Chapter 1
December 13
12:01 p.m.
The sky was so blue today; it was almost uncanny. Like the universe demanded that today be a good day even if it had no reason to. The sun shone brightly through the few clouds that hung over us like a mobile. It was an incredibly beautiful day to lounge around by the pool and soak up sun rays.
But I had other places to be. Parties, bars, beds, and maybe a hot tub or two – the usual, really.
Pulling into the parking lot slowly, I circled around until I found an empty spot close enough to the entrance to appease me. I promised Samara, that I’d pick up some coolers before heading over to her place. She was having a party tonight and I refused to miss it – even if the sun screamed for me to dress in a little black bikini and sun bathe.
I almost felt bad for people who didn’t live in California. It was December 13th here and it was still blazing hot. I couldn’t even begin to imagine having to put up with four months of snow and slush. Actual snowflakes coming down from the sky and polluting everything in sight with that pureness – it was disgusting.
Pulling down the mirror in front of me, I pursed my lips together in a sexy smile. I looked hot, like always. Not one of the guys at school could resist me. There wasn’t one of them (hot or popular) that I hadn’t slept with at one point or another. Brad was probably the only exception, but only because he was a total loser.
I ran my hand through the messy platinum blonde hair that cascaded down to the middle of my back and whipped out my lip stick. My lips lost their luster so I smeared on another coat of shine before stuffing the tube back into my Prada purse. I took another look in the mirror to check that I looked 19 years old. A smirk of content dashed to the lips of the image that reflected back at me.
Fake ID or not, I could totally pass for someone old enough to buy beer.
In reality, I was only 17. Not old enough to buy alcohol but definitely old enough to say that I had my fair share of getting drunk and one night stands.
That didn’t stop me from doing it all over again though. I bought wine or coolers or vodka for shots and then, I’d go to Samara’s or to Chase’s house and all we’d do is party. It was fun until the morning after where I’d barely be able to stand because of the humongous monster trucks running over my brain from a hangover.
Sometimes we’d even go to clubs. “We” as in me and Samara. I couldn’t be bringing Chase along though when we did because I’d hook up with some new meat. And having your boyfriend around when you were trying to get some hottie from the bar to take you home was not the easiest task in the world.
I threw both my legs out of the car and stood up. My hands went to smooth out my tight red dress as it crinkled from the movements. It was one of my favourite dresses. It clung to my boobs and my butt like glue and made me look sexy as hell.
I slammed my door shut, a smirk immediately reigning over my lips. The two guys exiting the beer store peered at me as they passed by. I could feel their stares on my ass. I couldn’t blame them though. I was every guy’s fantasy, whether they wanted to admit it or not. Even the homeless guy that sat at the end of the curb, begging for gin, gave me a second glance and a toothy smile.
Ew.
But I guess this little number worked its magic anyways.
I grabbed two bottles of Mike’s hard lemonade (for me and Samara), three cases of beer and a bottle of vodka. You know, in case Chase decided body shots were the thing tonight. He always wanted to try something new. I shouldn’t be complaining though – it was probably my fault. After having been with so many guys, I had a few new moves every week or so that I could show him.
I weaved through the shelves with the cart and stopped at the end of the line. Personally, I thought lines were stupid. I should just be able to go to the front. It’s not like I had anything against these people - although more than two of the men could use a serious hair transplant – but it was just that I didn’t have time to wait in line like them. Surely, someone should let me bud, even if it was only in hopes on sleeping with me later.
I tapped my foot in silent reflection as I peered around the store. I’d been here so many times and nothing ever really changed. You’d think after all the money I’d spent here they would have at least add a couch or two for people who had to wait in such unbearably long lines. But no. All they had was a stupid clear plastic box atop the wooden counters collecting change for charity.
I could always give some money away, you know. I was rich. My dad was a huge player in the business industry and he paid for all of my expenses. That’s how I could afford my car and my clothes. And the alcohol, of course.
I felt someone’s gaze on my face and turned towards a man with slightly unfocused brown eyes and graying hair. He was probably my dad’s age. But upon noticing the name tag that hung lamely from his shirt, I bit my lip and gave him a once over.
Just like I’d intended, he raced over to the empty counter beside my line and took off the sign indicating that he was away. I don’t think he could’ve run any faster. He smiled at me.
I moved to his line before anyone else could and stalled as I bent forward to offer a good look down my shirt as I picked up all the bottles I was buying and there was a lot.
I was hot, like I said before. I had a firm ass, big boobs – with a little help from the plastic surgeon – and a skinny waist, which came mostly from skipping meals. I had perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect everything. I even had a little tattoo on my olive-tan ankle that read “Live” in cursive letters to complete the image.
