Life is complicated              book 1

By Evelina Mariya

Storyjumper

Warning!

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and events are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or deceased, businesses, events, or locations is coincidental. I appreciate your understanding.

Please don't steal or repost my story! I worked hard on this so I hope you'll understand. 

Thank you for reading! 

    In Azalea, a conflict known as the Peace War erupted in Garden Kind. The Feiry families were rushing to safety, with some opening portals to Earth while others sought refuge underground. Despite being outnumbered, brave villagers and soldiers fought valiantly for their lives and freedom. They understood that a war lasting hundreds of years was drawing to a close, as the Aosin League began to take control.

Many of the Feiries who defended their kingdom were captured by the dark league, while others lost their lives. Most Feiries had little hope of reclaiming their land, but some held onto the belief that one day, a savior would come to restore their kingdom. Will a savior emerge to help them?

Chapter 1: Eliana's

Typical life

    I never really felt like I had a purpose or direction in life. I never asked to be born, nor did I ask for any specific purpose. Sometimes, no matter how annoying or complicated things got, I just tried to stay calm. That was my normal. I grew up in a typical family with an ordinary home, school, and life—just like anyone else. My name is Eliana Kaysari, and I am the daughter of Lillian Brinch and Jonathon Kaysari. I live only with my mother and have never met my father. Mom told me that Dad died when she was pregnant with me; he was in a car crash, and she always becomes emotional when she talks about it. I don’t know much about any other relatives because whenever I ask Mom about them, she always changes the subject. In middle school, I used to read books about extreme family situations. From what I gathered, my mom probably faced some issues with her family, but I'm not entirely sure.

     I've decided to stop pressing her for answers and try to uncover the truth alone. Despite the chaos and mysteries that fill my mind, I strive to live life to the fullest, as one never knows when it might end. School feels like a lonely prison to me, even though most people seem to enjoy it. I don't have any friends, but I am well aware of everything around me, including relationships, rejections, gossip, rumors, and who failed their classes. I don't understand why people find it entertaining to talk about these things. I heard that these types of things are called "drama."Perhaps this is why I don't have any friends. When they share dramatic situations, I get confused about how to react and what to say, so I end up giving them blank stares until they think I'm stupid and walk away.    

    I don't have many friends because I'm a nerd and find socializing hard, but I'm working on that. I try not to worry too much about it because high school is a time for studying and preparing for the future. I often keep myself company by singing or imagining a world where I have lots of friends and exciting things happen. But, I know it's just daydreaming, so I don't do it too often. Now, let's focus on the people and things around me. I attend Remanold High School, considered the best high school in Prestil City. Despite that, there are many bullies at the school, and I get picked on a lot because I'm nerdy, shy, and gentle. If I had friends, they would be able to protect me, but unfortunately, that seems unlikely to happen. I used to have friends in elementary and middle school, but they turned their backs on me, and I realized that you can't trust anybody no matter what.

    I woke up startled to the sound of my mom yelling across the kitchen, "Wake up sleepyhead, you're gonna be late on your first day!" It took me a moment to realize that I had been dreaming. I checked the time and saw that I only had 30 minutes to get ready. Since I tend to take more than 40 minutes to get ready and then another 10 minutes to bike to school, I had to rush through my morning routine. I quickly ate some toast, drank some milk, and asked my mom to drive me to school. Despite my efforts, I arrived just 5 minutes before the bell rang. I thought I would have enough time to find my homeroom, but I was wrong. While I was walking to my homeroom class 106, I stumbled upon a boy who seemed to be lost. He was an exchange student looking for the same homeroom as me. Even though I was in a rush, I decided to help him find his way. which led to us both being late.

    I dislike having to communicate with people, but my compassionate side always ends up getting the best of me, which is why I keep getting betrayed by my fake friends. Anyway, my homeroom teacher's name is Mrs. Willows, and she's extremely kind and always in a good mood. She always has a solution to every problem, and everyone adores her. I look up to her and wish I could be just like her. This is my first year of high school, but I know a lot since my ex-friend studied here. Last year, I sat at the back, so I might as well do the same this year. I looked around to find my classmates and new people who would become a part of my "life."

"The Diamonds" are the three worst bullies, and their user, Ava, is in my class again. I think Ava is blind or something because it's obvious they use her, yet she still hangs out with them, leading her to lose friends." 

