Anna sprinted out of the house and ran to her bus stop. She was going to be late for school at this rate.

I can’t be late; not today. The teacher’s already think I’m up to no good in school! I can’t create an even worse impression on them!

As Anna was running, she saw her bus drive past her. When she saw it abruptly driving to her bus stop, she began to run even faster. The bus would leave without her if she didn’t make it in time. As literally no one got on her bus, that cause her to worry even more about the bus leaving without her on it.

After running as fast as a cheetah for a while, Anna reached the bus stop on time. She scanned her bus pass on the bus and took her seat beside her best friend, Heidi. Heidi was a really popular girl in school; Anna didn’t know how she managed to become friends with someone like Heidi.

‘Woke up late again?’ asked Heid.

‘Yeah,’ gasped Anna, still trying to catch her breath.

‘You seriously need to start going to bed earlier. Did you make sure to brush your teeth this morning?’

‘That’s a key part of my morning routine, of course I did.’

‘Good. I would not be able to talk to you if you didn’t because of the smell.’

‘Yeah.’

Heidi then sniffed the air and her face immediately scrunched up.

‘Did you remember to put deodorant on?’ asked Heidi, holding her nose.

‘Yes but I was running to the bus stop so I may be a little bit sweaty,’ replied Anna, starting to get embarrassed.

‘Did you bring deodorant to school with you?’

‘Forgot.’

‘Here, borrow mine.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Make sure to spray my perfume on you as well.’

‘I will.’

Anna lifted up her arms, put the deodorant on and sprayed herself with Heidi’s perfume a few times. They then sat in silence for a bit until Heidi broke the silence.

‘Did you hear about the new girl coming to class?’ queried Heidi, turning around to face Anna.

‘There’s a new girl?’

‘Yeah. Do you not remember our form teacher annoying it last week?’

‘Uhhh…’

‘I suppose your were dosing off and daydreaming about your Prince Charming,’ teased Heidi.

‘Shut up! It’s not my fault he’s that hot.’

‘Whatever. Like I was saying, there is a new girl coming to class. I don’t know her name yet, though.’

‘Do you know anything about her?’

‘Not really, I do know that she is an orphan though. That’s it.’

‘She must’ve lived a hard life then.’

‘Not necessarily. Some orphans actually live better lives than people that live with their biological family. In my opinion, orphans are kind of lucky as they get to choose their family. Well, I know they don’t exactly choose but you get what I mean, right?’

‘Uh huh.’

Ten minutes later, the bus arrived at school. Kingsmill high, the most popular school in their small town. It wasn’t popular for discipline, teachers’, headmaster or school uniform; it was popular for its grades. Nearly everyone that attended Kingsmill high passed or got higher than an A. Heidi always just about passed while Anna always got an A or higher. Anna and Heidi both found this extremely weird as Heidi paid attention in class; whereas, Anna never laid an eye on the teacher the whole lesson.

Anna and Heidi both got off the bus and started walking into their huge high school. As soon as they opened the doors and walked in, Heidi walked to her locker and Anna followed her. Their lockers were both right beside each other. While Heidi began to sort her locker, Anna quickly grabbed all the book that she needed for their first class and started scanning the hall. Her head was frantically moving from left to right, she looked like a crazy person.

Heidi got all her books, closed her locker and looked at Anna for a while. She was giving Anna a very unpleasant and serious look.

‘What are you doing?’ sighed Heidi, not even wanting an answer.

‘Looking,’ replied Anna, still scanning the hall.

‘Looking for what? Your knight in shining armour?’

‘How’d you know?’

‘Because you’re obsessed with him. Let’s just go to class, maybe you’ll see him there.’

Anna closed her locker and started walking towards the English department with Heidi. She was still scanning each hall, or corridor, that they passed.

‘You’re obsessed with this guy,’ said Heidi, rolling her eyes. ‘He might not even like you.’

‘So?’

‘So you’ll get your heart broken if he gets with another girl.’

‘I don’t care. Do you not understand, Heidi? I’m delusional! I like to believe he does like me even though deep inside I know he’s not one bit interested in me. That’s just how I work.’

‘It’s not healthy to be this obsessed, though, Anna.’

‘Do I look like I care? I love this guy. If he doesn’t like me then I’ll just have to suck it up. I won’t hate the persons he gets with unless it’s someone who knew about my crush on him or someone really close to me. That’s the only way that I’ll actually get hurt.’

