My eyes flew open at the sound of feet flying up the stairs. Small streams of light flooded into my room as my mother burst in. She was breathing heavily and looked quite frantic.
"Harper, are you okay? Did they take anything?"
I attempted to shake the lingering tiredness out of my head. What did she mean? Were we robbed?
"Mom? What's going on?"
My mother drew in a deep breath, "I think we were robbed last night. Somebody disable the alarm system after we had gone to sleep and then it was never turned back on," My mother breathed heavily as she paced my room. "Who would know our passcode though? How did they get in without me hearing them?"
Guilt clouded my consciousness as I saw my mother's anxious form. How was I supposed to explain it to her where I went last night though. Sorry, mom, I had to go try and convince our new neighbor that we can see some weird tape that nobody else can. Yeah, he also hates me now. Not exactly believable.
"That's scary, mom. I hope they didn't take anything," I lied.
She nodded, "I'm going to call the police. They're going to have to investigate everybody, especially those girls you had over! I think I know exactly who did it."
Guilt ate away at my soul. I didn't want anybody to take the fall for me.
"Who?" I nearly whispered.
"Willow. That girl has always been a bad egg."
My heart beat faster.
"I'm going to call her mother and the police. She is going to face the consequences of her actions. She can't just steal things. She might go to juvie. To be honest, it's about time."
I felt my breathing quicken. I couldn't do this to Willow. She had kept my secret for so long and how would I repay her? Sending her to juvie? But what would I tell my mother? She would tell me I was crazy! She would send me to the hospital again.
I took a deep breath, "It was me, mom."
My mother turned to me with a grim look on her face, "I know Harper."
I bit down on my lip, "How did yo-"
My mother sighed, "Our alarm system has cameras, Harp. I just don't get why you would do this. After everything that happened I would have thought you would know better. You can't afford to mess up the chance you were given! You were even willing to let Willow take the blame to save yourself. I thought I did a better job raising you, Harp, I really did. I guess I was wrong."
My eyes watered, "But mom I-"
"I really don't want to hear it, Harper," My mother began to walk out of the room but paused. "I am very disappointed in you Harper Mae Novac."
I felt my soul being ripped out of my chest and stuck with pins. What had I done? In one night I had made everybody in my life hate me. My friends thought I was crazy. Archer thought I was pulling some sick trick on him. And my mother probably never wanted to see me again.
"Great job Harper. You're really winning at life today."
Well, I had one person. My dad still didn't think I was some anti-christ. Maybe he could talk some sense into my mother?
I yanked my phone off the charger on my nightstand and searched for my father's contact. I quickly pressed on the call button, and the phone began to ring.
My father picked up after a few rings, "Hey Harp, what's up?"
"I just wanted to see if you were coming home tonight. Or did they extend your trip like they did last time?"
"Oh uh," my father stuttered. "No, I'm going to be home tonight. Hopefully by six if my flight is on time."
"That's good because mom is mad at me again."
A bit of silence filled the thousand miles of air in between our calls. Something about my father seemed off.
"What a surprise," my father finally said. "Your mother is always mad at somebody. Anyway, you'd better get ready for school Even with the time difference I know it's almost time for you to leave."
I laughed, "Alright. I love you dad."
"I love you too," he said half-heartedly."
And with that, the line went dead.
I bit my tongue to keep the tears down and began to get dressed. The last thing I wanted to do was go to school. I just wanted to sleep and watch television. But I put on my clothes, knowing fully well not to test my mother.
Quickly brushing my hair and dusting on some makeup I looked presentable. I wasn't the type to show up to school with a less than perfect appearance, but today would be my exception.
I threw all of my supplies into my backpack and nearly cringed when I realized I hadn't even touched my mounds of homework. I felt tears of frustration prick at my eyes again, but I shook my head and ran out of my room. My body flew down the stairs, leaving the rest of me in my room. The door slammed and I continued to walk even though I wasn't entirely sure I was moving.
It seemed the world was really on my side today as Archer fell into step next to me. I internally screamed as my mind finally caught up with my body.
"You look terrible," he stated.
"Yeah, sometimes that happens when your mother hates you, your friends think you're insane, and the only person that somewhat understands what's happening thinks you're out to get them."
Archer looked at me with a tilted head, "Well, if the shoe fits..."
