-Riele's Pov-
I diverted my gaze, feeling the sting of their criticisms. It's frustrating how they always seem to gang up on me.
But I can't help it, I just can't bring myself to befriend her. There's something about her that sets off alarm bells in my head, something I can't quite put my finger on. Call it bad vibes.
I can't seem to stand her presence.
Everything about her seems to be a huge, bold-faced question mark. A riddle I have no interest in solving.
Call it intuition or instinct, but I just can't shake off the feeling of unease whenever she's around. It's like she's hiding something beneath that facade of friendliness, and I'm not willing to stick around long enough to find out what it is.
I'm certain there's a reason why Crazy wants to be my friend, and I'm sure it is to use me as a stepping stone up the pyramid, but I won't fall for it.
Sure, my friends and most people if not all see me as the villain in this scenario, but they fail to understand that I'm just trying to protect myself. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and I refuse to be anyone's pawn in their game of manipulation.
I glanced down at the untouched hot dog on my plate, suddenly losing my appetite. The tension in the air was suffocating, making it hard to even enjoy a simple meal in peace.
"Can't you guys just let me eat in peace?" I muttered, not bothering to meet their accusing gazes.
It's exhausting always being on the defensive, always feeling like I have to justify my actions.
Their eyes always seem to tell me that I'm the bad person. I'm so unfair and unkind.
But they fail to see that they're no better themselves.
They parade around like some Dudley-do-rights when they're just wolves acting all sheep-like.
Just as I was about to take a bite of my hot dog, a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. "Riele," it called out, prompting a groan of annoyance to escape my lips.
"Why can't I just eat in peace for once?" I muttered, frustration lacing my words.
Why are there bunches of disturbers? I just wanna at least eat.
"Jordan, what's up?" I grumbled, feeling irritated by his sudden intrusion.
He settled beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder as he leaned in. "Just dropping by to remind you that Halloween is right around the corner. Can you believe it's already this week?"
I nodded curtly. "Yeah, I'm aware."
"My family's throwing a party, and of course, you're invited. Better late than never, right?" He grinned, clearly excited about the upcoming event.
I glanced at him. "Yeah, my friends and I will be there."
"Great, it's gonna be a blast as always," he exclaimed before getting up and heading off.
I sighed, finally taking a bite of my hot dog, savoring the familiar taste.
"Every time I get an invite to one of Jordan's parties, I still feel special," Karen remarked, breaking the silence and earning a smile from me.
"I'm sure my boyfriend will be invited too," Ashley chimed in with a wistful sigh.
"Don't stress about it, Ashley. Who knows what'll happen in the next five days," Liz reassured her, attempting to ease her worries.
I bit into another hot dog, choosing to stay silent as I mulled over their words.
"We should've sorted out our Halloween costumes earlier, but now it feels like we're scrambling," Karen lamented, bringing up a topic that had been on all of our minds.
Liz nodded in agreement. "It always feels last-minute. It's like we have a million things to think about, though there really is."
I nodded in agreement. There truly is.
Lately, each of us had been dealing with our own challenges. I'd been spending most of my time alone at home, Karen's mom had been unwell, Ashley was grappling with her dad leaving her mom for another woman, and Liz's home is all about striving hard to be the best.
"At least Halloween might offer a brief escape from it all," Ashley remarked, though I could sense the weight of a new looming issue on her shoulders.
"But it won't feel complete without the perfect costume," Liz interjected, emphasizing the importance of getting it right.
Karen nodded in agreement. "I wonder what costume I should go for this time."
Liz mirrored her curiosity. "Same here."
"What do you think?" Karen turned to me, seeking my input.
I swallowed the last of my hot dog before responding. "I'm drawing a blank at the moment. But I'm sure inspiration will strike soon," I reassured, taking a sip of water to wash it down.
I let out a sigh, feeling satisfied after the meal.
"Exactly, the idea will come when it's ready," Karen agreed, offering a reassuring smile.
I returned the smile, though my mind was still racing to come up with the perfect Halloween costume.
"Wait a minute," I interjected excitedly. "I've got an idea," I announced to the group.
"What is it?" Liz inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"I propose that we keep our costume choices a secret from each other. Let's surprise one another with our selections," I suggested.
Karen nodded enthusiastically. "I think that's a fantastic idea."
Liz's smile widened. "That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun."
Ashley let out a groan. "But I'm totally drawing a blank on costume ideas. I don't even have the motivation to go searching for one."
"Come on, Ash, you can do it," Liz encouraged her, but Ashley's expression remained doubtful.
I, too, found myself lacking inspiration for a costume.
One thing was certain, though… I wanted my costume to be a little spooky and different.