Angela Stephens's Story

"No. Helena is clean," Joe told Max. For a moment, he could not help his lips twitching into a small smile. It was almost like a reunion after speaking to each other that much in what felt like forever. He glared at Angela when she dumped water onto Helena' s face, but couldn't complain when Helena opened her eyes. He grinned at his old friend.

"Welcome back to the real world," he told her. He didn't notice it, but he gripped hand, "Are you okay? What happened?"

He always hated to see Helena hurt. Even when they were kids, he was the first with bandages for her s and a kind word. Of course, he was a lot different back then. He had toughened up a lot over the years. Still, he always had a soft spot for the strange girl. Not once had he offered to sell her any drugs and he had made it clear that if anyone bothered her, he'd bother them. Still, he felt guilty. He had drifted away from her and the others over the years. He hadn't meant, but things happened. Things like Al.

"Please tell us."

Angela rolled her eyes at Joe with his glare, but scoffed when Helena opened her eyes. "See? What did I tell you?" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. Joe asked her what happened, and Angie rolled her eyes again.

"Isn't it obvious? We all knew she was crazy. This just proves she's breached the walls of pure insanity." Angela walked around, kicking Max's heel with her shoe as she passed. Max had been relatively off her radar. They had been close friends as kids and it wasn't like she forgot that. But, hey, there only so many insanity jokes she could make about Helena. She definitely needed a new victim.

Angela turned, peering down at Helena and Joe. She made a disgusted face at Helena. "Yuck. You smell like the outdoors."

Max really should have paid more attention to what was going on in the background, because in the next second there was icey water everywhere. He leaned back on his heals, cursing under his breath as he got sprayed. It wasn't bad, just enough to shock him, and he turned his glare up towards Angela. His mind was spinning, immediately filling with any sort of way he could bite her head off, but the sound of coughing quickly caught his attention.

Max turned back to Helena in an instant, but for a moment his focus drifted towards Joesph. It was almost like they were six years old again. Joe had always been the caring one, the one to show up with a first aide kit, the first one to give a damn. A lot had changed, and for just a split second, Max wondered how they got like this.

Before he could go down that road Angela was kicking his boot, which was a good distraction. Max was on his feet again, glaring down at Angela. If she was a guy, he'd already be pushing her across the room, but he wouldn't touch her. Max was a lot of things, probably just a layer above the rest of the scum in the school, but he wouldn't touch a girl out of anger. Never. Still, that didn't hold his voice back.

"What the hell is wrong with you, huh?! You know you could have sent her body into shock with that little stunt!" He was yelling, and people around the class room were either still focused on Helena or focused on him because most people hadn't heard Max so much as mutter in two or thee years, much less yell. "Do you really not have enough attention already on your pathetically fake ass that you have to go and pick on others, huh? Why can't you just leave her alone?"

He could feel his anger like it was actually a presence, resting it's head on his shoulder and draping it's arms around his body. It made him physically stagger for a moment it was so strong. That, or he was just that sleep deprived.

Angela smiled pityingly at Max. This was exactly the outcome she had hoped for. "Well. The bad boy mute finally speaks. FYI: There is never enough attention on me. You all are just fun to play with. I mean, one little trip where I accidentally kick your little boot and you're already jumping up and yelling at me. How are those anger management classes going? It makes more sense to see you not going, considering you can barely contain yourself." She stepped back and fanned out her arms in front of her to include her three former friends.

Looking at the rest of the class, she cocked her head to the side. "Look at this, the druggie, the convict, and the insane. Looks like you guys have it all figured out. Great job taking part in society, gold medals to all of you." The class laughed and immediately she had ostracized the three more than they already were. Now, when the school looked at them, all they would remember was that Angela Stephens had succeeded yet again in ruining another's reputation. Joe may have been a respected badass, but now he was a badass who had been beaten by a girl, as well as Max. Nobody liked Helena anyway, so no gain there.

"And, please. Stop acting like this is some secret thing from our childhood dreams. The girl is insane, maybe some shock would do her good. Anybody see that stupid toy she carries around all the time? Maybe we should burn it. It could be her first step to recovery."

