One of us did it.

believe five years had passed already. I can still remember everything like i

, just like the inside is murky and treacherous. I watch till the figures of my past are completel

er. As I turn around, I see my mom. "Honey,

tands the implication of him coming back, but she's

taps on my shoulder. I nod

and what might happen with him around,

oor pulls me out from meditating further. I turn my face t

at me like I'm a bag full of mashed potatoes. She hates mashed potatoes. Standing in front of my

bed. "Nope," I say simply,

appening. After my dreadful shower, I get ready for school by putting on short-ripped jeans that are way above my knee, and I wear a white t-shirt that reads NEW YORK-ISH. I brush concealer over my face while glancing in the mirror. I then line my eyes with black mascara. I appear powerful because of it. However, I truly am a sixteen-year-old girl who is

urry to the dining area where I perce

me mindlessly as she dish

as I approach t

etter. She has been for the past five years. And I feel horrible for making them worry about me. I wish I could make them

with a small voice. My eyes

me on my head. "Go take a seat,"

bit relieved his face is not as stoned as usual. Charity takes her seat, same with my mom. Mr. Langford stands behind Mom, and places his h

out the News," Mr. Langford says.

arity says wi

n understand why she's not scared. The truth is, I'm frightened about the news,

angford clear

sir," Charit

at beast anywhere near my family." I hate the fact that we are having this conversation, but

." I stand up

'm honestly sorry that I'm unable to eat the food she made speci

I have to go," I tell her as I pi

's 7 am," she adds,

obediently sit my ass down. "There are rules I came up with, rules that everyone is going to oblige while the monster is around." He finally sits next to Mom, while I fall in the c

with rage, like anybody who breaks them has him to contend with. He pauses. Right now I can feel his glares, but not even for a second do I

" I w

shes out his chair and stands up. He picks up his jacket from

r. Langford's car fade out, another car arrives. The sound of it is

mmm

rk, even in the middle of the day. It is as if it's under a cloud of doom. Mrs. Oscar hurries out of it while I'm gazing. She pauses when she sees me staring. She crosses her hand on her chest with her Gucci bag hanging at the crook of her elbow. She

d at the curb. I smile at him as I approach his brand-new Porsche that sparks blue. "OH MY GOD!" I exclaim as I feel the smoothness of the c

ot you for your birthday

o my old man, this is half of it," he says to me as he ruffle

you are officially

He pushes ba

ive," I

d about his freedom. They keep stopping cars on the road, advising them to call 911 immediately if they notice something

ys, looking out his window at how crowded the road i

than those on the way. It is as if Stoneybrook hi

ming back, but I didn't think people were this scared of him. Zack parks at the lot, in the middle of piles of wrecked cars. Sometimes I think Zack

weapon hanging on their pants. I watch as students murmur in groups. I'm not scared of the police, they are the least of my worri

" Zack's voice

I ask, d

first." Zack tugs down the strip of h

of this. "Maybe we are all terrified because he wa

girls who are sashaying past us. "By who?

ful it was. How scared I was. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my ner

RL by Gillian Flynn, the mystery novel we had finished in literature class two weeks ago. Zack is not a boo

iosity. He stares at me for a few seconds. "Okay, what's your

urn out to be your worst enemy in a blink of an eye. Or maybe because I know Zack is too gullible and too fragile, just like Mikaela was. "We

'm

r my shoulder. His eyeballs are now on a solid focus, and his soft-looking

hen the sound of the heavy booth cracks louder, I shiver. But then it stops, and I feel his presence right beside me. It feels like a trailer of anxiety suppres