"Copy the note and be quick about it"

I looked at the empty whiteboard, then at the teacher before slowly raising my hand "err what note...sir?"

He frowned and glanced down at me, through his iron-rimmed glasses like a king on his throne looking at a dirty peasant.

"Are you deaf?"

Okay, that hurt. What a nasty goat. I was even trying to be respectful. You know what forget that shit

"I wasn't the last time I checked" I retorted.

Veins bulged on his head, and then the girl seating behind me abruptly stood up "Sir! She didn't understand what you meant, ignore her sir we all make mistakes, after all, we're only human"

Ignore me?

I rolled my eyes. Although I liked the town's artistic nature we haven't really been able to interact with its locals since we moved here. Today was my first proper interaction and...everyone we've met has been a different kind of stupid.

Sue had a different class so I was stuck here, alone and without a backup.

The teacher used a finger to push the glasses further up his nose. "Oh, I see..." He picked up a heavy textbook from his table and dropped it on mine. "Chapter 10 pages 90-93, copy"

I'm pretty sure my desk vibrated when the book landed. I picked it up...or at least I tried to pick it up. It was so heavy. I looked at the teacher's arm. Although his clothes were slightly baggy I could still tell that there were zero muscles in his arm. But he carried the book with one hand. And I could barely lift it. As if it's not bad enough that everyone was quietly giggling as I tried to haul the textbook onto my lap, I opened the page he had called only to realise that the text was so tiny that I had to squint to see it. And to think I had to copy three pages of it!

I picked up my pen and started. Besides if I skipped some parts and words in the note he might not notice. A few minutes later when it felt like my head will fall off my neck I raised it to see that I was the only one still coping. Mr Teacher was reading a book while everyone else was talking or chatting on their phones. I was also the only one with a textbook on my desk. I frowned.

About half an hour later I walked out of the class. I was so annoyed. For the rest of the class, all I could do was copy the stupid note as fast as I could when I was finally done the bell rang and I couldn't even be bothered to return the textbook to his table, I picked up my things and stormed out. My hands were shaking like a very old lady's leg.

When I got to my locker Sue was already there. She was leaning on the wall. And nodding her head to the song playing in her headset. Her glossy black hair, the same as mine, was no longer in a ponytail. Instead, it was scattered around her head. It looked like she was listening to rock and she only does that when she's mad. She opened her eyes just then and stared at me. 

"I hope your first class was as shitty as mine," she said.

I shrugged and stuffed my books into my locker "I don't know if we compare later, mine might be shittier"

P.E class. It'd be stupid for anyone in a new school to think that their first PE class will be safe. Especially with the existence of...Dodgeball. We changed into our sportswear in the locker room with a bunch of other girls. The sportswear was not flattering in any way. At least ours wasn't. The other girls already had a chance to alter theirs. While ours was still two sizes too big. I picked a pair of shoelaces from my bag. I always carried extra in case I lost mine or I needed to tie something, like my hair. Sue took the one I gave her and we used it to hold up our pants. We tied the balloon-like top into a crop top. We were the only ones left. At the door, Sue shook my shoulder

She said "remember do not cry"

I grinned "even if the ball hits your eye"

We pushed open the doors and slowly walked in like warriors on a battlefield. Everyone was separated into two dodgeball teams. The teacher who was about to blow the whistle saw us and smiled. Not in the 'I'm nice way' but the 'you're so dead' kinda way. She pointed at Sue

"You there what's your name?"

"Sue Andrews Miss"

"I ain't your Miss"

She pointed at the team on the left that had an awfully familiar face "Your name is Sue I'm sure you won't mind joining your namesake," she turned to me "go to the other team girl number two"

There was a collective guffaw

I smiled coldly at her "name's Aria nice to meet you too"

"I wish I could say the same" she returned

Ouch. The teacher's got spunk.

The game started. The game ended.

What happened in between is too painful to remember. All I can say is give me a gun and Bitchy Sue and I will paint the school red.

At four in the evening, the three of us met under a tree some distance from school. Jerry had a small bruise on his cheek.

Sue looked him up and down "you're a mess"

Jerry huffed "it's just a bruise...at least I wasn't bullied"

I cut in "hey let's set this straight" I pointed at Sue and me "we weren't bullied...we just played dodgeball"

Jerry scanned the several bruises on our faces and arms "right, don't you know that dodgeball is the game of bullies"

"Hey guys" Sue waved at us to stop talking "dad just sent me a message it says 'I won't be home tonight I have to work late take care sweetie pies'"

I frowned, on its own, the message wasn't odd...It would be a normal thing if mom sent it...but dad?

