𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗘𝗪, 𝗣.𝗣

II

chapter two
la la lie

SEPTEMBER SEVENTH, 2010 WAS A NIGHT ELEANOR COULDNT ERASE. It stuck in her head and played like a mix tape on repeat. Skipping over the holes in the story she wont ever be able to fill in. She went over every detail in her head before she went to sleep and before she got ready for the day.

Alice had returned from Hartford with her family the night before, landing at the airport around 6:40. She had been gone since summer started, her and her parents had left to spend some weeks with their family. Eleanor and Alice planned to have a sleepover the next day, waking up early to spend to whole day together considering it had been a couple weeks.

At 11 PM on September seventh, 2010, Alice Rhodes would get into a car and never be seen again. Leaving behind her mother, her father, her bestfriend, and her popularity. Turning away the most important things to her and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

2:17 AM.
"Eleanor!" the raucous voice belonging to her best friend stirred her out of her sleep, she opened her eyes and looked at the blank violet wall, not turning around to face the blond just yet. "Nell, wake the fuck up!" she yelled, her voice tremulous and cold.
As Eleanor went to speak and turn around, Alices home phone rang. She mumbled lowly under her breath and ran downstairs before Eleanor could see her. She looked around Alices room. The paisley comforter was on the floor, only the sheet left on the bed. Alices closet door was open and clothes were strung across the once clean floor. The bathroom door was open and the light was on, revealing the steam covered mirror and small puddles on the linoleum. She had showered.

"Shit, shit, shit!" The blonde swore as she ran back into her room, the rims of her eyes were red. Her mascara had run down her cheeks, leaving streaks of black and exposing lines of bare skin from taking her foundation off with it. Her hair was perfect and her lips were sharp and red. She looked beautiful, truly. Thats what Eleanor thought. Alice looked like a character straight out of a movie, so recked and shaken, yet so pointed and dangerous.

Eleanor got up and watched as her friend paced around the room, she jogged over to her and put her hands on the blonde's elbows, stopping her from moving. "Allie, what happened?" she probed, "what is wrong?" Alice's head snapped up.

"Get me out of here." She demanded, already running around the room trying to find a travel bag under her bead.

Eleanor turned around, "What?" she asked, not receiving an answer. "Alice, what the hell are you talking about?"

She got up, her embroidered duffel bag laying open on her bed, wasting no time and rushing to her closet. "You need to get me the fuck out of here, Nell." she put random clothes in her bag and grabbed her wallet. "I cant be here right now." She looked at her friend, "i need your car keys." she said.

"Alice, no!" The brunette exclaimed, "You cant even drive, we raided your dads liqour cabnet not even five hours ago, were still highly intoxicated!"

"Eleanor, im fine to drive." She scoffed and rolled her eyes, leaving the room with her bag in runnjng downstairs again. The Sterling following, mind spinning.

Alice grabbed the keys to her friends Volkswagon, key ring around her middle finger. She raised her head to look at Eleanor, "Please." her voice trembled.
She looked so vulnerable. Eleanor had never seen her like this before and it made her feel guilty. She was also frightened. Frightened by what Alice would do or claim if she said no. Frightned that it would be the last time she said something to her.

"Okay." her voice was soft and defeated, saying 'no' was never an option worth considering when you were dealing with Alice.

Alice swung open the front door, she turned and looked at her bestfriend, "We'll raincheck this sleepover for next weekend, yeah?" it wasnt a question. Not one that Eleanor could answer anyway, Alice was in the drivers seat and driving away in the hard rain before Eleanor could take time to process everything. Alice was gone. She was gonna come back. She said next weekend.