Redwood High

Chapter 6

The Halloween carnival was tonight. School was cancelled today in preparation for the carnival. It was Friday and I didn’t really have any plans. Aunt Gwen worked today and Ryan had soccer practice. I was home all alone.

I made myself cereal and sent a text to Riley and Carol asking them if they can come over.  It’s weird being home alone. I haven’t been home alone since… that happened. I let out a sigh and turned on the TV. There was news report on a homicide in San Diego. I sucked in air as I watched a picture of a missing little girl in pink pajamas. Pink. Why did that color follow me everywhere? I rubbed my eye and almost immediately screamed. There was blood on my hand. I ran to the bathroom and washed it off. Only it wouldn’t come off.

“Please, no,” I sobbed to myself. It took me a moment to realize there wasn’t any blood on my hands. It was fake. Fake. Imagination. I backed out of the bathroom and went back to the living room. No blood. I checked the kitchen just in case. No blood. The doorbell rang. Riley and Carol shouldn’t be here for another half hour.  Is this where I die? Some psycho socio path will barge in and slit my throat.

I checked the peephole and saw trick or treaters. They just want candy. Relax.

I grabbed the bowl and handed out candy. As they dispersed I saw Sebastian walking up the driveway. I scoffed and placed the bowl on my hip.

“Are you stalking me?”

He laughed. “No. I’m here for Ryan.”

“He isn’t here. He’s at soccer practice.”

“Ah. Okay, thank you.” He turned and began walking away.

What the hell? He just comes for Ryan? Do I invite him in?

“Sebastian!” I called after him. “You want to come in?”

He smiled and shrugged. “Sure.”

Once in I took his jacket and put it on the coat rack. “You are wife material,” he told me.

“Wife material?”

“You have maternal instincts.”

Thanks to my mom, I thought.

“Thank you, I guess?”

He sat on the recliner and turned back on the TV. 

“Do you need anything?” I asked him. He looked at me and stood up. He was wearing black jeans with a pair of Converse. He had on a dark grey T-shirt with a small logo on this right chest. He was beautiful. In an egotistical jerk kind of way.

He walked towards me until he was about two inches away. He grabbed my waist and drew my closer.

He said one single word that had me melting: “You.”

***

Riley POV

 

“Are you sure you saw Sebastian walk into her house?” I asked my sister. She was bouncing up and down in excitement. Sebastian and Grace is all the school is talking about. She’s the interesting new girl who “plays hard to get” and he is the infamous playboy. I can see how that can garnish some attention.  We were walking up the sidewalk to Grace’s house when Carol apparently saw Sebastian enter her house.

“What if they’re doing the dirty?” Asked Carol.

“I really don’t want to see that.”

Carol looked over at me. “We have to protect her Riley. Grace isn’t the type of a girl who goes for one-night stands. She’s someone who expects a relationship. A quality relationship built on trust.”

“You know, ever since you began dating Ethan again you have gone all softy.”

“Oh shush.”

We walked up the driveway and stopped in front of the door.

“Do we knock?” I asked.

Carol knocked on the door and we waited for a response.

Grace opened the door. She was smiling. Her hair wasn’t disheveled like she was quickly fixing it.

“Hi guys. Come in.”

Sebastian was sitting on the recliner, drinking lemonade.

“Are you going to the Halloween Carnival?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yep. Hey, we should all go together.”

He looked between Grace and us. Both of us looked at Grace.

She nodded. “Sure. Won’t that be fun?”