September 17, 2010

Friday

11:00 PM

I spoke to Jay an hour ago. The talk was short but nice.

We hadn't spoken since Kristin's funeral, and I always felt like he was angry with me for how things went. I mean, it was five years ago, but she was his best friend too. She was everyone's best friend.

He told me he'd gotten married last year, and they have another baby on the way. Apparently, he met this girl named Janine at his parents' church after graduating from UCLA with a degree in engineering, and they hit it off almost instantly. With what little I got from him, I was able to find her Facebook, and I knew when I saw her why he'd fallen so quickly.

She's a breast cancer survivor, works at Saint Ann's as a pediatric nurse, has a golden retriever and a collie named Max and Jodi, and is British.

I spent hours on Firefox researching this stranger until I knew almost everything about her. She was five feet, seven inches. She went to the same high school as us, and after going through her Facebook photos, I learned that she was a theater kid. She was at our school for a year before transferring to a gifted academy and then graduating early.

I couldn't help but wonder why she'd choose him.

No offense to Jay, but the only impressive or notable thing about him is the fact that an Ivy League wanted him to attend after graduation, but he had to decline since his parents couldn't afford it.

He worked as a barista and dogsitter throughout high school, barely having time to unwind or anything.

We all felt sorry for him, but judging by his newfound success, I'm sure he feels sorry for us.

As I was shutting off the computer, I heard rattling in my closet, and this time, I slowly turned my head to the right.

My heart was racing in an upward motion, soon finding its way into my throat like an unchewed marshmallow.

I have neither pets nor a roommate or a spouse. Yes, this apartment is old, but until last week, I didn't hear any pipes rattling, water dripping, or boots squeaking up and down the hall.

I went to the closet, taking steps so slowly that you'd think I was approaching a lion, or that I was the soon-to-be-dead actress in a horror film.

For the first time, the knob was ice-cold, and I couldn't help but make a face at my hand.

I didn't know what else to expect but that same man in the trench coat, squeaky boots, and suede hat. I never saw his face, hands, or feet-nothing but his silhouette in the corner of my eye, and occasionally his back.

I had to take deep breaths with my eyes closed, ignoring the unrelenting thoughts of the entity attacking me.

On the fifth breath, before I could exhale, I yanked the door open, and my lungs deflated when I saw my coats and dresses swaying on hangers.

⌦ .｡.:*♡

A.N. I've been combing through this story and the chapters I have scheduled to post, and for some reason, it feels empty. It's like something is missing, but I can't figure out what it is.

Are the characters bland? Does the world building need work? Please let me know!

The next update will be on May 26, 2024, at noon EST.