ANOUSHKA
It's been weeks since Crieghton and I stopped being friends. I didn't think he was serious when he meant we weren't going to be friends anymore. I don't even see him in the morning anymore but when I do wake up, there is always breakfast made for me and the only times we ever talk are during tutor.
I try to make conversation with him but he either changes the conversation back to school or he brushes it off. At family dinners, when my dad talks about my wedding, Creighton leaves and he doesn't come back and he doesn't speak to my dad. In fact, every time I see him looking at my dad, he's always glaring. He hates him for ruining what he could've had. Wren had tried making us speak but Creighton is an expert at silent treatment.
Currently, I'm watching him talk to that fucking girl. I had no right to be jealous but I couldn't help it. Him and that girl have gotten a lot closer and it
made me sick.
I sigh once I leave the cafeteria. Wren hurrying behind me. "Don't show him you're upset," she says.
"I'm not upset." I murmur, walking to the dorm. I open the door and I'm met with an envelope on the floor with my name on it. I subtly pick it up and shove it in my pocket so that Wren didn't see it.
"You're heartbroken. I get it. He isn't worth that heartbreak."
I wasn't really listening to what she was saying, I was distracted with the note so I just nodded my head to whatever she said.
"Wait really?" she asks and I force myself to listen.
"Wait what." I blurt.
"You'll come to Luca's birthday party."
That means Creighton will be there. "No-"
She squeals. "I'm so excited. Considering you cancelled on the party a few weeks ago. This is amazing. You can totally wear that dress you bought."
"I don't want-"
"Please." she cuts me off. "I need someone to go with me."
Wren had way more friends than I did so I didn't believe for a second that was the reason. "Fine. What time is it at?"
"7," she replies. "It would be 9 but these stupid curfew restrictions are ruining everything."
"I'll be ready." I say, walking to my bedroom. I take the envelope out of my pocket and I open it.
Come to the party tonight. It you wanna see who I am.
My number is at the bottom.
My first thought was to call Creighton but I dropped my phone onto my bed when I realised that I wouldn't know how to even tell him. I needed to handle this on my own.
•••
We walk into Luca's house with our arms linked together. It was a huge party. Luca really knows how to throw one.
"Hey baby." I hear him yell at Wren. She smiles before running over to him. I hesitantly follow after them.
I message the number that he gave me, telling him that I was here.
"Anoushka." Luca says. I glance up from my phone to see him. "I didn't think you were coming." he says, hesitantly.
"Well here I am." I mumble.
"Let's dance." Wren interrupts, grabbing my hand. He pulls her back and holds her waist so she couldn't move. "No dancing or drinking." he tells her.
She rolls her eyes. "Boring." she murmurs.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. Come outside to the garden.
"I need to go to the bathroom." I tell Wren, who was currently making out with Luca. She shoots me a thumbs up and I make my way to the garden.
The garden was just as busy as the rest of the house. People were jumping in and out of the pool and I carefully walked around the pool so I didn't fall in.
I notice someone standing in the corner, alone. I can see you.
A second message comes through. Swallowing hard, I follow my gut and head to the guy in a zipped-up hoodie and sweatpants.
"Hey." I say.
He pulls off his hood and when I saw those blue eyes, I immediately took a step back. "No." I whisper.
"Hey Anoush." Jeremy says, taking a step forward.
"It's you." I whisper.
"So you aren't completely stupid." he says chuckling.
"What do you want with me?" I ask.
"Well, when I found out that Creighton was investigating Isabella's disappearance I was intrigued because I know where she is and I wanted to see if he can get there himself. I had to help him along the way." he says.
He's the guy Creighton met with the day I received the photo of me.
"But now I'm in danger so I need to tell someone everything that happened. I won't hurt you Anoushka." he says. "Not again."
I swallow hard and nod my head hesitantly. "I used to crush on Isabella. Like every man in this school except she took interest in me. She told me all her plans and her ways that she was going to make you suffer."