Sue frowned "that's weird"

Jerry nodded "yeah dad hates anything pie"

I mumbled "and he definitely doesn't think we're sweet"

There were dark circles under my eyes. It's been two days and dad was yet to return or send another message. A few more hours and we could report him officially missing. We tried to call mum but her number was also switched off. We didn't know the way to his new office so we couldn't even go check on him.

I was really worried but we still had to go to school. It didn't help that Jerry insisted we stay at home, according to him a missing parent was a good enough excuse to miss school. Wednesday morning, we gathered around the dining table slowly eating our cereals. Jerry was sporting a new bruise on his face. Early on he had refused to open his room door, he didn't want to go to school. I got a screwdriver and Sue and I dismantled his door handle. In hindsight, I could have just used the lockpicking set I got for my birthday. But hey. We took apart the door handle amidst yells and curses from Jerry. Once the door opened Sue landed a punch squarely on his face.

"Dad might be fucking missing and all you can do is act like a fucked up baby" she yelled and stormed out.

I stood by the door looking at Jerry. Although I wanted to smoothen things out his angry and wronged expression just annoyed me. I threw the door handle and screwdriver at his feet "fix that when we return" I turned to leave before throwing them over my shoulder "and Jerry at some point in your lifetime, grow up"

So you can imagine breakfast a few minutes later was quiet. Jerry stood up to pick up his bowl and noisily dumped it into the sink. Sue opened her mouth to yell at him, but I shook my head at her to just let him be.

Before he left the kitchen he turned to us "I hate how you just assume that I don't care just cuz I'm not sulking around acting like the world's about to end"

Sue stood up and stalked to him in a few steps. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him against the wall

"If anything happens to mom and dad, our world may as well end" she released him and her fist flew towards his head again. I stood up thinking she was about to hit him again but her fist landed on the wall a hair's breadth away from his head.

She turned and took her phone off the table she waved it at him. "I called mom's office when her number didn't go through, do you know what they said?" She didn't wait for a reply and continued "They said that her new replacement came early and she already left the city on Sunday. They even threw a going-away party for her. I had to make up some stupid excuse so they don't notice anything's wrong, do you know what this means?"

I reacted this time "She was supposed to be here since Monday which means...Mom's missing as well?"

Another period ended I didn't even have time to be annoyed at the teacher's rotten behaviour. Even when Sue and I met her namesake on the stairs I had to drag Sue away before she ends up being arrested for bitch battering and assault. We went our separate ways for the last period. I had natural science while she had arts. I entered and sat on the first seat I saw. A few minutes later, the teacher entered and another class began. For some reason today we were once again learning the biology and nature of wolves. Somehow the class sounded more mystical than scientific.

As our teacher pointed out the different changes in a wolf's genes during the full moon the door opened with a bang and someone walked. The class went so quiet you could hear a silent fart. I raised my head to see who came in this late. 

Okay, first of all, I have seen many handsome men and guys especially after coming to this town but 'oly guacamole he was...Dang!

I was almost excited to see how the teacher will scold this Adonis. It's an instinct to want bad things to happen to people who are too good-looking. But to my amazement, she didn't even say one word to scold him instead she even respectfully greeted him "Sir please take your seat" 

It seems like he's a big shot around here. But Sinbad barely spared her a glance instead he walked directly towards me. My maiden heart went all over the place and I had to resist the temptation of clutching my chest to keep my racing heart in check. There were hushed whispers and muffled laughter in the class. I frowned and looked around. At some point in time, Bitchy Sue had taken the seat beside mine but I ignored her because I thought she just wanted to bug me but now, she was smirking at me and soon I knew why when I heard the deep voice above me

"Get up, that's my seat"

Again?! What's it with these people acting all territorial with their stupid seats? Well, bigshot or not I'm not moving an inch and no one's gonna make me.

So I turned to him and said in my best Royal British accent which if I may add is the worst British accent, ever "Pardonne Moi my good sire but alas I do not see your name on this here chair. I'm afraid you will have to scram now"

Don't even ask me why my British had French in it

He raised a perfect brow at me "so you won't get up?"

He didn't seem angry so I acted even more haughty "I most certainly will not!"

He nodded, and I smiled in triumph, one point for Aria and zero for Adonis. But then he dumped his bag on my desk and held my shoulders. 

My accent fled "W-what are you doing" I panicked

He lifted me like paper and dumped me in the next seat like trash. I felt like a ragdoll being moved from one toy box to another. My face burned red and it was either from anger, embarrassment or the fact that a guy was so close to me. Boys didn't come near me and Sue after what happened two years ago at our old school, something that led to both of us nearly being expelled.

