THE FORSAKEN ANGEL

Episode 5-Seeing things

Crystal woke up with profound new energy and like usual, she put on her favourite song that was blasting through the speakers so hard that her mom came knocking loudly at her door when she was in the shower. Crystal had no idea how pissed Violet was at the action of putting her music volume to the highest that could be heard off.

“What the f**k!” She cursed after the music went off. She hurried her way out of the bathroom after she had made sure to wash off all the soap lather on her; Crystal grabbed her towel on the towel handler making her way out with an annoyed expression on her face ready to face whoever had switched off her phone but Crystal knew trouble was brewing immediately her leg stepped onto her pink doormat that stood in front of her door to welcome her wet foot from the bathroom but froze at the furious look on her mother’s face.

“Hi mom” Crystal forced a smile but Violet maintained her hard expression.

“I thought we talked about the highest volume you are allowed to put the music when listening to it early in the money Crystal? I can’t believe you would want our neighbours knocking on our door again!” Violet reprimanded harshly, eyes glaring at Crystal with every word she spat.

“You would not turn that music on until you leave this house for school anymore is that clear?” Violet made sure to sound as commanding as she could while keenly studying her daughter, she knew she had managed to show how upset she was since Crystal was a very stubborn type of girl.

“Of course mom…I just want to-

“I know, you just want to get ready as fast as you can that why you turn the music on” No matter how many times the incident occurred; Crystal had only one excuse to give.

“Can I get ready for school now?” Violet knew what Crystal was driving at with that question. Even though Crystal had asked very politely it was still no different from ‘Mom get out, I’ll like to put my clothes on now’ Not that Violet wants to stay and argue but the question made her roll her eyes as she waved her daughter off before leaving through the door and pulling the knob behind her.

Crystal immediately headed to her wardrobe where she draw out a yellow top, faded blue jeans, and leather boots and jacket to compliment her badass dressing, after applying a soft but dark makeup on she grabbed her necktie and shoved few books into her backpack before heading for the door, but then her eyes fell on the black stains on the floor from the previous night, since she woke up she had been trying to convince herself whatever happened the previous night was nothing more than hallucinations she made up herself; she just wasn’t ready to deal with the truth of the matter…and it’s not like she was ever going to see Helen again; at least she hoped so. She breathed in deeply before reaching for the doorknob and softly turning it to leave her room.

“What was taking you so long?” Jayden who Crystal guessed their dad had requested to come call on her since he was the one taking them to school frowned at her as they almost bumped into each other in the hallway.

“Sorry” Crystal muttered a not so sincere apology before they both head down the stairs and straight for the door before prancing towards the driveway where their dad stood in an expensive complete brown tux while checking his Rolex watch.

“Get in you’re gonna be late,” He told them opening the back door of his family SUV which was his kids quickly occupied. Hayden didn’t take any more seconds before starting the car and heading to his kid’s school. It had always been easier for him to drop them since their various schools were in the same direction of his work so he never bothered his wife with the task.

“Crystal?” Hayden called on his daughter whose attention was on the environment they were driving by with her earpiece tucked in while wearing a blank expression.

“Can you promise me you are not going to come home late tonight? No more detention” Hayden met Crystal’s eyes a couple of times while making sure to keep track of the road.

“You know-

“I know you can’t promise that because you won’t let anyone bully you even if it means detention for you, I know…but please make sure to do all you can to avoid detention; can you at least promise me that?” The look on Crystal’s face was enough to express her reluctance to give in to her father’s request but Hayden was persistent.

“I promise to do all I can to avoid detention” Crystal finally promised making Hayden smile.

“Make me proud” He beamed his eyes wrinkling as his smile grew wider.

“Jayden I think we just got to your stop” Hayden called his 7year’s old attention and he immediately grabbed his bag and lunch box ready to head out of the car as Hayden pulled over at his school gate. Crystal had to come down to render a little assistance in helping him set his school bag right sending him off with a warm smile but Crystal froze on realising the teacher coming to welcome Jayden into the school premises had a large ear of a donkey with a huge terrifying eyes fixed in the middle of her skull but she looked normal by the time she turned.

