Dead Boy Walking

06 - D A Z E D

I stumbled around the home, avoiding friends and plunging into the unknown.

I'd heard of these stories before. I knew about Hadiyah and Kingsley's relationship and how they'd walk into a party hand in hand but leave while screaming at each other. I saw Felix and Kingsley's friendship, two guys you either wanted to be or know. Then it all stopped and Kingsley died.

I retreated to the foyer and wondered if they'd even turned up. If this party was for Kingsley, would they have risked it? Did their hate run that deep or was it a silly misunderstanding washed away by the seriousness of his death? If Kingsley hadn't have died, would they have made up?

There were still so many people and I struggled to see above it all as my tiredness caught up with me. Every so often somebody walked straight through the dead boy. My heart would stutter at their expression, it was almost as if they could see him or at least feel the cold he carried. But alas, they continued walking or drinking or dancing and left us behind.

"There she is. There's Hadiyah, right there," Kingsley clasped my arm, causing me to stop. He pointed out in front of us and I followed his gaze to the girl. She stood wordlessly surrounded by a group of her friends who talked loudly in the kitchen. A vacant expression settled in her brown eyes and she looked a million miles away while fumbling with the pretty print of her long, floral dress.

"Cheeky of her to come to the party that's in my honour," he muttered amusedly.

Her long, black hair shone under the gleaming lights of the party, kept out of her face by the baby blue headband. Her eyeshadow was light but complimented the simple beauty of her face. It all tied in nicely together making it difficult to believe someone like Hadiyah would have the ability to kill. 

I glided over to the kitchen and snuck in between to the group that Hadiyah surrounded herself with. Each had a bottle or can of something in their hands so I swiped one from the counter to fit in and leant against the kitchen island. Their conversation was dismal and the heat of the house had finally reached my head, making me dizzy.

When Hadiyah took a sip of her drink, the dazed look that had glossed over her eyes dissipated momentarily and this was my best chance at starting a conversation. With a painted on grin, I turned to her. "Hey."

She stared at me blankly, it looked like she could see right through me. It was as if she knew all my secrets at that moment and it would only take her a second to expose them all. I wondered if maybe she could see Kingsley.

"Quincy," she finally smiled. With a sickly sweet voice, she continued, "How are you since everything?"

By everything, I assumed to she meant finding Kingsley. So, by that logic, she knew me too. Though Hadiyah didn't go to Easton, she was rich enough for it. If the school wasn't a college for boys, she'd be there with the rest of the Easton kids, sneering and luring.