Chapter 2 Wrong Turn

The cold fall air blasted me in the face the moment I got out of the school. It was freezing out here. Lucky for me that I was wearing a pullover to school today, or else I might shiver all the way back home.

"Yeesh! I just had to fall asleep in the library." I muttered to myself and pulled out my phone once again to check and see if my mom or dad called me.

Nothing. Hopefully, they are still working.

My father got a job here as a doctor in Oldridge Hospital. My mother also works there as a nurse.

Yeah, my father is a doctor, and my mother is a nurse. I think we all can imagine how they met: One day, my mother accidentally stabbed her hand with a knife while handling it to the doctor, making them call another doctor – my dad – to mend her wounds. According to my father, my mother was a real pain when they met because she kept screaming at him to take it out without hurting her in another room, making the others think that they were doing something funny and were almost fired on the spot.

Their words, not mine.

Before they beat me to it, I texted them to let them know I'd be late. After sending the message, I put my phone in my pocket and went for a short jog to warm up.

The distance from my home to school is about 2.5 km away. I don't really mind the distance. It's just that walking in the streets alone on a chilly night, I could not help but be paranoid. I've seen movies like this before; A teenage girl gagged, killed, and had her body thrown to the nearest river and let it decay while the little fishes swim and make her remains their new fishy home.

I have a crazy imagination, and the stupid dogs in the neighborhood won't shut up with their continuous howls making my skin crawl.

"Oh, for nugget's sake, shut up!!" I grumbled and shot a glare at the dogs peaking at the windows of the houses I passed by.

This is the first time that I was walking through the neighborhood at this time of the night, and I must say I have a love and hate feeling about it now. I love it because I love how the sky looks like a nuclear bomb of stars has just exploded and sprinkled it with glitters. Hate, because some of the freaking street lights kept flicking, and one of them just died.

How great is that? It just makes it feel like I am in some kind of a horror movie.

I continued to walk for a few more minutes until I found a shortcut that I took once to get to the nearest convenience store in town. Behind one of the bushes lined the fences, you can pass a small gap to get to the other side and into a stinky alleyway leading to our neighborhood.

I took that route. As I passed through the small hole, my bag got caught on the fence. I grunted and pulled at it until it was free. I fell to the ground and hit my face with my bag.

Ah, just great! I think I broke my nose with my trig book.

"This isn't your territory, freak."

Upon hearing voices, I immediately rolled to the side and hid behind one of the trash bins, ignoring the dirt that now stained my clothes. I took a sneak peek to see who had spoken earlier. Hopefully, they did not see me.

Despite the lack of light, I could just make out five figures who are obviously all male. Four of them looked like they were in one group as they formed a circle around the other guy. He was leaning onto the wall with his hands in his pocket, looking like he had no care in the world. He let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through his coal-black hair.

One of the guys looked like he got annoyed by his action. "What are you sighing for?"

"You freak. Get out of here. Get lost." Said the other and gave him a threatening push even though the man was already leaning against the wall. I have no idea if he just found that necessary or he's just plain stupid.

Either way, I just need to sit here and watch till it's over. I don’t want to get involved in case this turns out bad.

But that seemed to get the guy's attention as he started to raise his head and said something to the others that I could not quite hear. "If this is actually your territory, I don't smell any piss around here, so either you get lost, or you start peeing like the mutts that you are."

My nerves started acting when I felt that the atmosphere around here is getting dangerous by the minute.

I fear for the guy. Am I going to witness a real live murder?

One of the men, I am guessing the leader of some sort because he seems bigger than the rest, inches closer and grabs the man’s collar.

Oh man, this is no joke. Maybe I should call the police or something. I took my phone from my pocket and tried to turn it on, but it was no use. The battery was dead.

NO.FREAKING.WAY!

Of all the times you had to go and die on me right now!!! And how can I be low battery when I don't even have any friends to text with!? Now, this is turning out into one of those cliche shits!

"Why don't you say that again to my face?" The man hissed at the guy, making me bite my nails in nervousness. I find it astonishing that I am witnessing something from a tv movie, but I am also afraid of what I might see later on. I have to find a way to help that guy. But what?

Maybe I could use my bag as a weapon?

A weapon? Now that you think about it...