“Crystal get in or I’ll be late” Hayden alerted and Crystal reluctantly get back into the car while his attention was still fixed on the teacher whose back was still turned to her but she was looking quite normal. She exhaled deeply before meeting her father’s questioning gaze while he resumed driving.

“Sorry dad, I got carried away-

“I thought you’d be over the fact that Jayden is in Kevan, you never liked that school-

“Seriously I’m over it; I just saw something weird and it kinda distracts me a little-

“And that would be?” Hayden sharply glanced over to Crystal who was now fidgeting with her phone.

“I thought I saw the school teacher with donkey’s ear, it’s stupid and hilarious” Hayden laughed loudly at her daughter’s reply struggling to keep his hands on the wheels.

“I know it’s funny too…It’s really hilarious but I’m serious-

“You’re probably just stressed out or something” Hayden resorted to a soft chuckle before pulling over at Hazel field high school.

“My stop” Crystal decided to announce for herself before opening the door and climbing down.

“Bye, dad-

“Love you” Hayden gave a flying kiss to her daughter before driving off after Crystal turned her back and sigh wondering when school will end. Crystal decided to go by her normal routine of ignoring everyone’s existence and pretending not to exist until her Geometry teacher entered her class with three horns on his head. Crystal trembled on her seat for a second then decided to rub her eyes to know if she was actually seeing things but no…It was freaking real.

“As you all know, we’ve reached the middle of the semester and-” Mrs. Craig’s met with Crystal who tried not to look so tensed but the horns seems to be staring right into Crystal’s soul, they were freaking her out and any more would lead to her combustion; she could literally scream.

“Crystal, are you alright? You don’t look so good?” Mrs. Craig’s eyes seem to be borrowing deep into Crystal like she was expecting her to say something wrong.

“Yeah right, she looked like she could pee in her pants” Crystal might be terrified but she couldn’t take any insult from any of the boys.

“What did you say?” Crystal shut a brow up at Tobias who thought it was the perfect opportunity to pick on Crystal but immediately regretted it the moment Crystal shot him a threatening look. Tobias looked away and immediately turned his head to his desk staring at his blank book unable to answer Crystal’s confrontation.

“I’m fine Mrs. Craig, thanks for asking” Crystal tried not to reply rudely to her teacher who decided to believe her and continue teaching but then Crystal just looked away towards the direction of the window, her eyes found a very familiar figure but before she could conclude who it was.

“Since you, Miss Hawkins seems to be the most attentive student in class why don’t you come up to the board and solve this question for us.

“What?” Crystal asked proving her lack of concentration in class as she had no idea what Mrs. Craig had called her for.

“The question” Mrs. Craig was frowning now.

“Oh yeah right” Crystal was pretty much used to being called to solve multiple class questions on the board because most of the time she isn’t concentrating or wasn’t listening and because she was the most brilliant she got quite the attention. Crystal didn’t think the problem staring at her on the board would be that hard in fact she had finished solving the question in her head but when she got to the board to see Mrs. Craig's horns staring right at her was suddenly making her dizzy.

“Crystal, are you okay?” Mrs. Craig sounded worried after few minutes of Crystal standing at the door with a clueless expression on her face.

“Um, sorry Mrs. Craig…can I visit the bathroom…thanks” Crystal immediately dropped the board marker not waiting for her teacher to respond before she immediately leave the classroom leaving the class surprised but someone was even more worried as she dashed out without giving a single glance back. Crystal ran for the bathroom feeling herself slowly hyperventilate; she needed air and she decided a lone time in the bathroom will get her that hair but then Mrs. Craig showed up right when she was splashing water on her face trying to get a hold of herself.

“This is all Helen’s fault” Crystal muttered getting mad at the stranger that had shown up into her life in a day only for her to start seeing things the second; she knew if she wanted to get rid of the strange things she was seeing…she needed to meet with Helen again.

“Crystal, who is Helen?” Crystal instantly flinched as she raised her head to meet Mrs. Craig's interrogating gaze pressing down on her terrified one.

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