Because of a Girl Like Me

Chapter 16

It all started out well enough.

It was another beautiful day, and all signs that it had stormed last night were gone.

The birds were chirping, the wind was blowing. It was nice and peaceful.

On the way to the salon I had blared the radio so loud that my mirrors were shaking and I had belted out the songs at the top of my lungs.

I was feeling much more like me.

I decided to turn my phone off so that I wouldn't keep checking it for anything from Declan, and so I wouldn't be tempted to invite Stella along with me.

I love the girl, but I need to just be my own person again for a day at least.

I arrived for my appointment on time, which even Kimmy had commented on.

I was pretty much notorious for being late.

I got a full manicure and pedicure. I had chosen a pretty lavender nail color that looked good against my lightly tanned skin. All those days at the lake had finally started to pay off.

When it came to my hair I had planned to change the color entirely, maybe to an auburn or dark violet, but when it was time to tell her what I wanted I had gone with some light caramel highlights and a trim instead.

When I had thought about why I wanted to change the color of my hair in the first place I was forced to admit to myself it was because I didn't want to look like the girls who were being abducted.

Ultimately though I didn't want to give the freak any kind of power over me. I don't want to be the girl who would dye her hair just out of fear. I wouldn't feed into that anxiety.

When everything was done I thanked the girls and headed back out to my car.

The second I walked out of the building I could see that there was something stuck to my windshield.

When I got to the car I found that it was an envelope.

All of the confidence I had just gained back in the last couple of hours drained right out of me as I opened it.

Inside there was a piece of printer paper with one sentence typed in the center.

I can see you right now.

I felt like I got punched in the gut.

I started to whip around looking everywhere. The parking lot was practically empty. There were only a few cars and from the looks of it they were all unoccupied.

I jumped inside my car and locked all of the doors.

The envelope still felt heavy so I looked inside and found four printed pictures.

Pictures of me.

The first was of me on the balcony yesterday.

The second one was from last week when Stella and I had gone to the ice cream parlor.

The third was dark but I could tell that this was that night with Declan in the Jeep.

The fourth one made bile rise in my throat.

It was a picture of me in my car at a stop light from a few hours ago. That meant he had been in a car right next to me. He was so close that in the picture you can even see my freckles.

How on earth had I not noticed someone looking at me when I was stopped? My window had been down and everything. I was completely revolted by the sheer closeness that I obviously had had with this person.

I cranked my car and pulled out my phone. I was going to let the police station know I was on my way in and that I might be being followed.

Fucking A!

I'd forgotten I had turned off my phone and it always takes an eternity to come back on.

The music on the radio stopped and it started to do that awful beeping noise that meant there was some kind of news. I really didn't need this right now.

"We interrupt the music to bring more sad news from Stoneacre Alabama. A new report of a missing girl has been filed. Whittany Jacobs was last seen on Saturday evening at the local Buffalo Wild Wings. Friends say she left to go to the restroom and never returned. Whittany is 18 years old and stands at 5'3 weighing 110 lbs. She has brown hair, and blue eyes. She is reported as having last been seen wearing a yellow sundress, large hoop earrings and heels. Whittany is now the 5th girl to vanish in 4 months. As was reported earlier today, an attempt may have been interrupted yesterday for another local teen, Sie..."

I smacked the off button on the radio.

This can't be happening right now.

My phone finally came to life but then kept pinging with incoming messages and voicemails. I was exiting them as quickly as they came trying to get to the call screen.

Three of the texts were from Stella, two from Declan, and a bunch from old classmates who wanted to know about my near death. The voicemails were all from dad.

"Seriously?! Now you all want to talk to me?!" I yelled at my phone.

After what felt like a lifetime I was able to call the police.

I put the car in gear and tried to peel out of there, but something was wrong with my car.

What the fuck!!!!

I looked around and carefully got back out of my car.

All four of my tires were slashed.

I made a mad dash back into the salon and waited there for the police to arrive.