The abandoned house loomed before me, its jagged silhouette cutting into the twilight sky. I had told myself I wouldn't be back here but yet here I was. I could still hear the echoes of that fateful night—its whispers still lingered in my mind like a haunting melody. There was an undeniable pull to return, a mix of curiosity and regret that compelled me to step forward.
As I entered, the air felt thick with tension. I ventured into the dimly lit basement, the shadows danced across the walls casting an eerie feeling about the place, I stared into the hole seeing nothing but darkness. My heart raced, but with a deep breath and my eyes closed I willed myself to jump down, as I called out, "Are you here?"
Even in the darkness I could feel it was there, its presence both unsettling and strangely captivating. "Ah, Sandra," it rasped, I could hear the amusement in its voice. "Back so soon?"
"I... I just wanted to tell you that everything was okay, I owe all this all to you." I stammered, relief at not being the only thing in this haunted place mingling with unease.
"No need for that, after all everything is exactly as it should have been to begin with," it replied, I pictured a sly smile played on its lips. "But tell me, do you regret your choice?"
"No," I answered.
"You answer with such certainty," it sounded amused by my answer.
"I do not regret anything, after all, isn't it okay to be a little selfish, she wasn't planning on sharing to begin with." I stood by my decision, thinking of the day I had today I didn't not want to go back to how things had been before, fading into the background without anyone caring. I very much preferred the way things were now, that I was very certain of.
It laughed, the sound echoing through the darkness, a sound that twisted the very air around it. It started low and rumbling, like distant thunder, before erupting into a high-pitched cackle that felt almost gleeful. The timbre was rich and layered, combining a sense of delight with an underlying menace that sent chills down the spine. It found something about what I had said very amusing.
"The will come a time I will ask you this very question again, I hope your answer will still be the same little one," it said. I felt a chill run down my spine, but not matter what I couldn't wrap my head around what it truly meant by that.
"That day you said you wanted to be like your mom, I take it she's gone" it said changing the subject immediately.
" Yes, she died a long time ago, " sadness washed over me, I had always found this topic to be very painful.
"Tell me about her," it demanded.
The question hung in the air, and I felt a pang of longing.
"She was a very cheerful and loving person, she would tell me stories from her high school years all the time, she called it the time of her life, sometimes. I wish I could be like my mom. She was a cheerleader—so confident and popular. I always wanted that."
I could feel its intense gaze on me, the attention almost stifling despite me not being able to see it. "I can help you achieve that, I could help achieve more, why hesitate when you have me to help you."
"But how?" I couldn't help but whisper.
"Are you still doubting my abilities," it chuckled, as I could feel its cold ghastly breath breathing down on me making me tremble, yet I did my best not to let my fear show.
"You must wait for the right moment. There's more to come, dear Sandra. Just trust in the process and trust in me."
I nodded, intrigued but cautious. The thought of becoming a cheerleader excited me, yet the weight of his words lingered like a shadow.
The next day at school, everything felt different. Whispers fluttered through the hallways, tension thickening the air. As I made my way to my locker, I overheard snippets of conversation about an emergency tryout. My heart raced with anticipation, but I pushed through the noise.
As I opened my locker I looked in Beckie direction who had a concerned look on her face as she and the other cheerleaders were hurdled together bickering among themselves.
"Did you hear? Susan got hurt during practice," Talia said, her voice low.
"What happened?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
"She fell and hit her head. They're saying she might not be able to cheer for the rest of the season," Lacey replied.
"Emergency tryouts are happening this afternoon," we had a girl whisper to her friend as they walked past us, I could feel their excitement at the opportunity.
"This is the worst possible timing," Beckie says a little disgruntled, " The state championships are right around the corner and now we need to teach some newbie to perfect the routine."
I turned to Diamond, who stood to the side, looking a shadow of her usual self. "Are you okay?" I asked, she didn't look at all like her usual bubbly self.
"I'm fine," she replied, but her eyes betrayed her fatigue. She glanced at a group of girls, a couple of lockers from us who were gossiping about Susan's accident, their whispers growing louder.
"Are you okay Susan?" Talia asked as she turned to face Susan who had just joined us, a bandage around her head and her arm was in cast.
"I'm okay, the doctor said all is fine I just have a concussion and a fractured arm. I'm sorry guys but I don't think I'll be able to cheer any time soon." she said.
"I don't understand how this happened we've done this routine hundreds of times with any accidents why now of all times." I heard Beckie mutter, I couldn't help but feel my pulse raising at her suspicions.
"Maybe you should try out," Susan suggested, surprisingly upbeat despite her injury. "They'll need someone to fill in."
"Me? I don't know..." I hesitated, feeling the weight of expectation.
"Come on, Sandy! You've got this!" Emma chimed in, her enthusiasm contagious. "You'd be great! Besides you always watch our practice sessions I'm sure you know the routine well enough."
The other nodded at her words, feeling it wasn't a bad idea.
"Yeah, its way better than retraining some newbie, you should definitely try out Sandy." Beckie says.
As I contemplated the opportunity, I noticed Diamond's expression falter. She looked at me, then quickly turned away, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.
"Are you sure about this, Dia? I don't want to step on your toes, cheerleading was after all always your thing" I said, trying my best to hide my excitement and come across as concerned.
"It's fine," she replied too quickly, her voice devoid of warmth. "Go for it. After all we need the help" she muttered.
The words hung between us, and I felt a strange tension rise. I was going to try out for the cheerleading team, it seemed surreal, yet the thrill of acceptance tugged at my heart. To imagine just a few days ago no one would have thought to encourage me try out at all.
With a rush of adrenaline, I decided to go for it. I would prove to everyone—myself included—that I belonged here. As I joined the other girls in the gym, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting in our friendship, like an unseen rift slowly pulling us apart.
It's words echoed in my mind: "Just trust in the process."
I took my place among the hopeful cheerleaders, absolutely determined to to give this my all, I would not waste this opportunity, I deserved that spot more than anything or anyone else.
YOU ARE READING
A Deal For Popularity
Mystery / Thriller"I promised to make you popular, but nowhere in our agreement did it specify for how long. So, you must have realized, Sandra, I did not break my promise. Just as I give, I can also take back." Sandra craved popularity-perhaps too much. She was will...
