Monday.

"Have you heard their latest album? They’re killing it! I need to convince my parents to get me a ticket for their concert!", said Ewan with excitement.

For the past week, he hasn’t been able to stop talking about this new band that seemed to appear out of nowhere and take over everyone’s playlists—'The Black Stripes'. They play some kind of alternative rock—catchy stuff—but something about them has always felt... off to me.

After Saturday’s 'date' with Tori, I couldn’t help but wonder if they might belong to that ‘special’ group of people—whatever that actually means. Ever since we parted ways in front of the restaurant, I’ve been on the lookout for ‘unique’ individuals, but honestly, it’s starting to feel like I’m slipping into paranoia.

Maybe I should just wait until Tori points out the right people and gives me clear instructions on what I’m supposed to do. I spent all of Sunday overthinking and coming up with wild theories about what’s really going on.

"Yeah, I’ve heard it, Ewan—you showed it to me last week, remember?"

"Nah, that’s old news! They just dropped a brand new album this weekend! It’s called Get Behind Me, Stan! Everyone’s listening to it now."

"Yeah, they’re really cool," I replied absentmindedly, but my thoughts were drifting somewhere else entirely.

I had a few theories I wanted to run by Tori, or at least get her to confirm or deny. The most obvious one is that we’re part of some government experiment—something like mass-scale brainwashing. Some parts of that theory don’t really add up, but what else could affect so many people at once?

Is this strange phenomenon only happening in our town or is it bigger area? I really don’t want to entertain the idea that there’s something supernatural going on.

I’ve never been one to believe in ghosts, aliens and other fantasy stuff. Even after—ugh, chills ran down my spine just thinking about it—that horror show at the café, I’d still rather believe there’s some logical explanation behind all this.

But how do you even define this ‘phenomenon’? Saying ‘people act weird when you ask them certain things’ isn’t exactly a solid definition. People have always acted weird—that’s just human nature, right? The fact that everyone except me ignores Tori’s existence honestly sounds more like I’ve got an imaginary friend than some big conspiracy. And other things can be explained by my insomnia.

What really bothers me is that I can’t even ask her direct questions about all this because of the fear of triggering that ‘attack’ again. I have zero interest in experiencing that nightmare one more time.

But the longer I think about all of this, the less it makes sense.

After a while, I started wondering if that whole date was just a dream. After all, I barely slept for two weeks, and then on Saturday, I crashed and slept for 14 hours straight. But no, our meeting was real—I've still got the texts from Tori on my phone, telling me where and when we were supposed to meet.

On Sunday night into Monday, I couldn’t fall asleep again, but I’m trying to stay optimistic and convince myself that my insomnia has passed and the lack of sleep was just from the whirlwind of thoughts in my head.

"I think you should get their album and give it a listen too. If you want, I can lend you my Walkman," Ewan said, his enthusiasm pulling me back to reality. He was practically bouncing on his feet, clearly excited about the whole thing.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just download the album from the internet and put it on my phone or MP3 player? I thought, but I didn’t want to kill his vibe.

"Nah, I’ll figure something out on my own, but thanks for the offer," I replied, trying to sound appreciative.

Ewan shrugged, unfazed. "No problem, man. So, got any plans for today? We’re planning to hit up the karaoke club and sing a bit. You know, blow off some steam after school. It’ll be fun!" His eyes lit up as he spoke, clearly looking forward to it.

I really don’t feel like going out today, especially with my mind being such a mess. The idea of singing in front of people right now was the last thing I wanted to do.

"You know what, Ewan? I’ve got some stuff to take care of after school. I think I’ll pass today," I said, hoping he wouldn’t press the issue.

"Your loss, man, your loss," he said with a playful grin, but I could tell he was a little disappointed. "If you change your mind, you know where to find us!" He waved me off as he walked over to some of our mutual friends, already starting to chat them up about his favorite band.

All this thinking has made me hungry—guess I’ll head to the cafeteria and grab something to eat.

----------------------------------------

As I walked down the hallway, I noticed an eerie silence around the bathrooms. I glanced around, and it was as if there were fewer people than usual milling about. In fact, after a few seconds, I realized that, for some reason, I was the only one standing there. Then, I heard strange sounds coming from the girls' bathroom.

"Hold her so she can’t escape!" a girl’s voice rang out loudly from inside.

What the hell is going on in there?

