Fundamental Flaws

7. "I Heard He Killed a Man."

I pocketed my car keys as I walked up the driveway and around the fountain fixture.

My car keys.

Huh.

I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'd wanted a car since the very first Sunday drives with Dad. When I'd pretend to steer and he would let me turn the key in a rush of innocent euphoria. It had been exhilarating learning to drive.

I'd only maimed one trash can - the one outside our house - during my first real driving lesson. Because of my natural skill and quick reflexes, I'd avoided the second can by taking a shortcut through mom's flowerbed.

Ah...The rush of success.

On another note, Dad had chosen to wear his combat helmet and vest for the rest of our drives. How dramatic. I'd got my license eventually; it had only taken two years.

I smiled at the happy memory. I'd been missing my dad a lot this week. When I couldn't get my pulse to slow down and my thoughts to stop racing, he would've known what to do. I wish-

I gave a little shake of my head and brushed the thought away. I'm at a party. I'm here to have fun.

I could hear people inside but no music yet. I guess I was earlier than I thought. With a deep breath, I grabbed the knocker and swung it towards the door I'd knocked on a hundred times last summer.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The large door whooshed open and I was greeted with a blonde hair flip, a freshly manicured hand on the hip and a grin wider than the Grand Canyon.

"Where is it?" Chelsea demanded as she grabbed my arm and dragged me to the street I'd just come from.

"Chels-"

"Where's our car?" She continued hand on her forehead, head swiveling left to right, in search of a car she'd never seen.

"It's-"

"Is it this one?" Chelsea quizzed peering into a stranger's window curiously. The girl inside let out a strangled whelp of surprise and rolled down her window but Chelsea had already moved on to the next one.

I yelled a sorry over my shoulder and took brisk steps to catch up with Chelsea's long strides.

"Chelsea, heel!" I tried.

She stopped suddenly and turned around in a whirlwind of sass, returning her hand to its usual place on her hip.

"Don't you dare give me that A." Chelsea started, wagging her finger in my face, "You've been MIA the whole break. You missed Jackson's party. Not one phone call or text or snap back. You could've been kidnapped for all we know. A lot can happen in a week."

Didn't I know it.

I swallowed not knowing what to say. I wiped my sweaty hands on my trousers. That feeling was back again.

Pitter. Patter.

I dig my nails into my palms and take a deep breath to calm down. You're okay Aleah.

"Lea?"

Me and Chelsea both turn our heads towards the direction of the voice. I breathed a sigh of relief as Ellie made her way toward us.

"I know you texted before girl, but I wasn't sure you were coming." Ellie grinned wide, genuinely happy to see me. A pit of guilt instantly settled at the bottom of my stomach.

"Your mom gave you the muffins I made for you right? I would've been at your house every day since you got sick but Mama Maya had your whole house on lockdown and wouldn't let me in. She said she wasn't going to risk the rest of us catching whatever you had-"