《Thorns and Vines》


 Novus Locus

    The room was quiet and calm. There was a faint sound of music coming from a phone. She took the phone and stopped the music. Then, she gazed at herself in the mirror. She didn''t like how she looked, but if you want to know what she was wearing and how she looked, oh well.


    She was wearing a green dress that reached down her legs. It was short-sleeved and v-neck. There was a necklace hanging on her neck, with an ''R''. It was made of gold, and she had been wearing this since birth, her aunt told. It was a gift from her parents, and she hadn''t taken it off since.


    Her wavy black hair reached some inches past her upper back. Her eyes were azure, the prettiest color of the ocean at a warm summer day. She was slim and pale and her height was 5''3. Oh, but her face. Well, that was the thing. She didn''t like her face either. Her eyebrows were softly arched, her cheeks were hollow and her lips were thin. But it was something else she didn''t like.


    A scar ran across from her left eyebrow to her cheekbone. It was deep and white.


    Yes, she was beautiful. But she never saw or thought that. Yes, there were those who had told her, but it was just to make fun of her, ironically. They''d say, "Oh, look how pretty she is," and then they''d burst into laughter. She didn''t mind. Not really. It had always been that way, they''d always notice, they''d ask, they''d bully, and she''d fight the urge to slap them. She didn''t like attention. It made her feel even more terrible.


    She didn''t like people either, she hated them. Well, not everyone, but most of them. They were selfish, cruel, they were wicked and always serving their own interests. And it was alright for her. She didn''t need anyone. She was fine on her own and with her aunt.


    As for the scar, she had been a troublemaker when she was little, her aunt told. She had always been a bit of a daredevil, running around, climbing things. When she was five, she had gone into a run and tripped on a rock, falling face first and cutting herself open. Her aunt had taken her to the hospital, but the scar had remained.


    And she didn''t remember all that. She didn''t remember herself as little, or as a troublemaker. She didn''t even remember her parents. All she had were the stories her aunt told. And it was strange, she thought.


    "Regan, are you ready?" her aunt called from the other room.


    "I''m coming!" Regan yelled back. She sighed and straightened her clothes. Just then, the sudden slam of the window caught her attention.


    Regan''s eyebrows furrowed but she called it the work of the wind.


    She sighed and grabbed her luggage. But she felt something strange. As if she was being watched. She glanced around her room, not noticing anything.


    Back to the luggage, there she saw a framed photo of her parents. It reminded her of how different she looked from them.


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    Sometimes she wondered about it. Was she even their daughter? Of course, she was. She thought so.


    Before leaving, she checked the room once more, not wanting to forget anything there.


    The aunt was waiting for her in the living room, her blonde hair in a neat bun, her bags by her side. She had a wide smile on her face, her brown eyes sparkling with excitement.


    "You look nice, dear," she said, her voice gentle. "Are you ready to go?"


    "Yes, aunt Monica," Regan said. She was happy they were going to finally leave their old flat, but she couldn''t help the intrusive thoughts that always accompanied her whenever she did something.


    They both headed out of the apartment, going downstairs and in her aunt''s car. Regan had gotten her driver license two years ago, but she didn''t have a car.


    They were going to California, to the the new house that Monica had purchased.


    As Monica drove off, Regan felt anxious the whole road. She didn''t know much about the house or the neighborhood. The photos of the house were the only things she had seen.


    She hid her anxiety in front of her aunt. Always. She was the kind of person to appear cool on the surface, even though she would tremble from anxiety inside. Anxiety had been isolating her and her thoughts as well.


    After some hours, they stopped the car near a restaurant. The restaurant was lovely, with a lush outside tavern. It was filled with people, mostly road travelers. Regan and her aunt took a seat somewhere in the side, with Regan being paranoid about whoever passed near her chair. She didn''t really want people close to her.


    "Are you excited?" Monica asked.


    "Of course I am," Regan smiled. Although she was anxious, she was happy about moving out.


    "Amazing, you''re gonna love it there, dear. It is a million times better than that trash apartment we had."


    Regan nodded at her aunt, then caught a group of guys and girls her age, sitting in a table slightly far from hers. They were staring at her. They''re staring at my scar, she thought.


    She didn''t really care though, although she felt insecure. She rarely wore makeup, not because she didn''t like it, but because she was lazy.


    After the waitress brought their food, they ate. A hour later, they entered the car again, ready for their long ride. After six hours, they finally arrived at their destination.


    It had become afternoon, the sky a shade of orange and blue. The temperatures were high and the wind was hot. Their new house was like Regan had seen in photos. It was a two-story bungalow house. Other houses in the neighborhood were similar. A few people were walking by, and it was calm and quiet.


    Regan took a deep breath and filled her lungs with fresh air, as if she had just finished a prison sentence.


    Monica was already getting the bags inside and told her to follow. Regan followed her inside the house.


    The interior of the house was neatly kept. On the right side of the corridor was the staircase, leading the way up. On the left of the stairs was an arched doorway, which led to the living room; another to the kitchen. In the end of the small corridor, was a plain white door to the bathroom.


    The floors were made of wood, crackling as she walked. She gazed around the plain walls, which lacked any kind of decorations. However, the house was well furnished.


    Monica told her to go upstairs to her room and unpack. Regan did as she said, going upstairs to her room. The room was colored in white. There was a small balcony on the side, a bed adjacent to the wall, and white modern closet with a wall mirror. On the other side was the desk with a few shelves on the wall. She started to unpack, placing her clothes inside the closet. They weren''t much, so it didn''t took a long time.