‘No matter who he gets with, you’ll still be hurt. Just admit it, Anna. Don’t lie to yourself.’

‘Of course I’ll be hurt. That’s normal. Either way I can still find a new guy. He’s not the only man in the whole world.’

‘You make it sound like he is.’

‘I know.’

‘He is going to get with someone at some point, Anna.’

‘I know.’

‘It may not be you.’

‘I know. I know it won’t be me. I know that I have no chance with him. The fact that he’s so out of reach makes me hate the fact that I love him.’

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The bell rang and everyone had to head to their form class. Anna and Heidi silently walked to their form class. When they got there, they opened the classroom door and went inside to go take their seats. Heidi was at the front of the classroom while Anna was at the back. Anna had a spare seat to her left and Heidi sat beside Jake, Anna’s true love.

Jake was also very popular. He had short, black hair, green eyes, pale skin, freckles and he was sort of tall. Most of the boys’ in Anna’s class were tall. Jake was one of the shortest with a height of five foot five. The tallest boy in their class was Charles, he was six foot. Anna was sat beside Charles in most classes because of alphabetical order. Charles sat in the seat to the right of Anna. Heidi always sat beside Jake because of alphabetical order. They both seemed to get on well. Heidi was always laughing and Jake was talking to her. Anna was always jealous of Heidi’s seat and how close she was to Jake.

Jake and Charles both walked into the classroom together, followed by the teacher. Jake took his seat beside Heidi and Charles walked past Anna and sat in the seat beside her.

That’s weird. They don’t normally hang out together. Charles tends to not hang out with Jake as he doesn’t find him nice. He basically hates Jake.

The teacher walked out the door and came back inside with a girl. She was a short, pale and black haired girl. You couldn’t see what colour her eyes were as they were so dark. Anna just assumed that the girl had very dark brown eyes as they looked black.

She looks spooky. Gives me shivers.

‘Class,’ announced the teacher, standing beside the girl, ‘this is your new classmate. Her name is Sybil. I want you to make her feel welcome and I would also like you all to be nice to her like you do with each other. Help her have the best day ever here.’ The teacher turned to Sybil and looked down at her. ‘You can go take a seat beside Anna.’

‘Um, who’s that?’ quietly asked the girl, sounding nervous. Her voice just about reached Anna’s ears.

The teacher turned around to the class and looked at everyone. ‘Anna, please raise your hand and Sybil will come and take the spare seat beside you.’

Anna raised her hand and Sybil uncanningly walked down to her and sat in the seat beside her.

There is definitely something off about this girl.

‘Class, there seems to be no notices today so you may sit and chat for the rest of this period,’ announced the teacher, taking a seat in his chair.

Immediately, everyone in the class turned and talked to their friends around them. Heidi talked to Jake and Charles talked to his friend in front of him, Jacob. Anna sat in silence, staring at the whiteboard at the front of the class.

What do I say to Sybil? Just hi? No, that’s too formal. Do I ask her to be my friend? No, that’s too soon.

Anna turned around and looked at Sybil, she was staring at Anna.

Ok…she’s freaky. You know what, I have to be nice.

Anna turned in her chair and looked at Sybil.

‘Hi, my names Anna,’ greeted Anna with a smile. ‘Welcome to Kingsmill high. I hope you have a great day here.’

‘Thanks,’ coldly replied Sybil.

‘Do you know anyone here?’

‘No.’

‘Do you have any friends here?’

‘No.’

‘Do you want any friends?’

‘Yes.’

‘Great! So, would you like to be my friend?’

Sybil sat and stared at Anna, a smile started to emerge on her face. It looked kind and evil at the same time.

‘Sure,’ agreed Sybil, dimly smiling at Anna.

This is going to be weird…

‘So, Sybil, how are you liking school so far?’ asked Anna, walking to her next class with Sybil.

‘It’s school. What am I supposed to like?’ bluntly replied Sybil, holding her books under her arm.

‘Fair enough.’

They continued to silently walk down the corridordor, listening to each other step out of time.

‘Do you have any friends?’ asked Sybil, breaking the silence.

‘I have you,’ replied Anna.

‘Do you have any others?’

‘Well, yeah. I’m good friends with Heidi.’

‘Oh. Why are you not hanging out with her, then?’

‘I’m with you.’

‘But she’s your best friend, is she not?’

‘Yes, she is.’