He sat down in his seat. Bitchy Sue leaned into him, her oversized unmentionables were nearly spilling out. She sneered at me before turning to flutter her whip-like lashes at him. I'm surprised that one of those Peacock feathers didn't poke his eye out. Although he barely paid her any attention, he didn't stop her either.

Not that I care. He's stupid. Boys are stupid. It's general knowledge, really.

Urgh is the teacher not gonna stop this nauseating PDA? I turned to look but the teacher continued with her notes on the board. I'm sure that she definitely saw them, and she was ignoring the whole thing. I turned to look at Sinbad, just who is this guy?

I stabbed the blue-green glug in my lunch tray with my fork "Urgh he makes me so mad"

Sue used a straw to poke hers. The look on her face said 'I'm poking aliens on my plate' She didn't turn from her tray "who?"

"Sinbad!"

At this, she frowned at me "The Disney character? I thought you loved that dumb show"

I rolled my eyes "okay first it's not dumb and second Sinbad is this dude in my class"

She nodded "Ah I see...so you like him"

I choked on my gum "cough cough of course, no I just met the dude like an hour ago"

At this point, she was shaping the thick glug into a head with her spoon "so...you like him"

"I don't!"

"Is he handsome?"

I thought back to the bottle-green eyes jet black messy boy band hair. A square jaw and dimples when he talked. His clothes were baggy but anyone could tell that he had a figure girls wanna touch and guys wanna have. But then there was Bitchy Sue clinging to him like velcro. And for some reason, he wasn't repulsed by her

"Hey...HEY!"

"W-what?"

"Dude you zoned out me...one minute you look like you're dreaming about an angel and the next you look like you just ate a mouthful of whatever this is" Sue pushed the plate away and took the single apple before taking a bite "I wonder if the angel's name happens to start with an Ssss"

"Stop it already"

She fully turned to me her expression was worried and I dreaded what was to come

"Aria you know what happened that time had nothing to do with you it was...if anything it was my fault..."

"Look it was both our fault let's just leave it at that okay? Please"

She sighed "fine...and Aria?"

"Hmm"

She pointed at my apple "I'm hungry can I have that?"

"Sure thing"

When her hand reached over I flicked it

"Ouch" 

"You can have the Glug special, no apple for you"

Sue sighed and slouched further into her chair "are we going to file the missing person complaint after school?"

I turned to her "do you think we should?"

"No, if we do they'd realise that we're minors living alone and by tomorrow we'll have child services knocking at our door and distributing us to foster homes faster than we can say 'our parents ain't dead' and I can't deal with that. But not reporting feels..."

"Selfish? Yeah but...mom and dad wouldn't want us to be separated, how do you think Jerry will react? How long are they gonna be missing? How long will we be able to pretend that everything is alright"

"Yeah I know the town is small if people don't see our parents soon busybody's tongues are going to start wagging"

Suddenly a shadow fell on us

From the choking perfume, I could already guess who the person was. Sue and I rolled our eyes before looking up to see bitchy Sue glaring at me

What did I do?

Her posse had the same expression

"Stay away from my man"

I shook my head "I'm sorry, your who?"

Bitchy Sue glared at me "stay away from Sinbad"

Oh him. Territorial much?

I pouted "The Disney character? But I love that show"

Her face turned red "you know who I'm referring to! He's my boyfriend..."

"But you're not his girlfriend...from what I heard it's an obsessive one-sided relationship"

"How dare you! He is my boyfriend" she pointed a finger coated with blood-red polish at me "you better stop throwing yourself at him or else"

I looked at her nearing finger, it looked like she planned to poke my eye out I deadpanned "ooo I'm scared" I eyed her "you better get those bloody Mary hands out of my face unless you wanna meet my claws"

Bitchy Sue and her posse glanced at each other and then burst out laughing 

Beside me, Sue frowned "what's so funny?"

Bitchy Sue ignored her and sneered at me "you'd be adorable if your face didn't make me wanna puke"

A girl behind her scoffed "Stay away from Master Sinbad cuz I'm sure you don't wanna meet our claws and yeah baby they're real hehe"

I rolled my eyes. Tch what's up with that? just cuz they've got sharper manicures.

They turned and walked away but before leaving Bitchy Sue said "As much as it disgusts me to even do this but I've been told to invite you both to the Halloween party tonight at Dead man's float"

After she went away I turned to Sue "are we going?"

"And enter into an obvious trap"

We both smirked "hell no"

Suddenly, a voice said "Don't worry" a redheaded girl our age smiled at us from the opposite table "Her father owns the boathouse so she usually gives it stupid names that she thinks are scary. It was the same girl that told the teacher to 'ignore me cuz we were all humans and stuff'

I scoffed "her father owns the boathouse? Tch all the more reason not to go"

The girl laughed aloud "haha come on guys it'll be fun...name's May by the way"

"Aria"

"Sue"

"Sue? Haha, what sore luck for you your namesake is ..."

