Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Danced With the Devil
Madison
It’s been over a week since I’ve seen him, and I can’t get him out of my mind.
He haunts my dreams.
Shoot, who am I kidding? He haunts me even when I’m awake.
Everywhere I turn, I swear I see him. Smeared white and black face paint, hauntingly sharp teeth, and piercings glinting in the sunlight. The crazy, mismatched pattern of his tattered clothes billowing in the slight summer breeze…
I shiver even though it’s still eighty degrees outside.
School starts tomorrow, and I can’t sleep, so I’m on another walk to try to tire myself out—but it’s not working. Maybe because I keep opening my phone to the text thread with his freaking face staring back at me… but I can’t help it.
There’s something that keeps calling me back. Something… haunting about him.
He… touched me. In a way no one ever has. And I can’t forget it—as much as I’d like to.
“Static,” I choke on his name as I round the corner, pulling myself further away from the lamppost and bathing myself in inky darkness. Static changed something in me—and I don’t think it’s for the better.
I don’t feel better, anyway.
I feel all messed up inside. Confused and discombobulated.
This isn’t how I wanted my freshman year at college to go. It was supposed to be easy—or well, easier than this.
I got the courage to move away from home—which took a strength I didn’t even know I had, but I freaking did it. I’m here now, and I’m doing this all on my own. But then, I had to go and impress my new roommates, and now, everything’s all messed up… or I’m all messed up.
I can’t tell.
Either way, I wasn’t supposed to spend this time thinking about a clown that scared me half to death… okay, mostly to death, if I’m being honest.
I still have nightmares of those flashing lights. Of monsters and sharp teeth. Of that bloody axe in my mouth and a hot, wet tongue on my—I suck in a breath as the memory assaults me all over again.
Dizziness overtakes me, and I have to stop and hold onto the edge of the brick building to keep myself steady.
“You all right?” Kane asks from the porch, and I blink through the haze covering my eyes. I didn’t even realize I’d made it back home already.
“What?” I ask, staring up at him. “Oh,” I say when it finally registers what he said. “Yeah, I’m good. Just got, uhm, lightheaded.”
“Did you eat today?”
“No?” I ask, confused.
“Why not?” he inquires.
I pause for a moment as I slowly make my way up the stairs. The thick clouds in the sky are blocking the moonlight, making the night appear even darker than usual. When I reach the top step, I drop down onto it and let my head fall to the side, resting against the wooden beam there.
“I forgot,” I tell him honestly, too tired to come up with another answer. I’d already messed up. There’s no point in lying now.
“You forgot to eat?” Kane asks softly. I don’t sense any judgment, but my skin prickles, regardless.
“Everyone forgets to eat sometimes,” I snap back softly. It’s rude—and I don’t want to be rude—but my face heats with embarrassment, and I’m feeling shameful.
He throws his hands up in front of him in a placating gesture. “Hey, dude. I’m not judging you. I was just asking.”
I let out a deep breath and let my eyes fall closed. A breeze blows past, and it feels good against my fevered skin. “I know. Sorry. I just don’t feel well.”
“I can see that,” he says as he drops down on the steps beside me, hands resting on his stretched-out knees.
“Saying I look like crap?”
“Yes,” Kane deadpans, and it makes me snort. He bumps his knee into mine, and I flush at the contact, however innocent. Good thing it’s dark out and he can’t tell how easily my face gives me away.
Blasted paleness and lack of bodily control.
It’s quiet between us for a few minutes as we stare out into the night. The city is surprisingly quiet, only the sound of traffic in the distance to keep us company.
“Want me to make you something to eat?” Kane offers, shattering the silence that’s made a home between us. “Might help you feel better.”
That makes me smile—a real, genuine smile for the first time in days. “You know, that actually…” I trail off when my phone buzzes in my pocket.
My stomach sinks.
No one that’s not in this house has my number—except for my parents and him.
I swallow the lump that’s lodged itself in my throat and slowly pull my phone out. The screen illuminates the darkness as I unlock it to find a text from that same number.
Unknown:
Miss me yet darlin
Before I have time to process the first text, another comes through.
Unknown:
Because I miss you
Oh, God.
Oh… my God.
