DELICATE / Brandon Darrow

twelve

twelve
sleepover
FIRST PERSON

WE ALL WENT TO Hailey's house and she told us how she went to the police station and she tried to lie but her mom didn't believe her.

"How many times have you done it?" Elisia asked and her tone got serious. "Hailey?"

Hailey looked at her and looked away. "Your dad, Ro, he um, he asked me about the shot gun video," avoiding Elisia's question. "They know. I lied and said I thought it was a prank."

That's when Rowan's phone rang. "Speaking of."

"Hey, you found my board?" Elisia asked rhetorically, getting up to retrieve it.

"Oh, yeah," Rowan nodded while we both got on Hailey's bed.

"It was at the motel," I gave her the full answer.

Then Elisia picked up the teddy bear that was in Hailey's locker. "Where did you get this?"

"Found it in my locker," Hailey shrugged.

"He's mine," Elisia told her, also taking a seat on her bed. "I got him in, like, second grade," she observed it. "Well, stole him, actually."

I noticed Rowan's change in expression. "From who?"

"This kid in my class," Elisia answered nonchalantly. "I took it from his bag. It's kinda messed up actually because he said it was his dad's or something, and it meant the whole world to him, but I told the teacher it was mine and she believed me."

Rowan instigated her more. "Who was the kid, Elisia?"

"Are you thinking that he-"

Rowan cut Elisia off. "He said the name of the game was to figure out who he was," she said. "We thought the clues were to find you but maybe they were to find him."

I broke the silence. "I got a message during the assembly," I looked down, playing with my bracelet.

"What did it say?" Hailey asked.

"He said the only ones that were left were Rowan and I," I answered. "And I'm scared. I don't wanna go home or anything."

Hailey put her arms around me. "You'll be fine," she grabbed my hand. "I got a message yesterday too. It was of a theater mask and then I got a message during the assembly as well. Maybe it's a clue?"

"These violent delights have violent ends?" Elisia read aloud as more of a question then a statement. "What does that even mean?"

Hailey let go of me. "We need Brie."

"You three go," Rowan suggested. "I don't think Brie really wants to see me right now."

♡

We went to Brie's but it ended shortly since Elisia found out that Rowan was seeing her cousin. Hailey and I basically left because there was nothing else we needed.

"Hailey, can I stay over?" I asked her. "My dad isn't home, he's on a business trip plus I don't want to be at my mom's right now," I slightly whispered in embarrassment.

"Because what you told me earlier?" It wasn't exactly a question but more of an observation that sounded like she was unsure to make.

"Yeah," I whispered softly.

Hailey nodded, not pushing me any further. "Of course you can stay."

We walked to her house and snuck in her window and we just talked.

"Let's not talk about Monkey Man tonight. I can't handle it anymore," Hailey demanded.

"That's fine," I nodded.

"Let's talk about something stupid," she suggested until her eyes lit up. "Like you and Brandon."

"There's nothing to talk about," I denied.

"Come on, I know you like him," Hailey continued to badger and for once, everything felt normal.

"No, not really," I shook my head. "I mean, I did at one point when I thought he was this nice guy but it seems people never change."

"What do you mean?"

I sighed. "Brandon and I never used to get along until out of nowhere, he started to be nice to me. I thought being nice back was the way to end our "feud", and it had, but he's still the same asshole he always had been."

"But, didn't you hear Nicki?" She asked. "He hasn't stopped talking about you, even after everything."

"Probably because he feels guilty," I continued to deny her attempt to making it sound like he actually liked me, or what we had was worth anything.

Then we heard a crash downstairs. Hailey looked at me and back at her door. It was super late and we got lost in time so it was much worse. We both got up and held each other's hands. We made it downstairs when we saw her mom on the floor.

Hailey started crying and we both tried to wake up her before I saw someone's shadow.

"Hailey, we have to hide, I saw someone," I whispered very harshly.

She grabbed a knife from her kitchen and we hid behind the counter. We started to hear footsteps. Hailey held on to me like her life depended on it.

"Hailey?" A familiar voice asked.

I got up from our hiding spot, my brows furrowed in confusion and shock. "Sean?"

We both got up from behind the counter and he came towards us, hugging us.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked us.

"Yeah but Hailey's mom won't wake up," I answered while we kneeled next to her.

I grabbed Hailey's hand, comforting her as Sean called the ambulance.

I'm not ready for tomorrow.