The Monster Below

Bailey's house was huge, one of the largest houses in our neighbourhood. Five bedrooms, all with their own en suites and walk-in wardrobes. They were rich, filthy rich, but hardly ever gave her money. Something about teaching her the value of money.

Knocking on the massive front door I waited for someone to answer. I was late. Not hearing Reidar answer had kind of sent me into a daze and I had missed the bus stop, not realising until I had passed two more, and ended up having to walk back a few blocks.

"Who is it?" Bailey's voice spoke loud and clear out of the intercom beside the door.

"It's me, Phoenix."

"Come on in," she called, whispers and laughing in the background.

Great, the bitches were here. Bailey's friends always teased me, had done for years. I just hoped Anita was already here to distract me from the whispers I knew would follow me everywhere I went. Hell half of the time they didn't even try to whisper, they just came right out with their nasty comments.

Luckily I knew where Bailey's room was from my last visit otherwise I would have gotten lost on my way up to her room. Walking in I felt so out of place, everyone instantly stopped what they were doing to look at me, a few welcoming smiles and a whole load of stuck up noses. Bailey was sat on the floor in a semi circle of girls facing a large floor to ceiling mirror surrounded by make up. "Hey Phoenix. How you feeling? Your headache any better?"

"A little." Though to be honest now that I was here it seemed to be building again, and I was starting to get a weird buzzing sound in my ears. "Is Anita here yet?"

"Yeah, she's just grabbing a shower in the guest en suite."

Well I knew where I was heading then. There was no way I was going to stay in here with these lot.

Making my way back through the room, stepping around the bodies and piles of clothes and make up scattered all over the floor I made my way out the door and down the corridor to the bedroom Anita was using. The room was empty but I could hear the shower going and Anita's very out of tune voice singing at top volume. Dumping my bags on the floor by the door I perched on the edge of the bed.

Normally being alone in a bedroom I would instantly seek out Reidar, but he wasn't real, was he? He couldn't be. I had finally voiced it aloud and now he was gone. No matter how desperately I wished for him to come back it was too late, time to grow up, move on. I didn't need an imaginary monster under my bed to talk to, I had Finn now.

Wait hadn't I always had him?

Oh never mind, he was all I needed... Wasn't he?

Oh hell, I was so confused.

Flinging myself back onto the large queen sized bed that took up the vast majority of the room I closed my eyes. It was quieter in here, the weird buzzing somewhat less intense. Maybe I should go see the doctor, get my ears checked. I might be coming down with some kind of ear infection, that would explain the headaches. Maybe I should just close my eyes for a little while? All the bright light from the light fitting above me surely wasn't helping either.

~☆~

I must have fallen asleep because suddenly Anita was leaning over me shaking my shoulders, shouting my name.

"Phoenix, wake up. You need to get ready."

Pushing myself up I looked her over. She didn't look like she had just gotten out of the shower, her hair was dry and styled into an up-do with a few spiral curls framing her face, and her make up was applied immaculately. All she was missing was her dress.

"What time is it?"

"6:30. You only have 20 minutes until the limo arrives."

Sh!t

Jumping up I quickly grabbed my bag, tipping it up, the content scattering across the bed. "I'm never going to be ready on time. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I didn't know you were there. I got out of the shower and finished getting ready in there, I never even looked in here until just now. If I had known I would have woken you sooner. Sorry chick. Come on I'll help you. Grab your make up and while you do that I'll help with your hair." We quickly gathered the items we needed and ran into the bathroom.

The bathroom could almost be as large as the bedroom. A double shower, large jacuzzi bath and sink with a vanity area along one wall with a large mirror surrounded by light bulbs like what you see in dressing rooms at theatres.

Wow!

Sitting down at the vanity I began cleansing my skin while Anita attacked my hair with a brush before going to work with the straighteners. "So, you OK now?"

"A little I guess, it's no where near as bad as it was at school. Did anyone say anything about me ditching?"

"Well..." Pulling a face and looking a little uncomfortable.

Oh no.

"What tell me?"

Sighing. "Well OK, but don't get upset OK. Jasmine and the others were going around saying that you bailed because you made Finn up and aren't actually going to turn up tonight."

Great, Jasmine and crew were the IT girls of our school, the popular ones. What they said was law and rumours they spread were always seen as truth. They had made my life a misery at ever opportunity the could, I shouldn't be surprised that they were trying to do it again.

"So even though you and Bailey have both met him and talked about him I've made him up?"

"Apparently."

"Great." Finishing my foundation and moving on to my eyes.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure it will be fine. And once they see him tonight everyone will know you weren't lying."

'That will wipe the smiles off their faces.'

"Definitely." Looking up at her in the mirror to smile at her. She really was a good friend.

'I can't wait to see Jasmine's face.'

I had been looking at her when I heard that and her lips had not moved, not even a millimetre. So either my friend was a ventriloquist now or I really was hearing peoples thoughts.

No, that was impossible. It was obviously my instability showing its self again.

"Right your hair is all done. Do you need my help with... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What? Oh sorry," I stuttered. "Just spaced out a moment, sorry."

"Thinking of Finn? she laughed.

If only.