Shoutout to the amazing writer, Titch_xoxo :)
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Later that night, when Jackson and my parents returned home--and Holly did not --I heard a rattle.
Usually I would've flinched and looked around the place to see who made a noise, still continuing with paranoia and all. But, as far as I knew, mum and dad were both fast asleep because of the long, long day, and Jackson was in his room--sleeping or no, the sound was close by.
Nothing like the sound the door made while it yanked open. It didn't sound like the clinging of keys when my mother and I reached the locked door.
I froze in place on my couch. The noise startled me, and caused me to leap off the couch and turn the television's volume up. Mum and dad wakes up? That will be better. So far, even I was pushing it too far, it seemed as if someone was either breaking in; probably an idiot who will jump through the windows chaotically and shoot me and, I don't know, take my dad's newspapers, or; someone was sneaking in. It could be a burglar.
But that's not who was on my mind.
"Where does your 'friend' live, huh?" My mother yelled into her phone reminding me that Harry lived only across my house.
But how? He had a car...he was coming from somewhere else, he had to. He couldn't drive from across the road to just pick Holly up and take her some place else.
And then, the biggest question of it all hit me.
"That is far away, Holly! It's about half an hour walk from that place to this house." My mum huffed angrily, pacing back and forth in the kitchen, removing one of her pale hands to lower the temperature of the oven. "I don't care if she drives you or not, you didn't ask permission from me." My mum looked at me for a second. Of course its my fault. I couldn't carry her into the house when Harry was just there, probably going to stop me from even talking her out of her stupid idea to get away from her sister.
After a minute, I tiptoed into the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the cabinet, not like I can hurt a soul (except for Harry's, at the moment). I can, however, use it to threaten a burglar, if it wasn't my damn sister. I hoped it was her so I could scare her with this.
I walked beside the staircase. I climbed it slowly, skipping a stair which I knew creaked loudly, and cracked my brother's door open as quietly as possible.
He was sleeping, for once. What a surprise. My brother is the type to play his video games until 3 A.M., shouting insults at his friends.
Should I wake him? I knew he wasn't in a well mood and it would probably take him a while to get back to sleep, but what if it isn't Holly?
Was Harry alone? Even I knew he probably wouldn't be. It was stupid to be known as a common murderer to be out and away without his gang to protect him. Or maybe he lived somewhere else and lied to frighten me? Either reason, Holly and Harry were not down the road at the moment.
"Holly, we've had this talk before; no sleep-over's until I meet your friend." My mum sighed apologetically. She was always nice to our friends. Well, mine, since Holly barely had any, but, hey, I didn't, too. Mother's voice suddenly grew louder once more and very stern. "Holly Bale, don't you dare hang up on me!" Oh, so she wanted to sleep over my mate's house and now she's blocking off contact with us? It's not like she had run away.
Has she?
I began worrying immediately. Holly isn't that girl. She is well behaved. We have taught and raised her well, and in all that lifetime the worst thing she did to me was this. Maybe Harry does like her now, like he did me. Maybe he wants her, like he did me. Maybe he never wants to let her go, like he did me...
"Jackson." I hissed under my breath, and he didn't even stir in his sleep. I closed his door and made my way to my own bedroom. If my parents see me on the floor bleeding out and ask why the hell I didn't tell them when I thought there was someone coming inside, I'd tell them Jackson didn't wake up.
I held the hilt of the knife backwards so the blade was pressed against my skin. My clumsiness would probably cause me to stab this person without finding out who he is, and I don't want that.
"Alright," My mum's voice squeaked in a calm, maintained voice. "Fine. But if you come into this house with one scratch on your face, you aren't leaving here, ever." I strained my ears to listen to the last words when, clearly, my mother didn't want me to hear. "I don't want another thing happening to one of my daughters again, Holly." She straightened once more. "Call me as soon as possible if something goes wrong. This house isn't...too far and I'll make it--okay, okay, sorry. Can't blame a paranoid mum, can you?"
I gaped at her sudden change of mood. Really? She allows Holly to sleep over someone's house? Has my sister drugged her or something? My mother wont allow such atrocities to occur.
"And I don't want you home tonight because you're the one that begged for half an hour for this to happen!" Wow. My mum really must be drugged.
