DELICATE / Brandon Darrow

twenty

twenty
the scope
FIRST PERSON

I SAW ROWAN AND Elisia sitting far apart from each other, talking. I knew this was only because Elisia found out about her and Jake.

"Guys," I started, sitting down between them. "I found this in Trevor's backpack," I pulled out the scope.

"So this is what you found the other day," Rowan nodded in understanding, saying this more to herself.

"Are you okay?" Elisia asked me.

Shit. I forgot I only told Elisia about what happened on my walk home because I knew she wouldn't react much unlike Rowan would. Besides, she had also been attacked so we both bonded over it.

But now Rowan stared at me in confusion, silently asking me to connect the dots.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I nodded honestly, playing with my bracelet.

"What happened?" Rowan questioned, moving to sit closer to me.

I hesitated. "When I was walking home the other day, I got a message from Pig Mania. He said look behind you," I started. "I turned around and saw someone in a pig mask then looked in front of me and saw someone in a monkey mask," I paused to take a quick breath.

Thankfully Hailey interrupted which redirected their attention on her. "Note in my locker, really?" I moved over towards Elisia so the blonde could sit, and when she did, she continued, "seeing you guys gives me anxiety."

"Hey, Elisia got attacked last night," Rowan argued.

Hailey's face drained color as she felt guilty, turning to look over at us as Elisia nodded. "Someone in a bunny mask. He shot me with a paintball gun," she raised her shirt to show a bruised mark on her back.

"A bunny mask?" Hailey questioned. "I saw someone in a pig and monkey mask."

I gave her a confused look. "Me too. When?"

"At my audition," Hailey answered. "They drove off in a blue truck. I didn't want to say anything-"

"Yeah, we get it. Ignore, ignore, ignore," I snapped.

Her lips pursed as she turned away from me. "Should we leave town?"

"Is that your solution for everything? Just leave?" Elisia rose her voice, being reasonably upset over how she had been acting the past few days. "Why don't we take a bunch of pills? We could do that."

"Is that why you're mad?" Hailey asked.

I zoned out of their conversation. For some reason, I wasn't feeling like myself anymore. I wasn't acting different but something inside of me felt off. I think it's just because life had changed drastically for the worse and I wasn't used to it— I didn't want to be used to it.

Rowan took me out of my own toxicity. "You coming?"

"Uh, no," I shook my head. "I'm going to head over to Brandon's and see if I can find anything."

That was a lie. I know it's hypocritical for me to get mad at Hailey for not wanting any part of it when I'm intentionally ditching them to get my own peace. I swallowed the guilt.

Rowan hesitantly nodded. "Okay. Call me if something happens or if you need anything," I nodded, getting ready to walk away until she gently stopped me. "Just...stay safe, alright? We don't know what he's capable of."

I nodded with a soft smile. "I promise, Ro."