The Devil's Gift/The Bloody Handed

1

As soon as I got back, I threw my packed clothes in a dresser, unfolded. I stared at my ceiling most of the night and watched the flickering street light reflect on the ceiling.

Then I just crashed.

Next thing I know, I'm slamming my alarm clock at 7:00 a.m. and telling it to shut up even thought it can't hear me. They are so obnoxious for no reason, but I guess that's the point. I swing my legs over the bed and stretch my limbs to their full potential. Maybe I'll grow an inch or two- haha. I stand up and peer out of the window blinds to see a gross looking sky. Cloudy and gray with a chance of sun behind the clouds. It tends to be warmer here so I needed a happy medium.

I had the perfect outfit for that of course.

I throw open the top dresser pulling out my favorite pair of black sweatpants and my white cropped top that read "Metallica" on it with a black skull and beams.

I throw on my high tops and throw my hair in the worst ponytail imaginable. My blazing ginger hair stood in every direction and thanks to my mom, I had the red lashes too. But I learned to embrace them over the years along with my pale skin.

Suddenly, a hard knock came at my door.

"What Jason." I mumble. I knew it was him because Barb or my Uncle Frank wouldn't talk to me willingly.

"I'm leaving in ten seconds nerd. I have to get Chrissy. So you can choose to ride with me or walk."

"Calm down Jason, I'm coming out." I pull strands of hair out of my ponytail and grab a backpack with pencils and textbooks out of the closet that Barb and Frank were nice enough to provide me. Im suddenly rushing down the stairs to Jason's truck he always has to flaunt. I hop in the back, panting.

"You're impatient and an asshat you know that?" He looks at me in his rear view mirror and smirks.

"I know." Then just like that, we are zooming off down the road leaving the road in smoke.

***

After we picked Chrissy up we were headed to Hawkins High. Chrissy sure was pretty and sweet- and did not seem like Jason's league. She was adjusting her hair getting ready for the rally.

"Well, was it good?" Jason persists.

"What?" Chrissy asks.

"My speech, Chrissy, my speech!" He throws his hands up.

"Oh yeah, yeah. It does, babe." I roll my eyes at his belligerent attitude. What kind of voodoo did he have to pull to get her? His money? She was too pretty for her own good and a cheerleader at that. Apparently there was a huge basketball tournament coming up and Jason was going to speak at the pep rally during school today. How do I know this? All he talks about is himself.

As soon as the car stops, a whole bunch of jocks carrying basketballs and green jerseys come rushing up to the car doing their manhood things. Nope, not me I'm out of here. I open the door and go to the flagpole to meet Robin. I put my hand over my forehead to see and all of a sudden, I see jumping up and down and screaming. No hand needed she makes herself known alright.

As I approached her closer, I see her mouth gaped wide open in shock. Her finger points to Jason.

"Did he offer you a ride out of the kindness of his heart or are you guys...?"

"If you are going to say related then yes. He's my cousin." I laughed at her expression.

"Huh. You look nothing alike!" She puts her hands on her hips.

"I know. Trust me. That's what I do like so let's keep it that way." I laugh. It felt nice to joke around with someone so early into knowing them. It felt nice to be open. I didn't even know I had it in me to be this expressive around someone I had just met less than 24 hours ago.