The sound was no longer happening down stairs but around the house outside. I followed it. Creeping down the stairs and back up when it faltered to the back. If I went through the back door, whoever it was will see me and either hide--so I cannot see them and report this to the police slash my parents--or attack. I managed to slip the house's phone into the pocket of my pajama shorts, just in case.
I decided to check from the balcony. I stepped onto the cold tiles on my toes and kept the sliding door open so, if anything happens, I can run inside or my family will hear my scream. I practically begged God and hoped that I was being stupid and over-reacting especially with a fucking knife in my hand--because of that sugar-filled cupcake I ate earlier. This wasn't Harry or anything.
My thoughts reminded me of the knife and I peered down to it. The blade was curved backwards so you'd have to lean the knife forward to cut something with every inch of it. The curved reference was a painful reminder of the knife that one of the boy's owned; most likely Harry--I was too busy dazing at it to remember--, and I broke. It also reminded me of the bloodlust and rage going on around the festival, and how a pointed pocket knife was rammed into Harry's stomach.
I shuddered the stupid memories away and crouched down in front of Holly's room. I pressed my face to the bars that kept anyone from falling, the coldness of the metal numbing my cheeks. After seeing absolutely no movement on the ground, I turned my head slightly and looked through Holly's room.
She was so stupid. Listen to me, I always told her. I'm the older one, I used to rub in when we were young. She always obeyed and she always listened and took advice and things went correctly. We were no longer that young but she should at least trust me. At least even consider what I thought about 'Tyler'.
I hated this, thinking that was the last time I'd ever see her, sitting on her bed. Remembering everything we had done together before Harry came along and ruined our relationship. Maybe I'm exaggerating and she's probably upset that I didn't trust her new 'friend'--which actually happened--but we'd be best friends again, like the happy sisters we were.
I gulped. Only if you ever get to see her again. If only you fucking listened.
Something rustled below, as if something was being pulled out of a tree or someone was deliberately shaking the branches. I stiffened, my thumb twitching for me to dial the cops. I hadn't realized how bad this situation was.
Ugh, I'm over-reacting once more. You can't help it, considering the fact that you have been kidnapped for a week, less than a month ago.
My crouched body tensed as I heard a metal scrape against the ground and a curse. I couldn't tell if the voice belonged to a male or female as it was so hushed.
I cowered into the corner of the balcony, prepared to defend myself or scream at my sister.
I saw two silver-colored points sticking up in the air and bit my lip down to contain a shriek as it lightly tapped the balcony and leaned on it. It was a ladder, and someone was climbing it.
My eyes searched the room until they landed on the photos she kept on her mirror and remembered how we made our own frames when I was about twelve.
One photo caught my eyes instantly, almost bringing a tear to my eye. I was also slightly sensitive at the moment.
My head moved up a little as I raised to my knees, peering over the edge of the balcony to see nothing. It was dark as pitch and seemed like there was a dark mist concealing the ground. The balcony wasn't even that high.
I squinted my eyes, straining them to see.
It was a picture of the both of us, standing in front of the Ferris Wheel after we hopped off of it. It wasn't our first time on the ride but we were cheerful as hell, it seemed. The odd thing is I don't remember any thing about that day but riding the wheel and posing for this picture. We were under ten, but I expected more from myself, it seemed.
She was being rude and so sure of everything but there's no reason for me to hate her for anything, even if she was basically at Harry's 'place'. She had no idea he was my mate or a criminal. She was oblivious, but still, was being a baby about the whole thing. "Oh, Holly." I whispered.
"Ah!" We cried out at the exact same time as each of our eyes caught each other's. We both stumbled back, my back hitting the wall beside Holly's bedroom window.
"Evelyn!" Holly screamed, her voice ear-splitting as she smacked her hand onto the end of the balcony to even her balance. "What the hell--?"
I gasped for air, my back still against the wall, my knees in front of me. "A ladder? You were coming inside with a ladder, are you kidding?" My voice squealed at the end.
"It's not what it looks like," she huffed and stepped over the balcony to stand in front of me. She no longer wore Harry's jacket. "Before you want to say 'I told you so', listen to me first, please."
