The Accident: Based On A True Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

It's been two days since I missed school after waking up late at Carmen's and I haven't went back.

"This is an important message from Rayden High School. Your child, Casey Carpenter, missed one or more classes today -", the answer machine stated. I quickly hit the delete button only to hear the same message again. I deleted that one as well.

(Text message from Carmen) "Hey, I'm here."

I went to the door to let Carmen in. I would have camped out at Carmen's, like I have been during school hours, but Sarah started work today so I knew she wouldn't be home until after school ended anyways.

"Okay, so there's a party tonight. You down?", she asked as she walked inside.

"Yeah.", I replied.

"I brought what I'm wearing.", she said. " Let's find you something.

Hesitantly, I agreed. I haven't let anyone in my room since Ryan and Summer were alive.

We went upstairs and into my room.

"Renovating?", she asked referring to all of the sheets covering Ryan's things.

"Yeah.", I lied as I walked to my closet.

Carmen looked at my clothes with me.

"Ooh what about this?", she asked holding up a small cropped top with no sleeves. I knew I couldn't wear anything without sleeves.

"I'm thinking about something with sleeves.", I replied.

"Okay.", she said continuing to look. "You know this would be so much easier if you had more things with sleeves.

"Well I have jackets that I can wear over something else if I need to.", I said.

While I continued to look, Carmen sat on my bed picking up a picture frame on my nightstand that was lying down. It was of me and Ryan.

"Dude, you have a twin?!", she asked.

"No, I don't.", I told her as I took the picture and put it in my closet.

Curiously, she asked, "Where is she?"

Taking a moment, I finally tell her.

"Dead."

"Damn.", she replied deciding not to bring it up anymore. I think she finally put it together that I wasn't renovating but instead, the other side of the room belonged to Ryan, my twin. She didn't push it.

Back downstairs, dressed and nearly ready, we played music, did a couple lines, and started applying our makeup. Singing and dancing to the music, we were having a good time.

"It's eight. What time should we leave here?", I asked Carmen.

"Probably soon. I need to stop to pick up.", she replied. Picking up is a term used to imply you need to get something drug related. Alcohol, weed, coke, anything like that. When you have the money and connections that Carmen does, you can find anything. I decided on wearing that top Carmen picked out with my black bomber jacket, ripped skinny jeans and wedges. Carmen wore a skirt and tied shirt that allowed everyone to see her belly button piercing as well as a tattoo of a flower on her lower stomach that was partially covered by her skirt.

"Liam said he'll meet us there. Did he text you?", she asked.

"Yeah, I got it.", I responded.

"Let's go. I have to stop to get gas too.", Carmen said.

We both grabbed our bags, phones, and whatever else we needed and walked out the front door.

"What did you mean by be careful with Liam?", I asked as she drove.

"Liam is a good person when he wants to be. Especially as a friend. But he has issues. His whole family does. I don't think its my place to get into it but if there's any advice I could give you, it'd be to just keep it as friends. Nothing more.", she replied.

What does that even mean? Is he going to murder me in my sleep if I started dating him? Does he have schizophrenia or something? Her reply still didn't quite answer my question.

Keep it at a friendship. I can do that.