    As for the shelves, she placed books and other stuff there. Then she left the room and stepped in Monica''s room.


    "Are you done with it?" Regan asked with a chuckle. Her aunt was a perfectionist, making sure to have her stuff organized and neat, unlike Regan, who kept forgetting where she left things.


    "Yeah, yeah...." Monica said as she put the last clothes on the highest shelve, "How does the house look?"


    "It''s beautiful," Regan replied. This house was nothing like her old apartment. It was so cool and lovely. It was refreshing.


    "Let''s go downstairs and eat something. That ride was tiring," Monica said, going upstairs.


    "But we haven''t bought anything..."


    "No problem hun, I ordered pizza."


    Regan nodded excitedly and went downstairs to the living room. She sat on the beige, and a little scratched couch, and looked around at the flat screen TV, noticing a small router on its right.


    "There''s Wi-Fi here?" she asked.


    "Yes, the previous owners didn''t take a lot from the house, almost everything is left here, they already have bigger opportunities in another country in the US, so..." the aunt explained.


    Regan immediately checked her phone to see that Wi-Fi was free, "That''s fantastic!"


    __________


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    So what do you think about the first chapter? Don''t hesitate to comment ??

 Vigilis Noctis

    Do you know these starry nights where you can see the whole bright mesmerizing stars? The endless celestial objects?


    She was lost in thought, staring at the sky while sitting on the backyard with her knees to her chest. She was lucky that there wasn''t much light pollution like in other urban places.


    Her aunt had fallen asleep hours ago and it was late. It had passed midnight. Regan had school tomorrow. She was supposed to sleep at this hour, but she wasn''t.


    For some other minutes, after doing the same thing, gazing at stars, she convinced her mind to go back inside. She didn''t know why but there was always something about the stars. She was always drawn to bizarre, unknown things for humans.


    After she went inside her room, she changed into a set of loose, kitty-themed pajamas. She brushed her teeth and lay in the bed, trying to get some sleep.


    However, that familiar feeling crept on her, as well as the mass of these whole intrusive and negative thoughts.


    It was the reason why she was so paranoid, why her head always hurt, why her body was so tense.


    As for that familiar feeling, well that was a feeling of non-belonging. She had felt that since she was little, she didn''t remember how years old, but probably around seven. And she still felt it now that she was eighteen.


    It was like she always knew she was different, that she didn''t fit in. And it was true. She didn''t fit at all, she felt like an outsider, she hated crowds, fake friends, people. They were dirty, they cared about sex, money, material things, they were shallow.


    Maybe she was probably being unfair, there were good people in the world, that not everyone was like that. But still, she couldn''t see anyone who was good. She could only sink in her negative thoughts, in her tense body, in her head.


    Regan sighed and rolled onto her side where the cold blankets were cool and soothing. It was useless though. Sleep eluded her again.


    Her mind was hell awake, thinking that she was about to die, thinking always the worst.


    The night was silent. She had left the window open for some air but still felt as suffocating. Boredom grew as well and she wondered if there was anyone else feeling like her, like a mess, tortured by her own mind.


    She tossed and turned in bed, trying to find a comfortable spot. It was useless. If she covered herself with blankets, she felt hot and trapped; if she let them pool on the floor, she was freezing. If she closed her eyes, images of the dark, intrusive images clouded her. If she stayed awake, all previously mentioned things happened as well. She was terrified to look up in Google about what she felt because it would make things even worse. She knew it. She had done it before and had ended up even more terrified and anxious.


    She had always felt like that, always tense, never calm, never positive, always waiting for something terrible to happen.


    She wished she could talk to someone about it, but who would understand? Who would care? Her aunt would act like Google, get freaky. Her parents.... they weren''t alive. Regan only knew their appearances, even that was just from pictures. She had no friends, no real connections to anyone. She had only her mind, her negative, paranoid, self-depressive mind.


    Finally, she cursed under her breath and shoved the covers away, knowing it was no use to lay there.


    She sat up and grabbed her phone, starting to play a game. But then, it was something else. That time, she felt watched. She glanced around the room, her heart thumping. She clenched her jaw, hating her brain for always working against her, making her paranoid.


    After several minutes, she decided to get out of bed and walk around the room, trying to calm herself down. She knew that walking around helped a bit. Or just doing something different. Anything to take her mind off the feeling of being watched.


    She stood by the window, looking out at the darkness, the stars still visible. A cool breeze caressed her face, and for a moment, she felt better. But her body worked against her, as it always did. She closed her eyes, trying to relax.


    When she opened them again, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She peeked out of the window, her heart hammering against her ribs. There was nothing, just the bushes swaying in the breeze. She let out a shaky breath, cursing under her breath.


    When thinking about school for a moment, she just remembered it was a second prison. She had good grades, she didn''t know how. It wasn''t like she studied all the time or something, but she had mostly A''s and B''s. Maybe because she was smart? She didn''t know.


    She leaned back from the window and thought to do something else. Maybe just eat something. But she wasn''t hungry. Her laptop was on the desk but felt heavy to use. She was so tired, so tired that when she tried to sleep, she just couldn''t. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and sighed. It was only 1:30.


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    "Such a long night," she muttered to herself, rubbing her eyes. She couldn''t wait for the day, but it was a cycle after all. Night would come, she''d struggle to sleep, and then she''d wake up exhausted.