    The leader of The Diamonds group is Courtney, and she's the worst. Ava seems to be part of the group because of Courtney, but I don't have all the facts yet. Erin is the smartest kid in our class, and perhaps even in the whole school. His current rival for the title of the smartest kid in school is Jasmine, who is just as intelligent as Erin. There are a few new students that I don't know yet, but I guess I'll learn about them later on. James is the most energetic person in our class. He's incredibly positive and enthusiastic, always cheering everyone up no matter how down they are. He's like a younger, male version of Mrs. Willows. Last year, Ava was best friends with Hamu, and they were inseparable. They did everything together until this year, which is kind of weird. Hamu also had another friend named Michelle. 

    Michelle is very tall, kind, loves sports, and is a bit of a tomboy, so nothing new about that. I think that's it. Oh, and then... "Eliana, could you please pay attention and answer this question please?" Mrs. Willows asked in a dulcet voice. Oh no, I wasn't paying attention. From what I see on the board, we're doing math, so that'll be easy, I guess. I glared at the question intensively to find an answer in my head since I hadn't written anything in my notebook. "So, have you got an answer?" Mrs. Willows was getting impatient while my head was spinning with anxiety. "Uhm, is it... x = 20 and y = 4?" My heart was racing, waiting to get the correct answer. "Well, both are correct but I only asked for x. Very well, good job Eliana," Mrs. Willows said with a grin on her face. Not to brag, but math is my strongest subject, so it wouldn't be much of a problem to me if I wasn't paying attention unless it were those brain scratchers.

    After enduring a lengthy lecture on algebra, the bell finally rescued us from further mental strain. After that, I had a chemistry class, followed by my language class, which happens to be my weakest subject. Many people excel in language, which I find perplexing because I think English is quite complicated. I live in Avalon, an island with a population of about 800,000 people. Additionally, we have limited knowledge about our country's ancient language, Vesteign, which is very complex and similar to Greek or Latin. In ancient times, the original inhabitants of this land were known as the Argirian tribes, and most of them communicated with each other through body language. Only the royals were allowed to study Vesteign while the low-rankers had to use drawing and body language.    

    Over time, King Txinu the 3rd of the Argirian tribes found it difficult to communicate with lower-ranked members. When the Blackacre explorers arrived on the island, King Txinu offered to share the land if they taught the tribe to speak English, and they agreed. Fast forward to now, people live in peace, but the Argirian tribe's culture has declined. However, they are working on preserving it. There is a whole story about how our island came together, but that's a whole other story to talk about later. An hour later, after finishing my language class, it was time for lunch. I usually sit alone in an empty seat for lunch. One time, when there were no empty seats, I tried to squeeze myself into a spot with other people. When I glanced at them and smiled, they looked uncomfortable, so I ended up sitting outside. Luckily, there were empty desks today.

While peacefully eating my food, I noticed my classmate, Hamu, sitting alone. Normally, she sits with Ava, but this year she's alone. When I looked for Ava, I saw her sitting with Courtney. I felt like this was the worst possible situation during lunch. Without hesitation, I went up to Hamu and sat with her. As I tried to start a conversation, she kept glancing at Ava and Courtney having fun. I then realized Michelle was going home for lunch, leaving Hamu with no one to talk to. When Hamu finally turned her head, she was shocked to see me sitting in front of her. "Umm, do I know you?" she asked. I froze. How could she not remember me? I had been in every class of hers except for grade 2, and she said she didn't know me. I tried explaining to her who I was, and finally, she realized I was her classmate. We were able to chat like regular friends throughout the whole period even though we weren't.

Chapter 2: In the Middle of a friendship situation

    Today at school was quite eventful. I spent my entire lunch period doing nothing and then attending History class. I don't mind History as long as it's not too complicated. In our Geography class, we get to choose where we want to sit, and I usually select the back so I can sneak in a nap if I get tired. However, my peace was disrupted when Hamu decided to sit right next to me. I wasn't sure what to expect, as Hamu is friendly with everyone except for the Diamonds. She clearly needed someone to talk to, so I tried to be supportive. The rest of the class was annoying. I noticed Hamu getting closer to me by sharing her problems with Ava, which was unusual because she usually didn't respond when anyone asked her why she was sad. When we were walking home, I noticed that Ava was behind us. I tried every possible way to get them to talk to each other without me interacting with them but nothing worked.

    In this situation, I could sense the disapproving look behind me for spending time with her friend. I felt frustrated but chose to remain silent. When Hamu reached her neighborhood, we went our separate ways, but Ava and I continued together. I don't think I mentioned this before, but Ava is my neighbor, living just one house away from me, so I know a lot about her. I know that she lives with her father, Chris, and that they have been struggling financially since Ava's mom passed away four years ago. Her father couldn't make enough money to cover the bills, so Ava had to find a job. It's strange how she managed to get a job right after school. I've checked all the nearby places but never saw her working or entering any establishments. However, a few weeks ago, I saw Ava sneaking into the park trail. It seemed like she was trying to keep it a secret. 

