Into the Darkness

“Charlotte, please, the jerk goes around town telling everyone he is going to fuck you on prom night. Like you don’t care?”

“I do care but I would rather he spread that rumor than the one being spread about a high school girl fucking her best friend’s married brother. It’s too late now, anyway. I said yes.”

“No, it’s not too late. Call him and say you won’t go.” He motioned for me to take out my cell. I was just about to tell him where to shove this fling of ours when Samantha walked outside.

“Is everything okay?” she asked looking from Alex to me.

“Uh yeah, Alex just has the shits with me because I covered for Adriana for prom night. Her and Elijah will be staying in a hotel.”

Samantha laughed, shaking her head. “Oh geez, Alex, like you didn’t screw around in high school. C’mon, lets go home. You owe me something, remember?” She leaned in and kissed his lips. I turned away unable to watch as my heart started to break into a million pieces. It was these moments when the hurt was so deep that it made me question everything about us, about our so-called love. I had a choice: I could break down and cry right in front of them, walk away and act like it didn’t bother me, or perform a very sweet act of revenge. I was eighteen, so of course it was revenge. What is it they say? Revenge is a dish best served cold? Well Alex, prepare to freeze and wear your balls as earmuffs!

“Oh, and Alex, don’t worry. Adriana will be fine. Carter and I are staying in the room next to hers,” I said, then with every bit of dignity I could muster, I walked away with my head held high.

We didn’t speak to each other for one week.

…

OUCH. What the fuck did she think she was doing? Holding it again close to my head, I felt the sting. Damn, did she just burn my scalp? The smell of smoke lingered in the air. I winced as I rubbed the spot where it burned.

“Adriana, you’re burning my head,” I cried.

“Sorry Char. It’s the bleach in your hair. I’m not a hairdresser you know. Although I would be so awesome like in Steel Magnolias.” She continued using the curling iron, talking to herself in a southern accent.

“Please don’t tell me you’re comparing yourself to Dolly Parton. She’s about a hundred cup sizes ahead of you.” Laughing at the comparison, I shook my head which didn’t fair too well since the curling iron was still attached. Damn, karma sure was a bitch tonight.

“Okay, done. Go look.”

I stood up and glanced in the mirror. Wow, I had to say even I was amazed. The curls were soft and loosely fell down my back. My hair was naturally wavy but thanks to the humidity of living by the seaside, it morphed into a ball of frizz every day. I had dyed my hair this week a lighter shade of brown, almost a dark blonde. I was tired of being an ordinary brunette. I don’t know what possessed me but it may have had something to do with the fight Alex and I had last week.

Adriana finished my makeup, not that I wanted much on me. Just a hint of blush, mascara and some pale pink lipstick to add shine to my dull lips. With all that said and done I took my dress off the hanger and finally put it on. It fit perfectly and hugged my body in all the right places.

“Char, you look like a goddess. That shade of green is beautiful on you.”

“It’s emerald green, actually,” I pointed out, happy to find a dress that I was in love with. It was a beautiful off the shoulder design. The satin clung to my body which I had to thank my lucky stars looked reasonably good considering I hated sports or any form of exercise. It flowed down to the ground with a slight train. It was simple, yet classic.

“It reminds me of something but I can’t figure out what. So anyways, you and Carter eh?” she teased.

“No. I agreed at the start of the year to go because I needed his notes for geometry and he agreed to give them to me if I went with him. End of story.”

“I don’t know what it is about Carter, but he rubs Alex up the wrong way.”

I quietly sat there trying my best not to show any emotion because I knew why Alex hated Carter. It had been a week and we hadn’t spoken to each other. It didn’t stop the fact that I was missing him like crazy and going insane not speaking to him. But I was born a Mason, stubborn as a fucking mule. It was in my blood and I wasn’t giving in. He was being a jerk about Carter and to top it off he went home to his wife every night. Nope, I was not backing down in this fight.

“You should have seen him this morning at home. When I showed him my dress he ranted on about how Carter’s a jerk and to warn you to watch out and I’m like bro if she wants to fuck him then let bygones be bygones. Seriously, Alex lost it and smashed my mirror.”

“WHAT?” Shocked, I turned around to face her as she nodded her head. I couldn’t believe he had done that in front of Adriana. What if she suspected something? I suddenly felt self-conscious and chose my next words very carefully. I couldn’t let on.

“He said the jerk keeps talking shit and he didn’t want him to hurt you,” she rambled on.

“Well your brother is one protective dude. He grilled me about you and Elijah and I’m like take a hike, dude. Seriously, what’s his problem anyway?” Playing it off, I was hoping she would believe me.

“I don’t know, he’s always on edge. Something’s bugging him and I think it may have to do with Samantha. I overhead her saying something to my mom and well, it was kinda gross.”

I didn’t know if I wanted to know what it was but curiosity got the better of me. “What could be that gross, Adriana?”

“Oh, some shit about how she wants to try for a baby but Alex doesn’t and she says he won’t even have sex with her. I told you, gross right?”

I did my best to hide the smile that was dying to burst out of me along with the internal happy dance. My inner self somersaulted across the room. “You know what?” I laughed, trying to disguise how happy I was to hear he wasn’t fucking Samantha. “It’s like when you talk about Elijah and shit in front of Alex and he does the exact same face. It’s quite funny watching him cringe. You can so tell you’re related.”