Lost Lies

I grumbled at the sound of my alarm clock ringing its daily tune of Heaven Help Us by My Chemical Romance piercing through the covers, which had enveloped me overnight. Still curled under my sheets, I searched the bedside table for my phone, grasping every inch of the table, until I found it and dismissed the alarm.

Kicking back my covers, I slung my legs over the side and stuffed my feet into my newly bought vampire bunny slippers; I’d purchased after finding them adorable when out on a shopping trip with Cara and Evangelina, who disagreed on my likeness of them - but who can’t resist something so cute?

Grabbing my phone and putting on my pink silk dressing gown, I walked to my closet, scrolling through my BlackBerry messenger, deleting the boring texts and replying to messages. I flicked through the multiple text messages and missed phone calls from Chris.

God, no Chris! I forgot to pick up Chris from the party!

Racing through my drawers and cupboards, I pulled out a pair of denim jeans, a spaghetti strap black shirt, my under wear and a pair of black converse boots. I raced to get dressed, hurrying in and out the bathroom, cleaning my teeth, brushing my hair, washing my face and putting on mascara.

I forgot to pick up my best friend, the boy who kissed me in front of his friends, the boy who wanted to protect me because he didn’t want me to suffer again. How could this have happened; how would I forget something like that? What made me forget? The constant questions assaulted me in my head, threatening to send me crazy.

A hard knock and the constant ring of the doorbell came from downstairs at the front door and I thundered downstairs, swung the door open, and Chris standing on the porch, head bowed. As soon as he realized I was there, he raised his head to glare at me.

“Come in.” I beckoned.

“Why ask? I live here.” There was a gravelly tone to Chris’s voice that sent a spark of cold shivering through me.

I stepped aside and Chris slowly entered; he no doubt went up stairs to the bathroom to shower. It was a weekend, so there was no reason to rush unless it was me and I forgot to pick up my best friend, but the strangest thing: why was my alarm clock still switched on?

I ran upstairs, annoyed with myself for what I had done and changed my shoes for my slippers.

I returned downstairs and wondered into the kitchen, made myself a bowl of coco pops and collapsed onto the bar stool.

“Got anything to say to me?” There was a hiss to his voice, obviously not pleased with my actions as Chris came up behind me, towel draped over his shoulder, hair dripping wet and wearing a pair of denim jeans hang dangerously low on his hips.

“I . . .”

“Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it.” I was cut off by his snappy tone. “If I hear that word come out your mouth, trust me. I won’t be pleased.”

“But . . .”

“I don’t want any excuses!”

“Hear me out, jerk!” I snapped, not taking this attitude from Chris any longer. “I . . .” There was the problem. I don’t know what happened last night. Nothing at all; I don’t even remember leaving the library.

“Come on, spit it out!”

“I don’t . . . I don’t remember, that’s the thing. I don’t remember leaving the library.”

There wasn’t any shred of information of what happened to me last night. It was like someone had swiped my memory.

Chris’s face softened as he spoke. “You’re telling the truth. You really don’t remember and didn’t I tell you not to go to the library?”

I slowly nodded, halfway between thinking and listening. I knew Chris believed me, there where ways in which he could tell if I was lying, e.g., I rub the back of my neck.

I finished eating my cereal, no longer hungry. I scraped away the remains and placed the bowl in the dish washer, the milk back in the fridge and taking out a can of coke, opening it as I went into the living room. I sank onto the sofa, frowning.

What I wanted to know is: what made me forgot something as important as picking up my best friend? Was it because I was tired or was it something else entirely? But whatever it is, there was something nagging me at the back of my mind telling me it was the something else entirely.

I stretched my legs across the couch on my side as Chris chattered on, sitting on the armchair besides me.

“So, any plans for today?” He asked, now cheerful again.

“Nope,” I answered back as I reached for the TV remote, turning it on and flicking through the channels.

“It’s the first of December, you do realize that? It’s Christmas soon.”

Christmas. Christmas was the worst day of my life, no family and my grandparents wouldn’t take me in for Christmas day. I spent the last three Christmas’ locked up in a padded room; this was the first Christmas I would be spending with my friends...out of the psychiatric hospital.

