That son of a bitch, what was he thinking? he had one thing to do, how could he just ditch her instructions and did something unforgivable? well he deserved what he got, he had it coming for him and she should be grateful that the bastard decided to bail because it brought them even closer, she had never felt fulfilled in her entire life, all her hard work and persistence was finally paying off and she was just getting started. She opened the front door and walked into the house, She stopped halfway in and silently observed the environment, it was unusually quiet.
"shit!" she exclaimed as she dashed towards the dining where she would normally met her mother drinking and smoking as usual.
"mom!" she called as she ran towards the dining table, she spotted her mother laying numb on the floor with three empty bottles of whiskey laying besides her.
"common mom" she hissed as she gently patted her mother's cheeks, hoping to shake back some feeling back to her.
"common..just how much did you drink.."
"Paige.." her mother called softly as she struggled to open her eyes. seeing her mother drift back to reality she quickly shoved off her head from her laps and stood up, hands akimbo as she stared at her mother with eyes that read disgust, pity and pain even in her drunken state her mother could read the meaning.
"Paige..I'm fine" she said trying to get up, but occasionally falling back down " I was just uh..taking a short nap"
"how long will you keep drinking and passing out"
"I wasn't..I just..I was...just"
Paige shook her head and turned her back on her mother, as she journeyed to the one place that remained the same since her father died, her room.
"Paige..come back please" her mother called, with a tone that appeared like she was about to sob
Paige ignored as she hastened her footsteps up the stairs, closing the door behind her, once she was in she threw herself on her bed taking a deep sigh and stared at the ceiling which had a picture she took with her father on one of their hunting expedition, he held the camera while she held firmly his face planting a deep kiss on his cheeks, her traps had finally caught a squirrel, looking at picture for the one thousandth time, she examined her father's broad smile, his eyes, she'd remembered how once she was truly happy, how she once felt completely safe and loved. But all that would change one fateful night her parents had a heated argument, she couldn't tell why it was the only time they'd ever argued, she'd heard her mother telling her father to get out of the house and being the type of man that he was he just left, little did she know that was the last time she would see her father alive again, he never called or returned back home, at first her mother didn't think too much about it, she thought maybe he was still upset and he would come back home eventually but after three days of not seeing or hearing from him, she starting calling, sending messages and it all went to voicemail, that was what struck the first phase of fear, she remembered her mother taking her to the police station to file a missing persons case, she remembered her mother giving chilling details of last altercation with him in tears and utter fright. They would eventually have to wait for a month before ever seeing her father, sure that one month was painful as hell but at least she had her mother by her side comforting her and promising her that her father would show up, telling her that he probably to needed some air and space, that once he'd had enough he'd come back home, she remembered how her mother would wake her up in the morning with her favorite food for breakfast and kiss her goodbye before she left for school, and when it was night time her mother would fill in her father's place and told her numerous bedtime stories, when she was too scared to sleep alone her mother would lay beside her giving her the warmest embrace. She would never forget that knock on the door that changed her whole life, it was the police who had come to bear them the devastating news, they've found her father he's remains had floated and was spotted by a fisherman, apparently he was murdered and later dumped in a lake. She'd saw her mother fall to the ground and watched as she was rushed to the hospital, she remembered her brain shutting down, eventually tired of choosing between mourning her dead father or comfort her completely distressed mother. Her life would pretty much change, the woman she once knew to be a loving and caring mother would turn to be a drunkard and drug addict, those early morning breakfast was no more, instead it was her waking up to perceive the strong stench of vomit and unresponsive mother laying passed out on the dinning chair, there was no more kisses before school, it was her trying to get accustomed to her seemingly new life while never having the chance to miss her old one, there no more bedtime stories or warm embraces at night instead it was loud wails, cries of regrets and sounds of bottles shattering on the wall downstairs as she had to watch her mother constantly drown in self pity. She probably would have been in the streets if not for her paternal uncle who sent a monthly payment of tuition fees and feeding which kept them alive basically. And slowly the world around her began to change and memories of her father began to fade away with time, family portraits were broken by her mother during one of her violent phases, empty bottles of alcohol clouded were his stuff were normally kept and a place she once called home began to appear alienated to her, her room became her solace, that picture on the ceiling became a reminder of what happiness felt like and her yearns became germane, eventually she would set out to create happiness once more, to feel loved and protected again and she would achieve this purpose at whatever cost.
She'd done so much and she was finally going to reap the fruits of her labor, sure that foolish Levi didn't do as he was told, but she came right in time before he hurt her, this was no time to feel regret, she had told him to just try to grab the plant samples and scare her bit, she had paid him for it and then she'd appear and rescue Mandy from a bully but then he decided to include a rape attempt, but no biggies as far as the rescuing act still took place, and now she'd something called friends, her eyes went weak and tears ran out, was she finally feeling happy? by now she assumed they've already found Levi's body, she didn't care, they won't be suspected and he would carry the secrets to his grave literally, she chuckled. Her thoughts would be interrupted when she received a text, she opened it and saw that it was from the group, Elaine had sent a message.
