Decadent

Chapter Sixteen: Dominated

    My eyes widen as I close the laptop then get off the couch. I want to throw up the bowl of cereal I ate...and I didn't even eat all of it. I waste no time walking out the door.

    Did the stalker know where Joziah's body was or did they just go on the local news and see it? Surely, it hasn't been up there long. It's only about six thirty in the morning.

    Or is my stalker the killer?

    The thought sends chills down my spine. No, I don't want to think about that. I only just want to push away this stalker's existence. Maybe if I ignore him/her they'll eventually give up or something.

    As I walk outside towards my car, my phone vibrates in my pocket. With a sharp intake of air, I pull it out and answer. “Hello?” I say angrily.

    “Whoa, someone is not a morning person,” Tori says brightly on the other line.

    “Oh...hey, Tori. Sorry. I thought you were someone else,” I admit.

    “Hm...well, whoever it is, I'm glad I'm not them,” she says. “Anyways, happy seventeenth birthday to you! Please tell me that I'm the first that said it!”

    “Yep. Congratulations,” I congratulate blandly. I'm way too tired to focus on anything right now.

    “So...I got you a birthday present,” she tells me. “Are you going to school?”

    “Yeah. I'm going to my car actually. Why?”

    “Because...I'm thinking about having you check out so you can see my present that I got you. I believe you'll absolutely love it. It's perfect for you.”

    “Please tell me it isn't clothes because I don't wear extra larges anymore,” I complain with a frown.

    “Nope. It's not clothes. Don't guess! You might actually get it. Anyways, you're checking out. There's no doubt about it, and I won't take 'no' for an answer so resisting is futile.”

    “I don't ever remembering you being so cheerful in the mornings...like ever. You're ridiculously happy right now.”

    “Silly. That's because I get to see you! It's been so long!”

    I'm seriously getting tired of her talking to me like I'm a puppy or something. And I seriously do not remember her ever being this happy.

    Something is up.

    “Tori, seriously, what's this about? This isn't some cruel joke, is it?” I ask her with a frown. “You've never given me this much attention before...ever.”

    “Well, that was in the past. This is now. I'm going to do things with you that I should have done a long time ago when we were in middle school...and that was pay more attention to you. But you know how Kent was...or is...he's still an ass.”

    “I can agree with you there,” I say with a nod as I get in my car and begin to pull out of my driveway.

    “So...I'm checking you out at lunch. You better be ready. My mom will drop me off at the school, and I'll go into the office and ask for you...then you can drive me around.”

    “Awesome,” I mutter. “But I'm going to need gas money.”

    “What?” Tori complains.

    “Do you want to be driven around?” I ask her.

    “Yes.”

    “Then you'll give me some gas money,” I growl. God, I'm getting tired of driving people around...I don't mind Dante...but everyone else is going to start giving me gas money.