    She lazily flopped onto her bed and flipped through social media, looking for something that would distract her. Nothing really caught her attention. She slammed the phone on the table and rolled on the other side, trying to get some sleep.


    She started to get hot again and kicked the covers off, trying to cool down. She turned on her side, away from the window, and closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would come. It didn''t.


    "Oh God, I want to sleep," she whispered, grabbing the blankets again and forcing herself to submit to her wants. Her eyelids grew heavy, burning if she kept them open. She tried to think about something else, something beautiful, probably the books and movies she had read and seen. Because there was nothing else in her life that she considered beautiful.


    She closed her eyes and started to drift off to a uneasy sleep, like most nights. With nightmares of being lost and other terrifying scenarios. She mumbled nonsense words and tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position. At least, she was sleeping somehow. Even if it wasn''t restful.


    In the morning, a bright light filled the room, and she jolted awake. The sunlight was burning her face and she quickly remembered it was finally day. Good for her. Even though she was going to a new school, at least losing her mind and forgetting her negative thoughts would be a good thing.


    She knew how her school day would go. Being a loner and getting no attention from anyone, was the best for her. She avoided talking with others or joining groups. The only reason why she was going to school were her grades.


    She entered the bathroom and dressed up quickly. Her clothes didn''t include big options of wearing, so she went with baggy, knee-ripped jeans and a black t-shirt with words written in bold gold color: "STAY AWAY".


    Ironic, this spoke volumes of what she wanted others to do.


    Then she combed her hair, letting it hang over her shoulders. She picked her bag and her phone, then left the room.


    As she stepped down the stairs, just a glance on her phone made her realize how damn late she was.


    "My God," she said, blaming herself for being so stupid. She saw Monica was already sitting on the couch, drinking her morning coffee. She looked up at Regan, knowing she was late.


    "Aunt, you could''ve woken me up," Regan said frustrated, but then regretted it because it wasn''t her aunt''s fault.


    "Hey, don''t panic, you''re a bit late, but you''re new so it''s not such a big deal, hun," Monica replied.


    Regan nodded nonchalantly and poured herself a glass of milk. She drank quickly and then Monica dropped her off school. When she arrived there it was 8:12. She had seen the school before on photos but she felt nervous to go inside herself.


    So Monica accompanied her inside and then left. The first class of her senior year was chemistry and she dragged her feet to find it. At the same time she was thinking about a valid excuse to get out of the embarrassing position.


    The hallways were large and she spotted a woman in her fifties. She thought her as a teacher and asked her where the chemistry class was.


    The teacher told her the direction and asked if she was new. Regan managed to explain something quick and then turned on her heel. She found the door, anxiety rushing in her whole and she got that nervous knot on the stomach.


    Now, she wasn''t only worrying about the excuses of being late but also if she had to introduce herself to the class.


    She knocked and opened the door to reveal a whole class staring at her like she was some sort of alien.


    "Who are you?" the teacher who was standing near the board asked.


    The words eluded Regan for a moment, not liking the way she was being stared at. She would have yelled at them if the teacher hadn''t been there. She was short-tempered sometimes, she''d give that.


    "I''m Regan Miller," she answered, trying to swallow her anxiety.


    "Oh, you''re the new girl," the teacher said but from her expression one could tell she was annoyed. "Already late on your first day miss Miller?" she asked, slightly raising her voice.


    "I''m sorry miss...I just moved in and had some work to do," she said, hoping she would understand, "It''s not going to happen again."


    The class laughed, but Regan tried not to look at them and wore a mask of indifference.


    "Fine, miss Miller, I''ll forgive this time because you''re new but next time you won''t do so easily. No one dares to come late in my class," she emphasized the last sentence, "now go sit somewhere."


    Regan did as told and started looking for a seat, hard because of all the freaks staring at her.


    To her luck, there was an empty seat at the end of the class which was near the window. The desks were for only one person to sit which was good for her.


    She went to sit there, feeling all the weird stares like they had seen a ghost. She didn''t want to draw attention anymore as she had already done and didn''t like it at all. She was also thankful to the teacher for not saying something like "introduce yourself to the class".


    "Silence!" the teacher yelled sternly at the class. Regan felt better when they all moved the attention back on the teacher and stopped laughing or glaring.


    She took notes from the bag and some pens. The topic on the board was "Organic Chemistry" and she quickly got the hang of it.


    The teacher started asking questions that seemed too easy, but no one was responding. She raised her hand awkwardly, not worrying at all and after her response, the teacher praised, "Well done, Miss Miller!"


    Again, the class started to babble for no specific reason. The teacher shut it up once more. Meanwhile, she took a better look at her surroundings. Before her was a girl. Next to her, was a boy who kept staring. She cursed under her breath, wanting to punch the boy. Not only embarrassed from being late, she kept getting stared at like a fool. If there was something she hated after physical touch, was getting stared at.


    The hours passed and her next class was math, which she managed easily, just like any other subject.


    It was lunch and all the students were out of class. Now she had to face another big problem. Where to sit, where to stay, what to do, should she get back instead?


    She walked very slowly to the school hall, her direction was the cafeteria, but seeing the big crowd there was changing her mind. Maybe school was just emphasizing the fact she was different.


    Being hungry didn''t help.


    She tried to enter the crowded area, managing to stay away as much as possible. She waited in the long queue, trying to stay invisible. After what seemed like eternity, she bought a burger and a coke.


    The cafeteria worker gave her a tray and a smile, noticing she was new. Regan returned the smile and walked away. She sat on an empty table.