"hey y'all seen the news?"
"yeah, they've found him!" Simone replied Elaine
"Paige was right, they've already ruled it out as an accident, apparently Levi was smoking and was probably high when he slipped" Elaine sent
Mandy replied with a laughing emoji
"he deserves it, meanwhile we successfully covered up a crime guys.. lol what are we Ted bundies?" Simone rhetorically asked
"Simone, Ted was a serial killer, we just killed one person and he was an asshole, Ted killed innocent people" Mandy corrected
"fuck you Mandy"
everyone proceeded to leaving a laughing emoji
"hey guys so, my dad is leaving town for three days by next tomorrow and the house would be too lonely, can you guys come over?" Elaine asked
"ahh! our first sleepover! hell yeah" Simone exclaimed
"sure thing, like Paige said, I don't have a Life" Mandy replied
"quit sulking grumpy, now speaking of Paige where the hell is she?" Simone had asked since Paige wasn't indulging in the conversation.
"I'm sorry I just came from the bathroom, I'm in!" Paige texted.
she proceeded to letting out a loud scream, it was finally getting into place, she had finally created her people, her home and she was finally having a taste of what happiness felt like and much like she remembered it felt good.
For the first time in a really long time she was excited and looking forward to going to school, she had been awake since four am, starring and smiling at the ceiling till it was time to leave, she'd cared about how she looked, she'd practiced talking casually in front of a mirror, she texted people, she was finally living her life again. she arrived at school and as she walked inside she felt a bump at her shoulder, and it wasn't from someone random, it felt familiar and friendly.
"heya friend" Simone replied jumping right in front of her
"Simone!" she exclaimed without realizing how loud and happy she sounded
"hey, calm down, you look different today, what's your secret?" Simone teased and Paige just kept beaming.
"hey Simone why is she so happy?" Mandy joined them adjusting her glasses
"you see, even grumpy notices"
Mandy arched a brow
"y'all seen Elaine?"
"hi guys" Elaine greeted as she rushed over to them it was obvious that she had something to spill
"have you guys seen the police around?" she asked as she approached them
"what are they doing here?" Mandy asked seeming concerned
"don't worry they are here to take statements from Levi's group, it's for formalities" Paige reply finally snapping out from her delusions
"just chill out grumpy, as long as we've got each other, we'll be good" Simone replied as she walked away "so I have arts right now, see y'all in homeroom"
"I hate her already" Mandy hissed
"no you don't" Paige smiled "I have history see y'all later"
Mandy glanced at Elaine "um chemistry?"
Elaine nodded, Mandy hooked her by the shoulder in excitement as they exited in the same direction.
It was recess and they've all gathered at the same table to eat, Paige couldn't help but marvel at what played right in front of her, she couldn't believe that a few months ago they were all strangers living in each separate life prison, now they've met they looked like they have known each other their whole life, she couldn't believe that she was sitting comfortably with friends at a table, the happy feelings just kept getting better and better. She watched them with a face full of smiles as they sat so casually next to each other and happily Converse about their daily experiences, she was determined to keep this feelings, she wanted them to last forever and how could she achieve that? she had to create scenes that would cause them to trust and need one another and she would do just that, as she sat in complete amazement she observed her new found friends, she saw Elaine stare awkwardly at her phone, and Simone constant fluttering whenever Tina biles, who sat opposite them spoke, she noticed that Mandy was totally checking out Cody Richards.
"Elaine is it?" a loud voice echoed from across the room, suddenly there was silence In cafeteria, all eyes were now peered on them. Jean Stilinsky with a couple of his friends behind him walked over to where they sat, once he got to them he moved over to where Elaine sat and brought out his phone directly shoving it at her face as it showing her something.
"what the heck is wrong with you?" he asked as he still maintained that gesture
Elaine froze, her eyes circling the phone screen as she didn't appear shocked by what she saw,
"first dumbass love letters now creepy anonymous messages? I know it's you Elaine, isn't it?" he asked as he drew closer to her face
"isn't it?"
"hey, dickhead what the fuck are you doing?" Simone asked sitting up
"yes you're literally harassing her" Mandy jumped in
Paige knew spot on what was happening, why the others where still in the dark she had already unravelled the cause of this drama, Jean was apparently fed up of those several love letters he'd been receiving from Elaine, now she had somehow graduated to anonymous messages,
"let her deny that this messages aren't from her" Jean spoke up
"what messages?" Simone asked simply out of curiosity
"read them out loud" Jean's friend had suggested
"fine," Jean agreed and began reading "Jean, your eyes are so beautiful I wish I could have you look at me all day so I could draw them, Jean I wish you could notice me for only one second I would need the happiest person alive, Jean to spend a day, just the two of us would be a dream come true, Jean today I dreamt about us together and it was a moment of bliss, what the fuck, this is some weird shit" hearing that there was a brief murmur from the crowd that watched.
