Lions Pride: Mean Girls Next Generation

17

He's at her school now. He's obviously keeping a close eye on her and her activities. He probably already knows everything about her. Clara had no doubt if his intentions are still the same as they were at that camp...then her chances are low of survival. At least at camp she had a way to escape. But here...this is her real life. There's no escape from it that she's willing to take.

Crawling back under a blanket, Clara closed her eyes. Sleep seemed like the best option at the moment. Sitting around waiting for more emotions to cloud her mind would only further terrify and make her feel powerless.

Though the idea of sleep sounded nice, the action of actually doing so was impossible. For hours Clara tossed and turned afraid when she opened her eyes she'd be met with her worst nightmare staring back holding that same old knife from before.

Luckily, what shattered her thought bubbles wasn't her assumed murder, but Naomi's alarm clock set for 5:30 am.

"What the hell?" Clara mumbled overly annoyed at the early wake up call. "Who wakes up at 5:30 am?"

"Someone who goes to sleep at 9:30." Naomi rolled from bed without a single hint of tiredness. How she could wake up immediately and be ready to take on the day without a second of fatigue amazed Clara. Maybe her friend really was a robot....

Naomi hurried off to do her daily morning routine. This left Clara laying in the bed, blanket covering her face as she attempted to block out the overhead light shining directly on her.

"Clarabelle! You must get up my dear friend! We'll be late and we simply can't have that!"

"Actually..you know what..I appreciate you allowing me to stay over but...I'm not feeling to well today, I think I'm gonna head home and get some more rest."

"B-But...school. We have school."

"I know. But...I'm just not feeling it today. You understand, right?"

"....."

"Omi? You good?"

"I simply just don't understand! You and you're ways! Always opting for the rebellious choice verses the correct choice! School...education is so incredibly important to our upbringing!"

"Hey, hey, hey...chill a little. I'm not skipping because I don't care about my education...I'm skipping because I'm sick. You obviously know what that's about...right?" Clara didn't know if she dared to ask.

"I've only missed two days in my entire school career, Clarabelle. And they were consecutive. When I came back to school....I had never been so far behind in my whole life. I still get nightmares about it..."

"Well...I'll take that risk. Don't worry...I'll make sure I catch up with everything I miss...okay?"

Deciding not to go to school was a risking decision. The idea was that it was supposed to ensure her safety for a few hours. Ethan would be at school...right? Everything would be perfectly fine. Knowing how the time zones are scarily different, Clara still felt the need to next a text to her Momma, Cady knowing she'd be more concerned if she somehow received the message Clara missed school.

"Hey Momma, I'm not feeling to well today so I'm staying home. Just so you know in case you get a message from the school. I miss you, tell Mom I miss her too, love you both."

Upon arriving back at home, the house seemed perfectly normal. Ithlilen had obviously been home from last night due to the kitchen being a mess from someone making cereal. It had to be Ithlilen being late for school again. Unless someone did break in and decide their expensive flat screen TV, video game consuls, jewelry, and basically any of Regina's designer clothing wasn't worth their time but man, could they used a bowl of cereal.

As much as she had the urge to clean the kitchen up, out of respect for her mothers who work so hard but still find themselves picking up after their teenagers like their still children, Clara felt she owed it to them. However, it would have to wait for a time she had her head screwed on again. Her exhaustion had reached its peak and the girl basically had to drag herself to her bed.

She never could sleep well anywhere that wasn't her bed. There's just something about the familiarity that's comforting. Wrapped in a baggie hoodie, and boy shorts, Clara crawled under her warm comforter feeling an overwhelming sense of content upon laying her head against her pillow.

Suddenly a loud thud from somewhere on the other side of the house immediately rattled Clara from drowsy and barely able to walk in a straight line, to fully alert and prepared to attack god for bid she needed to. She used to think those self-defense classes Regina made her take where a dumb waste of money. That they had to much money had needed someway to waste it. She had begged Cady to make Regina reconsider. But Cady too agreed it's important knowledge for anyone, male or female to have. She reluctantly took those classes despite not thinking for even a second she'd ever need to know any of it. However, in moments like these...her Moms deserve the award for wisest decision. Aka good job standing your ground against your grumpy and disagreeable teenager.

After the obnoxiously loud thud, the silence returned this time leaving an eerie feel in the dead air. Shutting her eyes tightly and exhaling slowly to control herself. She didn't want to risk spiraling into a full-blown panic session.

Then, just as the first one did, a second thud sounded causing Clara whole body to jerk in startled terror.

Oh dear god...no...

The thuds became more and more consistent. They soon became recognizable as footsteps. Footsteps that are getting closer and closer.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

'This is the end' Clara thought. She could fight all she wanted but Ethan was easily 100 pounds heavier both in weight, but height too. He towered over the shorter girl resembling the difference between "Curious George" and the man with the yellow hat.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

The final blow happened just outside of Clara's bedroom door. It swung open seconds later to reveal a shadowed figure. In its hand...a knife. Clara shrieked uncontrollably until her eyes opened and she shot up in bed.

A dream. Just a dream.

Without anymore time to reconsider, Clara grabbed her phone from her nightstand. Despite it now being 9:30 am there, and 4:30 pm in Kenya, Clara hoped her Moms were around.

She had never been so thankful for the ability to call internationally before in her entire life. Her heart pounded in her ears, her hands trembled just trying to hold her phone to her ear.

"Hello? Clara? How are you?" Cady asked sweetly

"M-M-Momma?" The girl sobbed uncontrollably. Her breathing was hitching. "I...I'm scared." Is all she could muster out.

Cady stayed silent on the other end for a few moments. "Let me step into the bathroom...tell me everything."