    Chris and my mom are good friends. When my mom asked about Ava's job, he said Ava wouldn't tell him. Since that day, I've been curious about Ava's job. I've known her my whole life and tried to be friends with her until I gave up in grade 7. At that time, I was an extrovert and wanted to be friends with everybody, like Hamu. Ava had been in a few of my classes, including this year, and every time I tried talking to her, my other friends would crowd around Ava, which I think was frustrating for her. Seeing me with her best friend made her hate me even more.

    When we finally reached our homes, I turned to face Ava, hoping she'd look my way. But when I turned my head, she had already gone inside, slamming the door hard.

September 2, TUESDAY.

Today was very weird. Hamu still talked to me all day, but Ava gave me a death stare. It was terrible. This time, I regretted butting into someone's problems. Eventually, I gave in to Hamu and started talking to her. She's not that much of a problem; I can easily trick her to get out of her tail occasionally. I still haven't found out about Ava though. I thought Hamu could help me with some details, but she had none, so I am very far from discovering the truth. Right then, I had an idea. Mom would come home late from work today, and I had the chance to follow Ava.

    I know it's called spying and getting into other people's privacy stuff, but this... It bothers me, it's like she needs help. I asked Hamu to join me. At first, she denied but after some convincing, she agreed. The only reason I asked her to come with me is that maybe if I get them together again, my job will be done I will be left alone. Our school ends at 2:30 and I know Ava's work period starts at around 3:00 and ends at around 7:00. Hamu and I successfully reached the park without Ava spotting us. We followed her to an old indoor concert stage. Right when we were about to follow Ava onto the stage, "Hey, you know spying on people is bad, right?" I recognized that voice immediately. I turned around to see Uwaki Suru looking at us with a smirk on his face. Uwaki is in our class, and he is just a rotten egg. I hate him. The worst of all, he likes Hamu so I must protect her.

    Uwaki started developing feelings for Hamu three months before last year's summer break. In all the time I've known him, he's always been a bit of a playboy. I've personally seen Uwaki flirt with at least 7 different girls. If I were Hamu, I would have confronted him about his behavior right away. Even though I wasn't friends with Hamu at that time, she and Ava meant a lot to me. Anyway, Uwaki was still standing in front of us, waiting for a reply. "We're not spying, we're just checking if she's okay. That's what friends do, right?" That sentence caught in my throat. Friends? She practically hates me. "I mean, it makes sense for Hamu to be here because she's her best friend, but why are you here?" He did have a point in asking me that question. We're not even friends. I had to change the topic somehow, so I said, "Well, what are you doing here? Following Hamu?"

    Uwaki had a smirk on his face, he knew I was feeling uncomfortable so he let it slide. I did feel thankful. I guess he's not bad after all. "Mind if I join girls?" Uwaki asked. I had a gut feeling he was going to do something that could ruin our whole plan. Hamu immediately agreed, and I gave in too. As we went inside, I could feel the uneasiness going through my body, I was scared. When we finally reached inside, we saw Ava's shoes in a shoe locker. The concert hall was easy to find so we snuck In there. We could hear Ava's voice, but there was also another girl's voice echoing with her. It was familiar but not recognizable. I shivered. We snuck through the back door and found Courtney singing in front of the stage, but not really. The voice she was singing was very familiar to Ava. That's when I spotted her behind the curtains singing too. This only meant one thing. 

    "That, that's Ava's favorite lullaby. She used to sing it for my little sister sometimes, but why is Courtney mouthing her song?" Hamu was shocked. Although she knew what was happening, she didn't want to believe it. Right then Uwaki stepped in. "Nice job ladies, but can I ask you girls a question? Who is the real singer here? I mean, I only hear one girl, not two, SO. WHAT. IS. GOING. ON?" Uwaki was chill, Hamu was disappointed, and I? I felt disbelief.  Courtney and Ava noticed us immediately. Courtney started yelling at us for spying on them, but I was only paying attention to Ava. I could feel her being ashamed of herself for not telling Hamu this and ignoring her. I felt so bad. If I had never stepped into their personal lives, this could not have happened. I was so stupid. Ava and Hamu would not dare to look at each other. 

Chapter 3:

"Why?"

