"My name is Vanessa Bell, I'm nineteen years old, born in 2002, have Autism, I like to eat, and I come from the rural area of Quebec in Canada." Vanessa now remembers who she was.
"Vanessa? That's a beautiful name for a woman like you. But Lau- I mean Vanessa, how did you manage to get into this country? How did you meet John? Why was your name Laura? Why-"
"S-Scott, can you please slow down? I'm still recovering, you know." Vanessa tries to ease Scott.
"Sorry. For nearly two thirds of the school year, I've been trying to find out the mysteries of the town. Ever since I came here in the summer, nobody seemed to be in the town until when the school year began. I would discover fake buildings and students who had no personalities besides cheering for John. I would also find out that the teachers in the school like Mr. Chung are afraid of you, Troy, and John. There is so much I want to know."
"Scott, relax. Vanessa is still in bed. Let's just take things slowly." Dan walked towards Vanessa with a chair and then sat next to her.
"Vanessa, tell us more about yourself? Then we can investigate your perspective on how John is. Would you do that?"
"Of course Mr. Dan. It all started back when I used to live in Toronto, Canada." Vanessa's eyes flashed back to the days when she was four years old playing on the field with her parents.
It was 2007 in a local park in the suburbs of Toronto. Vanessa Bell was very young as she wanted her parents to catch her on the hill.
"Come get me Mommy! Come get me Daddy!" Vanessa ran as fast as she could.
"We're gonna get you you little runner!" The mother ran with the father following.
Suddenly, Vanessa's mother caught her with both of her hands carrying her like she was her own doll.
"Gotcha!"
"YEEEE!" Vanessa laughed in excitement.
Vanessa's father caught up while running out of breath.
"Wow Vanessa, you've been a lot faster since you were two years old."
"Daddy, I'm four years old! I can run faster than ever!" Vanessa smiled at her father.
"But do you know what's going to happen sweetie?" Vanessa's mother put her on the grass/
"What is it?"
"You are going to start preschool!"
"Preschool? What is a preschool mommy?" Vanessa questions.
"A place where you can learn and make new friends! Oh Vanessa, we've been waiting ever since your birth that you will be making new friends and work as hard as you could. You and your father."
"Right honey. Your first day in preschool is the most important moment of your life."
"Really Daddy? When will I start preschool?"
"In a couple of months. When summer comes to an end, you will be heading to a small school house across fifteen minutes from our place. Won't you be excited?"
"Of course Daddy!" Vanessa smiled at her father.
A couple of months had passed and it was the first day of preschool for Vanessa. Vanessa's family arrived at the preschool stopping their car at the entrance.
"Here it is kiddo! Your first day of preschool! Are you ready?" Vanessa's looking at Vanessa in the backseat.
"Yeah." Vanessa left the car with her mother holding her hand.
They reached the entrance of the preschool with the receptionist in the front.
"Hello there! Welcome to Patrick's Preschool. Are you bringing in your daughter?" The receptionist said.
"Yes. My daughter is having her first day in preschool."
"Ah her first day?! That must be special eh!"
"Eh sure is!" Vanessa's mother let go of Vanessa's hand letting her enter the classroom.
Vanessa couldn't believe her eyes seeing all the things around her. There was finger painting, a playground outside, a mini shelf for backpacks, a big chalkboard, and a lot of kids.
[A LOT OF KIDS]
Things seem to be unusual for Vanessa as she could hear noises around her hearing the noises from each kid. She would hear the screeching of the chalkboard with one of the preschoolers writing on there. She would then hear the ceiling fan making noises with each of the flaps to a kid behind her eating applesauce with her bare hands. She can hear every noise that was made in the room. She couldn't take it anymore. She was surrounded by many kids her age that she started to feel very stressed. When the bell rang, it was the last thing that triggered her.
She cried and ran back to her father's car, closing the door with Vanessa's mother, later realizing that her child ran back to the car.
"Vanessa?" Vanessa's mother ran back to get her again.
Reaching the car, Vanessa hid in the car not wanting to get out and head back to the preschool.
"Vanessa, what the heck is going on here?" Vanessa's father questioned looking back at her.
"Vanessa, open the door, today is your first day of preschool. This should be the best moment of your life." Vanessa's mother knocking on the door.
However, she ignored both her mother and father as she was terrified of the sounds and the people around her.
After Vanessa's parents discussed the situation at the preschool, they then took Vanessa back home thinking about what to do with her. However, as days passed, things seemed to take a dark turn seeing that Vanessa's conditions were worsening from not being able to communicate to kids her age to being afraid to go to the grocery store.
