We all rushed out of the cafeteria like a bunch of crazy people with the only aim to reach home.
"Max wait up!" Liam yelled at Max who had already started the engine of the car. The both of them drove away before the rest of us could. Damien, Zack, Charlotte and me were driving behind.
"CELINE! CELINE!" Max jumped out of the car and ran to the house.
Celine came crying outside, looking like a mess with all the tears.
"WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE IS COCO?!" Max frantically yelled.
"I-I wasn't feeling well at school so I asked Emilie to drop me home. She did and drove away back to school right away. When I reached the d-door of the house, I found the lock already smashed open. I went inside to see the house in a complete mess and.. C-Coco.. She was lying dead with blood all around on the couch." She choked on a sob as Max rushed inside.
Damien was quick to be by her side and seeing Celine like that, broke my heart.
"You shouldn't have seen that Celine. It's not healthy for you. You should have called me when you weren't feeling good." Damien tried to calm her down.
"But who would do such a thing? Our house is literally in the middle of a forest." Liam asked.
"What a coincidence that you didn't feel good today and asked your friend to drop you off at home and she even though knowing that you weren't feeling good, just left you alone? And then you find Coco dead." Charlotte asked, looking at Celine in suspicion.
"Not now, Char. She's already traumatized." Liam defended.
Charlotte looked at me but I looked away.
"I am going to check up on Max." I announced and went inside.
I gasped as I took in the view of the living room.
Broken pieces of glass and ripped off curtain pieces were spread everywhere.
It was a mess. Utter chaos.
I finally went near the couch and somehow controlled myself from throwing up.
Max was just standing there, staring at Coco's brutally mutilated body. The couch was covered in her blood just like her soft white fur was tainted.
"Max." I whispered and covered my mouth before I broke down in tears. The smell was horrible and it all looked like a horror movie scene.
The others, except Celine and Damien came in soon after.
"Holy shit. Fuck." Zack muttered as he came near Max and me.
"Oh god." Charlotte gasped. She immediately looked away from the horrific scene and gagged before covering her mouth.
Zack rubbed my back to calm me down while Liam went over to check up on Charlotte.
Max was still standing there like a statue, not uttering a single word as he lifelessly stared at his beloved cat's carcass.
*****
We returned home two days later after informing the police and getting the house cleaned. Max was still in shock while some of us seemed to recover.
Coco was really special to him and she was special to not only him, but Julia too. The old woman who had given her to me with so much trust that I'll take care of her cat.
But I failed...
I knocked on Max's door to check up on him. He hadn't spoken to anyone of us since the incident and I was getting really worried now.
He didn't reply to my knocks so I just entered the room and found him staring out of his window with his arms crossed.
"Max?" I called out but got no reply.
I went near him and tapped his shoulder. He flinched from the contact before realising that it's me.
He wiped a stray tear from his cheek and tried to smile at me.
"Are you okay?" I quietly asked.
He didn't say anything but just shook his head.
"The police said that they're trying to find the culprit." I informed.
"But that won't bring Coco back, will it?" His voice was hoarse, probably from all the crying he must have done.
"It won't. But coco's killer would be punished."
"She was such a lovely cat, Jennifer. I really loved her so much. I wanted to see her grow old." Max's voice broke as his tears returned. I didn't say anything and let Max continue.
"Cat's have a really special place in my heart since I was a kid." He said as I nodded. I loved cats since I was a kid too so I totally understood him.
"What hurts me more is that, you had given Coco to me. It was your gift to me and I failed to keep it safe."
"Don't say that Max. It's not your fault." I hugged him and buried my face on his chest, trying to hide my own tears.
****
It had been a week since the incident with Coco and the police were still clueless.... Or they just weren't trying anything.
Rose and Matthew were also still missing. Was the police doing anything at all?
Max had gotten better but he still misses Coco a lot. He also sometimes forgets that she's no more when he calls for her during her meal times to feed her.
At school, Surpsiningly Hailey and Ashley had somehow made up and were best friends again. They would push me in the hallways, make mean comments about me and even put notes on my locker with disgusting things written on them.
I had also not told anyone about those mysterious messages I had received because I didn't want to trouble anyone further than they already were. And that person didn't bother me again so maybe that really was just a prank or a wrong number or something.
*****
"No! Please don't hurt me! Let me go!" I cried, begging him to stop, but he didn't. A hard slap across my cheek made me wince in pain. He grabbed my throat and started choking me. I clawed at his hands with my nails but nothing seemed to work.
He grabbed a fistful of my hair from behind and started dragging me. He pushed me down some stairs and I hit my head on the concrete floor. Blood spread all around me. "Please, don't kill me." I breathlessly whispered as he slowly approached me with a big knife. He kneeled down beside me and slit my throat.
My eyes flew wide open and I immediately sat up on the bed. I put my hands on my throat to check if I had a cut but it was fine. I was fine.
