It was the last day of school, and the first day that the county fair was coming to your town. You were so excited—you had been waiting all spring for this. It marked the beginning of summer: relaxation and fun.

You had been there for a few hours now. The sun was setting, and you had just gotten off the Ferris wheel, despite your intense fear of heights. You were hanging out with your cousins for most of the evening, but then they had to leave.

Trying to regain your bearings from the Ferris wheel, you sat down on a bench and inhaled deeply. The fresh smell of popsicles passed through your nose, calming you, and you stood up. But then you saw them. Arianna, Riya. Joshua and Ethan were all together, about 50 feet away from you in the crowd. They were laughing their heads off—probably way too energetic from a sugar rush. You froze—and the excessive staring at them definitely didn’t help, since Ethan noticed you, grinned, and got the others’ attention.

That’s how you knew you were screwed,

Now they were all peering at you with predatory gazes. Feeling your heart rate speed up in your chest, you turned on your heel, yanked your hood over your head, and speed-walked through the crowd. You needed to get away from them—and fast—or you would be at their mercy.