Name- Naomi Jones
DOD- Unknown
Affliction- Trauma to the head, bruises along the wrist, feet and neck with signs of rope burn.
The news has broke out after the long going investigation of Naomi Jones, three months she has been missing and finally she was found just a few days ago in an abandoned parking lot of Denny's. I was in gym class when I heard the news, unlike anyone else, I admit that I did not know Naomi personally. We only shared a few classes together from seventh grade to senior year before she went missing, we barely shared a 'hello' to one another; just a simple glance and maybe a nod of acknowledgement. However, everyone claimed they knew her as a friend, even the people who picked on the way she carried herself claimed her as a friend.
No one knows what happened that night, not even the closest and only friend she had. Naomi was a quiet soul, mostly to herself and one hell of a drawer- quite odd for someone to just snatch her up. Unfortunately society was cruel like that, to just sweep innocent girls off the street during the day.
It took two days for the school to see pass Naomi's death, after that no one knew Naomi as if she were just a past simple memory that disappeared from everyone thoughts. Not mine, she was still fresh on my mind; it still astonished me how a girl like Naomi was taken in a quiet town. I should forget it like everyone else, but how can I when I held an odd feeling in my gut that someone was watching me.
It was the middle of the day, warm with a slight breeze, the sky was cloudy and gray. I wanted to scream, yell at the top of my lungs at the mirror hanging from the wall. Being frustrated was one thing in a teenagers life, but stress was another. College, SAT's, ACT's, prom, and seeing what the hell you're going to do with your life was not on my mind; it was all child's play to me.
The day was the starting of a new era in my life, a huge change. A storm was coming, I could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distance, the wind was picking up as the birds were squawking their day away; I loved it, the thrill of a storm on a normal night. It intensified my time and gave me more of a reason to not go out, however the rumbling did not keep me in doors this time.
It was the end of April, two weeks of school left for seniors and another month until graduation. The senior class decided to throw a party at the lake house, which was owned by the most popular family in town- who bloodline runs deeper than water and also wealthy (unfortunately you couldn't have one or the other). Their children, the fraternal twins of Ladin, were the ones to suggest the party- with their pure smiles, rosy cheeks and blonde hair- they were angels with riches. They were the ones to mourn over Naomi's death for publicity, especially Tanya.
I fluffed my hair twice, the loose brown curls fell against my cheeks; in which I gave up and put it into a ponytail to call it a night. I wasn't the one to dress up, my sense of clothing were a pair of jeans and a t-shirt; I try my best not to fit in with society to meet their standards of a young woman. Maybe if I were a little more colorful in life and love makeup more than tattoos, I would of at least gain the gaze of approval; even then I would be a simple joe.
Grabbing my essential items of a teenage life; phone, purse, and including my headphones just in case- I jogged downstairs to find my aunt sitting in the living room watching television while cleaning her shotgun. She's a cop, the only woman cop in town that can kick ass and take names. I've lived with the woman for ten years, after my parents death in the brutal car crash (another death that rung the town to fake mourning) she fought for custody so I wouldn't live with my grandmother- who is a bat from hell.
"Okay, I'm gonna head out." I announced while stopping in the walkway so she can do her routine check.
Aunt Joyce looked up from her weekly activity, she set the heavy fun down onto the table and wiped the polish off her hands with an equally dirty rag. "Your phone is fully charged?"
I nod my head yes, "Just took it off the charger."
"You have the pepper spray?"
I nod my head once again. "I keep it on my keys." Like myself, parents have not forgotten about the brutal death of Naomi Jones. The mayor even ordered teenagers to carry pepper spray and travel in packs during the day, even the guys couldn't go home alone unless they had car and baseball bat in the back seat. "I'm going to be fine Aunt Joyce." I assured.
She sighed heavily and nod her head in agreement. "Yeah, I know. You know how to kick ass, make sure you don't freeze up and punch them in the throat like I taught you." Like I said, the only female cop who knows how to kick ass.
"I will." I looked up to see the headlights of my friends car pulling into the driveway. "Goodnight, I'll be back by eleven."
"You better. Be safe."
