SCRIPTUM | A Short Story Collection

Best Friend Betrayal

This was previously posted as a book on my account but I'm not sure if I'm going to continue it so I deleted the book and added it to here. Let me know if you think I should keep writing!

Less than a month ago, Blaise Vana was still the new girl. But she had become quick friends with her buddy, the girl assigned to guide her around school, and by now they were going over to each other's houses after school. But is she really a true friend?

~~~

Less than a month ago, Blaise Vana was still the new girl. But she had become quick friends with her buddy, the girl assigned to guide her around school, and by now they were going over to each other's houses after school. But is she really a true friend?

I've been hiding something my whole life. I've never talked about it or told anyone outside my family. If anyone knew, they would surely use it to blackmail us. Worse, they could easily kill us with it.

The truth is, my family was cursed many generations ago. I don't know how it happened, but I know it has, and that we have to protect ourselves however we can. Our family has possession over a couple dolls. They look just like us. They're basically voodoo dolls, but can do a lot more harm. If someone touches one, we feel it. If they squeeze it, we get strangled. They remain floating in midair day after day, in the middle of a dark room protected by multiple keys. No one can ever know.

"Hello!" Blaise turned around with a smile as her BFF Vanessia Scott appeared behind her.

"Are you ready?" Vanessia groaned. "Come on! We only have twenty minutes of lunch and you're wasting them!"

"Alright." Blaise pulled her pale pink wallet out of her locker - the one that matched Vanessia's - and chased her friend down the hallway.

Ever since the first day - when Blaise had been friendless and was being shown around school by Vanessia - Blaise and Vanessia had realized that they had absolutely everything in common and soon became besties.

"What should we get for lunch?" Blaise asked. Vanessia glanced at the menu and at the same time they cried, "Grilled cheese and lemonade!" and cracked up.

"We're so alike it kills me," Vanessia said. Blaise nodded in agreement.

"C'mon, let's go get our food."

---

As usual, Vanessia and Blaise met up afterschool and got on the same bus. They alternated houses daily, but for the last couple of days Vanessia had decided that they should go to Blaise's house, because her parents were in a fight. Blaise agreed immediately, knowing that best friends should always support each other.

"Let's start our homework," Blaise suggested, plopping down on her plush carpet. Vansesia groaned.

"What about a snack first?"

Blaise sighed. "Ten minutes," she said, and started out of the room.

"I'll be in the bathroom!" Vanessia shouted back, dragging herself up. Blaise felt a shiver as she passed the closet on her way to the kitchen. The closet, disguised as a regular door, lead to a locked door, which lead to another heavily guarded locked door, which lead to the three dolls floating in midair. She was balancing a plate chips, salsa, and lemonade when she tripped over something - or rather, nothing. Flailing her arms, she lost her balance and crashed to the ground - along with the pretty salsa bowl and glass cups.

"Vanessia!" She called. Vanessia appeared by her side a couple minutes later, but it was too late.

"Sorry - I mean - well, sorry about - that must've hurt," Vanessia stuttered. Blaise rolled her eyes.

"Stop your word jumble and help me!" She cried. Vanessia pulled Blaise up, helped her clean off the floor, and passed her a new set of clothes.

"I'll get more food, you go change."

Blaise gratefully headed into the bathroom and when she reappeared, in a fresh set of clothes, Vanessia was holding chips, salsa, and lemonade.

"Alright, let's go."

Blaise grinned. Vanessia was a representation of the model best friend.

"Yeah, five more minutes and I'll be home," Blaise said into her phone, which just happened to match Vanessia's. Vanessia had been waiting patiently at her house while Blaise was at tutoring, and now Blaise was finally on her way home.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Blaise giggled, attracting some stares from other passengers on the bus. "What? Oh, food. Sorry, forgot the chips in the library." Blaise laughed. Suddenly, she coughed and started gasping for breath. It felt like she was getting squeezed around the ribs. She had been holding onto a ceiling ring for balance before, but now she collapsed to the ground.

"Oh! I-I-" she felt like a strong hand was trying to crush her.

"Hey, stop that!" The bus driver yelled. Blaise coughed in response.

"Are you okay? Here take my seat. Do you need an inhaler? Or water perhaps?"

Blaise gratefully took the stranger's seat. She doubled over as the squeeze got tighter, then sat up straight again as it disappeared completely, leaving not a mark.

"Um, thank you," she choked out. "Uh, I think I'm better now. Just happens sometimes, you know?" She managed a fake laugh.

"Well I'm glad you're okay." The stranger smiled. "Stay in the seat, you should take a break."

Ten minutes later, Blaise arrived home to a worried Vanessia.

"Blaise, are you okay? I heard what happened to you on the bus!"

"You, uh, did?" Blaise asked, surprised.

"Yes, yes, my friend was there, she called me. She's the one who lent you the seat. Anyways, you?"
"Oh, I'm fine. Must've just been, well, actually, I don't know. Probably just a cramp." Blaise smiled. "I swear it felt like someone had found - oh, uh, never mind."

"So you're okay?" Vanessia checked.

"Yup!"

"Great, just wanted to be sure. Sit down, I made something special."

"You can't hide a surprise from me," Blaise reminded Vanessia. "I know you made double chocolate cream cheese and Talki bagels."

"Seriously?" Vanessia groaned, picking up a plate and handing it to Blaise. On it was a bagel covered in two layers of deliciously covered chocolate chips, cream cheese, and Takis, the girls beloved but strange food combination.

Blaise had always hated bagels before Vanessia arrived, but that girl somehow managed to talk Blaise into everything. She wasn't really sure when she'd started liking glitter, high ponytails, and ear piercings, since she remembered secretly making fun of girls who did before, but it was probably sometime around when she'd met Vanessia. Or something like that. She didn't quite know, which was strange, considering she had the sharpest memory in the school.

"Vanessia? I think I'm just going to take a nap," Blaise murmured, suddenly feeling groggy. Vanessia stared at her for a couple of seconds, then nodded. Blaise watched as Vanessia's prized locket spun in circles, as if it were hypnotizing her. And before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

Thanks for reading! Vote + comment if you think I should continue writing this! Maybe I'll make it a book again :) Thanks for all the support I've been getting! <3

xx