Page 58 of Withered

I’m such a fool. I always warn Kristy about her relationships, and when it was my turn to… well, I don’t know, maybe get to know a boy, I screw up.

Going to my room, I freshen up and change into something comfortable. I’m not in the mood to read or watch anything, so I get under the covers and sleep myself off. That’s the only thing I do when I don’t know what to do. Just sleep and forget everything for a while.

Myphonecontinuestoring, but I do not answer it. I roll onto my side and place a cushion over my ear, hoping it will stop. When it rings again, I groan, take it from the bedside table, and place it over my ear without looking at the name.

“Who is it? You better have a good reason to interrupt my sleep,” I lash out.

“Who is it? You forgot me?” The person yells back.

I frown at the familiar voice and squint at the phone screen to look at the caller ID.Kristy.

I get up immediately, put the phone closer to my ear, and reply in my sleepy tone. “Hey, Kristy.”

“Yeah, hey. What’s up with you?” She asks.

It clicks with me that I texted her earlier. I bite my bottom lip and re-think my decision to tell her everything. “Uh, where are you now?”

“I’m at my house,” She tells me

“Perfect. Can I come there?” I ask her, hoping she would agree.

“Why are you asking? It’s like your own house,” she says it in a duh tone.

This is the reason I love her. Whenever I need her, she never denies it and is always there for me.

“Cool. I’ll be there in 15.” I hang up.

Mom and Dad said I might as well stay at Kristy’s place, and that’s what I will do. I grab my phone and take some cash with me. Locking the door, I get into the car as the sky gets darker with every passing second.

Parking my car, I make my way into her house and find her sitting on the couch watchingthemovie.Oh my god!

“Kristina Jones, how dare you watch that movie without me?” I scream to get her attention.

Kristy turns around and smirks, “Hello to you.”

I cross the room and flop down beside her, still mad. She is wearing her pajamas.

“The movie just started. I figured you needed this.” She points at the screen.

I grab some of her popcorn and pop it in my mouth. Surely, the film has only just begun.Barbie and the Diamond Castleis one of Kristy’s and my favorite films. That would be stupid for anyone, but not for us. This is our all-time favorite movie; we are similar to both Barbies in the film. We were mostly alone because our parents were at work, but we were always present.

We watch the movie in silence, and it feels exactly like we’re back in our childhood. We finish the movie by singing the main song at the top of our lungs. Running around the living room, jumping on the couch, and using random objects as microphones.

We’re both out of breath after we finish singing. Exchanging a glance, we burst out laughing, collapsing on the couch, my stomach aching from laughing so hard.

Kristy stops and asks, “Are you in a better mood now?”

I nod my head. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“So, what happened?” She asks.

I tell Kristy everything that happened with Jake and how I helped him after he came home bruised, mentioning getting high on a brownie. Kristy listens patiently without interrupting, and her expression changes as I speak.

When I finish, she looks at me with wide eyes.

“Say something, Kristy,” I plead.

She screams. An ear-piercing scream, so loud that I have to cover my ears.

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