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    Regan sat down, trying to not look at anyone. However, students kept glancing and even staring at her. She didn''t know why they couldn''t mind their own business and leave her alone.


    But this had been going on for so long. Literally everywhere, and she didn''t have any better thing to do. They had their own mind. She wasn''t going to force them not to look.


    She knew that the looks were disdainful and mocking. She couldn''t help but blame her appearance, although she had years that she had stopped worrying over her appearance.


    Just when she thought that was finally eating in peace, she noticed a red haired girl coming closer to the table.


    Her red hair was long and dyed. She wore light makeup and her outfit was cute for a popular girl though, with a pink top paired with a black miniskirt, transparent leggings with black and pink hearts, and black shiny boots that made her look taller than she already was. There were two other girls behind her, both giving the same vibe.


    This school doesn''t even have dress code, Regan thought. She was grateful that no one said a thing about the knee ripped jeans she wore, even though it wasn''t very notable.


    "Hey, so you''re the new weirdo I''ve heard about, right?" the red haired teased with a mischievous smirk.


    Regan rolled her eyes at the nickname. A lot of people have called her a weirdo. But today was her first day, and she didn''t expect jokes and taunts that fast.


    "Yes, why?" she replied tersely with a cold voice showing disinterest.


    "So, you''re agreeing that you''re a weirdo?" The girl mocked with her dumb fake sweet voice. "I''d do the same if I had such a signature scar in my face," her voice was louder and got the attention from other students, making them chuckle at her remarks.


    "And? What''s your problem?" Regan snapped.


    "Problem? What kind of problem could I have with a nerd like you? You are stupid and you''re ugly. You''re not fit here and should be grateful you''re in that school," she sneered and took a sip of her soda.


    Regan''s blood boiled at her words, and her fists clenched. She saw how everyone was watching the theater. From their faces she could straight see the mockery.


    "I don''t owe you anything," Regan retorted, "Just mind your own damn business and you''ll be good."


    The crowd from the cafeteria gasped. The girl''s expression darkened.


    Regan quickly felt insecure, wishing that she could have stayed quiet like always or to not have come in the cafeteria at all. But the fact of being insulted didn''t get along with her pride.


    "How dare you?!" the meanie hissed with an annoying high-pitched voice, "Do you know who I am?"


    "Who the hell cares who you are?"


    "Look there you idiot, I so easily can expel you from here, and you won''t be able to do anything about it! Understood?"


    "Yeah, yeah, I''ve been hearing that a lot. Now, get out of my sight. Or better, I''ll get you out of my sight." Regan stood and headed out of the cafeteria. She heard her ranting a bunch of bullshit but didn''t care.


    She walked outside and thought about eating there. At the same time, she was fuming with anger.


    A few people were around, Regan didn''t like crowded places, but she didn''t like deserted places either.


    She sat on the shade of a tree in a bench and began to eat but then heard footsteps. A girl was coming and when Regan noticed, her frustration raised. Why was this girl coming? Was she one of those jerks?


    She had long brown hair and with pink curtain bangs. She was fancily dressed, with a white long shirt underneath a black corset, tight black pants and black boots that reached her knees. Kind of different, considering most wore ankle boots and sneakers.


    Regan let out a tired sigh, and continued to eat like she didn''t notice.


    "Regan, right? We''re in the same class," the girl spoke, her accent weird and unheard.


    Regan didn''t notice her in the class. Maybe because she wasn''t looking at anyone. Maybe because she was trying to escape the mocking eyes.


    "Yes?" she replied uncertainly.


    "I saw you at cafeteria and-"


    "And you''re going to make fun of me now."


    "No no no no, it was brave of you to show Olivia her place."


    Regan didn''t consider what she did ''brave''. She thought it lame to fear a specific annoying person in a school.


    "That''s not brave. It''s just standing up for yourself," she retorted.


    The girl dazed a bit, but shook her head. "My name is Vesper by the way," she said smiling, "Nice t-shirt," she remarked while looking at Regan''s t-shirt.


    The most apparent thing about that tee shirt, were the words written in bold, "STAY AWAY".


    "Nice name," Regain replied, "You have a good fashion sense."


    Vesper sat beside Regan, with her food that wasn''t noticed earlier. Regan glanced at her, seeing she was trying hard to hide a smile. She kept quiet and didn''t say anything for a while.


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    "You know, do you want to be my friend?" Vesper suddenly asked.


    Regan was surprised and confused. They had just met. Skeptical, she started to contemplate all the possible reasons of why this girl would want to be friends with her.


    "Well, I don''t know what to say, but sure, we can be friends."


    "Perfect. Let''s exchange phone numbers!" she cheered.


    Regan insecurely gave her the phone number, still worrying if she should have.


    Lunchtime passed and she talked with Vesper during that time.


    What was even more surprising, Vesper''s house was in her new neighborhood.


    Vesper talked mostly about random things, and told a bit about herself. Apparently, she had an older sister that she hated and chill parents, which she was grateful for. Her parents worked out of the city.


    After lunch, Regan had PE which wasn''t very amusing. She hated PE and couldn''t wait until the class would be finished. It was the end of her first day, and she was already bored to the core. As soon as the bell rang, she saw once more the meanie girl from earlier. That time, she was talking with her puppies and didn''t notice Regan.


    Vesper told Regan about her, she was a spoiled and popular girl, daughter of the headmaster. Being everyone''s favorite, she bullied directly or indirectly, but people still would support her. Thinking that what she does is right, instinctively.