     I've got it! It all makes sense now. Courtney is the wealthiest of the 3 members of the Diamonds. I overheard Courtney planning to participate in the talent show last year. Our high school holds a talent show every year. If the judges recognize your talent, you can win a scholarship to attend bigger talent shows. This is basically where your journey starts if you choose to pursue it. Although my questions were answered, it left many people with negative emotions. After Courtney finished her 5-minute-long lecture about being immature for spying, she left the stage. It was weird how she did not answer Uwaki's question. When Uwaki asked it, she froze, got nervous, and started yelling at us. I guess her only escape was to change the subject, which did work. Before Courtney could leave, she called for Ava to come with her but Uwaki stopped her.

    Technically, we all tried to stop her, but Uwaki spoke to her and asked her not to go. Ava pushed Uwaki aside and went with Courtney. Before leaving, Ava glanced at Hamu. "Well, this is my cue to leave, y'all," Uwaki rushed out the other door without looking back. I felt terrible - I had practically ruined their friendship. When I looked down to check on Hamu, she started crying. As the only person on stage with her, it was my duty to comfort her. But I didn't know how. I just stood there in front of Hamu, feeling helpless. Without thinking, I kneeled, put my hand on her shoulder, and started talking gently. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure everything will be fixed by tomorrow. Maybe Ava will start talking to you again. I'm sure she's confronting Courtney right now to stop. You know her, she's your best friend."

September 3, WEDNESDAY.

    Today, I felt sick to my stomach and didn't want to go to school. As much as I wanted to stay home, I didn't want to leave Hamu alone. Exhausted, I got ready and biked to school. When I arrived, I couldn’t see Hamu anywhere. Maybe she had already gone inside the homeroom? I looked in, but she wasn’t there. Great. Now I would have to deal with sorrow and guilt all day. On the bright side, I had the entire day to think about what I should say to her when she arrives. I sat at the back of the classroom, as usual, and didn't see anyone else until I took my seat. After sitting down, I felt a light nudge beneath my feet. 

"Sorry about that, I dropped my pencil, so..." Wait, could it be? No, he left Prestil a long time ago; it can't be him. When the boy got up, pencil in hand, I almost lost my breath. It was Malachi.

    Malachi is here, sitting right in front of me. At this point, I’m frozen and can’t even talk. “Oh, um, hey Eliana! It’s been a while,” Malachi says with a fake smile. I know he’s just as surprised as I am. Malachi was both a friend and a bully. We constantly hurt each other until it became our way of greeting. Despite our rudeness, we always supported each other during tough times. One day, Malachi told me he would be leaving the city to live with his grandparents and that he would never come back. We spent that last day together, making the most of it.

We were close, but once he left, everything changed. As an extroverted person, I started making new friends—who turned out to be close friends of Malachi’s as well. We grew close, but it wasn’t quite the same.

Before I knew it, people started spreading rumors about me using Malachi as an excuse, claiming I was doing the same to others. At first, I thought nobody would be foolish enough to believe it, but I was mistaken. I found myself surrounded by those who turned against me. Every single one of my friends betrayed me because of that rumor. The worst part was when Malachi stopped talking to me altogether. Before blocking me, he sent a text saying, "I was wrong about you." That felt like the end of my world. I lost my friends, my confidence, and my sense of self. I practically became a loner. Fortunately, I adjusted to my new life fairly quickly, but I made a promise to myself: I would rather go to war than face Malachi again. That marked the beginning of my isolation. To this day, I still fear that the rumor might be circulating, which keeps me from reaching out to anyone.

I know it's been three years since then, but most of the students in my school still come here. I can never be too careful. Five seconds had already passed, and Malachi and I were still staring at each other. This is awkward. I looked around to find another seat, but none were empty. Ugh, why? Just why? Now I'll have to sit next to my ex-friend for the whole hour.

 "Okay, students, I hope you're all feeling great today. Please write down the question on the board and try to solve it," Mrs. Willows announced. The question was pretty easy; you just had to use the 'BEDMAS' method to solve it. When I turned to look at Malachi, I noticed that he was struggling. Malachi is smart, but when it comes to math, his brain just can't seem to work. I guess he hasn't changed much. I couldn't help myself and decided to offer help, just like I used to. 

 "The only reason you messed up is that you didn't use the left-to-right method," I whispered. "When it comes to multiplication and division in an equation, you have to start with the first operation on the left. You used division instead of multiplication, which is why you got it wrong." I couldn't believe I had the nerve to talk to Malachi. His surprised expression showed how unexpected my comment was. 

"Oh, uh, thanks!" he replied, and when he smiled at me, it took my breath away. 

"You... You're welcome," I stammered, feeling a bit shaky. 

