Araluen, being one of two Asians at a predominantly white school, tries to stay out of sight... for the most part at least. However when she receives a mysterious purple note in her locker AND seems to be getting checked out by a cute guy on the sam...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Well, this is interesting.
My thoughts spin, attempting to figure out who sent this note, and why. I glance at the hallway clock: 7:53. Seven minutes to dissect this before English class (sigh) starts. Before tucking the note into my locker, I memorize the simple message inscribed in silver for later reference. Then I close my locker quietly and slip into the crowd of chattering high school students.
I keep to the sides of the hallways and am careful not to cross anyone's paths. I am a shadow: I am here but you don't see me. Such conduct by now is second nature for me -- being one of two Asians at an all-white school, this is practically a survival skill, one that I was forced to develop in junior high. Even so, I get tripped or shoved occasionally, which is mild compared to the teasing (more accurately insults) that are related to my race.
Once I am settled safely at the back of LA 3, I take out my laptop and open the document "9th grade -- Events". It's 7:55 AM, and I try to type as fast as I can.
Thursday, September 15th
Post 1: Mysterious purple note found in locker at 7:52 AM
Description
Paper color: Royal Purple. Seems familiar but how?
Text: Silver, seems to be printed.
Message: I see that you have found this note today / I'm sorry that it had to be this way / Do your best and find the rest / Will you really pass this test?
Analysis
It's interesting but uncanny how the shade of purple could possibly be familiar. {Analysis will be completed once I find memory of such a shade of purple}
Someone evidently took a lot of work doing this. Metallic ink contains actual metal in it and requires a special process and software to print.
Line-by-Line analysis
I see that you have found this note today
Duh
I'm sorry that it had to be this way
Somewhat ominous, as if "this way" was some sort of last resort.
Do your best and find the rest
There are more notes that I must find.
Will you really pass this test?
This is a test.
Conclusion
This took a lot of work. Probably not some prank by some bully.
Someone is watching me.
Yes, I type fast. This is how far I get before Ms. Summers starts to call roll, and then the class plunges headfirst into another English lesson.
Contrary to how much I type in those documents, English is one of my least favorite classes. I am good at observing and analyzing and drawing conclusions. Scientific stuff. But ethics, philosophy, critical thinking? Not so much.
It's 20 minutes until the end of class, and we've been given our homework worksheet, which I skim briefly and sigh. More abstract stuff. Not wishing to work on it now, I run my hand over the paper, feeling its texture and memorizing the questions.
Suddenly I think of the note. And glancing at my wrist, I now know why.
"Araluen, promise me you will wear this everyday to school. No matter what." Of course I promised, but the way she said it -- it was like she knew something I didn't.
The bracelet is knotted leather in a beautiful pattern, but I'm not worried about the leather. I'm worried about the big glass bead interwoven into the leather. The glass bead that reveals a beautiful, stylized "V" when I brush its surface. The glass bead that is purple -- yes, the exact shade of purple as my note.
I update my Analysis for that specific event and wonder whether it would be valid to draw the conclusion that this note is related to my grandmother. It is mysterious and the message seems as if the person knew me (which means the person is unlikely to be a student. Most people here barely notice me -- I've made sure of that.) Only a rich person would go to the trouble of printing in metallic ink -- and my passed grandmother was very rich. So there is some connection there.
On the other hand, it could simply be a coincidence that the two shades of purple happen to be exactly the same. I can't just jump to conclusions -- although my conclusion I reached just now does happen to be quite creepy.
The bell rings, and English class ends.
It's lunchtime, and I've managed to move my focus to what I need to get done, although the thoughts, not to mention the overall creepiness, continues to linger at the back of my mind, reluctant to leave.
I take my lunch bag and slip over to my usual isolated spot in the cafeteria. It's in a table in the corner where the only people (apart from myself) that sit there during lunch are those who want to study in peace and quiet (as if there could be peace and quiet in this cafeteria).
I dig out the note from my pocket and study it as I munch on my turkey sandwich. Laying out my bracelet on the table next to the note, the resemblance between the two shades of purple is very much clear. But again, the question arises: What could it all mean?
A shadow falls over my table, and I jump.
**So, in case you're wondering, these 'parts' aren't actually chapters. The length of my original chapters seems to be pretty patience-testing for most, so I've split up the chapters to try to make it easier/less boring for Wattpad readers. Hope you're enjoying the story! :D
