U N E D I T E D
I began the onslaught of chaos with tipping over a glass vase.
It wasn't that noticeable, other than the few weary faces in the kitchen that witnessed it, but it was definitely a good start to the night.
I wasn't a completely cruel person so I was kind enough to push the shattered fragments to the side with my foot out of the way of any party-goers who are stupid enough to take their shoes off.
If I was to gain back the fearful stares of the classmates and stop more ice blue-eyed jocks from even glancing in my general direction I would need to make more chaos. A whole lot of destruction, fear and mayhem. And boy, was I excited.
The pulsating thrill of possibility was exhilarating. A thrill I was not unfamiliar with, but only hit me occasionally. I couldn't remember the last time there were so many endless opportunities. It wasn't as though I was short of supplies, either. This house was full to the brim with all the small trinkets I could steal, break and hide.
Throwing a sultry smirk at the watching party guests, many of which I realised I didn't actually know personally, I flipped my hair past my shoulder and stalked from the kitchen. Where to go next? I could always rip up the cushions, but that wasn't big enough. If I was to completely revive my decaying image to these losers I would need to be bigger, better and scarier.
The music was heavy and rattled through my ribcage with every pump of bass, beating my heart for me. In all honesty, some part of me actually thought Ratty Matty would live in a massive rat cage with his rodent children surrounding him. Safe to say I was surprised.
It was nearing midnight, and we had only been at Ratty's for the past half an hour or so. Nevertheless, Spencer was already completely drunk, I swear I can't count on that boy to tie his own shoelaces.
"Speak of the devil." I murmured under my breath, just as Spencer rammed around the corner, wild and beserk, screaming "You can't take me alive!"
I noticed his sneakers hanging loosely around his neck, tied up together by their laces. He slipped around the floor with his socks only on his feet.
I was too bitterly sober to enjoy it.
As I thought of more ways to destroy Ratty Matty's little hamster cage of a home, Henry came rushing past me, too. "Spencer I swear! Give me my shoes!"
Tiny remnants of a smile crept its way onto my face, seeing Henry's tiny pink socks. He skimmed past me, a look of clear annoyance on his features, almost slipping over as he turned the corner. I would have joined them, if not for the evil mastermind planning I had to do. Perhaps I was over-exaggerating a bit, but I was going to relish in the moment of misery Ratty would get.
With my heart pounding in my ears, I stalked across Ratty's home and took to the stairs, I figured if there was anything to find of major embarrassment to poor lil' Matty, I would find it in his bedroom.
Curiosity, in this case, would kill his growing reputation and I just couldn't stop myself. Peaking through a few closed doors and seeing too many naked bodies, I finally ended up at the last door. Locked.
I had to give him some credit, at least. Taking the smart route and locking it, tough for him though I always kept my handy-dandy hair grip with me.
There were two things a girl like me needed to know if she was going to survive: first, is knowing how to throw a great right hook, second is knowing how to pick a lock with only one hair grip. Fortunately and somewhat unfortunately, I had to learn both of those the hard ways.
Once I was inside, I flicked on the light and it was like walking straight into a place of literal nightmares. Just as I expected, the walls were printed with some sort of astronomy, geeky shit, as were his bedsheets. Very nice. There were two rat cages beside his bed, something which utterly disgusted me, I wouldn't even begin to explain the smell, wafting from the cages.
"Wow, very sexy Matty," I muttered under my breath, there was no explanation as to why he chose to keep this room locked, other than the fact it is a living, breathing girl repellant.
Noticing the window was open, I lit a cigarette, one part of me hoped that it would dull the rodent stench clinging to the room and another part of me wanted to burn his room down so no other person would have to willingly face this hellhole.
I moved quickly. There was no rush, but the sheer electrifying thrill dashing through my body was enough to keep my movements hurried. I started with his bedside table first, the cigarette dangling from my mouth as I pulled out the drawer and shuffled through.
Condoms. Right Ratty, you'll definitely use those soon. I rolled my eyes and kept on shuffling. Nothing in there that would be of use. My cigarette was almost burnt out, so I placed it on the top of his table, carelessly.
Instead, I went straight for his ensuite bathroom. Bursting through the door, I was beginning to get frustrated. After loading some bleach and toilet cleaner into his shampoo and conditioner, I only felt a meek satisfaction at my work.
Until my eyes landed on a small razor blade.
I furrowed my brows, my hand skimming over the rusty blade, why would he have this? I pushed all thoughtless concerns out of my mind and went back to the important stuff. Under the sink counter, I put back the bleach and toilet cleaner, when my eyes landed on a small box.
Disregarding all other concerns, I reached for the box. It was tattered and like something that would appear in a forest at night in a horror film. Hoping for something interesting, I dove straight in. Maybe a voodoo doll? Maybe a dead rat that he uses in his rat rituals?
It was yet another disappointment, some scattered used tissues were covering the top. Thinking it was some sort of trash, I was about to give up. Until two pieces of paper caught my eye.
Small photographs, both as shocking as the last. One was clearly Aubrey, in some red lingerie (I almost gagged) but the next one rocked me to my core.
It was me.
Just a random picture, of both me and Aubrey together, laughing -- well I wasn't really laughing, more of a grimace to be fair. Yet Aubrey's face was scratched out.
