Sunday had not been as eventful as Friday nor Saturday. It mostly consisted of me tending to the wounded while the others packed and cleaned up the campsite.
Even though I got to see the injuries because I was an 'honorary nurse', they refused to tell me about any of the traps set for them. I could tell they were bad by the distant look in their eyes. But, it was just hard for me to imagine that they could be 'scarring' when the boys had to use whatever they found in the house as their materials for their punishing pranks.
Because I stayed late to help the seniors, Graham was already asleep when I had returned to the tent, so thankfully I was able to avoid another confrontation. And the bus was coming pretty early the next morning, so Graham and I didn't have time to stop and speak while we were putting up the tent. The only words we exchanged were 'That is not where the pole goes' in a really strained voice.
As I got ready for school the next day, I was very happy to be done with that camping trip. It was full of way too many feelings and an atmosphere being choked by aloha vibes and testosterone.
"Seth, let's go!"
No reply.
I slowly put down my hairbrush. That wasn't good. I got up from my desk and slowly crept out of my room and to Seth's door. It was quiet. Way too quiet for everyone in my family to be home.
I knock. "Seth?"
Oh God, the last time he didn't respond, he was unconscious and beaten an inch from death. With this thought, I quickly pulled on the handle, but it didn't budge. It was locked.
"Seth!" I said louder. "We need to leave for school? Are you awake?"
I bolted to my room for the spare key that unlocked all of our doors. I had just jammed it into the lock when I heard, "I'm skipping. Go away."
"Seth, if you skip then you can't go to practice. You are aware your Homecoming Game is this Friday against Brentwood?"
"Rgrgdgf."
"Seth!" I whined. "C'mon. You are supposed to drive me to school."
"My stomach hurts too bad," he growled. "I'm coming late."
"But what about me?" No answer. Unbelievable. I pounded on the door. "Don't forget who was the one that had to bandage your bloodied knuckles and hide it from mom and dad."
Another moment of silence which made me curse Seth's name. I had an English test today. There was no way I could miss the test, because the teacher would give a harder version to the people who missed. I was struggling enough as it was.
Right as I was about to barge into his room anyways, Seth grunted. "You're ride will be here in five minutes."
I eyed the door suspiciously. Slowly, I asked, "And who would that be?"
"Gah."
And that was the last sound I would get out of him for the rest of the day.
I reluctantly returned to my room and began to gather my stuff. Seth had a lot of friends. Some were super cool, like the guys on the football team or the girls in his friend group, but then he also had some acquaintances that were a little more shady. Surely, he was a better big brother than that to stick me in a car with one his druggie friends.
Surely.
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and exited my room. I death glared at Seth's room's closed door before continuing downstairs. The house was as silent downstairs as it was upstairs, which made me more suspicious, because my parents hadn't left for their jobs just yet.
I dropped my bag on a chair at the table, right next to my mother, who was scowling more fiercely at her phone the longer their contest went on. I rolled my eyes at this, but left it alone and went to go grab mtself an energy bar.
"Alexa, honey, where's Seth?" My father asked from his brown leather chair in the living room. He was reading the newspaper.
"Uh," I said, "he's putting on his face."
"What?"
"He's powdering his nose," I replied. "It's something that requires absolute privacy, so don't bother him, Dad."
"What the hell did you do to him?" My father muttered.
"Nothing," I defended quickly. I quickly grabbed a bottle of water from the table and slung my backpack over my shoulder. "What's with all these questions?"
"We aren't-"
"I don't have time for this," I threw my hands up in the air.
"Well, I don't have time for your father's attitude but here we are," my mother snapped.
My father threw his newspaper on the ground. "You're the one that bought a ten-thousand dollar sofa! How else am I supposed to react?" He boomed.
"It's my money!"
"Ours!"
"I earn most of it!"
"Don't your dare. Listen here, Martha!"
I sighed. "Bye," I said uselessly at the fight that was going on in their own little world where throwing furniture didn't cost money to fix.
"Wait!" They both roared, eyes ablaze when they turned their head towards me.
But I had sprinted out of the house before they could finish. My head hurt too much for me to deal with anymore people who shared the same last name as me. I just wanted to get to school, take my test, and leave. If Seth, or anyone else for that matter, messed up that order, I was going to blow an air horn in his ear for the rest of the day.
I came to a halt right outside the house. The car outside wasn't one recognized. It was a sleek black crossover with tinted windows so I couldn't immediately see inside. My eyes narrowed suspiciously. What the hell was this? It seemed like something out of a government agency, but smaller.
