Chapter 2 #4
My entire body jolted and I dropped the book onto the floor at the sound of my whispered name.
There was no one in my room. “H–hello?” I called out.
The door to my bedroom remained wide open as darkness from the empty hallway seeped inside.
“Hello?” No one responded. I simply remained still, staring into the darkness.
I–I must be hearing things.
“Crissa,” the strange voice whispered my name again.
The air thickened and my skin prickled as the sensation of being watched weighed on me.
I held my breath and listened as the rain outside tapped against the glass of my window, each drop adding to my growing anxiety.
“Who—who is it? Who's there?” The floorboards of the hallway creaked as if someone was slowly walking towards my room.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
And while I listened to each anticipated step, my heart beat sped up, flooding my ears. I listened to the sounds of footsteps getting closer until they finally stopped just outside the doorway. The growing fear of some unknown impending doom nearly choked me out as I sat and waited.
“Hello?”
The hall light flicked on, both blinding my eyes and revealing one of my roommates to be standing outside my door. I nearly screamed at the sudden sight of her. “Crissa!” She made a face. “What the hell? I’ve been calling for you for like five minutes!”
My chest ached from how fucking scared I was. “I–I’m sorry I—”
“Whatever. Here.” She extended her arm and offered the telephone receiver to me. “Some guy’s on the phone. He’s been asking to speak to you.”
I blinked. “A guy? Who?”
My roommate rolled her eyes. “Don’t know, don’t care. Just take the phone.” She wiggled the phone in her hand as I rushed from the bed and took it from her. “We’re all going out tonight so don’t wait up. And don’t forget to lock the doors, ‘kay?” I nodded as she walked away.
I raised the bright red phone to my pierced ear. “Hello?”
Static played from the other line before a familiar voice finally spoke up. “Crissa? Is that you?”
Montey.
I cleared my throat. “Yes.” A light flutter in my chest caught me off guard. “Montey?”
Why is Montey calling me? What the hell does he want?
The long, coiled cord reached almost halfway into my room, allowing me to casually walk around as I waited for him to speak.
“So…” He paused. My cheeks flushed in anticipation of what he had to say.
Hell, I couldn’t remember the last time he called me.
“I wanted to call and apologize for the way I snapped at you earlier today. That…that wasn’t cool of me. ”
No shit.
“And I wanted to let you know that Sybil feels bad for what she said.” I felt almost disappointed over the fact that he called me on her behalf. “She was having a bad day and ended up taking it out on you…which wasn’t cool at all.” Montey paused. “Anyways, we’re both really sorry and—”
“Let me guess.” I cut him off. “She asked you to invite me to this supposed party she’s having tonight to make up for it.” I couldn’t hide the displeasure in my tone. “Yeah. Nice try.”
I walked towards the hallway to hang the phone up when Montey finally spoke up.
“It’s true, Crissa.” I stopped just outside the doorway.
“I know Lavender already tried to talk to you, but we’re not lying.
Sybil really does want to apologize.” I stood there, unsure if I could believe what he was telling me.
It almost felt like whiplash how he’d been so hot and cold with me.
“Look, why don’t you just come to the party tonight?
Have a few drinks, hangout, and just chill.
From what Lavender told me, it sounds like you’ve been working nonstop.
You could use a little break to just let loose.
Like old times.” I tried to not scoff at his words.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but I hope—” He paused again before speaking with a softer tone.
“I’d really like it if you’d come tonight, squish. ”
I stood there speechless. Montey hadn’t called me by that name in such a long time.
It was a special nickname he’d used just for me, one he created when we were much, much younger.
And from the way my face burned at simply hearing him speak it, I knew he still had the same effect on me as it did back then.
And just like old times, hearing him call me by the name made me weak in the knees. No…it just made me weak.
“O–okay.” I whispered. “I’ll try to stop by.” Montey sounded excited by my response, but I felt absolutely fucking terrified.
What the hell am I doing?
Montey’s basement looked almost the exact same as I last remembered it.
The only difference was it felt a little smaller…
but that could be because there were more than a few extra bodies down here for the party.
The basement reeked of weed and cigarettes and there was music blaring through the space.
People danced and laughed, stumbling around the old furniture, dodging the hanging lights without a care in the world.
