Twisted Love

Chapter 3 - My Boyfriend's Back And There's Going To Be Trouble

Thankfully Rebecca left for work early and her, normally very nosey roommate, didn't get a chance to ply Mattie with questions about her night. Mattie slept in late and when she woke she made herself a big pot of coffee and ate too many strawberry pop tarts before she started in on a stack of laundry. Once the laundry was done, she moved onto the cleaning. Then it was off to the store to fill the empty fridge. Mattie wished it was a lazy Sunday, but it was her turn to do the household chores.

The whole day Mattie couldn't stop daydreaming about her upcoming date with Brandon. What did he want to tell her? Would the date be as awkward as their last encounter? At the end of the date would Brandon try to kiss her? Did she want him to?

By the time she got through her list of chores, it was almost time for her to meet up with Brandon. Mattie spent much longer than usual fixing her hair and doing her makeup. Once satisfied with the results, she dressed in a pair of blue jeans and an oversized gray and white striped sweater. She grabbed a black jean jacket from the hallway closet before heading out the door.

Mattie made her way down the front yard to her car, and it wasn't until she was putting the key in the car door that she realized someone was standing just a few feet away.

It was Mrs. Johnson.

The old women wore a thin dress covered in sunflowers. A dress far more suited for summer. The old woman's white hair was piled into a messy bun. Her green eyes crinkled as though she was in pain when she moved closer. With a great sense of urgency, she whispered, "I need to talk to you child."

"Is everything alright?" Mattie asked.

The old woman looked around her a few times before saying, "It will be if you stay away from that boy." The old woman's eyes gleamed a bit too bright.

Mattie was so concentrated on the old woman's slightly crazed demeanor that she didn't realize at first that Mrs. Johnson was talking about Brandon.

Mattie said in an incredulous voice, "Do you mean Brandon Preston?"

"Yes, the Preston boy. Don't you see his intentions? He still loves you, and he wants you back." Mrs. Johnson began to twirl her hands in front of her. "But he can't be trusted. Don't be a fool child, can't you see what's in his heart? It might have started out as true love, but now it's morphed into a dark and twisted thing. A twisted love."

Mattie stared at the woman speechless. Whatever Mattie was expecting her to say, that was not it. The woman was talking total nonsense and acting unhinged. The best course of action was to get in the car and hope the next time she met up with the old woman, she had calmed down.

Mattie opened the car door, but before she could slide inside the old woman reached out and grabbed Mattie's arm.

Bony fingers dug painfully into Mattie's flesh. "Listen to me. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from him."

Mattie shook off the woman's grip and quickly got into the car. She locked the car door, started the engine, and headed down the road. Mattie glanced in the rearview mirror.

Mrs. Johnson was now in the middle of the road. Her arms were waving, and her mouth was wide open.

Mattie rolled down her window.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" The old woman's voice clearly rang out. Mrs. Johnson shouted the words over and over again until Mattie was far enough away she could no longer hear nor see the old woman.

***

When Mattie pulled into the driveway of the old high school, Brandon was leaning against a wall next to the front stairs. He gave her a wide smile as soon as he saw her.