******
I was in the kitchen making dinner for when my family arrived. I cooked pasta with pasta sauce and spicy meatballs. Just the way my brother liked it.
They arrived just as I was about to dish up.
"We're hoooome!"
The sweet sound of my mom's voice made me feel like a kid again and I ran to hug her. She seemed mildly surprised.
"Clear the doorway people! Coming through!"
My step dad Frank came in laden with luggage. And behind him came Jake ,my step brother. Also carrying a mountain. Only his was made of shopping bags.
"I made dinner! Spaghetti and meatballs!"
I skipped to the kitchen to dish up and serve.
"Everyone wash up and come get some before Jake scoffs it all."
As I was setting the table they dispersed to their rooms and came back all fresh and clean ten minutes later. We each sat at our respective places.
We held hands and mom said grace.
She was spiritual like that. She felt that anytime was prayer time.
We all said amen. And dug in. Jake looked like he was in heaven. He's always loved the way I make the sauce.
Franklin and my mom got married six years ago when Jake was ten and I was twelve. I started calling Franklin dad the day I found out they were engaged. Love them as if they're my own blood.
They told me about their trip to visit grandma and grandpa which I couldn't go on because we had holiday lessons. Jake couldn't stop raving about some girl named Robin who lived next door to our grandparents. Mom went on about the mall and dad just sat watching his family and smiling.
But like every family we have our disagreements.
*******
"So Becca. I heard you didn't go to school all week. That you and Freddy just shacked up here."
Mom and dad had gone to pack so he took that as a cue to start ragging on me.
"Don't start with me Jake. Just 'cause you banged some girl named after a bird doesn't make you a man ."
He stood up suddenly.
"I didn't bang her! We made love. There's a difference. Not that you would know little miss virgin."
Then the yelling started. We screamed at each other until dad came down and sent us both to bed.
I moped on my bed about how my kid brother had lost his virginity before me. I was about to text Linda when it came flooding back. A new batch of tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.
I cried myself to sleep.
Chapter 5
I was coming home from school. The front door was ajar. Which was odd because no one should be home yet. I opened it wider and walked in. There were muddy prints on the floor leading upstairs. Logic told me to run and call the cops but I felt propelled by an unknown force up those stairs.
The prints led into my room. I pushed the door and there on my bed was a masked figure staring at me. I don't know how but I knew it was Timmy. He had come for me.
The figure leap with inhuman speed at me .
That's when I woke up.
It was a dream. Just a crazy dream.
It had felt so real though. Like I really had been about die at the hands of my best friend's killer boyfriend. I checked the time on my phone. 04:45. Time to get ready for school.
******
I walked through the double doors of the school building into the hustle and bustle of a Monday morning. There where kids everywhere. I pushed through the mob to get through to my locker. I got it open and pulled out the books I needed for the first four periods. Chemistry then biology. I was still contemplating how I would survive walking past my and Linda's spots knowing I would never hang out there with her when I felt strong muscular arms wrap around my waist.
"Good morning my dancing queen."
I turned to face Freddy. I was level with his chest so I rested my head against it and wrapped my arms around his torso.
"no it's not!"
He held me with one arm and stroked my head with the other
"I know babe. But you have to be strong? If you're cracking this early what happens when people start asking you questions about where Linda is?"
I sobbed. He was right. I had to be strong. Or else Timmy would come after me next.
Like in my dream.
Freddy walked me to my class for study. I sat where I usually sat in class with Linda but instead there was empty seat besides me. For the next hour I sat just staring at my books as if I was reading. But heaven knows I was in no condition to concentrate on anything at that point.
I was scared. What if Timmy suspected that I knew something? Was I a good enough actress to convince him and everybody else that I knew nothing of Linda's disappearance?
I guess I would have to wait and see.
*******
After tea break I was headed to my Religious Education class early because I hadn't been able to eat anything. Freddy had given up trying to force feed me a steak and kidney pie he had bought at the school tuck shop.
I sat way at the back, instead of where I usually sat up in front with Linda.
The class slowly filled up as other students arrived. There were students from three different classes. That's how we attended the optional subjects. A mix up from the four triple science classes.
Blending in was easy when everybody minded their own business. I should have known that wouldn't last the whole day.
When the teacher came in she must have noticed my absence from my usual seat because fifteen minutes into the lesson she saw me and looked taken aback.
"Rebecca? I thought you weren't in. Where's Linda?"
I froze. I hadn't expected questions so early. But thanks to Freddy I already had an answer to that question.