I looked at Charlotte to find her sleeping blissfully beside me. She was lightly snoring and I decided not to wake her up.
I went out of the room, to drink some water in the kitchen.
I switched on the lights and nearly had a stroke when I laid my eyes on a shirtless Zack standing there in the kitchen, drinking water.
He jumped and flinched a little as I had suddenly switched on the lights. I would have screamed so loud if I wasn't so mesmerised by his bare body.
"God, you nearly killed me, Jennifer." He let out a breath and drank the remaining water from his glass. I saw how his Adam's apple moved as he gulped the water down.
Snap out of it, you dumbo. Stop staring.
I want to... But I can't...
You can. But you don't want to.
Zack had a perfect body with all those muscles and abs. I wanted to trace my fingers down his collar bone to his abs...
What? You are going crazy with all those nightmares.
Just shut.
"Like the view, Jennifer?" Zack gave me his infamous smirk which resulted into my stomach being erupted with butterflies.
"No." I lied.
"Why are you staring then?" He grinned.
"I'm not." Even though I was but.. Whatever.
"You are."
"Well not anymore." I reluctantly shut my eyes. Why did it feel like Deja Vu?
I heard Zack chuckle and the sound made my heart flutter. I opened my eyes and saw him staring at me with a sweet smile and adoration reflecting in his eyes. My cheeks heated up and I just went to grab a glass of water instead, ignoring Zack.
He was watching my every move from filling the glass with water till drinking it.
I kept the glass down and took a few breaths, the nightmare was still vivid in my mind.
Zack's arms slowly snaked around my waist and he pressed his body on my back, pulling me closer and I immediately relaxed in his arms.
"Nightmare?" He asked in a calm voice.
I nodded.
"What did you see?" He asked again.
"Someone pushed me down the stairs and then slit my throat." I whispered.
"Did you see any face? Who was it?" Zack turned me around to face him.
"No. I don't see any face. All I see is a dark shadow torturing me. The only voices are of me screaming at him to stop. But he never does." My voice wavered.
Zack quickly pulled me in his embrace. "Don't worry Jennifer. No one will hurt you. I'll make sure of that."
"I know, Zack. I trust you." I mumbled.
"Let's go to sleep now." Zack said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
"Can I sleep with you today? Please?" I asked in a quiet tone.
"Of course you can Jennifer. You don't even have to ask." He smiled down at me.
Zack pulled away only to carry me in his arms, bridal style. "Zack! Put me down!" I squealed. "Shh. We don't want to wake up the whole house." He shushed me. I was already blushing by the time we reached his room.
Zack laid me down on his bed slowly and carefully. The room was almost dark, only lighted up by a few scattered rays of dawn. He moved around the bed and laid by my side. I turned so that I was facing him and he did the same.
"Thank you, Zack." I softly said.
"No. Don't thank me, Jennifer. You never have to thank me." He smiled.
This time it was me who was staring into his eyes with an intense gaze, finding peace and love in those beautiful light brown eyes.
I noticed how beautiful his face was. Every line and curve was perfect, at least for me. His brown hair were fallen upon his forehead, all messy from lying in bed. His scent was still so soothing. He looked so peaceful, lying on the bed beside me.
"Stop looking at me like that, Jennifer." Zack softly said, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Like what?" I asked in confusion.
His cheeks looked flushed and he was trying to contain his smile but failed miserably. "Like I am the most beautiful thing in this world. With so much.. Affection in your eyes. As if I am the only thing you see." He mumbled.
"You don't want me to look at you?" I asked in fake innocence.
"No. I didn't mean that... I mean.. Look at me.. No.. Wait.. What?" I chuckled at his awkwardness.
"Are you laughing at me?" He asked, faking a hurt tone.
"No?" I replied, trying to stiffle my laughter.
He raised an eyebrow at me and then suddenly, he was on top of me on the bed.
"Stop laughing or I'll tickle you." He said in what was supposed to be a threatening tone but he was smiling at me.
I shook my head with a smirk on my lips. "Are you challenging me, Jennifer Williams?" He smirked back.
"Maybe." I tried to control my smile.
He slowly started leaning closer to my face, like a predator approaching it's prey. His eyes, not leaving mine.
Then, he took a hold of both of my hands, intertwining our fingers and pinning them on either side of my head. His lips were inches away from mine, his eyes still staring into my soul.
"Z-Zack?" I stuttered.
My heart was fluttering and there were butterflies in my stomach.
"Hm?" He hummed and leaned closer.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, suddenly losing all my breath.
"Nothing? Why? You want me to do something?" He mumbled against my lips and smirked.
I was too still to say or do anything. He tilted his head but didn't kiss me. Instead, he started licking my neck, making me feel weird but pleasant sensations in my body.
He released his hand from mine and slid it under my shirt.
He moved his hand over my stomach as he kissed and sucked the skin on my neck.
Then out of nowhere, he started tickling me on my stomach and I broke into a laughing fit trying to get him off me.
