The Why Behind What We Feel

Chapter 33- Little Pieces

A few uncomfortable seconds tick by, but I'm too stunned to move or speak. If he kisses me, I'll have to push him away and things will be awkward between us.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Andi asks, leaning against the doorway with a smirk on her face.

I breathe a sigh of relief and pull myself away from Mark.

"No, Milo just scared the crap out of us," Mark says.

"You have to come check out what we just found in the kitchen," she says, motioning for us to follow her.

Mark and I share a look, but we follow behind her anyway. I use my hand to steady myself against the wall, not willing to trust these creaking floorboards underneath my feet. The farther back we go into the house, the more deteriorated it becomes. Pieces of the ceiling are hanging down. The wallpaper is peeling off the walls. There's a thick layer of dust coating everything and cobwebs in every corner.

Still, I can't help but wonder what this place would've looked like in its glory days. It was obviously once a very nice place. Time and weather have taken its toll, but there is a hint of Victorian charm that still remains.

When we walk into the kitchen, Milo, Pria and Ben are all gathered around the table staring at something. When I get closer, I realize it's an axe.

"Do you think it's the one he used to kill his family?" Ben asks.

"Obviously not. It's in too good condition to be that old," Milo says, picking the axe up and giving it a good look over.

"If it's not the murder weapon, then why is it here?" Pria asks.

"Maybe some copycat wanted to recreate the carnage," Milo smirks, giving the axe a little flip and making my heart stop when he drops it to the floor.

I scream and jump back, looking from the axe to Milo in horror. "Are you the copycat?!"

"I'm so sorry, Sessy! That was so close to your foot!" Milo apologizes frantically.

"Hey Pria. Didn't you have a dream about a bloody sneaker?" Andi asks.

"Yeah. It was a Converse. A black...one..." she says, looking down at my shoes.

I can only look around at them, smiling like I'm crazy. "You guys are just messing with me, right?"

"No. I really had a dream about a bloody sneaker...that ironically, looks exactly like the ones you're wearing," Pria shrugs. "But don't worry about it. It's a popular shoe. It could've been someone else's."

"And besides, it was only a dream," Mark adds.

"But all of Pria's dreams come true," Ben says, giving Pria a look.

She scoffs, waving him off as if this is no big deal. "Just because I saw a bloody black sneaker doesn't mean it was Sessy's sneaker."

"I mean, you did almost chop her foot off with that axe," Andi says to Milo.

"Sessy, I'm so sorry!" Milo apologizes again. "I was only playing around, but wow. I could've really hurt you."

"It's fine," I say, mostly to assure myself.

They go on talking about Eugene Smitty and how and where he murdered his entire family. I'm suddenly ready to get out of here, after less than fifteen minutes. Mark almost kissed me, Milo almost chopped off my foot; I'm not willing to wait around to find out what happens next.

I pull out my phone and contemplate using my grandma as a scapegoat. But just as I do, it rings. I startle a bit, especially when I see it's Tyler.

I look around and start backing away. I've got to find somewhere private since none of them know about Tyler. And I definitely don't want them to know he's in jail.