Max hated that damn smile of her, the one that looked like she was pitying him, because he didn't need it. He exhaled heavily as he glared at her. He couldn't care less that she so much as touched him, it was the entire fucking scenario going on that was pissing him off. He physically recoiled at the mention of anger management because yeah, she struck a cord.

The laughter didn't bother him, it never had. He didn't give a shit about what they all thought of him, in fact he was so invisible it wasn't uncommon for people to forget he existed at all. He couldn't really argue with the idea that Helena might be mentally unstable though, the thought had crossed his own mind more than once. Still, that didn't give Angela the right to ostracize her every chance she got.

He took one more step forward, didn't matter that Angela had wrapped herself up in her group of followers or not. He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Keep talking, Angie. I hope you enjoy your climb to the top. And when you get there, call me and let me know how it feels to find yourself utterly alone."

To someone who didn't understand, it would look like Angela Stephens had the most friends in the world, but Max knew. He knew how fake everyone was. Especially the people she surrounded herself with, who stated their friendship based on laws of popularity and need of social standing. When the cards fell, she'd find she had no one to turn to. In fact, given what the date was, he was sure she'd find out very soon.

He smiled at her, a half kind of smirk he'd always had when he knew he was right and no one else could argue with him. But as his anger died down, something in his heart physically hurt. He'd tried with her. He'd tried so hard to hang onto her, to keep her together, but in the end she had made her decision.

Taja just kept to herself as this commotion went on around her, and to be honest she didn't know what to do exactly. Taja was clearly on defending Helena, but she didn't want to leave Angela on her own either. She knew Angela was wrong, but she was still an old friend and it felt wrong to just push her away some more. With that, Taja just stayed in the background not sure of what to say to what was going on. It was happening so quick that she was starting to get very overwhelmed with the situation.

Taja watched as Taja decided to take it into her own hand and pour ice water on Helena. That got her worried because knowing Angela she was just making it worse. However, Helena did react to the ice water and began going back to normal. Taja gave out a sigh of relief because Helena was going to be okay. "Guys, she going to be fine just give her some room and allow her to get up." Taja suggested. As that was happening, the final member of the six entered all too late. "What is this a reunion?" Taja said with amazement. "We haven't all been in the same room and actually interact with each other in years." Taja said as she helped Helena get off the floor and onto her two feet.

"Can someone help me get her to the nurse's office?" Taja asked as she put one of Helena's arms around her neck. "You know, just to be really sure that she is going to make it out okay" She added, "Max. You wanna help me?". Taja asked, and by the look on his face he was shocked to be picked.

The red haired girl blinked a couple of times, attempting as best she could to respond to Joe's question. Why was Joe there? That was odd.

"...the mechanical horseman stabbed me with a pike.."
Helena sat up, pushing some of her dripping crimson hair out of her face.
"...but then I removed his head."Uh...sorry...I'm okay...just saw something...then it went all...weird.."

She had no idea why she was soaking wet, but considering the argument that was taking place between Max and Angela, she could give a fair guess as to its source. Lena groaned.

She had a serious headache and Angela's bitching didn't help things.
She was also, admittedly, starting to get pretty self conscious about the number of people staring at her. She was used to being an outcast, certainly,but the active level of derision she attracted was minimal usually. Generally Angela and her minions might give her hassle about her toy or her sweaters, or shed get some insults thrown at her in the corridor. No-one seriously messed with her, and this was a little overwhelming.

Staring to feel a bit on the uncomfortable side she pulled the sodden woolen clothing off, revealing the top she had underneath, with elbow length sleeves, and showing her shoulders, which contained a notable amount of scar tissue across it and round the base of her neck. A result of a certain accident that she could not properly recall.

"I'm fine." she insisted.
"It's not a medical thing. Seriously. You would not find something wrong...sides from maybe a cut or bruise on my shoulder right now.."

She got to her feet, leaving drops of water on the carpet, and looked round for Space Coyote, in time to hear the remark about burning it. At that she turned on Angela, smiling a little bit.

"Hey, Angela. I know you're getting the dreams too." she stated.
"They'll only get worse. And Space Coyote is probably more of a danger to you, than you are to Space Coyote, trust me."

