Flames Of Redemption

4

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 rooms and windows were slid 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 really 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 wondering 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 chills through her body.

She kept overthinking about it and let the lights on. Then, she 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 her 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," Regan called back.

She entered the car. It was a white Audi. She liked it and was happy that her aunt gave it to her, when she could have just sold it. She turned on the radio and started the engine, driving off 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 3am.

"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 till 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 sat 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 3am." Well, she stayed awake 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.

Anna Spencer, the literature teacher, entered in 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 didn't talk to Regan at all. She also skipped the following classes. The girl had no idea where she was but didn't worry a lot.

The bell rang.

All the students of class rushed like wild bulls, but Regan remained at her same place.

At the same time, Vesper entered the class, and searched something in her bag.

Regan couldn't help but ask, "Why did you skip math?"

"I had something to do," she replied.

Regan didn't ask more, it wasn't her thing to pry into other's businesses.

"Are you coming with me to the cafeteria?" Vesper suddenly asked.

"I...yes, I was going."

"Come then," her tone drastically changed.

Is she bipolar or what, Regan thought.

She hadn't noticed yet, but Vesper grabbed her wrist and practically took her off out of the classroom.

"Come on!! I'm so hungry!!"

Regan followed her, halting on her steps, and causing the other girl to huff frustrated.

"What's the problem?"

"I'm not starving. Why don't you go to the cafeteria yourself?" Regan said with an embarrassing voice.

"Starving or not, you're my friend. Now come!"