Faded Heart

V. Lana Grubbs

For the last couple of hours I have been wandering around the island aimlessly. This has been a reoccurring event these last couple of days due to my need to avoid my house and parents. The idea that they had something to do with Scooter Grubbs death made me anxious. I knew that I would eventually need to get home before my parents sent a search party out for me, but with the lack of cell service, I knew it would take them longer to locate me than normal.

    It was beginning to get dark, but at this point I had made my way back to the familiar area of Figure Eight. I knew it wasn't a good idea being on The Cut this late at night alone. Especially with Kook energy practically radiating off of me. Those locals would see me as just another rich girl trying to avoid going home to insignificant problems. At least here, I can blend in and no one would question why I am walking around with no true destination.

     I guess I wasn't the only person wandering around Figure Eight at this hour though. A few feet in front of me is a brunette girl who looked oddly familiar. At first, I couldn't remember where I recognized her from, but she seemed lost and I didn't want her to get arrested for trespassing. Like me, it seems as though she is trying to avoid something.

"Hey!" I yell, running up to the girl. I attempted to remain calm even though I am slightly concerned with an out of towner walking around the island by themselves. The closer I got to her, the more I recognized her. It dawned on me that she was the girl that Rafe had choked at the party. "Are you okay? You look lost."

    The brunette rubs the back of her neck, seemingly unsure of what to say next. She hesitates before responding, "I uh... Yeah actually. I'm looking for Cameron's house."

    "I figured." I nod, remembering how close that girl seemed to Sarah Cameron when I first saw them at the party. I'd never seen a sympathetic side of Sarah until she was helping this mystery girl that night. I waved my hand, signaling to the girl that I could take her where she wanted to go. "It's just a few houses down. You almost made it."

    With a quick jog, the girl was at my side, catching up to my long strides. It looked as though she was trying to get a read on me and her face was growing increasingly more skeptical of me. Did she know that I knew who she was?

"Do I uh-Do I know you from somewhere?" She asked, her hand running across her neck once again. There was a look of realization in her eyes when she did in fact realize she recognized me from somewhere.

"No actually." I sighed, intertwining my hands in front of me and letting my long legs trudge me forward, the mysterious brunette still at my side. "I was at the party when Rafe...y'know. How have you been since then?"

The stranger took the bottom of her lip between her teeth and bit down softly. It must have been her defense mechanisms kicking in. As I wait for her response, I led her across the street to the driveway of the Cameron's house.

"I've definitely been better to say the least...I guess that's part of the reason why I'm here and not back in Greenville." She replies hesitantly, still uncomfortable that I am a stranger. I kind of felt bad for her, she seemed to be in a bad situation.

But for some reason, I liked her. She gives off good vibes. I also really appreciated how much hell she gave Rafe the night he choked her. That suggested that she didn't let people push her around easily.

Realizing that I was, in fact, standing in front of the Cameron's house, my eyes darted from the girl to the house. I didn't want to be here, even if it was to just drop her off.

If the Cameron's recognize me, they will call my parents and give away my location. "Well." I say nervously, my fingers beginning to rub against each other as a signal of my nerves. I motioned towards the large mansion, "This is your stop. I have to warn you though, there's a party happening out at the Boneyard right now, so I don't know when Sarah will be home. If I could, I'd stay and keep you company, but my mom needs me to help her around my place." I lie.