Angela rolled her eyes at Max. "Au contraire, I'm not alone at all. You're the one that's going to spend eternity in the solitary room of a prison." She looked at a friend of hers and winked, and her friend giggled. She was certainly more well liked than Max may have thought.

Helena spoke then, regarding her toy. She mentioned the dream and Angela flinched. But she recovered in time for a cruel smile. "Space Coyote? What kind of a name is that?" She chuckled nervously, trying to hide the fact that she was becoming scared at the mention of the dream. This sudden vulnerability caused whatever ice had been following her to increase and she could feel the tips of her fingers and hair freeze to ice. She shivered but remained upright and wouldn't let the depressed feeling spread.

I am cool, I am calm, I am mean. C'mon, Angela. She thought and cocked her head to the side again.

"That little toy is no danger to anyone. Quite believing in fantasies, Helena. They'll just drag you down."

Helena dismissed her armed around Taja and sat up looking perfectly fine. She looked uncomfortable however. Probably from all the stares everyone was giving her. Poor thing was probably not used to being in the middle. "Alright, if you insist that you're okay, then I believe you," Taja said to Helena. "Just make sure to keep it together girl. We don't want another accident." She said smiling, trying to ease off this thick tension in the air.

Few moments passed, and Helena began to take off her wool sweater off revealing some unique marks around her neck. That is when it clicked. Ar.. are those from the accident?! Taja thought as it all made sense. Poor girl, she didn't deserve to be in that accident. She couldn't help but stare, she was so brave. It was what Helena said afterward that took her for surprise. "Hey Angela. I know you're getting the dreams too." She started. Dreams? What dreams? She couldn't be thinking off.. She was cut off thought as Helena continued to speak. "They'll only get worse. And Space Coyote is probably more of a danger to you, than you are to Space Coyote, trust me."Space Coyote. Where have I heard that name before. It sounds so familiar. She thought as the name rang a bell. Oh no, she couldn't be talking about her "friend" could she? She thought as all these thoughts came through her head.

Suddenly the room went dark. She could vaguely see everyone. Everything was dark except for a light in the back of the room. She approached this light as she felt she was being called. Taja approached the counter and heard beautiful violin music in the background. Music that soothed her, and suddenly something appeared in front of her. It was a small plant. Oh no. This isn't what I think it is... is it? Blossom? Is that you? Blossom can you hear me? Blossom was Taja's imaginary. Probably the sweetest of the six imaginaries. They were inseparable as kids. The way Taja knew she was going to appear was from violin music playing in the background. Suddenly the music started getting darker, and more evil and bitter sounding. What's going on? Blossom? Blossom what's happening? She called out, as to maybe hearing blossom's voice again. She did hear a voice but it wasn't a sweet voice that Blossom possesed. It was a version of Blossom's that sounded bitter, and vengeful sounding.

Taja looked down at the little plant. She noticed the change from being a sweet little stub, to now a rotten looking piece of Ivy. Suddenly she felt a pull on her to look into the plant. She resisted but couldn't really because the force was too strong. She then heard a scream that frighten Taja. Following the scream she heard the voice again and this time it was comprehensible. I will do whatever it takes to bring you back! Following that she heard an evil laugh. Taja gaped closed her eyes and began gasping for air. When she opened her eyes, she was back where she was. Standing next to the other six. Attention now eyes on her. What happened? She thought as everyone now was looking at her. "Haha, sorry guys I thought I saw a spider and closed my eyes. I'm really scared of spiders as you can see." She told everyone. It was a lit however. Taja loved spiders, but she hopes that none of the other five remembers that. That proved to be wrong because the stares that she was getting from the other five read that they knew what happened. "Alright well, this is getting to be too much. I gotta go get ready for my violin show next hour so I hope to see you guys there to maybe root for me. This is big deal for me, and I hope it goes well." She said sincerely as she stepped away. As she reached the door, the bell rang. Boy, I hope that never happens again. That was too much fore me. She thought as she started for her locker. Hopefully my show will go better. I just hope that Angela's threat earlier was a joke. Boy do I hope so.

