"No way!" I gasped, sniffing the air as my friends stared at me blankly.
"What's the problem?" Chloe asked.
I continued tracing the scent of that masculine perfume that had been haunting me lately, letting it guide me until the trail led right under my pillow.
I paused, scanning the room carefully, before slowly lifting my pillow. Beneath it lay a small red bag that seemed to contain something. I gently picked it up, and the scent of the strange masculine perfume spread around the room like it was alive.
"Hmm, what an expensive cologne," Ivy said, coming out of the bathroom.
"How the hell did this get under my pillow!" I yelled, turning to my friends while trying—desperately—to mask my nervousness.
"Zoe brought it this morning. Since you weren't back from the boys' room, we asked her to keep it under your pillow," Jasmine said, staring at me steadily.
"Are you alright?" Chloe asked softly.
"Ye… yeah," I stuttered, trying to steady my racing heart.
"You don't seem okay to us," Ivy said, concern written all over her face.
"You're trembling," Jasmine added, her eyes studying me with worry.
"What's the matter with you? You've been acting strange lately. Please talk to us," Chloe pleaded, her hands almost reaching for mine.
"Someone should please call Zoe," I said, slowly sitting down on my bed, hugging the red bag to my chest.
"She might have gone to class," Jasmine said.
"Fuck!" I muttered under my breath.
"Is there something you aren't telling us?" Chloe asked quietly, her voice heavy with concern.
I inhaled deeply, trying to calm the tight knot in my chest.
"Here," Jasmine said, handing me a cup of jasmine tea. "This will calm your nervous system."
I slowly took the tea, sipping it carefully, letting the warmth slide down my throat. My nerves began to ease, though a tremor of unease still ran through me.
"You need to rest. Don't bother coming to class. I will handle your class work for you," Jasmine said gently.
"Alright," I said more like a whisper, lying back on my bed as Ivy tucked me in with the blanket, careful not to disturb me.
They stayed until they were sure I had fallen asleep before leaving for class.
After school, my friends returned, with Zoe trailing behind them. She climbed onto my bed and sat beside me. I felt the mattress dip and slowly opened my eyes. I sat up when I saw Zoe's small, innocent face staring at me.
"What's the matter, mum?" she asked softly.
I gave her a suspicious glance, then slowly brought out the red bag again.
"Where did you get this from?" I asked, my eyes still fixed on her.
"A random guy gave it to me to give you. He said he's your friend," Zoe said, her tone sweet and naive.
"Describe this guy," I demanded.
"I can't describe him," Zoe replied quietly.
"Why?!" Chloe snapped, and Zoe whimpered slightly.
"I can't remember what he looked like," Zoe said, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill.
"How's that possible?" Ivy asked, confusion and disbelief flashing across her face.
"I don't know. I tried so hard to remember what he looked like before delivering the gift, but I couldn't," Zoe said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"It's alright, you cry too much," Jasmine said softly, hugging her.
I stood in front of the mirror, staring hard at my reflection as though it could answer the questions swirling in my mind.
I returned to my bed, massaging my temples.
"Now my head aches," I muttered, collapsing onto my mattress.
"This is strange," Jasmine murmured, her voice low and uncertain.
"Oh!" Zoe suddenly exclaimed, and I immediately sat up.
"Did you remember anything?" I asked.
"Yeah… the dude has burning-frame-like eyes," Zoe said, her voice small.
"How's that gonna help? No one has that kinda eyes in Elites High," I growled, frustration lacing my words.
"Perhaps you should try opening the bag first," Jasmine suggested gently.
I inhaled deeply and slowly opened the bag. My fingers brushed something cold and solid. I brought it out—it was an ancient-looking gold bangle, etched with claw-like scratches as its design.
"What the fuck!" Chloe muttered.
"What's this?" I asked rhetorically, my hands tightening around the bangle.
"Honestly, none of this is making any sense," Ivy said, shaking her head.
"Or is there something you are not telling us, Kal?" Jasmine asked softly, her gaze sharp.
"I don't know. All of this started from the night we went for that party," I said quietly, hugging my knees.
"What do you mean?" my friends asked in unison, leaning closer.
"That night, I remembered being followed on my way to the bathroom. Every time I turned back, no one was there—but I could perceive the exact scent of this cologne on this red bag," I said, crouching on my bed, chest tight, hands gripping the bangle.
"Did you tell anyone?" Chloe asked.
"Jason is aware. And the cologne followed me back to school, because I perceived it few days ago on my way back from the principal's office. I got scared, and that made me snap at you girls inside the class," I said, my voice shaking slightly.
"And now this strange ancient bangle… no way!" Jasmine said. "Someone is monitoring you."
"But who could that be?" we all asked in unison.
Zoe slowly got up and stretched. "I still have piles of assignments that will be due by tomorrow," she said, leaving the room with light footsteps.
Later that night, my friends had all gone to bed, but I couldn't sleep. Anxiety churned in my stomach, twisting tighter with every passing minute. I quietly checked to make sure they were all asleep before retrieving my spellbook from its hiding place.
I flipped it open to a peaceful night rest spell—it happened to be a potion.
I quickly gathered the necessary ingredients, hands trembling slightly, and prepared it. Just as I was about to drink it, a footstep outside the door made my heart lurch.
Who could that be? I wondered, holding my breath.
I gently set down the potion and crept to the door. I opened it slowly, and my nose immediately detected that same masculine perfume. My eyes darted down the hallway, and I saw a shadow slipping away.
"Hey! Hold on!" I yelled, sprinting after it.
I ran as fast as I could, lungs burning, adrenaline sharp and wild, but when I reached the end of the hallway, there was no one. The scent of the perfume vanished as if the person had never been there.
"Fuck!" I muttered, spinning back to my room.
When I got back, I realized I hadn't locked the door before running after the stranger. I bolted it shut this time, leaning against it for a long moment, trying to calm my racing heart.
Slowly, I turned… and froze. Ivy, Chloe, and Jasmine were standing there, staring at me, eyes wide in disbelief.
"A spellbook and an already prepared potion?" Chloe asked, her voice trembling.
"Oh!" Ivy gasped, realization dawning.
"Kaliyah is a witch!!" the three of them yelled in unison.