Reclusive- s.r

fourteen

As I walk up the driveway of my empty house, one hand is grasping Spencer's, and the other is rummaging through my pockets for my house key. Grace isn't supposed to be home for another two days, and none of the lights are on in the house so it's safe to assume Celeste is still gone.

I hear the click of the lock opening and I retract my key, opening the door and walking into the dark, eerily quiet house. This feels like something write out of a horror movie, and I'm waiting for the moment to come where the masked killer comes out of the closet.

"Turn on a light, Vee. I'm getting the heebie-jeebies." Spencer tightens his grip on my hand and I can hear him grimace as I fumble around trying to find the light switch for the hallway.

"Hold on-" I whisper, trying to feel around the walls blindly to find the light switch. Suddenly, the stairwell light turns on without me even touching the switch, and I notice a figure standing at the top of the stairs. I shriek, and Spencer lets out a girlish scream, and I immediately feel him trying to push me back out the door.

When I get a better look at the figure, I push Spencer in the chest and he's still trying to open the door and get out, but I grip his shoulders and force him to look at the top of the stairs where Celeste stands in her pyjamas.

"What? Did I scare you guys?" She descends the staircase with her hands in her pockets and when she tries to hug me, I push her away.

"Why the fuck were you standing there like some stalker?" I demand, feeling the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. Spencer hasn't moved yet, but I have a feeling he's embarrassed of how terrified he was, and if I wasn't so scared myself, I would have teased him for it. "I thought you weren't home."

"Have you not checked your phone?" She asks, and I shake my head. I dig through my pocket and turn my phone back on, seeing a text message telling me that she got home earlier than expected. I feel my neck flush shamefully, and I turn to see that Spencer has averted his gaze to the ground. "You scream like a little girl," she says to Spencer with a sly smirk, and I send her a warning glance.

"You were standing up at the top of the stairs like a psychopath, what were we supposed to think? It was terrifying! Why are there no lights on in here?"

"Electricity bills, babe. We have to pay for those, remember?"

"If I had a heart attack and died it would have been your fault," I point a finger at her accusingly. When she smiles at me, I have to physically stop myself from laughing at this, because I'm supposed to be annoyed with her right now.

"Good thing I'm in your will, right? Everything would have been left to me."

"Not anymore, you're not. Everything is going to Grace now." Her mouth falls open in fake offence, and then she just laughs, wrapping her arms around me, and this time I let her. I pat her on the back and rock side to side slightly, hearing her laughter echo in my ears.

"I missed you so much!" She squeals, tightening her grip on me to the point where I think she's rearranging my internal organs. I pat her on the shoulder and she pulls away with a grin, which immediately drops when she notices Spencer is still there. "Hi, Spencer."

He nods his head, his lips formed into a thin line. "Hello, Celeste. Nice to see you." She blinks at him slowly, and hums, gripping my forearm and dragging me through the dark hallway into the kitchen, turning on the lights and opening the fridge. "You must be hungry, do you want to eat something?" She asks me and I shake my head, Spencer and I stopped for burgers before getting back here. She shuts the fridge and stands on the opposite side of the island, drumming her fingers against the granite to break the silence.