"Enough chit-chat back there, people; there's a lesson going on," Mrs. Willows interrupted. We both turned back to our papers. When I looked at Malachi again, he seemed... kind of cute. Wait, what am I thinking? Stop it! I can't think that way. 

For the rest of the day, my head was spinning with thoughts of Malachi, even though I never saw him after that.

Chapter 4; Hamu:

Thank you.

    I skipped school today and I haven't told my mom yet. I hope she'll understand. After what happened yesterday with Ava, I'm too ashamed to face her. I'm her best friend, I should've been able to help her. Who knows, maybe she's been keeping this from me for a long time now. I have Eliana though, so I hope she'll support me. Although I think that way, sometimes I feel like I'm a burden to her. No, that can't be true everybody likes me. While I was locked in my deep thoughts, I heard a loud Screech from our old creeky front door. "Sweety! Are you home? I got a phone call from your school that you weren't there." It was my mom! Why is she so early? I thought she always came home around 2:30. It was only 1:00. I rushed downstairs to find my mom tired. Sweat covered her whole body and her long brown hair in a bun was all over her face.

    Here, let me help, I took her Gucci bag and placed it in our closet like usual. "Why are you so sweaty Mom?" I asked. Mom had her head down, breathing heavily as if she had run for her life right now. Right after she turned her head high, she pinched my ear and started pulling. Not so usual. "Ow! That hurts y'know." You know how worried I got! I had to run half a kilometer to get to my car to find you! I even broke one of my heels too! You worried me sick!" Although my Mom was yelling at me, and pulled my ear, I lightly giggled as usual. "Mom, do you have to be so worried sick all the time?" I said as wiped my tears from the pain of my ear. Mom chuckled and went to her room to change. Although we're rich, there is no such thing as a perfect family. Everybody has problems; All you can do is try to fix them. 

    When my mom finally finished getting ready and hurried through the kitchen, I told her I didn’t want to go to school for the whole week. To my surprise, she agreed. My mom wants me to focus on my studies so I can get a good job like hers. Even though I’m an only child, I still have a huge responsibility to take over in the future. I guess she does have a point. Just then, I remembered Eliana and decided to see her outside school. I changed out of my pajamas and headed out. I arrived at the school ten minutes before it ended. On my way, I decided to stop by Tim Hortons to grab a cup of French vanilla coffee. When I got there, I noticed someone hanging around the plaza. "Skipping school again, Uwaki?" I asked. He was leaning against his prized bicycle, drinking a can of soda. "You know me, Hamu. 

    "I would do anything to skip chemistry class, especially at the end of the day. Anyway, why weren’t you in school today?" he replied. Uwaki and I have been good friends since middle school, but for some reason, people don't approve of our friendship. 

 "I didn't feel good in the morning, so I decided to take the week off." Although I wasn’t entirely truthful, I had a point. How could I feel okay after what happened yesterday?

 "It’s about yesterday, isn't it? You know, I’m kind of surprised Ava kept this from you. I mean, you guys are BFFs; she should have told you. Don’t worry too much about it; I’m sure everything will go back to normal soon." When Uwaki said that, it sparked a bit of hope in me, but I knew it could fade quickly. His words have always lifted my spirits, along with Ava’s. 

    After chatting for a bit, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I hurried through the school and found Eliana. I rushed over to her and gave her a tight hug. "So, how was school today?" I asked. 

"As usual. Why did you skip school today?" Eliana responded. I felt like she already knew the answer but was asking to confirm. Unlike my response to Kitanai, I decided to share everything with her. She was the only person who could help me right now. Although I have many friends, Eliana always felt especially close to me since we met. She radiated the same warmth as Ava, and I think that’s why I connected with her so easily.

"I see," Eliana said as I shared my entire situation with her. Although we didn’t talk for the rest of the time, I could tell she was deep in thought. Her expression made it clear that she understood. We were almost at the point where we would part ways.

    Before we parted ways, I decided to express my gratitude to her for all her help. I realized that I might be putting too much pressure on her since she’s the only one I talk to. 

“Eliana, I just want you to know how grateful I am to you. I’m sorry if I’ve been overwhelmed; I feel so close to you even though we just met a few days ago. You’ve helped me so much. Thank you!” 

“Um, no problem. That’s what friends are for, right?” she replied in her soft, gentle voice, and I felt myself almost melt. She was so sweet. I giggled slightly, hugged her, and then ran home, whispering another thank you as I went.

Chapter 5; Eliana:

Brilliant plan!

September 4, THURSDAY.

