Intimate Stranger (Editing)

Chapter 2: Katie

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Part Two
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
6 months ago
10 days before the party

Four innocent girls having a sleepover one night, in an empty house. Clad in pj's, sitting on the floor, gathered in a circle, playing truth or secret. For a psychopathic pedophile, these are the perfect victims. We are the perfect victims.

It's my fault that it happened. Steve contacted me, and became obsessed with me. If I hadn't spoken to him, he never would have broken into my house, and held my friends and me hostage. People wouldn't have died.

The day he contacted me, I was on the phone with my best friend, Mary Frederick. Mary was the only one of my friends who I had known, basically since birth. Her birthday was just before mine, in late January, so she was already 16. Both of us were shy, and independent, but when it came to each other, we were practically joined at the hip. She was the only one of my friends that I told absolutely everything to. She knew about Steve before any of my other friends ever did.

Though we were very similar in personality, we were completely opposite, appearance wise. My hair was the darkest brown it could possibly be, while hers cascaded down her back in gorgeous blonde, curly locks. Our eyes were both green, but mine were more turquoise, while hers were a light green. She was the one who got all the dates.

That afternoon, I was supposed to be doing homework. It was a paragraph for the Shakespeare play, "A Midsummer Nights Dream." I only had one sentence written before Mary called me and I, like any other 16 (to be) year old girl would, got distracted, talking to her about party plans for next Friday.

My computer screen read: A Midsummer Nights Dream is a magical play about love gone a wry.

I glanced at the screen briefly, before leaning back casually in my computer chair, the phone nestled on my shoulder, and Mary's cheerful voice ringing in my ear. "How's the paragraph coming?" She asked me.

I chuckled, "God Mary, 15 minutes talking about my birthday and you ask me about homework now?"

Mary laughed, awkwardly, "I know right."

"Hmm," I murmured, unsure of what to say next.

"Seriously though," she started. "How much have you got? If I don't hand mine in tomorrow, Mr. Mikes is gonna kill me," she explained. I could hear the stress in her voice.

"Sorry, Mar, can't help you there," I answered. I stood up from my chair and peeked out the window, to see Trace mowing his lawn. Him and I were neighbors. Even though it was early February, we didn't have any snow, and I didn't expect that we were going to get any."I've literally only got one sentence," I told her, making myself comfortable on the window sill.

"Oh," she said, bluntly, disappointed. "Hey," she uttered, "is Trace coming to your sleep over?" She asked me.

I giggled at the thought, "No." I always kind of thought Mary had a crush on him. Trace was that cute shy, quiet boy who didn't talk at all in class, except when he was called on. Though, he was admired from a far, because of his attractive features. He had soft, platinum blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. Because we were neighbours and we grew up together, no one knew Trace like I did. He was sensitive, and goofy, and loved to show off. But I knew that he could be a wuss about certain things. I guess it wasn't really surprising for Mary to have a crush on him. Though none of my friends knew that I had feelings for him as well.