Angela's next comment was a direct hit, and he was sure she knew it. Max had a reputation, obviously, and the fact that he was very well going to end up in the yearbooks section of 'most likely to be arrested' was no secret, but he still hated hearing it coming from her. Anyone else he could take it from, but not her. "That's cool. Convicts are better company than you, at least."

He snorted as he pushed passed her, in the heat of the argument having forgotten why he was even there in the first place. "I hope all you kiddos are playing nice now, ya' hear?" The voice brought his head up, towards the doorway, where no other than the last member of their broken group was standing. Bam Bam. He would have smiled, probably even laughed, if he wasn't so wound up.

Behind him, he could hear Helena getting to her feet with Taja's help, and snorted when Helena explained herself. Then it all went weird. No shit. "What is this a reunion?" Taja said with amazement. "We haven't all been in the same room and actually interact with each other in years." He had a feeling she was just trying to take down the animosity the six had brewed up, but she was kind of right. Besides Angela's bullying and the occasional bumming drugs off each other, they really didn't interact anymore. Taja even mentioned something about taking the girl to the nurses office, asking for his help, of all people. His eyes went wide for a moment, but then Helena shrugged Taja off and continued to argue that she was fine.

Max shook his head, and was about to finally make his way out of the room when he heard Helena speak again. The mentioning of dreams shook him for a moment, and he looked over his shoulder just as Angela replied with her usual icey disregard. But this time, he took a different side. "She's right Lena. We aren't kids anymore. Drop it."

There was only a beat of silence before Taja had her own momentary freak out, eyes closed followed by a scream. She was shaking too, looked terrified really, but Max was done. "Fuck this shit," he muttered under his breath, turning on his heel. The bell rang somewhere, but he barely registered it as he barked at a few people to get the hell out of his way so he could make it to the door. He stopped by Beau, shaking his head as he looked back at Angela. "Queen Bitch is PMSing and using us as targets for the day, just so you know."

Everyone was starting to leave, but Helena, starting to get back up to speed after her unexpected trip, stepped into the doorway. She lifted one arm to left other students get away, but when it came to her once friends attempting to walk away she remained in their path.


"..you all need to listen to me. You need to come back. You need to come back to Otherworld and fix what you broke, because it's been coming after me and...you will be the ones it's after next." she stated, deadly serious.
"If you listen to me we are going to be there together and so we'll have a better chance. If you ignore me, it'll still happen, but well be split up, you'll all be taken back to your imaginary's home realms and I...well I might be dead. It's a distinct possibility."

SOunded pretty ridiculous. It definitely did. However if for nothing but her own responsibility she had to try and warn them. They needed to know that she had tried anyway, if she ended up suddenly keeling over the next day and never coming back again after whatever part of her that left for Otherworld was stuck on a pike over the beast's gates.

"..,I just want you all to know that."

Angela smiled when her comment to Max seemed to hit a nerve. "Well, I was just shooting a wild guess, but looks like I was right. You will end up in prison for the rest of your life." Angela laughed then, as well as the rest of the class. She started to move forward, fanning the air around her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, reality calls. You crazies are infecting my airways." She walked forward but Helena stopped her. She raised her arms to push her away, after all the girl was the size of a peanut, but Helena's next words stopped her.

"..you all need to listen to me. You need to come back. You need to come back to Otherworld and fix what you broke, because it's been coming after me and...you will be the ones it's after next." she stated, deadly serious.
"If you listen to me we are going to be there together and so we'll have a better chance. If you ignore me, it'll still happen, but well be split up, you'll all be taken back to your imaginary's home realms and I...well I might be dead. It's a distinct possibility."

Angela scoffed at that. "You can't really expect me to believe that," she looked around at her former friends to see their facial expressions, "We were eight! You can't seriously mean that this Otherworld is real!" Angela said, but the minute she did a blast of ice shot through her core, blowing her hair forward and causing her to gasp with the feelings of depression and actual physical pain that coursed through her. It was as if what she said caused some sort of reaction.

Her hair stared to freeze from the bottom up, and her lips turned blue. Then, so suddenly, the freeze stopped. She resumed normality, but didn't speak. She was too cold to do that.

Joe watched Helena with a frown on his face. Could those scars be from the accident? He remembered the day he heard about the accident. It was the day everything started going downhill for him. It was like it was an omen for what was to come. Big Al came and the six drifted away soon after that.