I curled my hands tighter around the strap of my backpack. "There is no way I'm getting in that," I muttered angrily and stomped in the opposite way of the car. If he was going to be that stubborn, then I was just going to walk.
Walking—that was how done with his shit I was. And I was never going to let him live it down.
Suddenly, as I kept going down the sidewalk, I heard the car roar to life. My stomach dropped at the engine purring with delight. It was ominous purring, okay? There was no way I was going to acknowledge it though, so I tried to keep walking, even going a little bit faster as I heard the tires grind against the cement.
I was a runner. Maybe, now was the time to put that skill to good use.
But then the car stopped a couple feet short of me. My breath got caught in my throat and my feet stopped moving out of terror.
My last thought was that if I survived this, I was going to make Seth watch as I threw every one of his video game CDs in a bonfire.
The window rolled down. "Alexa!!!"
My eyes widened. It took me a moment to register who the brunette was sitting in the front seat that just yelled my name. "GG?"
"Yes, honey! Who else?"
"I'm here too," the accompanying blonde protested.
"We know, Taylor," GG rolled her eyes.
Taylor scoffed and batted GG's hand. "Just because you're driving doesn't mean you're more important than me."
"Actually, it does. I'm your life support."
Taylor glared. She puckered her flawless lips in what I think was supposed to be a pout. She just looked like a supermodel to me. "Whatever."
GG scoffed at her best friend's weirdness. She then turned and smiled warmly at me. "We got Seth's text. You need a ride, hon'?"
I glanced at the time on my phone. 7:20. School started in ten minutes and it was a twenty minute walk. "Yes," I answered quickly. "And step on it."
"Of course."
I opened the door and scrambled into the back seat, only to be slowed down by the soft, cool leather that covered the cushions. I sunk down into the seats almost immediately. And with it, my sense of hurry because wow was I exhausted.
The car started once more, and after a moment of swearing by GG, we were in motion.
I stared at the window. I guess I had such low expectations for Seth that him just texting someone nice to give me a ride was a huge gesture. Then again, maybe I was being stupid by thinking that it would be anyone else. Seth was still an overprotective brother who's sister was acting a little suspicious with her best friend as of late. GG and Taylor were the perfect choice to make sure I didn't go calling Graham for a ride.
I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes sleepily. The music was soothing, and GG's hum was melodic, until suddenly both sounds were cut shot. Taylor's blonde head turned towards me with a concerned expression. "I forgot that you and Seth and the team of baggy men went to that tree hugging thingy. How was it? Did Seth get hurt? Is that why he isn't coming?"
GG gasped before I could answer. "You're so right, Tay! I totally forgot about that tree thing the boys were going on and on about. Alexa, is Seth hurt? Is Daniel hurt? Is that why he isn't answering my texts?"
I stared in disbelief at the two barbies in the front seat. Their plastic heads were about to break in two seconds over something that just popped into their minds. Amazing.
"Alexa!" Taylor demanded.
"I-"
"You know what? No! This is way too important. Sorry Taylor about your Geometry test, but you'll understand."
The blonde bobbed her head up and down, but my eyes got wide, "Understand what?"
"I know the perfect place."
"What place?" I demanded.
"Is it that one by The Lily?"
"It is The Lily!"
"Oh yay," Taylor squealed. "I just adore their buttercup arrangements they have outside."
"And the rose petal covered tables?"
"Genius," giggled the blonde.
My jaw tightened. "Hold up," I snapped, patience running thin for tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum. "We have to go to school. I have an English test second period that I cannot miss."
"Too bad. This is important," GG shrugged.
My mouth fell open. "I barely said two words in that conversation and suddenly you decided talking about my brother and their trip is important enough to skip school on test day?"
I wasn't usually a goody-two shoes, but I wasn't exactly going to purposefully make things harder for myself, which is exactly what was going to happen with my test if we missed school.
But, sure enough, when I glanced outside my window, there was the school laughing about how shitty my situation was turning out to be.
I turned back in my seat and folded my arms over my chest. Enough was enough. When this is all over, I'm getting my license.
The car soon came to a stop in front of a fancy brunch restaurant whose walls were adorned with flowers and glitter. At the sight so early in the morning, I wanted to cringe and retreat. But Taylor and GG saw the disgusted look on my face, and they held tight to my hand as they tugged me inside.
We weren't spared a second glance by any of the staff as they smiled eagerly at GG and Taylor.
Surely these beautiful, lovely girls aren't skipping high school for a stupid reason, thought they. If anything, by the size of their boobs, they are most likely in college, and are here to visit their little sister, me.
Gah.
