✓ | WELCOME TO DEADTOWN → original

eleven

KAYDEN TURNER WAS SO SICK OF HER BOYFRIEND AND HIS STUPID FUCKING PARTIES. It was weird, because as the girlfriend of the one of the most well know football players in their small town, you'd think she'd love parties. Wrong. Parties were where Kyle got drunk. Parties were where everything seemed to happen, especially in Slayden. But Kyle made her go to every single one, and there was little excuse she could give that would get her out of it.

So now here she was. Standing in the middle of a crowded room with idiotic people throwing bottles and jumping into Kyle's pool fully clothed. It was right after the murders as well, which just made the whole thing seem even more unreal. Didn't anyone care?

Plus, she had just seen Aiden walk in. She hadn't been able to keep track of him for long though, before Kyle had shoved her towards the kitchen. If anything, that just made her more sick. He probably fucking hated her now.

She looked around and saw Kyle standing with Ethan and Marcus, two more football players. They were setting up a game of beer pong, and she really didn't want to stand around and watch it. She spotted Casey and Holland conversing in tense voices by the stairs, and decided to go talk to them. She slipped through the open spaces as people moved out of her way and plastered a smile on her face as she neared the pair.

"Hey guys," She said, leaning against the wall as Holland jumped, turning in her direction.

"Hey, Kayden," Holland said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Casey looked away, swirling the beer in his plastic cup.

"This is ridiculous," Kayden said after an awkward pause, gesturing to the party. "Hosting a party right after the murders and shit?"

"Exactly," Holland rolled her eyes, and Casey said suddenly, "Why don't you go tell the fucking host if it's so ridiculous? He's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Kayden drew back at the malice in his voice, her brow drawing together. "What?"

Holland pressed her lips together. "Case-"

"Go tell him it's ridiculous," Casey cut across his best friend, his eyes slicing into Kayden's. "You're his girlfriend and you love him, so tell him."

Kayden laughed nervously, her eyes shifting from his face to Holland's. "Um, I don't understand-"

"How can you not understand?" Casey said, squinting at her. "Are you fucking stupid?"

Kayden's mouth dropped open, and she felt as if she had just been slapped. Holland shoved Casey's shoulder. "What the fuck, Casey! Why would you say that?"

"Kayden?" A voice said, and Kayden turned to see Kyle, pushing his way past a group of sophomores. His hair hung into his bloodshot eyes, and his gaze fell to Holland and Casey before focusing on her. "Can I talk to you?"

Kayden's body turned to ice. She turned back to Holland, who's gaze dropped to her own cup of vodka.

"Better go," Casey sneered. "Your boyfriend needs you."

Kayden's stomach folded in on itself, and she swallowed hard, wondering what the hell had happened since they had all banded together the day before. When none of them spoke, she turned and walked away, throwing her own plastic cup on the floor of the house.

"Hey, you disappeared on me," Kyle said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Kayden shrugged it off. "I'm fine, okay?"

He drew back, looking back at Holland and Casey. "What happened over there?

"Nothing," Kayden said again, her tone sharp.