Because of a Girl Like Me

Chapter 6.

We interrupt to bring you the latest news out of Stoneacre, Alabama. Yet another young girl from the small town has been confirmed as missing. Alex Hawking was last seen on surveillance leaving the local Walmart. Her parents say that Alex never returned home. An intensive sweep is being done of the parking lot to look for any clues to what may have happened to her. Investigators say Hawking's vehicle is still parked at the store, leading them to believe that she was abducted somewhere between the door and her car. They remain hopeful that the search of the parking lot will turn up any evidence that can be used to find not only Hawking, but the other three girls as well. Hawking is seventeen years old, stands 5'3, with brown hair, and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a Beatles tank top. This case marks the 4th open missing teen case in the Stoneacre area over the last 3 months. This is the second missing girl for this month, leading some to speculate that whoever is doing this may be upping their numbers. Anyone with any information is urged to call the local police department. Stay tuned to 94.8 The Sounds for the latest news on the ongoing investigations. Stay safe out their guys, and now back to the music...

"Well, I guess I can't say that nothing happens around here." Stella said sarcastically. "Nothing like the mention of dead girls to get you in the party mood." She was squinting, trying to find the street she was supposed to turn onto next.

I don't know about her, but the announcement did not make me want to go to this party. "They didn't say they were dead," I pointed out. "They said missing."

"Yeah, true." She agreed then smiled. "I mean, I guess the sicko could have a basement full of pretty little girls that he keeps as pets, but odds are, they're dead." There was that Stella bluntness. "I think this is it," she said turning off the main road and onto a dark dirt one.

Now, usually a dark dirt road through the woods would freak me out, especially with what's been going on lately, but I recognized where we were going as soon as she made the turn. "Who exactly invited you to this party?" I asked her and she glanced over at me, measuring my expression.

"Just some guy I met at the gas station." She blurted out. "Don't be mad, I swear he didn't seem like a freak or anything." She added.

"Its fine, I've been here before." I explained. "This leads to Matt Teffler's house. He's probably the one who invited you. He used to have parties out here all the time. It's his dad's lodge that he stays at when he is hunting. I can't believe he still does this." I smiled at all of the memories.

The parties out here used to be pretty fun. The place isn't much bigger than a shack, but it's out in the woods so we never had to worry about neighbors or police. Matt's parties would go for the entire weekend sometimes. I was suddenly getting excited for this, my heart pounding and energy floating in the air. I explained to Stella that we'd have to park off the road up ahead and then walk the short trail to the opening that the house was in.

As soon as we stepped out of the car you could already hear the music and people laughing in the distance. I was pretty glad that I had decided against wearing the stilettoed shoes Stella had suggested for me and opted for a nice black wedge instead. They would be much easier to navigate the dirt and grass than Stella's shoes. She followed behind me with her hands on my shoulders for support laughing and cursing whenever her heal sunk into the earth. When we entered the clearing it looked exactly like I remembered. The little red house had Christmas lights strung all around even though it was May. Off to the side of the house there was a bonfire going in full blaze with coolers and folding chairs circling it. All around were clusters of people, some I recognized from school, others I didn't know, but they all sported their red solo cups and glassy eyes.

"This is actually kind of cool." Stella said, clearing surprised that anything fun could happen in Stoneacre.

I took her hand and led her through the throngs of people to get inside where the booze were. Matt was standing in the corner of the little living room surrounded by barely legal girls who were hanging on his every word.

Matt, do you ever change?

I said hello to him and then moved into the cramped kitchen. The room was cram packed with people, but I squeezed through, using my elbow when necessary, until we found the keg. I poured Stella and I both two cups each so that we wouldn't have to come back in here for a while and then we migrated back to the living room, grabbing a seat on the plaid couch. The room was loud, and the heat was stifling, but outside you were subject to being eaten alive by mosquitoes.

About three drinks later we were sitting around the dining room table with a group of other girls. The 'drunk girl' mentality had kicked in and we were all socializing like we'd been friends our entire lives. I kept noticing Stella had her nose in her phone all night, and I glanced over to see her with it out again, grinning at the screen.

"Texting a boy, are you?" I giggled. "Should I know about this mystery man?" I was trying to sound serious, but my enormous buzz only made me giggle.

Stella raised her eyebrows at me and laughed, putting her phone away. "He's no mystery." She yelled to me over the loud music. "It's one of my old friends from when I lived in Mississippi, and it turns out he is in town for the weekend so he's going to swing by." She explained. "He's parking the car." She told me as she pulled me from the table and over towards the door. "You'll like him. He's in a band and they are ah-maze-ing! He's the bassist, totally hot."

"If he's so hot, why don't you date him?" I asked her, swaying slightly.

"Seriously, Sienna?" She asked. "Do I seem like the type of girl who likes to be tied down? It would be a damn shame to waste this body on one guy. I mean, no offence to you and Sean, but that's just not my thing." She said waiving her hand. "I'm not the relationship type. I hook up, and that's it. 'One and done', 'hit it and quit it', that's my motto." She was laughing at herself when she looked up and over me, smiling. I felt two big hands land on my bare shoulders.

I turned my head and there he was.