X / h.s

Chapter 4

I carefully hung up the mirror against my pale yellow wall.
A month later, and I'd finally finished my room.
Between school, and trying to find a job, settling in took longer than expected.
But my mother kept going on and on about how making this place our home.

My phone buzzed on my night stand and i made sure the mirror was positioned right before skipping over to get it. 

"Hello?"
"Hey dumbass!" Mason yelled over the speaker.
I cringed as it rang into my ear.
"What do you want?" I asked, pretending to be annoyed.
"Listen, there's a party at Nate's today. Come."
"I dont know," i replied, immediately.
I heard him sigh over the speaker, and I could picture him running his long fingers through his golden hair.
"You have to make another friend besides me eventually, you know that?"
My eyes rolled and my teeth dug into the side of my cheek.
  "I know, i just like..."
"Look, i promise I wont ditch you. Please?"
I sighed in defeat.
"Okay." I agreed.
"What?!" He yelled sarcastically.
"She knows how to have fun?!" He laughed. "Pick ya up at 9, bitch." He said and the line clicked, signaling the call ended.

"Help." She whispered.
"Help me. Help me. Help me." The whispering turned into loud screaming into my ear.
"Help me, fucking help me!"
A skinny girl straddled me on my bed with her thighs. Her hair was tangled, mixed with what seemed to vomit, and dirt stained her skin.
"Help me!" She screamed into my face, her eyes wide and red. Her screams echoed, seeming to get louder each time. The lights in my room flickered with her shrieks.

My body shook under her, and I fought to raise my hands and push her off me.
"Hey, hey!"
My eyes jolted open and Mason hovered over me on the side of my bed.
I looked around in panic before coming back to reality.
"...I rang the boorbell, but like. You weren't answering so I let myself in..."

"Yeah, yeah. No, that's fine, I just...bad dream."

"Okay. Well. Get dressed! We gotta go."
We stared at each other for a few seconds. I raised my eyebrows at the scrawny, adorable blonde in front of me.

"Mase."
"Oh, right. Okay. Hurry up!" He said, as he turned his back to me, walking out and closing the bedroom door.

I slowly dragged myself out of bed and towards my closet. I wasnt sure what to wear, but I knew Mason wanted me to make an impression.
I settled with a tight black dress, leaving my
hair to its usual messyness, and took the time to smoke out my eyes, making them pop.

"Hey! She cleans up well!" Mason said as I came down the stairs to meet up.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"lets go before i change my mind."

The ride to the party wasnt too far. As we pulled up to the driveway, I stared out the window in awe. Nate's house was huge. Very modernized unlike most places around here.
The place lit up from the inside, and you could see the party through the house's huge glass windows.

"Nate's dad is some sort of politician. I dont know what the fuck he does, exactly, but once his family moved here, the town started doing a lot better." Mason explained.

He parked his car as close as he could and we slowly made our way up the driveway, him half jogging and me whining behind him.
"Youre so fucking slow."
"I wanna go home." I whined.
"Hurry the fuck up." He laughed.
I groaned, following behind.

No one even acknowledged when we walked in. Well, I mean me. Mason immediately started greeting everyone.
Mason wasn't the most popular or rich, but everyone liked him. Simply because he didnt stick to one group. Mason talked to and befriended anyone who was willing to listen to him speak.

"So. Charlotte, right?"
I turned to find a skinny kid with messy red hair, and ripped jeans.
I nodded.
"You're all the towns been talking bout. We dont get many new people." He said, raising his red solo cup to his lips.
"Yeah, no shit." I muttered, still taking in the space and details of the house.
"God, this is insane. I mean, how many rooms are in this place? What kind of rich asses need this much space?"
The boy smirked, nodding his head.
"25."
I stared at him, puzzled.
"Rooms." He replied before I could.
"25 rooms. And you're right. My dad is kind of an ass." He said.
"Fuck. Im sorry, I didnt mean.." My eyes scanned for Mason in panic.
The boy I now assumed was Nate chuckled, shaking his head.
"It's okay. I know I don't really give off your posh looks. I just don't really agree with my dad's politics either." His smirk dropped, and his eyes seemed to stare past me.

"Um, hey. Super cool to meet you, have fun. Get yourself a drink. We'll talk some other time." He said, his attention obviously elsewhere.
"Okay, yeah...you too." I replied as he was already walking off past me.
I turned, following his direction.

Nate seemed to be walking towards the boy from school. I still hadn't found out his name, and he didnt seem like the social type. He leaned his body against the door frame, a strand of dark hair falling over his forehead as he waited for Nate. He seemed to say something to which Nate shook his head. Suddenly the boys eyes snapped up to meet mine. His mouth moved slowly as he said something to Nate. Nate turned slowly, catching sight of me before turning and shaking his head again. Nate's hands moved in signals as he spoke to the boy.

I stood there, in a trance, it seemed. Just watching them talk. I knew I had come up in conversation. Every now and then the boy would look back up to meet my gaze. I also knew the words exchanged weren't pleasant. I could tell my Nate's demeanor, and every now and then his shoulders would slump in a sigh.

"Hey. What are you doing?" Mason asked, coming besides me.
I turned to look at him. "Who is that?" I asked.
"Who?" Mason followed my gaze.
I turned to point, but when I faced my original direction, the boy was gone and Nate stood there. Just staring, lost, into his solo cup.

"No one. Nevermind." I said.

My throat burned and I rushed outside. The driveway suddenly seemed so rocky. My eyes stung and I felt something rise in my throat.
I leaned over, letting it spill out behind a few of Nate's flowers that decorated the path.
"Oh...sorry." I groaned, to no one but myself.

"Oh, for fucks sakes. Disgusting." A voice behind my growled.
I turned to find a black car and the boy from earlier behind the steering wheel. I pushed my hair out of my face, alarmed.
"Sorry, I just. I couldnt help it."
His face scrunched up in disgust, and his eyes rolled.
"Get in."
My eyes widened at the request. "What? No."
His eyes rolled again.
"Oh, for fucks sakes. Im not going to fucking touch you, im just going to drive you home."
My finger raised slowly pointing at the house.
"My friend-"
"Is passed out on the couch with another girl. Now get in, Charlotte." He barked.

I did as I was told, and reluctantly climbed into the car.
He stepped on the gas and the car jolted forward making my stomach turn.
"Dont." He snapped.
I groaned at his booming voice, making my head ache.
We drove in silence for a while, and I was starting to feel my eyes get heavy.
Suddenly he whispered from the driver's side.
"Do you ever hear things?" He asked.
"What?"
"In the house. Sometimes, at night.."
I hesitated. Who the fuck did this kid think he was?
"Whats your name?" I asked.
He sighed in frustration. "Answer me and i'll answer you."
I remained silent for a few more seconds before answering.
The alcohol gave me courage. I was sure that I would be afraid right now if it wasn't for it.
"Sometimes. It sounds crazy. But sometimes I think someone is trying to talk to me. Im just so out of it."
"No. You're not." He said, his voice soft.
I waited, patiently for his response.
"Harry." Is all he said.

The car came to a stop, and I looked outside the window to find us on our street.
"Go on, then." He rushed.
My eyebrows pushed together in annoyance at his mood swings as I pushed the car door open.
"Thank you. For the ride." I said.
He didn't reply. Just stared straight ahead through the windshield.
I shut the door behind me, making my way up my small driveway.

I looked over my shoulder to see his car pulling into his, across the street.