What happened to Alice

Chapter III

As she and Peter walked the halls, Alice felt uneasy, with all these strange eyes looking at her, trying to figure out exactly what she was doing there. Even she wasn't entirely certain at that moment. Nonetheless, she said hello to everyone Peter introduced her to, and tried her best to make good first impressions. Most of the time, though, that didn't really help, and the people just looked at her funny or ignored her completely. By lunch time, she was truly convinced that things couldn't get much worse. She and Peter sat down by some quiet kids she hadn't met yet, but already didn't expect much from. Unsurprisingly, they ignored her too, and only one of them started talking to Peter.

"Peter, have you decided if we can go as a group to the winter dance Saturday? I hate the fact that you take so long to make up your mind about these things.", said the girl with the curly, black hair sitting next to him. Somehow, she seemed familiar.

"I'm sure I told you yesterday, Amber. Yes, we'll be going as a group. Unless you have anyone better to go with.", he answered.

The girl, Amber, rolled her eyes and continued: "And I suppose you'll want to come as well?". The question was directed at Alice.

"I'm not even sure what that is. And I have to help my mum, so maybe it's not the best idea.", she said.

"It's only one evening, and it'll be fun. We don't have dances that often, and it's kind of a sign that you showed up on the week of one. Come on!", said the ginger-haired boy at the other end of the table, a little too enthusiastically.

"Plus, if we went in a group of four, Peter would have someone to dance with too.", added Amber with a smirk. Peter looked at her uncomfortably.

"I don't even have a dress or anything—"

"I'll lend you one!"

"And honestly, I'm not really—"

"Oh, come on. You'll have fun, it'll be fine, and afterwards we can all go back to the haunted house you live in and order pizza.", said Amber.

"How do you— and anyway, I'm not sure my mum would—"

"It's settled, then. Saturday night, eight-thirty, in front of the gym.", she said, lifting her food tray from the table. "Coming, Trevor?", she asked the redheaded boy. Both of them walked away, leaving Alice with Peter again.

"Sorry about her. You don't have to go if you don't want to, though.", he said, apologetically.

"No, it's alright. They seem okay, and maybe my mum will stop worrying if I make it seem like I have friends.", Alice answered. Peter smiled.

"Alright then. Not to worry, I'm sure it'll be fun, and maybe you won't even have to work that hard to make it seem like you're friends by the end of the night."

Alice laughed ironically, and the both of them finished having lunch.