𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 • 𝘱.𝘴

4; Peggy

Peggy Schuyler's POV

Lately I have decided on sleeping in my car until I can find a permanent place to stay. I didn't want to be tracked. Speaking of being tracked, I probably shouldn't have taken my phone with me. But it doesn't matter. In fact, nothing does. It never did anyway. I recently went shopping and bought myself many outfits to match my new alias.
I pressed a cigarette to my red lips as I leaned against my car, scrolling through the news articles on my phone.
     MISSING PERSON: PEGGY SCHUYLER
by Rita Smith
Peggy Schuyler has gone missing on May 3, 2019. Her sisters, Angelica Schuyler and Elizabeth Schuyler, claimed that—

I didn't want to read anymore. It made me feel sick. I left the headline and searched for local clubs or bars to go to. I felt that I should drown out my sorrows with bright neon lights, liquor, and attractive people. But I found myself searching my previous address. Never would I think that I would want to return to New York, but I felt drawn to it. Honestly, I indeed missed my friends. But my sisters? I will never miss the way they treated me. They're dead to me.

I shook my head. I don't care about them. And they don't care about me. If they did, I wouldn't be in this mess. I opened my car door, entered, and closed it behind me as I started the engine and drove to a local bar.
•••
I opened the bar's doors and sat down. I scanned the area to find someone to socialize with. A dark haired young woman caught my eye. She wore a blue dress, and had mocha eyes. I walked over to her, feeling pretty confident.
"Hey there,"
"Oh— uh— hi," she stuttered. I smiled.
"I'm Maria Lewis," I introduced myself. I'm still not quite used to the name yet.
"would you mind if I were to buy you a drink?"
"Oh you don't have to." The girl said.
"My name is Veronica. Veronica Sawyer. I haven't seen you around here before. Are you from here?"
I shook my head.
"I'm from New York." I said as I sat down beside her. We started up a conversation until a tall man with dark circles under his eyes approached our table. He donned a dark trench coat that looked as if it had things stashed in it. He held a slushee in his hand.
"Oh hi J.D.," Veronica said, waving to the man.
He waved at her.
"Who's this?" He asked, motioning towards me.
"This is Maria."
J.D. looked at me with an odd look in his dark eyes. To assert my dominance, I stared back at him, making deep eye contact.
"Hello," I said, not breaking eye contact.
"Hi," he responded, holding my gaze. This guy felt weird. His presence made me want to cower, but he just looked like an emo drug addict.
Veronica laughed awkwardly, noticing our unspoken competition.
I turned away from J.D.
"Hey Veronica, can I have your phone number?" I asked.
"Sure," she responded as she wrote on a napkin.
"Here," she said, handing it to me.
"Cool, thanks!" I smiled.
J.D. narrowed his eyes at me. I was definitely trying to steal his girlfriend, and he knew it.
"We'll I'm going to go now," I said as I stood up. "Bye Veronica! I'll call you." I winked as I blew her a kiss and walked away. I felt J.D.'s cold glare on my back as I left the bar, feeling satisfied.