I held my composure together and walked faster, so much for having one person try and understand how I felt.
"Harper!" I heard Archer shout.
I didn't respond and kept walking. At this rate it would be way too early for the bus, but I didn't care. I would walk to school to avoid Archer.
An iron-tight grip wrapped around my biceps and I let out a small yelp. I turned and glared at Archer. This boy dared to put his hands on me?
"Listen Harper. Please,"
For the first time, I took in his appearance. He might have looked worse than I did. His blond hair was messily placed and he had bags under his eyes that made him look like a raccoon. He was wearing jeans and a very wrinkled black shirt. I decided that maybe listening to him wouldn't hurt.
He sighed, "Thank you. Sarcasm is my defense for when I'm anxious, so as you can guess I am very anxious."
I rolled my eyes, "Please get to the point."
"I found the tape in my room last night."
My heart dropped, "What?"
We both looked at each other with a shared fear. We knew this wasn't fake now. Nobody was trying to trick us. This was real.
"I know it wasn't you. You went home. I saw you go home."
"I did," I whispered.
Archer's face was solemn and I was rather sure I looked as if I was about to pass out. I had put the tape in the attic. I piled boxes on top of it. How had it wound up in Archer's room? There was no way somebody could have taken it, my mother would have heard. We were dealing with something sinister; supernatural.
"I had hidden in my attic, "I said. "I buried the tape in the bottom of a box and put like three other boxes on top of it. There is no way it could have gotten into your house."
Archer shook his head, "But it did."
He unzipped his backpack and pulled out the grotesque tape in all its glory. It was all there. It's smaller than average size. It's chipped edges. And the ugly chicken-scratch that read: Static.
As my fight or flight instinct kicked in I dug my fingernails into Archer's hand and ran. Hearing the familiar rumble of the bus's engine I ran even faster. Before Archer could even think to run after me I was sitting on the bus as it started it's merry way to school.
************************************
For once in my life, I was so glad that our school had a rotating schedule. This meant because I had Science first yesterday, it would be my last subject today. This gave me all day to come up with an excuse to get out of it. I physically could not make myself face Archer.
Unfortunately, Social Studies had to be my first class. The last thing I was interested in was being social and perfect for me, I had a lot of friends in that class. Hopefully, they were all weirded out enough to leave me alone. If not, maybe my migraine would have to come on a little bit early.
I threw stuff into my locker and took stuff out. I wasn't particularly worried about how it looked at the moment. I just wanted to get this day over with. People were still talking and walking in the doors as I began to walk to class, but I didn't care. Being early would mean I could snag a seat at the back of the class. Hopefully, nobody would notice or care.
I walked into Mrs. Knight's classroom and sat down in a seat I had never seen anybody sit in before. I quickly took out my book and began to haphazardly fill out the homework we had last night. It didn't have to be right, it just had to be done. The teacher walked in the room, but didn't seem to care that I was there early, nonetheless doing her homework right in front of her. She just began to write stuff on the board and grumbled about how she hated her job. I hate it here too, I thought.
After about five minutes of the awkward sounds of a pencil scratching a marker squeaking the bell rang. A flow of kids streamed into the class talking and laughing. Marissa, Jess, and Willow walking in with the rest of them. They almost immediately spotted me and made their way over. I plastered on a fake smile and thought of what lie I would tell to make up for last night.
"Hey Harp," Marissa said, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.
"Hey," I chirped, with a bubbliness that made me sick. "About last night. I had a migraine and I still kind of have one today. So if I am off today that's why. I'm sorry guys."
"Oh, that's fine Harp. We just thought you were going a little coo-coo."
"Yeah," Willow chimed in. "You were staring at a blank screen.
Willow was giving me a look that said she knew there was something else wrong with me. I knew I had to at least try and tell her, even if she didn't believe me. I had to tell somebody else. This teacher didn't care if you went to the bathroom, which would make talking to Willow much easier.
"I have to go to the bathroom. Will you come with me Wills?"
"I can come," Jess offered.
I shook my head, "I just want Willow. It's period stuff."
Jess and Marissa looked at me with wide eyes and turned away as I dragged Willow out of the room and down the hall. We quickly ran to the bathroom and made sure nobody else was in it. Luckily, it was early in the morning so nobody was.
"Do you still have the key we stole?" I asked Willow.
