Shadows

Chapter 8.

After waving goodbye to Casey, I tried my best to unlock and open the front door as noiselessly as possible. As I was tiptoeing to the stairs, Theresa stirred out of her drunken unconsciousness. 

She had seen me slip my shoes off. "Where the hell have you been?" She slurred.

"That isn't your concern, now, is it?" I answered smartly. She returned to a more comfortable position on the couch, cussing me out under her breath. I ran up the stairs, only to meet Brennan on the way.

"Were you just with Casey Freeman?" He asked, arms crossed.

"None of your business, Mother," I told him, "Butt out of my life."

"You know, Harper," He continued, "Casey Freeman has a reputation of beating up anything with a pulse. All of his friends smoke weed."

"He's just protective," I defended, "And I didn't smell pot on his breath, so what's the difference?"

"How do you know? Did you kiss him?" Brennan mocked.

"I said butt out." 

"You know, I'm sure my mom would love to hear about your little violent, druggy boy toy," He sneered, "And who do you think she'll believe, you or me?"

"She'll be too drunk to care," I retorted.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?"

Before Brennan could get any angrier at me, I turned around and quickly walked into my room. I then closed and locked my bedroom door behind me, my back to the door. Slowly, I slid down so I was sitting on the floor, my knees near my chest, smiling.

Right now, I didn't care that my only legal guardian was drinking herself stupid one floor below me, and  probably will smack me by the end of the day.

Casey kissed me, on purpose, in full awareness of his actions. It's a beautiful day.

***

Speak of the devil and he will appear.

This phrase makes perfect sense if Satan is a red-haired girl.

Casey had walked me to my locker, and I had just asked how Ally was doing. Casey said he's been avoiding her, and truthfully, I don't blame him. After we hugged and he left to go to his first block class, the devil did appear.

"So," Ally said fakely, her perfect, orange hair falling to her shoulders, "You and Casey seem to be getting along very well."

I put my last book in my backpack, closed my locker door, and slung my backpack around my shoulder. "Well, hello to you too. And since when do you talk to me? Don't you hate me?" I asked.

"Oh, yes," She answered lightly, "I detest you. I think you're a man-stealing whore."

I scoffed at her. "You can hardly call it stealing when you broke him into a million pieces, and I picked them up and sewed him back together."

She looked up and scowled at me. I checked the time on my cell phone, then put it back in my pocket. "So if you can't stand my existence so much, then why bother speaking to me?" I asked, sounding bored.

"I was just wondering," She hissed, "What sloppy, five-year-old seconds tasted like."

"Leave me alone," I growled back, no longer wanting to play with her. When I tryed to walk away, she  sidestepped back into my path.

"And," She added, "To let you know that you will be seeing me again. So I suggest you drop Casey and run before you get waist-deep in the shit I can bury you alive in."

Then, she whipped her hair, turned around and walked away. For such a little girl, she can make quite a believable threat.

Like a bomb in a Barbie suitcase at an airport.

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 As Alex parked his car in front of my house, I sighed in relief when I saw that there were no cars in the driveway.

"What's the matter?" He asked, hearing my exhale.

"I don't think that anyone's home," I answered, "except maybe my brother. I don't know if he got back from his friend's house or not."

"Aw, are you ashamed of me?" Alex asked in a joking tone, smirking.

"It's not you," I answered, trying to stay serious, "I just have really overprotective parents. Boys are a touchy subject with them."

"Good to know." He smiled sweetly. "So I'll see you at school?"

"See you at school." We hugged, him almost squeezing me to death, then I got out of his car. As he drove away, I walked up to my front door. As I unlocked it and walked through, Chandler was there, waiting to pounce with annoying questions.

"Who was that?" He asked.

"None of your business."

"Where did you go?"

"None of your business."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

By then I had made it up the stairs and almost into my room. "If you don't tell me, I'll tell Mom!" Chandler threatened.

"You're going to tell her if I tell you or not." I slammed the door behind me and locked it. I then fell on my bed, flat on my back, smiling.

A five-year old dream had come true.

***

 I was at my locker at school the next day when I felt arms wrap around my belly and squeeze the air out of my lungs.

I turned around and hit Alex with a book playfully. "You know, there's a fine line between hugging and strangulation. You're walking right on it."

"But I love hugs." He hugged me again, lifting me up into the air about a foot off the ground. I hugged him back, not minding that my feet were dangling and trying to find the floor.

After he put me down, he said, "I like the fact that you're short. If you were tall, then I couldn't pick you up and carry you places."

"Good to know that I'm your walking, talking teddy bear," I laughed as I walked to French with him.

"You are like a teddy bear. Warm and cuddly."

"Well, aren't you sweet," I said sarcastically, "I gotta go to French."

"Okay." He gave me a sweet kiss on the lips and walked away as I walked into my French classroom. As I sat down, I noticed that Carly had been watching scornfully.

Carly was a girl I had gone to school with since the beginning of middle school. She developed a hatred for Harper and I and our distaste of her grew as well. This is mostly because of petty, 6th grade drama that involved the counseling center that she refuses to let go. And as the cherry on top of the ice cream, she was a big, fat poser.

Carly had finally looked away from me, so I stole a glance at her apparel today. As usual, she sported her brown hair and faded pink and blue sidebangs. Also, she wore black and red skinny jeans and a Slipknot T-shirt. Ironically enough, I had caught her on countless occasions talking abou how much she loved Big Time Rush and One Direction but never could name any songs on a Black Veil Brides album, whom she also claimed to like.

She turned around and gave me another hateful glare, but something else flashed in her eyes. Like she was planning something. I didn't like it.

I took my phone out to warn Harper to brace herself, only to find that I already had a text from her.

Ally's planning something. She saw me with Casey and then she threatened me. Watch your back.

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