More noises followed—sounds of a struggle, scuffling, and indistinct shouting. None of it sounded good. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the area around the girls' bathroom had suddenly grown darker, and there was a chill in the air that seemed to seep into my bones.

Where is this coming from? I wondered, trying to make sense of it. But when I focused, I realized it was just an illusion. The bathroom looked just as it always did—except for the unsettling noises of what sounded like a fight or an argument coming from within.

LΙΙεαVΞεΕ

Joshua, this isn’t your problem. Just go back to class. Ignore it. Don’t get involved—I told myself.

Yeah, I need to go to class… this isn’t my problem… I need to…

My blood pressure spiked as it dawned on me—these weren’t my thoughts. Something was influencing me again. What had Tori said? Get angry in these situations? Right. I needed to get mad.

How dare this thing mess with my thoughts? My privacy? My own mind? Oh no, that’s not going to happen.

Oh, so you want me to stay out of this? Not a chance!

Straightening up, I marched toward the girls' bathroom with determined steps.

"What the hell is going on in here?" I demanded loudly as I entered. The scene that greeted me made my blood boil: two girls were holding another girl down by her hair, forcing her to kneel on the floor, while a third girl was pouring water over her head.

The girl being held down looked like something out of a gothic painting. She was dressed in a long, black, straight dress with a slightly ruffled hem that barely moved as she knelt on the bathroom floor. Her eyes were dark brown, heavily outlined with dark makeup, giving her an intense, almost haunting look. Her black hair clung to her face, dripping wet, and her skin was as pale as snow, almost glowing in the dim light of the bathroom.

"Get out of this school, you trash, and don’t ever show your face here again," one of the girls sneered, her voice dripping with venom.

"I said, what the hell is going on here? Are you deaf?" I shouted louder this time, hoping I sounded intimidating enough to make them stop.

But they didn’t even flinch. It was like I wasn’t even there—like I was just a ghost, invisible and unheard.

Huh, this is just like how people acted—or didn’t act—around Tori when she came into class and caused a scene.

Even so, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. As one of the girls drew her hand back to strike the girl they were tormenting, I stepped in, grabbing her wrist before she could land the blow.

"Leave her alone. I’ve already called a teacher—you’re in serious trouble. Now get out of here," I lied through clenched teeth, trying to keep my voice steady and authoritative.

Grabbing her wrist seemed to do the trick. I felt something shift in the air, like a switch had been flipped, and the oppressive atmosphere seemed to ease up, if only slightly. I couldn’t explain why, but these sensations were as real as what I’d felt back at the restaurant when I was carrying out Tori’s task. I guess this is one of those situations she told me I’d need to ‘intervene’ in.

For a moment, it felt like time itself had frozen. All of them turned to face me, staring with those strange, empty eyes.

Taking advantage of their shock, I stepped closer to the girl they had been tormenting and helped her up by the arm. She was surprisingly light, almost fragile.

I tried to lead her out of the bathroom, but after just a few steps, she started to resist, as if something was holding her back, or maybe she didn’t want to leave. Her eyes still had that wide, terrified look, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Who do you think you are? What gives you the right?" one of the girls, who had been standing in the middle, snapped, coming out of her daze.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

She had blonde hair and was dressed in expensive, sugary-sweet white clothes, complete with heels that clicked against the bathroom floor. Her voice was sharp, demanding, and full of authority.

"And who do you think you are? Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves, acting like this? Look at what you’re doing to this poor girl!" I shot back, anger rising in my voice as I glared at them.

My words seemed to catch the three girls off guard. They looked at each other, suddenly unsure, as if realizing for the first time what they were actually doing.

"That’s not it! You don’t know what this trash has done!" the blonde girl, who seemed to be their leader, blurted out defensively.

"I didn’t do anything! It’s not my fault what family I come from! I just want to be left alone—I’ve told you that over and over!" the girl in black cried out, her voice trembling with frustration.

"Whoever you are, nothing good will come from associating with someone like her..." the shortest of the group chimed in, her tone laced with disdain. She was barely 1.5 meters tall, with long, wavy brown hair and a delicate face that looked like it belonged on a porcelain doll, her makeup carefully applied to perfection.

Despite her soft appearance, her words were sharp, filled with an icy coldness that made it clear she believed every word she was saying.

And at that moment, I heard a voice behind me:

"Joshua Shepard? You’ll need to come with us."

I turned around, and there stood two muscular men in dark suits. They looked like they had stepped right out of a "Men in Black" movie—serious, imposing, and clearly not the type you wanted to mess with.