I dashed out the door before my friend could honk her horn. It was a thing to have a car in town, even when you're not going anywhere but the corner store; unfortunately my friend could not buy her own car for the night, but she managed to sweet talk her parents into burrowing theirs. I hopped into the passenger side, gave her a bright smile that soon dropped when I spotted the one person that was deeper in Naomi's death than I.
Courtney Ebbs was not as unknown as Naomi. She had friends- a very social butterfly that would go to parties and mingle. She was also a cheerleader along side Tanya, Courtney matched the description of a beautiful cheerleader with her red hair and fair flawless skin. Fortunately she was never liked that in middle school through freshman year, that's how Naomi and her met, ever since then they were stuck together like glue.
"Hey Courtney," I gave her a simple wave out of shock to see her going to this party.
Unlike Naomi and I, Courtney and I shared a few conversation from time to time; being that she's a friend of a friend. "Hey Zaire." She was also the only person who can say my full name correctly without screwing up.
I turned to my friend, who was not paying us any mind. Yolanda has been my partner in crime for over twelve years, even through my parents death she has been by my side. However, Courtney and Yolanda has known each other longer and still managed to find other best friends; they were the complete opposite as well. Not just the different ethnicities (Courtney being white and Yolanda a mixed Filipino and Indian) they held different interest and habits. One like cheerleading and the other likes soccer. One is very social while the other rather keep to herself. One is good with the boys while the other is good with ladies. It was true that the opposites attract.
Yolanda fingers tapped on the stirring wheel while listening to whatever Pop song that came on the radio. Other than Florence singing her heart out and the drums picking up pace, the car was silent- no one dared to share a word about anything. That was until we pulled up to the large lake house, it was already full of single minded teenagers of all ages; usually the twins would keep it open for seniors and juniors, but since they pulled the trick as a ceremonial celebration for Naomi's passing they had to open it up for the whole school- which is a lot.
"Jesus, how the hell am I going to find parking?" Yolanda finally spoke up, her words were low and stern as her eyes zoned in on finding a good parking space. Cars were lined up on each side of the road, because of the death, parents gave up their cars for the night.
Yolanda managed to find a spot at the end of the road nearest to the lake. It was dark with a mist, a very spooky vibe, considering we could barely see the house nor hear the music- only crickets and frogs. "I'm not going to stay long." Yolanda announced, face stern and full of irritation. It's never a day when she smiled, even when I first met her she was curing out the day and its inhabitants. The statement was mainly for Courtney, with her social status she would be forced to stay longer than eleven. Of course Yolanda and I have artist guardians at home that would literally drag us out the house if they have to.
Courtney did not acknowledge the fact, she only tugged her sweater together to protect herself from the cool breeze and hide her fear of what's lurking in the dark. Her cheeks became flush and pace quickened when she heard the snapping of a twig in the woods, I tried to figure it out as a deer or fix- we get many of the two- it was best not to think about a psycho killer that's still out there, especially at a party where all teenage murders happen.
The lake house was well lighted, smelt of beer and cheap perfume, our classmates were already drunk off the cheap liquor or high. Either way, none cared about the death of Naomi Jones. A cup of dark liquor was immediately placed into my hands as soon as I walked through the door by one of the jocks that claimed to know us and still call the three of us the wrong names. I didn't drink it, my thoughts of drinking crashed out the window when I saw the crowd.
Courtney was immediately pulled away by her cheerleader friends, it was fine by Yolanda and I- we didn't expect her to stay around us long, that's why Yolanda notified her of the time of departure.
"Yolanda... Z. Where you find one, you see the other." Tanya fucking Delts, I could smell her expensive perfume in the crowd as if she sprayed it in my face and hear her annoying voice over the loud music. For sure she didn't like Yolanda and I, she didn't like anything or anyone without money to their name. "So glad you two are here, this place was getting to.. bright." She gestured through the crowd of white kids.
"Was that a racist comment?" Yolanda asked knowing that the answer was yes, even if Tanya did not voice it. "Funny, for a girl who name is Tanya, I thought you would be better with the minority."
