The loud school bell rang and echoed throughout the emptying halls. Students began to make their way into classes, shuffling in one by one. Backpacks hung from their shoulders as they groggily walked towards their rooms with groans of despair.
Two girls stood just outside their classroom, too busy talking to enter just yet. The one girl was Alexandria Moon, a 19-year-old who had dirty blonde hair, with reddish hints, and was known for being pretty and decently popular. The other girl was a brown-haired girl named Samantha Flower who was 18, nearly 19 and was Alex’s closest friend.
As the two talked with each other, another girl made her way down the hall with two of her friends following closely behind. This blonde was known as Jennifer Jeunesse, the daughter of the richest family of the town. She was known for being the popular girl in the school, a stuck up and arrogant one at that.
“I can’t believe I turn 20 tomorrow, it’s so exciting!” Alex proclaimed with a light giggle as she looked towards Sam.
“It’s crazy how quickly it came, what do you think you’re going to do- oh boy, here comes trouble.” Sam glared towards the approaching Jennifer, tilting her head in the direction of the girl.
Alex shifted her gaze towards the direction that Sam was moving her head, she saw the stuck-up blonde girl as she approached the two friends. Jennifer paused just before coming up to Alex and Sam, placing one hand on her hip as she stared at the pair with disgust.
“Of course I would find you two in my hallway after the bell rang. Clearly, I can’t get around this school without bumping into the likes of you.”
Jennifer spoke with an attitude, but a smirk came across her face after she finished her first sentence.
“Oh, by the way, Alex, I got you a “gift” for your birthday since we share the same date after all. Otherwise, I would never remember that you had to butt in even on my special day.”
Alex rolled her eyes at the rude comment and eyed the small package that Jennifer pulled out of her purse. Before she was able to react, Jennifer had shoved the package against Alex’s chest and began to walk past her, heading towards her class.
“Since you enjoy tending to those brats at the local daycare, I figured I would get you a gift that would help you be more popular, even if that popularity is for a bunch of drooling toddlers. Also, because you like to butt your way into everything that I enjoy like a child would.”
Alex had no time to respond as Jennifer had already disappeared around the corner. Sam looked towards the package in Alex’s grasp before lifting her gaze back towards Alex herself.
“Well that was rude, even if she was giving you a gift…go on and open it, I want to see what that beast could have possibly gotten you.”
The girl looked down at the gift in her hands, a small note was attached to the top.
Do not open until you get home and are alone.
The spooky note sent chills down Sam’s spine while Alex just let rolled her eyes and shoved the package into her bag. Despite what the note said, Sam still looked towards Alex with a curiosity in her eyes which quickly turned to a displeased frown as Alex tucked the present away in her bag.
“You’re actually going to listen to a note from Jennifer? Come on Alex, just open it now, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“I’m not afraid of anything happening Sam, I just would prefer to open it at home. We have to get to class, we are late enough as it is, and I might as well and wait until closer to my actual birthday to open a gift that I was given, whether it’s good or bad.”
Sam shrugged but popped a smile as the two walked side to side towards their first class, which they had together, in order to start their last school day of the year.
The final bell of the day finally rang, signaling to all the students that school was done with for the day and for the year. The high schoolers cheered, especially the seniors, as they wouldn’t have to wake up early or worry about all the work they would have to do for a few months.
Alex lived outside of the town in a small cul-de-sac which lay inside a gated community. Sam lived on that same street, just directly across from Alex so the two often spent the 30-minute walk home together. Normally they would drive to school but be how nice out it was, walking was a much better option.
When the two finally reached the community, they parted ways for the afternoon in order to prepare for the graduation ceremony that was being held that night.
Alex walked up to her home and opened the door with a key she had in her backpack. She threw her bag down once she got in and immediately headed upstairs towards her room. Once at the top of the stairs, she took a right turn and then another which lead her to the door to her bedroom.
She entered the room and ran over to her closet, daylight pouring in through the circular window that was above her bed. Alex took out the graduation gown and cap as well as a fancy dress she planned from the start of her senior year. A huge smile on her face while she lay the three articles of clothing onto her bed and got to work prepping herself for the big night.
Graduation went by quick, much quicker than Alex had thought it would. Before the girl knew it, she was back home in her room getting ready for bed. She had already said goodnight to her parents and was putting a few items away when she spotted her backpack laying at the foot of her bed with a wrapped present hanging out.
She finished what she was doing and took a few steps over towards the backpack, carefully slipping the gift out of the opened bag. The wrapping paper crinkled in her hands as she slowly sat down on her bed and started to open it after a few seconds. Underneath the paper was a plain white box which had a small lid on it. Alex moved her hands onto the lid and lifted it up off of the box under it.
Alex pulled the gift inside out, it was a small green dress that looked about the right size to fit a small baby. The girl grunted and tossed the box aside, holding the tiny dress up. She admired the look of it for a few moments before lying down on her bed covers.
“Ugh, what did I really expect as a gift from Jennifer, I should have seen this coming honestly. It’s a shame too, this is a really cute dress for what it is, but I won’t have a use for it, unfortunately. Maybe I can donate it to someone at the daycare when I head to work tomorrow.” Alex quietly spoke to herself before setting the dress down on her chest.
She reached over towards her lamp and shut it off, grabbing her phone to check it one last time before she intended to sleep. Tiredness hit the girl hard and before she knew it, she was passed out with the dress still on her chest and one arm hanging off of her bed, the phone still in her hand.