SUNNYVALE

(49) OOPSIE, JUST KILLED MY EX

Nobody read Christen's alarming text until the next afternoon, for various reasons. 

In Abby's case, it had everything to do with the fact that she had just woken up in a place she knows oh too well: the same private hospital reserved to the wealthiest of Sunnyvale, where her brother died of leukaemia few years ago. The strong light of the beginning of the day would just hit her eyes strongly, as she soon realises she wasn't able to move: indeed, several transfusion were made on her body, restraining her from movement that would be too sudden. 

Looking around, Abby spots her phone on a table too far away for her to reach it. Rolling her eyes, she starts pressing the red button hospital beds usually have to call a doctor, and when one finally comes in, he is followed by Abby's father Andrew, as well as her mother Susan, who had come back early from a business trip. They both looked utterly worried, making Abby smirks: so it takes a collapse in front of the whole Eastside for them to notice me and care, cool, cool, cool, cool, she thinks to herself, bitter.

Susan Dahlkemper sits down next to her daughter, grabbing her hand dramatically, before letting out:

"Good Lord, Abigail, you truly managed to scare us this time"

Abby freezes when she sees Aaron, her long-time boyfriend for who she didn't have feelings anymore and who she broke up with a few weeks ago, coming in, immediately shaking her father's hand, before putting a comforting one on her mother's shoulder.

Of course her parents were fond of Aaron: he is an athlete, has the school's best grades, and is immensely rich. 

Before Abby can snap at him to exit the room, her father says in a judge tone:

"You put up quite a show in front of all my voters, Abigail: I knew you haven't been yourself lately, but this went beyond acceptable limits."

"Mr Dahlkemper, if I may" Aaron steps in, before sitting down on the other side of Abby's bed. While the blonde sends him murderous glares, he shamelessly grabs her hand and addresses her father: "I do honestly believe this sense of lostness is only temporary: after all, we're still young and we make horrendous mistakes"

But her father didn't hear him - or at least he didn't listen.

"Care to explain what that was all about, uh?" he aggressively asks, staring right into Abby's eyes.

But she remains silent.

"Your daughter has experienced a traumatic event, Mr Dahlkemper: she needs to rest, now is surely not the time for whatever this conversation is." the doctor jumps in, his eyes locked on the city's mayor. Before the latter gets mad, his wife puts a calming hand on his own, having just gotten up from the bed, as the doctor continues: "For now, we have no plausible explanation about what happened to your daughter."

With that said, he leaves the room, as Abby's father doesn't even look at her on his way out, followed by his wife, visibly trying to calm his nerves down. This left Abby alone with Aaron, who was still sitting next to her. 

Before she can say anything, he shushes her and lowers his voice when he says:

"I know about your little... satanic threesome. You really thought I would let you destroy us only to somber in the darkest of sins?"

Abby almost chokes on her saliva, feeling a newly found anger going through her body. 

"What do you want, Aaron?" she coldly asks.

He smirks, leaning forward, stopping very close to Abby's face.  

"If you don't want your precious daddy and mommy to find out about your unconventional activities with Mewis and Davidson - I mean, two girls, for God's sake, what would daddy think, uh? - and the whole city finding out really, then I'd be a good girl from now on."

"You really shouldn't threaten me, Aaron - especially not now" Abby warns him, feeling her body shivering out of control slowly. 

She would feel a strong force emerging from within, while the boy smirks. 

"Oh, you stupid cunt, you really think you are in a position to threaten me right now? I hold the cards in my hand, I-"

"No" Abby states.

Suddenly, Aaron's face was contracted with pain, as his hands found their way to his neck: he wasn't able to breathe anymore, as his muscles seemed tensed to their maximum. His skin colour changed from white to purple and, as much as Abby was trying to calm down her anger, she wasn't able to.

Aaron collapses on the ground, dead - and when the doctors came inside the room, Abby's eyes were bleeding.

***

Crystal quickly reads Christen's text on their new group chat with the ridiculous name, before agreeing to a meeting the same evening, around 7 PM. She then puts her phone back on her pocket, walking through the large park, only to spot a familiar long, blonde ponytail from afar. Her heartbeats increasing in pace, she walks straight toward that person, feeling butterflies all over her stomach. 

As soon as she steps in front of the other girl, she could see Shelina's magnificent blue eyes stare at her in fear, as if she was scared she would hurt her just by looking at her. 

In total silence, Crystal asks permission to sit down next to her on the bank, which Shelina grants her. Once seated, Crystal just nervously plays with her own fingers: ever since they kissed for the first time - and all events following that involving just few clothes - Shelina had been by her side as a support system of her own, but she was extremely cold and distant. Furthermore, they still hadn't talked about them since all of this happened. 

And Crystal couldn't wait anymore. 

"So..." she starts with hesitation, as Shelina's eyes were avoiding hers. Still staring at the blonde with insistence, the dark-haired continues: "How have you been since, well... you know, everything that happened?"

"Oh, you mean, me being the heiress of a thousands-of-years old witch who wants me dead, which causes me to hurt the people I love the most?" Shelina angrily lets out, rolling her eyes. 

Crystal sighs.

"We've talked about this already: I am not ready to give up on you because of a zombie witch, She" she calmly states, grabbing the blonde's hand softly. As Shelina finally looks at her in the eyes, Crystal cracks a smile and adds: "I get that you're scared - hell, I am too! - but the only reason why I am not totally freaked out right now is you."

Frowning, the blonde just lets a loud sigh out, half-laughing, half-panicking. 

"B-but-" she starts, but Crystal wouldn't let her finish:

"I just can't be scared about something... well, someone that makes me feel so good, y'know? I mean, there must be a reason why we crossed paths, 'cause I didn't think such a connection was possible. Don't you think?"

Cracking a smile, Shelina is unable to answer - not because she did not want to...

... but because of the ghosts that just appeared behind Crystal, floating right toward them with murderous eyes - Megan, Alex, Lindsey... even Becky. 

Shelina's reflex is to get up and put her body in between the ghosts and the girl she loves.