“Dude,” I lowered my voice into a whisper. “You saw her too?”
Sam’s brows knitted together, confused. “Saw…who, exactly?”
I ran a hand through my hair, absolutely baffled. Perhaps, I wasn’t the insane one this time. Maybe they were all pretending she didn’t exist, just to make a mockery of me. But it seemed unlikely. I would think when a new upper-class student enters our small-town high school; they would automatically become exploited by the jocks, the nerds, and all those other ridiculous social groups known to man in grade school. Yet, not a single word was spoken about her, not even a murmur or a rumor. And judging by Sam’s bewildered expression—just as confused as I—he didn’t quite know what I was talking about either.
“I saw her. There’s a new girl here…I think her name might be Alana.” I happily sighed. “She’s pretty hot, I have to admit,” I added. “Maybe a tad on the creepy side, but hot.”
“She’s probably a freshmen, idiot,” Sam said between chomps and chews of his ham sandwich. “There’s like, a few hundred of them downstairs.”
I shake my head. “Ugh, not freshmen girls. The Alana I’m talking about is a senior.” I paused, whirling my plastic fork in my not-so mashed potatoes.
“Wait, what do you mean Alana? Dude, there’s no girl here named—” The hysteria which crept in his wavering voice made me grow suspicious. “—Alana. I—I think you may have your names mixed up…or something.” Sam, uncomfortably, began to shift in his seat.
I let my fork sink into a sea of potatoes. “What do you mean…‘you don’t know what I’m talking about’?” I heaved out a heavy sigh, not so much out of happiness, but out of resent. “I think you know what I’m talking about,” I said in a matter-a-fact tone. “Maybe more than I do.”
Sam grimaced, rubbing at the nape of his neck, exhaustedly. He too, let out a sigh. Out of anger, I bet. I watched as his eyes ceaselessly wandered throughout the cafeteria, landing on everything and everyone but me. It was more than clear that he wanted to avoid the matter-at-hand, but this wasn’t something I would take lightly. Especially considering the fact that this was the same girl I encountered in the forest weeks—maybe days, but it felt like that long—ago. The same elusive girl who promised me a painless, forgettable death. Alana.
“Wait, man, I have no idea! Honest.” As if I couldn’t see that sly little smirk spreading across his face.
“Dude,” I placed a stiff hand on his shoulder. “You are such a bad liar. Now tell me what you know about Alana Engel. Now.”
He closed his eyes, and overlooking his face I realized that playful smile faded into a deepening scowl.
In the shift of light of the cafeteria’s brightly-lit skylight, I noticed something different about Sam’s eyes as well. Yes, they were those same green eyes with those little flecks of brown— but they now seemed different, in the lustering brightness. Frightening almost, reminding of the illuminating crazy-colored eyes of a vampire. They were brighter, yet bolder, as if a thick film of transparent was now layering over it. It was strange, even; though I remained to be silent, the last thing I wanted to do was upset him.
Sam titled his head, curiously. He was trying to remember something, anything. Hoping for the memories of this girl to jump out at him, in surprise. Though, as hard as he tried to remember her, his mind seemed to draw a blank. “I can’t remember,” he snarled. “I can’t remember anything at all. Now can we talk about something else please, Gavin? I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”
I nodded, understanding. “Yeah, whatever, Sam.” Though he thought he made it oblivious, it was more than clear that he was sensitive at the subject of Alana. Perhaps he knew more than I ever known about her wicked nature. Perhaps there were…secrets, ones I wanted to learn. Secrets, in which I needed to know about this elusive girl.
Sam said, “Just stay away from her.” He didn’t bother to give me a second glance, not even prying to see my dubious expression. “I don’t want you getting hurt.” And, without even bothering to take his lunch along with him, Sam had gotten up from his seat and left.
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