Our Little Secret

Paranoia

"Ok..." Xavier goes slowly. "You might be over it, but I'm not. Can you help me?"

I sit up and just as I'm aboutta answer, I notice the girl at the library entrance. The same girl thats been stalking me. I know Sarinna said not to confront her, but I'm tired of her games.

"Zak?"

"I-I gotta go." I grab my bag and beeline for the girl. She knows I'm coming for her cuz she starts walking towards the girls' room.

I let the door bang behind me. "Who are you and why are you following me?" I ask her.

She turns to face me. She straightens her pale pink hijab and smiles at me. She's really pretty. "I came to warn you."

"About what?" I eye her suspiciously.

She leans in close. "They're coming to get you."

"Who?" I ask.

She gives me a look. "You know who." And some how I do know who.

"W-What's your name?" I ask again since she never answered me the first time.

She shrugs her shoulders. "Call me what you want."

I take her in. "Can I call you Cotton?" Her hijab remind me of the pink cotton candy they sell at carnivals.

"Ooh! I love that." She hugs me outta nowhere.

"Oh!" I hug her back, surprised. "So, like you're not here to hurt me?"

She could her head to the side. "What? No. I'm your friend."

"Oh. Ok." I nod.

"You should go back to the library before our friends start worrying," she tells me.

"Will I... Will I see you again?" I ask, backing towards the door.

She smiles that dimpled smile of hers again. "Oh, I'm here to stay."

"Ok. Great." I push the bathroom door open. "See you then." I walk back to the library, feeling much better. Then I remember what Cotton told me and I start to worry. But I just made a new friend so I feel better.

My friends look up from their work when I approach the table. "Ok, let's study." I sit down next to Xavier again and take his papers outta his hand.

"I thought you were over it?"

I laugh at him. "What? I love math." I squint at him. "Are you ok?"

"Are you?" He questions.

"I feel great." I turn to the papers in my hand. "Now, let's study."

+++++++

We're halfway through our math final when there's a knock on the door. Our teachers goes to answer it. A lady in a pencil skirt walks in and talks to the teacher in hushed voices. Ms. Jones looks around the room until she lands on Xavier.

"Xavier, you're needed in the office. I think she grab your things." Based on the look on her face, nothing good is happening.

I have a bad feeling about this. Maybe this lady and whoever she's with are the people Cotton was warning me about. I grab Xav's hand.