    Regan wasn''t surprised. Society worked that way.


    After school, she walked towards the gate with her phone on her hand. She would use the map on the phone, because she didn''t want to get lost.


    "Reeeegan, where ya going?" a voice called behind her.


    "Home," Regan replied as she turned around to see the girl with pink bangs.


    "Well, we can go together! We''re neighbors, did you forget?"


    "Sure," she said, trying to sound excited.


    Why was she trying? Maybe she didn''t feel very excited. Still, she blamed herself for her mistrustful nature. That girl was willing to be her friend and not judge her, but Regan, being Regan, would still find a small thing that seemed off.


    However, they walked home together.


    They walked quietly and when Regan arrived home, she sighed in relief. Not because she was alone, but because the whole walk, she felt perilous, like someone was following her.


    She kept turning behind, but it didn''t seem as anyone was following her. Vesper noticed her unease, but didn''t show complaints or suspicion. Regan thought that her mind was playing tricks on her.


    She was tired and bored and hoped that Vesper wasn''t a fake friend.


    Monica wasn''t home at this time. Regan wasn''t hungry, and even though she felt bored, she started to do her homework. She''d rather lose her mind in studies, then to overthink of what she felt when going home.


    But it started to creep up again on her. She started to feel it again, maybe because she was paranoid. She was inside her room and windows were open.


    Suddenly, the pen''s ink ran out and she cursed under her breath. She searched for another one, but she didn''t have one. Great. She was very lazy to go buy now. And then, as she looked at the pen again, it was filled. How? Was she seeing things now? It even started to write briefly.


    ***


    "So how was the first day?" the aunt asked Regan as she sat down on the couch.


    Regan didn''t want to tell her about confronting someone on the first day. She''d start lecturing her about how she should be more sociable.


    "It was okay," Regan said.


    "Did you got any friends?"


    "Yes, I kind of got a new friend...how about you, how was your day?" she asked, trying to shift the attention.


    "It was good," Monica sighed. "I''m going to take a shower." She went upstairs.


    Regan thanked God that her aunt didn''t ask more.


    After they ate dinner, Monica went to her room to do her work assignments and Regan played a game in her laptop. Later on, she read some fictional book and then wondered about something that Monica told her. It was a surprise in the morning, and Regan was curious about it.


    She lay on the bed and tried to sleep, trying to not remember the non-belonging feeling or the scary stuff about being watched. It was no use.


    She took her phone and decided to surf the internet. Then, the feeling of being watched grew stronger.


    "Another one now. That one is new," she muttered to herself, her voice sarcastic.


    She sat a bit higher, eyeing the room warily. The only light source was from a bedside dim light. The suspicious sense, like someone would come and get her, rose on her and crept a tremble through her body.


    She kept overthinking about it and let the lights on. She scrolled through social medial, then fell again on the bed, rolling and tossing until she finally drifted off to sleep, full of intrusive dreams.


    The next morning, she woke up from the sunlight resting on her face brightly. She hadn''t slept that bad and was thankful for that. Well, she was very thankful.


    The surprise that her aunt mentioned last night came into her mind and she was wondering what surprise could it be.


    Getting up from bed, she went to the bathroom and then got dressed with oversized, but preppy clothes.


    She walked out of the room and saw Monica downstairs.


    "Come and see the surprise," Monica said, smiling, as she was stepping outside the main door.


    Regan followed her cluelessly and Monica led her outside, gesturing to a white Range Rover. She told Regan that was her new car and Regan wasn''t surprised. Her aunt was a car''s lover.


    Then, Monica told Regan she''d give her the old car, so that she could use it. Regan couldn''t believe it for a moment and then thanked her aunt, hugging her tightly. She had been driving that car before, so she was good at it.


    She went back inside to get her backpack, and tied her hair in a ponytail, which showed her numerous ear piercings.


    "Ain''t you coming?" Regan asked her as she was entering inside.


    "I would love to, but I have some work to finish on my laptop," Monica said, "Goodbye, dear.


    "Goodbye."


    She liked the car and was happy that her aunt gifted it to her, when she could''ve sold it. She turned on the radio and started the engine, driving to school.


    When she arrived, she stepped out and could feel people looking at her but she only looked forward and buried her head in her phone.


    Only to see Vesper''s missed calls and messages at 3 AM.


    "Hey girl, you''re awake?"


    "Are you there?"


    "Ya told me you stayed up till late..."


    "Reeeeegan!"


    What a weirdo, Regan thought. She had told her she stayed late, but not the specific time. She hadn''t expected Vesper to stay up that hour either.


    Her first class was literature. As she entered the classroom, all eyes went to her and she tried to swallow it up. She didn''t look at anyone and sat somewhere in the middle of the row.


    Vesper was sitting on the desk before, her face giving off an annoyed, almost irritated expression.


    "I texted you at night, why didn''t you answer?" she asked, quite coldly.


    Regan''s eyebrows furrowed, "I was sleeping at that time, what did you text for?"


    "But you told me you stayed awake late at night."


    "Yes, but not up 3." Well, she stayed up that hour, if her mind decided to play the sleepless state a little longer. So, it was something she couldn''t really control. She wanted to sleep earlier but her mind had other plans.


    The literature teacher started the lesson and Vesper turned away.


    Regan sighed, annoyed at Vesper''s reaction.


    She followed the lesson and did the assignments. On the class breaks, only a few would still glance at her. That was all she noticed because she herself wasn''t looking at anyone at all. And the boy that stared at her from the day before, well, he was seated somewhere else and was minding his own business. That made her feel better. It was good when they minded their own business and no one messed with her.


