Monday, November 3
Hi guys I'm Leah Quinn and I just moved to the city because my dad got a promotion and I hope I make friends in school today
Ooh shoot! I've got to go to gym, well bye guys.
Oh my gosh — I peed my pants scream!!
"Okay Leah, breathe in …. now breathe out"
I dashed to the toilet and quickly changed into another set of sportwear that was randomly lying on the ground then I decided to skip gym class and went to my locker. When I got to my locker, I saw a letter which said,
Dear whatever your name is,
We invite you to the annual costume party which will take place today and we would like you to take note of the following:
Venue: no 2 Pepper Lane
Costume: a star fish
Thanks for your time "chao for now!"
P.s – rip this paper once you're done reading
When I finished reading, I did a happy dance inside my head so no one else could see it.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you", said a voice behind me
"OMG … you scared me"
"Sorry umm…. Can you tell me your name please"
"Sure, it's mia - I mean L…e…a…h"
I burst out laughing — but stopped when I saw his face. He wasn't joking.
"Oh… wait, you're serious?"
He nodded, a little sheepishly.
"Sorry," I said, brushing my hair behind my ear. "For a second, I thought you were trying to be Prince Charming or something."
"Cinderella, right?" he said with a small smile. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
Then his smile faded, just a little.
"I didn't mean to make fun of you," I said quickly. "It just caught me off guard."
"It's fine," he said. "I just wanted to warn you — that party? It's not what it seems."
I raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know me. Why would you care?"
He shrugged. "Maybe I don't. But if something goes wrong, don't say no one warned you."
"Okay, Ethan," I said, folding the letter and slipping it into my pocket. "Thanks for the unsolicited advice."
And just like that, he turned and walked away
What was his deal?
After school, I rushed home, buzzing with excitement. I was ready to change into my starfish costume — until I realized I didn't even own one.
"Oh no," I muttered, staring at my empty closet.
I broke open my piggy bank, scooped out the coins and crumpled bills, and ran to the nearest costume shop. The place smelled like plastic and old fabric, and the cashier barely looked up as I grabbed the only starfish costume left — bright orange, puffy, and absolutely ridiculous.
Once I put it on, I looked like a walking sea creature. I felt stupid… but I wore it anyway.
The party invitation said No. 2 Pepper Lane. I followed the address and ended up in front of an abandoned warehouse. The windows were cracked, and the door creaked as I pushed it open.
"Hello?" I called out. No answer.
I figured they were just running late. So, I waited.
Minutes passed. Then hours. Still no one.
My excitement faded into confusion. Then worry. Then sadness.
Tears welled up in my eyes. "Had they stood me up?" I whispered.
"Had they… wait what's that sound?"
Okay, so… the warehouse door slammed shut behind me and I nearly jumped out of my starfish costume.
I turned around like a ninja (well, a clumsy starfish ninja) and tried the handle. Locked. Of course.
I wasn't panicking… yet. I mean, maybe it was just the wind? Or maybe someone thought it'd be funny to trap the new girl in a giant orange puff suit?
I took a few steps forward, trying not to trip over my own flippers. The place was dusty and smelled like old socks and mystery. Not exactly party vibes.
Then I heard a sound — like a soft thump. I froze.
"Okay, Leah," I whispered to myself. "This is fine. You're not in a horror movie. You're just in a weird building wearing a ridiculous costume waiting for people who may or may not exist."
And then… guess who showed up?
Ethan.
Yup. Mr. "Don't go to the party" himself.
He stood in the doorway like he was in some dramatic teen movie, all serious and mysterious.
"I knew you'd come," he said.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect to be alone in a warehouse dressed like a sea creature."
He smiled — just a little. "You look… brave."
Brave? I looked like a confused fish stick.
Anyway, he said he came to check on me, which was kind of sweet. And weird. But mostly sweet.
We didn't find any party. Just dust, silence, and one very confused starfish (me).
So yeah… maybe it was a prank. Or maybe something else is going on. But I'm not giving up yet.
Just when I thought things couldn't get weirder, the warehouse door creaked open again.
A girl walked in like she was stepping onto a runway — tall, flawless, and glowing like she had her own lighting crew. Her heel clicked across the concrete like they were judging me
"OMG, this place is even grosser than I imagined," she said, wrinkling her nose.
I had no idea who she was, but Ethan's face said it all.
"You," he muttered.
She smiled. "Missed me?"
I looked between them. "Wait… you two know each other?"
Ethan sighed. "Leah, this is Savannah Blaze."
Savannah gave me a once-over. "So, you're the new girl. Cute costume. OMG, is that a starfish? That's… brave."
I blinked. "You sent the invite?"
She smirked. "Obviously. I mean, who else would come up with something this iconic?"
"You tricked me," I said, my voice sharper than I meant it to be.
Savannah shrugged. "It was a test. Chill. Everyone gets one. You passed — kind of."
Ethan stepped in. "Savannah, this isn't okay."
"Relax," she said, flipping her hair. "She's fine. She showed up, didn't cry, didn't run. That's more than I expected."
I didn't know whether to scream, cry, or throw a flipper at her.
Then she turned to me and smiled — the kind of smile that says I'm not done with you yet.
"Anyway, Leah… welcome to the school. Things are never boring when I'm around."
And just like that, she turned and walked out, leaving behind a trail of perfume and chaos.
I asked her, "wait, what was the test actually for?"
She gave me that look. The one that says you're cute but clueless.
"To see if you'd actually show up,". "New girls always say they're different. I wanted to see if you were brave enough to prove it."
I blinked. "So… you tricked me into coming to a fake party in a creepy warehouse just to see if I'd show up?"
Savannah shrugged like it was totally normal. "OMG, Leah, it's not that deep. It's tradition. We test the new girl. If she shows up, she's got guts. If she doesn't… well, she fades into the background."
Ethan looked guilty. "I tried to warn you."
I stared at both of them. "So, this was some kind of popularity audition?"
Savannah smiled. "Not exactly. More like… a vibe check."
A vibe check. In a warehouse. In a starfish costume.
Honestly, I didn't know whether to laugh or scream. But one thing was clear: I passed. And now Savannah Blaze knew my name. When Savannah walked out, Ethan looked at her in a way that made me laugh so hard.
Anyways, after some crying and shouting, Savannah finally let me and Ethan out of the warehouse. I thanked Ethan so much and I promised him that I would listen to him next time, we then went our separate ways and immediately I got home, I collapsed on the bed and dozed off.