My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
I closed my eyes and her face burned in the inside of my eyelids. The girl wore a haunting expression.
I opened my eyes and shook the image out of my mind.
What's the big deal? No-one liked her anyway. I stared at the screen.
It was a completely different life.
For a start, everything was bigger - the lockers, the cafeteria, even the classes were much bigger than what I was used to.
I knew there was a lot to learn if I was to survive.
I stood at the cafeteria entrance and watched as students chatted and caught up on gossip.
A paper plane flew across the room and landed on a table where one girl sat alone.
I noticed another girl surrounded by a cushion of people.
Her strawberry blonde ponytail cascaded down her back as her tinkling laugh created a melody.
A split second later, her group had their tails between their legs as she ranted about something.
Still, her group looked loyal. She, I realised, was the popular one.
She would be my ticket to fitting in fast here.
The girl noticed me and made her way to me with her group in tow.
''Hi. I'm Hannah.''
Her teeth sparkled in the light as she smiled at me.
Throughout lunch, Hannah gave me details of everything and everyone at the school.
I had learnt that the girl who sat in the corner was someone no-one liked.
By the end of lunch I had realised if I wanted to fit in and be popular, I had to do something incredible.
Hannah interrupted my thoughts when she saw I was looking at the lonely girl.
''I have the perfect idea,'' she announced.
''Send her an email with her nickname on it.''
My face must have given away my thoughts because Hannah's liquid blue eyes froze instantly into an ice-cold stare, and when she spoke, her voice was taut.
''I'm just trying to help you. If you don't do this, you would be just like her.''
Something about her eyes made me realise that if I didn't do this, my life really would be hell. And she would be the devil.
As I sat there, my fingers drummed anxiously against the keys.
''Well? What are you waiting for? Can't handle it?''
Hannah snickered, her eyes as cold as the letters on the screen.
What was the big deal? No-one liked her anyway.
Four letters weren't going to do any harm.
I pushed all thoughts out of my head, and with a split second of a pause, I hit send.
Now all I hear is sirens, the wail of sirens.
Pulses of red illuminate the darkness.
My head throbs as images of her burn in my mind, demanding to be felt.
There is so much noise, yet the night seems so silent.
So much movement, yet the world stands still.
My black dress blows in the wind as I watch the ground consume the deathly beautiful casket.
Four letters, so much harm.
What have I done?
• By Candice Ferdinands, Year 11, Maniototo Area School