‘Would she not want to hang out with you?’

‘I suppose she would. But it’s fine, she’s with Jake anyway.’

‘Who’s he?’

‘My one and only,’ sighed Anna, putting her hand on her heart.

‘That doesn’t answer my question.’

‘Oh, right, sorry. He’s the guy walking beside that really tall dude.’

‘Oh…and you have a crush on him?’

‘It’s more like I want him to be my fiancé.’

‘That’s never going to happen.’

‘How do you know?’

‘He doesn’t like you. He barely notices you.’

‘How would you know? You’ve just joined our class.’

‘I can tell. When was the last time you and him actually made eye contact?’

‘I don’t recall ever…making…eye contact…’

‘Exactly. Point proven.’

She’s brutally honest. I suppose I can trust her then.

As they continued to walk down the hall, Anna tried to find Jake in front of her but there was no sign of him. Heidi was nowhere to be seen either.

That’s strange. I swear they were here a minute ago.

As Anna continued to walk to class, she heard a strange noise coming from the janitor’s closet. It sounded like kissing. Anna stopped walking and put her ear up to the door. She wanted to make sure she actually heard kissing. After waiting for two seconds, she was able to confirm that it was kissing.

As Anna continued to listen to the kissing through the door, she saw that Sybil was also listening through the door. She did not seem to like the sound of the kissing because her face stared down the hall in utter discuss.

‘You’re such a good kisser, babe,’ lovingly said the boy.

He sounds like Jake.

‘You’re the only one that will ever get these kisses, prince,’ replied the girl in a childish tone.

Wait, is that…Heidi? Heidi!

‘That’s Heidi,’ muttered Anna under her breath.

Anna took her ear off the door and stood in silence looking at the floor. She then grabbed the handle of the door while Sybil stared at her in confusion. Anna slowly opened the door, as quietly as possible, and, as soon as she had slightly opened the door, she barged into the room to see if Heidi and Jake were actually making out in the room.

Anna slowly raised her head and looked up at the two people who were making out. It was just as she had feared, Heidi and Jake were both standing closely together and were holding onto each other. They were both staring at Anna in fear, shock and annoyance. As they looked at her, Anna slowly walked into the room, still staring at Anna and Jake, and she stopped when she was right in front of them. Sybil was still standing outside the door, watching all the drama unfold.

‘Anna, it’s not what you think,’ said Heidi, trying to shake off the fact that her and Jake were both making out.

‘How could you do this, Heidi,’ numbly asked Anna.

‘Anna, let me expla-’

‘There’s nothing to explain, Heidi,’ interrupted Anna. ‘I’ve heard enough from you. All I need to know is why you did this. Why did you go and kiss Jake when you knew that I loved him?’

‘It’s not a big deal, Anna,’ brushed off Jake.

‘What would you know about stuff like this, Jake?’ asked Anna, her voice starting to raise. ‘Girls’ literally chase after you all the time. How would you know what it’s like to get your heart broken by your best friend?’ Jake looked at the floor and stood in silence after Anna said that. ‘Also, Heidi, you knew how obsessed I was about him. You knew how much I love him and yet you still went behind my back and kissed him. What a good best friend you are. Very loyal.’

‘But, Sybil, you said that you didn’t care if he got with another girl,’ said Heidi, sounding sorry.

‘Did you even listen to me, Heidi?’ asked Anna, sounding mad. ‘I did say that but I said that I wouldn’t care if it wasn’t my friend or someone who knew about how much I loved him. If it’s someone who has absolutely no idea about my big fat crush on him then I really don’t care!’

‘I’m sorry. I really am, Anna.’

‘It’s too late for apologies, Heidi. This is the end of our friendship. Go live a happy life with your new boyfriend, backstabber.’

Anna walked out of the room emotionless. Sybil stood back and watched her walk out of the room. As soon as she exited the room, she immediately started running off to the bathroom, crying. Sybil watched her run off and looked back at Heidi and Jake. She gave both of them a cold stare.

‘What?’ asked Jake. ‘What do you want from us, newbie?’

‘Hope you both have a good sleep tonight,’ creepily said Sybil, staring coldly at Heidi and Jake. They both got a shiver down their spines from her stare.

‘W-what?’ stammered Heidi sounding scared.

Sybil stopped looking at them, closed the door again and walked down the corridor to the girls’ bathrooms.

‘Why was she wishing us a good sleep?’ asked Heidi, sounding scared.

