Hide and Seek in the Dark (Being Rewritten)

Chapter 3

3

The next day, after much debate, I decided to head to the football game and cheer my school, if not Daren, on.

On my dressor my phone buzzed frantically while Pocket Full of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield played on full volume. I smiled. That was Darlene's ringtone. Me, emily, and all of her friends have become pretty close. And I was very happy for it.

I stood from my mounds of rumpled clothes which I had been pulling from my closet and dressor drawers and answered before it could go to voice mail.

"Hey," I smiled.

"Hey, girl." I could hear her grin. She was such a possitive and up-beat person, it was almost contagious. "Me and M'ladies were gonna head out for some fun around town. You in?"

"I can't," I apologized. "I gotta find something to wear for today. Daren wants to see me at the game today."

"Got any ideas yet?" she asked.

"Nothing," I admitted, my shoulders slumping. The game was in an hour and I had nothing but a jersey.

"I'll give you some fashion pointers," Jay shouted into the phone. "I'll turn that fashion-don't you call a wordrobe into a fashion Oh-no-she-didn't!" He put as much gay emphasis on that one sentence that it had me busting up. We've only known each other for a day but I loved that Queen.

I couldn't help laughing. "Promise?" I giggled.

"We'll be there faster than you can say hopscotch!" Darlene promised and we hung up.

Outside a car honked repeatedly. I looked out my window and grinned down at Darlene and everyone else. "Hopscotch!" I called, watching as she hung out the driver side window of her "Mystery Machine", a big old grin on her face.

So she was here anyway.

Yesterday, before Daren had interupted, we had talked about where I was from originally and were I was living now. Coincidentally, she knew where it was, drove past it on her way to work. Now I was happy she knew it. I'd yet to have visitors. They would be the first.

I ran down the stairs happily, nearly stumbling on the last step.

"Christine?" My mom glanced at me from the table, sipping her coffee. "What's the rush?" she asked, standing from her seat.

"Sorry, mom," I rushed as I grabbed the door's handle. "Some friends are coming in, hope you don't mind." I opened the door as Emily, Darlene and everyone else were coming up to the door. 

"Hey," I greeted them all happily as I ushered them inside.

"Hey," Emily grinned.

"What's up," Karin smiled.

"Hey, giiiiiirl," Jay drawled queerly.

"Hiya," Crystal greeted cheerily.

Monique nodded her greeting.

Darlene smiled back at me and we headed upstairs and to my room. From there it was endless minutes searching through the clothes in my closet, tossing what was exceptable on to my bed and what was "the worst decisions of my life" on to the floor.

It felt nice having friends. It felt nice having actual good friends. Ones that wouldn't, I assured myself, screw your boyfriend behind your back. Though Jay might try and offer him some head.

Finally, after nearly 40 minutes, we managed to find an outfit. They dressed me in a thin long sleeved black shirt, dark skinny jeans, heeled boots and Daren's jersey. They left my hair unstraightened and used a curler to accent my natural waves (I get my hair from my mother and I am constantly ironing it before I head to school so it doesn't get everywhere) so they flowed down my back more beautifully then I ever thought they could. After that they made me up with some Falsies mascara, eyeliner, some eye shadow- to make my eyes pop as they said- and some pink tinted BabyLips lip balm. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked great. Maybe I would try this look more often.

"Alright, I think it's about time we head to that game," Shawnee grinned and I smiled back.

After a quick good bye to my mom we all piled into the Mystery Machine and headed to the game. The bleachers were nearly packed so we ended up standing somewhere near the field, watching as the players did their warm ups and got ready for the game. Among them was Daren, stretching one arm after another across his chest. After a moment of watching him he finally looked our way and I waved. He looked surprised, as if he hadn't expected me to come and, after a moment, he waved back. A small wave, of course, but a wave nonetheless. He smiled, one of those real smiles and went back to stretching. Shawnee nudged me with her elbow, a smirk in her dark face and before long the game began.

On the field all the players were getting into place, crouching down behind each other. One player tossed the ball back between his legs and the one  who caught it ran is if his life were on the line, trying to make it to the other side of the feild as his team mates attempted to fend off the opposing team. Some people stood from their seats to root and cheer at the top of their lungs. Ten yards away from the goal the runner was tackled to the ground by a player who had managed to avoid the fray. The bleachers were a chorus of groans and muttered remarks at they all took their seats again.

The players got into position again.

The next 45 minutes or so continued on like that- running, tackling, scoring, etc. I really never understood what all the fuss was about sports. I just didn't get it. All that sweat and blood- it just wasn't my cup of tea. Says the girl who tried to join a war. I bet you're thinking something along those lines, huh? Yeah, shut it.

It was when both teams were huddled together on either side of the field did the shit hit the fan.

The pain hit me like a hammer to the head, nearly causing me to stumble over the railing and into the mud. I closed my hand over the cool metal to steady myself, trying to breathe past the pain but it was nearly hopeless.

"Christine?" Emily's voice said from somewhere beside me. "Are you okay?"

I quickly nodded, taking deep, slow breathes. The hammer hit me again and I couldn't supress the whimper that slipped out of my mouth.

"Christine?" Emily said again.

I had just managed to release a breath before I felt something closing tight around my throat. I could no longer breath, no matter how hard I tried. I clawed at my throat, trying to remove whatever what obstructing my ability to take in oxygen but nothing was there aside from my own skin.

I doubled over as the hammer slammed against my temple once again and I heard Emily shouting my name, someone's hand on my shoulders, pounding my back.

The squeezing stopped and a familiar voice rang out inside of my head once it did. "Stop it!" Benjamin wheezed and coughed and I could hear his attacker's cruel laugh. Pain radiated throughout my left leg and I fell to the ground, unable to stand it. What were they doing to him?

"Daren!" Emily shouted from somewhere above me and soon there was the sound of footsteps pounding through mud.

"Christine?" I heard Daren pant and I could feel him kneeling down near I laid, writhing in pain, could feel his warm hand on my hair.

The squeezing around my throat started again and I could feel hot tears burning tracks down my face as I struggled to breathe.

Benjamin's attacker laughed cruelly, softly, in his ear an growled the words: "You're going to die." And then pain so intense in my leg I screamed and everything went black.