CHARLIE PULLED HER RED LEATHER JACKET closer across her chest as another harsh bite of cold air ran through her. She knew the turtleneck and leather jacket with jeans combo wasn't the best choice for a trip to the mountains, but she had been in California for six months and her options were limited.
It didn't help that she also never planned to come back to Blackwood Mountain.
She quickened her pace, listening to the satisfying crunch of her boots against the packed snow. Though tempted to play some music to soothe the terrifying walk alone, Charlie knew there was too much anxiety swimming in her chest to relax to any tunes.
She hadn't exactly been alone when she hopped off the cable car, meeting a beaming Jessica. But the Riley girl had explained she was meeting someone, someone Charlie presumed to be Emily since the girls were best friends. But now the Pruitt girl was trudging the woods alone, desperately making her way to the lodge.
At least, she thought she was alone, which is why a bloodcurdling scream erupted from her lips when a figure lunged at her from the shrubbery, yelling. She jumped back slightly, bunching her hands into fists and preparing to send punches flying at her attacker.
However, the figure's shouts melted into laughter that made realization strike her like a bullet, and her entire body grew warm. "Mike," she hissed, lowering her clenched fists with slight irritation. "Seriously?"
The Munroe boy was still hunched over with laughter as he wagged a finger at her. "Holy shit! You should've seen the look on your face!" He finally straightened his posture and smiled down at her, making the feeling inside her worsen. "Hi Charlie."
"You're so stupid," she grumbled, folding her arms scornfully. "I was getting ready to clock you, you know?"
"Oh, I bet," he snickered, holding his hands up in fists that mimicked her own. "Think you can take me down?"
"You'd be surprised," Charlie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the relentless aching in her gut. Six months of no talking later, and it looks like she had never quite gotten over her dumb crush on Michael Munroe.
She hated it, and would probably never confess it aloud to anyone. Her feelings toward the previous class president were complex, and most of the time she couldn't even figure it out herself.
Truthfully, she found Mike's character somewhat irritable. He was a stereotypical douche, dating girls and flirting like second nature. But no matter how infuriating he was, she always became incredibly nervous around him, her insides wanting to squirm their way out. And she hated how she'd developed feelings for him, just like most of the girls in their friend group. She never wanted to admit she'd fallen for the dumb swoon's spell.
"It's surprising enough that you're here," Mike grinned. "You know, me and the others actually placed bets on if you'd come."
His words left a sour taste in her mouth. "Oh yeah? Did you win the jackpot?"
A faint flash of regret washed over the boy's expression, noting it might not have been smart of him to mention the bet. "Actually, yeah," he swallowed, nodding. "I figured you'd come."
Another swollen ache inside her. "Well, thanks for having faith in me," she offered him a tight-lipped smile. "I'm guessing the others didn't?"
His arms stretched out on either side. "Can you blame them? You're living it large in California, for Christ's sake! Who'd wanna leave that for this?" He gestured to the snowy trees that surrounded them like shadows, and Charlie found herself repressing another shiver.
"Actually, I prefer the cold," she informed him with a raised brow. "I'm just in L.A. for school, you know."
Mike nodded his head, continuing to trudge in the snow alongside her. Truthfully, she was grateful for his company. "Yep, yep. Charlie Pruitt: future movie director, right?"
"Don't you forget it," she chuckled quietly, still uneasy around him. It had been six months after all, and their dynamic had never been the same once Mike had started dating Emily.
"So, how much you planning on drinking? I know these mountains probably still creep you out."
Charlie's boots halted in the snow, a cold shock rippling over her skin like a wave. "You do?" For a moment, she was paralyzed with a mix of bewilderment and surprise.
The dark-haired boy's eyebrows knitted together in his own confusion as he turned back to look at her. "Yeah. You told me you like to get drunk because the mountain freaks you out."
"When did I tell you that?" She tried her best to keep a smile tacked on to her chapped lips, but secretly she was falling apart.
"When we came up for the fourth, remember?" Mike replied, and the sinking in her stomach returned. "You told me you get this feeling of someone—or something—watching you at night."
