1 CHAPTER # 1: A STRANGE CALLER

Agnis's POV

"Are you seriously going to school today?" My roommate yelled. My parents live in Worcester and I am here in Boston currently living in a hostel to complete my studies in Coan Tase High School.

"Yes". I replied.

"But aren't you having a fever Agnis?" She called out.

"I know but I have to go and you know why."

"Yes but..."

"Okay, bye Kelly."

That day was my best friend Daphne's birthday. She is just the opposite of me. She is more into fashion and therefore a hot-bodied popular chick of my school. She is opposite but 'opposite attracts' and that is true.

It was just a five minutes' walk from my hostel to my school. I walked through my school's locker room passing by Ken, my school's hottest boy whom every girl has a crush on, but to me he wasn't that attractive. I reached out for Daphne's locker and saw Shaun, Laura, Jessi and Moony there. They are all my friends since grade 7. For information, Jessi and Laura were dating each other for about 2 years and they are quite adorable today also.

"Hey Agnis". Shaun called out waving to me and calling so loudly that almost whole of the locker room heard.

"Yeah coming". I called out. Shaun had a crush on me since he was 15. But he never confessed anything himself. I got that news from my other friends and once I had a chance to stalk his diary and there I found these words: 'I like Agnis so much. How should I tell her this?' and there were certain pictures of mine too. I reached them and after all the hellos I finally took out the charts written happy birthday on them, on which I was working since 2 weeks after completing my homework in free time. I attached them to Daphne's locker door and kept the gift under her books in the locker. I gifted her a book "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen. She's a Jane Austen girl.

As we were talking, I saw Daphne coming through the locker room doorway. We all quickly hid behind the pillar to give her a surprise. She walked like a model on a rampage. As for her appearance, she was wearing a skinny jeans and a floral pink top with her hair swirling round her shoulders like beautiful feathers and with addition to it a bag on her upper side of the elbow. I admit she is really very beautiful. She came for her locker and saw all the charts. Shocked.

"Hey, Happy Birthday".

We all yelled out.

"Oh my god. You guys are really awesome."

"Thank you so much but I already knew". She replied

"And I know that you knew". I said and sighed. She laughed.

"But this book..." Taking out the book from her locker she slowly moved her fingers on the book cover and continued, "I love you for this, Ag. You are a gem" She said and hugged me tightly.

"I knew you would like it" I said in excitement.

She was about to say something but Jessi interrupted her.

"Hey listen if you really want to thank us then give us a party"

"Yeah, I think that's right" Laura and Moony said in unison.

"Yeah okay I will and tonight only". Daphne said in excitement.

"Yes". I said enthusiastically.

I am not in to parties much but for Daphne I am always ready to do anything because she is my childhood friend. We went to same Montessori and same kindergarten and then the same high school. She is like my sister. We always share our sorrows and happiness.

So party tonight! Sounds like irritating as well as fun.

We all took Math's class of one and a half hour which sucked by the way. After which we gathered near the parking lot and decided about the party preparations and there I came to know that Daphne invited almost the whole school leaving out the nerds. I never liked being around so many people. I always prefer one or two friends to pass my time out. But for Daphne I had to compromise and had to bear those flirt and drunk people for one night only.

I walked to my dorm, took shower and got dressed in my loose trousers and a loose t-shirt. I completed my homework while listening to Ariana Grande's songs. It was about 4 in noon. I took a small nap. It was supposed to be a small nap but turned out to be a two and a half hour sleep. I woke up and when I saw my clock placed beside my bed on a table, I jumped up from the bed and rushed in to the bathroom to get a shower for Daphne's party. As I walked out of the bathroom and was about to reach for my wardrobe for a suitable dress, I got a call from Daphne.

"Hey you there?" Daphne asked frantically.

"Yup". I popped out the 'p'.

"So, Shaun is coming to pick u up".

"Oh Jesus, no".

"Why, what's the problem?" She said teasingly.

"I-I don't want to...."

"Come with him?" She finished off for me.

"Ah....Umm... Yeah, I guess." I said half-knowingly.

"Oh come on Ag. For me please. Today's my birthday and you have to fulfill my every wish" She said pleading me.

"It's your wish?" I asked surprisingly.

"Actually… yes!" She said.

"Oh god... But... Why..."

"Okay bye. He's coming to pick you up in 20 minutes. Get ready girl" She sang and hung up. Oh my god he is coming in 20 minutes and I am not even dressed yet.

I quickly took out skinny jeans and a loose yellow top with a belt just below my chest. I held my hair in front of my mirror thinking of a suitable hairstyle. But then clipped some of my hair from behind and left the remaining loose on my shoulders and bangs on my forehead. As I was about to open my shoe cupboard, my phone rang. Oh an unknown number.

"Hello." I said in a low tone.

"Hello, Agnistacea Maden?" The voice called out. It was a harsh and really manly voice.

"Yes?" I said in my I-am-hell-scared voice.

"This is your last night with your friends. You are going to be separated from them very soon". The voice said threateningly.

"Uh wait, what? Who are you? And why...." I spoke but there was no answer as the person on the other side hung up. I was really scared. Many questions came rushing into my mind. Why is this my last night? Why am I going to be separated from them? Oh wait, firstly, who the hell was he? So many questions but no one to answer. I heard the horn of Shaun's car and rushed down after watching my room sadly because may be it was actually my last night.