"Where the hell have you been?" David stands in the centre of Paige's room with arms folded.
Paige, half-in and half-out of the window, freezes with hands on the windowsill. "Um... just out." Paige pulls herself the remaining way into the room.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in your room?" His nostrils flare as he breathes and his face turning red from his neck all the way to the roots of his hair.
"No, you just told me not to have anything to do with Jackson Hunt," Paige says as she moves around her father and over to the wardrobe. "And by the way, do you really think he'll want to hang around with me when he has a concert to prepare for?"
"I can't deal with you tonight." David clenches his hands into fists as he turns towards the door.
"When are you ever able to handle it?" Paige mumbles.
David flashes Paige one more glance over his shoulder, an expression changing between tiresome anxiety and anger appearing on his face. "Just get to bed. We'll speak about it tomorrow." With quick steps as if he's fleeing from the situation, he disappears out the door.
Paige races over to the door and slams it. She rests her head against the hard surface with eyes closed. Her breathing comes out in choked gasps.
I drag my feet over to where she is standing. I want to say something to comfort her, not like she'll hear me, anyway. I move my head closer and hear the quiet sobs coming from her mouth. Her fingers claw the solid wood as if she's reaching for something.
She remains standing there for a minute before she takes a deep breath and swipes her palms across her eyes. It's like she flicked a switch on her emotions and returns to her previous bubbly self.
She moves over to the computer and turns on the monitor. The computer opens up to reveal the conversation Becca and Paige was having before she left the house.
Paige's fingers shake as they hover over the keyboard before she types a message into the box, making quite a lot of mistakes fore she gets it right: Are you home?
A message comes back right away from Becca: I'm sorry for ditching you. Did you get busted?
Paige lets out a deep breath, collapsing in the chair still covered in most of her wardrobe. Her flicks over to one picture frame sitting at the back of her desk. The frame contains a picture of a woman with two girls. The woman looks like a grown-up version of the girl with red hair, which I can guess is Paige. She turns her attention back to the computer before typing another message.
Paige: Not by the cops, but Dad was waiting. Seriously in trouble this time
Becca: Ouch. Let me know if you need me to make a jailbreak
Paige: I'm sure it's not going to be a problem. I'll see you at school tomorrow
Becca: Cool, cya then
Paige goes to switch off the monitor, but just before her finger reaches the button a notification comes in from Facebook. A new friend request. She clicks on the request and all that comes up is the name John Smith. The mouse hovers over the 'Delete' button for a few seconds, but then she moves it in a swift motion and clicks 'Confirm'.
The instant she adds the new friend another conversation box pops open and the word 'Hi' comes from the person named John. Paige clicks on John's account and her nose scrunches as she reads the details.
I lean my head in close and realise why she's looking confused. There's absolutely no information about who this guy is or if he is even a guy. The account was just opened today, and no information has been entered yet. Even his account picture is nothing but a black circle.
Paige stares at the conversation box from John before she types.
Paige: Who are you?
John: I can't believe you forgot me already
Paige: I think you've got the wrong person
John: I was just checking you got home fine
Paige just stares at the screen, not typing in a response to that one. Paige remains still for a minute before John types again.
John: You got out of my car so quickly, just checking up
Paige's lips quirk up as if she's discovered the secret identity of her new friend, and based on their conversation, I have the unsettling feeling I know exactly who it is.
Paige: How do I know it's you?
John: You want me to tell you the exact details of the 2 conversations we've had so far?
Paige: How did you find me?
John: I have my ways
Paige: I'm home fine. Is that all you want?
John: Can't I just enjoy talking with you?
With this comment, a bright smile blooms across her face. She closes her eyes as if she's thinking about something. When she opens them again, she types another message.
Paige: So, what's with the name?
John: What, don't you like John?
Paige: Actually, I like the name Jackson better
John: I set this up so my watchers don't lecture me. Like I said, I enjoy talking to you
I can no longer watch the ping pong conversation happening and try one more time to get Paige's attention. I wave my hands frantically in front of her face, but still with no change. I just want to hit her across the back of the head. Why can't she see something strange is happening? It can't be a coincidence he's everywhere she is.
A sudden flash of distorted images surge through my mind, causing me to stumble backwards. An accidental run in, a late night text conversation, a private date. All with the one boy, Jackson Hunt.
He seemed like a perfect guy. I was so happy he gave me his attention. I was so happy he wanted to be with me. But I didn't think about why he was everywhere I went. I didn't think it was suspicious that he knew more about me than a popular rock star should have. The truth was, I was just so happy that I didn't even care.
YOU ARE READING
This Song Is For You
Mystery / ThrillerMikayla wakes up in a room she doesn't know. She discovers the disturbing fact that she's been killed by someone she can't remember and she's now stuck to another girl with similarly eerie red hair. Only able to watch as she progresses through her l...
