After the police and the fire department arrived and took our statements, we all went home.
I keep thinking about what I told the police...
"We were all inside. I heard the window break and an engine speed off." I said.
"And you didn't happen to look out the window or see anyone?" The cop asked.
"No. I have no idea who would do this to us."
Daniel seemed angry with me when I left. It was our chance to come clean about everything with Mina, but I couldn't tell him what she said. I'm not going to let her hurt him.
I tried facetiming him.
rnnnnnng. rnnnnng. rnnnng.
"Hello?" he sighed.
"Daniel. Hey." I say, sitting up in my bed.
"What do you want...?" He huffs.
"I just wanted to see how you were, you know, after today." I say.
"Honestly..."
Daniel takes several seconds before answering me.
"...I'm pissed. We— you could have told the police the truth but you didn't. And all that dumb shit you've been doing with Carson in MY house?! Seriously! I thought you were my friend!" He yells.
"Daniel, I am your best friend. I know things have been crazy but I don't see how this is my fault." I explain.
"Sure. You're only banging my friend and pissing off his ex." He spits out at me.
"Daniel—"
"Bye."
Just like that, Daniel hangs up on me.
I thought talking to him would make me feel better but I feel 10 times worse and to top it all off I have no one else that I can talk to about this.
My eyes start to sting as tears fall down my cheeks.
bzzzz bzzzzz
My phone vibrates and I reluctantly look down at my screen.
Unknown: you better stop crying you stupid bitch. we're meeting at cedar retreat park in an hour
Seeing this just pisses off, so I angrily wipe away my tears and hop out of bed. I take off my jeans and slip on some leggings just in case I'll have to run.
I reach under my bed and pull out a cardboard box full of old pictures of me and my friends. I dig to the bottom and grab the knife and taser I have stashed there and stick them in my purse.
If I'm gonna go there, I'm going to be ready to fight.
And win.
Cedar Retreat Park is only a mile away, so I start walking.
The sun has nearly set and it's getting dark. I check my phone and pick up the pace.
Once I get there, I send a text to Mina.
"I'm at the park. Where are you?"
My hands are shaking and the only light is coming from the dimly lit street lamp a few hundred feet over.
I hear foot steps softly crunching on the mulch and I don't move at all. They get closer and closer and my heart pounds against my rib cage.
"Jada." A voice calmly says.
I nearly jump out of my skin as I whip around to face the voice.
A girl with caramelly tan skin stands behind me. I look up at her and the moonlight catches her green eyes. She is strikingly beautiful but something about her is menacing.
I can't find words, so the girl speaks first.
"I'm so glad you came, babe. We've got a lot to chat about." She giggles.
"Y-you are Mina?" I stutter.
"I-I am," Mina stutters back at me. "Loosen up, chica, or this is going to be a long fucking night."
She walks past me and sits on a swing.
I slowly follow and stand off to the side of her.
"What do you want from me?" I ask.
She twirls her fingers through her chocolately brown hair and thinks for a second. "Hmm, I don't really want anything. Except Carson back, and maybe you dead."
"You know that's not happening." I say firmly.
Mina comes to a stop on the swing and stands up, walking closer to me.
"Are you telling me no, you stupid bitch?"
I clutch my purse and try to unzip it without her noticing.
She grabs my arm so fast and digs her long nails into them.
"Give me the purse, Jada." She said through gritted teeth.
"N-no." I whimper.
Her nails dig farther into my arm and she pulls them across the flesh of my forearm, tearing my skin.
"Ahhh—!" I start to yelp but Minah pushes me to the ground hard and slaps me across the face.
"You're going to shut the fuck up and you're going to do it NOW." Minah sits on top of me as I squirm.
I spit in her face keep wriggling around.
"Let—Me—Go—" I grunt.
Just then, I hear someone approaching.
I get my hands free from Mina's grasp and I pull them off of my mouth just long enough to let out a cry,
"Help!"
The dimly lit street lamp fizzles out and the darkness showers over us.
"Mm! Mmmm." I try my best to make noise so that the person can hear me.
I feel another pair of hands on me and a familiar voice speaks.
"Let's drag her back to the treeline and finish this."
It's Daniel.