Charlie shook her head, letting out a sheepish laugh as she continued briskly walking in the snow. Her head dipped towards the ground. She couldn't believe he had remembered that. "Well, that's certainly embarrassing."
"Ah, no it's not," Mike replied quickly with a rebuttal. "Who can blame you? Especially...now, you know?" His voice had grown softer.
"Yeah..."
They moved together in silence for a moment, until Mike clasped his hands together and a sigh droned out of him. "Well, I gotta head back. I'll see you at the lodge?"
Charlie glanced over her shoulder at him in disbelief. "Huh? You're headed back to the cable car?"
"Yeah, gotta meet up with Jess," he responded casually, slowly backing away from her, eyes still glinting in the silver moonlight. "And who knows, maybe I'll find more unsuspecting victims to scare!"
Charlie couldn't even summon a witty reply to him before he was gone, disappearing back down the trail. Jess, huh? Suspicions were already brewing in her mind, but she dismissed them for now. It was useless formulating theories like this. Although she couldn't help but welcome a slight sting knowing Mike had probably moved on from Emily to Jess.
The lodge yawned ahead of her, the wooden building snuggled deep in the crevice between mountains. With its same darkened windows and gaping emptiness, Charlie felt herself greeting those nostalgic and unpleasant tingles down her spine. She would never get used to the way it all looked at night.
"Hey! You made it!" Josh's voice called over the slight breeze of the wind, and she felt some of her unease subside at the sight of her friends. The Washington boy was flanked by Sam, the blonde smiling at Charlie as she approached. "Our favorite California girl!"
Charlie let out a terse laugh as she accepted a hug from him, squeezing his waist loosely. "You move to L.A. for six months and suddenly that's what everyone calls you. I sense a bit of jealousy, Joshua."
"None at all," he chuckled, a smile still dancing on his face as he pulled away. "What can I be jealous of when I've got this big ass place?"
"Big indeed," Sam agreed, glancing humorously between the Washington boy and Charlie. "And warm too, if we ever make it inside."
Her comment sent a frown plastered on Charlie's lips. "Why? What's wrong?"
Josh shook his head casually, dismissing Sam's comment. "The lock's frozen. Chris made it in, though. He's getting something that should help."
"Let me guess," Charlie stepped forward, wrapping her arms around herself. "There's probably gonna be some fire involved?"
Josh's smirk deepened. "You remember me and Chris well, then. Epic flamethrower shit, you'll see." His expression changed and Charlie watched his eyes shift briefly to the forest beyond. "Uh, you guys get comfortable here. I'll be back. Gotta sort something out."
Both girls quietly watched him stumble down the trail before Charlie turned to Sam. "So, how's everything with you?" The brunette began shuffling towards the front steps, her friend following.
"About the same," she replied earnestly with a small smile. Her attention flickered to the mountainous peaks beyond the trees, the distant structures turning gray in the moonlight. "Forgot how beautiful this place was, though."
"Yeah," Charlie murmured, sucking on the insides of her cheeks as she followed Sam's gaze. She wished she could be as appreciative as the blonde, but her body hadn't lost any of its tension since she hobbled off the bus. "Still cold as shit. My body's probably confused as hell after experiencing so much sun."
A laugh tumbled out of the Giddings girl. "I'll bet."
The two strolled over to the base of the steps, where a shivering Ashley Brown sat huddled against cobblestone and Matthew Taylor stood grumpily, his eyes glowering at the forest. "Hey Charlie! It's good to see you," Ashley brightened, greeting the Pruitt girl.
"Uh, hey Ash," she mumbled awkwardly, already feeling like a stranger amongst the others. "Everything been alright with you?"
"Yeah, I'm good," she replied casually, her hands rubbing her knees donned in dark gray leggings. "Just a little cold, you know?"
"Just a little," Charlie replied with a humorous nod. She glanced at Matt again, noticing the Taylor boy's annoyed stance had not loosened upon the girl's arrival. Best to leave him alone for now.
"Let's go check on that lock, huh?" Sam proposed, making both girls nod eagerly as she led the way up the lengthy set of steps. "I'm guessing not a lot of people have been up here in a while."