Without having a choice, Vanessa's parents took her to a psychiatrist to find out what kind of problem she has. When taking a couple of tests and discussions with the psychiatrist, he finally found a conclusion to what was causing these behaviors that Vanessa was experiencing.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bell, it seems that your daughter seems to have Autism Spectrum Disorder."
"Autism Spectrum Disorder?" Mr. and Mrs. Bell questioned.
"Yes. Autism is a neurological disability that affects how people communicate to one another and can be very sensitive to many things. But let me ask your daughter this." The psychiatrist looked at Vanessa.
"Vanessa sweetheart, what was the reason you ran back to your Daddy's car?"
"Well doctor, the reason why is because there were so many loud noises around me and whenever I go somewhere with Mommy and Daddy, I just seem to not get away from the noise."
"So it seems that way." The psychiatrist continued writing on her notepad.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bell, I suggest you two should move out of the urban area of Toronto and maybe try to live in a more remote area."
"What? That's insane. Is there some sort of accommodation that she can adapt to besides moving out of the city?"
"Well, we could, but the problem is that your daughter is still at a young age and giving her accommodations that she is too young for can impact her development. Also, Toronto is not that known in disability resources and not only that, but our healthcare is not that great at the moment. I'll leave you guys if you two need time to think about this." The doctor left Vanessa's parents in the office.
"Sweetheart, what are we going to do? I mean leaving Toronto? What will we do? What will our lives be like? I work at an office in the city and you're a mechanical engineer. This isn't happening." Mrs. Bell was frustrated at the situation.
"It's okay, it's okay. My father inherited my farm before he died from cancer, so if we think it's best to move out of Toronto, then we can move there." Vanessa's parents then discussed the next move for their actions. Meanwhile, Vanessa felt ashamed for herself sitting in between both her parents.
A couple of weeks later, Mr. and Mrs. Bell decided to move out of their home and out to the farm Mr. Bell owns as they drive out of the city of Toronto onto the highway. Sitting in the back of the seat, Vanessa felt ashamed and upset that they had to move out of their home because of her.
"Mom. Dad. Is this my fault?" Vanessa said in the backseat.
"What? No sweetie. It was a tough choice for us and we moved because it's best that we can live in a rural area rather than a very busy city."
"Stop lying! This is all my fault. I'm not dumb, I know what the doctor said and she said that we had to move out of home because of me!" Vanessa started to cry.
"Honey, stop the car." Mrs. Bell shakes her husband.
Mr. Bell would then stop his car on the side of the highway.
Feeling concerned, Mrs. Bell would move from the front seat to the backseat to try to comfort Vanessa.
"Vanessa, it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. We care about you so much that we will sacrifice anything for you. You are our only child and we want you to grow up normally."
"But Mommy, why do I have to be born with Autism? How will I grow up normally if I can't even handle loud noises?" Vanessa kept crying.
Her mother comforted her for a while until Mr. Bell went back on the road heading to his farm.
A couple of hours later, Vanessa and her parents reach the rural area of Canada that consists of maple syrup farms and a few cattle. Vanessa couldn't believe her eyes as they were heading up a steep hill reaching Mr. Bell's farm.
At last, they made it to Mr. Bell's farm, which seems a bit old but livable.
"Here it is Vanessa. Your grandfather's farm. Before you were born, he let me inherit his farm and he was best known for supplying maple syrup to all of the Canadians here. So, what do you think?"
"I think it looks okay. But Daddy, where can I go to school and make friends?"
"Well sweetie, that's the fun part. Me and your father are your friends and since there are not a lot of schools here, we will also homeschool you so you can have your education as well as grow your socializing skills!"
Vanessa didn't know how to react to this seeing that her life was accommodated, but not in a way she would like.
"Also, since we live on a farm, we all should have a chore to do. Honey, you should try to produce much syrup from the maple trees and Vanessa, you should chop some trees for our fireplace. I will be holding down the fort and homeschool Vanessa. So how does that sound?"
"I think it sounds great. What about it Vanessa?" Mr. Bell looked at Vanessa.
"Sure."
"Great. Once we settle in our farm house, We start tomorrow!" Mr. And Mrs. Bell brought their stuff to the farmhouse.
Although Vanessa tries to adapt to her new environment, she would look around to see that the area she will be moving in has a ton of snow. She didn't know why, but she felt comforted when seeing the snow as if she was carrying a pile of feathers.
"Vanessa, can you come help us?" Mrs. Bell yelled softly.
"Of course Mom." Vanessa ran towards their car bringing in their stuff.
The next day after Mrs. Bell finish homeschooling Vanessa, Mr. Bell took Vanessa with an axe to cut some tree wood. They then approached a stump with a ton of logs around the stump.
