***
Kara, leaning across me caressing my cheek, woke me hours later. Her bright blue eyes were sparkling, and her long blond hair was tied to the side. She looked just like my mom, only younger. Some people have a hard time believing I belong to this family at all. I’m short, my hair and eyes are jet black. I looked like my dad. Well, except for the short part. I think the only reason I’m small is because I was premature, but who knows how genes work anyway?
“Today is your big day, Charlie bug,” Kara said, grinning widely.
“Charlie…come, Charlie, you tease—you hear I see it,” the whispers taunted as my skin chilled.
“I can’t go, Kara. Help me talk Mom out of this.”
“I’m taking Mom’s side on this,” Kara said like she’d just told me something was terminal.
“This is the one time I need you to take mine. I got stuff to handle here. Demons to fight.”
“What demons are we talking about, Charlie?” Kara asked as she leaned back.
I pulled myself up and stared blankly in the distance. “I don’t know. Just fears. Isn’t that what demons are?”
“You would know,” she said as she stood. “I don’t know why you’re trying to handle this on your own.”
I furrowed my brow.
“I’m really worried about you, Charlie—everyone is—but I’ve been assured that letting you find your way back to the Charlie you were before those drugs, or whatever happened to you, is the only way you’ll get better.”
“I’m fine…just a little foggy,” I swore.
“I think I could find a stronger word than that.”
“You’re a writer. I’m sure you could,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Fair,” Kara said as she twirled her wedding ring on her finger. “Listen to yourself right now, to the emotions you’re feeling. That’ll be the fastest way to make you better.”
“I agree. My emotions are telling me to stay here.”
“You’re safe in your father’s house, whether you remember that or not.” Her grin was vague. “Mom is following us back to have lunch and get you settled. Don’t give her a hard time Charlie; she feels bad enough you were hurt.”
“It’s not her fault.”
“You’ll never convince her it’s not.”
“You hear me Charlie...” the whispers beckoned.
“Can you at least get my phone back?” I asked.
“I’ll try.”
The crowded gym we were packed into as they organized us for our march to the auditorium was a buzzing bliss for me. The conversations overlapping and echoing brought silence to my curse. It was the only good part about the entire ordeal.
I never really let anyone too close but I wasn’t a hater either. I could get along with anyone. One by one people I hadn’t talked to since my life was invaded by Bianca came up to me. I smiled for the selfie and signed their yearbooks. That was the easy part. The hard part was knowing they were looking for damage. Hearing them tell me they always had a bad vibe and knew it wasn’t legit when I shut them all out.
One night had forever tainted how my graduating class would remember me. Not cool.
I was making my way to sit on the bleachers with all the other “M’s” my Myers last name slotted me with when the roar around me, the buzz of deadly whispers, vanished.
I felt Bianca hook her arm through mine. I glanced to my side to see her huge blue eyes smiling at me. “I know you’re not mad at me?” she said, grinning.
“I am.”
Ignoring my response she went on. “Did you sleep? I’ve been texting you like crazy. I came over, but your mom wouldn’t let me in,” she said as she straightened my robe.
“Tell me your version,” I said in a harsh tone.
“My version of what?”
“What did you do to me?” I seethed.
“Nothing. I thought it was Valium. I just needed you to relax. You’re so uptight all the time.”
“That wasn’t Valium, and that wasn’t what you were trying to do,” I snapped as I looked away from her.
“What was I trying to do, Charlie?” she asked innocently.
I moved my head from side to side.
“Seriously? The silent treatment. You better get over that before our flight next week.”
“Plans cancelled.” No way in hell I was traveling with her.
Anger morphed behind her grin. My gut told me to pull back that my aces that were showing. Playing dumb and confused might be the best way to shed this chick.
“I think your mom has messed with your head. You’ll feel better in a day or so. Why don’t you and Britain go out tonight? Spend some time alone.”
“I have plans.”
“With?”
I glanced to the sea of humanity around us. “I have a life outside of you.”
