The Ruins Of You

One

If I could describe my best friend in one word it would most definitely be curious. Too curious.

I sit next to Reagan in chemistry class and listen as she chatters on about an old house she found past the cherry woods. I'm used to this, Reagan dragging me along to her little adventures that usually end up with me getting creeped out and going home in the middle of the night with images I'll never be able to get out of my head.

Reagan Torrough is my best friend, and let me tell you some things about her: She likes to read murder mystery's and watch horror movies, she has black hair and blue eyes, and she likes to look up murders that have happened in our town and drag me along to check out the location of them.

I'm Juno Railer, a short girl with bright red hair who can't say no to her best friend, who likes rock and roll music, brownies, and sleep.

"Apparently they found tons of crack there last year and then the house was boarded up and left to rot." She whispered to me as I tried to ignore her and pay attention to Mr. Wright, who was teaching a lesson on the chalk board.

"If it's boarded up maybe we shouldn't go, who knows what else could be in there?" I whispered back, writing a few notes down in my notebook.

Reagan pulled out her phone and checked the time. "Look Juno, if you ditch the rest of the school day with me and go with me to the abandoned crack house I won't make you go with me anywhere else for the rest of the week." She said, shoving her phone back into the pocket of her tight black skinny jeans.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. "It's too early for your shit Reagan. I don't think this is a good idea and I'm really not in the mood to walk all the way through the cherry woods to go break into an abandoned crack house."

Reagan let out a annoyed sigh and stabbed my arm with the tip of her pencil. I pulled back and rubbed the tiny hole in my arm. "If you don't go with me I'll go on my own and if I die then I'm blaming you." She said, and pointed the pencil to my face.

"Alright my class that's all the notes I have for you today I think we are all good here. There's no homework, you are dismissed." Mr. Wright shouted to the class as he scrubbed the chalkboard.

I sighed again and slung my backpack over my shoulder. Reagan did the same and followed me outside the classroom.

"Come on Juno, maybe we'll find a cute boy there." She begged.

"Yeah Reagan, we're gonna find a cute boy in the middle of cherry woods during school hours in an abandoned crack house. If you do, you can have him." I remarked sarcastically as we turned the corner of the A hall.

"Please Juno." She begged, clinging to my right arm.

Before I could answer her pleads she pulled me out the south doors to the cold October air of our little town.

"No, no, no, no." I yelled at her. "Mm, no." I tried to pull my arm out of her grasp, but I forgot about Reagans death grip.

I whined and pouted. "Reagan, I said 'no' you brat now let me go. I actually care about my future unlike some people." She pulled me through the parking lot and towards the beginning of the Cherry Woods.

My the soles of my shoes scrapped against the pavement as I struggled. Why must Reagan be so damn strong?