"..you all need to listen to me. You need to come back. You need to come back to Otherworld and fix what you broke, because it's been coming after me and...you will be the ones it's after next." she stated, deadly serious.
"If you listen to me we are going to be there together and so we'll have a better chance. If you ignore me, it'll still happen, but well be split up, you'll all be taken back to your imaginary's home realms and I...well I might be dead. It's a distinct possibility."

Joe clenched his teeth as memories about his own imaginary friend came flood back. What was her name? Cadriel. He had made her up when his dad died and she had promised, no, he had her promise, that she would never let anything bad happen to him. He glared at Helena.

"Otherworld isn't real, Lena," he told her before his expression softened a bit, "Helena, holding on to that game is just setting you up for disappointment."

He felt the pain and the shame wash over him. He cried out for her, but Caladriel wasn't there. It was just Al and him. Tears streaked his cheeks and he moaned in despair, eliciting laughter and mockery from his new "dad".

He sat back on the desk, grimacing at the memory. What brought that on? He usually had greater control over his mind.

Taja reached her locker to put away her books. She breathed in thinking about what was about to happen in about a half an hour. Relax, everything will be okay. The audience will love you. But most of all, the scout will love you. Taja thought reassuring the idea that nothing will go wrong during her performance. He closed her locker, with her violin case in hand and headed down the hallway. Good luck Taja! One of the guys from the football team said. "Thanks! I'll do my best!" She smiled and continued to walk. You'll do great Taja! A couple more kids were saying that now as Taja reached the auditorium. She went backstage to prepare herself mentally. She took a peek through the curtain looking to see if everyone was in their seats. The lights dimmed as the principal took the stage to talk about what was happening.

That lasted for a good ten minutes, and once the light booth had everything in order, the teacher called Taja onto the stage. Ladies and Gentlemen. With great pleasure, playing the violin for us, give her your support. Taja Okoro! The audience clapped as the curtains raised. Taja reached the microphone and began to speak. "Thank you for supporting me on this, and I hope you enjoy the show. The first piece I will be playing is called Dancing Pedals dedicated to an old friend of mine," She said "While the second piece is called Friendship never dies. That piece is dedicated to my new and old friends, and the great memories I had with them. I hope you like them." With that Taja took a seat on the chair already ready for her to sit on. She got her Violin out and took a breath. And so, it began and hoping that nothing goes wrong.

Angela walked out of the classroom with a weird feeling. That was way too freaky...

Though she would never admit to the fact, it had been nice conversing with her old group, though only for a short while. As naiive as they might be to the issues in the present day, they understood her, to an extent. They understood the old her. She heard the announcement summoning all students to the auditorium and smiled grimly. It was time for her act to take place. Pulling out her phone, she texted her girls to see if everything was in position. They texted the affirmative, and Angela's dejected gait turned into one of pride.

Entering the auditorium, she saw Taja walk onto the stage. She let the girl play her first notes, before giving a time of commencement for her ladies. Taja could enjoy her fame in front of the talent scout now, but before long she would be filling the auditorium with awful, ear-crushing, music. Not to mention losing all of her hopes and dreams in the blink of an eye.

Damn, I'm good.

Joe had to admit it. Raja was good. Normally, for this sort of thing, he had to get high to alleviate the boredom, but he found himself enjoying the music, even if it wasn't his taste in music. He scanned the audience through the curtain backstage. It had been simple sneaking himself there. He came by to offer Raja moral support and simply stayed there. The trick in going to places you weren't supposed to be was to pretend you were supposed to be there. Sneaking around beyond a certain point was detrimental. It just drew unwanted attention.

He frowned slightly when he saw Angela. She was texting, but that wasn't sinister. At least, it wasn't for normal people. He had decided to come here because he wouldn't put it past the Queen Bee and her minions to pull something. So far, he hadn't seen them do anything, but he was still on edge. He clenched his fists. He wasn't going to let that happen.

((OOC: Just a quick post to set the prank going! Do with it what you will.))