Charlie found that surprising, but kept the comment to herself as she gnawed on her bottom lip, which had grown dry and tough from the cold. She figured with everything going on, the investigation and all, there'd be more people scouring these woods. Then again, with the Pruitt not being too fond of this mountain, she could understand why not.
The three girls lounged near the locked door, engaging in small talk but mostly focusing on keeping themselves warm. A voice droned from inside, poorly mimicking a ghost that didn't make Charlie flinch but instead peep through the small square window.
"Chris? What the hell?" She called through the glass, brow wrinkled in bemusement. "You gotta do better than that."
"Aw, how'd you know—" The blond cut himself off with a shrill gasp as he finally slid in front of the window, locking eyes with the brunette. His grin was dimly lit by the lighter cradled in his hand. "Hey, Charlie! Glad you could make it."
"Hey Chris! Listen I'd love to chat but can it maybe wait until we're all inside?" She pleaded, her nails gripping her elbows with a shudder.
"On it," he sent her a curt nod, disappearing back into the darkness of the house.
Charlie let out a shuddered sigh as she pressed her back against the stone wall again, continuing to nonchalantly rub her arms. "Man, I'm glad it's him walking around in the dark than me."
Sam let out a short laugh. "What? Too scary for you?"
Charlie cocked her head in a playful motion. "No, I'd just be extremely on edge the whole time. This place is a mansion, and old. Who knows what the hell you'd find."
"Ghosts?" Sam suggested.
Charlie's grip on her arms tightened. "Uh, I was thinking more like spiders or roaches but um...thanks for putting that thought in my head," she murmured, earning another chuckle from the Giddings girl.
"Aren't you supposed to be a horror film fanatic? I thought scary movies didn't bother you," she taunted.
"Only because they're not happening to me," Charlie explained. "Obviously a killer clown or haunted doll movie won't scare me. But ghosts...ghosts are a little too real. That can happen to anybody."
"Good point," Ashley murmured with slight apprehension as she continued to shiver by Sam.
A few more minutes of impatience passed before Chris was back at the door, his face now swamped in orange as flames licked at the lock. The Hartley boy lashed out and opened the door quickly, shaking his hand from the sensation of hot brass.
"Thank you, Christopher," Charlie breathed out in relief, grinning at the blond as he dramatically bowed in front of the girls.
"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all—" his voice was interrupted by the sound of a shrill growl as an animal with a dark pelt and white claws dashed out the doorway.
"Jesus fuck!" Charlie cursed at the same time Chris screamed, swerving out of the animal's path as it charged towards the undergrowth nearby. "What the hell?"
"Jesus, that thing freaked me out!" Chris gasped like the air had been sucked out him, his hands pressed against his legs in shock.
Sam and Ashley responded with their own giggles. "What was that? Are you okay?" Ashley glanced at Chris with an amused expression.
"It was like a bear or tiger or something."
"Aw, it was just a cute little baby wolverine," Sam cooed, her green eyes flashing with humor towards the Hartley teen.
"Baby?" He echoed.
"Wolverine? Cute?" Charlie huffed out in disbelief. "You say that like it was a God damn puppy that just ran out! If there's a bear on the couch, I'm leaving."
The two girls simply laughed at the Pruitt's nervous comment as all three shuffled past Chris and into the drafty warmth inside. Another figure followed behind and Charlie noticed Josh had returned to the group. The Washington gave his blond friend a teasing pat. "Don't worry, buddy, you'll be a big boy soon."
Charlie immediately beelined for the sofa, collapsing against the worn cushions with a satisfied smile. "At least this comfy ass couch is still here."
Josh grinned at the brunette, his arms extended out. "Home sweet home."
"Sweet isn't the word I'd use," Matt mumbled, still wearing some of his previous, reserved anger.
"It feels so good to be inside," Ashley exclaimed in relief, still rubbing tentatively at her arms. "Even if it is still freezing in here."
"I'll get a fire going," Josh volunteered.
"Place looks the same," Matt commented quietly.
"Yeah, no one's really been up here," the Washington informed the group as he lowered himself in front of the fireplace, eyes inspecting the remnants left inside.
"Even with all the police coming in and out?" Ashley inquired.
