Third Person POV

April 4, 2020 7:38 PM

Finally leaving the convenient store, Lindsey leaves with a bag of different chips in her right hand and a backpack on her back filled with clothes. She debates on calling her mom for a ride to Adi’s or walking. Looking up at the sky the sun close to setting she decides to start walking with a hard grip on a pepper spray bottle in her left hand. Whistling of birds tunes and the slight breeze of the wind surrounding her as she walks. Thoughts of different ways tonight could go fills in her head. Distracted she does not hear the car approach her from behind until she is interrupted by a hand gripping on her shoulder. Immediately startled she swing her left arm and punches the attacker in the face causing them to take a fall.

            “OW! What the hell babe?!” the young man’s interrupts her nature filled hearing with his voice. Recognizing the voice, she bends down to see her boyfriend cradling his right eye. 

            “Oh my, I’m so sorry,” she apologizes with a guilt look on her tanned face. She places her slight cold hands on each side of his face rubbing her thumb slowly on his injured eye. “I didn’t even hear you call out to me or you walk from behind me. Liam you can’t be doing that, unless you want to, be punched or pepper sprayed. Or even stabbed! Holy crap I could have pepper sprayed-” her small rant is interrupted by Liam giving a quick peck on her lips. Her eyes and mouth opened like a fish.

            “Cute. Look I’m sorry for scaring you I totally deserved that punch. I just saw you leaving the store and I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay walking out alone. Plus, it’s getting dark now and I wanted to offer you a ride,” Liam says as he gets and pulls Lindsey up with him. He stares at her as she dusts off dirt from her light faded blue jeans and he finally decide to ask, “So do you need a ride?”

            Hesitantly she replies, “Sure, but you must stay in the car, okay? The girls don’t know about us yet,” He nods, and they walk to his car parked across the street.

            “Are we ever going to tell anyone? I feel like this has been going long enough that-” Liam starts to break the silence in the car.

            “-Liam, please. You know why we shouldn’t tell anyone,” Lindsey interrupts him throwing her head back taking a glance at him. “your friends don’t like mine and my friends don’t like yours. Especially now, since you guys were gross and posted that dead opossum on your story,” she cringes remembering the image she swiped on the night before.

            “Oh yeah that was funny,” Liam chuckles and take a hand off the wheel to hold Lindsey’s left hand. “But I don’t care what our friends think. I just want us to be together without us hiding outside of the school building or not going on dates out in the public,” he says as the car starts to slow down right in front of Adi’s house.

            “Fine, I don’t want to upset you anymore. Besides I’m tired of having picnic’s in the woods, I mean remember when we saw that bear and we had to run quietly through the crunchy leaves,” Lindsey smiles remembering that they went on their first date in the woods and saw a bear near where they were eating.

            “You’re cute,” he says reaching his left hand over to rub his thumb on her right cheek. They lean as their lips meet for a long kiss, both of Liam’s hand on Lindsey’s face. They pull away meeting eyes and have a long stare with big smiles on their faces. “Okay, now go. Have fun with your friends but not that Megan girl. She’s weird,” he criticizes as he unbuckles her seatbelt and grabs her backpack from the back.

            “Thanks, I’ll text you okay? Drive home safe,” she reaches over to give him a kiss on the cheek. She waves after she closes the door and walks up to Adi’s front door to knock. Hearing a rustle by the side of the house Lindsey takes a glance. Not seeing anything she quickly brushes it off thinking it’s an animal. ‘What was that? It was too loud to be an animal. Chill it your imagination, Lindsey you idiot,’ she thought. The door opens reveling Adi with a big smile on her light paled skin face.

Lindsey’s POV

April 5, 2020 1:37 AM

            Several hours have passed since Jasleen and Megan were dropped off at Adi’s house. We all have had several drinks and been eating different snack that were around the living room table.  Jasleen looks like she is ready to pass out or barf any moment, while Megan looks like she could drown the whole bottle of alcohol she stole from her parents. ‘See you again’ by Tyler, The Creator, Kali Uchis fills my ears as I get up to go to the bathroom. Buzz Buzz, my phone vibrates on the bathroom counter, quickly finishing my business I look to see a text from Liam.

Honey<3 - ‘hey bear xx

did you guys go to bed yet? xx’

I quickly text back, ‘no not yet, miss you :( x ‘

Honey<3 – ‘miss you too. get some sleep okay?

Love you bear xx’

‘love you <3’

            Putting my phone in the back-right pocket of my jeans and look at myself in the mirror to fix my hair with some water. Staring at myself with my light brown eyes looking back, I bend down and splash water on my face. After drying my face with a towel, I walk out to the living room to see Adi and Jasleen eating Doritos and watching a movie. Confused I asked, “Leen, Didi, where did Megan go?”

            “She went to go smoke a cigarette outside,” Adi replies annoyance clear on her face.

            “Alone? How long has she been outside?” I ask them but they don’t seem to care to listen. I go over to the couch, rip the bag of chips out their hands and raise my voice, “Can you not hear? I said how long has she been out there. Alone?”

            “Hey! Chill! I don’t know, maybe like 20 minutes she been gone since you went into the bathroom,” Jasleen tiredly speaks up her words slurred and breath stinking of alcohol.

            “I’m going out to find her. Jesus Christ guys! If she’s lost or hurts it’s all on you,” I say grabbing my Varsity jacket. Going down the stairs to the front door quickly putting my shoes on I hear Jasleen and Adi following behind me.

            “Linds! Wait for us,” I hear them say as I step out the big green front door. Turning around I see them rushing to put their shoes and jackets on. We step down the stair of Adi’s front porch. Grabbing my phone from my pocket to turn on the flash Adi and Jasleen are quick to follow. As we walk holding on to each other, we start to call out to Megan desperately waiting for her to respond back. We all jump, startled as Jasleen’s phone starts to ring.

Unknown Caller ID is across her screen and we all glance at each other terrified. “Should I answer it?” Jasleen asks as we immediately shake our heads.

“Are you stupid? That’s what those dumb white girls do in the movies before they get murdered,” Adi bluntly responds.

“Why would you say that? You idiot we’re already scared enough,” I sigh rubbing a cold hand over my face. I look around seeing a bright light on the floor ahead I quickly run over to it. Bending down I notice its Megan’s phone, with dark red blood around it and ‘911’ ready to be called. “Holy sh-,” I start but interrupted by Jasleen’s loud scream. I quickly look up and up ahead run to them to see Megan. Megan, naked tied up, to a tree with many cuts around her body, and deep red blood gushing out. Her face looking like its been bashed with rocks only her hair hangs by the bloody face. Sobs filled my ears as my eye start to burn with tears and my lip quivering with a sob trying to make its way out. Feeling my stomach turn ready to barf out all the alcohol and food I’ve consumed. Immediately calling ‘911’ my phone crashes saying there is no service.

Ring ring, Jasleen’s phone ring again with same ID on it. I quickly grab it and answer, “What? What the hell do you want?!” Sobbing screams come out through my mouth to the phone.

“Don’t be Alone…”