Chapter Two - Never Alone

Taken over by fear, Camelia was speechless before the entity that clouded her vision. It was a creature that belonged purely in fantasy and its presence defied explanation

It was a jet black humanoid entity floating in the air with its pair of wings. Its sunken red eyes stared at Camelia with a clear ravenous intent. She was frozen under the creature's gaze and pleaded with her body to move.

" AAHHHH!!" Her voice leaped from her mouth like a loaded gun. The shrill scream caused everyone within earshot to jerk their heads at Camelia. An audience of peering eyes was the last thing her anxiety needed.

" Cam,what the hell!? Quit screaming and tell me what's wrong." Mariana shook her friend on her shoulder.

" I...there. It was…" Camelia found her voice stuck in her throat yet again. Why was finding the right words always such a challenge? When she reexamined the window, there was nothing there except normal civilians walking by.

" I need to go," Camelia said as she bolted from her seat to exit the cafeteria.

" Camelia wait! What's wrong? Just talk to me." Mariana's pleas fell on deaf ears. Camelia would not turn back nor would she slow her pace. She rushed to the top floor bathroom which was usually empty that time of day. She secured an empty stall before letting her pent up tears go wild.The sniffling sobs of a lonely girl filled up the room. She wasn't even sure what exactly was making her cry. Whether it was the bullying she pretended to ignore or the potential mental episode she just had, Camelia wasn't certain.

' What the hell is wrong with me? That thing I saw; it had to be an illusion right? God, I'm such a mess. No wonder Katlyn uses me as her punching bag. Camelia thought to herself. Her mind was plagued by every mistake she ever made. She wondered if what was happening to her now was a weird form of karma.

" Camelia?" The sound of Mariana's voice snapped her back to reality. She could hear footsteps gradually approaching her stall. She wondered if it would be worth the effort to hide her feet above the stall door gap. "Go away. I'm not in the mood to talk."

" Well, I am. I know that Katlyn has been giving you hell but I'm still here for you. We can't let her get away with everything she wants. If she wants a fight, we'll fight back even harder. Camelia. Please let me in." Mariana said.

Camelia's hand reached for the door with a shiver. Running was always her first mode of defense. Confronting a problem head-on rarely seemed like an option. She wanted to continue running but at the same time, she knew that would mean leaving Mariana behind. She couldn't afford to lose a friend. Camelia opened the door and the two girls immediately embraced each other for a hug. They wouldn't go back to their classes. They spent the rest of the day comforting each other.