Chris shook his head, answering for his friend. "Not a lot of action up here lately."
"Nope," Josh mumbled in agreement, attention still directed at the fireplace.
Another presence burst into the room, and Mike Munroe was letting out a loud cheer as his arms flew over his head. "What's up, party people!" He hollered energetically.
Jessica was lumbering behind the Munroe boy, adapting a pleasant and excited smile. "Hey!" She drawled, keeping close to Mike as the couple entered.
"Hey!" Josh replied with matching enthusiasm, being the only one in the group. There was a strange, underlying tension hovering over the teens Charlie couldn't figure out. She just hoped she could stay out of its line of fire if she cuddled close enough to the couch.
"Make yourself at home bro," Josh nodded at Mike as the taller boy moved towards the Washington, offering him a greeting gesture.
"Will do!"
"Yeah," a sarcastic tone rasped, and Charlie looked over in surprise at Matt, who shuffled away from the couch and toward the unsuspecting Munroe. "Come on in. Take a load off. Have whatever you want. You just have whatever you want anyway, right?"
Mike's perplexing expression matched how Charlie felt as he narrowed his eyes at the Taylor boy. It looked like she was about to get her answer for the unexplained tension. "Woah, easy there cowboy."
"What the hell were you doing with Em out on the trail, huh?" Matt challenged, his gaze hardening on the taller male.
"What?"
Charlie felt her eyebrows raise in surprise at his question. Didn't Mike say he was meeting Jess? What the hell was he getting himself into? The Pruitt quietly drew her knees toward her chest as she continued watching the interaction with slight disdain. This is why Mike could be so infuriating: he was a magnet for petty drama like this.
"I saw you and Em," Matt elaborated, his voice still soaked in defiance. "Through the telescope."
"Before?" Mike asked with rippling confusion. "We just ran into each other. It'd been a while so we hugged and I said hello. Is that against the law?"
Charlie almost snorted at that, wanting to bitterly answer Mike with "You didn't hug me". She didn't, instead opting to glare uneasily at the wooden floorboards. She had made a promise to herself to avoid drama like this once she went to college, and she fully intended on upholding that pact even with her old high school friends. Besides, Em and Mike had history...Charlie and Mike just had history class.
Dumb joke, Charlie thought to herself with a smile, unaware of the parting male teens after Matt apologized. Relief flooded her when she noticed the situation had subsided, only for the weightless sensation to be ripped away again once Emily entered the room.
Charlie could already feel a scowl tightening on her face. Out of everyone in the group, Emily Davis was the only person the Pruitt girl struggled to get along with. Em was undoubtedly smart, and her accomplishments were something Charlie could take note in. But no amount of straight A's or honor roll awards could change that fact that the Davis girl could be a perfect bitch when she wanted to be. And she wanted that a lot.
She was exactly the kind of girl Charlie avoided at college, stepping away once things became too catty or nasty. The look of utter disgust and spite that shimmered Emily's face upon seeing Mike and Jess confirmed to Charlie that she was, in fact, not very different from high school.
"Oh my God, that is so gross," the Davis girl groaned with a malicious smile donned on her face. She folded her arms defensively over her chest, casting an icy glare at Jess. "Are you trying to swallow his face whole?"
Charlie cast a brief look at the newly formed couple with an upturned eyebrow. Had they even been kissing?
"Em..." Matt began.
"Seriously, can she be any more obvious?" Emily berated, shaking her head at the Riley girl. "Nobody wants in on your territory, honey!"
"Excuse me, did you say something?" Jess rose from the couch and away from Mike, who was slumped against the cushions with disinterest. The Munroe was honestly not too big on drama either, which always amazed Charlie because he seemed to pick the pettiest girls to date.
"Oh, did you not hear me? Was your sluttiness too loud?"
"Sounds like someone's bitter she didn't make the cut," Jess snapped, and Charlie found herself mentally agreeing with the blonde. Emily became vicious when jealousy was in control of her system.
"Yeah, it's all a big cattle call with that dreamboat. Congrats, you're top cow!"
"Cuts real deep calling Miss Homecoming a cow."
Charlie frowned at that, resting her chin on her knees. It had been several months since graduation and these girls were still using high school accomplishments as brownie points. The Pruitt girl knew better.