    She looked at the phone and only five minutes were left for the bell to ring. Vesper had skipped her classes and when the bell rang, she came back, getting her things.


    "Are you leaving?" Regan asked.


    "Huh? No, just getting my phone," she answered.


    "You left your phone here?"


    "Yeah," Vesper replied nonchalantly. "Are you coming with me to the cafeteria?"


    "I... yes, I was going." She didn''t want to go there at all, but she couldn''t stay all alone in the class.

 Periculosum Rosa

    Regan again found herself in the big cafeteria. She was sitting embarrassed from the glares she was getting. But at the same time, she cursed herself for acting like a fool. She straightened up a bit, keeping her phone on the table, trying to ignore the stares.


    She could see Olivia with her friends, laughing and whispering at each other as they looked at her .


    Regan didn''t care about being talked behind back as long as they wouldn''t say it directly to her.


    The crowd in queue shifted a bit and Vesper came, holding a tray with two sandwiches and orange juice.


    "Hey did you get bored?" she asked smiling. "The queue was long."


    "No problem, I know."


    She sat in front of Regan since the table had only two chairs. Regan hoped that she would eat her meal peacefully, without having to hear Olivia''s provoking taunts or being mocked around by someone else. She couldn''t stand both things.


    She thought of Vesper, about the fact that she hadn''t seen her hanging out with anyone else. Vesper looked friendly and outgoing compared to how Regan saw herself: dull and boring.


    However, she hadn''t seen Vesper talking to anyone in class too. Regan was new here but was Vesper so? After all, Vesper should have gotten some sort of other company.


    "Do you have any other friends?" Regan suddenly asked out of thoughts.


    The other girl frowned and Regan regretted saying that. Was it rude?


    Vesper''s face softened again within a second, like hot water melting the ice, "Of course I have," she said as she took a bite of the sandwich, "and I have even moreee then friends," she added and her lips curled upwards in the process, "they''re just not in this school."


    Her behaviour felt creepy but Regan shrugged it off, "That''s cool," she replied not finding anything better to say.


    "Have you ever had any friend?" Vesper asked, narrowing her eyes.


    "Oh, I''ve had, were I lived before," Regan replied. The truth was, she had had some sort of ''friends'' but they were just fake friends who used her to do their homework and assignments.


    "Well, well, well, two weirdos of our school, hanging out themselves," a familiar voice nearly startled Regan. She looked behind to see the rude jerk that you already know.


    Regan sighed in frustration, preparing to leave. She didn''t want to waste time with these pricks. But as soon as she was going to stand up, a blond haired guy appeared from nowhere and stepped near Vesper. He placed a hand on her shoulder and with his other hand, twirled her hair. Regan''s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she hadn''t really thought that Vesper had a boyfriend.


    "How are you doing, cupcake?" he asked, his voice teasing.


    "Get lost, Nate," Vesper retorted in an attempt to say it angrily but it seemed as if she failed.


    "Oh, come on cupcake, we were good yesterday," the guy called Nate said, "perhaps we meet tonight?"


    Regan wanted to leave but she was also curious. It wasn''t like she really cared that Vesper had a boyfriend, it was just that she didn''t want him to get in their friendship. She glanced around, seeing how everyone''s attention was on her friend and the guy. She feared that if she would stay there any longer, the attention would shift at her in some way.


    "You fool dare take my boyfriend?" Olivia suddenly snarled, her features twisted into a scowl. Vesper only smirked, fueling her up even more.


    Regan''s eyes widened at what she heard, but she didn''t do anything. Now, the cafeteria was in silence, everyone seeming to relish the drama that was being stirred.


    "Nate, come on!" Olivia demanded, placing her hand on Nate''s arm.


    "Why?" Nate retorted.


    "Because you''re my boyfriend and she''s just a fucking loser!"


    Nate didn''t respond. He took Vesper''s hand and they both walked out of the cafeteria to who knows where. Releasing her anger, Olivia shoved a chair and yelled at everyone to mind their own business. The crowd did so, but started to rant and whisper about it again.


    Regan quickly disappeared from the scene and went outside. She couldn''t shake Olivia''s words about Vesper and for the rest of the classes it was the only thing she could think about.


    Vesper, on the other hand, skipped and Regan wondered if this affected her friend''s grades. She really hoped that Olivia was lying about that boyfriend thing.


    "And tomorrow you will have your grade test on physics. Remember that this test covers 60% of your grade." That''s what the teacher said before leaving.


    Finally it was over and everyone started leaving. Regan got her bag and noticed how Vesper still had her things in her desk.


    She really hoped Vesper wasn''t someone who would steal other boyfriends. Even though Olivia was a rude jerk, it was immoral to steal someone''s lover.


    She stormed out of the classroom and in her way home.


    Before opening the door of the car, she heard a shout behind her back.


    "Regan! Regan! Wait!


    "Yes, Vesper? she asked, turning back, slightly irritated.


    "Is this your car? It''s beautiful!" Vesper complimented, pushing her bangs away from her face. The wind wasn''t doing its best job on her hair. As for Regan, she didn''t really care. She''d rather have some rocky hairstyle, than a sleek and silk one.


    "Of course she''s gonna cheer. Had a lot of fun with her boyfriend," Regan''s mind said.


    "Thanks, I''m going home."


