3 The Woods

"Gwen," Raven called on the way to the cafeteria, "How did you do that in Math class?" Mitch walked with them and was about to shriek like a girl.

"I don't know. A bunch of images kept flashing in my head. One of them was the answer." Gwen replied.

"Well, however you did it, it was awesome!" Mitch yelled. Raven winked at her and she giggled.

"Everyone's talking about you, Gwen. Even the teachers are gossiping on your matter in the teacher's lounge." Raven informed.

"Wait, how do you know that?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, Raven. Students aren't allowed in Faculty." Mitch said to Raven.

"I know a guy." She said with a sneaky smirk.

At that moment, Raven's phone buzzed in her back pocket.

She slipped it out and continued walking.

"There's a party in the woods tonight. By Seven. You guys coming?" She asked.

"I am. I wanna get the complete high school experience. And be less nerdy." Mitch answered.

"What about you, Gwen?" Asked Raven.

"Nah. I gotta be home by midnight. My uncle has this weird and fierce 'Back by Midnight' policy that I have to abide by." Gwen explained.

"C'mon. The party's at seven." Mitch pressed.

"I have a lot of homework to do." She whined further. Raven pouted her face like a puppy's.

"Gwen. That's Raven's rarely seen Puppy Pretty Please face." Mitch elaborated.

"Fine. One drink. And I'll leave by Eight. Nine, tops." Gwen said.

"Awesome!" Raven exclaimed.

Suddenly, shoved Mitch into a corner and grabbed him by the collar.

"Where's my homework, nerd?" He shouted as his face was read with anger.

"Bryce, hey. How's it going-"

"Shut up! I want my homework."

"You'll get it by Friday."

Gwen wanted to rush in a intervene when Raven stopped her with a hand.

"Friday. Or I release those videos. And you know what's gonna happen if I do." Bryce threatened, dropping Mitch onto the ground.

Mitch walked to Raven and Gwen with his face all sad and miserable.

"What was that all about?" Gwen asked.

Mitch didn't reply.

"Mitch, tell us." Said Raven, softly.

He heaved a sigh of sheer sadness and began to speak.

"I recorded videos of me..." He began.

"You...what?" Asked Gwen.

"...Jerking Off in the bathroom." He breathed.

"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers." Raven groaned.

"And then, what?" Gwen ushered him to continue.

"And stored them on my thumb drive. Bryce stole it and made copies before I told his parents. And now, he uses it to make me do his do his fucking homework." Mitch explained.

"Mitch, you can't keep letting that asswipe threaten you to do his damn homework!

This is bullying, Mitch! We have to tell someone." Gwen suggested.

"No!" Mitch screamed.

"Why?" Raven asked.

"We're in High School. The last thing I want right now is to draw attention to myself and become school gossip." Mitch pleaded.

"Okay. Whatever you say. But if that fucker bothers you again, I'll become the Supergirl to his Frat Boy Darth Vader."

Then, they all laughed hardly.

"Hey." A voice called behind Gwen.

She turned around and tried her best to swallow her fear.

It was the black haired boy.

"We'll be in the cafeteria." Raven said as she walked away and dragged Mitch along with her.

"I'm Chris."

"Gwen. Sorry for this morning."

"Don't sweat it."

They began to stare at each other, dart their eyes back to the floor, shuffle their feet and stare again.

"So..." Chris finally spoke.

"So."

"You coming to the party tonight?"

"I might. It's a fifty-fifty package."

"I'd like to see you."

Gwen began to blush. Chris' eyes dropped from her face to her neck and then her necklace.

"I gotta go, Chris. I can't be late for fourth."

"So, you're coming?" He yelled after her as she began to run.

"You'll see!"

~

"He's coming to the party?" Raven questioned as she munched on a chocolate chip cookie.

"Mm-hmm. And he's expecting me." Gwen replied.

"Great first day, huh?"

Gwen chuckled.

"Make that greatest. Here comes First day, Side two." Raven added.

"Huh?"

Gwen looked behind her and saw Mike heading her way.

"It's not like that, Raven."

"Tell him that. He's coming with his killer smile that makes girls melt into puddles."

"Shut up."

"Hey, Gwen." Mike greeted.

"Mike, hey." Gwen greeted back.

"Wanna ride home with me after school?"

"Uh..."

"Before you decline like last night at home, Can I offer you a smoothie?"

Raven's eyes widened as she almost choked on her Tootsie Roll.

"Mike, no. I will not like a smoothie."

"You're a tough nut to crack, aren't you?"

"I'm a lot tougher than you think."

"At least you'll come to the party tonight, right?" Luke asked with his killer smile.

"Yeah, I will."

"Finally, she said yes!"

Heads turned and glared at Mike in silence.

"Not because you asked me to. Raven and Mitch are going and I wanna be there too."

"Oh." Mike mouthed as his smile turned upsidedown.

"I'll see you tonight, then?"

"Uh, yeah. You will."

Gwen looked at him and gave him a smile of her own. Then, he grinned and walked out the doors of the cafeteria.

"First, you live together?" Asked Raven.

"Yeah, he's adopted."

"Oh. And you turned down a smoothie from Mike Dawson? Why the hell would you do that?"

"Oh, no reason."

"No reason? No reason! Girl, I wish I were in your shoes."

"You know, I could hook you up."

"Nah. Thanks but No, thanks."

They chuckled at each other.

~

Gwen could hear upbeat music blasting from within. She shifted branches slapping into her face as she walked through turrets of trees.

Mud coated her red pumps as the moon peered out of the clouds to see her.

The moonlight burrowed into her necklace, blotting a red glow on her chest.

Her nose followed the scent of alcohol and found the party.

People were just jumping around and clenching red party cups in their hands, probably had too much to drink. But at a high school party, everyone had too much to drink.

Gwen finally found Raven, laying by a tree and staring into her phone.

"Hey, you came!" Raven started.

"Yeah, had to. I missed an episode of Charmed."

"Ouch."

Then, they laughed.

"You're here alone?" Gwen asked.

"No, I was with Mitch moments ago. He went to check out a girl drinking punch with a spoon."

"Ah, that figures."

"And speaking of girls and checking out, you've got two stalkers. Two and Seven O'Clock."

Gwen looked into a corner and saw Chris glancing at her as he gave a flirty smirk.

She looked into her right corner and saw Mike, also glancing at her in between flashy smiles and grins.

"Aren't you going to talk to one of 'em?"

"No. I'd rather stay here with you."

"Well, you gotta give up your guy phobia soon.

You're gonna."

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there."

"Don't you mean cross?"

"No. Burn."

"Okaaaaaay." Raven said, dragging the word.

"I'm gonna go look for Mitch. You, stay."

"Woof, Woof."

"That's a good girl."

They laughed again, loudly.

Raven walked into the woods and vanished in the darkness.

Gwen stood at the same spot for several minutes and then walked into the woods to find Raven.

~

"Hello?"

Her voice echoed through the night and probably stirred the hooting owls in the distance.

"Raven? Mitch?" Gwen called.

Suddenly, a twig snapped.

"Who's there? This isn't funny, guys!"

That's when she heard footsteps drag through the dry leaves.

"Show yourself!"

She heard a growl from behind her and slowly turned around.

Gwen gasped in horror.

It hid in the dark and was six feet tall. It's beady blood red eyes reeked of danger.

Gwen picked up her feet to run. It chased her.

Before she knew what was happening, She hugged a tree and fell to the ground. Gwen fainted.

A Shadow appeared onto her body, swallowing her in the darkness.

And in an instant, it was gone.

But so was her talisman!