The Cannibal Bride *WattyAwards2024

3)Something's Wrong

A/N Chapter song: "Don't you forget about me" by LeeLou
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Alyssa tapped her foot nervously against the worn, grey carpet of her dad's aging Jeep Liberty. The forty-five-minute drive to the countryside dragged on painfully slowly. Throughout the journey, Alyssa couldn't quell the anxious tapping of her foot. Her parents had spoken to Tyler Matthews's father, who had relayed the same story: Tyler had called and outlined his plans to elope with Cassi for marriage. His father didn't seem overly concerned, which came as no surprise to Alyssa. Tarren Matthews was the type of parent who simply wasn't invested in parenting. Cassi had often lamented to Alyssa about Tarren's absenteeism in Tyler's life—missing football games, absent from school events. Once he remarried, especially to a much younger woman, his attention to his children from his first marriage dwindled further. If anything, Tyler's sudden disappearance might have come as a relief to his neglectful father.

Alyssa's mind kept jumping to the worst possible conclusions during the long car ride. Maybe Tyler the moron was instead a brilliant sexual predator and maybe, he abducted Cassi. Perhaps he made her say those bizarre things on the phone, so Cassi tried leaving hints to show it wasn't her saying those things.
Alyssa nursed a pounding headache that she was sure wasn't just a hangover. Rubbing her temples, she couldn't shake the thought: had her baby sister really run off with a boy without telling her? As Mr. Ross steered into the extensive driveway of the Stern mansion, Alyssa resolved that it didn't matter either way; she was determined to find Cassi. If Cassi had truly chosen to disappear willingly, Alyssa would track her down—and then give her a piece of her mind for making her worry.

The entire drive was done in silence. No phone call to Cassi was returned, and only text messages from her saying not to worry came in. It made Alyssa's dad lost in thought, while Madison seemed to be in a state of shock. They held hands as Henry drove with one hand firmly on the steering wheel. They both seemed to wholeheartedly believe the story was as simple as Cassi ran away from home.

Alyssa merely fumed in the backseat, eager to reach their destination.

Upon exiting the car after they finally arrived, Alyssa spotted the three small Stern children in the backyard playing on the scary large jungle gym set. The set was so incredibly long and tall, it looked like a small house itself.

Alyssa harbored a deep-seated dislike for the Stern family, rooted in their very first encounter. Tom Stern, CEO of her mother's company, had taken her entire family out to dinner at a posh lakeside supper club years ago. He had ordered lobster dinners for everyone without bothering to inquire about their preferences and had presented Alyssa's parents with a five-hundred-dollar bottle of wine. When Alyssa politely mentioned her vegetarianism before ordering, Tom Stern had simply laughed it off, suggesting she pick around the lobster when it arrived.
Yet, Alyssa's aversion to Tom Stern wasn't solely due to his disregard for her dietary choices; it was his overall demeanor. She perceived him as embodying the arrogance of affluent individuals with his extravagant million-dollar home. He reveled too much in displaying his wealth and seemed to derive too much pleasure from owning things others couldn't afford.
This in Alyssa's opinion made he and his wife assholes. But in their snobby defense, she also didn't like the Stern family just because they were related to the laughable Sheriff Martin Stern. The number of times he and Alyssa crossed paths in her teenage years was nearly comical. The ole' sheriff could never hold her on anything for her shenanigans - he never had the proper evidence - but it didn't stop him from trying.
Alyssa couldn't understand why the wealthy Stern family ever hired Cassi, then a thirteen-year-old girl, to babysit for them. With a five-car garage, multiple houses, and their own indoor swimming pool and movie theater, it seemed absurd that they needed a teenager to look after their children. As Cassi grew older, Alyssa found it even more perplexing that the Sterns continued to employ her as a sitter. Cassi assured Alyssa that the pay was good and it was a great job, emphasizing this point multiple times. It wasn't just Cassi; they also hired Ben to babysit with her occasionally. No matter how often Alyssa remarked on how odd it was for wealthy people to need babysitters for their children, her parents dismissed her concerns.

They're being kind. We're friends from church. They enjoy paying Cassi and Ben.