‘Don’t worry about it, princess. Why don’t you stay at my place tonight? I’ll sleep on the floor and you’ll be safe,’ said Jake.

Heidi nodded her head and went to hug Jake. He held her in her arms and, when she wasn’t looking at him, gave the door a scared stare. He was scared with what Sybil said as well.

‘They may not have a good sleep but I will,’ muttered Sybil under her breath, beginning to smile. ‘Just wait, Heidi and Jake, this will be Anna’s way of revenge. It will just be my body doing it.’

I can’t believe she would do this to me. My best friend! Out of all the people who could’ve stole my prince it had to be my best friend…the person I trusted the most in the whole world.

Anna sat down on the toilet floor inside a cubicle, crying. She was wiping tears from her eyes and blowing her nose like crazy. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing and her nose wouldn’t stop running. It was a never ending loop of sadness.

‘Anna?’ the main bathroom door came flying open and a voice called for Anna.

Anna ignored the voice and continued to silently cry. While trying to ignore the person and cry, she heard a knock on the door of her bathroom stall.

‘What?’ cried Anna in anger.

‘You ok?’ came the voice from outside the door.

‘Go away!’

‘Can I come in?’

‘No!’

‘Come on, let me in.’

‘No, I don’t even know who you are.’

‘It’s me, Sybil.’

Anna looked at the door of her cubicle and stopped wiping the tears from her eyes. She sat in silence and let the tears flow freely from her unseeing eyes. She then unlocked the door and Sybil came in.

‘Hey, you ok?’ asked Sybil, closing the bathroom door and locking it again.

‘Yeah,’ sniffed Anna, hiding her face.

‘Stop lying to me, Anna.’

‘Why did this have to happen to me?’ asked Anna, turning around to look at Sybil. Anna’s eyes were filled with tears.

‘That’s just life. It’s cruel.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Things like this always happen. Trust me, Anna, yours is one of the best anyone would want to have. Others have it so much worse than you.’

‘Like who?’

‘I’d rather not say any names right now,’ said Sybil, not looking at Anna anymore and staring at the floor.

‘How bad did they have it, then?’

‘Really bad. There are no words to describe how bad it was for them. They all want, or wanted, to end their life. They haven’t been successful yet, but they are getting there. They will become successful. Once they get all they need to get done in this world, they will end their life.’

‘That’s sad. They really do have it worse.’

‘Yeah.’

I know I haven’t known Sybil for that long, but this is the first time I’ve seen her look sad and not scary or weird.

Anna stared up at Sybil as Sybil awkwardly looked around the stall. She then turned around and read all the words on the door.

As Sybil read the words on the stall door, Anna wiped her eyes, blue her nose, flushed the toilet and then stood up. Sybil looked behind her and saw Anna standing behind her. As soon as she saw Anna, she moved out of the way, unlocked the door and let Anna out. Anna went out and immediately went to the mirror. She opened up her bag that was hanging under her arm and pulled out some concealer. She started putting some on her face and tried to blend it all in with her finger.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Sybil, staring at Anna from behind her.

‘Putting on some concealer,’ replied Anna, blending the concealer on her face until it was all gone.

‘Why?’

‘I’m not walking out of there looking like I have been crying for days. I’ll look like a mess.’

‘You didn’t look like you had been crying for days.’

‘I did. Besides, how am I supposed to find a boyfriend if I don’t look pretty?’

‘Don’t look pretty?’

‘Yes. I have to wear this concealer to cover up any spots, rashes or all that kind of stuff if I want to have any chance of actually getting into a relationship. No man will want me if I look like I’ve been crying or if I look ugly.’

‘Anna.’

Anna stopped blending all the concealer, as it was all blended in, and turned around to look at Sybil. Sybil was staring at the ground.

‘You don’t look ugly. Stop lying to yourself by saying that you are. You are one of the prettiest people I know. You don’t need to cover up anything as you will always look beautiful,’ finished Sybil, starting to look embarrassed.

Anna looked at Sybil in silence. She had never heard someone say that to her before. Suddenly, she ran towards Sybil and hugged her.

‘Thank you, Sybil,’ thanked Anna, wrapping her arms around Sybil tightly.

Sybil stood and let Anna hug her. She didn’t hug back but just stood and looked at herself in the mirror. She then looked at Anna in the mirror and softly smiled.

Sybil is so much sweeter than I thought.