Picking up my phone, I decided it was best to call my mom’s manager first. Bill was a twerp who was way too handsy with me when I was around him, but he was also the only way of reaching my mother when she was out and about and off the radar. I had free rein with her credit card, so paying for the car to get fixed wasn’t an issue, but I thought it best to at least let her know. Or to let Bill know.
Most likely I was wasting my time.
Which is why I was happy when I got Bill’s voicemail, because the rare times I had to actually speak with him, I always got a sick feeling in my stomach. I truly felt that he imagined me naked when I spoke. He was a creep but one of the best managers in the biz, or so my mother always told me. I still always pictured him in some dark basement somewhere jacking off to kiddie porn.
When I got done leaving him a message about the car and hung up, my phone rang right away. I considered not answering it if it was Bill calling me right back, but I saw it was Kevin.
“Hey,” I said, sitting at the expansive kitchen counter and running my fingertips over the smooth white marble.
“Where were you after school?” he asked. “I was looking for you. A few of us were getting together, and I wanted to see if you wanted to come.”
“I got detention.”
“Detention? Why?”
“For being late and missing so much school. And then my car broke down… and let’s just say it’s been a crappy day.”
“That sucks. Why didn’t you call me? I would have come and picked you up.”
It was odd hearing Kevin act as if the logical thought process would be to call him up and lean on him for help. For some reason, I didn’t think we were that close, but it was most likely all in my head and feeling like no one was really in my life whom I could count on. We were friends, actually pretty close friends in many ways, but then like strangers as well. I’d nearly had a total breakdown when rumors began circulating about me and my name got decimated at our previous school, and when Kevin suggested we move to Black Mountain, I had jumped all over his plan. He needed a change, and so did I. But at the same time, we both just did the move on our own. We kept our distance during it all.
Our relationship was definitely complicated.
We were friends… but not daily friends. We could go a number of days never speaking, but then if I had to be honest, he was the only real friend I had. He was trying very hard to make friends in Black Mountain, and I wasn’t. He had invited me several times to hang out with people, but I always felt like I would be a tagalong. I tried… I just wasn’t very good at the social game. Kevin wasn’t very good either, to be honest, but at least he was giving it his all this time at Black Mountain.
“I considered it, but I got a ride home. Thanks though.”
There was a long pause, and then Kevin said, “Okay then… well… do you need a ride or something tomorrow? I can swing by and get you before school.”
“I think I’ll be fine. I have other cars to choose from. But I’ll let you know if none of them start or something.”
“Do you want to hang out tomorrow after school?” he asked. “I’ve met a couple of cool people I could introduce you to.”
I sighed. “I have detention.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know. Mr. D says he has to reach my mother to talk about my attendance before detention stops.”
“Shit,” Kevin breathed out. “That could be the rest of the year. Did you explain how your mom just checks out?”
“Sort of. But I don’t think he gets it.”
“Yeah, most don’t. Couldn’t tell you where my parents are at the moment.” He paused for an awkward moment of silence. “Sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“I’m good. Thanks for checking in on me. I appreciate it.”
“No prob. I’ll talk to you later. I hope he gets hold of your mom soon.”
Hanging up with Kevin left me alone.
In an empty and silent house.
Story of my life.
Really not wanting pizza, I walked over to the pantry in hopes of finding something hidden in the far corners of the shelves.
The pantry door was open.
I froze, my heart stopped, and a scream strangled with my lack of breath.
I never left any door open. Not one. All doors in all the house remained closed at all times. It was my obsessive rule.
All doors must be closed!
I ran to the hallway and noticed that every single door to every single bedroom was open.
Open!
Oh God, why were they not closed?
I sprinted up the stairs to discover that every door was open as well.
The alarm system? Jesus, I got sloppy when Mr. D dropped me off. I didn’t set it. I walked into the house and didn’t immediately lock the door and set it.
I nearly fell running back down the stairs, but I had to get out of the house. I could feel the walls closing in. The darkness was here. I could feel it. Eyes were on me. They were on me. They were still on me.
But as I neared the bottom of the stairs, I saw the shadow of a man approaching the house through the small window by the door.
Nearly flying, I bolted the door lock. “I called the police!” I screamed. “They’re on their way, so get the fuck out of here!”
I held my breath and waited.
Please leave. Please leave. Please leave.
A pounding on the door had me screaming.
“Corrine? Open up. It’s Mr. D. What’s going on in there? Open up!”
Tears of relief streamed down my face as I unlocked the door with shaky hands. My knees threatened to buckle, my ears rang, but at least there was someone outside who could help me.
When I opened the door, Mr. D charged inside, scanning the room with fisted hands and raging eyes.
“Who’s here?” he demanded.
“No one,” I barely managed to squeak as the tears kept flowing. I struggled to regain regular breathing so I wouldn’t hyperventilate and collapse in my foyer. I wasn’t sure if I could tell him the truth. The truth got me nowhere in life.
He spun on his heels and took hold of my upper arms, forcing me to look him directly in the eyes. “Who were you screaming at? Why did you call the police?”
I couldn’t imagine the thoughts that had to be running through Mr. D’s mind. From the look of him, and the way his eyes were wide, his jaw locked, and his entire body tense, I had scared him. And if I looked anything like how I felt… well, I had to appear a hot mess.
“I got worked up on… something… I thought you were…” I paused as I still struggled to breathe.
He released the tight hold of my arms and placed his palm reassuringly on my back as his stance and facial expression softened.
“I thought you were someone… I was yelling at you by mistake.”
“Who did you think I was?” He waited and when I didn’t immediately answer, he continued. “Who did you think I was that had you so terrified you called the cops?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t call the cops. I was saying that to scare you, and I was just…” Fuck, I didn’t even know how to explain this nightmare.
I glanced at another open door off the living room, and my world began to spin.
“Who are you so afraid of?” Mr. D prodded again.