How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 17: Step Back in Time

That night, mum arrived home at midnight. Hoping she was over what had happened the previous night, I edged downstairs to find her seated by herself, face sullen as she downed a glass of alcohol.

So she was still upset.

Mum happened to glance up then and her gaze met my guilty stare.

"Charley, love, come talk to your mother for a few minutes," she said softly.

When I was seated, I watched as she refilled her glass to the brim and gulped it down in desperation.

"Mum, slow down," I winced. She ignored me until she had drained every last drop.

"You want to know more about your father?" she finally asked, sighing heavily, "Fine. I'll tell you."

I stared at her, my eyes wide, surprised that she was finally agreeing. She didn't notice and swallowed hard, before her large grey eyes stared off into the distance as if lost in a memory, "Do you know how your dad and I first met?"

A SUMMER'S NIGHT, 1988

The girl with the light blonde hair stood well away from the dance floor, her back leant against the wall in a desperate attempt to sink into the shadows unnoticed. She rubbed her hands together uneasily, wondering where in the world her best friend had disappeared off to. He'd said he'd be back soon but had instead, abandoned her for nearly a half hour.

Susan Clark wished she could leave.

The blue dress she wore was short, much shorter than what she usually wore and the neckline made a wild downward plunge near the chest. She had found it pretty when she discovered it at the store downtown, had thought its silk encompassed her body like moonlight and so had spent a great deal more than the usual to purchase it. But right now, it left her feeling exposed.

What if somebody saw her? She thought. What if they recognized her? The good pastor's daughter at a party, dressed in scanty attire.

It would be scandalous.

She had noticed the boy across the dance floor kept glancing at her frequently, turning her way as if to approach her but then pausing nervously. He was good looking, she thought. He was tall, perhaps six feet in height. The ill-fitting suit he wore was clearly not tailor-made, but his pale unfamiliar face was framed by a well-defined jawline, his brown hair slicked back.

She wondered who he was and what he was doing in town but then stopped herself; it didn't matter. Her church-going parents had rules governing her and it was far too risky to get involved with a boy, especially in a town where people whispered like it was second nature.

Susan made a beeline for the exit. She was nearly out the door, nearly reaching safety, when a hand closed around her shoulder. She swung around instinctively, and her grey eyes widened as she realized it was the brown haired boy who had been watching her.

From up close, she noticed a slight stubble covered his rugged jaw, his lips a perfect cupid's bow. Even his eyes were ablaze, a shade of the deepest brown she had ever seen.

"I'm sorry," he said, releasing her shoulder instantly. He appeared breathless, like he had made a wild dash to reach her in time, and nervous, like he was a performer standing before a crowd that expected nothing less than to be impressed. He held out his hand, "My name's Anthony."

She didn't offer him her name. She only stared back questioningly.

It didn't deter him. A soft smile played on his lips as he held his hand out for her to take, "It would be a cardinal sin if a beautiful lady like yourself left so hastily. Would you like a dance?"

Dancing along to a song with a virtual stranger was not a normality in Susan's life, but that night, she liked it. She liked the way their bodies swayed in perfect sync to the music, even the way his hand rested on the small of her back gently, as if to hold her close.

Susan didn't understand how she could feel so attracted to a stranger. She knew nothing about this Anthony. She wasn't planning on getting to know him either.

When the song ended, Anthony smiled. "Could I at least have your name?" he asked her, an easy grin filling his face.

She liked it. His smile. It was carefree and it was the sort of smile that was infectious.

"Is there a point?" she replied softly, "After all, I won't be seeing you again."

He frowned in reply, but the knowing smile remained. "But if we do happen to meet again, at least then, will I know your name?"

He sounded hopeful.

She hated that he was still smiling, that he seemed undeterred by her disinterest in him. But she liked it too, how unwavering his smile was and how carefree he seemed. He was unlike anything Susan was used to seeing in her small town, where people were continuously envious and consistently in competition to seem happier than the other.

She shrugged in reply. "Maybe you will," she told him.

Soon, she would be out the door and safely out of the clutches of this strange boy. As her hand reached for the knob, she heard him call, "See you soon!"

Her brows furrowing in bewilderment, she glanced back at him.

The easy grin was back on his face and he was laughing.

PRESENT

My mother remained downstairs, deep in thought for long after our conversation had ended.

"It's late. I'll tell you whatever else you need to know in time," she promised, sounding exhausted as I rose to leave. "And whatever I don't know, you can ask Isaac. I'm sure you've met him by now."

I glanced back at her in surprise and nodded.

I was apparent that mum intended on keeping her word, for she invited Isaac over for dinner soon after. I wasn't sure how I felt about it yet, wasn't quite ready to trust him after all the questionable vibes he had been giving off in class that day.

But what choice did I have? My mother had no idea. And something told me I would discover more by keeping shush about the details of our first encounter.

Mum had left the house to grab some takeawaywhen Isaac arrived. 

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A/N- I went on a short vacation but now I'm back! School will be starting tomorrow so I won't be able to update as regularly (sorry, I'm a prefect and they pile so much work on us) but I will be updating when I can :D Thank you for reading this and don't forget to leave a comment and vote!!! Love you loads, y'all!