"A bitch I know"

A few minutes after 7 pm Sue, Jerry and I stood at the river bank. When May said it was a boathouse, I pictured a small boat with a thatched hut in the middle. But this-this was a floating carnival. I was sure the post and beam-style boathouse covered the expanse of the lake. It had open sun deck. 

Jerry tapped my shoulder and dragged Sue's hand "look over there they have a speedboat"

"No wonder she's such a royal bitch"

"Her Pops spent so much money just for a stupid Halloween party, talk about extravaganza"

Although May said the name was stupid, even I had to admit that the name Dead man's float fit it perfectly. If I didn't know that all the decorations were plastic I'd probably have nightmares after this. Hehe, maybe this was a glimpse of the creepy darkness in bitchy Sue.

We didn't wear any costumes. The only ones we had were from long ago when dad dressed us up in giant dental products. And there is no way in hell's blazes are those costumes ever gonna leave the attic.

In the boat, for the first time, Jerry stuck by us instead of running away.

I asked him "Why are you here?"

He picked and filled three cups of soda before giving Sue and me one each he took a sip of his "why am I here?"

"Here as in with us, I thought you didn't want people to know that we are related?"

"I was just joking"

"Ehn and your joke lasted for a week"

"You guys said that stupid girl with a stupid name has been picking on you"

Sue glared at him

Jerry stepped back and raised his hands in mock surrender "don't worry sis it's only stupid on her...anyway I wanna make sure she doesn't try to mess with you guys"

I reached up and ruffled his hair "awwnn who's the baby bro that cares for his sisters you are oh yes you are..."

He pushed me away "Fuck off"

"Awn baby bro learnt a bad word"

He rolled his eyes at my dramatics

"The other Sue...is she pretty"

I eyed him suspiciously "I guess?"

"Blonde and green-eyed?"

"Yeah?"

"And most likely to were a pole dancing costume for Halloween?"

Sue answered "ha most definitely"

"Ah"

"Buh why did you ask?"

"Oh...she's coming over here"

"What are you guys supposed to be? The Three Mouseketeers?"

Sue took a swig of Soda from a can and belched "we're dressed as humans"

Bitchy Sue scoffed "Humans?"

I smirked at her "Darling don't ya know?

       Humans can be monsters too haha"

She glared at me "Fuck you"

"Eww no thanks"

"You..."

She turned to walk away "I don't give a hoot and a howl about what you do just stay away from the lower deck, three of you"

Jerry "should we go to the lower deck?"

Sue reasoned "it might be a trap..."

Two minutes later at the lower deck

Jerry spoke "there's nothing here and no one's around either"

There was a sealed cabin at the lower deck with stairs descending into the lake. Transparent glass kept most of the water out, there were small cracks here and there that allowed a steady trickle of water, making the stairs damp. The farther we went the higher the water rose

"Why are we still going down?" He asked

"Curiosity" Sue's voice echoed

"Well that stuff killed the cat"

Sue grinned "Then it's a good thing we aren't cats"

I pouted even though they couldn't see me "speak for yourself I have always felt quite feline"

"Right"

We reached the bottom of the stairs there was a door. It looked old and rotten in contrast to the outside of the boathouse. We jingled the handle but it was locked.

Jerry groaned "all this just for a dead-end...why don't you tear it apart as you did to my room door"

I turned to match back up the stairs "stop whining"

Suddenly there was a sound at the other side of the door. It sounded like a knock but I couldn't be sure "errr did you hear that?"

Sue "meh"

Jerry "let's leave from here this is literally how people die in horror movies. Going where you're not supposed to, opening doors you're not supposed to and then dying when you're not supposed to"

Sue touched the door "don't be such a big baby"

"Go jump in a well, I know you've always wanted to die in a horror movie"

"So stupid"

"Hush it both of you"

We listened another knock came but it was weak.

"What if bitchy Sue has someone trapped in there for...I don't know, revenge or something"

"See you don't know so let's go"

Sue raised her leg and kicked the door. At the second kick, the board at the bottom of the door fell off. Sue bent down to look

"I've got a bad feeling about this" Jerry murmured

"Your feelings don't matter tho" Sue said 

Jerry kicked his leg and splashed water on her back. 

I tapped the wall and withdrew my hand when it touched something sticky "what do you see?"

No reply.

"Sue?"

Sue's voice was barely above a whisper "guys?"

Jerry and I "what?"

"Run!"