"Alrighty Vanessa, this is where you'll be doing your chores. Let me show you." Mr. Bell holding the axe with both of his hands.
"First focus on how you hold the axe and don't think it's all about strength, but where you chop the wood. For instance, I'm not using all my strength but if I strike it at the right time." Mr. Bell successfully cut the log into two.
"You get perfect firewood. However, I would like you to chop down the two logs I chop since it's a bit easier for you to chop. Would you do that for me?"
"Sure Dad." Vanessa tries to smile.
"There you go kiddo, remember to come home by the evening okay." Mr. Bell left Vanessa
"Okay Dad." Vanessa sees her Dad leaving.
Vanessa tried to cut the smaller logs, but had difficulties as she could manage to cut the log in half with the log being stuck on the axe. She would keep trying for fourteen years as the little kid she once was became a teenager girl now able to cut down a ton of logs with a basket on her back to collect the firewood.
"Three hundred and ninety six woods. I think that's enough to last the rest of the year," Vanessa said, seeing all the chopped wood around her.
Vanessa came home with a ton of firewood in the basket.
"Mom, I'm home. I got the firewood." Vanessa putting the basket down.
"Thank you sweetie. Do you mind going to the store? We're out of milk and butter." Mrs. Bell getting ready to set up dinner.
"Sure. Can you give me some money?" Vanessa said.
After Mrs. Bell gave Vanessa some money, Vanessa took a bus to her local supermarket that seemed somewhat vacant but was accommodating enough for Vanessa.
She went back on the bus after she got the milk and butter. However, she would look at a couple of girls her age right in front of her.
"OMG, I can't wait to get out of this shitty town. I mean school is coming up in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to see Chad." The girl in the pink jacket gossips.
"Literally! I forgot how cute Chad is!" The girl in the bright blue jacket also gossips.
Seeing both of the girls, Vanessa would realize how much she is missing in her life besides residing in the rural side of Canada.
Coming back home, it was dinner time with Mrs. Bell finishing setting up the dinner and Mr. Bell finishes pouring out maple syrup from the trees.
"Alrighty, before we eat, we should do some prayer. Vanessa, would you mind?" Mr. Bell looked at her.
However, Vanessa hasn't spoke with her eye contact to the ground.
"Vanessa sweetheart, would you mind doing grace?" Mrs. Bell said.
"Why would I?" Vanessa muttered.
"Vanessa, are you okay?" Mrs. Bell was concerned for her daughter.
"No, I'm not okay. I thought we wouldn't be there that long and we had a chance of moving back to Toronto. But it has been fourteen years and we are still stuck in the dump of a farm."
"Vanessa, we only did this for you. We know your conditions are hard, so we had to sacrifice our home in Toronto for you. I thought we discussed this."
"But why is it that kids my age have so much more freedom than I can? They can go to school, make friends, hangout at a fancy diner. And look at me, stuck in a farm with you two barely having any contact with others my age. I hate this. I hate my Autism! I hate myself!" Vanessa got out of her seat and ran towards her room slamming her door.
"Vanessa. No." Mrs. Bell started crying while Mr. Bell comforts her.
Vanessa landed on her bed all upset and angry at herself knowing that she might not have the life that other kids had.
"I hate this. I hate this. I hate this." Vanessa repeated.
Suddenly, Vanessa thought of something.
"Wait, I'm eighteen. I'm considered an adult. I can do whatever I want. I should try to apply to school by myself." Vanessa had an idea.
It was midnight with Mr. and Mrs. Bell sleeping. However, Vanessa hasn't slept pretending that she was. It was 12:38 AM and it was the right time to strike.
Tip toeing down to the living room, Vanessa snuck into her mother's laptop to try to try to find the nearest school in her area. However, trying her best, the only school near her house was around fourteen miles away.
"Damn it. I can't drive either. So maybe if I can wake up at 5 AM, I think I can…" Suddenly the living room lights turned on.
"My goodness Vanessa, I never thought you would try to do something behind my back." Mrs. Bell behind Vanessa.
"Mom, I'm tired of living like this. I want to live my life like a normal teenager. I want to make friends, I want to enjoy a hamburger like other people my age are enjoying, I want to car surf with other friends that I hope to make, and there is so much more for me to do than just chop wood and be homeschooled by you. Mom, if you were in the same situation as me, you would understand. You and Dad went to High School and I will never have a chance to go." Vanessa closes her Mom's laptop with disappointment.
"Vanessa."
"You'll never understand. Even though I have a disability doesn't mean I have to live differently from other people. It's not fair Mom. I don't want to live on a farm for the rest of my life, I want to socialize and meet new people. Even though I'm sensitive to sound, it doesn't mean I can't make new friends." Vanessa starts to tear up.
