28_ Trance

The next day at school, I could feel the stares before I even walked through the doors. It was as if the entire building was alive with whispers and curious eyes, all fixated on me. I’d been expecting it. My white hair was impossible to ignore, and it wasn’t exactly something you saw every day.

I kept my head held high, determined not to let it bother me. They could think whatever they wanted—good or bad. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t about to let their opinions shape how I felt about myself.

As I made my way down the hallway toward my class, I noticed some students looking away quickly when I caught them staring. Others just openly gawked, as if I were some sort of exotic animal. I clenched my fists at my sides, willing myself to stay calm.

“Katrina.”

The familiar voice made me stop in my tracks. I turned and saw Claudia standing a few feet away, her expression hesitant.

I didn’t want to deal with her. Not today. Not ever.

“What do you want, Claudia?” I asked, my tone cold.

Her eyes darted around the hallway before she looked back at me. “Can we talk? Somewhere private?”

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “Why would I want to talk to you?”

“Please,” she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I need to explain. Not here.”

For a moment, I considered walking away. I didn’t owe her anything. But curiosity got the better of me. With a reluctant sigh, I nodded. “Fine. Lead the way.”

Claudia led me to the back of the building, where the noise of the hallways faded into silence. The spot was secluded, with only the rustle of the trees in the breeze and the faint hum of traffic in the distance.

“What is it?” I asked, my arms still crossed.

She hesitated, wringing her hands nervously. “I wanted to apologize.”

I blinked, taken aback. “Apologize?”

“For everything,” she continued. “For what I said, what I did… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have tried to hurt you.” Hurt was an understatement.

My jaw tightened. “Why did you do it?”

Claudia looked down at her feet, shame evident in her posture. “Because I was jealous,” she admitted. “When I found out that you were the one Dylan liked… I couldn’t handle it. I was angry, and I let that anger control me.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. This was my best friend—someone I’d trusted. And all it had taken was jealousy to turn her against me.

“You betrayed me,” I said, my voice shaking with barely-contained anger. “You were my best friend, Claudia. I trusted you, and you tried to hurt me. Do you even understand what you’ve done?”

“I do,” she said quickly. “And I’m sorry. I know I messed up. I just… I needed to tell you that.”

I stared at her, searching her face for any hint of sincerity. She looked genuinely remorseful, but it didn’t change what she’d done.

“I don’t accept your apology,” I said finally, my voice cold.

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought she might cry.

“I can’t forgive you for what you did,” I continued. “Maybe I’ll be able to one day, but not now. Right now, I don’t want anything to do with you. I never want to see you again.”

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there.

As I made my way back inside, a swirl of emotions churned in my chest—anger, sadness, and something else I couldn’t quite place. I felt conflicted about my decision. Part of me wondered if I should have given her a chance, but the other part couldn’t ignore the betrayal.

By the time I reached my class, I was still lost in my thoughts. Sliding into my seat, I barely noticed the girl sitting beside me until she spoke.

“I love your hair,” she said with a warm smile.

Startled, I looked at her. She had bright green eyes and freckles sprinkled across her nose. “Oh,” I said, blinking. “Thank you.”

“It’s so unique,” she continued. “I’m Hannah, by the way.”

“Katrina,” I replied, smiling for the first time that day.

Hannah’s friendliness was like a breath of fresh air after everything that had happened. We chatted briefly before the professor began the lesson, and for the first time that morning, I felt a little lighter.

\---

When the school day finally ended, I stepped outside and scanned the parking lot. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Dylan leaning casually against his car, waiting for me.

As I walked over to him, he straightened and smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I replied, a smile tugging at my lips.

Before I could say anything else, he leaned down and kissed me on the lips, right there in front of everyone.

My eyes widened in surprise, my cheeks flushing as I became acutely aware of the people passing by. Some stared, others whispered, but Dylan didn’t seem to care.

When he pulled back, he grinned at me. “Missed you,” he said simply.

I was too flustered to respond, so I just nodded, avoiding the amused looks from a group of students nearby.

Dylan walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for me. “Your chariot awaits,” he said with a mock bow.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide my smile as I walked towards the open door.

As I reached for the car door handle, something inside me shifted. The world around me blurred, and a sharp ringing filled my ears. My fingers froze mid-air as the ground beneath my feet disappeared.

Suddenly, I wasn’t standing in the school parking lot anymore.

I found myself on a desolate highway, the silence deafening. The air was thick, heavy, almost suffocating. I glanced around, my heart pounding in my chest. The stretch of road before me seemed endless, disappearing into a pale, gray horizon.

“Where am I?” I whispered, my voice echoing in the emptiness.

The eerie stillness gnawed at my nerves as I started walking down the road. My footsteps felt sluggish, as though something unseen was trying to hold me back. Then, up ahead, I noticed a figure standing in the middle of the highway.

It was a woman, her silhouette blurred but unmistakably familiar. My breath caught in my throat as I edged closer, each step amplifying the growing sense of dread within me.

As I approached, the figure became clearer. Long, dark hair framed a pale face, her eyes piercing and cold. My stomach twisted. It was Sabina’s mother.

“What—what are you doing here?” I stammered, my voice trembling.

Her expression was blank, almost detached, as she studied me. Then, her lips moved, and her voice was soft but sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

“You’re not supposed to be alive.”

Her words echoed in my head, repeating over and over, each time louder than the last. A sharp pain stabbed through my skull, and I clutched my head, groaning as I fell to my knees.

The world around me spun violently, the pain so intense I thought I might black out. But just as quickly as it began, it stopped.

I gasped for air, and the vision dissolved.

“Kat! Katrina!” Dylan’s voice was frantic, his arms gripping my shoulders tightly.

I blinked rapidly, my surroundings coming back into focus. I was no longer on the highway but standing in the middle of a road, several meters away from the school parking lot.

“Are you okay?” Dylan’s face hovered close to mine, his blue eyes filled with worry.

“I…” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat. “I think so.”

“What happened? You were fine one second, then you just—” He gestured behind me, his voice shaking. “You started walking off like you were in a trance.”

I glanced around, my confusion mounting. I didn’t remember leaving the parking lot or even moving at all.