Page 37 of Forget Me Not

Tyler has a good point—Halloween is coming. Not that this person was wearing a costume. But it’s cold, too. And high school kids do dumb shit. Hell, even college kids do dumb shit.

I’m overthinking this, but either way, something feels off.

“We should go,” I tell Tyler as the unease in my stomach spreads like wildfire.

“I agree. I think we’ve seen all we need to see here tonight.” He takes my cup and tosses it into the fire as he takes my hand. “These types of parties used to be fun back in high school. Now, they’re just the same thing every weekend. It gets old. Ya know?”

“Yeah,” I tell him in response, unsure what he even said. I keep looking over my shoulder, waiting for the masked man to appear again. The high from arriving and seeing something so new to me fades quickly.

When the masked man doesn’t make another appearance, I chalk it up to nerves. I want to slap myself for even thinking it was someone here for me.

One of these days, I’m going to get over myself and stop thinking the world is out to get me. I just hope I do it soon because I’m tired of living a life where I feel like I need to keep running.

ChapterThirteen

RHEA

I’m laughingat myself this morning as I get ready for work. The level of distrust I have in the human race is unreal.

Last night I was certain someone was watching me from the woods at that party. Tyler drove me home and I had convinced myself the masked man would be waiting for me behind my bedroom door when I opened it. To my surprise, the room was empty and all was well.

Passing by my bedroom window to grab my apron, I notice a flock of people on the streets decorating for Halloween. There’s a group of elderly ladies who seem to be bickering while one swings a witch’s broom in the air and the other points at a lamppost. In front of the hardware store, there’s a man hanging a string of plastic skulls around the entrance.

My chest swells as I watch the community gather together. I’ve never had the privilege of living in a town like this before.

For the first time ever, I feel like this could be my home.

With a smile on my face, I grab my cash that’s in an envelope. I gave up on seeing my purse again, so I need to talk to Gladys about getting new keys made.

“Gladys,” I shout as I pass by the bathroom in the hall, “are you home?”

When I make it to the kitchen, I can see that she’s on the phone. She holds up a finger and I mouth the words,I’ve gotta go. Here’s rent. I set the envelope on the counter, walking away with a smile on my face. I did it. I paid rent for the month. I’m not even going to let the guilt of how I came about the money bring me down, because there is none. What I took from that man is pennies compared to what I’m sure he’s got in his accounts. Not only that, he fucking drugged me. If anything, he owed me, and now we're even.

As for the keys, I’ll have to talk to Gladys about them later.

I step outside and the cool wind brushes against my bare arms. It seems the vibrant sunshine beaming through my window was deceiving.

“Good morning, Rhea,” a kind lady says, and while I don’t know her name, I’ve seen her at Taryn’s a few times.

I respond with a chipper, “It sure is.”

Everyone I pass is smiling and it’s strange, but I feel like I actually belong in this town as people wave and say hello, like I’m one of them.

Man, I wish Mom was here to live this life with me.

I walk into Taryn’s, and I’m immediately halted by a very loud, “Stop!”

Not moving an inch farther, with the door still held open, I freeze with a ladder smack-dab in front of my face.

“Carefully go around,” Tyler says, and I’m surprised to see him here, considering he generally only works Friday and Saturday nights.

With gentle ease, I step around the ladder, taking care not to bump it because he’s at the very top.

Once I’m in, the door closes, and I look up to see Tyler hanging orange lights from the high beams on the ceiling.

He pauses, hands pinned to the wall, and looks down at me. “Good morning.” His cheery, perfect smile looks down at me and my face heats like a damn schoolgirl looking at her first crush.

“Better hurry that up. We open in five minutes,” I tell him. “Wouldn’t want you getting knocked down by a herd of hungry senior citizens.”

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