Obsessive ~ Noah Foster [1]

Chapter Three// It's a Game

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"I can see our stars."

--Riley Marra

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"Where are you going, Ari?" my mother asked me, as I went to open the front door. I paused and turned to her. Brooke had caught me after school and programmed my number into her phone, and hers into mine. She had texted a few seconds ago, telling me that she was just outside. "I'm going to a basketball game. Uh, Nina's... Nina's friends invited me." I explained. "Oh." Was all my mom said. "Well, you just missed Kat. She went also." I smiled at her, and waved a little, before turning back to the door, and opening it. "Be home by eleven. Love you." My mother told me. "Love you, too." I smiled back at her, before leaving the house.

"I'm going to go get some licorice whips." Brooke said, grabbing her purse, and standing from the stands. "Be right back." Emma gave her friend a weird look. "Really?" Brooke ignored her, and walked out of the gym, leaving me with Emma. The game hadn't started yet, and the players were warming up. I looked over at Emma, who watched them. Emma was the girl Nina talked shit about endlessly. Yet... she seemed to love Emma. It was a love-hate relationship. Emma was a goody-goody, who did everything her mommy told her to, and actually paid attention in class. I felt a kinship with Emma, due to our similar characteristics. Nina was so terrible to her, and it made no sense whatsoever that Emma dealt with Nina. Emma was dating the basketball star, Will Belmont, whom Nina had an affair with last year, when she was jealous. Brooke... however, was Nina's best friend. She wanted to be Nina, that's what I'd gotten from the stories she'd tell me. And Riley... another goody-goody, who only thought about others, never herself, it didn't make sense either. I knew everything about these people. Nina told me everything. I was like a diary to her. Everytime something big happened, she'd text me.

"A--are you okay?" Emma asked me suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Yeah. Why?" I said, looking over at the blonde. "You just look kind of upset." Emma observed, moving closer to me. "Just thinking." I answered. "I'm really sorry about Nina." She said, touching my knee. "Oh... uh, I'm sorry, too. She told me you two were best friends." I lied. "Yeah, we were really good friends." Emma smiled. "Good evening, Lancer fans." Mayor Maddox said into the microphone. "Welcome." He grinned. "It has been..." The mayor sigheed, before continuing on. "An emotional week for Lakewood with the loss of two lovely young souls in our community, Nina Patterson and Rachel Murray." My heart dropped at the mention of Nina. I looked to my left, as something had caught my eye. Audrey walked in, her eyes sad, as she put her camera down. "Let's have a moment of silence." Mayor Maddox said. In that moment, I felt horrible for Audrey. I'd known about the video. Nina had told me... just three days earlier. She was with Emma in the parking lot, when two girls she knew began making out in the car, not too far away from hers. She sent me the video. I hadn't known it was Audrey until...

Everyone bowed their heads, and closed their eyes for the two girls, who lost their lives.

After about two minutes, the game started. If I was being honest, basketball bored me. No wonder Brooke made up a stupid excuse to leave. I sighed, and stood up. "Hey, where are you going?" Emma asked, as I did. "Uh, I'm just gonna call my sister... I haven't seen her; she's supposed to be here." I explained. "Oh, okay." She smiled up at me. I walked away from her, and out of the gym.

The school was still very confusing. I didn't know how to get around. It was the same all around. I groaned about five minutes into walking around.

That was until I saw an EXIT door. I sighed in relief, and rushed towards it, pushing it open. Cold air hit my body as I did. Turns out, it led to a football field. I walked outside, and breathed in the fresh air. For a second, it was peaceful. That was until I heard the door slam behind me. "Oh, no..." I trailed off. I grabbed my phone out of my back pocket, and grabbed my phone. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." I grumbled as I dialed my sister's number. One ring, two ring, three ring, four. "Hey, this is Kat, I'm sorry I can't get to the phone right now--"

"UGH!" I groaned, and hung up, and slipped my phone back into my pocket. I decided to keep walking. I sure as hell didn't want to go back to that stupid basketball game. I liked football way-y better. Much more action. I made my way onto the football field, but stopped short as I saw that two people lay on a blanket in the middle of the field. "Oh, what about The Walking Dead?" The girl asked, laughing. Oh, shit. I just walked into someone else's date. I began to back up when my phone rang. I answered it on the first ring. "Hello?" I said. "Hello, Arielle." A man said, his voice contorted, and I felt as if right away I knew that I didn't know this person."He--hello?" I said again. "Who is this?"

"A friend." He chuckled.

"Listen, I'm really not in the mood for pranks." I huffed. I pulled the phone from my ear, but stopped when I heard the person talk again. "I wouldn't hang up, if I were you, Arielle." They said. "And, why is that?" I stopped all movements, and frowned. "Because I'm assuming you want to know about your poor, poor cousin, Nina." He teased. "What?" I scoffed. This was clearly some type of joke.

"You know? Nina? The girl, who died when I slit her pretty little throat." I swallowed hard at the person's words. "I don't know who this is... but I'm hanging up now. Don't call me again, or I'm calling the polic--"

"You're so pretty." He said. My heart dropped, as I realized. I looked around the football field quickly, looking for.... anyone. But I couldn't see anything. Just the couple there. I looked behind me, at the empty stands. Past that, it was only darkness. The person chuckled. I cringed, and ran my fingers through my hair. "Dead ringer for Nina." He said. "Listen, you... creep. Leave me alo--"

"But don't you wanna know?" He intejected. "Know what?" I breathed. "What your family's been hiding from you for all these years?" He said, laughing slightly. "I want you to leave me alone." As I went to hang up, he spoke again. "You hang up, and my next victim is little Kat." I stopped short. "K--Kat?" I felt all the blood drain from my face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... that if you want to keep little Kat safe, then you're going to have to play my game." He taunted. "Wait, wha--?" With that, he hung up.

"What? What the fuck!" I screamed, running my fingers through my hair. "Arielle?" I looked up, and saw the couple looking at me. I then realized that it was Noah and Riley.

"Uh, I am so sorry. I--" I trailed off. "No, no, no. It's fine. Are you alright?" Riley stood up, and walked over to me. "You look... uhm."

"I'm fine." I interjected. "I was just looking for Brooke. She left the gym, and I haven't-- have you seen her?" I asked, awkwardly. "No... but I'm glad to help you find her." Riley offered. Nina was right. Riley was super nice. "No, I don't want to ruin your guys'... uhm... date?" I questioned. "No, you're not." Noah stood up, and walked towards me, as Riley rolled up the blanket. "We'll help you." Noah offered. "You know what? Come to think of it, she's probably still... getting food." I lied. "I'll just... uh..." I walked away from them slowly, before turning and leaving.