Both were tall and broad-shouldered, with their tailored suits straining slightly against their well-built frames. Their faces were expressionless, almost robotic, and they wore dark sunglasses even indoors, adding to their mysterious, agent-like appearance.

"Wait, what? Me? What about these girls? Did you see what they were doing to her?" I pointed at the girls, but this bullshit happened again—they were just standing there, staring blankly at us, barely moving.

Great, I guess this is going to become a regular occurrence for me.

"Please come with us," the man repeated, his tone even more firm. His voice was deep and devoid of any emotion.

"Who are you guys, anyway? I’m not going anywhere with you," I said, grabbing the girl who had been tortured and trying once more to lead her out of the bathroom. I wasn’t about to leave her alone with those other girls.

Surprisingly, this time I managed to pull her along, though ever since those two men in suits showed up, all the girls had that same eerie, empty look in their eyes.

The men, unfazed, didn’t move an inch until we were out of the bathroom. But as soon as I stepped out, they moved with lightning speed, grabbing me by the arms with an iron grip that made it clear I had no chance of breaking free. It was like being held by a pair of statues—cold, hard, and unyielding. Not wanting to hurt the girl by resisting, I let go, hoping she could handle things on her own from here.

"Please don’t resist. Thank you for your cooperation," the second man said in a robotic tone, his voice just as devoid of emotion as his partner’s.

I wanted to argue, but they didn’t seem like the kind of people who were open to discussion. Their faces remained impassive, their sunglasses reflecting nothing but the empty hallway.

What should I do? Scream? Would anyone help me? I still don’t know who these guys are.

Then, in a sudden flash of memory, I realized that these were the same two who had chased after Tori in the hallway after she tried to pull me out of class during my ‘episode’.

Ugh, great, more bullshit with this whole ‘phenomenon’.

But how does this pair connect to Tori and everything that’s happening around me?

Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

----------------------------------------

5 Minutes Later.

I wondered where they were taking me or what they planned to do, but they just walked me out of the school gate and left me there. They suddenly turned, said ‘goodbye,’ and that was it—they walked quickly across the street and disappeared from view behind the nearest house.

During the ‘escort,’ I tried to get some answers, but they didn’t respond to any of my questions. Not a single word.

I don’t even know how to process this whole encounter.

Why did they show up now? Who are they, really? What do they want from me? Should I be avoiding them? And if so, how?

What’s the connection between this and the situation in class when they started chasing Tori?

I’m not sure, but it must have something to do with me getting involved with those girls or interrupting whatever they were doing.

Can I just go back to school and attend my classes? They didn’t give me any instructions or tell me what they expected from me. Will they stop me if I try to go back? Or will they cause me more trouble?

I let out a loud sigh. This is all so ridiculous.

I turned around and started walking back to school at a leisurely pace.

As I passed by the bathroom where I’d witnessed that whole scene, everything seemed calm and normal again. The halls were empty since classes had already started—I was going to be late. Not that I was particularly worried about it.

I found myself wondering which class those girls were in…

When I finally made it back to my own classroom, Mrs. Thompson didn’t seem too bothered by my late arrival.

“Sorry I’m late…” I muttered under my breath as I headed to my seat.

“Where were you?” Max asked, turning away from the board to look at me.

“I saw some girls bullying another girl, so I stepped in,” I replied, expecting some kind of weird reaction—similar to when I asked them about Tori before.

But nothing unusual like that happened.

Max just looked at me, surprised, and said, “No way, that kind of stuff doesn’t happen at our school. What really happened?”

“Believe it, they were holding her by the hair and everything,” I insisted, feeling a bit frustrated.

“Damn, that’s pretty serious,” he said, but didn’t press further. He just turned back to taking notes.

Ugh, what’s the lesson even about?

----------------------------------------

After classes.

As I was leaving the school, I noticed a girl leaning against the brick wall at the school gate, standing in the exact spot where Tori had waited for me last time. But this definitely wasn't Tori—this girl had black hair.

As I got closer to the exit, I realized it was the same girl I had tried to help earlier today.

Is this going to be a thing now? Some girl I barely exchanged a few words with is going to wait for me at the gate after school?

Maybe she’s not waiting for me? Theoretically, I’m curious about what that whole drama was about, but practically, I’m not sure I want to get involved any further. Especially if it means I might have to deal with those muscle-bound guys dragging me away again.

As I approached, the girl noticed me. She didn’t look particularly happy.

