Change of Possession (11 page)

“Oh, Alison, I’m so sorry. I totally understand depression. I can only imagine how Steve brought you down. I’m glad you’re alive, really. We should have done this sooner, this whole friend thing.”

She grabbed my hands and pleaded with her eyes. “Promise me something.”

I cocked my head slightly. “Sure.”

“If anything ever happens to me, I mean, you know, like ‘accidently’. Don’t let my parents think I was a bad girl. It would break their heart.”

I shook my head. “Nothing’s going to happen to you. You make it sound like you’re on death row or something.”

“Who knows what talking to you will get me. Besides, it’s not as I didn’t think about that before I said anything. And, it’s also not as if I’m not ready. Life’s been way less than happy for me and I don’t think I’ll find peace anytime soon.”

My stomach twisted in knots. I hated hearing that she thought the only way out was death. That was definitely
not
true. There was
always
another way. “Don’t talk like that. There has to be a way to figure it all out, to stop Steve from being a prick, and find a way to have the team held accountable.”

I had to help her. I might have a guilty conscience, but I still knew that no matter what, life was precious, and no one, absolutely no one, deserved to think their life wasn’t worth living any more. Anger flooded me and I clenched my fists. All I could think about was decking Steve as hard as I could in the face. I wanted to wring his neck, kick him in the…

A knock on the front door made us both jump. I looked at her and smiled. “Pizza.” I let out a deep breath as I rose to get the cash on the kitchen counter.

I opened the door to a freckle faced high school student in a pizza delivery uniform. I paid him and closed the door, making sure to lock it behind me. Lifting the box, I inhaled the scent of pineapples and bacon, and then set it on the coffee table.

I went to the kitchen for drinks and paper plates. “What do you want to drink? I have water and soda.”

“A cola works, thanks.”

I grabbed two cans from the fridge and hurried to the couch. Alison put the movie on and we dug into our pizza. It felt good to do something with another girl again. Alison reminded me of Celeste. Not that she could ever take her place, but it could be nice to have an actual friend again. People could have more than one friend, right?

My phone went off and I checked it, hesitant. Each time it rang I worried it would be from Steve. I couldn’t help but smile when I was it was from Vahn.
Hey beautiful. Thinking about U. Wanna do something 2nite?

I texted back:
Can’t. Hanging with Alison 2night. Girls night.

That’s good. U need 1 of those. Wanna do something 2morrow?

“I know that smile,” Alison said. “I’ve had it before. What’s it say?”

I lowered the phone and tried to keep the smile from returning, but it was stuck. “It’s from Vahn. He wants to do something tomorrow.”

“Well? Text back already. What are you waiting for?”

I laughed as I hit reply. “I know, I know. It’s crazy. We’ve only been together two weeks, but it feels like so much more already. Is that strange? I mean, should I have so many feelings for Vahn so soon?”

“My mom and dad swear they were in love at first sight, and they’re still together twenty-four years later. I don’t think it’s crazy at all.” Alison gulped down her soda.

I texted Vahn back with a huge grin:
Luv 2.

It didn’t take but a second for him to reply:
Gr8. Wear painting clothes. C U at noon?

I giggled. I wasn’t sure what he meant by painting clothes, but I would figure it out. I texted back:
K. : )
Can’t wait.

I took a bite of pizza and contemplated what it meant. Surely he didn’t expect me to paint anything. If he did, he was in for a surprise cause that was the last thing I knew how to do. Art was never my thing in high school. I couldn’t even hold a brush right.

The movie ended up being a total dud, but we made the most of it by turning down the volume and letting it finish playing out in the background as we talked. It was one in the morning before we started yawning.

“Why don’t you just stay on the couch tonight?” I asked her. It was a selfish request, but I didn’t really want to be alone after finding out so much about Steve.

“Really? Yeah, okay. That works for me. I don’t have class tomorrow so I’m good for a bit.”

Excited, I leapt up from the couch. “Great. I’ll go get a blanket for you.”