There were so many faces. Aside from my old friend group and Sybil, I didn’t recognize any of the other people hanging around.
They must’ve been friends of Sybil’s, which only made me feel more uncomfortable than I already was.
I shouldn’t be here.
My fingers picked at the varying runs in my torn leggings, tightly wrapped around my thighs.
I felt ridiculous wearing them, paired with a random flowy skirt and oversized band tee.
It took me almost an hour to decide what to even wear to this thing, from the way I styled my hair to the multi-colored oversized plaid jacket that I threw on over my baggy tee.
Hell, even picking out my boots was a challenge as I second guessed even them.
And by the looks of everyone here, I felt very out of place.
Montey’s mom must be out of town or something. There’s no way she’d let this many people down here. And she sure as hell wouldn’t like us drinking and smoking. Ugh, I should go before anyone notices me.
“Crissa!” Sybil’s shrieky voice pierced my ears and made my heart freeze up.
“You made it!” The red-haired woman smiled, her white teeth nearly glowing against her cherry-red lipstick.
She was wearing a ruby red graphic crop top and a pair of black, shredded, high-waist jean shorts, revealing her toned torso and smooth skin.
She wore a matching dark denim jacket, rolled to her elbows, and a red bandana tied like a headband as her long, wild hair freely cascaded all around her face.
Even in the dull basement lights, she looked menacingly beautiful. The complete opposite of me.
Sybil’s electric blue eyes wandered up and down my body as she seemed to hold back some witty remark.
“You look…cute.” Her nose pinched with her last word.
“I’m so glad you could make it. I felt so, so bad for what I said today and just wanted to show how much you really mean to me.
Right, babe?” She reached out and tapped the back of the person behind her.
He turned around and smiled, taking my breath away.
“Hey, you made it!” Montey drank from a red Solo cup, his cheeks burning red from presumably already having a couple in his system. “See—” His arm swung across Sybil’s shoulders. “I told you she’d come if I asked.” His face nestled into her fiery hair.
Sybil tried to keep her smile in place while holding Montey up. “Yes, you did.” Her eyes met mine. “Crissa.” She carefully lowered Montey’s drunk ass down next to me on the old couch. “Why don’t you keep an eye on him while I get you a drink?”
I looked between her and Montey. They both eyed me in a way that made me question whether or not I should leave or stay. And the longer I hesitated, the more uncomfortable I felt. “I–I think I’m actually going to just—”
My body rose to stand, but Montey yanked me back onto the couch. “Oh no! Don’t leave!”
“Yeah, at least have a drink before you go.” I looked up at Sybil. She wore her signature smile while playing with a strand of her hair. “Come on, Crissa. Just one teeny-tiny little drink.”
As much as I wanted to turn her down and leave, I was more frightened at the very idea of simply pissing her off. “S–sure.”
Sybil beamed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.
“Hey, Lavender!” My eyes followed her gaze through the small crowd to the other side of the basement.
Lavender was sitting on top of the dryer, smoking while chatting with two unknown guys.
Her smile fell as she noticed me. “Crissa would like a drink. Why don’t you go grab her a fresh cup from upstairs.
” Lavender passed her own drink off, ashing her cigarette before rushing up the basement stairs.
“Now—” Sybil’s attention returned to me. “Why don’t we all play a little game?”
A game?
“I’m thinking something a little old school…” Her eyes glistened as she bit the tip of her red nail. “I got it. Seven minutes in heaven.”
Montey excitedly clapped his hands together and hooted.
“Woo! Yeah! Let’s go!” He shot from the couch and ran over to Sybil, kissing her cheek before addressing the entire party.
“Listen up fuckers!” Everyone focused on him as the music played from the beatbox.
“Seven minutes in heaven. Who’s in?!” The partygoers all laughed and cheered, too drunk or high to really care.
“Alright! I need an empty bottle and everyone needs to gather around!”
“I got the bottle!” Ryder shouted from the other side of the basement. He came charging up with an empty beer bottle. The smile he wore dropped the second he noticed me. “Crissa, hey.”
Token pushed his way through the group and joined his brother’s side, shooting his twin a look. “Shit, hey, Crissa.” By the sound of both their voices, they expected me not to show.