Fake It for Me, Baby

Chapter One;

The bells of laughter were ringing all through out the car.

I sang along to the American song, not caring how bad my accent was, “Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I’m homebound!” After my solo was done my best friend Alyssa continued.

Alyssa was the foreigner in our small group of friends. Her parents had moved from America, and Aly loved all of the attention she got since she wasn’t born in Italy like the rest of us.

Aly had gotten us to learn English, and she made American food, and sang to us with American songs. All of us just gobbled up the things that she taught us, but I was the one most interested. Aly and I were the closest best friends you could possibly ever find. We loved each other with all of our hearts, and I know she would always be there for me.

“Da na na na na na nuh na na!” Alyssa continued the song laughing her boisterous laugh that everyone considered contagious and laughed along with her.

Aly was the youngest one in the car, only just being 13, while I was 14, and Alyssa older brother and his friends were all 17. But no matter what the circumstances Aly got along with everyone. She was just this gentle soul the draws everyone in to her circle of friends.

“Giana,” Alyssa said looking at me quite seriously.

“Yeah?” I responded, since she had spoken her favorite nickname of mine.

“Do you think this karaoke bar is safe? I mean this is in the bad part of town…” Aly bit her lip softly, which means she was actually worried about going here.

I laughed light heartedly, “Of course Lyssa. And do you really think your brother would let anything happen to you?”

Aly just smiled as if she realized how foolish her fears were.

“If anything happened to me, you’d move on, right?” That was her next question.

I retorted, “Is that what you would want me to do?”

“Yes.”

“Then I guess I would.” I shrugged as if it was the simplest fact ever stated.

Alyssa didn't reply again, she just leaned back in her seat and bobbed her head to the music that was still playing semi-loudly.

Aly muttered again, “Giana.”

“Yeah?”

“You know you’re my best friend, right?”

I nodded, “Of course I do.”

“Okay, good.”

I fully turned to face her and I made a weird face, “What’s up with you tonight? I mean you’re freaking me out a little…” I chuckled nervously.

“Giana, Giana, Giana. I love you! Don’t worry about a thing.” She grinned and grabbed my hand, then giving it a tight squeeze.

I just shook my head and laughed along with her. Even though I would never tell her this, I loved that she called me Giana.

My real name is Guilianna, but Alyssa wanted to have a name that only she was allowed to call me and that people would still know that she was talking to me. Most people just called me Guilia, Gi-Gi or Guiles. It’s pronounced like Julia, Gee-Gee or Jules.

When we arrived at the karaoke bar Aly’s brother Travis told us to have fun and he would be back in an hour to pick us up in that exact spot.

Once he left I looked nervously at Alyssa, “Uhh I thought he was going to be staying here with us. That’s what I told my parents.”

Aly just grinned, “Don’t be such a sissy! It’s not like we’re in any real danger. Come on, it’s a karaoke bar.” She scoffed, and laughed. I couldn’t help but to giggle nervously myself.

Aly grabbed my hand and yanked me inside. She was biting her lip, and got a very anxious look on her face.

“What song should we do?” I asked once we got inside and were looking through a list of possibilities.

Alyssa grunted, “You know what? I don’t actually feel like karaoking tonight. Let’s go somewhere else.” Aly looked like a kid on Christmas just by the idea. I however, was a little more cautious from the idea.

“Aly, you know your brother is going to pick us up here. And anyways, its tradition! We always karaoke on Saturday nights…” I muttered in her ear, over the bald mans terrible remake of Ice Ice Baby.

“Come on Giana! Don’t you ever get sick of doing the same damn thing over and over again? We have been going to karaoke for what? Seven straight months now? I think we have exhausted our musical abilities. I’m so sick of going to different places just to do the same thing! I want adventure, I want excitement!” Alyssa ranted, and probably would continue if I hadn’t have stopped her.

“Fine, but if I get raped and killed, I am so haunting you!” Aly cheered at my response and then she yanked me out the door and we were running through the streets of Ital like a bunch of kids.

“We can be back soon and no one will have to know.” Aly’s white teeth shimmered in the moonlight.

“Okay, if you say so.” I shrugged.

“Onto life! Onto adventure! Onto freedom!” Aly shouted and started running again.

“Here we go.” I sighed.

*

I just followed as Aly continued to marvel at the city that we inhabited.

“We should start heading back.” I spoke softly at not to startle her from her strong gaze at the city lights.

“Okay!” Aly agreed full heartedly.

“Hey! I know a shortcut that will get us there in half the time.” I grabbed Alyssa’s hand and pulled her through an ally that was on our right.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this place Giana. Lets go back where there is more people…” I just ignored her, so she continued, “Gi-Gi, please! I don’t want to be back here!”

I heard a strangers voice come from the dark, “Tsk tsk tsk, isn’t it a little late for you young birdies to be out of bed?”

My fiery attitude would once again get us into trouble, “Show yourself!”

Oh how I wish I wouldn’t have said that.

The man walked out into the clear moonlight, and I gasped.

His eyes… the eyes that would haunt my memory forever. His eyes were red. Bright, blood, red.

“Darling, you really should respect your elders.” The man chuckled, as if this was a joke between old friends.

Suddenly out of no where the man had a solid grip on Aly’s frail body and he was growling ferociously while biting her neck making blood flow openly.

I screamed and lunged towards him to try and help my best friend.

Alyssa’s terrified horror filled screams were completely blocked from my ears when the man ignored my attempt at savoir and threw me against the brick wall of the ally.

Therefore making me pass out, and miss the rest of my best friends murder.

If only I would stay awake for five more minutes, I could have realized one thing that would change my whole future.
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