She unzipped a few pockets in her backpack and pulled out a small bronze key.
"Thank goodness for the janitor's unsupervised cart," she said.
I took the key and locked the bathroom behind us. The students would think it was just out of order and the teachers would most likely not even check on it.
"What's going on," Willow asked. "And don't give me any of that migraine crap."
"I wasn't planning on it," I mumbled.
I walked over to the mirrors and looked at myself in an attempt of not having to look at Willow. It failed miserably as she appeared behind me and I ended up turning back around.
"So the tape I was trying to show you guys,none of you could see it?"
"Uh, no."
"Well, Archer and I... we can."
Willow laughed, "What are you talking about?"
"Well, first I saw this video of a little boy stalking over to a baby, but then Archer came in and shut it off while yelling at me. Then he turned it back on and I saw a video of me."
Willow's eyes widened, "Archer was in your house?"
I threw my head back, "That was the only thing you got from me telling you I have a demonic tape in my position. Well, Archer's possession."
Willow looked confused, "How did Archer get it?"
I sighed deeply and leaned on the sinks, "I tried to put it back in my attic and it somehow appeared in Archer's room."
Willow snorted, "Are you sure he didn't take it? Or somebody moved it?"
"I'm sure!"
"How do you know?"
"I talked to Archer last night okay? We had a late-night rendezvous where we shared chocolates and talked about cursed VHS tapes," I shook my head in realization. "That's what he had called it, a cursed object."
"A cursed object? Like Annabell?"
I knitted my eyebrows together at Willow, "What?"
"The little red-headed doll that was used by a demon to kill and harm people. It disguised itself as a little girl that had drowned named Annabell and took shape as the doll. It tormented and tortured the people that owned it until it was locked up."
I tiled my head, "So?"
"So," Willow said with force. "I think you have a cursed object on your hand. Maybe if you figure out what the demon wants you stop all of this."
My mouth gaped open, "You believe me?"
Willow chuckled, "My Abuela made sure I was well cultured in demon sciences. Also, you're my best friend, I would follow you into fire, Harp."
I grinned, knowing now I had a fighting chance. I had somebody that would help me clean up this massive mess I had created. Then again, Willow always did.
"So, how are we gonna kill this demon," I asked, eyes gleaming with hope.
***************
Willow and I had decided that we would try to figure out more after school. The School bathroom wasn't the best place to talk about demon-slaying anyway. As of now both Willow and I had one task. Willow would find an excuse to skip soccer, hopefully April would help her, and then she would come over to my house. I had to find a way to convince Archer to join us too. I think Willow got the better end of the deal.
I had to practically force myself into my Science class. The last thing I was looking forward to was talking to Archer. I knew he believed me now, but I was embarrassed. Not only had I scratched him, for all I knew he still had the tape with him.
I sat down at my assigned seat and not shortly after Archer joined him, throwing a hand through his messy hair. I would have thought he looked really good if the circumstances weren't the same. The hand that I scratched him on had band-aids covering it, making me feel guilty.
"Harp-" he started.
"I'm sorry about earlier, but now Willow knows and she is going to help us figure this out." I interrupted.
Archer nodded slowly, "Okay. It's okay."
I bit my lip, "Will it be? This thing knows one of my darkest secrets?"
Archer covered my shaking hand with his own, "We will figure this out."
My heart began to beat erratically as a zoo of insects swarmed in my stomach. His hand felt warm over my own and my hand almost immediately stopped shaking.
"Will you come over and bring your dad's techy stuff so we can figure all of this out?"
Archer blew out a heavy breath, "I can try, but it might take me a bit. But trust me, I am willing to try. That tape doesn't have the most flattering information about me either."
Just as I was about to respond the teacher called the class to attention, but Archer nodded to me as if to confirm that this was happening. As he lifted his hand off of mine I picked up my pencil and began to write, but all I could think about was the tape.
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Hey all! This is a very long chapter, lol. I believe it's like 2,700 words! I am also still in the writing mood so a double update might even be possible today! I just love this story so much I cannot stop researching and writing!
Anyway... what did you all think?
Who's your favorite character so far?
Who's your least favorite?
What do you think Archer and Harper's secrets are?
And most importantly, why do you think only Harper and Archer can see the tape?
Have a great day everybody! Please make sure to stay safe and healthy!