Natalie tossed her beautiful painting into the trash can that sat in the corner of her room. For some reason, she couldn't see the masterpiece that it was or the talent she put onto the canvas.
Natalie's talent and beauty were the same: natural. Her short brown hair was wavy, and she hated it. Her eyes were cotton-candy blue, which just so happened to be her favorite color. She was short and petite in size, but she wasn't boney. Her favorite outfit was simple: leggings and an oversized t-shirt (probably Derrick's), but she could only wear it when she wasn't at school. Good thing it was Christmas break.
The green and blue watercolors dripped from the canvas to the wrapping paper in the trash can. It was the leftovers from her present she got Derrick Colten, her boyfriend.
Derrick always wore the most recent solid-black, trending tennis shoes with khaki joggers. He was flat-chested and long-legged. He kept his face clean-shaven and showed his dimpled smile. His short brown hair matched his hazel eyes and bushy eyebrows.
Natalie had wrapped his new phone case in a beautiful, bright red wrapping paper. She felt like the intensity of the color showed how much she loved him.
She flopped onto her bed, grabbing her phone from the white nightstand. Her fingers had dried blue and green paint making her fingerprints show. She scrolled onto Instagram and looked through Derrick's photos, reading every caption. She loved to look at them. It was a way for her to relive the great times she had with him. She stopped at her favorite photo he had posted. It was a moment she would never forget, standing on a bridge watching the fireworks show over the rippling water.
That's why she loved her best friend Jasper. He was great! But he took even better photos. She would let him snap photos of her and Derrick every time they were together.
"I love this one," she typed to Jasper after sending him the Fourth of July photo he took.
"Thanks! How are you?" he responded.
"...I'm okay."
"What's wrong?"
"I just miss Derrick. I know that's annoying."
"No, it's okay lol. Where is he?"
"He's asleep."
And Natalie believed it... She really believed that Derrick was asleep. She had not even considered that he was making out with the new girl, Kathrine, in his car just five minutes from her house. Derrick had both of them fooled. Neither girl knew about the other. But that's the way things go. People like Derrick stay in control until someone talks. And in a town like Fayetteville, it'll happen.
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"That's weird. All these white cars?" Genni laughed, pointing in the dimly-lit store parking lot.
Genni was short, so Kathrine towered over her. Her real name was Genesis, but "Genni" got less attention. She laughed a lot, which showed off her bleach-white teeth. Her cheeks were plump, and freckles danced on her nose.
They knew they probably shouldn't be there, but Genni loved adventure, and she was taking this opportunity to get to know Kathrine. Genni needed to show her that Fayetteville isn't horrible. To show her that this could be home if she would let it be.
There wasn't any wind that night, so their hefty jackets were enough to keep them warm. They couldn't even see their breath, maybe because it was too dark, but it wasn't even cold enough for them to shiver. Occasionally, they'd hear a car driving down Park City hill, but it wasn't close enough for the headlights to even showcase the parking lot. The sparse security lights would have to do.
"What are we even doing here?" Kathrine asked, scratching her arm with her light-orange nails.
"I've never really been over here. I always just pass it going down Park City hill. Who knows what's over here."
"I'm starting to get a little cold."
"Yeah, well, not everyone is used to the beach in Florida," Genni laughed as she kicked a can and let it roll off the pavement of the parking lot and into the dead grass.
"So, you know Derrick, right?" Kathrine asked Genni.
"Yeah, what?" Genni asked as she peeked into the window of the rotting store that used to sell farming supplies.
"I think we're a thing. We made out last night."
"You did what?!" Genni snapped around to Kathrine so fast she almost lost her balance.
Kathrine leaned back, giving her a confused look.
"Made out? Is that weird?"
Genni pointed at Kathrine wondering if she was kidding. Genni let her mouth drop, making Kathrine feel uneasy.
"What?" Kathrine asked.
"Oh, wow. He is cheating on Natalie," Genni said to herself, looking up at the night sky trying to understand the situation.
"He's cheating!?" Kathrine yelled.
"Girl, look." Genni pulled out her phone and scrolled through his Instagram showing Kathrine the truth.
They were both so invested in Derrick's Instagram pictures, they didn't notice the slight sound of the can being stepped on at the edge of the parking lot. Kathrine had her hand over her mouth as they scrolled two months deep in Derrick's Instagram.
Kathrine could just feel it. That feeling when you know you're not alone. Usually, it's just paranoia and you're wrong... but Kathrine was right. They weren't just being watched, they were prey. She felt like a poor animal sitting alone in the parking lot just waiting to be eaten. She listened to her gut and turned around to see the shadowy figure and a red hoodie hiding the face.
"Um, Genni. I don't like this."
"Me either. I can't believe he is cheating."
"No. Not Derrick." Kathrine's voice was trembling as she stepped backward in fear.
Genni finally turned around and locked her eyes on the heavy crowbar. The heavy crowbar that would soon be bloody.
The red hoodie ruffled as the crowbar swung back and forth. Back and forth. The moonlight occasionally catching it.
"Run!" Kathrine yelled.
Genni dropped her phone and her screen shattered as she spun on her heels to follow Kathrine into the dark street, but it was too late.
Thud.
Genni hit the pavement of the shady parking lot she knew she shouldn't have been at. Kathrine kept running... hoping Genni was running away with her... but she wasn't.
Then, the killer jerked the crowbar out of Genni's neck, letting her blood paint the white cars red.
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