I snorted, helping myself up by pushing against my knees. "Listen? Listen to you? You didn't listen to me!"
"I didn't need to," Holly groaned, rolling her eyes as well as crossing her arms over her chest.
"You didn't need to?" I spluttered. "Then why are you back? Did Tyler kick you out?" I was spitting venom, so furious.
Holly's cheeks reddened and she sourly looked away.
"You know what, I don't care. But don't think I'm not gonna ask." My eyes narrowed when I caught her flinch.
"Evelyn, nothing happened. I just returned home because I felt as if I were bothering him, I swear that's it." Her face twisted into a scowl but she still didn't turn her head to face me.
Sure.
"Where does this Tyler live?" I glowered. She's the only one who could tell me if Harry doesn't.
She blinked at my question as if it were random...which it is, slightly.
"Well, I-I'm not sure." She flushed.
"You told mum," I huffed "what's so bad about telling me?"
"I, I'm not supposed to say."
"Tyler told you not to tell me?" What's the chances? Doesn't she feel a little suspicious that her crush was asking her not to tell her sister where he lived?
"Y-No. Look, I'm tired." She trudged to her door and slid it open glumly. "We'll-" she stopped to yawn, "-speak tomorrow."
I didn't say anything as she dropped on her bed. I expected to lecture her and had the urge to ask her more; what she did at Tyl-Harry's place, why she was back, did he ask about me besides keeping the address from me...
Though I didn't want to and had to literally force myself, I walked myself into my bedroom, sneaking a glance in Holly's direction.
I lazily walked down the stairs and turned the television off, finally going to bed.
-
"Would you like some pancakes, Evelyn?" My mother mused, glancing at me. "Before your brother finishes it all?"
I shook my head slowly. "I'm good with toast." She watched me chew and choke down my dry toast and motioned to my glass of milk. I never really liked orange juice.
"Can I have her plate then?" Jackson butted in, pointing at me as I finished off the glass.
"You're going to be late for school, and there's no remainders." My mum scoffed, making Jackson roll his eyes. "Time for you all to leave. Jackson, will you-"
"I know, I know, I always drop the girls off, no need to keep asking." He shrugged. My mum smiled at him.
After brushing my teeth, I went back down the stairs to find Holly and Jackson waiting by the door. Jackson was tying the laces of his shoes together in a firm knot and Holly was quietly staring at the wall with a tiny smile on her face, reminding me that I might see 'Tyler' today.
I sighed at the sudden image of Harry being at my school, bringing the attention of both of my siblings. I can't believe he did all this shit; tracking me down, living across me, attending the same school of mine just to get to me. Or Holly, it seems. I hoped not. I'd rather me to get hurt than her, no matter how angry I am with her.
"Ready for your next day of school?" Jackson smirked.
I nodded my head, actually feeling the opposite. I once mentioned that I wouldn't mind going to school when my mum asked me, but now that, last night, realization hit me and I remembered how most people at school would probably know I was missing for several days, it worried me that I would be the center of attention...Not that I was popular or anything. Quite the opposite. But I'm pretty sure if one of the cheerleaders noticed that the girl on the news was a girl from her school, then believe me, the whole school would find out. I overheard a group of girls chatting about me being raped.
I hate when people gossip about me.
The three of us walked out of the house wordlessly. Holly kicked at a pebble, her lips pursed. Jackson's eyes were slightly drooped; he was never really a morning person.
Holly didn't even sit in the passenger's seat. She usually sits there. Thinking it will be awkward sitting next to her, I chose shotgun.
Jackson put the radio on to ease the annoying silence in the car. Neither of us knew what to say, until the woman on the radio stopped talking about all the jams and accidents on the highway and about somebody missing after they went to a friend's house. I didn't understand much, thankfully, because Jackson then turned the radio off. School was just a minute away so far, anyway.
Holly's phone rang. She immediately picked it up just when my brother pulled into the school's parking lot.
"Hello? Yeah, it's me," she held the phone in between her shoulder and cheek as she slid on her backpack.
"Have a good day, you two." Jackson flashed a forced smile through the tiredness of his eyes and shooed us out of his car. "Oh, and, Evelyn? I might be over at my friend's so mum might pick you up."
