Shatter

Chapter One

Sunday, September 21, 2025

8:46 PM

704 Hauser St., Manhattan, N.Y.

Scarlett

If you ever die, I'll stab you to make your death more painful. So, don't die.

***

Brightly colored lights flashed across the large room as students began arriving at the party. College just started a few weeks ago, and even though the teachers expected students to use their weekends to study, they would spend their time getting drunk and hooking up with random people. As Scarlett navigated her way through the crowds of students and flashing lights, she scanned the crowd for her sister, Sylvia. She covered her eyes and walked straight past two people making out.

"Scarlett!" someone yelled behind her.

Scarlett turned around to face Sylvia. Sylvia walked away from her friends towards Scarlett, swinging an arm around her shoulders. "Why are you just walking around here like an idiot?" she laughed, her body waving to the music.

Scarlett shrugged her off. Sylvia had a strong scent of alcohol from those around her, and the smell was intoxicating. Also, Scarlett couldn't help but feel resentful towards her sister. Sylvia was the one who dragged Scarlett here, and so far, Scarlett was bored out of her mind. "Can we go home now?" she hissed. Sylvia ignored her and walked back to her friends, holding up her cup of soda in cheers.

"Come on, Scarlett. We just got here! This isn't just about lingering around by yourself. Have a little fun!" Sylvia called before downing her soda. Scarlett looked over at the two girls next to Sylvia. She'd seen them before a couple of times - the girl with blue eyes was Peace, and the one with dark hair was Yvaine. But besides seeing them a few times, Scarlett hadn't bothered trying to hang out with them. According to Sylvia, Peace was a nice person, unlike most of the other girls in their sophomore year in college. However, Scarlett was too shy to talk to her considering the fact she hung out with the popular girls. Scarlett wasn't trying to be racist, of course, but over the years she had noticed that many of the American girls were snobby and always got into trouble. Yvaine seemed to be a bit rude, often calling her friends names and bothering them. She was a little creepy as well - quoting Sylvia, she would stare at other people for countless minutes and often commented on how she would love to stab someone. Scarlett, on the other hand, would avoid going to any parties and binge-watch Netflix shows with her best friend, Luna, while eating junk food. If this was how all parties went, Scarlett would rather clean the cafeteria than go to them.

Scarlett's phone started ringing, and she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She grinned when she spotted the called ID, Luna. Scarlett pressed accept, and navigated her way through the groups of people. She arrived at the bathroom and locked herself inside.

"Hey, carrot," Luna replied, sounding way happier than Scarlett was currently feeling. 'Carrot' had been Scarlett's nickname since kindergarten because her hair had been bright orange ever since she was an infant. Even though Scarlett had resented the nickname at first, she had grown into it over the years. "Where are you?"

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "I'm at a party right now. It smells like shit in the bathroom, people are making out with one another, everyone's drinking alcohol, and my sister abandoned me for her friends. Please help me."

Luna snickered from the other side of the phone. "Do you want me to pick you up?"

Scarlett's eyes lit up. "Yes, please." She was begging at this point.

There was some rustling on the other side of the phone. "Shit, I forgot my car's running out of gas. I've been filling up the tank more often than usual. Scarlett, just take the bus. I'm pretty sure there's a stop at Perry Street, and it's only two blocks away from the apartment complex."