"You know.. I've always admired her," Carmen confessed, staring out across the cement balcony. She watched as orange and gold leaves drifted gracefully off the branches of trees lining the student courtyard.

She shook her head. "Sometimes, I want to be a bit jealous. But I can't, I can only help but feel proud for her." Carmen smiled. "I feel so honored to be friends with someone as dedicated, hardworking, and courageous as Amber. She knows what she wants from life, and she's not afraid to go for it."

"But admiration can sometimes overshadow faults.. faults you wish you would have noticed," Shelby warned as she peered at her friend worriedly.

"Sure," Carmen looked away and shrugged. "Amber may be a bit snarky and blunt, but she means well. She's like that because she cares, she probably hates showing it though."

"You're softhearted," Shelby held her hand over Carmen's gently. "How do you know.. you can trust her?"

Carmen flinched at her sudden coldness. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Oh Carm..." Shelby shook her head pitifully. "I'm afraid you only see people through rose-tinted glasses."

"What?"

Shelby stepped closer and caressed her hair, adjusting a dark curl behind Carmen's ear. "I only want to keep you safe. People aren't always who you think they are."

"Shelby, we've known Amber for years. I really don't understand why you're talking about her like that," Carmen pushed her hand away and focused back on the courtyard.

The leaves had all fallen by now. The space seemed so empty, there were only gray trees now. It seemed the wind had swept away the color from the ground, leaving the courtyard quite somber.

"What if she's just using us? You said she's the kind to do whatever it takes for success. Maybe we're just her tools. Once she's done using us she'll leave." Shelby gripped the cement balcony.

"That's not true! What's gotten into you?"

"How have you not noticed? You're good for her appearance, but nothing else. You better watch out, you don't want to be the one thing standing in her way."

"Shut up!" Carmen yelled and gripped her head. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

Her eyes drifted to a dark crack on the railing. Was that there before..?

"You're a smart girl, but people won't like you for making them feel inadequate," Shelby deadpanned.

"But I'm not—"

"Your softness doesn't allow you to see, let me help," Shelby smiled, stepping up to her swiftly. She pressed her thumbs into Carmen's eyes, sending her screaming in pain.

***

Carmen awoke with a gasp, reaching gingerly for her eyes to make sure they were still there. Thankfully, it had only been a dream.

She scoped her surroundings. Carmen was inside a quiet classroom. It looked like some of the other students had fallen asleep, too. On her desk was an open AP Economics book. Now she remembered, everyone had been assigned to read a few chapters silently. No wonder so many people had dozed off.

What could the last part of that dream mean, though?

Carmen jolted when the bell rang for lunch. It sure was perfect timing, she'd just have to finish the rest at home. She packed her books hurriedly and rushed out the classroom.

Shelby! Carmen grinned when she caught sight of her dear friend standing at the end of the busy hall. Her smile faltered when she remembered the dream. No, the real life Shelby would never talk in such a messed up way. She walked closer and stopped, her smile completely dropping.

It looked like she was talking to that new teacher, Mr. Banks, outside his door. That was weird, they'd already finished that class this morning. There was no reason for them to be talking or laughing like that.

Carmen almost reached for her cross nervously but shrugged it off. Whatever, they must have caught sight of each other before Shelby could meet up with her and struck up a good conversation. Shelby was a natural with that anyway.

Just as she was about to debate the appropriateness of breaking them apart, Carmen found herself walking up to them anyway.

"Hey Shelby," she forced a smile and looked the new teacher up and down.

"Hey girl!"

"Haha well I'll leave you girls be. Enjoy your lunch!" Mr. Banks smiled, displaying dimples on either side of his symmetrical face, before locking the door and leaving.

"Eee! I can't believe he remembers me," Shelby shook her friends shoulder before they started their short trek to the cafeteria. The smell of stale cardboard pizza wafted through the air.

"Wait, you mean you're not the one who went up to him first?" Carm raised an eyebrow.

Shelby chuckled. "Oh well~ unconsciously I did. A woman doesn't have to make the first obvious move. There's always ways to make the man think he started it."

"How so?"

"I walked by all pretty, and when he glanced in my direction I locked eyes with him. He had no choice but to say hello, and we went on from there!"

Carmen sighed and hugged her shoulders. "I'll never understand how you can do that so easily. I'm too awkward to get anyone's attention."

"Are you like, totally kidding me? I'll never understand how you can have curves like that, a beautiful face like that, and not realize what a freakin' hottie you are!"

"Oh stop it! You're just saying that," Carmen hid her blush with the sleeves of her pastel cardigan.

"It's true. I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it!"

"Amber?" Carmen suddenly uttered.

Amber approached them with a powerful stride and took them both by the wrists. "Come with me now. We have to talk."

"Where are we going?" Carmen asked, worry seeped into her expression. She'd never seen Amber look so scared.

"What about lunch?" Shelby, apparently, had other worries.

"Forget lunch, we have to go. We can't talk out here," Amber responded flatly, leading them both up a flight of stairs.

They ducked under the yellow warning tape and crossed through the hall that went over the autumn courtyard, past the broken window, and connected to the older building.

Carmen's heart raced with alarm when she noticed this. "Wait, aren't we not supposed to be up here?"

"Yeah," Shelby agreed as a not-so-subtle look of bewilderment passed between her and Carmen. "This whole building's under construction, that's what the principal announced the other day. It's old and janky, that's why that window cracked when Carm and I were up here. Didn't you hear, Amb?"

"That's not why," Amber said in rushed breaths.

With her hands still wrapped around their wrists, she led them around the corner to a narrow hallway on the right.

They approached what appeared to be the end of the hallway, for the rest of the passage was blocked by wooden boards. Amber held her grip and stared at the boards in front of them.

"Amber..." Carmen mumbled nervously. They'd made it this far before, told ghost stories of what would be on the other side, but never crossed over.

"I hope you're not planning to take us over there," Shelby stole the words from her mouth.

Without turning around, Amber answered with an air of emotionless determination, "We are. We have no choice."