Mrs. Bell felt a bit upset seeing that her only child spent most of her teenage years in the rural area.
"Vanessa, I think you're right. I think me and your father were really concerned about your safety, but never thought about how you would feel. We never had a chance to deal with Autism and with how Canada's healthcare is at the moment it was a very difficult choice for us to make."
"Mom, what are you saying?"
"I am saying that you deserve a chance to go to High School. I think you are old enough to take care of yourself and can manage yourself as well. Also, this might be the only time in your life where you can enjoy being young and not dealing with many consequences."
"Really Mom?"
"Yes."
Vanessa hugged her mother with tears coming down her chin.
"But Mom, how can I go to school? All the schools nearby are really far."
"Well sweetheart, I think I can manage to pull a couple of strings. Have you ever met your uncle before?"
"I think so, I see you and him chatting on facetime on your laptop, but I never got to meet him in person."
"Oh you silly goose. Your uncle was there for me when I was pregnant with you. He would always play with you before bedtime. However, since he moved to the United States to pursue his degree in electrical engineering, he hasn't been with us for a long time, thus always chatting online."
"I see. So what will uncle do? Isn't he a PhD student at the University of Iowa? Since I was kinda nosy when you both discussed."
"He is and I'm going to call him tomorrow morning to see if there are any schools in his area."
"Wait a minute, Mom, why the United States? Why not let me go to school in Canada?"
"Because the United States is a land of opportunity and the educational system has a lot of better resources to handle disabilities than that of Canada. Also, school registrations are already closed here. So I'm hoping that here's a school over there that can still take you in."
"Thanks Mom. I hope you can see that I'm grown up now and I can properly take care of myself." Vanessa laid on her mother's lap.
"I know you can. I know you can." Mrs. Bell patted Vanessa as they both fell asleep on the couch.
A week has passed as Vanessa finished chopping down as much firewood. Heading home, she would look at her surroundings seeing the birds chirping, the squirrels running on the branches and the snow comforting her.
"Man, even though I've done this ever since I was four, I'm so tired of doing this." Vanessa approaches the house.
However, she wouldn't expect this when she opened the door.
"Surprise!" Mr. and Mrs. Bell surprised Vanessa.
Vanessa would cover her ears then uncover them. "W-What is this?"
"Well young lady, your mother said you dreamed of going to High School and now it came true!"
"Came true?"
"Yep, you are finally going to High School! In the United States!" Mrs. Bell was excited to see her daughter grow up.
"So we spent the entire day making this wonderful dinner for you. We made a whole turkey, sweet potato fries, and even some good old poutine. Plus we baked you a strawberry cake!"
"A cake? But it's not my birthday."
"Who cares. Cake doesn't always have to indicate a birthday. So take off that basket and come enjoy some food with us." Mr. Bell wanted his daughter to come eat.
Taking off the basket, Vanessa ran to the dinner table grabbing every meal from each plate. She would devour it like crazy as if she had a big appetite. She would even eat half of the strawberry cake that Mr. and Mrs. Bell had worked for a day on.
Vanessa was full, not being able to move on her chair after finishing her meal.
"Aww that hit the spot. Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad." Vanessa being full.
"I'm just happy that you enjoyed it." Mrs. Bell moved her chair towards Vanessa.
"Also, I think you should start packing soon sweetie. Your uncle is going to pick you up tomorrow and take you to the United States. I'm so happy to see my little girl grow up." Mrs. Bell layed on her daughter with Mr. Bell following up.
Vanessa blushed seeing that what she wanted to achieve was finally coming true and she can finally leave the rural area of Canada.
The next day after Vanessa finished packing her clothes and putting on her noise reduction earbuds, she waited outside waiting for her uncle to arrive, while Mr. and Mrs. Bell waited behind her.
"Remember Vanessa, if you get stressed out or there is too much noise, remember to wear your earbuds or listen to calm music."
"I will Mom." Vanessa with her earbuds on.
From the distance, a car beep was heard as it approached the Bell residence.
Opening the car window, it was Vanessa's uncle, Thomas Abraham.
"Guess who's picking up my niece!"
"Uncle Thomas. It's been so long!" Vanessa ran towards his car.
"Vanessa, you've grown so much. How tall are you now?"
"Thomas, I'm five foot five."
"Wow, you've grown a lot as a young lady yourself. Okay enough chit chatting time to head to the land of the free."
Vanessa hopped into her uncle's car throwing her bag in the backseat.
"Vanessa, wait!" Mr. and Mrs. Bell ran towards her car.
"Remember, we'll always be there for you." Mrs. Bell cried.
"Thanks Mom. I'll graduate when I come back!" The car drove away Mr. and Mrs. Bell leaving them behind.
