Page 26 of False Idols

“It’s called dark humor. People use it to process trauma and I think this calls for it, Nevaeh.”

“Good point.”

* * *

We fall into a state of limbo with the horns blaring every hour. I let Sunny know they’re for The Reaper and she shakes her head. “Fucking weird ass town.”

There’s no homework to do because of the timing. I’d only been to 3 classes and hadn’t even gotten all the books for them yet. I was supposed to go with Minnie but…well, last week changed all that. Sunny and I hang out and put on a movie. There’s an email in the evening announcing that a meal delivery service will drop off our dinner and to not open the door until after the food has been dropped off. It still feels weird opening the door with nightfall outside and the horns still screaming The Reaper’s presence.

When we hear the knock at the door announcing our dinner drop off, we only open the door on the count of three with Sunny holding her desk chair over her head out of sight, just in case. “Thank you!” I call out to the dining staff making their way down the hallway with a trolley full of dinner before I snatch the bags with our dinner inside and we slam the door shut.

Dinner is a let down. Dry meatloaf, soggy rolls and overcooked green beans. But it’s not all bad because the lemon pie that comes with it for dessert is better than good. Sunny pulls out ramen and sodas for us from the mini fridge she brought and we make dinner that way. It’s when we’re halfway through the second RomCom of the night that my phone beeps.

I haven’t gotten any messages since I got here. Sunny has my number. Out of everyone I know, she’s the only one that I would think would message me, but she’s here with me. I pick up my phone and adrenaline starts to hum in my veins, because I don’t know who it could be or what they might say. After Beau’s release, I got the usual slew of horrible messages but I blocked them and did my best to ignore the burner accounts. I haven’t posted on my socials since then. I thought about making them private, but what’s the point?

It would just show them they’ve won. I might deserve what I’m getting, but I’m not going to let them know they broke me.

“I love it when you beg, angel.”

“I didn’t do four fucking years for you, for some fucking cunt to fast pass their way to marking you. That’s for me. I’m the one that’s going to tear you apart.”

Beau. He’s the one that wants to break me. Why does that feel right? I force the thought away and turn my phone over and slide the lock screen away. There’s two notifications waiting for me. One is a text from Minnie, but the other is a message through my socials and I don’t recognize the username.

ChiDean

I stare at the username until Sunny throws a pillow at me and yells at me to pay attention to the movie. I drop my phone and try to think who it might be or what they’ve sent, but it’s tough. Also, a message from Minnie? What would she have to say to me now? I pick up my phone a little bit later and I hesitate, because I don’t know which message to open. In the end I go with the devil I know and open Minnie’s.

Are you inside?

I miss her. She misses me. That’s proof in this text, isn’t it? I text her back because all I want is my best friend back, no matter how pathetic it might make me look after how she’s vanished.

Yeah, are you?

I wait for a few minutes for an answer but there’s nothing so I open the other message and brace myself. It’s probably a burner account and it’s just someone calling me a bitch or wishing The Reaper got me today. Or at least, that’s what I expect to see. So when I see a smiley face and a Hey, it was great to meet you today! I don’t know what to think. I take a deep breath and message them.

Who is this?

I get an answer almost immediately.

Dean from Psych.

Holy shit. ChiDean. He said he was from Chicago and now I feel like an idiot for not thinking of him sooner. I didn’t think he would find me, though. How did he find me so fast?

“He wants to fuck you.”

Beau’s ugly words from earlier come to mind, but I push them away. Dean seemed sweet and nice. There was no reason for him to come and sit beside me in class but he did it and he didn’t even care that people kept staring at us. I wasn’t sure if he knew who I was, but from the way he looked at Beau, I think he might have known. That makes him being nice to me all the more meaningful. There aren’t many people willing to give me a shot right now. So even though I don’t know what to text him, I try anyway. I can use all the friends I can get at school.

Hey! How are you?

Not bad. Trying to wrap my head around this indoors thing. You’re good, right?

“Hey, I need to go pee. Come to the bathroom with me?” Sunny asks.

“Sure, let’s go.” I shove my phone into my pocket and follow her to the door. She hesitates and looks around the room.

“We really need a weapon or something,” she says.

She’s right, but there’s not a lot that we can do right now so I reach for the door. “It’s okay. We’re together. We’ll be safe if we stay together,” I lie.

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