I walked down the hall to my room, flipped the light on, and flung the closet door open. I knew I had one or two extra blankets somewhere in there. I pulled one off the top shelf and closed the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement by my window. I cried out and dropped the quilt.

Alison came running to my room. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I mean, well, I saw something, but I don’t know what it was.”

“Where was it?” Her brow line wrinkled as she scanned the room.

“By the window.” The curtains were closed and I had no intentions of opening them.

Alison hesitated as she neared them.

“Wait,” I said. “Let’s just forget about it.”

“Sorry, chicky, I can’t sleep if I think something, or someone, is creeping around the house.” She flung the curtains back in one quick fluid motion.

She let out a sigh of relief, which made me relax a little more. “There’s nothing there. You might be just as paranoid as I am.”

I smiled. “Yeah, I guess. I just have too much going through my head I guess.”

“It’s okay. I get it. I’m always looking around every corner too.”

Wow, what a way to live. I wasn’t going to spend my life afraid of my own shadow. “Well, I refuse to do that.”

Alison backed up and looked away.

I reached out and touched her arm. “I didn’t mean…Alison, I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s okay, I know. I shouldn’t be this way, but I am. I can’t help it. I’m scared.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. She shouldn’t ever have to feel that way. “I’m sorry, Alison.”

The rest of the night was spent tossing and turning in bed. Every noise I heard, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was someone from the football team. Each time I closed my eyes I pictured Stacey and Alison. Their stories mixed with everything I already lived through made for the worst nightmares. I finally concluded that the universe was mad at me for trying to move on, for trying to be happy. This was my punishment.

It wasn’t until the sun rose that I was calmed down enough for sleep. I heard Alison snoring slightly from the living room so I relaxed, letting sleep take over.

A few hours later, noises coming from the kitchen, jolted me wide-awake, and I grabbed my phone to see what time it was. Noon. I slept until lunchtime, but I felt so much more rested. “Alison?” I hollered. No answer. No more noises. I strained to hear anything but it was silent. I checked my phone again. There were five new text messages waiting for me. Two were from Vahn, two were from Alison, and one from Steve.

My throat constricted. I checked the ones from Vahn first.
Good morning beautiful. Can’t stop thinking about U.
I deflated when I realized he sent those that morning and probably thought I was ignoring him. I texted back real quick:
Sry. Slept in, just woke up. Long nite.
I chewed on my lip trying to think of something to text back that would be equally flirtatious as him thinking of me.
That happens when I dream of U.
Okay, so it was somewhat corny, but at least he’d know I wasn’t ignoring him.

Alison’s text said she made it home and that she’d call me later. That meant I had one left. One that I didn’t want to open. I held my breath and swiped the screen opening his text.
Bad things happen when U say no. U have 1 more chance.
The noises I thought I heard before waking sounded in my head like alarms.

My heart beat so fast I thought it would explode. I stared at the message re-reading it over and over, making my anxiety worse. Jumping out of bed, I clung to my phone like a security blanket. I didn’t want to be home alone. I didn’t want to be anywhere alone.

Quietly, I tiptoed down the short hall. I pressed my back up against the wall and tried to calm my heart before it exploded. Before all my courage dissolved, I peeked around the corner into the kitchen. No one was there. A flood of relief rolled through me. I checked the living room and the front door—which was locked. I was just paranoid. Steve messed with my mind and now I was doing nothing more than playing into his game.

After a hot shower, I hurried to get dressed and put a little makeup on. Today was the day; I was going to go to the police. I had a couple of texts saved on my phone. That should be enough, shouldn’t it?

A loud clank came from the kitchen and I froze. I grabbed my phone from the counter and stuck it in my back pocket. As quietly as I could, I tiptoed out of the bathroom and down the hall.

The sound of water running made me jump. I peeked around the corner and saw Steve standing at the kitchen sink. My whole body shook. He wasn’t here earlier. I checked. No one was here. “What are you doing here?” I tried to sound brave, but my voice broke.

