“HappyBirthday!”
Twenty-five, and it’s been a whirlwind of a year.
A new house, a new life; well… sort of.
Tiffany and I had recently moved out of my college town and into the suburbs, finding a cute little sixteen-hundred-square-foot rambler that fit our needs and budget. So, tonight wasn’t just a birthday party for me, but a housewarming party for us with a few of her friends, including her long-distance boyfriend, Jaiden.
“Make a wish and blow out the candles, D! Although I think we both know what’s left on your list.” Tiffany gave a playful wink as she sank back into Jaiden’s arms, and he returned the sentiment with a gentle squeeze, his eyes, however, never left mine.
I’d just broken up with my boyfriend before our big move. Well, more like he broke up with me. So I suppose the only wish I hadwas to finally find someone who wouldn’t shatter my heart into a million pieces.
I was an all-or-nothing girl with a bad temper and jagged edges; I understood that, embraced it even. But something always managed to sabotage my relationships.
Always the girlfriend, never the fiancée.
‘Here's to the dream…’
When I blew out my candles, the room fell into darkness, and a cold whisper of fingertips caressed their way along my skin. My body stiffened from the eerie feeling as whispers and the sound of feet shuffling across the hardwood floor filled my ears.
“I got it!” Tiffany chanted, flipping the light switch in the kitchen on her way to grab a knife. “Who wants cake?!”
As my eyes adjusted to the sudden shift in lighting, I caught a glimpse of her boyfriend sliding his hands into his pockets with a mischievous grin on his face; his eyes still locked on me, as if he were prepared to chase me if I bolted from the room.
Sinister gut feeling aside, Tiffany cut the cake, we played a couple rounds of beer pong, drank way too many shots between the eight of us, and by eleven forty-five, everyone had cleared out. Everyone except for Jaiden.
He and Tiffany were in a somewhat long-distance relationship. While they met at a Vandy frat party, Jaiden now lived in Memphis, so they only ever saw each other on brief day trips and the occasional sleepover, like tonight.
A three-hour drive may not seem like a big deal for some people, but between work and my sister's constant lack of reliabletransportation, the distance complicated their relationship, and I gave her all the credit in the world for remaining faithful to someone she barely ever got the chance to see in person.
“You’re lookin’ a little tired, hun. I think it’s about time we headed up to bed; call it a night, whaddayasay?” Jaiden plopped his ass down between my sister and me, fanning his arms across the back of the sofa.
“Mmhmm… right, sleep. You don’t need to make up excuses in front of my sister.” Tiffany drunkenly slurred, giggling as she leaned into him, a fist curling in his T-shirt and eyes dropping to his lips... the fly of his jeans. “I’m sure she’s well aware of how much we fuck when you’re here—”
“Oh, good fucking lord, TMI and yes. I’ll make sure to wear noise-canceling headphones and blast the volume of a playlist that doesn’t scream ‘my-little-sister-is-currently-getting-railed-across-the-hall-from-me’.”
My sister waved a hand, blowing me off as she threw herself up to stand, pulling Jaiden with her by the collar of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her steady as she swayed from her intoxicated state; the downside of being a lightweight.
It didn’t take much to have Tiffany falling all over herself, and at least this time, I wasn’t the one who’d have to hold her hair while she vomited in a couple of hours.
“Ya know, you should consider joining us sometime instead of hiding out in your room. Three’s company and all—”
“Ew, Jaiden… gross. A ménage à trois with my sister is not on my list of sexual fantasies to be fulfilled.”
“Or mine,” I cringed as I got up from the couch and made my way toward the staircase to beat the lovebirds upstairs. “Give me ten minutes to get ready for bed before you two start going at it like horny rabbits. I really don’t want to be mentally scarred on my birthday…”
“Goodnight, D. I love you!” I could hear Tiffany’s bubbly laughter fill the stairwell as I reached the top of the landing, and it warmed my heart to hear her happy and in love.
I’d give anything to protect my sister’s peace.
Moonlightfilteredthroughthehalf-closed blinds, casting shadows on the walls that danced to the music playing through my headphones.
My eyes fell heavy, and I closed them, drifting away for what felt like only a minute before an unsettling breeze called for my attention; a haunting figure leaning against the wall where my gaze had been focused.
I jolted upright, sucking in a sharp gasp before the darkness overwhelmed me, covering my mouth, drowning my scream, and shoving my body back down. The mattress springs creaked under the additional weight like a cry from fear.
“Hey, hey, hey… shh… calm down. It’s only me, babe. Relax.” A calm, soothing voice filtered through my bleeding panic; every breath heavy and labored.
It took only a second to process who was hovering over my body.