"Hey, you! I’ve been waiting for you! Took you long enough!" she called out.

Huh, I’m definitely getting déjà vu.

I paused for a moment, wondering how to respond. I guess she wants to thank me? Maybe?

I gave her a quick once-over—she was still in the same black dress as earlier, but it looked like she had dried off by now.

Hmm, neither she nor those three girls from earlier were wearing our school uniform. I wonder if it’s just me and my class that are strictly monitored when it comes to dress code. If I show up in my casual clothes tomorrow, will I get in trouble? Or will the teachers just not care, and I’ll be able to wear whatever I want?

Suddenly, something really strange occurred to me: Teachers? What teachers? All our classes are taught by Mrs. Thompson. That can’t be normal, right? Is this another one of those ‘weird’ things I should add to the list? Why am I only noticing this now?

My thoughts were interrupted by the girl standing in front of me.

"So? What do you want from me? Why did you help me?" she asked, with a hint of anger in her voice.

What do I want? Woman, you’re the one waiting for me outside the school.

I sighed, already feeling like this was going to be a headache.

"Look, I really have no idea what you're talking about. I don't want anything from you. I heard something bad was happening and saw those girls tormenting you, so I decided to help."

"I didn't need your help at all. I handle things just fine on my own. Don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise. I don’t owe you anything! I won’t be used! I’m from the Ravenwood family, I don’t need any help!" she said, straightening up with pride, as if her last name should mean something to me. But I’d never heard of her family before.

Owing something? Being used? What the hell is she talking about?

But then, almost as quickly as her bravado had appeared, it faded away. Her shoulders slumped slightly, as if the weight of her words had suddenly become too heavy to carry. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and in a quieter voice, she added, "Although, after recent events, my family is in shambles, but I still won’t let anyone pity me." There was a vulnerability in her tone now, one that hadn’t been there before.

"Listen," I said, trying to be as straightforward as possible, "I have no idea who you are, and I’ve never heard of that name before. It means nothing to me."

When I said that, she looked up at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

Was her family famous? Should I know them?

“I just wanted to help because it looked like you were in trouble. If you’re saying I interfered for nothing, then I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll let you handle it on your own. Goodbye.” I said, irritation creeping into my voice. I was trying to put an end to this nonsense, say my goodbyes, and head home.

I’d already gotten involved more than I should have. I needed to talk to Tori about what to do next. Besides, I’d promised her I’d try to stay out of trouble, and this situation screamed trouble.

I couldn’t just stand by when I saw those girls torturing her, but now? This wasn’t my problem anymore.

As I turned to leave, I felt her hand grab my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

“Wait! What do you mean you don’t know my family? Then why did you help me?” she asked, I could hear a mix of confusion and desperation in her voice.

Is it really that strange for someone to help her? Dear god, her life must be awful if this shocks her so much.

"Like I said, those girls were tormenting you, and I didn't like it, so I stepped in to help. That’s all there is to it," I explained patiently.

“Th..” - She mumbled something under her breath, her eyes fixed on the ground.

"What? Sorry, I didn’t catch that," I said, leaning in slightly to hear her better.

“Thank you,” she repeated, this time more clearly, though her voice carried a hint of embarrassment.

“No problem. Next time, try calling for the teachers—that’s what they’re there for.”

“The teachers won’t help me…” she replied, her voice heavy with sadness.

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t they help you?” I asked, now genuinely curious.

“Those girls belong to wealthy families that support the school financially. They’re basically untouchable…” she said, her tone bitter.

Nonsense, I thought. But then again, this could be another one of those ‘weird’ things Tori warned me about. Or maybe the school administration really is corrupt?

I let out a deep tired sigh.

"In any case, no worries. If they bother you again, just find me, and I’ll help. Do you need someone to walk you home?" I offered, trying to sound reassuring.

She widened her eyes in surprise once more.

"You still want to help me? You want to walk me home? But you know I’m from the Rav..."—she trailed off, looking flustered, then stopped, probably remembering that I had no clue who her family was just a moment ago.

"Yeah, why not? I’ll make sure no one messes with you on the way, especially if those girls decide to cause more trouble," I said with a shrug, trying to put her at ease.

We stood there in silence for a moment.

Finally, I extended my hand to her.

"My name’s Joshua Shepard. Nice to meet you."

She looked at my hand, hesitated for a moment, and then shook it.

"Wanda Ravenwood. And… thank you again for your help."