He turned and smiled at me. “Bout time you woke up. I was beginning to wonder if our whole day would be ruined. You look beautiful.”

I wanted to gag at his compliment. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Well, I wanted to make things up to you, show you that I’m not a bad guy. I deserve another chance.”

“So you break into my apartment?” I reached to my back pocket and hoped that my fingers would touch the right numbers. Damn touchscreens. They should have a 911 emergency button to make it easier.

“It wasn’t hard. I waited for Alison to leave. Not good company if you ask me.”

“Well, I’m not asking. Why are you here, Steve? I already told you no. I’m with someone else.”

“Oh, I heard you, but I’m giving you a second chance. You could do way better than Vahn.”

I tensed up. “I could do way worse, too.” Please let me have gotten the right number, I chanted to myself as I tried to remain calm. “You need to leave.”

“You don’t mean that.”

I circled around him so my back faced the living room—and the front door. I contemplated if I could make it to the door in time before he caught me. “I do mean that.” I inched my way a little farther out of the kitchen.

“Going somewhere?”

I shook my head. “No, but you are. I said leave, now.”

I heard a loud rumble outside. Steve looked toward the front door at the same time. “It sounds like we have company.”

“Keeley!” Vahn hollered as he burst through the door and I ran over to him.

Steve leaned against the kitchen counter. “Looks like we do have company. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Vahn placed a protective arm around my middle and held me close. “I was already on my way over here to pick her up for lunch, but I saw your car parked out front. Keeley’s my girlfriend. You need to leave her apartment and leave her alone.” His voice was deep and full of authority, but was it enough to make Steve listen?              Steve raised his arms in defeat. “Fine, but, Keeley, you’ve been warned.”

Vahn let go of me and darted to Steve. “Don’t you threaten her, you piece of shit!” He grabbed Steve by the collar and stared at him, inches away from his face.

Steve pushed Vahn away, but not before Vahn clocked him in the nose. Blood trickled down his face. Vahn pulled his arm back to take another shot.

“Vahn, don’t,” I pleaded. I knew he was tough enough to take Steve on, but the whole team was another story and what happened to Alison scared me—not to mention the stories she told me about everyone else. I pulled at Vahn’s arm and he backed away from Steve. “The police are on the way, I’ve already called.”

Steve fixed his shirt and smiled at us as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “You’ll regret that.” He walked off and I held on to the counter to help support me. My legs were so weak I was surprised I was still standing.

Vahn’s hand was on my lower back almost instantly. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m fine, just shaken up a bit.”

“You called the cops?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I think the call went through, I dialed but never talked to anyone.”

He pulled me in for a hug. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”I was still shaking. The confrontation jumbled my nerves more than I cared to admit.

Sirens sounded and within seconds, two uniformed officers came through the door.

After we talked to the police and filled out reports, the cops left, reassuring us that they would find Steve and bring him in for questioning. Small sparks of hope rose but nothing would be better until he was in jail.

“So, what do we do now?”

Vahn ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know. Every idiot leaves evidence. We just need to find his. Maybe you should call your dad? He might have advice.”

I shook my head. “No. I’m not ready to call him. I don’t think I can go through disappointing him again.”

“Okay, so we don’t call your dad. That’s alright. We have a report with the police now, so that’s something. Maybe they’ll get farther than they did when I went to them with Christie’s death.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and nodded. “I hope so.”

He released a deep breath. “Hey, why don’t you go put on those painting clothes and we can get out of here, release some stress.”

It was late afternoon by the time we made it to the wall. Vahn was right, leaving the apartment helped a bit with my stress level.

Vahn grabbed a couple of new cans of paint from the trunk of his car.

“What are you doing?”

He smiled as he set them down beside the wall. “I think today is a good day to work on the painting, so that’s what we’re gonna do. It’s a good way to relax and just forget about everything that’s going on.”

“Oh no, trust me, you don’t want to see what happens when I use a paintbrush.”

“I’ll teach you,” he said as he lifted the lid off a paint can, revealing the perfect shade of crimson. “Come here.”