Our Fading Stars

9. Pranks

Pete's favorites songlist
Track 5: Cyndi Lauper- Girls just want to have fun

Tiana's POV

"Did you enjoy the party, Tiana?" I heard his low-pitched voice say into my ear. I peeked my eyes open slowly, and tried to move, but this time I was tied to a chair in the middle of my room.

He chuckled softly. "You're not going anywhere, darling. You're stuck with me all night. I won't even kill you until the alarm rings."

"Peter, please stop doing this to me. Please, I beg you," I said with a clogged throat. There weren't any gags in my mouth, but it felt like my throat was innerly being plugged.

"I have to do this, Tiana. More horrifying each time you become more normal. You can't forget me Tiana. Remember me, forever," he hissed those last words out as he placed a kiss on my forehead. His words burned through me like a sword being planted into my chest as his lips felt like ice on my skin.

Forever.

I was to live in grief forever. Just because I was becoming normal didn't mean I could be happy. I needed to feel the guilt, the pain, just as he did.

"But I love you," I said as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I know that," he smiled, revealing that it really wasn't the true Peter I knew. He would say, "Me too, squirt."

"Do you understand now?" he said, the smile still plastered on his face. "You can never be happy Tiana, especially with me waiting right here everynight by your bedside."

The tears flooded out and I cried for what seemed like hours. And when I opened my puffy eyes, I was lying on the bed, crying as much as I had in the dream.

This time, I didn't rush to the window like I always had, afraid that Parker may be watching. I raked my fingers through my hair and stepped into the shower. As always, the cool water calmed me down and made the throbbing in my head subside.

I reached out to the shampoo, to find it a different kind from what I usually used.

Weird. Mom changed my shampoo?

I hadn't even used it all. Still, I shrugged off the weird feeling.

Turning off the shower, I stepped out, the water dripping from my soggy hair. I took a deep breath and walked to the bath mat with my eyes closed, using one hand to lean on the wall to keep from slipping.

I stayed there with a towel wrapped around my body, standing still for almost a full five minutes until I began to shudder from the water on my body vaporizing, leaving my skin bare and cold. I was thinking of nothing, just staring into the wall. It was better than trying to think of last night (which I couldn't remember), or about the overwhelming grief of Peter that had been growing inside my heart. I shoved everything into the back of my mind.

Strangely, I almost stepped on the clothes that were lying on the floor, a pair of my underwear and a shirt and pants. Had I left these here last night? Maybe I became thoughtful when I got drunk.

I let myself fall into the bed and be sucked into the mattress, loving the feeling of fluffiness all over me. Closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I felt the stillness around me. Only the clock ticking could be heard from the air, and I felt the empty room fill with the sound.

Peace after the storm, indeed.

Then, my eyes shot open as the shock overcame me.

Tick.