My phone slips from between my fingers and clatters onto the step between my feet. My vision whites out.
“Hey—what—” I hear the scrape of my phone against wood, and I reach out blindly, taking it back from Kane and shoving it against my thudding chest, hoping that he didn’t see a thing.
“Mads?” he inquires, his voice a soft wave through the rushing of blood through my ears.
“I gotta go,” I squeak out, and before he can answer, I scramble to my feet and rush inside. I take the stairs two at a time until I’m in my room with the door locked behind me, back pressed against it and chest still heaving like I ran a marathon.
With my eyes scrunched shut, I slowly pull my phone away from my chest to stare down at the screen. It lights up, showing me my basic blue background and the time—11:27pm.
But I’m scared.
I know what’s behind that lockscreen.
But what if it’s not real?
What if I made it up?
That makes the next breath come a little easier. I’m so worked up and scared, my mind is conjuring things that aren’t really there just to rile me up. I’m too tired. I’ve barely been sleeping, and my brain is playing tricks on me.
That’s gotta be what this is.
With renewed confidence, I unlock my phone and promptly swallow my tongue. Because no.
I was wrong.
So very, very wrong.
Static is real.
And he won’t leave me alone.
Why won’t he leave me alone?
I want to cry. The tears burn the backs of my eyes, traveling down to my nose, and even making my chin wobble, but they don’t fall. They just glass over my eyes until the screen in front of me distorts and eventually turns black once more.
Before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m texting him back, renewed fire burning in my veins.
Me:
You need to leave me alone.
It’s marked as read instantly, and I nearly drop my phone in surprise. Knowing he’s looking at the same thing I am at the same time does something uncomfortable to my stomach.
Three little dots appear for a moment before his next text swishes through.
Unknown:
You dont want that do you
Brows furrowed, I type back:
Yes, I do.
Unknown:
We shall see
I blink rapidly down at my phone.
We shall see?
What the heck is that supposed to mean?
My heart thunders in my chest as I reread those three words over and over again, regretting my decision in engaging with him more and more with each passing second.
Oh, God. What did I do?
I just danced with the devil, that’s what.
And now, he knows he has me right where he wants me.
Sleep doesn’t come at all. I spend the entire night staring at the ceiling, the walls, and mostly, my phone where it lies charging on my nightstand, like the offending object it is.
I suppose I could get my number changed, but then, on the off chance something happened with Mother or Father, they wouldn’t have my new number, and I need them to be able to get ahold of me. Not that they would after what I did, but if…
So, basically, I’m stuck.
I groan loudly and drag my hands down my face. Exhaustion is pulling heavily at me, but I still force myself to sit up. Sunlight is just beginning to peak through the gaps in the curtains, and I avoid the rays because of my throbbing temples as I grab a change of clothes and head to the shower.
Thankfully, no one else is up this early, so I’m able to scrub some of my sleepiness away, and by the time I’m out, I don’t feel one hundred percent better, but I do feel more awake than before, so I’ll take it.
“You look even worse than last night, and that’s saying something,” Kane says when I walk into the kitchen. I startle at the sound of his voice, a squeak-sort of noise escaping my throat. My hand flies to my chest where it leaps from my sternum, and in turn, Kane just chuckles.
“My bad. Forgot you startle easily.”
“Forgot after just last night… or literally any moment since you’ve known me?” I deadpan, too tired.
“Apparently,” he muses, flipping a pancake on the stove. “Want some?” he asks, gesturing to the pile he adds another flapjack to.
“Sure, thanks.” I grab a dish and some food and take a seat. After soaking my pancake in syrup, I look up to find Kane already staring at me.
“Yes?” I ask with a mouth full of food, which I recognize is incredibly rude, but I also can’t be bothered to care too much when I’m this hungry. I can’t remember the last time I ate, and for the first time in quite a while, I actually feel hungry.
“Nothing. Just glad you’re eating.”
I hum noncommittedly.
“Good, yeah?” he asks once he sits down with his own plate and I’m onto my second.
“Mhm,” I hum, taking another bite.
“Thanks.” Kane grins. “It’s my dad’s recipe. Even the syrup.”
“Wait.” I pause between bites. “This is homemade, too?”
“Yeah,” he chuckles.
