Blackmail 0/0

Melissa endured a tense car ride. She wasn't in first period the next day. No one even said anything when the teacher called her name.

Ciel was feeling very worried when Melissa didn't show up to first period. What had happened to her? She wanted to ask someone, but she didn't know who to ask. Instead, she simply prayed that Melissa was at lunch so she could make sure she was okay.

Melissa wasn’t at lunch. Branden and the rest of his friends where at their usual table. Melissa hadn’t texted Ciel.

A wave of worry washed over Ciel when she saw that Melissa wasn't at lunch either. She spotted Branden and, summoning her courage, went over to him. "Hey, Branden, so you know where Melissa is?" She asked, giving him a friendly smile.

Branden turned to her. “She’s home sick. Something about cake and her stomach hurting,” he easily lied.

"Oh," Ciel said, the word clipped. "Well, if you see her, tell her I said hello. And that I hope that she gets better." She gave Branden another smile– though it was not at all genuine– and turned away. Even though Melissa wouldn't be there, the library still seemed like a better place to be than in the lunchroom.

He didn’t say anything back. Just turning to his friends and laughing about something. Back at Brandens house Melissa had just waken up and was curled up in bed looking at her phone. She new she shouldn’t text Ciel but she really wanted to.

Ciel sat in the library, eating her lunch in silence. She was feeling lonely and was being reminded of her time at her old school. Not a good memory. Ciel set the remainder of her lunch down and pulled out her computer. If she couldn't talk to Melissa, she could at least finish some homework.

Melissa turned off her phone. Tossing it to the side not wanting to be tempted. She curled up more on bed.

Ciel managed to finish all her homework during the lunch period, then walked to the gym. She was feeling generally not good, worry for Melissa mixing with general loneliness.

Melissa finally texted Ciel. “Hey What did I miss in class?” She asked.

Ciel checked her phone, her heart jumping when she realized the text was from Melissa. "Nothing much. Another worksheet about the same thing as yesterday in math," she wrote. "By the way, how are you feeling? Brandon said you felt sick."

Melissa wrinkled her nose slightly at his name. “I’m feeling better I’ll probably be in school tomorrow,” she said curling up a little more under her blanket. She couldn’t even stand at the moment and really hoped what she said was true.

"Alright." Ciel wrote back. "Well, I miss you. Everything is much more boring without you, since you're basically my only friend. But don't push yourself to come back before you're feeling better. You feeling better is more important than me." She smiled a little sadly, hoping Melissa wasn't feeling too bad.

Melissa smiled at the screen. “Thanks and I will,” she texted back almost right away. “This could be a good time to talk to others! There’s a few cool kids in our gym class. I promise not everyone’s an ass.”

Ciel grinned. "Okay, maybe I will." She looked around, suddenly feeling a bit shy. She didn't know why, but she was nervous about talking to new people. Who would she talk to?

Melissa smiled at the screen weakly but then turned it off. There where a few people in the actually gum room. Some playing games while others where sitting around. Most That where sitting around where I’m groups but some where all alone.

Ciel was torn between going to a larger group or a person by themselves. In the end, she picked a nice-looking person sitting by themselves and walked over to them. "Hi! Do you mind if I sit here?"

“Of course not!” She said smiling and removing the bag next to her. She smiled at Ciel. “You’re new right? I think I’m in your science class.”

(might not be on much today and maybe tomorrow I’m not feeling that well)

(Alright! Feel better!)

Ciel sat down next to the girl. "Yeah, I am." She nodded. "Really? That's cool! Oh, I'm Ciel. What's your name?" Ciel smiled at her, drawing her knees up to her chest.

“I’m Katherine,” she said smiling as well. She turned to the Ciel her legs bent slightly. “How do you like the school so far?”

"Nice to meet you, Katherine," Ciel said, glad this girl was nice. "It's okay, I guess. Just trying to get used to things here, figure out where my classes are, that sort of thing."

“Yeah this place can be a maze,” she said. “Melissa was your tour guide right?”

"Yeah. Do you know her? She's super nice," Ciel said, trying not to look too dreamy. She wasn't totally sure she had succeeded, but it was hard to not sound dreamy when talking about Melissa. She was just too wonderful.

“Not really personally but I’ve seen her around. She seems pretty cool. Cant believe she ended up with Branden though,” she said shaking her head at the end.

"She is really cool," Ciel agreed, smiling softly. At the mention of Branden, though, her face dropped into more of a scowl. "I agree with that. He doesn't seem very nice."

“Yeah he doesn’t. That whole groups full of assholes. As far as I saw they tormented Melissa last year,” she said shrugging. “Either way though I’d watch out. Wouldn’t want to get wrapped up in all that.” She leaned on the wall.

"That does seem like the group he would be in." Ciel wrinkled her nose slightly. She didn't know why Melissa was with Branden and all his friends if they supposedly tormented her last year. There was probably a story to explain it, though with what she'd seen of that group so far, it wasn't a nice story. "Yeah, I'm not planning on getting any nearer to them them I have to."