Friends in the Flames

Ch.4- Small Embers

Sunday 15th September
My best friend Maddie is acting weird. Is she mad? I don't care. I have to sort out what's going on with Derek, he's my number one priority.

With this knowledge in hand I made a promise to confront Derek. I'm more of a face-to-face kind of person.

Monday. In a way I dread seeing him. "What if she's just a girl who's jealous? What if I'm wrong?" I mumble. I shake my head and snap myself out of my daze. "I have to do this, I have to know" I mumble again to myself on the way to school. "I have to know" I repeat as a mix of curiosity and anxiety courses through my every cell and being.

First period is over. There he is. Sitting pretty at a table. His friends around him. He sees me becoming weak at his effortless perfection. As he strides over I wake myself with a reminder of my intentions. I unlock my phone and bring up the messages.

"Who's this? Do you recognise her?" I quiz him for every drop of knowledge about her. "No" he says bluntly. Dereks face hardens. He is acting so cold, so distant. Why? I ask myself. Why's he being so cold? Is he lying? He rotates on his heels and I storm off.

Later that day my Celebrity Stalking powers came into play. Derek has a shady past. No Instagram, no Facebook, no Twitter. What teenager does not have ANY social media? I found his mothers Facebook account. Ah! Family photos! He looked as though he hated every member of his family. Glaring in every photo.

And then... A picture of him. Smiling. He looked so happy.
But had another girl under his arm. The caption reads: "Couldn't be happier for my baby boy. He's finally found someone who loves him as much as I do!!!" Maybe an ex? It's time-stamped... two weeks ago.

Just as my blood is boiling, mystery madam from the other day calls me. She's never done this. I answered. A muffled female voice said: "huh, funny. You actually thought you were the only one." The voice grows deeper and deeper with every word. Every letter spat out with a tinge of venom. "YOU FOOLISH IMBASIL! THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE! YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM! YOU CAN NEVER LOVE HIM LIKE I CAN!" Her stern yells had become vicious screams. She started laughing. "Who are you?" I asked.
The laughing stopped. For a few seconds... Nothing. The silence was more terrifying than her screams.

A sinister voice finally replied:

"Your Death".

-Small Embers were forming-