We were sat in a corner, away from any nosy ears. Instantly, I dug my face into my menu in an effort to not just go ballistic on the two barbies happily chatting away with the waiter. My cheeks were red with anger and embarrassment at skipping, and if they confronted me about it then this morning would be anything but pleasant.
Once our drinks orders were taken, the menu was ripped from my hand. "Spill, Alexa. We want to know every detail of what happened," demanded GG.
"Of the camping trip?" I mumbled.
"Yes!" Taylor cried out.
I scowled and batted away her hand. So much for the polite attitude the waiter was getting. "There really isn't much to talk about. They did their stupid games on Saturday, the juniors won, they ate food and then they went to Prosperine's Grave. That's it."
"What happened at Prosperine's Grave," they chorused angrily.
I stuck out my tongue. "I don't know. I didn't go in."
The waiter returned with drinks. He happily exchangrf another friendly conversation with the seniors before leaving with a stupid grin on his face. I, however, did not receive such a happy attitude when they turned back to me.
Instead, they said nothing as they sipped aggressively on their sugar free sweet teas.
"Fine," I muttered. "Be like that."
"Just tell us what we want to know," GG said calmly.
"I feel like I was kidnapped from my house and now I'm being held hostage."
"That's because that is exactly what happened," Taylor shrugged. "And this is the part where you tell us what we want to know or else."
I snorted. "What are you going to do? Put lipstick on me and smudge it?"
Taylor moved her purse away from her. "No," she mumbled embarrassedly.
I rolled my eyes. "Alright, if you want to know that badly, then I'll tell you. But be prepared to be bored." They said nothing, but their eyes were wide with intense intent on listening. "It started at the campsite. They were all set to go, when Seth demanded I come with them. He and I argued, but he insisted I be there or else my dad would punish him for not making me come. So, I did."
"Fascinating," Taylor whispered genuinely.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Anyways, as we were walking, Seth stopped, and naturally the group stopped with him."
"Naturally," GG agreed.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "Um, Seth had found this brown quilted wallet. In my opinion, it looked like it had been in the water way too long because it had even faded this really big word written on the front in silver sharpie. It was kind of gross, but Seth seemed shaken. Then, we opened it up, and there was only a couple crumpled ones and a half poked yogurt card. I couldn't believe Seth was acting as if he had just found a body."
Taylor's mouth opened. "Hey, G, that sounds like-"
"Shut it," GG snapped. "Not another word in that sentence, Taylor."
Both went silent as they looked down mindlessly at their menus.
I stared at the two accusingly. "What the hell was that?" I demanded. "Do you both know the owner of this wallet or something?"
"Y-" "No!" GG said firmly, cutting off Taylor.
"You do too," I accused, but GG's phone began to ring before anything else could be said.
She glanced at it hesitantly, but under my angry eyes, she answered it and held it up to her ear.
I looked down at my menu, ears burning with anger and frustration. I was tired of being lied to. Actually, I was sick of it. It seemed everywhere I turned there was something weird going on, and someone telling me it was none of my business when it clearly involved me. I deserved the courtesy of knowing what the hell was going on!
When I looked back up, the call was over not ten seconds later, and GG looked as spooked as Seth had when he found that wallet. I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously. "Who was it?" I questioned.
GG was quiet for a moment, and then she shoved her phone into her bag and looked at Taylor and I with the most grave expression I had ever seen a Barbie wear. "I think someone is stalking me," she whispered.
My eyebrows shot up. "And why's that?"
"For the last two weeks I've been harassed with calls, but when I pick up, all I hear are the animals sounds of the bulldog, and then of the Bruin."
"Is that what you heard today, though?"
She shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "Today, I heard someone's voice that I thought I would never hear again. It was a tape of a conversation from many years ago."
"Was it Adeline?" I blurted out.
GG's mouth fell open. "How do you know about her? Who told you?" One glance at a guilty Taylor said it all. GG curled her upper lip up into a snarl. "Forget it, Alexa. Forget I even said anything. Just don't ever bring her up, again."
GG abruptly stood up from the table. "I'm paying," she announced, and then she stormed off.
Honestly, I didn't know how to start this authors note. How do you apologize a hundred times for missing last week's update and then still not updating till the next scheduled time?
I'm so, so sorry.
Nope, still not good enough.
As most authors say, life got in the way. I haven't had a chance to sit down until this morning when I decided to furiously edit this chapter and update. But, of course I have to make things difficult, so I'm updating super early because I am trapped somewhere else at 5 o clock. I'll be better next week, hopefully.
But, wow, almost 7k?? That's freaking amazing!!! I am so thankful for everything and your votes and comments are what keep me going on this book. Soon enough, this will be my first ever completed book. I won't jinx myself, but wow.
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