Chapter 4

She woke up at the usual hour, but hadn't expected having a good sleep. The kind that made you not want to get up from the bed. She was grateful and annoyed at the same time.

Throwing on some baggy jeans and a white shirt, she combed her hair and put her brown hair up into a messy bun. Her aunt was sipping at her coffee downstairs, flashing a wide smile, "Good morning, dear."

"Morning," Regan replied, walking to the fridge and picking a granola bar.

The next thing that Monica said raised her mood much more. Her aunt had brought the new car she had been talking about and was giving the old one to Regan.

Regan couldn't believe it for a moment before she hug her aunt tightly. The keys were heavy in her hand, but she couldn't wait to drive.

They said goodbye to each other and Regan left, thanking her aunt for her love and kindness. She could've just sold the car, but she hadn't.

At school, she stepped out of the vehicle, feeling the eyes on her. But she only looked forward and buried her face 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..."

"Regan!"

Weird, Regan thought. She had told her that, yes, but not the specific time. And she hadn't expected Vesper to stay up that late either.

Her first class was literature. As she entered the classroom, all eyes shot up to her, and Regan fought the urge to cringe. 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 night's owl a little longer. So, it was something she couldn't really control.

The literature teacher started the lesson and Vesper turned away.

Regan sighed.

She followed the lesson and the assignments. During the class breaks, few would still glance at her. At last that's what she'd notice from rarely eyeing everyone in particular.

The boy that stared at her from the day before, well, he was seated somewhere else and was minding his own business.

Good. It was good when no one paid her attention.

She looked at the phone to see 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.

The cafeteria was buzzing with laughs, voices, shouts, the room spinning around Regan's eyes as she sat on table and Vesper walked to the canteen. The girl from yesterday was there, at the center, and Regan had learnt she was Olivia, indeed the principal's daughter. But she didn't care.

Vesper appeared from the chaotic crowd, now holding a tray with two sandwiches and sodas.

"Thanks," Regan said. Vesper just smiled and sat down.

They started to eat on silence and Regan couldn't help the curiosity lingering in her. Vesper looked outgoing and friendly, but she didn't appear to have any other friends.

"So, do you have any other friends?" Regan suddenly asked out loud.

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

But 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, "more then friends actually," her lips curled upwards in the process, "they're just not in this school."

The way she said it sounded off, but Regan kept her cool, "That's cool," she replied not finding anything better to say.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I've had, were I lived before," she replied, her mind flashing with memories of fake friends that used her to do their homework and assignments.

"Oh, I see you weirdos have become friends," the familiar voice from yesterday had approached and Regan realized it was Olivia. Not alone, but with a blond guy. Regan didn't have time for that, but the guy stepped forward, aside Vesper, leaned down, and twirled a strand of her hair.

Regan's eyebrows furrowed slightly, she hadn't really thought that Vesper had a boyfriend.

He said something in her ear.

"Get lost, Nate," Vesper retorted in an attempt to say it angrily, but failing it.

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

Regan wanted to leave but curiosity was holding her captive. She glanced around, seeing how everyone's attention was on her friend and the guy. If she'd d stay here any longer, it would probably shift on her somehow.

"You fool dare take my boyfriend?" Olivia suddenly snarled, her features twisted into a scowl. The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes on them. Vesper only smirked.

"Nate, what are you doing?" Olivia demanded as Vesper stood up, Nate starting to walk away with her. She grabbed his arm to stop him, but he was gone.

Olivia shoved a chair in anger and yelled at everyone to mind their own business. They seemed to relish in drama, but they turned away, the whispers taking place within the second.

Regan disappeared too, not because she was scared, but because she didn't want to deal with Olivia's drama. Her words kept replaying in her head for the rest of the classes. Stealing someone's boyfriend was a disgusting thing, but she didn't want to think about it.

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

Everyone stood up. Vesper had left her things here but Regan hadn't seen her since lunch.

With a sigh, she walked out of the classroom.

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

"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.

"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 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 her 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 neutral, "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?"

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, curiosity getting the better of her.

"He's not even in this planet," 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 slightly.

She just wanted to go home.

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

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

"Deal!"

Their ride was supposed to be ten minutes, but it lasted more than a hour. Vesper wanted her company to the mall.

Through her annoyance and frustration, Regan managed to convince her that Monica would get mad if she came 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 not wanting to. And yes, she could have told that earlier but she didn't want to annoy Vesper.

Vesper, on the other hand, was smiling foxily at her bags. Most of the clothes she had bought were provocative and preppy. She had a great income.

They were now in front of Regan's house, where she parked the vehicle before the garage, and waited impatiently for her friend to leave.

"Thank you Reg! See you tomorrow! Oh, and don't forget to reply my texts!" she said before slamming the car's door shut.

"Goodbye," Regan called back. A sight of relief pushed past her lips. Finally home. 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.

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