"No!" I quietly yelled at him but he just kept smiling, seeing me laughing from all the tickling.
He used both of his hands to tickle me now and I miserably failed to get him to stop.
"Zack... If you don't stop.... I'll scream and.... Wake the whole house up... Stop!" I said in between my laughs.
"Will you challenge me again?" He asked.
"No!... No I won't!" I said breathlessly.
Just as he was about to say something more, his room door opened and Max walked in, rubbing his eyes.
Both Zack and I stopped breathing.
Zack covered over me as I moved to the other side of the bed, trying to make myself as invisible as possible.
"What the hell are you doing here, Max?!" Zack hissed.
"Oh! What are you doing in my room?" Max sleepily asked.
"This is my room, you dumbass." Zack said through gritted teeth.
"Oh.. But I thought I was going to my room..?"
Zack led out a very frustrated sigh.
"But you came to mine. Now get lost."
Zack sounded ready to murder Max.
"But I..." Max trailed off and stopped.
"You going or should I kick your butt?" Zack hissed again.
"Chill bro. Why are you getting so worked up in the middle of the night?" Max yawned.
"Close the door when you leave." Zack ordered.
"Alright. And oh.. Who were you lying on top of just now?" Max still appeared to be sleepy. But how can someone talk so much when they're sleepy.
"No one. You must be dreaming." Zack said.
"But why would I dream of you? I'd rather dream about Eri-" Max quickly shut up.
As I was lying behind Zack, to hide from Max, I couldn't see his face.
"What?" Zack asked.
"Nothing. Good night." I heard Max call out and then the door was shut.
"I feel like killing him sometimes." Zack muttered underneath his breath.
"Hey. That's my brother you're talking about." I warned him.
"Oh right. Your brother. But he's just a pain in the ass sometimes."
Now it was me who was laying on top of him. I imitated his actions from earlier by intertwining our fingers and pinning his hands on the bed, on either side of his face even though I struggled in doing so.
"What are you doing?" Zack chuckled.
"Revenge." I whispered in his ear and licked his neck just like he did mine a few minutes back.
Zack lightly shivered, clearly shocked by my actions.
"Jennifer. No." Zack said but didn't make any move to stop me.
I kissed his neck and then traced my fingers, from his collar bone down his chest to his abs. He took in a sharp breath and I could feel how flustered he was.
Then I gave him a look and smirked before tickling him.
He started laughing but I shushed him. "Don't laugh. The others would think that either you've gone mad or turned into a monster."
Zack rolled us over so that he was on top of me again. "You want to see what a monster I can become?" He asked in a seductively husky voice, leaving tingles on my skin.
I guess it was my going out of control hormones that made me nod my head.
"Alright then." He kissed my cheek before crashing his lips on mine.
What was supposed to be a kiss I guess, turned into a long make out Session.
He pulled away from me and brought his fingers on my collar bone. He slowly and sensually traced them down my chest to my stomach.
Then, he slid his hand inside my shirt and moved it up until he reached my ribs. He rubbed his thumb in circles on my ribs, just below my breasts and started kissing my neck.
One of my hands moved up to ruffle his hair while the other rested on his shoulder blade.
"Zack." I said, being out of breath with the pleasure I was in. "Hm?" He hummed.
"We should sleep. We have school tomorrow." Somehow I controlled my hormones. Yes.
"You're right. And also, your first time should be special." He winked before getting off of me.
I blushed.
"Shut up. Naughty boy." I smacked his chest.
He grabbed my hand and kept it on his chest making me blush even more. "You should be careful with what you call me."
We fell asleep shortly after only to wake up again after a couple of hours.
I yawned as I exited Zack's room.
Charlotte, who was passing by me saw me and smirked.
"Oooh. So, Jen.. You must have had a great sleep yesterday." Dhe grinned.
"Yeah. Maybe not as good as you did when you had left me alone in the middle of the night to sleep in Liam's room that other day. And oh.. Also those noises that were coming out of the roo-" She slapped her hand on my mouth, looking as red as a tomato.
"Noises?! No. You did not hear any noises.... Right?" .
"I did." I mumbled against her hand and wiggled my eyebrows.
"No. No you did not!" she covered her face with her hands and walked away from me as I giggled.
*****
I was keeping my books inside my locker when I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to face the person and as I did, they pasted a note on my face and started laughing. I recognized the voices of Ashley and Hailey.
"What the hell?!" I said and removed the note from my face.
'Useless whore.' Was written on it.
"You guys can seriously do better." I commented.
I crumbled the paper and tossed it on Ashley's face before walking away.
What's their problem? Why are they after me?
They're just jealous. Don't pay attention to those witches.
Just then I received a message on my phone.
'7 days left.'
It was again an unknown number but different from the last one.
Okay... This is definitely not a wrong number. Who's trying to mess with me then?
I chose to ignore the message for now. I'll have to talk to someone about it later.