“Do you?” she said, laughing casually. “I’ve spent almost every waking hour with you for the past three months. The only person you talk to besides us is Madison, and well, you need to get over that girl.”
“Yeah,” I said looking across the gym. “Anyway. I’m keeping a low profile now. My mom has never been this mad at me before. I don’t have my phone anymore. If I get it back, I’ll text you or something.”
“What?” She pointed her brow at me. “You’re close enough to eighteen. You’re about to get your freaking diploma. Tell her to suck it.”
The principal blew the whistle for us to line up.
The march into the auditorium, the speeches, the sound of my name being called to receive my diploma were moments I should cherish, but I didn’t. I focused on taking small breaths and trying to play a song in my mind. I couldn’t make out what the whispers were saying, but it was clear they were enjoying the agony they were putting me through. Once the final words had been said and the caps were soaring through the air, I turned and hugged the people next to me before looking for my mom and sister.
When I found them, Kara took pictures of my mom and me as we posed as the happy, accomplished family.
“I’m going to check my locker before we leave. I think I left a hoodie in there,” I said to Kara as I blocked another shot from her flash.
“OK, hurry up. We have a long drive,” she said, scanning her camera to make sure she had properly captured the moment.
I expected all the lights to be on in the school, but they weren’t. I stood at the entryway to the hallway my locker was on. It was barely lit enough for me to see my way. I thought about just leaving whatever was in my locker behind, but then the frustration of giving in to my fears took over. I unzipped my robe and laid it on the floor, took in a breath, then ran. The shadows reached out for me as the hiss sounded more like a roar.
The only thing I found in my locker was a black hoodie. I quickly put it on, covering my black dress. As I started to walk briskly back I fumbled with my hood. Something that I couldn’t see pushed it back. I heard the whispers hiss and laugh as I turned, looking for anything or anyone that could’ve touched me. My heart started to race.
“ – you said you’d help,” a whisper hissed.
I tried to step forward, but something blocked me. I couldn’t step back or to either side. I was horrified. Then all at once, they were silent, and whatever was blocking me had vanished.
I was numb, chilled to the bone.
“Charlie,” I heard Britain say.
I turned to see him just a few feet away.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he slowly walked to me.
“I didn’t know you were comin’,” I said deflecting his question.
“Where else would I be?” he asked, trying to hold my stare.
“I have to go.”
“Where are we going?”
“I told ‘ya I need space.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m not okay with what went down.”
“So I get the blame?” he asked sounding more like a guy my age than he ever had. “Bianca went too far. I’l
l deal with it. You and me, I’m keeping you close. It’s better that way.”
I didn’t like the threat I sensed behind his words. It was like he was my jailer, didn’t really care to hurt me, but would if it meant keeping his interest in line.
Like I said, he was an all right guy. Just not my guy to love or hate.
“Charlie?” Kara’s voice echoed down the hall as she briskly walked through the shadows to get to me.
“It’s uncanny how she always knows when to show up,” Britain said.
“That’s my sister.”
“Really? You have a sister?”
“Why do you sound so shocked?”
“Never said, I guess,” he canted his head taking in Kara still not believing we had any relation. “Thought you had a brother.”
“Gotta go,” I said not wanting Kara near him. She was the nicest person anyone could know, until she didn’t want to be, “I’m comin’,” I said to Kara. She was just a few feet away from us now but kept walking, as she looked over Britain.
He reached his hand out to her. “Good to meet you. I’m Britain.”
Kara grinned tightly.
“Kara, is Mom looking for me?”
“She’s talking to Bianca’s parents. It might be a good idea for you to say your goodbyes. We have a long drive.”
I felt my stomach tie itself in knots. I tossed a glare to Britain underlining why I was taking the space I needed.
“Where’s our long drive to?” Britain asked causally.
My stare pleaded with Kara to be discreet.
“This isn’t Charlie’s home,” Kara said. “We need to go,” she said to me.
“I’ll text,” Britain said.
Kara couldn’t help it, she said. “Don’t bother, she doesn’t have her phone. Your party destroyed it.”