"I don't know ma'am. I haven't talked to her since Saturday."
She shrugged and continued with the lesson. I breathed a huge sigh.
I was safe. For now.
At the end of the lesson I was walking out of the class when I ran smack into Timmy.
He held me steady by the shoulders.
"Whoa! Slow down there pretty lady. What's the rush?"
I felt myself suffocate. His hands were far from my throat but clearly my self defence system didn't know that. I jerked back from his grip and took a step back.
He narrowed his eyes at me. Crap. I was giving myself up. I laughed nervously.
" You know Linda is very jealous. What if she sees you touching me and loses it?"
I saw the look on his face change from suspicious to relaxed as he fell for it.
"Where is she anyway? I haven't seen her all day."
I heard Freddy's voice in my head telling me to play dumb. I complied.
"I have no idea. I thought you'd know. I last saw her at your party when you two left me at the door."
He sunk further into my web of lies.
"She left early. She got mad 'cause she saw me dancing with some girl and stormed out of there like a bat out of hell. Didn't she call you?"
Uh-oh. Obviously she would have called me. I'm her best friend. I had to get away from him before he caught up with my lies.
"No. But I figured she was too wasted to call and would sleep over with you so I left without her. I have to go now or I'll be late."
I didn't even wait for a response. I got out of there like the devil himself was after me.
I couldn't wait till after school where I would be away from all this.
Chapter 6
When I got home I deposited my bag on the couch and sank down next to it. Everything was so messed up. My best friend was dead. I was lying all over the place. How had all this happened? Why did Timmy kill Linda? I thought he loved her. They had always seemed so happy.
The phone rang, startling me out of my thoughtful daze.
"Hello."
"Becca? This is Linda's mom. Is Linda at you house? She hasn't been home since Friday and she didn't come home when she was supposed to yesterday."
Oh no. Linda's parents.
I'd forgotten about them. What was I supposed to say?
"errr?No Mrs Evans. I haven't seen her since Saturday."
There was a pause.
"You haven't heard from her at all? We're getting really worried."
I was getting sick of lying but what choice did I have?
"No. I've been worried about her too. We never go this long without talking."
"Thanks anyway Becca. I really hope she's okay."
I hung up.
This was getting tedious. How long before these lies caught up with me?
What choice did I have? Well I could get that bastard behind bars and he would never hurt another girl again. Best of all he'd never hurt me.
******
I woke up the next morning in a cold sweat. I had been having the footprint dream again. But this time the intruder hadn't been masked. I could clearly see Timmy's face glaring at me with snake like eyes. I had never before in my life had a recurring dream.
I was now scared out of my mind? Was this some kind of warning? My mom had always said that God sometimes comes to people in their dreams to warn them.
I crawled out of bed and got ready for school. All this stress was starting to get to me.
I had bags under my eyes and my eyes were starting to look bloodshot. If I wasn't careful I'd start looking twice my age. I tried to cover up with powder but make up was not my thing so I took it off.
On my way to school I thought about how I planned on getting Timmy to pay for his crimes. I had no clue how I would get evidence damning enough to get the police to take me seriously. The Murphy's were not people you challenged easily in this town. They created employment for almost forty percent of the community so my case had to be pretty damn waterproof.
Walking down the hallway I sensed a shift in the atmosphere around me. People had begun to notice Linda's absence. I caught more than three groups watching me out the corners of their eyes as I walked to my locker. I sensed the vultures circling. They would be coming for me pretty soon.
It took me a relatively long time to open my locker because I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ginga (That's how she insisted it was spelt even though last year someone had posted a copy of her school details and it was spelt Ginger) the school gossip making a beeline for me. I had already resigned myself to her probing when Freddy folded his arms around me to shield me from the scrutiny of the prying eyes.
He helped me carry my books to my class and made a point of waiting for me outside after every lesson. We didn't say anything about it, but we both knew he was making sure none of those scab pickers got me alone.
After school he walked me home which he almost never did because right about then he and Timmy would be hanging out. I gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek outside the gate because I knew my mom would be watching. She was somewhat okay with Freddy and he sometimes joined us for dinner but she was still a devout Christian and no child of hers would be doing anything remotely sexual while they still lived under her roof. Yeah right!
I went in to find her sitting in the living room. But to my horror she wasn't alone. There were two uniform clad police officers and they all seemed to be waiting for me.
"Good afternoon."