Angela gave the go ahead to one of her girls, who would signal the next. Suddenly, all you could hear was a high pitched screeching noise, followed by terribly off-key strums coming from Taja's violin. The lights flickered on and off, some chairs tipped over. Angela smiled deviously, looking over at the talent scout to see him frowning, covering his ears, and definitely putting some bad marks on Taja's review. This would definitely put a major setback in the girl's chances, if not ruin them all together.

Perfect!

Taja was done with the first piece, and for the most part everything was going well. She got a standing ovation on the first piece so the next piece should go better than the first. Taja was calm and collected, even under pressure. She could be freaking out on the inside, but if you were to look at her she would not show any worry whatsoever. She began the second piece. Starting it slow at first, then getting into some of the faster stringing. It was going perfect. The talent scout seemed to be loving it. He looked fairly happy with the performance. The second song was nearly over, and all Taja had to do was finish strong. It all ended all too quick. What seemed like the perfect show, it was all taken away from her hands just as quick. The speakers began to go all static sounding, and then a loud screech followed that. The lighting began to go all crazy, glancing over at the light booth the people controlling it where going crazy. Taja glanced over at the scout and he looked very disappointed and the faces he was giving off was that of pure disgust. Taja's hopes of ever going to South Korea to perform over the summer where taken away from her so fast.

After a few minutes people began to leave. The static sounds had stopped, but the lighting issues where still going on. Suddenly Taja began to think. Who could do such a thing, and before she knew it, she saw Angela peering out the curtain looking so proud of herself. That got Taja really mad, having left the stage marching towards Angela. "How could you do this to me?" Taja yelled. "You knew how important this was for me, and you took it away from me without even caring." She continued, "You know, I get that you don't like us anymore, but you have no right to go and ruining peoples lives like the way you did. I have done nothing to you. I have been the one that's been the least mean to you, and I just don't understand what I did to make you hate me so much." She said very annoyed. "Is this because of your parents? Angela I get that you're hurting from your parents, but you don't have to be such a bitch in order to feel better. I tried being there for you, but you just pushed me away, and now because of your selfish actions my career as we know it is ruined." That seemed like it hit something but Taja didn't care. "Now I have to go and beg for another chance that I'm probably not going to get." Taja walked off crying. She suddenly felt a tug on her shoulder. It was Joe. "Joe not now please, I've got to go talk to the talent scout. He's probably still in the lobby, and if I catch him now I can go beg for another chance." She said as she whipped a few tears from her cheeks.

Joe was angry. No, he was furious with Angela. It wasn't enough that she harassed her former friends during the school day, now she had to go out of the way to ruin any chance Taja had at actually realizing her dreams, a dream that Angela knew that she had had since they were kids. He hugged her tighter before letting go of the girl. He smiled down at her.

"It will be okay," he told his friend. He looked over at the talent scout and at himself. He wore a black leather jacket, worn bluejeans, and black leather boots. Not for the first time, he noticed he was a walking, talking 50's Greaser stereotype. Nonetheless, he had to do something. Even if there wasn't much of a chance that someone would listen to a person like himself. He walked over to the man.

"Excuse me, but you need to hear Taja play. It's not his fault some jealous bitch sabotaged her! She..." he began. As he was speaking his head started to spin.

He was in the midst of a field. No, not a field. A landfill. He looked around in confusion, but before he could say anything, something leapt from the junk. It was a chimera of flesh and machine. He didn't even know if he could recognize all the animal parts it had, but he knew it was at least part rabbit and part wolf. It ran at him and, on instinct, he rolled away from it, but it turned quickly and bit at him. He cried out as he felt blood burst out of his hand.

"Ah! The fuck!" he cried. He held out his hand, blood splattering on his jacket and on the talent scout.

Deep within the forest quarter, Ivy smiled as she felt her creator's sadness. She reached out for her mind and whispered to her. Unlike Cadriel, she decided to start with something other than physical pain.

"Poor Taja... All alone with no one to help you. You will never be recognized. Your music falls on deaf ears. They all hate you, you know. Helena, Joe, even Maxy. He will never love you. After all, where is he? But don't worry Ta-Ta," she told her, using her old nickname for her creator, "I will always love you. I still have to punish you, of course, but that is only because I love you so much."