This Could Be Us

Chapter Twenty-One - The Girl in my Nightmare

{Aria Chandler}

The district track meet came in the blink of an eye. The doctors had cleared me for full participation earlier in the week, and the anxiety finally started to set in. Coach had placed me in two different races, the 4x100 meter relay and the 200 meter dash. These were races that I had ran every single year prior to this meet, but the fact that this could be my last time running each was overwhelming. 

The bus ride to the district meet was a long one, and I found myself quickly nodding off to dreamland. When I woke, it was dark and the bus was parked alongside the road. Confused, I stood up and searched around the bus. I was alone.

I switched on the flashlight on my phone and walked slowly down the aisle, still scanning the seats in hopes that someone else was left sleeping, same as me. No such luck as I approached the bus doors which were left open. I began wondering if the bus broke down, but then where were my teammates?

I stepped off the bus into the chilly night. I zipped up my windbreaker and made my way around to the front of the bus. It was silent, and the road didn't seem to be heavily traveled.

"Hello? Is anyone still here?" I called out into the still of the night.

No answer.

I decided to call someone to come get me, seeing as there was no way anyone made it to the meet. I dialed my mom's cell and continued to watch the road ahead while it rang.

No answer.

I hung up, and dialed Carter's number this time. After 3 rings, it sounded as though someone had picked up.

"Hello? Carter?"

No answer.

"Can you hear me? I think the bus broke down and-" I began, before a voice finally responded.

"Aria Chandler." A girl's voice spoke through the phone.

"Who is this?" I asked.

The girl began to laugh, but her laugh seemed to echo. It was like she was nearby.

"Why do you have Carter's phone?" I replied, attempting to get the stranger to talk so I could identify the voice.

"Because Carter's not here." She replied, but the echoing was making it hard to tell who she was.

"Where is he?" I demanded.

"Gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" I was starting to panic.

"Oh Aria. Don't you get it? If I couldn't have him, then no one could."

"Paige?!" I choked. "What'd you do to him?"

I waited for a response, but one never came. I felt my heart began to race at the thought of what happened to Carter. I knew it was only a matter of time until Paige showed her face again. I figured she would come after me, blame me for everything. I didn't think she was crazy enough to harm Carter, the boy she supposedly loved.

I stood next to the bus, in shock, for a few minutes until I heard footsteps. Panicking, I shone my light around me. My fears began to settle as there was no one there, but then as I turned back to the bus, there she was. Paige's sly smile was clear as day as the light from my phone made it so. Startled, I jumped back, dropping my phone, and the only source of light, in the process.

"Aria!" Paige seemed to yell, but her mouth did not move. It remained in the same sly smile.

"What do you want from me?!" I asked, trying not to sound afraid.