Tanya slowly rolled her eyes at her and landed them on me. Her blue eyes were cold like the Arctic, it made me shiver and even look away; but I tried my best to hold her gaze. "Very unfortunate for Naomi's death. Such a sweet girl."
"Do you even know her last name?" Yolanda questioned, obviously she did not care about putting on a filter tonight.
Tanya couldn't answer that, her eyes wandered the room to look for an answer or excuse to leave. She was stuck between being embarrassed or walking away, two things she hate the most. "Listen try not to take anything, I have cameras everywhere." She had the last breath before walking away. It wasn't the first time when someone made a racist statement to us, being that the town was if white majority with ten percent color. I can literally bake every black person at this party and have room in my memory to take in more.
Yolanda and I settled under the steps, we watched the crowd from afar, nurtured some water from the fridge and spoke about anything else but the present. "Have you chosen your college yet?" She asked.
I shrugged my shoulders, like I said before, college wasn't on my mind. "I don't know, but if I had to chose I would go to Georgetown."
"That's really far away," Yolanda stated. "Half way across the country."
"I can't stay in Washington forever. Besides, it's a fresh start, I heard DC is not that bad." I shrugged my shoulders one last time before looking over the crowd, a mistake I would regret later in life.
The room suddenly turn dim (well in my mind it did) the music low to the point I could only hear my own beating heart- but it was actually his black combat boots hitting the hard wood floor, I could smell the cigarettes radiating off his pale skin, like always he wore dark clothing and and held a cold gaze even on his happy days. The dark shadow came close, my spine shivered as if death himself would touch me- luckily he did not hold that power.
Yolanda nudged my side, she too noticed the dark character that either made people squirm or melt. I did both, I was weak in the dark mass. Taking a deep breath, I palmed my cool drink and kept my eyes anywhere else but him.
"Yolanda... Z. I'm surprised you two are here." His voice was deep, low with a bitter tone.
"You sound like Tanya." Yolanda said, a smirk upon her face. It was a cocky habit of hers, especially when he come around and the knowledge that I held a girly crush for the biggest outcast in the school- it was a field day for her.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Don't compared me with that demon. She's more sexist, racist and homophobic than Trump."
"Why are you here, Gabriel? Was the cheap booze or weed smoke that net you in."
"I don't know Yolanda, was it the cheap perfume and mini skirts that pulled you in?"
"I know what brought me here," I finally spoke, my voice soft and low. I looked between the two, their equally as cold gaze looked down at me- making me feel small. "To laugh at other and kick ass- hopefully." I chuckled.
Gabriel cold gaze turned soft slightly, his hazel eyes raked over me. "I'm gonna take my leave, I have other parties I need to go to. Y'all want to come?"
"Not this time," I answered. "Have a curfew I need to follow."
He chuckled, as if curfew was not in his vocabulary- in which it hasn't been in his vocabulary in over two years. "Right, you two have a good night." Gabriel winked before departing.
Yolanda nudged me once again, this time laughing to torment my girly behavior. "Omg, seriously? Gabriel?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "I can't help that I like his style. It beats every boy here, either they're stupid and ignorant or nerdy and still dumb. I can't exactly control my hormones at the moment."
Yolanda hummed before downing her water and then looking at her cook. "It's cutting close to leave. I don't know how we gonna find Courtney in this crowd."
"Just text her, she'll get it. For now let's walk to the car, I'm getting a headache." I started to make my way through the thick crowd, the smell of beer and weed became twice as strong- so strong I could hardly breath. The air welcomes me with the smell of fresh water and the site of Gabriel climbing onto the large black motorcycle made me sigh. Unfortunately my hormones were attracted to dark, handsome, tall bad boys; coincidence that Gabriel was the only guy in town to fit that description.
***
I was laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the night went by. It was one in the morning, the world was still and twice as mysterious- being that when I stood up and walked towards my desk placed under the window, a car was parked on the curb. It was an old mustang, an old fashioned design that I never seen in this neighborhood before. A person was in side, the movement of their head was rapid as if they were checking their mirrors. A very odd activity in a quiet neighborhood, however before I could become even more suspicious the person drove off.
"This town has definitely turned to shit."