"Hello?" Ava called out. Her voice drowned from the loud shower. The footsteps seemed to get closer.

Maybe I'm over exaggerating. She thought to herself again. Hallucinations. Ava continued to wash her body before the lights flickered off. The water shortly flicked off too. She let out a small scream before grabbing her towel wrapping it around her body.

"Hello?" Ava called out. "Is there somebody there?" A cold breeze floated around her, giving her huge Goosebumps. "This isn't funny anymore." She began to pace towards her locker as fast as she could. The footsteps seemed to get closer but they began to form around her. Lockers began to slam and she heard giggling.

"Stop!" Ava screamed. She rushed to put her combination in but couldn't. Her fingers were shaking like a hairless Chihuahua. She finally got inside and grabbed her belongings. She started to run before she slipping on a puddle of water. Her head smash against a locker and her towel flew off. She was exposed. A sharp pain rushed through her head and tears began fly from her eyes. She rose from the ground and changed her clothes. The footsteps seemed to be behind and that gave her the motivation to run to the exit. She jerked on the doorknob rigorously but it wouldn't budge. She banged on the door in tears. "HELP! I'm locked in! HELP!" There was no response. The footsteps seem to get closer and the giggling became louder.

"HELP!" Ava cried. "I NEED HELP!" her hands began to throb as she banged on the door. "Someone's in here to get me!" She jerked on the door before it started to budge. She pushed her body against it and she flew through.

"Miss is you okay?" A security officer looked down on her.

"Yes I am." Ava sat up. "I was locked in and there's somebody in there."

"Are you sure ma'am?" The security's officer face grew worried. He yelled something in his Walkie talkie before responding. "Do you know what this person looked like?"

Ava rubbed her eyes. She didn't dare to see what this mystery person looked like. "No sir."

"Are you sure that somebody is in there?" The security asked again.

"Yes I'm sure." Ava responded. But was she really sure there was somebody in there with her. It could of have been her imagination running wild.

The security sighed before storming in the locker room. Within a few minutes, the security guard came back. "I'm sorry Miss, but there's no trace of anybody in there."

"Are you sure?" Ava bit on her bottom lip. "I swore there was somebody in there."

"I'm sure." The security officer responded. He gave her his card if she remembered anything before leaving. A cold chill shot down Ava's back as she heard the giggle again. Her fingers starting typing a new text to Kirsten, Samantha, and Ellie: SOS!