“Fancy coming Christmas shopping?” Chris suggested.

“Hmm-hm.”

“That means ‘yes’, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, let’s go.”

“What? Now? It’s too early.” I closed my eyes and pretended to yawn. The fact that it was only seven fifteen was beyond a doubt too early for Christmas shopping. “The stores are not even open yet and Cara and Evangelina aren’t here.”

That’s what was also worrying. Evangelina and Cara had somehow suddenly disappeared off the radar. It wasn’t like them to not tell us where they are or who were they with.

“Text them and ask where they are. They should already have been home.”
As if on cue, my phone chimed as I received a text message. I pulled the phone from my pocket and found I received one message from Cara.

We have a major problem.

As I texted back, my heart beat began to speed up. This didn’t sound good at all.

What’s wrong? Where you at?

Her response was swift. Someone took Evangelina!!!!!

What do u mean?!!! What happened?!!!!

I waited, heart in my throat, for her reply:

We were walking home when some guy jumped out and beat us up and dragged Evangelina away. I was to hurt to get up!!! ;(

Where r u now?

I don’t know I got lost. When I got up I tried to follow but I got lost I dunno where I am - help me please. Promise me something.

What?

Don’t call the police

Why????

Please trust me and stay away from Danny

Why?????

Tears began to roll down my cheeks. What was going on? Where were my other two best friends; what happened to Evangelina? Why was this happening to me?

“Winter, what’s wrong?” There was distress in Chris voice. He reached for my hand and held it tight. When I didn’t reply, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me closely.

“Hush, hush, Winter. What’s wrong?” Chris whispered into my ear.

I buried deeper into him and clung to him tight. I didn’t want to lose him, too. That’s all I needed, to lose another one. One was missing, one was kidnapped and the other cradled me in his arms humming softly in my ear. I was too distressed to move from the comfort of his hug.

When Chris had no makeup on or dark clothing, he looked human. He always looked human after a shower, like this moment in time that I’d probably never forget: Chris, in his denim jeans and his muscular chest bare, ripped and tanned. A rare thing to see from him.

“Evangelina was kidnapped and Cara is lost,” I sobbed, clutching to him harder.

“What?”

“E- Evangelina was kidnapped and Cara is l-lost,” I hiccupped, trying to get my words out and breathe at the same time.

“We need to phone the police.”

“We can’t. Cara told us not to”　

“Why?”　

“I don’t know.”

“We need to.” Weariness began to rise into Chris’ voice. He was calm up until I told him we can’t call the police because Cara made me promise her and I am not one for breaking promises. Never once in my life had I broken a promise until last night, but would you class it as breaking a promise if you don’t remember what happened?

I buried as far as I could go into Chris arms, curling up in a ball, sobs slowly fading, not wanting to be here in this moment of time, but to be held in his comforting arms. The house was silent except the TV broadcasting the morning show.

“Winter,” Chris whispered.

“Hmm?” Was all I could do to reply, because my voice was sore from my sobbing.

“Are you ok?” I shook my head. “Ok.”

“I need time alone.” So I pulled myself out of Chris’s grip and stood up to go upstairs to clean up my face. “I’m going out for a bit; I need some fresh air and some alone time. I can’t think straight at the moment.”

“No, I won’t let you out my sight. I don’t want you going missing too. I’m coming with you.” Chris scrabbled to his feet and walked over to me. He followed me up the stairs.

“Chris. Please - I need time alone.” I stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to face Chris, who was one step down from me, giving me the advantage point of being face to face with him. I took his hands in mine and begged, “Please let me have time alone.”

He gave me a sad little smile but finally nodded. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I planted a kiss on his lips and ran the rest of the way upstairs. There it was: I was now, probably, by the looks of it, in a relationship with Chris. My once best friend...now my lover.

In the bathroom, I wiped away my mascara mess, put fresh mascara on and waited until my eyes were dry and not red and puffy. Five minutes later, I went down stairs, picked up my car keys and went into the garage. I was still upset and depressed at the news and there was only one way to get rid of it: drink myself stupid. It was the best thing I could do. It was the only thing I could do.