Fighting For You: a FanFiction (for my friend)

Two: Go Home

Over a decade ago, things would be different. Melissa and I, along with our friend who completed our trio, Zara, stuck together through the entirety of middle school. We were always there for each other, whether it was helping Melissa decide what filter to use or calming Zara's nerves before a big presentation, we were practically sisters. 

Then high school happened. Melissa found Bianca Hamilton, the up and coming it-girl, to latch onto, Zara sunk into the crowd, and me... I just rolled with the punches. I never really had a best friend until college- I floated around, with no one truly knowing who I was. 

But it's not middle school anymore, and somehow I managed to screw over one of the richest, spoiled brats of the city. Things weren't looking too hot.

When I walked into my apartment complex, the doorman let me know I had a package. I didn't exactly remember ordering anything recently.

Nevertheless, I grabbed the unmarked package that had my name scribbled on it like a fourth-grader. The bottom was wet, a pool of something soaking through the cardboard box. But Jesus the smell. The smell was rotten, a stench that stung your nostrils if you breathed too hard. 

As soon as I got to my apartment, I went to work to open the box; I had to figure out whatever the hell was making that horrible smell. I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut through the tape to find ... a dead fish.

I yelped and jumped back, almost falling over my coffee table. My heart was pounding, for I knew what this meant. 

A dead fish only meant one thing:  a threat by one of the most prominent purge gangs in the city. 

The Hounds. 

The Hounds were hired by the rich and powerful of the city to do their dirty work on Purge Night. From politicians with opposing agendas to poor old interns with attitudes: if it was a little too close to Purge Night, you can kiss your life goodbye. They'd hunt you down and take you out within 12 hours just like that. 

The dead fish stared at me with it's one clouded eye, glassy, dead, almost as it was reflecting my fate back to me. 

Suddenly I heard a knock at the door and I screamed. I covered my mouth and froze, waiting. Purge hasn't started yet, you're fine Piper, I told myself. Yet I stood still, waiting for a bullet to go through that door. 

"It's Cameron! I wanna talk!" 

I sighed in relief, relaxing before opening the door.

"Hey- Jesus what's that smell?"

"Why don't you look for yourself," I said, opening the door for him to enter. He stepped inside, and upon viewing the dead fish, started to gag. He covered his mouth with his shirt.

"Oh God, that's awful."

"I know." I rolled my eyes, closing the box. 

"Who sent that to you?"

"Who do you think?" I grabbed the box and quickly walked to the balcony in my bedroom, Cameron following close behind. I opened the door and looked out, making sure no one was walking below before I threw the package over. The splat of the fish box hitting the pavement made us shiver.  I turned to him. "The Hounds."

"Oh. Jesus, I-"

"Save it, I don't need your pity, I'll be fine. Why did you come here anyway?"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry, even before the... fish thing." He ran his fingers through his bleached hair, trying to find the words. "You deserve more than being a side chick."

I almost laughed. Was he really apologizing to me, the girl he cheated with, instead of his actual girlfriend? I laid a hand on his shoulder. "Cameron, your priorities are way off, buddy. Look, just go home and go fix your relationship, kay?"

I walked back inside to the kitchen, grabbing a rag from the kitchen sink to wipe down the kitchen table. I could feel his presence following me like a puppy.

"But I don't want to." He whined. 

"What do you mean?"

"I," He shifted his weight before sitting down on my couch as if I told him he could. "I never really liked her, ya know? She's so... uptight. That's why I was at the bar last night. To find someone new so I could... live again."

"Yeah, well, while you're living, I'm going to be dead if I don't lock up soon so please take care, and leave-"

Suddenly he jumped up to a stance. "I won't let that happen."  He came close, face to face with intense brown eyes. "You're not going to die tonight."

"Cameron-" Before I could say anything else, he pulled me in close and gave me a kiss. He stepped back, waiting for a response. 

"Go home. We'll talk later... if there is a later."

Not what he expected. His shoulders slumped, his puppy dog ears flopping over. "Alright," He muttered. 

Now is not the time. I told myself, watching him exit my apartment.  I can't be making new connections.

You can lose anyone on Purge Night.