"Go pee on something, mutt." The coal-haired guy said to the other. I could just imagine the guys fuming in anger. He slammed the guy to the wall and started to raise his fist in to throw a punch. At that moment, I don't know what drove me to do what I did, but I did it anyway.

"W-Wait!" I got out of my hiding spot, a little shaky as I clutched my bag tighter as I looked at them. I feel like I'm ready to pee.

My sudden appearance caught their attention, and I couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief when the punch did not come in contact.

"What are you doing here, little girl? Go home." Said the man holding the guy by the collar.

I gulped. "Y-You let him go right now. F-Four guys against one is not a f-f-fair fight." I tried to shake my fear away, but it seemed to cling to me. Well, I was not good at speaking in front of crowds anyway.

The guy snorted and faced the man holding him. "Yeah. What she said. Let me go." That smart-ass comment earned him a whack to the head. "Ow!"

"You have no idea what you are talking about, girl. You don't know this man, so run back home where it's safe." He said and turned his attention back to the guy, who was now regarding me curiously. The man looked like he would continue his punch, so I spoke again—this time making my voice a little more challenging.

"I-I'm warning you!!" I gulped. Well, at least I tried to make it harder and seem more confident.

This was a bad idea. I should have minded my own business.

At that, the men seemed to laugh for about five seconds. "Or else what, little girl? You going to swing your bag at us?" He mocked, which earned another waved of laughter. This time, the coal-haired guy joins in and earns a slap to the head by the man holding him. "Who says you can laugh along with us?" The guy shrugged.

That ingrate. And here I am, trying to help him. Maybe I should just leave this guy because he doesn’t seem to deserve my help anyway.

"I-I'm serious. You d-don't want to mess with me." I continued, and I don't even know why I am still talking.

By the dim light, I could see the man smiling at me cockily. Even the guy with the coal hair regarded me with an amused look and interest. "Well then, tough girl. Show us what you can do."

They ask for it.

I took a deep breath as I calmed myself. I even breathe and close my eyes. It has been years since I have done this. I promised myself that I would not do this ever again, but right now, it might be the only thing that would save both me and that ungrateful guy over there. If it can save us then I am willing to break that promise.

I opened my eyes and suddenly felt the movement of my mouth. It was a foreign feeling to me. I felt the sides of my lips stretching upward like there was an invisible fish hook attached to them, and then I felt my upper and lower lips curling to show my teeth.

I was smiling. I was smiling again—my Killer Smile.

I knew my plan had work the moment I saw the fear reflecting in their eyes. First comes fear, then comes their frantic expression.

The man drops the guy to the ground with his eyes still on me. His mouth is slightly agape as if wondering what I am. "M-Monster!" He screamed and with that, he turned around and ran. Bumping into one of his friends as they stumbled to the ground. They got back to their feet and ran like heck away from me while one of the men thought he was Cinderella and accidentally left one of his shoes.

I stopped smiling.

Monster. Wow. That's new. And it kind of stung, which I should have been used to by now, coming from my previous encounters.

Going back to the matter at hand, I suddenly remembered the guy. He was still sitting on the floor while looking at me. Stunned or scared, I suppose. "A-Are you okay?" I asked. He didn't answer. Maybe he was still a bit shaken up with what he just saw me do and is afraid of me. I touched my lips to see if I was still smiling.

I wasn't.

I nodded slowly, showing him that I understoodd his fear. "Alright. I guess you're fine." I grabbed my stuff from the floor. "I better get going." I lowered my head to hide my face as I passed by him and out of the alley.

"Wait." The guy spoke once I was touched by the light coming from the street lights. I looked back. He got up and dusted his butt as he walked towards me.

Once he was in clear view did I see him fully – with the clothes of course. He was handsome and looked just about my age. His eyes are a mixture of sea green and turquoise blue that contrast his hair making them more noticeable. His brows were thick and full like his lips. His nose was angular and sharp. Underneath his brown leather jacket is a loose black shirt. His jeans were black and paired with brown shoes.

When the guy stood in front of me, I could just smell an expensive perfume on him. He was like those typical rich guys that you read in fictional books. Only he's real and they're not.

"W-What?" I asked and cast my eyes downwards and just focused on my shoes. I don't want to make eye contact with him because I might scare him. I mean, who wouldn't be afraid of a girl with a smile of a serial killer? My smile alone is like the epitome of the mother's stories to their kids to get them to behave.

"I like your smile."