"Please be safe out there." Mrs. Bell whispered to herself.
On the road, it was a fourteen hour drive from the rural area of Toronto to Iowa. They drove from the rural area to back to the highway heading to the border between Canada and the United States. Once Vanessa and her uncle filled some papers, they were able to enter the United States in the state of Minnesota to now reach Iowa. Finally, after a fourteen hour drive, they made it to Sunshine Valley.
"Here we are, the place the I've been residing in for the past five years."
"Awesome Uncle Thomas, but how do you get to your University?"
"Simple. I wake up around 5 AM and commute to my University. It's outside of this town and my studies are expensive, so I had no choice but to reside here since it's cheaper and seems peaceful. However, during the summer, it gets really quiet for some reason. But that's not our problem."
"Does that mean I'll be home by myself when I wake up."
"That's right. I'll trust you with the house when I'm gone and I know that you can take care of yourself."
Vanessa took a glimpse of where she'll be staying for a year.
"Anyways, I set up your room before picking you up, so unpack your things and let's register you to this town's High School." Thomas went into the house.
Vanessa followed him and unpacked her things, which they would then head to Sunshine High after.
They both approached the office with the lady giving them a mean stare.
"What can I help you with?" The lady gave a grouchy tone.
"Hi. My niece is planning to study here in this school for her senior year and I was wondering if you guys are still accepting applicants."
"Here you go, just take a seat out there and fill out this form, we will inform you in 24 hours about your enrollment."
"Thank you miss." Vanessa taking the application form and a pen.
Filling the form, Thomas was there helping her on what she needed to fill out.
After filling out the form, they went home and now have to wait for their decision.
However, it wasn't even 24 hours in and they already had an acceptance letter by the evening.
"Vanessa, it seems that you were already accepted. Weird for them to respond this fast, but whatever." Thomas opens Vanessa's acceptance letter.
Vanessa was excited about starting school in a couple of weeks, even going supply shopping with her uncle as well as having time to learn about her surroundings.
When the first day of school came, the streets were really loud causing Vanessa to fall out of her bed and her to cover her ears from all the noise.
After taking a shower and cooking herself breakfast, Vanessa ran to school with her earbuds on to cancel the surrounding sound from the parade and constant fireworks. She couldn't believe her seeing how light up the town was compared to yesterday.
Coming into the school, it was crowded with students in almost every part of the hallway. Vanessa didn't know how loud the hallway was until she maximized her noise cancellation earbuds letting her not be overwhelmed by the noise around her.
Going into her bag, she would look to see what class she had on her first period. She had British Literature in her first period, which seems to be on the same floor as she was in. Once the bell rang, she headed to class in time and surprisingly aced her first day pop quiz. She would then head to her other classes and then finally had lunch where she packed some of her poutine that her uncle had made for her first day. However, she had already finished her lunch ten minutes into her lunch period and so she had time to roam around the school.
"Wow, so this is what High School is like." Vanessa looking at the halls.
Suddenly, she bumped into another student with both of them falling down.
"Sorry. I didn't see you there." A cheerleader helped her up.
"N-No problem. I'm sorry for not looking."
"Hey, things happen. By the way, do you want to join the cheerleading squad? With those slight strong arms and beautiful physique, we might need someone like you to join."
"M-Me? A cheerleader? What's a cheerleader? I'm sorry today is my first day and I'm homeschooled so I have no idea what that is."
"Oh. Well it's a sport that consists of using your body to help motivate our other sports teams. Tryouts start next week. Would you like to try out?"
"S-Sure, but I'm nervous. I never had other contact with other people besides my teachers and you."
"Don't worry, I know how you're feeling. I've been in this school since I was a freshman and it can be a very big step, but I think you can make it." The cheerleader gave her a paper about the try out.
"I'll see you there." The cheerleader left.
Vanessa didn't know how to react to this seeing that a lot of things were quickly approaching her. However, she did decide to join the tryout and started preparing for next week by watching online videos or how cheerleaders dance and move.
It was now the second week of school and a ton of High School girls were trying out of the team. Vanessa in her gym uniform was so stressed seeing that many people were in the gym and only a few students were selected out of the many girls there.
Finally, it was Vanessa's turn to perform.
"Hey! You're that girl who I met last week. I knew you would join the tryout!" The cheerleader who was also the judge of who will be chosen on the team.
"Good luck!" The cheerleader said again.
Once the music started, Vanessa was a bit nervous, until she got the rhythm. She danced with her heart out and showed the other girls in the gym about her unique talent that she didn't know she had. When the music stopped, everyone in the gym was shocked. Even though autistic, she seems to have a unique talent in moving her body in an appropriate paste.