I was hit with a wave of panic, throwing the box back in the sink, thoroughly disgusted. I stumbled backwards the backs of my knees hitting the toilet, I pushed out the thoughts of what the fuck those tissues were for--
"What do you mean?"
I paused in my tracks. It was Matty's voice, loud enough to know he was pissed and loud enough to send me into flight mode.
"I'm sorry... yet, I can't... for sure..." Aubrey. Her voice was shaky, wavering with each word.
I debated on hiding in the shower or pressing my ear up against the door. I ended up choosing the latter. Squishing myself up against the door. If they were already having arguments that was a good sign.
"How can you not know for sure, either you are or you aren't. Make up your mind."
He was unusually vicious towards her, something that made my blood boil, as all of it rushed to my face. I clenched my fists, wanting to go out there and show him what vicious looks like.
"I can't know for sure, it's too soon." It sounded like she was crying, or dry-heaving. I couldn't decide. "It's not something I can make my mind up about. It's just happened."
He was pissed, "And you're telling me this now?"
"I didn't know I would feel this way."
This seemed wildly personal, and something that I shouldn't be overhearing, yet I couldn't stop. I blame the high I got from the potential risk of danger or the fact that I had just confirmed how much of a weirdo Ratty Matty really is.
They were quiet for a while more, whispering amongst themselves. It felt like hours were slipping by, that time was just falling out of my hands and trickling onto the floor. God, it was so boring.
Until it wasn't.
"Do you smell smoke?" It was the whispered, cautious voice of Aubrey.
I sat up immediately. Stupidly pulling the collar of my leather jacket to my nose to sniff it. Surely my smell wasn't that palpable, I mean I only smoked occasionally.
If I smelt really rough then Henry would've given me another lecture about the risk of nicotine and tobacco today and I can't remember wanting to slap him in the face recently, so I shouldn't smell that bad.
"Oh my God! Fire!"
I relaxed back, which was a completely stupid reaction to have at the yell of fire but I was only thinking of myself at the moment. I wasn't going to get caught.
"Get some water! Get the water!"
Suddenly remembering I was in the ensuite bathroom, I sprang into action. Rushing into the bathtub, I covered myself over with the shower curtain. Cursing the fact it was see-through with some astronomy planets and stars on it.
I was tenser than ever when Aubrey came bursting into the bathroom. Going straight to the sink. I slapped a hand to my forehead when she picked up the box curiously, forgetting I had left it in the sink in my moment of shock. She looked at both the pictures.
Her face already looked tear-stained and red, I could only imagine the shock she was feeling when she dropped her own picture and stared at mine.
"Aubrey! What the fuck! My curtains are on fire!" Ratty Matty came through the door and I had never before wished to be invisible, but if I had a superpower it would be in major use right about now.
"What are you doing with those?" It was accusatory.
I was thankful they were in such a panic they didn't even notice me. "What are they? Why is my face scratched out? I-I don't u-understand."
All the blood ran from his face, he turned paler than his albino rat next to his bed, probably burning alive.
"Not now! Aubrey, my fucking room is on literal fire."
If I wasn't so tense, I would've laughed in Ratty's face. She was too shocked to move away quick enough so Ratty Matty settled for rushing out of the room, probably towards the kitchen, instead.
Aubrey left soon after. Just creaking the door to a complete close as the fire alarm kicked in. This was definitely going to kill the buzz and Matty's growing rep all in one. I felt no remorse. I had to make my escape quick, though, so Matty wouldn't see me casually leaving his room in a ball of fire.
As soon as I was back in his room, an inferno of heat hit my face, so blisteringly hot that I was sure to singe a few eyebrow hairs. It licked his curtains, destroying and burning away all of Matty's planets and rising to the glowing stars on his ceiling. Roaring with blistering rage and intensity, there was no way this would be put out with only water. It looked like it was born out of the depths of hell itself.
A stab of guilt hit my chest so hard my knees began to buckle. The cause of the fire was evident. At least to me.
My face went cold with shock. Internal warfare had set off in my gut, begging me to stay and help, yet the more rational, self-preserving side locked in my brain and forced my limbs to move out from the flaming room.
As soon and the door closed, my eyes watered without consent. I willed it to stop, but the hammering of my heart and sickness in my gut only urged them on.
Then, my eyes locked with a familiar ice-blue set. How could this night get even worse? He made a move for me, reaching out his scrawny arms, in his jock blazer, ready to save the damsel in distress. But I wasn't the damsel that needed saving.
I was the arsonist that caused the chaos.
Only he didn't know that. I pushed the jock away, rolling my eyes and hoping he was drunk enough never to remember this. I couldn't have a witness.
Sinking into the panicked rush of teens, I made my escape. Squishing through the front door and leaving this problem to someone else. I had never felt worse in my entire life.
Cautiously, I dropped the pack of cigarettes out of my pocket, hoping they would get thrown away in the morning or some drunk teen would pick them up.
They were now only a piece of evidence. A pack full, except one.
Because it only took one to burn Matthew's entire room to the ground.
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I don't really know how to feel about this chapter, to be honest. It feels messy. Idk. What do you guys think?
Thanks for reading, any and all support is appreciated, greatly! Please do vote and comment!
A few questions for ya!
What was Aubrey and Matty's conversation about?
Why does Harlow hate Matty so much?
What do you guys think about Harlow's actions? Too much? Was it accidental?
Thanks for reading, commenting and voting! There'll be more updates soon! Xx