A murderous summer

Preface

The music was loud and the many conversations crisscrossed at different intonations. The whole house reeked of smoke of any kind. Most young people amused themselves without worrying about the rest. Tonight, there was nothing to keep them from being entertained regarding all daily hassles. Alcohol glasses lied everywhere. Inside the house, it was very hot while cold reigned outside even though it was early spring.

Joelle was in the kitchen with her friends. They each swallowed a shot of tequila before returning to dance with the others on the improvised dance floor. She didn't know what time it could be and she totally didn't care. All she wanted was to have fun. She didn't remember who the owner of the house was. It had to be a friend of a friend or something like that. It mattered little. There was music, friends and alcohol. Everything to make the celebration a great success! What could she ask more?

When a new song started, she opened her eyes to return to reality. She saw her boyfriend in the crowd of teenagers. He smiled. Happy to see him, faced the people around her to jump into his arms. He pressed her hard against him before kissing her. She let him to the dancers, but he shook his head. He motioned he was going to get something to drink. She nodded before returning to dance. She judged to have had enough for tonight. Her limit was reached and she loved to dance too much to stop now. She went back to her friends. She closed her eyes, letting herself be overwhelmed by the music. She danced two or three songs before opening her eyes again. She saw her brother from the corner of her eye. A beer in hand, he was talking with another guy before searching his pockets. He answered his phone. He didn't look very happy. She saw him hang up and even if she couldn't hear, she was able to know what he was mumbling. Vowing and putting away his phone in his pocket, he looked up at teenagers after emptying his glass.

Is he looking for me? She shrugged before returning to dance. Seconds later, her big brother was near her. He tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. She pouted, turning to him. He leaned toward her.

"We're leaving," he said in a dry tone.

"Go ahead. Someone else will take me home."

He shook vigorously his head.

"No. Come."

The girl opened her mouth to protest, but he clenched his jaw before replying:

"Mom wants you to come with me now."

"Why so early?"

He sighed deeply, looking up towards the ceiling.

"Because I was grounded and mom found out I got out. It suits you?"

"If you were grounded, why am I punished?"

"She wants you to come home. Come."

He took her by the arm and pulled her away. She pouted again and turned to her friends to warn them of her sudden departure. They asked her for an explanation. The girl shook her head and shrugged. I'll explain to them later. She followed her brother. When she passed her boyfriend, she kissed him and told him she had to go. She whispered that she would contact him later.

They got into the car and he drove off with a bang.

"Shit!" she cried, rushing to buckle up.

He didn't answer. He grabbed the steering wheel a little too strongly. His knuckles were completely white. She asked him to calm down. Again, he was silent. She was tired of his attitude.

"You still could say something!"

"She had no right!"

"Don't play the victim, please. You were punished and you knew it very well."

"And so? She wasn't obliged to enter my room."

She frowned.

"How many beers did you drink?"

He shrugged, answering that he didn't know. He hadn't kept counting. He struck the steering wheel, railing against their mother. Again, she asked him to calm down because it was useless.

"Stop the car, please. Call a taxi."

"I'm fine."

"But you're drunk! And I cannot drive either..."

"This is not the first time I do it and I never had a single accident."

She frowned before resting her head against the headrest of the passenger seat. From the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow rushing right over them.