"Why though?"
"Creighton had a crush on you. She was jealous."
My heart races at the mention of his name. Creighton used to have a crush on me? Jeremy picks up on my confused face before laughing. "God, you really are oblivious."
I roll my eyes at him.
"Anyway after that whole scandal with Isabella and Creighton. She finally admitted she liked me. I was the last person to see her that night. She went missing after that."
Fucking hell.
"I did my investigation except I'm much smarter than Creighton. I found her a month after she went missing. She told me that she had a plan. She didn't tell me her plan but it included me sending you creepy messages to freak you out, which worked."
That makes sense. So the stalker was him all along. "You sent the box of hair to my dorm?" I ask.
His brows furrow. "Box of hair? Do I look like I have a hair fetish, Anoushka?"
If it wasn't him who was it?
"In the box it told me to stay away from him or they'll hurt more girls? I thought it was you."
"It seems like something Isabella would do but it wasn't her." he says.
I cross my arms against my chest. "You seem so sure that Isabella didn't do it, how do you know? What if she didn't tell you."
He smirks. "Isabella wouldn't do anything without me knowing." he tells me.
"Do you have any clue who sent that message?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "It must be someone else."
"Why are you in danger?" I ask quietly.
"I want to hand Isabella in." he admits.
My mouth parts on it's own accord. "Why?"
Something washes over his eyes. "It's happening." he murmurs, dropping to the ground and sitting up against the fence. I drop beside him. "I never wanted to hurt you." he wheezes. "I wasn't going to rape you Anoushka. I just had to scare you so that she knew I was in on her plan." he murmurs.
Tears brim my eyes. "How can I save you?" I choke out, leaning closer so that I could help him. I press my hand against his forehead.
He shakes his head. "Just forgive me Anoushka. I need it."
I nod, smiling sadly at him. "I forgive you." I whisper. He grabs my hand and gives me one last weak smile and I tighten my grip on his hand. "Call for help and resuscitate me." he whispers. "They'll accuse you of killing me if you don't." he croaks out, his voice fading.
I nod. "Thank you." I choke out, a tear running down my cheek. "I'll make sure we get her." I tell him.
"Be careful." he whispers. "She has people on the inside. People close to you and Creigh-."
Those were his last words before his head rolls to the side and white foam streamed out of his mouth as his eyes began to roll back. "Call an ambulance." I scream, my shaky hands trying to keep Jeremy up.
Groups of people were surrounding us. "Stop staring and help!" I exclaim, laying Jeremy down and pressing my hands against his chest. I was taught CPR a few months ago so I knew what to do.
I wince when I felt something crack beneath my palm and then someone pulls me off Jeremy.
His warm, familiar scent fills my nostrils as he calls my name. "Creighton." I choke out, frantically pulling him closer. Creighton was sitting on the ground beside me, holding me tight to his chest in front of everyone.
"Angel." he whispers, his arms wrapping around me as he holds me close. "Kai get everyone out of here." he shouts but I stay hidden in his chest. Protected and comforted. That's what being with Creighton felt like.
"Let's get you out of here." he tells me.
I shake my head, looking at Jeremy.
His whole body frozen.
His eyes open.
Foam spilt from his mouth.
He was dead.
I pull myself out of his grip before leaning over Jeremy and closing his eyes with my hand. He knew he was going to die. I grab his phone and tucked it into my bra. He had evidence on that phone that I needed.
I glance back at Creighton, who was watching me curiously. "He knew he was going to die," I say, sniffling.
"Let's go." he tells me, ushering my body inside.
"Stop." I choke out. "I'm staying here until the police come."
His eyes soften and I sink to my knees beside Jeremy's dead body. "Don't stay." I say to him. "Just please go."
"I'm not leaving you." he states, sitting beside me.
I sniffle as I stare at Jeremy's body. Despite the hatred I had for him, I couldn't bear to see him dead. I could have saved him. I could have done something other than watch him die.