    What Hamu said motivated me to help her. I had been thinking a lot last night and finally found a solution: we needed to get them to talk about their feelings. However, I knew that would only happen in very dramatic situations. As much as I want to resolve this issue, I don't want to create a dramatic situation; I hate that idea. On top of that, I don't know how to initiate such a scenario. The only person I could ask for help is Uwaki. I don't know anyone who understands the situation better than he does, so I guess he's my only choice.

As expected, Hamu didn't come to school today since she mentioned she wouldn't be coming for the entire week. I saw Uwaki talking to his followers, Kami and Hasami.

     Kami is as serious as Sasuke Uchiha (A character in Naruto manga), while Hasami is more like a chill, "doesn't care" person. I see Kami and Hasami as the negative and positive sides of a magnet. You know the saying, "Opposites can attract"? That applies here. They are not only mentally but also visually opposite. There is only one thing that they agree on, and that is they both adore Uwaki and wish to follow him like hopeless slaves. When I arrived at the spot where Uwaki and his minions were, I grabbed Uwaki's hand and pulled him away. "Whoa, easy there! Are you finally realizing my worth?" Uwaki smirked. "Not even close!" I replied, feeling disgusted. "But you could be helpful for Hamu. Are you interested?" I figured mentioning Hamu might attract Uwaki's interest, which worked. 

    I explained my plan to Uwaki and why I needed his help. Just as I finished detailing my plan, the bell rang. We both made our way to homeroom and sat down in our places. Until lunch, I had been eagerly waiting to talk to Uwaki to figure out a plan. This was the perfect time to get his thoughts on it. Finally, the bell rang, and I rushed to the cafeteria, scanning the room for Uwaki. He usually had a bunch of fangirls around him, which made me a bit nervous as I walked in. 

When I arrived, I saw Uwaki surrounded by a crowd of girls. "Is he a celebrity that I don't know about?" I wondered. As soon as Uwaki made eye contact with me, he waved to the girls and started making his way over. When he turned to face me, I not only saw his familiar, annoying face but also noticed several girls giving me death stares. 

    Why did the universe have to put me in this position? 

 "Hey, guess what! I have an idea!" Uwaki exclaimed as he approached me. 

 "Oh yeah? What is it?" I replied, trying my best to hide my excitement, even though I was bursting with anticipation. As he explained his plan, I was genuinely surprised. "This could work," I said. 

 "Oh, it will, Eli," he replied. I was confused when he called me Eli. "Uh, what did you just call me?" I asked. 

 "Y'know, because we're friends, and I think your name is too long—no offense!" Uwaki giving me a nickname is usually the worst because they’re often terrible; however, this one wasn’t bad. I laughed a bit before I left. 

    After having lunch alone, as usual, it was time for my next class: History. Mrs. Willows seated me next to Malachi, and Mr. Jester did the same. As I walked into the classroom, I saw Malachi sitting in the middle of the bench seats—our seats. I walked as slowly as I could because I truly didn't want to sit there. As I approached, I locked eyes with him for a brief moment, captivated by his pretty, sky-blue eyes. I took a seat and pulled out my class materials. Malachi was a genius in history, or at least I thought so. Although I had been sitting next to him for the past hour, it wasn’t that bad. We barely made eye contact. I felt calm but also disappointed. Why was I feeling disappointed? I wondered. This wasn’t the time to dwell on that. I should be more concerned about Hamu and Ava. And there was one more thing weighing on my mind: the history test. 

    I hadn’t paid much attention during the lesson, except for the last part, and I knew I was going to fail. I guess Mr. Jester was right—history may be easy, but memorizing it is the most difficult part. The day went smoothly without any issues, so I suppose our plan will work after all. Just a few more days, and it will be put into action.

Chapter 6; Ava:

 Walking away from my problems.

    "I never wanted this to happen," I thought as I walked towards my house. It was all Eliana's fault. She had always invaded my personal space since we first met. I thought she would finally leave me alone after seventh grade, but I was wrong. I walked behind Eliana, trying to keep light footsteps. I could hear the loud squeaks of her shoes with each step. Where had she gone to get them so wet? Something was off. Hamu wasn't here today, so she wouldn't have gone with her. Eliana didn’t seem like the type to venture into nature. Although her shoes were covered in clumps of mud, it didn’t matter; I needed to focus on helping Courtney prepare for the concert. It was just another high school party. The staff at our school organized a singing contest to add some excitement to the event. This party was meant to celebrate the founding of Remanold High School.