"Okay."
I noticed he didn't kill the engine or even step out of the car.
"Aren't you coming?" I asked.
"Need to pick up a friend," he shrugged after pulling his window down to hear me.
I frowned. What am I supposed to do then? Alone? Holly is already walking towards a group of people. My heart pounded. "Why didn't you pick him up along with us?"
"He wasn't ready," he shook his head.
"Alright, then. Bye." I waved awkwardly as he drove away.
I spun around and already saw Holly chatting with some people, my eyes searching for her 'friend'. I couldn't see him anywhere.
Realizing that there is still half an hour before the first bell rings. I decided to go back to the library and read as much of that John Green book I borrowed as I can.
-
I was feeling jittery when I sat in the class surrounded by people who weren't Holly. What if she was with Harry? What if she wasn't at school at all?
I was glad that it was now break, finally. I was stuck in math and history. What a terrible way to start the first day of the week.
After grabbing a tray of food I sat myself in the corner back table, facing the wall, so I don't hear anything about myself in anybody's conversation.
A few people were hissing behind me but I tried to ignore them, but a figure appeared right in front of me, setting his own tray of food on the table across mine.
I blinked at the boy.
"Hi, Evelyn," Finn smiled happily; not sympathetically, which I felt relief for. It's terribly rude to take someone's smile so annoyingly, hating it, but, even after two days of school, I was sick of it. Either talk to me or leave me alone. A smile doesn't make my paranoia go away. It just reminds me of the terrible things that have happened to me.
"Hi." I replied, unsure, looking around. Was this a stunt? I felt bad once more for thinking such a thing for such a nice person, but you never know with such rude people in the school. It's popular people he sits with, and they're super arrogant. All I saw were people eating and chatting. However, the people that eat behind me were glaring at me. Actually, it was Finn-- I don't understand why--but since he was sitting right across me, it looked as if they were looking at me. But when each and every one of them saw me look, their faces softened and they looked away.
Sympathy coming from them? Weird.
"Hey, I was wondering if you were planning on coming to the school dance? The one in September?" Finn piped up, still smiling as he bit into an apple.
I felt my skin crawl at the thought of another party. "It would take years to get my mum's permission. Sorry." Actually, it's not my mum. I don't want to go to another party, thanks. It was the first ever 'teenage party' that I've been to, and it's now the last because it was also the worst. Even though this is just a school dance. It's now worse that Harry is here.
Finn frowned, making me feel bad almost immediately. "It's....Sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."
"That's fine, really." I shook my head.
He sighed. "No, it's not, I-...I couldn't have felt any worse. I'm sorry for what happened that night. I wasn't the one who brought the beers over."
"Beers?"
Finn flushed. "I don't drink, but...I wasn't exactly sober that night and the party got out of control. We were fined for it, too." He smiled to ease the tension, as if it worked.
"Oh."
"I'm really, really sorry and you're probably pissed at how many people are acting weird towards you," his finger joints popped as he pulled at them one by one, "but I feel absolutely guilty and I'm a little relieved that I got to apologize," he sighed again, more deeply, "I can't expect-"
"Finn," I hushed him. "It wasn't your fault. I'm the one who went to the party." I murmured the last part. The look on Finn's face braced myself for questions.
Unbelievably, Finn smiled and didn't say anything else. "I'm, uh, glad you're back." He rubbed his bicep. "But...can I ask you something? It's not about anyone that...you were, y'know, with."
"Go ahead."
"Sorry if, um, I'll understand if you don't wanna answer but," he sucked a deep breath, "okay. I heard you...you were, resisting the cops?"
I looked up at him. Once he saw my confused face, he continued, stuttering.
"When my b-brother....yeah." He knew I understood. "Why?"
I spun my apple around on the tray with the stem, silent for a minute. Finn's cheeks reddened when he thought I wasn't going to answer or regretting asking. I'm not sure.
"I don't know." I lied. "I was scared. Didn't know what to do. I mean, there were cops after me and I guess I was overwhelmed?" I was running to protect my family. Harry said if I told anyone or left, he'd hurt someone I loved, which is why I cried for Holly last night.
"Okay. Sorry if you-"
"Stop apologizing." I chuckled.
