Yeshua and Jael walk inside the classroom. Instantly, I keep my guard up. Yeshua and Jael don't even have this class now.
I turn. Andryc Kaniel is gone, vanished.
I think to what he has just said before leaving. Was it only a dream?
They know something. Or at least, they know I know something.
"Do the both of you . . . um . . . have this class now?"
"Yes. You don't."
I think a bit and realize I just walked in here to finish an assignment.
"Right . . . yeah."
I pack up to leave. "Hey, you guys would like to grab a burger later, right?"
"I'm volunteering at the senior center," Jael immediately dismisses me.
I look hopefully at Yeshua. "You?"
"I have detention." Yeshua says.
"You do?"
"Yes."
But I know that he is lying. My best friends think I'm a dumbass. And my dumbass should be way more cautious around them.
Sighing, I leave to my first class and wait for the math teacher. I'll probably turn in my work at the end of the class.
An orchid note that has been slipped into my notebook reads "see you later."
I hope I do have reason to even trust this Andryc Kaniel guy.
Barbie takes the seat right beside me.
"Hey, Willie."
I try my best not to throw my frustration at her.
"So . . . I'm thinking of getting something for Yeshua. You know, with his whole birthday coming up next week and stuff."
"What?!" I exclaim.
I instantly take out my phone and check the calendar. I totally did not remember that.
"Anyways, what's his favourite colour?" Barbie asks, looking me intently.
I smirk, "His favourite colour? It's white."
She writes it down somewhere and smiles dreamily.
Barbie irritates me with questions I give intentionally inaccurate answers to throughout Math class.
The rest of my classes make me feel like I want to kill myself and at the end of school, I realize I don't have a ride home because something is going on between me and my besties.
I stop by at Downie's and get a burger alone. I feel so down.
I go home and sit down at the kitchen counter. My phone rests on the counter and I contemplate texting Jael.
I pick it up and start . . . then someone takes it out of my hand and deletes what I've already started.
"The frigg?"
"Don't worry it's me." It's Andryc.
My heart instantly leaps out of my chest. Who is this guy and how did he enter my house? My parents aren't around and that is even more cause to worry. Plus, he's been sending me weird notes, and stalking me. Of course, I have the upper hand here. The stalker-slash-potential rapist has attempted to corner me in my house, in my kitchen!
I pirouette to one of the cabinets in a way I never knew I could, and slide a knife out of it.
"You said you were one of Barbie's friends right? You go to our school?"
"Please would you just calm down?!" He gestures for me to calm down in a whisper-shout.
"Why have you been following me?" My thinking goes back to Poppy. "You ... you work with Poppy? Why have you been stalking me then?"
He facepalms, clearly making light of this situation. "I am so sorry but my love, I do not think you have common sense at all in this situation."
"My love?", I ask, clenching the knife harder.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was told to use endearing terms during my next job and you just happened to be my next job. It's alright if you aren't fine with it. I am not fine with it either but I've got to make a living."
"How did you get into my house?!" I'm screaming and sweating now. I am literally about to cry.
"Renwil, dear, please put the knife down and I promise you, I will talk."
"Bro, you better start talking because I am not putting this down!"
"I work for an underground association. We keep this sort of stuff in check."
"What sort of stuff?!"
"Could you please just calm down?!" He gives me an awkward smile which clearly betrays his tone of voice. Imagine, the burglar implying that I'm the one trying his patience.
"Look, it is company policy that I absolutely do not step in unless there is a problem. Trust me, Renwil, I tried. I tried to make sure there was never going to be a problem in the first place. I kept putting those friendly notes to warn you about Poppy in a way that still wouldn't give the situation away."
"Friendly notes?" I cringe. "Are those cringey stalker type colourful notes what you're implying?"
He nods, "I try my best, okay."
"Warn me about Poppy how? And why?"
"Poppy is in cahoots with a mind witch and I know this sounds pretty stupid but-"
"It sounds pretty stupid." I say.
He snaps his fingers like he is absolutely loosing his cool and then he kicks against the kitchen counter angrily.
"Of course it sounds stupid, Renwil dear! Of course it sounds stupid. This is exactly why they keep telling me not to step in until the weird supernatural problems start manifesting. And that ... that right there is the problem! If you set of absolutely stupid human beings ... I did not mean that my absolute Renwil, love, would actually pay attention to the notes I leave and stay away from certain entities, then I would never have to go through looking like a fool while explaining to you why your life is in danger! All this is your absolute fault and I know you will not believe me until one of your friends start hurting you for no reason!"
He's breathing fast and sounding very tense. His face is red and he wipes the sweat off his forehead with the hem of his shirt.
"Um..." I am so very confused.
He hands me my phone back. "Here, just take it. Send whatever stupid text it is that you want to send to Jael. This is my job. I have gone through this episode countless times. Do the stupid thing your heart wants you to do, go on. Don't say I didn't warn you."
I swiftly take my cell from him. My first thought is to call 9-1-1.
"Ha!" He laughs, "You want to call the emergency number now, of course you do. I'm absolutely used to this. I've been arrested several times even. If you would just listen to me and do what I say, we'd handle this situation a lot more faster but no, you always have to go through the disbelief first. Ah, the lot of you." He's laughing to himself now and he does it in such a way it feels like I am being mocked for being a stupid girl.
Still holding the knife, I ask, "Who did you say you were?"
"Andryc. Andryc Kaniel. Everyone in your school knows me as Andy Black."
"You go to my school, yeah?"
"Only just recently, so I could keep an eye on you." He leans on the kitchen counter and holds his head in his hands. "Go on now, call the police. Let's get the disbelief stage over with."
I frown and speak softly. "What are you saying ... and why does it sound like I am an absolutely stupid person?"
"Because you are." He says with a frutrated expression and a tired voice. He stops and murmurs to himself. "No, no I am supposed to be nice and use endearing words."
He looks at me again. "Renwil, dear, you aren't."
"Why shouldn't I text Jael?"
"Because she absolutely hates you. You subscribed to Poppy's emailing list did you not? Do not even answer that, you probably did."
"Um..." Yeah, I probably did.
"Poppy ... she uses trickery to get people to sign each other ... themselves even to um... to sell themselves to this woman ... Vililah Carpenter, who sort of toys with their minds."
"I should believe what you're saying right?"
"Of course you should believe every word that's leaving my mouth right now! She feeds on people's sanity and you've just sold your friends off to her."
"And?"
Andy laughs, "And she's going to give you and your friends one hell of a time until all of you finally go insane."
I shift backwards, scared a bit.
"But that is what I am here for. It's my job to help you tackle her before it reaches the crazy stages. I am also supposed to be patient and um... nice to you I guess to make it easier for you to figure this out."
The front door clicks open, "Willie, I'm home! I was expecting a package earlier did ..."
"Ah, your Mom is home." Andy says.
I don't move. I stand there holding the knife toward Andy, "No Mom, I think your delivery might be late."
"Goodness gracious, and I sped home all excited for no reason," I listen to Mom complain, hearing her as she takes off her shoes and drops her keys.
"Get out of my house." I whisper in a grave tone.
I watch Andy open the back door and disappear behind it. "Disbelief stage," He mutters to himself.
I throw my weapon into the sink, feeling a headache incoming. What the heck was that even?!