Masquerade - The Complete First Novel

- 15 -

(Dakota)

I examined the bottle of pills, trying to search for an explanation. Debating whether I should keep this hidden from Anastasia. I glanced over at my phone, holding it up to my ear as I tried to reach Ana again. As the answer to my question at the moment was yes. "Hello, you've reached Anastasia Kuznetsov. I'm not here at the moment as that's probably pretty obvious to you now. Anyway, leave a message. Bye!" I hung up, having no desire to leave a voicemail. I then grab the notes off to my left, rereading every word over in my head.

The buzzing came from my phone bouncing off of the bar. I picked it up and almost fell out of my stool as a message from Ana showed itself on my phone screen.

Ana: What do you what?

The message was harder than I thought and I didn't know how I wanted to respond. Whether it was an apology or the statement about what has happened to me over the last forty-eight hours. I glanced back over at Ana's work on my floor. Seeing the lifeless plant shattered on my hard floors that I did not bother to clean up. I moved my attention back to the phone. Changing my answer to no. She can't know.

Dakota: How are you?

I had no idea what card I was playing. If I was even playing one.

Ana: How am I? No, how are YOU doing?

Dakota: Fine...

The three dancing dots flashed across my screen. Taunting me. I watched as each of them lit up for only a split second to continue with the rest of the sequence. It disappeared. Leaving me with nothing.

Dakota: Ana, please talk to me

The word 'read' was shown under my text, knowing she saw what I was texting.

Dakota: Ana, I'm sorry. It was stupid I know. Just please let me explain.

I didn't know what I was saying. Was I going to tell her about the notes? She's going to find out sooner or later. So might as well. The three dots lit up again, bouncing. I let the seconds go by, the suspense building.

Ana: Explain.

Moment of truth.

Dakota: I had too.

Ana: you had too?

Dakota: yes!

Dakota: I was told to by an anonymous person.

Ana: why did they tell you to trash my room?

Dakota: because it would help me find Clementine

Ana: did you find anything?

I didn't know what to say, I was speechless. Yes or no. Yes or no?

Dakota: yes.

Ana did not respond, not even leaving me the three flashing dots to give me some indications that she cared. I was left alone in the darkness. Again. Left alone with my thoughts. I began to feel my body start to heat up from the situation. Anxiety taking over. Was she ignoring me? Or does she not believe me. I fear that I have lost my best friend and my roommate. And I didn't want to live alone anymore. The things that attack me while I'm helpless, lurk around every corner. And it scares me to think I will have to fight them myself. I am a horrible friend. I should have seen the vent, or at least looked for it before I went through her stuff. I put my head in my hands. I'm so stupid.

I grab the pill bottle, squeezing it in my fair hands. I'm scared it will break, but I am not that strong. I throw the bottle across the room and started to roam my living room. Seeing the broken flower pot. I crouch down, taking the flower off of the dirty ground. It was so pretty. I sit on the floor, next to the ruins of the pot. The flower was a pretty blue and purple color. The purple petals clouded near the center of the flower, and the petals underneath them were a sort of a sapphire blue. It was a Lotus flower. One of the prettiest of all in my own opinion. When I bought the seeds for this, they told me it would be blue. But while it grew, it became more of a purplish-blue. Which I believed was prettier. I was devastated it was dying and I couldn't save it. Maybe this is what Ana was saying about not being able to save Clementine. Maybe she is already dead. Is she?

I got up and put the flower in a small plastic cup of water with some soil I scooped up off of the ground, putting it near the window of my kitchen. I took a moment to admire the flower, slowly sucking the life back into it.

The sound of the door smashing shut startled me; making me jump. I turned, seeing Ana with a raised eyebrow. Her voice ran a shiver down my spine as her cold eyes pierced into my soul. "So what was so important that you had to trash my room?"

I pointed to the pile I placed on the bar, her eyes following my finger. I felt her shoes vibrate up my legs and they made them weak with fear. I was scared she would do something. Would it be considered stupid if she did? Or smart? Did I deserve it? Am I the dumb one? Is this the end of our friendship?

She didn't bother placing herself on a stool, as she just snatched up the notes. The pills softly rolling in between her boots. I could see her eyes scanning each line, confusion mixing in with the anger.

I slowly start to walk over to her, my feet not making the hard crash her's made. I slowly crouched down, grabbing the bottle that was rested near her feet. I snatched the bottle and fast walked away. Treating my dear friend as a bomb.

She looked at me, moving her eyes to the pill bottle. "Is that what you found?" I shake my head yes, still clenching the bottle in my hands. She takes the bottle from me forcefully and examines the label. "Xanax?"