I still remember the day I got it. I would never forget it. Not ever. I got it for my brother, Matt. He’d been the only guy in the whole world that I trusted completely. I think that when he went, I just gave up. Why should I enjoy myself when he wasn’t? I didn’t eat for a while and then I started drinking, and then I started smoking. That was about the time I met Samara. She showed me how much fun I could have in forgetting. If I could get myself to a certain amount of intoxication, I could completely forget to miss him. My stomach would stop turning, my body would stop aching, and my brain wouldn’t hammering against the side of my head. My heart would stop feeling like it was falling out of my chest – I just liked the numbness of it all.
I was happy with my lifestyle though. I met some great friends and every few days, I got a break from Matt’s absence lurking just outside my thoughts.
“That’ll… it’ll be sixty-four dollars… and twelve cents,” he stuttered and smiled, my eyes fluttering back towards him as he broke me from my thoughts.
I handed him a fifty and a twenty and licked across the bottom of my teeth, seductiveness oozing from every pore on my flawless skin.
“Would you like to, uh, donate to, um, the Children’s charity?” he asked shyly, his hands reached for the glass container and as he patted it as if it were a good little dog. I could see how hard it was for him to even do such a simple action with me around.
“Nope,” I laughed.
He handed me the change without another word and the ripped the receipt from the printer to give to me. I took both and headed out of the liquor store.
It was almost funny how flustered they all got just taking an innocent peek at me.
It wasn’t always like this. When I was younger guys didn’t even look at me half the time. That was before though. It was before my tattoo and before all the parties and all the sex. It was before I decided eating wasn’t necessary and before I dyed my hair platinum. It was before I got a boob job just to attract more guys. It was before I hated my parents. It was before I did whatever the hell I wanted to…
It was before my life got exciting.
The glass door slid open for me as I piloted the cart out to my car, swaying my hips. The front wheels on the cart hit the curb and I twisted to avoid it from rolling into the parking lot. With a gasp, my shoulder hit someone and I groaned at the pain as I righted myself.
“Chloe,” Ryan greeted with look of derision, “Following in your brother’s footsteps?”
I could almost feel my face contort at the sight of him. Ryan. I hated Ryan. He was emotionless, obnoxious, rude and selfish. His jet black hair was the colour of the heart he supposedly had and his blue eyes the colour of the sky after a thunder storm ripped apart a city. Ryan was worse than the monsters that preyed on little children at night just to hear their screams. Worse than an abusive husband or a ruthless killer.
“Ryan. Following mine? Seriously, are you stalking me?” I commented easily. I hated Ryan with every fragment of my existence. Every time we bumped into each other, it was an instant battle of wits between us. Neither of us could pass up the chance at making the other sound like a fool.
I prayed for the day that I might be able to rid myself of him. One day, I would take a gun and press it to his temple and pull the trigger. Then he would get what he deserved. Then he would finally pay.
A surge of hot anger rushed through my veins with the thought. Now I understood what they meant when they said it felt like a flash of molten lava creeping under your skin.
“Like I’d follow you. I have better things to do,” he said shortly. His fingers twitched at his sides. I almost missed the little action but I knew I was getting on his nerves. Perfect. If only he weren’t so robotic. Then again, I liked the challenge of breaking him. I liked watching his calm slither from his features like a snake and the anger rise in its place.
I grinned thoughtfully. The inner workings of my mind were just starting up, “Right. Like picking up your whores up off of street corners, right? Like little Abby. I think I saw her working the other night just past club Glimmer,” I added, pointing my finger behind me as I rested my other hand on my hip.
With my lips pursed, I tried not to smile at the way his lips curled into a scowl and the way he bared teeth, “Abby would never do that. She’s not a whore like you.”
“I at least get to know the guy before I sleep with him,” I laughed, “I think Abbes had a fetish for strangers. You know what I mean?” It was like watching a damn burst. A quick crack running along the wall as it splits and divides, procreating even smaller cracks and breaks that made more miniature cracks until the wall is only being held together by gravity. It was waiting for that one, final blow that would make the whole damn collapse at its touch.
“She did make love to Matt first time she met him,” I said, cocking my head to the side. Blonde hair fell around my shoulders as I looked up at him.
I could see the effectiveness of my words as they hit him. ‘Make love’, yeah right! Matt had laughed about what a horrible lay she was. But I knew how much saying it would hurt Ryan.
Grinding his teeth together, Ryan huffed out his breath and locked eyes on me, “She only slept with him because she was drunk.”
“No. No, I think she made love to him because she’s a whore,” I argued. With our gazes still locked, I could feel his anger simmering behind his eyes like a hot ray of light. His arms stayed at his sides although his knuckles stretched white as he clamped his fists into rigid balls.
