Purgatech: Jess' Horror

Chapter 8

Jess's phone chimed for the millionth time that morning. She gritted her teeth and silenced it before shoving it into her pocket. She didn't need to look at the display to know it with Kyle again.

She put the last of her sweaters into the suitcase on her bed before attempting to zip it closed. "Come on," she said, throwing herself on top of the suitcase with all her weight. "I don't have time for this."

"You realize we are only going to be gone for a month, right?" Erica said behind her, laughing as she came into the room.

"That's really helpful. What would be even more helpful is if you would haul that big butt of yours over here and help me close it."

Erica slugged Jess on the arm before complying with her request. With the two of them putting their full weight on top of the suitcase, Jess was finally able to force the zipper closed.

"Finally! I didn't think it would take so long."

Jess slid the suitcase from the bed and stood it upright. She pulled up the handle and wheeling it out into the hall just as her phone pinged in her pocket again.

"You know he's never going to stop until you answer him, right?" Erica said, following after her.

Jess rolled her eyes. "The last thing I need is another argument and you know that's exactly what's going to happen if I pick up so..."

"So, what? That's it? Are you guys like officially broken up or what?"

Jess shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know."

"But you did tell him you didn't want to see him for now right?"

"Yeah. But –"

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all, you know? I mean, it's one thing that we decided to drop out of school for a month and go live in this creepy-assed house. But it's another for you to do it when you know Dylan's the one running it."

"I told Kyle that Dylan has nothing to do with this."

Erica turned to her, tilting her head to one side and grinning at her. "Really?"

"He doesn't, I swear!"

"All I know is you never said anything about dropping out of school before you found out Dylan was back in town."

"Well, I might not have said anything about it but I've been thinking about it for a while. After everything that's going on lately, and then Gram...I just...Need a break, that's all."

"And the fact that you're taking this break and moving into this house where you're going to be seeing Dylan every day? That has nothing to do with it?"

"You know what?"

Jess could barely contain the anger bubbling up inside her. Before she said anything she would regret, she grabbed her jacket from the hook by the door, shoved it on and then pulled open the front door.

"I never twisted your arm to do this with me Erica. So, if this is about you being too scared to take a chance on something, then maybe you shouldn't."

Jess headed out onto the porch and pulled her suitcase down the steps. The thump-thump-thump of the case hitting the wood filled the silence between them.

"Jess. Come on now. Don't get mad at me, please," Erica called out to her from the front entryway. "Would you hold on a minute and talk to me here?"

But Jess shook her head, yanking open the back door and hauling her suitcase up onto the back seat. "I'm giving you an out, alright? If you wanna bail on this, do it now."