"That was amazing! I knew you had talent. I don't know what you were taught while homeschooled, but you've been learning a lot of awesome things! Congrats, you're on the team!"
Vanessa couldn't believe it, but she actually made it. She never knew that she had a talent and was a quick learner when she's devoted to joining a club.
"Thank you!" Vanessa blushed as one of the cheerleaders offered her a cheerleading uniform.
In a couple of weeks, homecoming was approaching with Sunshine High's football team, led by Troy Watanabe, was going to be the big star of the show. Vanessa practiced like crazy pulling off impossible stunts and brought in some unique dances to perform.
It was now the homecoming pep rally and John made a big entrance by coming out from the levitating gym floor. Once the cheerleaders started performing to show off to all the students of Sunshine High, John seems to have an attachment to Vanessa seeing how she move and also her beautiful physique. John knew what he needed as the "King of High School."
"Principal Dover, I think I found the love of my life." John said next to Principal Dover.
Once the pep rally was over, Vanessa was surrounded by the other cheerleaders being proud of how much she has grown ever since joining the team.
"Wow Vanesssa, I never knew you were a fast learner. Where did you learn those skills?"
"Youtube." Vanessa said.
"Oh, but you manage to learn all that really fast? Wow. You are such a gifted woman. Also, Vanessa, if you want, you can perform with us at the football game. I know that your condition limits you but it'll be nice if you perform with us."
"No thanks, I plan to have some dinner with my uncle tonight."
"What about the dance?"
"Also no, I have plans to watch a movie with my uncle."
"Alright, if you change your mind, we'll be at the football field."
"Thanks ladies." Vanessa waved goodbye to them.
Walking to her locker, Vanessa seems to be approaching John next to her locker with him having a big smile.
"Um, hi?" Vanessa said to John.
"Well hello there, you seem to be such a beautiful woman, what's your name?"
"Vanessa?"
"Vanessa, a beautiful name for a woman like you. So I was wondering, do you want to go to the dance with me? I mean as the King of High School, this is an opportunity to go to the dance with someone as popular as me you know."
Vanessa felt a bit uncomfortable seeing a person she doesn't know. "And who are you?"
"Me? Everyone in Sunshine High, no, in Sunshine Valley knows me. I'm John Decker, the King of High School and also the student that everyone in this school looks up to. I mean how do you not know me?"
"Well, I'm an international student from Canada and new to this school so if you don't mind, I need to get my stuff from my locker and head back to my uncle." Vanessa opened her locker grabbing her books.
"Well Vanessa, you didn't answer my question whether you want to go to the dance with me. A beautiful woman, especially with that muscular and near perfect stature, should be my homecoming queen and of course as the homecoming king, I would need a queen to be with me when attending the dance."
"Sorry John, but I need to say no. I have plans with my uncle tomorrow and tonight. So if you don't mind, I'm heading home to enjoy some meatloaf with my uncle."
John couldn't believe it. Somebody saying no to John is a trigger for him.
"What do you mean no? I'm John Decker. Everybody loves me. I helped form this school with principal Dover. Not to mention, I'm the reason why our football team is the biggest in this town. So how dare you say no to me."
John walked closer towards Vanessa making her uncomfortable.
"I mean besides your looks, I bet you'll look a lot better if your name was Laura instead and take those stupid earbuds off." John touches Vanessa's earbuds.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Vanessa pushed back John.
"I don't know who you are, but leave me alone!" Vanessa ran away from John after getting her books.
John smirked seeing that Vanessa was his new target.
Back at home, Thomas and Vanessa were both enjoying dinner with each other's company. However, Vanessa wanted to talk about what happened today in school
[The Good and The Bad]
"So I made it to the cheerleading squad." Vanessa eating her meatloaf.
"That's amazing. I should tell your mother that."
"However, something happened today. I think he was a bully."
"A bully? Do you want me to come to the school to address it?"
"No uncle Thomas, he seems to be off and probably disturbed. He wanted me to be his "homecoming queen" and I don't know how I feel about that."
"I understand. You're here to enjoy high school your way so if you don't want to go to the homecoming dance or the homecoming game, then that's on you. Besides, since I'm almost done with my research thesis, wouldn't it be nice to spend time with your uncle?"
"Yeah. I can't wait for movie night tomorrow!"
"Me too!" Thomas and Vanessa continued eating their dinner.
Meanwhile, after the homecoming game, the cheerleaders were planning to head to get some pizza after a hard work of cheerleading for Troy's football team.
While the cheerleaders were heading to their car, they were stopped by John in the parking lot.
"Excuse me ladies, would you mind telling me more about Laura and where she lived?"
