Secret Red

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The weekend passed too quickly just like any other good things would and it was already Monday. Alison dragged herself up to the bathroom, quickly changed into her gray sweatshirt, black jeans, tied her hair into a bun and wore the thick rim glasses. Stashed a granola bar into her bag and drove to school. Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the carpark. Once spotted an empty parking spot, she set the blinker ready to make a turn when a blue z4 BMW made a hard turn and took her spot instead. Irritated, she waited to see who the person was that took her parking spot, the long blonde-haired girl in her tight mini skirt and blue crop top went out of the car in her wedge heels. Mia. Alison scoffed and annoyed at Mia who nonchalantly flipped her hair to the side  and then walked confidently towards the school building. Reluctantly, she had to drive to the back of the carpark to find another empty space and parked the car. This is not going to be a good day. She huffed, walking towards the school building, which was a very long walk, unfortunately.

"Hey Newbie!" "Hey Vixen!" Corey and Rob called out to her at the same time waving from their locker at the hallway on their break for second period.

"I think I'd prefer Newbie than Vixen." She whispered loudly fixing her glasses as she walked passed them towards her locker which was just across theirs as Rob gave her a sad disappointed look. Making their way together to history class, they saw students crowded outside a particular locker area. They tried to get a better view of what was going on and saw that Anna was pulling out stickers that filled her whole locker with various different type of "Don't do drugs" signs. Swiftly, she helped her pull out the stickers and noticed that Anna was trying her best to swallow down her emotions. Noticing that Alison was pulling out the stickers, Rob and Corey quickly helped along until the last sticker was pulled out.

"Thanks." Anna simply said and left them, walking away with her hood on. Alison told the boys to go ahead while she ran after her.

"Hey, are you alright?" She questioned with concern, walking beside her.

"I'm fine." She replied flatly looking straight without giving her a glance.

"Hey, I'm here for you if you need me, I can-"

"I don't need your pity! Just because you dressed up like that doesn't mean that you understand, alright. Just... leave me alone!" She retorted and quickened her steps leaving Alison behind. I do understand, she discerns. Opted to give Anna some space, she decided to go to the bathroom to wash her face before making her way back to class, bringing herself back to the reality that some things never really change even in this new chapter. Then, she walked out of the bathroom just to bump into a hard chest.

"Sorry." She said looking up to see that the hard chest belonged to Jason. What a day, and it's not even lunch yet!

"Do you not see that I'm walking here? Clearly, you can't see to have to bump into me." He sighed, raising his brow.

"Ugh! My eyes are perfectly fine, you're the one who bumped into me." She riposted.

"What! Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked Jason who looked muddled.

"I'm just wondering if you realize what you're missing."

"What kind of lame comeback is that?" She rolled her eyes.

"You really don't feel like missing something?" He was now really confused.

"What? You're clearly wasting my time." She replied annoyed, wondering what other trick was he playing on her.

"Really? How peculiar?" He folded his arms placing his right hand on his cheek and tapped the temple with his index finger looking at her.

"Shoot." She placed her fingers on her temple mimicking his gesture and realized that she had left her glasses on the bathroom sink. Quickly, pacing back to the bathroom and put the thick glasses back on the brim of her nose.

"Clearly you do have a perfect eyesight, which makes me wonder why do you feel the need to wear them."

"I'm... near-sighted. Don't just stand there, let's go to class." She hesitated and walked to their class while he stayed, still very much confounded.

The school days went on pretty fast and it was almost the end of the second week. Jason and Alison were more civilized ever since their encounter at the bathroom. Since then, Jason had a feeling that there was something more with Alison than what she portrays. The oddly attractive nerd who courageously and valiantly defended what she believes, who is not afraid to express what was on her mind, yet hides herself behind those hideous glasses which she clearly doesn't need. How peculiar?

"So, do you have any plan for the weekend, Al? Want to catch a movie? I think there's a new thriller movie, we should check it out!" Layla suggested standing in her white crop top and blue ripped jeans with her blonde hair tied into a messy bun. Her strong facial features were evidently beautiful even in her simple make up.

"I'll have to check with my mom first, I did promise her that I'll accompany her look for a new cupboard for her craft room." Alison replied taking a sip on her cold soda.

"Oh, that can be done in just one day, you can go with her on Sunday while we'll go on Saturday! We'll have fun! I can pick you up from your house, if you want. Yes, alright, it's fixed then, I'll text the others as well!" Zoe proclaimed without waiting for her friend to rebuffed nor to even comment.

"What's with thriller anyway?" Alison asked.

"Oh, you know Layla got this thing with gore movies, dark magic and stuff like that, yeah just entertain her and go along, dear. Though honestly, nothing beats the very first exorcist movie. Hands down it's the scariest movie I've watched." Zoe said flatly, her eyes never once leaving the phone screen while typing something on her iPhone.

"With a face like that and she enjoys those kinds of things? Wow, that's... unexpected. by the way, the shining, hands down." Alison chuckled.

"Yeah, and with that kind of appearance and that huge attitude, that's something else too. And yeah, both are alright." Layla pointed at Alison staring her down from head to toe trying to make a point.

"Fair enough. And just alright? You're at another level of horror scale." They agreed and Alison called her mom informing her on their movie plans.

"Hey mom, yeah just want to make a raincheck on our cupboard hunting, if you don't mind. Could we go on Sunday instead? So... Layla and Zoe are inviting me to catch a movie on Saturday. Alright great. What time?" Layla gestures 5. "Around 5PM. They'll give me a ride, don't worry. Okay then. Thanks mom. Love you, bye." She ended the call while her two friends grinned hearing the conversation.

"I assume you're close to your mom?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah we're close. I'm the only child and although both my parents are working, they always try to spare time for family bonding time as they call it. What about you?"

"Well I've a big family, two elder sisters and two younger twin brothers. It seems like it's normal to have a big family as Indonesians, or is it? My dad has thirteen siblings! Can you imagine that? Sometimes it's too much drama, too much yelling going on in the house but you get used to it, so when it starts to get quiet you kind of felt like there's something missing. Hence, you get the idea why I'm always chatty, got to pick up the pace around the house or you'll be forgotten." She explained grinning.

"I think you're just born with it, Zoe. I guess I've the perfect number of siblings, just me and my elder sister. But sometimes I wonder who the elder sister really is, she's so childish at times." Layla spoke.

"Or you, my friend, is just too mature for your own age. Loosen up a little, live a little, break a rule for God's sake, you won't die from it." Zoe scowled.