Finn laughed along and, after realizing the thickness of air vanished, finished off his apple as I carried away eating my own sandwich.
"School's bad without you," he said. Like hell. "And I noticed you don't have an-" he cleared his throat, my knuckles going cold, "you're alone, at lunch. So, I was wondering if you wanted to come play with me next break?"
When he said play with me, I thought of both a small kid asking another childishly, and a creepy molester.
I can't help it.
"Play?" I frowned, expecting him to straighten and correct himself, but he nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, the basketball try-outs are next week and we're all practicing." Finn nodded. "All the other sports suck. Basketball is amazing compared to them all." He made a face, making me laugh. "And Mr. Bobby suggests everyone in class to be more active and athletic." Finn changed his voice to sound like this teacher. So Harry wasn't lying.
"Who's Mr. Bobby?" I said out loud.
"He's new, uh, a substitute for the English teacher, apparently."
"Apparently, why apparently?"
"Well, that teacher wasn't well. I don't think Bobby's just a substitute." Finn sunk into his seat.
"Oh. Okay."
His charming smile grew once more. "So, you up for basketball?"
I heard scoffs and grunts of disapproval from behind, and Finn rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about them. They're only doing this so they don't fail."
I remembered how I saw a 'boy' playing basketball. Holly cheering him on; he turned out to be Harry. Would Harry be there? I haven't seen him at all today. Or Holly, which is what worried me.
"Ah, I'm not sure," I shrugged. "I'm not really a sport-person, as if you couldn't tell." I continued before he said something cliché. "And I suck at basketball, also despite it--along with every other sport, to be honest--."
Finn sipped from a tiny bottle. "Sure, you suck. I suck. We all suck."
"Right. And I'm actually a rag doll." I rolled my eyes. Rag doll? I mentally slammed my head into the table. What I meant was Finn looked athletic.
"You're right about the doll part," Finn smirked. I felt heat creep up my neck and raised my shoulders to conceal the red skin.
He put his bottle down. "What's the real person you don't wanna play? Is it my friends?"
I froze. How easily he had caught my lies. "Well, not exactly." I picked at my nails.
"What is it?" He frowned. "Is it me?"
"No, no! Of course it's not." I waved my hand in the air, and, after realizing I caught several people's attention, piped down. "Well, you see....my sister."
"You have a sister?" Finn gaped. He didn't know? Holly and I have been at this school since the first year of high school. "Who?"
I pressed my lips together. How the hell am I supposed to explain that? "Holly. She's two years younger than me. A little shorter--" I put my hand in the air again, palm facing up to show her estimated height, "--brown hair, brown eyes."
Finn stayed still, saying nothing.
"Anyway, she's got this...new friend," I half-lied. Maybe telling Finn wont to be too bad--about Holly's crush, that is. "He's a little weird. Well, I think he isn't really her type? I don't know." I huffed. "I don't like the guy. He seems like a bad influence." Finn listened intently.
"Say." he mused, rolling his water around in the tiny bottle, "He isn't new around here, is he?" I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood very faintly as it was drawn to the surface. Please don't tell me he's Finn's friend.
"I-t-think," I whispered. "Has he got annoyingly curly hair?"
"And green eyes?" Finn straightened. I didn't move an inch, beside bobbing my head in a nod for a second.
"He's one of Jack's friends. I met him when he was trying out for the basketball team. Great lad, that one. What was his name again, though?" Finn leaned back on the chair, screwing his lid on and off the bottle, unthinking. "Was it Theo or Tanner?"
I looked away. I didn't actually want to talk about Harry, or lie about why I didn't want to go into this sport. This is a half-lie, right?
But when I looked away, I faced the cafeteria doors. One of them swung open, revealing my sister, clad in her clothes with the exception of the jacket. She was grinning madly, possibly laughing, I couldn't see. But she was happy, despite her depressing and glum actions this morning. There was only one reason for this, making my blood boil in fury and my heart pound in fright.
"Tyler," I whispered as he stepped up from behind me sister.
"Yes, Tyler!" Finn cheered, making Harry look this way.
Finn waved him over just as his green eyes caught mine. Oddly, Harry's forehead creased and his jaw clenched.
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