"John. I didn't expect you to see us. Unfortunately, our conversations between us cheerleaders are private, so we will never discuss anything about Vanessa to you even though you are the King of High School or Homecoming King." The cheerleader who accepted Vanessa walked passed John towards her car.
"You better tell me or else." John's voice started to deepen.
"Or else what?"
John suddenly grabbed the cheerleader by the throat and threw her to the ground smashing her head open like a watermelon.
"Anybody else want to tell me more about Vanessa?"
On a Saturday night, Thomas and Vanessa were planning to watch a movie. However, they didn't have any snacks.
"Aw damn. Vanessa, would you mind going to the store to get some snacks?"
"Sure." Vanessa puts on her jacket heading outside.
"Remember, diet coke for me!" Thomas shouted as Vanessa left the house.
"Kids these days. I wonder how Vanessa will be enjoying her High School years?"
[Without You]
Suddenly, Thomas felt a pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw that he was stabbed with a sword penetrating through his stomach.
"W-What?" Thomas sees blood come out of his mouth.
Thomas tried to look behind, but couldn't move as the sword also stabbed his couch.
"You must be her uncle. You are the reason why she couldn't come to the dance with me tonight."
"W-Who the hell are you?"
"You don't need to know who I am. I'm going to take your niece and that's final."
"Oh hell you aren't. Nobody takes my niece away from me!" Thomas got the sword about of his stomach and charged at John.
However, John quickly decapitated his dead with a lot of blood coming out of his body slowly falling down.
"Don't worry uncle. I promise to take care of your niece, which means turning her into my slut."
Vanessa got off the bus from the grocery store with a bag full of snacks.
"Uncle Thomas, I'm home. The store ran out of Diet Coke, but they do have Diet Pepsi." Vanessa looked up after looking at the bag.
When looking up, Vanessa couldn't believe her eyes but saw that her uncle's head was decapitated.
"UNCLE THOMAS?!" Vanessa was terrified and didn't know what to do.
"Well Vanessa, it seems that your uncle is now dead and you don't have a movie night with him."
"W-Why?!' Vanessa dropped the snacks.
"Why? Because you refused to go to the dance with me tonight and pushed me. As a result, your uncle is now dead. Also, I'm going to take you as my bitch now. What would a King be without his queen. With you and me together, we'll be unstoppable and make everyone in Sunshine High bow before us."
"I don't know what you;re talking about. You're sick and deluded. I'm calling the police!" Vanessa pulled out her phone.
"Oh sweetheart, that won't do.
John quickly grabs Vanessa's phone and breaks it with his hand.
"M-My phone. G-Get away from me!" Vanessa ran into her room.
"Where are you going? Don't run away from me." John going up to her room.
Vanessa started panicking as she locked and barricaded her door. She would try to contact her parents by facetime on her laptop. However, it seems that her laptop was slowly running out of battery.
"Please. Mom. Dad. Please pick up!" Vanessa panicking.
John was now knocking on her door. "Oh Vanessa, my beautiful bride, please open the door please.
"Come on pick up!" Vanessa saw that the facetime was still ringing.
"Vanessa, if you don't open this door, then I'm going to kick it down. On a count of three. One."
"Please." Vanessa panicking really hard.
"Two."
Suddenly, Mrs. Bell picked up the face time.
"Vaness-" The laptop ran out of battery.
"NOOOOO!"
"THREE!" John kicking down the door with ease causing the door to break in half and all the stuff around her to be destroyed.
"You seem to be so rebellious. I'm going to teach you a lesson." John pulled out a syringe filled with some sort of drug.
"What is that?"
"This is something that will finally achieve my desires." John quickly stabbed Vanessa's neck with the syringe causing her to fall unconscious.John would pick her up and take her to his mansion, which he then would give her a big makeover.
John would dye Vanessa's hair from light black to brown hair, change her clothes from a red flannel to a cheerleading uniform with high heels instead of sneakers. John would also put her in a room where it consists of a lot of dolls around her.
The next day, Vanessa woke up seeing that she was in a different room in a pink room on a queen size bed with so many toys and dolls around her.
"W-Where am I? Why am I wearing my cheerleading uniform? What happened to my hair?" Vanessa looking at herself in the mirror.
The door opened with John carrying a tray full of breakfast.
"Morning my beautiful Laura."
"You. What did you do to me?"
"I gave you a makeover and also, I prefer the name Laura instead of Vanessa. It seems to be more like you than that shitty name that you were given. But who cares, I got you some buttermilk pancakes, some hash browns and a cup of orange juice. So Laura, starting Monday, you will now be leading the cheerleading squad and also being my new girlfriend. How does that sound my sweetheart?"
