MMonday morning came faster than expected.
Drew and Alex had made it clear all weekend….they didn't want me here.
So, instead of letting them get under my skin, I decided I would dome. I'd go to school, mind my business, and try to find my voice again.
The alarm went off. I groaned, rolled onto my back, and stretched my arms over my head.
My fingers brushed something rough. Something I thought moved.
My brain took a second to catch up.
I could feel the softness, and it felt off.
I opened my eyes slowly, and a scream ripped out of me immediately.
I scrambled backward as I fell off the bed. My breath came out in gasps as my eyes locked onto the sheets.
Ewwwww. A rat.
Its black eyes stared straight at me. Its long tail was curled on the pillow.
I couldn't move.
I pressed my hand to my mouth, gagging.
How did it get there?
My body went cold. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't move
Suddenly, the door flew open.
"What the hell!"
Sebastian froze in the doorway.
"What happened?" he asked, already stepping inside. "Are you hurt? I heard you scream."
I just lifted my hand and pointed.
My finger shook so badly it barely held the direction.
Seb followed my gaze. His face hardened instantly, as he walked closer to the bed.
"Wait," he said slowly, then reached down and picked it up.
That's disgusting. Did he just hold a rat with his bare hands? Why isn't he freaked out?
The rat dangled from his fingers.
Seb frowned, turning it over. "It's fake."
Fake?
Which meant someone had put it there.
Someone had walked into my room while I was sleeping, and thought, this is going to be funny.
I pressed my palm against my mouth, trying to steady my breathing. I felt stupid for screaming, and reacting exactly the way they must've wanted me to.
"So," Seb muttered, "someone thought this was funny. I'm sure it's Alex."
Of course it would be him.
I pictured it immediately….his small hands, that smug little grin. Like this was just another game.
I pushed myself off the floor, refusing to cry or let this be another thing I lost control over.
Seb looked at me, concerned. "You good?"
I nodded, even though I wasn't okay at all.
Down the hall, faint laughter echoed.
My chest tightened again.
Seb followed my gaze toward the door. "I'll talk to him."
I shook my head immediately.
I didn't want apologies. I didn't want this turned into something messy where I became the problem for not handling it better.
He sighed. "Okay. But I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened."
He walked out, taking the fake rat with him like some cursed offering.
Now, even my bed no longer looked safe.
I sat on the edge of it, staring at the sheets where the rat had been. My hands still trembled slightly.
I didn't think children could be this chaotic… this little gremlin.
And it was only Monday.
And someone had already declared war with a plastic rat.