I quirked a smile on my plump lips and batted my eyelashes innocently, “And apparently not a very good one either. Matt told me all about how she liked to do this kinky stuff…” I trailed.
Ryan didn’t move at the provocation. Instead, he sent me a stony glare and spoke up. His voice withered compared to the strength in mine, “Abigail never had any feelings for your asshole brother except disgust. When they-”he couldn’t finish his sentence, “She was drunk. I forgave her,” but I could see in his eyes how he didn’t – how he would never really take her apology. I grinned.
“Mhmm…” I laughed again, “So you forgave her and she still never took you back? Wow. That’s sad. Especially because she’s such a whore.”
“You would know! You don’t even wear clothes most of the time!” he yelled. The man on the corner turned to look at us and gave another disgusting smile at my outfit.
I cocked an eyebrow, “That’s because guys want to sleep with me. Poor little Abby had to beg Matt just for him to fuck her because you couldn’t get enough balls to do it.”
The muscles in Ryan’s jaw tensed. It was the final blow. The damn crumbling to pieces as the water from behind it crashed around the town and took the citizen’s lives without remorse. The waves plunging into roofs, hitting tall towers, striking schools and beating hospitals. Ryan couldn’t hold his anger anymore.
“You’re a bitch!” he screamed, “I hate you, Chloe. I wish you’d have died along with your damned brother!”
I think on some level, I actually felt bad for him. You know: if I actually hadn’t known Ryan as a person before. He stood, huffing and puffing out his anger as he glared at me. And then, like nothing had happened, he turned for the sliding doors and went inside.
I stood there amazed for a moment. He’d never just walked away like that before. Maybe I’d pushed him too far? The conscience I tried so hard to hide away whispered through my bones, telling me to go apologize. But why should I? He deserved every word.
There was no way in hell I was saying sorry.
With a glint of a smirk, I made my way over to my car and piled the drinks in the back.
Hoping into the front seat, I adjusted my mirrors and pulled out of the parking lot in one swift movement. I drove out the plaza and onto the busy street. It was fifteen minutes before I really got anywhere, what with all the tourists here to see the movie stars. Couldn’t they get a life and stop stalking Brad Pitt and George Clooney? Really, it was embarrassing.
I pushed down the breaks slowly, irritation nibbling at the back of my mind. Great, Ryan then tourists and now a freaking red light.
“My lucky day,” I grumbled sarcastically.
I edged forwards in hope of a green light.
And that’s when I heard honking. It was growing closer to me; closer, closer… I looked around but I couldn’t see anyone coming. Other drivers were trying to move out of the way, tilting their cars to roll back past the line as much as they could. I glanced behind me and to my right. Nothing was coming.
I peered to my left and that’s when I saw where the noise was coming from.
Two headlights shone into my eyes and there was someone at the steering wheel honking, crazed.
I think I knew what was going to happen before I felt the pain ripple through my body. The car didn’t stop for me. It drove right into my new red Lamborghini and then into the neighboring car. I felt something hot trickling down my forehead but I could already feel my eyelids shutting.
My mouth parted in anticipation. No, this could not be happening! But my legs disagreed. They wouldn’t budge. I tried to wriggle my toes but instead, felt a sharp jab into my calf. I whimpered.
My own voice sounded so pathetic and vulnerable to me. I couldn’t even recognize it.
Red seeped into my vision just before my eyes shut off.
My hands slipped from the steering wheel and I let out a shaky breath. I think I heard sounds; I mean I must have heard something. There was someone moving on my right, wasn’t there? And an ambulance? Or maybe I was just imagining it. I think that was it. The loss of blood was rendering me stupid. No one was coming to help me.
Somewhere inside of me, I accepted that I wouldn’t make it out alive. Everyone died, some sooner than others. I was just going to be one of the earlier ones.
And somewhere even deeper down, I knew that I was right.
I don’t know what made me so compliant to the idea. Maybe it was just that I didn’t have much to live for, or maybe it was just because it would happen whether I accepted it or not. But I didn’t mind leaving.
And that’s when everything went black.
----*----*----Author's Note----*-----*-----
Hey everybody! So this is the very first chapter (not prequel) of Remembering Chloe and I hope you guys all really, really super like it. I know there is a little cursing and I hope you guys aren't too offended. I guess I should warn you now that this will not be the last time that you read a bad word and I'm sorry if I'm exposing you to bad language but I can't imagine a normal teen like Chloe or Chase or Samara (you'll find out who they are soon) swearing, even a little.
If you're confused at this chapter, don't worry. This will be explained sooner or later... mwhahaha.
I would really appreciate your comments, votes and fan-ing.
Yours truly,
Hannah-vo