    The party is a free way to attract more people to the school and earn more stars. Courtney had known me since the 4th grade. We used to be friends, so she knew everything about me. It seems she was ready to take advantage of our history in high school. We stopped being friends in the 7th grade because she became more popular. We were very different, and it felt necessary to part ways. A few weeks later, I went to my secret coffee shop to sing for the crowd. Courtney knew about this place and decided to record me as revenge for breaking up with her. She said she would delete the recording if I helped her win a contest with my singing voice. I agreed, but I still believe she has the recording.

 Courtney has used it to threaten me so many times, like when she encouraged me to ignore Hamu. I know I sound foolish and selfish, but I don’t want to be recognized by the whole school. 

   I know Courtney, so I understand that she wouldn’t just post about me on social media; she could completely ruin my life by spreading rumors. I’m terrified. I don’t want to end up like Eliana, who was dumped by all her close friends—that would be awful. I trust that Hamu would never do that to me, but now I’m starting to doubt it. Eliana is improving while I seem to be getting worse. I could lose everything. I had to take action, and honestly, it might not be that bad as long as we don’t get caught. I heard that creating voice deepfakes could land us in serious trouble. I have a lot of problems right now, but I think the best strategy is to focus on this one and escape from everything else. Maybe, just maybe, I could ask Courtney for some more money for my dad since she’s extremely wealthy. That could solve two problems at once. Nothing is more important than money. Nothing.

Chapter 7; Uwaki Suru:

Get to Work!

 September 13: Friday.

   I woke up in the morning to the annoying sound of my alarm ringing in my ears. I slowly got out of bed, whining slightly. Then it hit me—today was the day of the party! I quickly got dressed. Although the party was supposed to start at noon after school, I needed to talk to Eliana first. I rushed to school as fast as I could, trying to keep it cool, of course. There was no way my ladies would accept me looking disheveled and sweaty. 

When I arrived, I spotted Eliana and Hamu chatting in the corner. Hamu had finally come back this week, and she was as cheerful as ever. “Okay, focus, Suru,” I told myself. “You only came here to go over the plan again with Eliana.”

Eliana had already noticed me walking slowly toward her. She knew what was about to happen. Eliana said something to Hamu, and then she left. When I approached her, I asked, "You didn’t tell her anything about the plan, right?" 

"You know me, Uwaki," she replied, a slight but serious smile on her face. Although Hamu is usually happy, she never seems to be full of herself without Ava around. It's pretty obvious to those who know her well like I do. I just want her to be genuinely happy again. I wanted to tell Eliana this, but I knew she wasn't fond of those types of conversations, so I stayed quiet. 

"My job is easy since I have Hamu, but you’re dealing with Courtney here. Be careful with your words. Make one mistake, and we’re doomed. Understand?" 

    Eliana's eyes were filled with seriousness. She had never been this intense before; she was usually chill and relaxed. I realized she felt the same way I did. "Whoa, whoa! Chill out. I don't think you know who you're talking to. Courtney believes we're a power couple since we're both popular. This is going to be a piece of cake."

We both saw Hamu walking toward us with a cute white butterfly in her hand. "Wow, she caught one faster than I expected! Well, it's time to say our goodbyes." I guess that's what Eliana made Hamu do—to leave for her task. It seems like Eliana does have an easy one. We quickly said our goodbyes and left.

    Our homeroom teacher, Mrs. Willows, enthusiastically handed out posters for the party, her bright smile lighting up the classroom. Among us, Courtney was the most excited, practically bouncing off the walls. While her excitement was understandable, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she might also be a bit nervous about the unexpected turn of events. I had never heard Courtney sing before, and if she was relying on Ava's voice, who knows how her own voice might sound?

The other two members of the "Diamonds" were also eager to participate in the contest. I knew this because they repeatedly asked me to brag about their talents. I generally dislike those types of girls, but I felt I couldn’t ignore them without ruining my image. My main priority was to draw Courtney into my plan.

    After three periods of classes, it was finally time for lunch. I noticed Eliana sitting with Hamu, likely discussing something important. I thought it would be a good idea to do the same with Courtney. Our plan was finally being put into action. 

“Hey, Courtney, do you have a second? I need to ask you something,” I said, trying to act cool and natural, knowing that Courtney was good at spotting lies. 

    Courtney rushed over to my area, carrying a store-bought boba and a salad in her hand. “The food in the cafeteria is just not my type; I’m not risking getting sick. Neither are you, right?” she said, seeking my agreement. Although I was okay with the food here, I knew it wasn’t as tasty as outside food. I decided to agree with her to start our conversation on a positive note. 

    “Well, duh! The food here is nasty sometimes,” I said, despite my heart feeling guilty for badmouthing the cafeteria staff. “I’m so sorry to the ones who cook here! I’m on a mission, so I have to do some things that aren’t so great,” I thought as I kept glancing at Courtney, who was busy checking her fans on Instagram. Why did I even think she would listen? Of course, she didn’t care about my opinion. 

