DEAD INSIDE

(32)

I followed Milo out of the kitchen and across the hall to the staircase.

"What happened the night before...?" He asked as we started going up the stairs.

"He came outside my window dressed as a Killer clown with a butcher's knife and a sign saying he was going to kill me in ten days..." I mumbled as memories flashed into my mind.

He froze in his steps so I had no choice but to stop walking, too.

I cringed when I felt the telltale signs of a headache and started massaging my temple softly, hoping it would help prevent it.

"What did the Police say?" He asked, his anger hard to miss.

"That he'd look into it..." I answered.

"What?!" He exclaimed. "Haven't they put some officers outside your house?! Set up some sort of surveillance? Anything concrete to actually protect you?!"

"Not that I know of..." I said with a shrug.

"What did your Mom say?" He prodded.

"Her new boyfriend drove her to his parents' ranch because she needed some rest..." I replied, realizing that I still hadn't heard from either of them.

"You're kidding, right?" He asked after running his hand through his thick mop of curls.

I shook my head.

"So what? You're alone in your house with a crazy psycho who's having fun scaring the shit out of you?!"

"I didn't sleep in my house Thursday night..." I muttered and his relief was instant.

"Where did you stay?" He asked. "Even though it's none of my business, really..." He added quickly.

"I'd rather not tell you if you don't mind... I've had enough drama lately to last me for a couple of years..." I answered which clearly intrigued him.

"Kiolyan?" He prodded and my eyebrows shot up at his suggestion.

"Nope..."

"What's with the eye-roll?" He questioned with a cocked eyebrow.

"Can I use an It's complicated' joker?" I asked with my nose crinkled.

"Only if you tell me where you stayed..." He countered.

I knew he'd got me there so I braced myself for the worst and closed my eyes.

"His cousin..."

His eyebrow shot up high on his forehead but then instantly furrowed into a frown.

"I guess it shouldn't surprise me... You're here, after all... But Hilton, Ali?!" He asked, his nose scrunched up in disgust.

"I never asked him, Marla told the girls and Vanessa told him. He said that he couldn't just leave me alone when that psycho was after me..."

He nodded, looking deep in thoughts.

"Scott's going to be mad..." He stated.

"Scott's dead to me so he doesn't get to say anything..." I argued and he sighed.

"Is it because he didn't defend you?" I knew he was referring to the Sunday before.

"That was just the cherry on the cake..." I said drily. "But can we not talk about Birmingham anymore?" I asked.

"He's feeling so bad about last night..." Milo muttered.

"Well, so he should!" I countered. There was no way I'd start feeling sorry for him. No freaking way! "I'm already dreading the moment – which unfortunately is just around the corner" I grimaced. "When I'll have to go to him with my plan to stop our school rivalry..."