    "Well I''ll come in then," Vesper said and rushed to get in Regan''s car when Regan wasn''t even inside. What would she do? She wasn''t going to say an excuse to make her leave or something.


    She sighed in frustration and got inside.


    Vesper turned on the stereo, putting on some songs which Regan didn''t like, but she didn''t speak or complain.


    She took a deep breath and turned on the engine. The start of the drive was silent, with no one speaking. Vesper kept glancing at Regan, tapping her leg on the car''s floor impatiently. Regan didn''t look at Vesper at all, she was focused on the road.


    "Hey, why are you so quiet?" Vesper finally asked after five minutes.


    Regan glanced at her, her expression bored, "I don''t know what to say."


    "So what do you want to talk about?"


    "I don''t know," Regan replied. She didn''t want to sound dry but she didn''t have what to say as well. "The things that Olivia said at the cafeteria...."


    "Interrogating everything, aren''t you?"


    "Huh, no," Regan quickly replied, "I just.... Why did she say that?"


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Vesper sighed, "Nate''s not my boyfriend. I want someone else."


    Regan had never heard something so blunt. Want someone else? Maybe she could''ve just said ''I like someone else''.


    "But she''s a drama queen," Vesper continued with her eyes on her phone.


    "So you have a boyfriend that''s not in the school?" Regan asked, curiousity getting the better of her.


    "He''s not even in that land," Vesper muttered.


    "What?" Regan looked at her briefly before returning her eyes on the road.


    "Never mind. It''s just someone who....who lives somewhere else."


    "So it''s a fictional character then?" Regan said, trying to lighten the mood.


    Vesper''s expression darkened slightly, but she didn''t take the bait, "You could say that," she replied, her voice low and cryptic.


    Regan''s curiosity grew, but she didn''t push it. Maybe Vesper was one of those anime fans who had a crush on a fictional character.


    But still, a part of her wasn''t was entirely convinced. Maybe because she was always viewing the worst side.


    The silence was becoming slightly uncomfortable again and Vesper broke it. "So are you going to give us a ride around?" she asked with a smile, "I''ll tell you the ways. Or you''re going straight at home and die of boredom?"


    Regan''s face fell.


    Because she wanted to go home and didn''t like wandering around.


    But since she was supposed to be a friend, she agreed.


    "Okay... I''ll make a ride around but only 10 minutes."


    "Deal!" Vesper cheered.


    Their ''ride'' was supposed to be ten minutes but it lasted more than a hour because Vesper wanted Regan to accompany her to the mall and buy clothes.


    Regan was annoyed but she finally convinced her that her aunt was going to get mad at her for coming home late.


    When they were done, she was quietly happy for finally getting rid of Vesper, even if that didn''t sound right. She knew she was being a bad friend now, but she really didn''t have to go shopping when she didn''t want to. And yes, she could have told that earlier but she didn''t want to annoy Vesper.


    Taking a look at Vesper, she was smiling happily looking at her new clothes she got.


    Most of clothes that Vesper bought were provocative and preppy kind. She had a great income. Regan thought she bought maybe most for her sister, and she probably had some party to attend or just something else.


    She parked the car near her house and waited impatiently for her to leave.


    "Thank you Reg! See you tomorrow! Oh, and don''t forget to reply my texts!"


    "Goodbye," Regan called back. She drove the car near her house, parking it in front of the house. She sighed in relief, being home finally. Her new house was beautiful so why should she be bored?


    But then again this wave of discomfort hit her. That feeling of something watching her.


    She went to leave her bag in her room and later on it was her aunt who came home. Regan sighed in relief. She had been shopping as well.


    "Hey, I met your best friend out there," Monica said as soon as she came into the living room and Regan could tell she was tired but knew it was from shopping because Monica was a workaholic and didn''t really get tired from work.


    "She was such a nice girl."


    "Oh, yeah. Vesper," Regan replied. It was weird how Vesper got to know her aunt without her even telling about it. But since they were neighbours, it was already obvious.


    "I''m glad you got out of your social shield and made a good friend," Monica said, giving Regan the bags to carry them upstairs. Regan nodded and went upstairs. She didn''t want to talk about Vesper anymore, because if she did, her mind would probably bring up all what happened in cafeteria and she''d spill it all to her aunt.


    She entered Monica''s room and placed the bags near the closet. Then, she went to her own room and thought to start studying for the physics test. As she sat on the desk, a heavy, alluring smell hit her nose.


    She noticed it was from a beautiful red rose placed on the bedside table. Regan wondered why the scent was so vivid, when it was just a rose. But then, she remembered that she hadn''t placed it there.


    Probably her aunt, she thought. She knew Regan liked roses and had found a beautiful one. She remembered her aunt''s words that when she was little, Regan was obsessed with red. She wanted her room painted red, her clothes red, her hair red, everything red.


    And of course, Regan didn''t remember any of this. The scent of the rose was so intoxicating that it started to make her feel dizzy. She picked it up carelessly but regretted it.


    The thorns were so sharp they stung her slender fingers and drew beads of blood. Wincing, she dropped the rose and watched it land softly on the floor. Actually the thorns were like nothing she had seen before. They looked like sharp spikes of metal.


    It was weird. The rose seemed untouchable. Where did her aunt find this? It seemed almost dangerous. She went to wash her hands in the sink and fought about it for a moment. What if she just asked her aunt?


    When she turned back to her room, her aunt entered just at the right time. "Hey, dear, I''m going out for a while and the laundry''s done. Could you fold it for me?" Monica asked, holding up a basket of clothes.