    "So, I need to ask you something. It's about Ava." Courtney turned her head to me and gave me a serious look. "What about Ava?" I gulped. Oh no! I'm making this worse; she's starting to suspect me! "I have this great plan to trick Ava, and I need you to help me set it up!" I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck. I'm usually good at lying, but Courtney always has that intense stare that makes me hesitate whenever I do. I'm really scared!

Chapter 8; Uwaki Suru:

Wasn't expecting this!

    Although the cafeteria was filled with noise, it was dead silence in my ears. I couldn't hear anything except for the intense stares Courtney was giving me. “What is this plan for, exactly?” Courtney began firing too many questions at me, which meant she was starting to doubt me. 

    “Look, I know you and Courtney are friends and all, but I need to try out my new prank. This joke only works on emo girls like her, so I have to use her; it will only take a second. You could also join in to see my work! I know you haven't seen anyone trip over their own mistakes, right?” 

 If this doesn't work, I'm sure I'll be in trouble for it. Plus, this was not part of the plan. I thought Courtney would easily agree because she was into me, but I was wrong. Eliana was right; I should have been more careful with my words. 

    Courtney giggled. “You're always full of surprises. That's 10% of the reason why I like you. The other 90% is because of your looks. Fine, I’ll help you, and I want to join too. I want to see someone like Ava get mad—someone as boring as her.” 

    Wait, she agreed? It was so obvious that I was lying, yet she went along with it! I guess being handsome and popular does have its perks. 

    “Okay, I’ll find you at the party, princess!” I winked at her as I left. I was thrilled that the plan worked, even though I made a lot of mistakes. The show must go on!     

    As I left the cafeteria to buy my lunch outside, I winked at Eliana to tell her that the plan was working! She also winked at me back which meant we did both of our parts perfectly! I hummed my way across the door while acting cool, of course.

Chapter 9; Eliana: How about a dress?

September 14; Saturday

    Finally, the day had arrived. I woke up feeling joyful, despite the fact that the party wouldn’t start until 7 P.M. It was only 10 A.M., which might seem a bit early to be so excited. I headed to the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes appeared as dim as usual, and my shoulder-length black hair was tousled around my head. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I picked up my hairbrush and began to comb my straight, slightly wavy hair.

As I walked downstairs, I noticed the emptiness in the hallway; I had forgotten that my mom was working all day since we were short on money. I truly appreciate everything she does to support us and still spend time with me. 

     As a single mom, I know it must be challenging for her to take care of a high schooler like me. I found a note on the table from my mom.

---

Dear Eliana,

I'm sorry for this, but this time I'll be working much longer than usual. I won’t be back for two days. I know that’s a long time, but I don’t have a choice. I’ve left two days' worth of food in the fridge, so if you get hungry, you can eat it. I know you want to go to the party, so I've also put $150 in the envelope. You can use this money to buy yourself a dress and some jewelry. This is your first party in high school, so you should make it count. Have fun, sweetie! If you don’t use the money, I’ll be upset.

Love, Your dearest mom

    "$150!" I thought in disbelief. What does she expect me to buy with this? It felt like too much. We're already low on money, so why would she give me this? Not wanting to dwell on it too much, I began eating my breakfast cereal. As I munched away, I decided to use the money, but only half of it. I had completely forgotten about needing a dress for the party, but my mind was already filled with images of what it could look like, just as my mom had suggested. This party should be worth it—for me and my "friends."  

    After finishing my breakfast, I went into my room and opened my closet. All I saw were some pants, T-shirts, pajamas, hoodies, and a few clothes I had kept since I was 10. I used to use those to make outfits for my dolls, but I got bored of them and stopped. I ended up throwing away most of the tiny dresses I made because they took up too much space.

    I had a pair of long purple gloves that I stitched together when I was 14. The last time I wore them, they were too long, but maybe this time they'll fit. I also found some black socks that I thought would go well with my dress. Since I don’t like showing too much skin, they would cover up most of my legs. However, I thought the socks looked a bit plain, so I decided to go to the store and buy some more stylish ones instead. 

    I changed out of my pajamas and went outside. Although it was only September, it was quite cold that day, so I took my jacket with me. As I looked up at the sky, I noticed it was almost about to rain. I knew I wouldn’t have time to shop after the rain since the party starts at 7 PM and I also planned to do some stitching. I went back inside to grab an umbrella and then headed to a clothing store, hoping that most of the items wouldn’t be too expensive.