"hey how do you know it's her?" Mandy asked
"I mean it could have been anyone" Simone seconded
"it's her alright, first was the love letters with her name, I didn't talk about that since I thought it would stop but now these messages?" Jean explained "could you just like stop this? I'm tired of putting up with this shit"
all this while Paige kept mute, of course her mind was not, this was a public disgrace, just when she had began to feel comfortable with her friends now this drama? why didn't he do this somewhere private, she wanted to speak but the right words won't come out.
"Elaine, was it you?" Mandy asked
in an instant after being asked the question, Elaine flung up from her seat and dashed out of the cafeteria,
"Elaine.." Simone called as she followed behind her, and one by one all of them were running towards the same direction that Elaine was headed, eventually it left them to the restroom, Elaine closed the door behind them as her sobs where heard.
"Elaine..are you okay?" Simone asked as she knocked calmly on the door
"we are for you If you need anything.." Paige finally said
"I. I'm sorry" Elaine whispered
"did you really send those messages?" Mandy asked out of the blue only to be answered by louder sobs
"you don't need to ask her that, that's dumb" Simone replied
"I'm just curious.."
"Elaine would you please open up" Paige tried to plead with her
"you guys go ahead, I..I just need more time" Elaine said sniffing.
and soon everyone began to leave, as they left the restroom they could hear thuds of other students who where obviously eavesdropping hurriedly ran away, they couldn't ignore the stares everyone gave them.
"he didn't have to do it that public you know" Paige replied as the all sat down
"well in her defense she still haven't said that it was her.." Mandy beckoned, the look that she got immediately from Paige and Simone concluded her doubts and she soon figured out that there was no use beating around the bush
"yeap it's her" Mandy finalized
"she must feel horrible" Simone sympathized
just then Jean walked into the class as he gestured where the girls stood, after a short observed glanced he walked past them, noticing that Elaine was not present
"hey dipshit that was not nice, what you did back there" Simone called
Jean stood still, "I guess it wasn't"
"you guess, you literally embarrassed her in front of everyone" Simone continued
"well it wasn't my fault I was planning on approaching her privately but a couple of friends was with my phone when the last message came it, I was just pissed and I wasn't thinking"
he paused "but you're right I'll apologise to her when I get the chance".
they'd not set their eyes on Elaine not untill school was over, they caught up with her just as she was about to hop inside her car,
"so your plan was to bail on us?" Simone asked jumping out from the corner
"yeah, where were you? don't tell me you hid in that toilet all through" Paige replied
"I'm...I'm so.."
"don't apologise uhhh" Mandy grunted "just talk to us"
"I promise I'll tell you guys everything when you come over tomorrow okay?"
"fine, take care of yourself" Simone bade her goodbyes as they all watched her drove off.
"Paige" someone called from behind, they all turned to have a look and it was their English teacher Mr Carter
"can I see you for a second? its important"
Paige turned to her friends "you guys head out, I'll see you tomorrow"
after exchanging a few hugs the girls parted ways.
"can we talk why I give you ride home?" he asked seemingly politely
she arched a brow, she didn't have much of a choice.
"it's been a while" he began
"sure" she replied calmly
"how are you doing?" he asked
"please you don't really care about that"
"don't I?" he chuckled
"you don't."
"well I'm asking you, so answer me"
"I'm fine"
"of course you are, I see you've made some pretty good looking friends"
this remark sent some mixed signals to her brain which accompanied by his devious smile made her jumped up from where she sat.
he smiled even more "you must admit, the dark one..what's her name..miss Gibson.."
"what do you want from Simone!" she shot at him
"calm down Paige.. think twice before raising your voice at me"
she struggled to keep her breathing intact as it was obvious that she was on edge
"what do you want from Simone?" she asked again, this time more with a calmer tone
"same thing I got from you"
"no..." she shook her head in bewilderment " you can't do that, you won't do that"
"yes I can and I will"
"you won't! you can do whatever you want with me, but you cannot involve my friends"
he increased the speed at which he drove " the envelope at the backseat, open it"
she turned back and located the envelope and Immediately opened it, although she had seen the contents of it a lot of times it still scared the crap out of her, her hands trembled as she observed what was in the envelope
"I figured you needed to remember why you will do as I say, you know just in case you forgot" he snared "just imagine coming to school and seeing those flooded everywhere, the walls, the floor...everywhere"
"how do you even propose that I get her involved in this?"
"you will find a way" he replied dropping her off at the front of her house, still fazed as she was she came down and made her way inside
"and Paige.." he called "I want the two of you at the same time..you know the more the merrier"