To My Dearest Enemy

It was an Accident

September 18

"Please stop worrying." The tall brunette said as she looked into Alana's puffy eyes.

"I should've been paying attention and stopped being so impatient and stopped hitting the button!" Alana cried.

"It was a malfunction! You couldn't have avoided it! The machine's a couple years old, we'll replace it, no big." She replied.

"Let me pay. Please, Nat." Alana said as she pulled her cash out of her apron pocket. Nat pushed the cash down.

"No. My mom will. Seriously, it's fine. It was due to happen any day. Luckily nobody got hurt and nothing else was damaged." Nat said.

"Please?" Alana begged.

"No. You give me any money and you'll be getting a bonus on your pay check or in the tip jar." Nat stated.

"Fine." Alana said.

"Now come on, we have orders to fill." Nat said, tugging Alana's arm and dragging her to the kitchen. As they walked, Alana's phone vibrated in her pocket. She slid it out to see the text. She saw it coming.

Silly Alana,

You just cost your boss $180 dollars and some business until the machine is replaced. How could you be so stupid?

J. Doe

———

"Congratulations, Ethan!" Ethan's dad cheered.

"It's nothing." Ethan said modestly.

"You were nominated for best runner in the county!" Ethan's mother added.

"Nominated, not won." Ethan replied.

"We still have to celebrate this accomplishment!" His father said. It was probably a bullshit excuse for them to drink, as were all of Ethan's achievements.

"Yippee." Erin said unenthusiastically.

"Erin, why don't you go set the table?" Their mother asked. She sighed and entered the kitchen.

"I'll go pick out the wine." Ethan muttered, following Erin into the kitchen.

"We could drink to you breathing, honestly. What have you done that we haven't drank to?" Erin asked as she stood on her tip-toes to reach the plates in the cabinet.

"Me dying." Ethan grinned as he slid a bottle of Chardonnay off of the wine rack.

"We can't celebrate that yet." Erin replied.

"Make sure you get the right glasses." Ethan grinned before walking into the dining room with the bottle of wine in his hand. He set it on the table and looked at his phone as he sat down. Erin walked in soon and placed glasses and plates at everyone's place setting. Their father sat down shortly and their mother disappeared into the kitchen. Ethan picked up the bottle of wine, opened it, and poured his glass. Moments later, a text popped up from none other than J. Doe. Ethan took a sip of his wine as he opened the message.

Beloved OverAchiever,

Which wine would you parents drink when celebrating your death? Red, rosé, or white? Chardonnay maybe? Merlot? Pinot Noir?

J. Doe

Ethan began to choke on the wine as he read the message.

"Ethan! Are you alright?" His father worried. Ethan swallowed the wine.

"Yep," he coughed. "just went down the wrong tube. I'm fine." He cleared his throat and read the message again. Was JD out to get him?