The girls continued squabbling, with Matt attempting to defuse the situation by hushing Emily. Charlie paid no more interest, hands digging into her backpack in search for a book she remembered bringing. A sense of eyes on her made her look up, however, and her stomach tightened into a knot when she noticed Mike glancing over at her in the darkness. The Munroe shifted his attention back to the argument quickly, and Charlie tried her best not to overthink it.
It was nearly impossible, though.
"Stop it!" Josh shouted, cutting off the fight as Jessica and Emily continued to lunge towards one another. Annoyance meshed with exhaustion lingered on his face as he addressed the girls. "This is not why we came up here. This is not helping. It's not what I wanted. If we can't get along for ten minutes then maybe we need a little bit of a break, right? Mike. Why don't you check out the guest cabin? The one I told you about?"
Mike paused for a moment, slowly dragging himself to his feet. "Yeah. Yeah, alright," he agreed, stretching out a hand for Jess. "Wanna go do that?"
Jess tossed one last ugly glare at Emily before accepting Mike's hand. "Any place without that whore," she spat.
Charlie tried to ignore the wave of disappointment settling over her as she watched the pair leave. Everything felt so similar, yet so different.
"Phew," Matt groaned, mimicking an explosion in his head with tired arms. "Glad that's over."
"Yeah," Josh agreed.
"So, Josh. Should we get this fire going?"
Emily, who had been searching the bags Matt left at the door in heap, let out a whine. "Where's my bag?"
Matt blinked. "Huh?"
"My bag. The one with the pink pattern, the one I got on Rodeo. Matt, are you listening?" When Matt didn't reply, the Davis girl threw her head back in frustration. "Oh my God, don't you remember? Next to the Italian shoe place where I got the stilettos and you knocked over the rack while you were drooling all over that girl at the counter?"
"Well, I mean," Matt began defensively, hesitantly approaching his new girlfriend. "She was asking about my letter jacket..."
"Right, because she gave a shit about your 'designer' leather jacket."
"Why do you hate my jacket?"
"Matt, I need my bag!"
Charlie let out a quiet groan through her tight lips as she reached for her book again. These people were unbelievable. Ten minutes into the trip and Charlie was already flooded with plenty reminders why she had been so adamant about not coming on this trip.
Besides the fact that she was always creeped out at night, there was always too much drama with the others. It's exactly why Charlie lingered around the Washington kids, Chris, and Sam the most.
The bickering couple finally reached an agreement to trek back to the cable car station, and Charlie welcomed the peaceful absence of fighting once again.
"Well," Sam sighed from her spot on the stairs. "I am gonna go take a bath."
Charlie smiled at the girl's announcement, drawing herself to her own feet. "Yeah, Sam's got the right idea. I'm gonna go find a bedroom to read in for a little bit. Come get me when y'all are ready to...how did you say it, Josh? 'Party like porn stars'?"
The Washington boy chuckled as Charlie felt a smirk dance on her face lightly. "Okay, movie star. See you."
"Later," she finger saluted the teen before heaving her backpack onto her shoulders again and lumbering upstairs. She picked her favorite guest room, the one with a perfect mountain view that excluded the dark forest below.
"Alone at last," she muttered to herself, sinking against the closed door momentarily. "For now." Her boots thumped against the carpet as she slammed her backpack onto the bed, her tired body following with it.
"God," she sighed, welcoming the cozy feeling of cotton beneath her to relax. She fumbled through her phone until she found her reading playlist, allowing the soft music to drain into the quiet room while she read.
It had only been twenty minutes of calm, thoughtless reading until the sound of terrified screams below disrupted her. And the party began.
STATUS UPDATE !
CHARLIE'S TRAITS
HONEST 8/10
CHARITABLE 9/10
FUNNY 8/10
BRAVE 6/10
ROMANTIC 2/10
CURIOUS 7/10
CHARLIE'S RELATIONSHIPS
ASHLEY 3/10
CHRIS 4/10
EMILY 2/10
JESS 2/10
JOSH 8/10
MATT 2/10
MIKE 4/10
SAM 6/10