    Regan nodded, hiding her hands with her sleeves. "Sure," she said, taking the basket from her aunt. She had to ask about the rose before Monica left.


    "Aunt wait, did you place that rose here?" Regan asked casually, gesturing towards the floor with a nod. Monica looked surprised.


    "No, I didn''t? Maybe it got here from where I shopped?"


    "I don''t know," Regan said with a shrug, "But the thorns are like knives. I prickled my fingers."


    Monica watched the rose with a frown, "I''ll throw it away," she said, walking near the rose and bowing down to get it. She felt the thorns as sharper than a knife.


    "Seriously," she said, "where did this came from?" she slid the window open and threw it away. Regan watched, feeling a wave of unease.


    Monica left then, saying she''ll be back in few hours. Regan''s mind was still on the rose. How did the rose got there in her bedside table? It wasn''t like she brought the clothes there. It was so weird.


    But then her phone buzzed with a notification and she saw it was a text from Vesper.


    "Hey, I''m standing in front of your house. There''s something we need to talk about."


    Regan''s eyebrows furrowed. She watched from the window, Vesper was there, holding the red rose in her hand. Regan went downstairs and opened the door. Vesper''s expression was unreadable.


    "Hey, that rose''s got very sharp thorns," Regan said, noticing how her friend was holding it so carelessly.


    Vesper looked up at her, something flickering in her brown eyes. "Where did you get this from?" she asked, a hint of accusation in her voice.


    "It was just there when I came home," Regan replied in confusion.


    Vesper''s grip tightened on the rose stem, the metal-like thorns digging into her skin without a flinch. "But how? You mean someone just left it?"


    Regan felt her heart race as she studied Vesper''s reaction. She had just moved in, who would even do this? And why was Vesper so pressed about it? It was just a rose. A dangerous one.


    "Well, my aunt said she didn''t," she said, crossing her arms, "What else am I supposed to think?"


    Vesper watched her for a moment, narrowing her eyes. But then she dumped the rose in the trashcan.


    "Probably Mike, that guy from school," she said, rolling her eyes.


    Regan''s eyebrows furrowed, "What?"


    "You know, Mike''s that guy in the class who was watching you yesterday," Vesper said, blowing a bubble gum from her mouth. "He must''ve thrown that inside your room from the window," she added.


    Regan''s mind raced. Mike? She didn''t even know who that was. Was it the guy who had looked at her yesterday? He had followed her home? She didn''t know what to make of Vesper''s words. Was that why she felt like she was followed?


    "Maybe he likes you," Vesper said, waiting for Regan''s reaction.


    "No, no," Regan finally said, shaking her head vigorously. And even if he had done that, the rose was placed neatly on the table. It was so so weird.


    "Fine, don''t believe me," Vesper said with a shrug, "Is your aunt home?"


    "No," Regan replied.


    "Do you want to hang out?"


    "Yeah, I guess."


    They entered the house. Regan''s mind was still racing. She couldn''t believe any of this.


    "You want to watch a movie, or you want to do something else?" Vesper asked, throwing herself on the couch as if she owned it.


    "I don''t know," Regan replied with a shrug, "That rose matter...."


    "Come on, it''s not a big deal," Vesper said with a roll of her eyes, "You can speak to him tomorrow. Or I''ll do it if you''re shy."


    "No no, there''s no need," Regan said. "But I had to fold some clothes first," she added, remembering her chores.


    Vesper raised an eyebrow, "Oh....fine then. I''ll come later." She left and Regan released a breath. She wasn''t feeling on the mood, she also had to study and that rose''s matter wrapped around her like an anxiety vine.


    After she folded the clothes, she turned back to study. She lost track of time and when she stepped downstairs, she heard voices. It was Vesper, engaged in a deep conversation with her aunt. Regan wondered what they could be discussing. They appeared to have a long-standing connection, speaking as if they had known each other for years.


    "Hi," Regan greeted, although her voice came out raspy due to her lack of water intake.


    "Oh, hi Regan. I was just going to leave," Vesper said with a smile and stood up from her seat. Monica looked at Regan.


    "We''ve been talking for a while and she has a very good sense of humor," she said.


    Regan forced a smile, "Yea, Vesper''s pretty funny," she replied, her throat burning for water. "I''m going to drink some water."


    She left to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. The liquid rolled off her throat, soothing it with its coldness. When she turned back to the living room, Vesper was gone.


    "Oh, did she leave?" Regan asked.


    "She said it was late," Monica said, taking a sip from her coffee. "And she said something that this Mike guy snuck the rose inside your room."


    Regan''s eyes widened, "No aunt, I don''t think so, I don''t even know that guy."


    Monica shrugged, "I don''t know my dear. It''s weird. But if it goes like this, you have to sort it out."


    "Yeah, I''ll do something about it," Regan muttered, going back to the kitchen. She grabbed a sandwich and ate, the rose still on her mind. She had moved just yesterday and weird things started happening. She didn''t know what to do.


    And Vesper, there was something strange about this girl, something she couldn''t quite put her finger on. She didn''t know if it was normal to feel that way. They just meet a day before after all.


    She tried to sleep but she just couldn''t. She drank a sleeping pill and hoped it would work. At least that was something that Monica was aware of. She knew that Regan couldn''t sleep sometimes, so she would buy her these kind of pills. Regan didn''t want to drink them because she didn''t want to rely on them. But her mind seemed to not really mind it.


    ________


    A/n: Hey lovelies, what do you think about the roses?