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“He gave me a list of things he wants me and the girls to do to Gracie while he’s away. Well, I guess more of a guideline because some of the shit is weak, so we came up with something better. I think he’ll be happy with it,” she says with a smirk, finally looking at me.
“Oh, like what? Need help?” I need her to trust me so I can make sure she doesn’t do anything dangerous or too horrible. If I can get her to include me, I may be able to buffer Gracie from Bianca’s crazy. I already know the things she’s capable of. Bianca is a psychopath wrapped in a cheerleader, making her even more dangerous.
Gracie
I sit back against the stone of my best friend's grave. I haven’t been able to visit yet, and I lay the fresh flowers down, apologizing. The place is desolate, and I glance at the empty plot beside her. It’s crazy to think I could be buried in this ground alongside her.
I know I was lucky to survive, but really, would it have been too bad if I died? Yeah, I guess my family would miss me, but that’s about it. The kids at school are awful. I haven’t had a single person come up to talk to me unless it’s in a demeaning or cruel manner. I was really hoping to have a friend. New or old. At this point, I wouldn’t care.
I’m lonely, and my days are pure hell. At least Ash hasn’t been around to make things worse. I don’t know where he went. It’s been a week since the shed incident. Not that his absence has stopped my other classmates from being bitches and dicks.
No, seriously, their names spell out the acronyms BITCHES and DICKS. I may have giggled when I figured that out. I’m shocked no one has mentioned it before. But then again, they are the most popular kids in school, so maybe they just don’t say it out loud.
Whatever, they are all assholes in my opinion. They seem to think torturing me is a game, and I’m about to snap.
I lean my head back and let the sun warm my face. Birds chirp, and it’s peaceful here. Mia would have hated it. She always needed chaos or at least music playing. I snort and shake my head.
“They should have never buried you, Mi. God, I miss you, girl. Things are just fucking Hell here. No matter where I try to hide, someone finds me. Things at home are a mess. My mom is drinking, and my dad seems lost in his own world. School’s almost as bad. Bianca runs it now. You would have beat her ass for even considering taking your throne, but I’m not strong like you were.”
I sigh and let the silence calm me. A breeze blows, lifting my hair, making me think that Mia is here with me. I wish she was. Tears fill my eyes, and I sniffle. “Why are you gone, Mia? What happened that night? No one will tell me still, and my dreams are getting worse. You wouldn’t hurt me. Right? No, you loved me. You were my sister,” I say with a shake of my head and wipe the tears off my cheeks.
My phone buzzes, and I groan, checking the time. “I better go before they start a search party. But I’ll be back, Mia. I will never forget or abandon you. I love you, Mi,” I whisper as I climb to my feet, then kiss two fingers and place them against the cold stone.
Carter
I leave the church with my guitar and sigh. Father George told me no about playing for Sunday service. I was hoping to have a few songs that he would allow. Henri’s mom no longer lets us play in their garage. Like seriously, who has a baby when they have an eighteen-year-old son? I’m going to have to find a new place for us to play.
I can’t let the practice go to waste. Even if it is playing some religious hymnal. I guess I’ll have to suck it up and play for the country club. I hate playing classical, though. I wish Ash would pull his head out of his ass and come home. Then I could just claim one of his fourteen spare bedrooms. Or move some of the cars out of his garage and practice there.
The sound of someone sniffling stops me from leaving the courtyard. I glance over to the cemetery and pause. Gracie is talking to Mia. I scratch my head and move closer. If she’s really as evil as everyone says, then why is she leaving flowers on Mia’s grave?
Maybe Dom is right. I mean fuck, what happened was an accident… but that note…
I shake my head and wait for her to meet me at the bottom of the path. She’s not looking where she’s walking, and I step in her way. Her palms land on my chest, and the pinpricks that run down my arms at the feel of her have me blinking.
Well, that’s new.“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking,” she mumbles and flinches when I reach up to wipe a tear from her cheek with my thumb. I drop my hand and nod. I mean, after how we have treated her at school, I wouldn’t want me touching her either.
“You good?” I grunt, and she sucks in a breath of surprise.
“Ah yeah, not that you’d truly care,” she grumbles, showing me a new side of her, and a bark of laughter slips from my lips, surprising us both. She smiles, and my heart starts to race at how pretty she is. I’ve always found Gracie attractive, but that wasn’t allowed. She was Ash’s. She is Ash’s. Right?
“I have to get home,” she says, moving away from me and leaving me to wonder what the hell is happening and whether Ash is truly done with her. Because if he’s not careful, I may just make a play for Gracie.
ChapterEleven
Iignore Dom’s call again and groan. He needs to stop bothering me. I just need some time, space. I’m not going to do anything reckless. I sit on the beach and crack open another beer, thanks to my awesome fake ID.
I never was a big drinker until Gracie betrayed me and Mia died. After that, my world didn’t seem worth living. I wasn’t suicidal per se, but I just didn’t see why I should bother trying anymore. I’ve cut back a lot, thanks to my best friends, but right now, I need this.
The night I left Gracie in the shed, I lost my mind. I got completely wasted and broke down. I knew I needed to get the fuck out of Willows Creek. I should have left months ago, but something kept me there.
Maybe ghosts were keeping me chained to the town, or some fucked up notion of hope. Whatever it was, it doesn't matter anymore.
Just being in Gracie’s proximity isn't good for my mental health. My emotions have been all over the place for months. I’m angry, understandably so, but I’m also craving her with a hunger that I need to avoid, and this was only after one day.
One minute I want to strangle her for everything she's done, and the next, I just want to grab her and throw her against the wall and devour her mouth like I’m starving, which I have been.
Fuck, I know I shouldn’t be, but no one since her has been able to satisfy me. She was always supposed to be the one. I knew from the start, but now everything is so fucked up, and I need to just let her go.