"I saw you can go to hell!" Vanessa threw one of the dolls at John. However, John quickly caught it, making him drop the tray full of breakfast.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" John beated Vanessa up and threw her to the ground.
"I spent the whole morning making that for you, you ungrateful bitch! I think you'll need more discipline." John took out a syringe but instead with a different fluid inside.
John charged towards Vanessa injecting her with the fluid causing her mind to flow at a rapid pace.
For a couple of months until December, John would leave Vanessa into her room locked up and try to manipulate her as much as possible. He would inject her with the same fluid every day, force her to listen to teen pop music, and force her to wear the same cheerleading uniform and leave her hair brown.
A couple of months later, John checked up on Vanessa.
"Hi Laura! Are you ready to celebrate Christmas with your dear boyfriend?" John gives a creepy smile at Vanessa."
"YESS MY BABY YESSS!"
"What's your name and what do you do?"
"My name is Laura and I'm Sunshine High's best cheerleader ever!" Vanessa giving a happy smile and being very hyperactive.
"Good girl. Now give your boyfriend a big kiss."
Vanessa, thinking that she is Laura, charged at John giving him kisses on every part of his face.
"Good girl. Now Sunshine High is ready for you." John smiled.
"And that's how I got into this situation." Vanessa now talking in the present day.
"Oh my God. That bastard!" Scott punched the wall.
"Excuse me sir, no hitting the wall." the doctor asked Scott.
"Sorry."
"So Vanessa, the reason why you couldn't remember who you really were was because of John right?"
"Yes. He made me become his desired girlfriend and that's why I couldn't remember who I was."
"And with that Laura persona, those drugs and his torturing methods made you form a subconscious that you were Laura blocking your actual consciousness."
"Right. This Laura person isn't actually me. It's somebody that John wanted just so he can achieve his fairytale ending.
"Wait, I heard from Troy about John's fairytale ending as well as this contract. Vanessa, can you please tell me more about those two?" Scott is ready to find the answers about the town.
"Okay, Scott, I always trusted you even before I knew I was Vanessa. I remembered that you care for me more than how John cared for me. He desires his fairy tale because he believes that high school is a fantasy." Vanessa said.
"Scott, do you remember those shows about High School where it usually focuses their audiences on kids like High School Musical?"
"Yeah, I never got to watch those shows though because of how cringy it is."
"Let's just say he believes in that stuff because he told me once that he wanted to be young forever and High School is his only purpose in life. And what I remember, he told me that his life before meeting me was so bad that he doesn't want to grow up. But the only thing I don't know though is why he doesn't want to grow up."
"And what about the contracts?" Scott asked Vanessa.
"Well about the contracts. It's one of the ways of how John can control and manipulate those around him including me. You see, contracts can give John access to his peers, especially those who he stereotype as. For example, John can access Jim because he's considered the nerd, a stereotype that's popular in High School. The reason why he got mad at you is because you ruined his ideal of Jim as a nerd."
"I see. No wonder Jim was undergoing this type of torture."
"Another example, Drake. Although his actual personality was that of a bully, he saw what you and him were doing even though he wasn't there. Because of the contract. John can appear anywhere to track Drake down. After hearing about the fight between you two. He was jealous that he was going to kill you first. Thus, Drake disappeared from Sunshine Valley."
"I see."
"Finally, the reason John can't track you down is because although you started his contract, you didn't finish it by not becoming his friend. Since then, he did everything in his power to put you in a contract so his high school fairytale can be complete. From his perspective, you are labeled as the 'Outcast' of Sunshine High."
"Why am I the 'Outcast?'"
"That I don't know."
Vanessa then holds Scott's hand.
"But Scott, please leave Sunshine Valley. You haven't finished the contract yet, which means you still have time to get out of here. Just leave. You and your Mom. It's too late for me. I'm a dead person by now." Vanessa shakes knowing that John will try to find her.
"Vanessa, don't worry. I'm not leaving this town until John stops this madness. John can't can't keep killing and torturing people. Me and agent Dan are going to get to the bottom of this, stop him, and help you get home to Canada." Scott holding tight to Vanessa's hand.
"That's right Scott. Let's try to head back to Sunshine Valley, warn the townspeople of John's atrocities and get the FBI there to finally put down John.
"Yeah. Let's go." Scott and Dan leaving Vanessa's hospital room.
"Scott! Wait!" Vanessa yelled.
"Yeah?"
"Can you come closer?" Vanessa wants Scott to come.
"Sure. Why?"
Suddenly, Vanessa kissed Scott. Then she put his hands on her cheek.
"Please stay safe." Vanessa rubbing Scott's hand on her cheek.
"I will." Scott smiled.
Scott and agent Dan left the hospital and headed back to Sunshine Valley.