Page 43 of No, For An Answer
“Yes Mia, other things. I didn’t even want to join this shit show.” Flicking my hand in a line, addressing all the girls behind her. “This was a you thing.”
Forgive me if I have revenge and murder on my mind. I have a list of things I need to achieve before I go and cheerleading, wasn’t on the list. This was Maisy’s thing. The preppy, happy, go-lucky girl, and I was the dark side of her. The little villain. Theone who took care of everything and everyone who tried to hurt her.
“Maybe if you made an effort to be normal, Ashley, people wouldn’t look at you like some kind of fucking freak,” Mia snaps, fisting her hands by her sides.
Raising my eyebrows, I tilt my head and smirk. “There it is,” I chuckle. “Mia, who said I actually give a shit about any of this?”
“I tried getting you involved in this cheer team. So, you could make some friends.” Her tone getting higher as she speaks. Frustration etched into her every word.
“I didn’t want you to. I was fine the way I was.”
“What? Walking around school like a sad little girl. Dark clothing and an attitude to match. Hating everything and everyone. You don’t make any effort with anything other than that stupid TA position, and you act like the world owes you something.” Taking a deep breath, she continues. “You’re a loser, Ashley, and I tried to make you something more than that. We all gave you an in.”
“Wow. Nice, Mia.” I clap my hands together. “It took you all of two weeks to become a heinous bitch.” Swinging my backpack over my shoulder, I step down from the bench, shoulder checking Mia on the way past.
“No wonder your best friend stop talking to you. I’d kill myself if I had you as a friend.” I freeze up. The words bleeding into my skin, washing over me like waves of blame and hatred for myself.
You weren’t there, Ashley.
I face Mia, walking the few steps before I’m in her face. Rearing back, her eyes widen in fear as my fist connects with her jaw. She drops to the floor, cupping her mouth and the rest of the girls scramble around her screaming.
What a bunch of pussies. Jesus.
“Don’t you ever mention her again,” I point at her. “If you do, I’ll fucking kill you, Mia.” I immediately turn on my heelsand expand the distance between us as they scream profanities behind me. As soon as I make it out of the gate, Sarah Chambers and Elena Michaels walk across my path, arm in arm as they laugh and joke with each other. Jesus, you wouldn’t think their friend was just murdered a few days ago.
I can’t take my eyes off of them as they walk through the iron gates at the front of the building. Checking my watch, I look at the time and realise where they’re heading. Once the both of them are out of the picture, I can move onto the final act. I wonder if there will be a case study on me. The revenge killer from Brown.
I laugh to myself as I follow them out of the school gate and watch as they get into the car and drive off. The best part about being unnoticeable, boring, and uninterested in anything, is that people like them, tend to ignore you. If I’m being totally honest, people like me tend to fall into the background and are forgotten about.
We don’t exist in their world, and they’re so wrapped up within their own egos, while walking around with main character syndrome, that they don’t even think there could be someone else around. That’s ok though, they’ll see me soon enough. And by then, it’ll be far too late.
I think I might be the luckiest person alive right now, because the swimming centre Sarah and Elena train in, just so happens to back onto a park.
Like what are the odds?
It’s like someone above, some greater being, is on my side. I’m yet again sitting in the darkness of the tree line, like a fucking vampire lord or a… serial killer. My chest shakes with a silentlaugh as I throw some popcorn in my mouth and wait for the show to begin.
I set a trap you see. Something that will cause so much pain, and absolutely no way for them to rid themselves from it. They’re always together and I might be hell bent on killing right now, but the fact of the matter is, I’d be incapable of taking two at once. I’m not Batman after all. So, considering these two cock sucking bitches are joined at the hip, I had to think smart.
And boy, did I come up with something so perfect, I wish Maisy was here to see it. I scoured the internet for hours, watching all kinds of videos and asking all kinds of questions on Marine chatrooms, claiming to need this for a book I’m writing. People can be so fucking stupid when they think they’re going to get a mention on the acknowledgments page.
Fucking morons.
The only sound up until this moment is my loud chewing. Twigs snap behind me, but I’m far too invested in this to care and honestly, it can only be one person. Turning my head slightly, I look up to the person standing above me and I’m greeted with those dark eyes again.
Seering into me like a kindred spirit; the way death stares into the eyes of wandering souls on their final journey into the afterlife. If there is one, I truly hope I get to meet Maisy there. Just so I can tell her that she didn’t suffer for nothing.
That her life,andher death meant something, to someone. To me. I waited long enough to make my move on these fuckers, and they deserve to experience unprecedented pain.
“Following me?” I ask, turning back to watch the entrance of the building. I’ve been sat here for over three hours and I’m becoming increasingly more bored by the second. Who spends that much time in a fucking swimming pool these days.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” I don’t have to see his face to know he’s smiling behind those words. I know he hates this;I know he wishes I would scream and cry or even run. Yet I just sit here. Awaiting the death I’ve been dreaming about since the moment my mother told me I’d never see my soulmate again. It still baffles me that I haven’t spent a single moment in fear of him.
I’ve been around him twice, and only God knows how many times he has watched me. How much time has he spent near me, just out of arm’s reach? I think I gave up on the fear of taking my last breath when I realised, I was truly alone in this world. Sure, I love my mother, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am completely and utterly bored with my life.
Maisy gave me all I needed. The light in my perpetually dark life. She was my soul, my heart and every little piece of epithelial tissue that coated my body. Maisy was the very basis of my existence.
“Why would I be, either way, I’m dead,” I shrug. “Besides, you’re really going to want to watch this one.” I smile around the mouthful of popcorn. Tapping the soil, I watch from my peripheral as he sits down beside me. The warmth of his body snatching the cold from me when the nylon of his black jacket rubs against mine, making a weird sound.