There was a mumbled response and I sat myself down on a single seater away from the police as well as my mom.
My mom told me that the police wanted to ask me a few questions about Linda.
"Becca. May I call you Becca? We are aware that you are Linda Evans's best friend and we were hoping you could clarify a few things for us."
Needless to say I was ready to just run at any moment but I held my ground. I nodded.
They asked me simple things. Like when I had last seen Linda. If she had any reason to run away. Had she been seeing anyone. Was there anyone who would want to hurt her.
I lied through my teeth. The only question I answered honestly was that she was dating Timmy Murphy.
When they were satisfied they left and I went up to my room before my mom started her own interrogation. I didn't have dinner and my mom must have felt I needed to be alone 'cause I was left undisturbed. Until I heard a tapping on my bedroom window. When I went over to investigate I saw Freddy on a branch that overhung close to my window from the large tree in our yard.
I helped him in and he held me tight.
"I saw the police car across the street after I dropped you off. What happened? "
I told him everything. He sighed.
"I'm glad you didn't implicate Timmy. He's dangerous boo. And I can't lose you."
"You won't babe. I promise."
He cupped my face and kissed me deep and rough. I kissed him back with the intense passion that coursed through my body. We got lost in our desire and it felt as if the world had melted away. The way it felt when we danced. He scooped me into his arms and carried me to my bed.
He lay me down gently and climbed on top of me. I unbuttoned my flannel pyjama shirt as he pulled his OVO tee shirt off. He cupped my boob through my bra as he kissed me. He sat up and shimmied down to the foot of my bed. He pulled my pyjama bottoms off and then my panties.
I should have felt naked and exposed but with Freddy it just felt right. I helped him undo his belt buckle and zipper. He kicked off his jeans and briefs and lay back on top of me. At this point I was ready to explode with desire. He paused to pull a condom out of his jean pocket and ripped the foil with his teeth. He looked at me with a deep intense longing.
"Babe. Are you sure about this? I really want this to be special. "
I nodded.
"I'm sure. I'm ready."
He kissed me one last time and then rolled the rubber on. He came back down and kissed me. I felt him nudge gently at my entrance. Then he applied more pressure and I felt a sharp pain. I closed my eyes and dug my nails into his back. He stopped to make sure I was okay but I told him to keep going.
He pushed in deeper and the sharp pain returned but I stuck it out. He stopped when he was all the way in me. It felt so surreal. I couldn't believe I had actually done it.
We made love twice that night. He fell asleep in my bed. I stared at him and made a wish on my stars that I would never lose him. I fell asleep staring at him. I woke up before him just two hours before I had to wake up for school. I woke him up and he got dressed. He kissed me one last time before he climbed out my window.
After he left I couldn't go back to sleep. I just smiled like an idiot. I was so happy. I only wished Linda were here to share this moment. By now I would be on the phone with her telling her every juicy titbit.
I fell asleep thinking about Freddy and Linda.
Chapter 7
I woke up an hour later and prepped for school in a chipper mood. I was sweet to everybody and Jake looked at me like he suspected something. But I couldn't care less. Nothing was going to ruin my mood.
I was still seated at the table when my phone chimed. I checked and it was the reminder for Linda's birthday. I felt my stomach drop and I dropped my phone on the table.
Today was Linda's birthday and I had forgotten. I felt a tear drop down my cheek.
So much had happened that I had lost track of the days going buy. I sobbed quietly but no one noticed. They were too busy getting ready to leave. I wiped away my tears and packed up my bags.
This was a reminder that I needed to avenge her.
My ride to school was hell. Every student on that bus was staring at me. And one kid even came up to me and asked if Linda had run away with some rich older man and I was covering for her. I wished Freddy was there to protect me like he had the day before.
I couldn't wait to get to school so I could see my bae. He always knew what to say to make it all better.
I waited by my locker for a long while before I gave up and headed for class without him. I figured I would see him sometime today. I really hoped I would survive until that time came.
*******
When the end of the school day rolled around and I still hadn'
t seen him I felt like crying. Why was he doing this to me? After what happened between us last night why wasn't he here for me?
I decided I would go to his place to see what might be happening with him.
When I got there his whole family was there but he wasn't. His oldest sister suggested I wait for him. I sat down and chit chatted with her about random things. I had been there nearly 15 minutes when there was a stern knock at the door.
Two cops, the same who had been at my house the day before, came in. They said they had news that the family needed to sit down for. I didn't think much of it. The woman must have recognised me because she said that it was private news.