“No wonder it’s so good.” My eyes nearly roll back as the sweetness assaults my senses. I was never allowed to have this much sugar, so I’m probably gonna be on a sugar high for the rest of the day, but it’ll so be worth it because this stuff is incredible.
“I’m glad you like it, man.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, face heating.
“‘Course.” Kane smiles just as the others start piling into the kitchen.
“Yes!” Lenny shouts as he saunters in. “Kane’s famous pancakes!”
“Dude, we’re all right here. We can hear you,” Collin mutters as he strides in right behind Lenny. He grabs his own food and then leaves without another word.
“He’s not a morning person,” Kane responds to my unanswered question. I nod my understanding and take my last bite before pushing my plate away. I swear my stomach has doubled in size, I’m so full.
The kitchen is full of rambunctious activity as Lenny and Kane fuck around with each other and banter back and forth, and I’m content just to watch them. Eventually though, time draws near, and I excuse myself back to my room.
I grab my things and sling my bag over my shoulder. I look down at my phone. I nearly don’t grab it, but I know I’ll need it, so I slip it into my pocket with unease before my exit.
The walk to class is refreshing. The cool summer air is nice against my freshly showered skin, and I relish in the dampness of it as I walk the few blocks to my first building of the day. Other students are milling about, and for the first time since I left home, I finally feel like I belong.
No one is looking at me twice. I’m just another classmate to them. And it feels so nice to be just like everybody else.
God, college is hard.
My brain physically hurts. And it was only the first day.
I don’t know how I’m going to survive four years of this.
There’s too much information, and I don’t know where to store it all.
I stare blankly down at all my notebooks before opening my laptop, and I just start scribbling all the information I can remember until my hand is cramping and my brain doesn’t feel quite so full.
And now, it’s time to organize it all.
I flip through different folders and notebooks until each class is organized by their own color and corresponding notes. It takes me hours, but by the time I’m done, everything is effectively how it should be, and my brain feels less full than it did, so I call it a success.
I shove my schoolwork away from me, groaning as I stretch out my legs. I’ve been stuck in the same position for hours without realizing, and my entire body aches because of it.
A knock sounds at the door, and I jolt with surprise.
“Yes?”
“Just me,” Kane says as he pushes my door open. He’s got two plates of steaming food in his hands and a sheepish smile on his face. “Brought some food because you’ve been stuck in here for hours and I figured you might be hungry.”
“Uh.” My face flames. “Y-yeah. That’s… that’s great. Th-thank you.” I stand and take one of the plates from him and greedily inhale the scent of cheesy chicken and rice. “Smells amazing.”
“Thanks. My parents loved to cook, so I guess I kinda just took on that quality from them?” He poses it like a question as he sits at the foot of my bed. It’s then he reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out two cans of Dr. Pepper and hands one to me.
I take it with a shy smile and a soft thanks that makes my face burn hotter than ever. Kane just nods his head and leans back against my bedframe and dives into his food without a word said, like this silence between us is comfortable.
But I guess maybe it is because I don’t feel inclined to talk, really. It’s nice to just eat and not feel like I’m forced to make conversation.
Plus, this food is really freaking good—and I tell Kane that, too.
He chuckles lightly, and it makes my heart flutter a bit.
“Thanks, Mads.”
“Y-you-you’re welcome,” I stutter over the words, hating myself more than ever that I can’t just spit things out like a normal person. My tongue always sticks to the roof of my mouth, like it’s glued in place, and I have to chew my way around it just to speak.
“So, how was your first day?” Kane asks, fork scraping across the paper plate he’s using.
I blow out a breath, thankful for this topic because it’s easy enough.
“Long. And exhausting. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t think I’d be this tired—mentally, anyway. There’s just a lot in my brain that I don’t know what to do with,” I tell him honestly, pushing a few grains of rice around with the prongs of my fork.
“Ah, yeah. I know exactly what you mean. But you’ll get used to it. I know that sounds cliché, but you will. It just takes time.”
I nod my understanding. “Thanks. I’m sure. It’s just…”
“Not what you were thinking?” he finishes for me, and I nod.
“Yeah.”
“It never is, buddy. It never is.”
You’re freaking telling me.