I was more scared than I had ever been in my entire life. Mortified, really. The secrets, the murder, the betrayal. And the love. It was altogether too much. But I couldn't back down now. I couldn't weigh myself down with thinking. I knew I had to do this quick.
We pulled up to the lavish brick apartment in our sedan.
"Are…uh…you sure about this Alex?" Hugh asked me from the driver's seat in his usual stutter.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks for everything, Hugh." I replied.
He nodded and looked down at his feet.
Somehow, I knew I wouldn't be seeing Hugh Normous again. I felt bad I couldn't show more appreciation for him. As goofy as he was, he was there for me and Justin through thick and thin these past few years.
Justin.
His name caused a heavy, painful lump to appear in my throat. I gulped it down as best as I could, and stepped out of the car with the ugly piece of wood in my hands. This one wand had caused so much trouble, and in so little time. I sighed and waved goodbye, and the sedan pulled away.
I slowly paced in circles as the number one lit up inside the elevator, then two, then three, and then dinged and opened at four. Silently, I stepped out and turned left towards apartment 4-J.
"Sesamus Openikus!" I said under my breath.
The bulky gray door to the apartment squeaked as it opened by itself. I strolled into the finely furnished downtown apartment with an ironic grin on my face. (I was scaring myself now.) My fingers brushed against the exclusive leather and expensive lamps as I walked down the hall. I tightened the grip on my wand, and opened the bedroom door, taking a deep breath in.
Riley's sleeping form seemed comfortable under the covers. I scowled.
"I hope you choke on your slit throat!" I screeched, wand pointing in his direction.
Instantaneously, a deep maroon line appeared across his neck. His eyes popped open, and he sputtered for his life. I turned the other way and made a break for the stairs.
The echoes of my footsteps sounded like bullets as I walked down to the third floor. As I reached the second floor, though, I couldn't believe my own ears--actual bullets. I gasped, clutching my shoulder, and looked up. It was Riley. I heard two more shots, and after that, I knew he was gone. I slid down to the ground and gripped my stomach. Blood was pouring out of it like crazy. I knew I could reach inside my back pocket and fix this. The thing is, I didn't want to.
Well, well, well, Miss Alex Russo. How did you get yourself into this mess?
3 years ago, September.
Tribeca Prep was buzzing from the excitement for the Homecoming Dance. I was not interested in the slightest bit until Riley decided to ask me last minute. The moment he walked away, I jumped up and down, did a victory dance, and ran for home.
Knocking over somebody's soda in the process, I ran inside the sub station doors. Steadying myself against a table, I flipped back my hair and grinned.
"Guess who's going to the daaance?" I said, smirking.
Justin looked up from the counter with an annoyed look on his face. He was wearing an almost skin-tight gray t-shirt. For once, he didn't look like Captain Superdork.
"I thought you didn't like those kinds of things?" he replied.
"Hmm well, I do now. Riley asked me." I said proudly. I walked over next to him, took the sandwich on the plate sitting next to him, and walked towards the stairs, chewing.
"But…you…dance…my sandwich…" He muttered, looking towards me as I walked.
"Well, hyeah, wathugonnado." I replied with my mouth full.
--
Maybe this won't be so bad.
Oh, who was I kidding? Looking into the mirror of the girls' gym bathroom, I wanted to puke. I had on a short, white, sequined bubble dress with a black bow on it.
There was a knock on the door.
"Alex? You okay in there?" Harper's voice chirped from outside.
"I'm fine Harper!" I answered back.
Harper stumbled in with her lime green and yellow polka dotted dress. She had a little lemon & lime brooch on her chest. Yup, this was definitely my Harper.
"Uh…Alex…I'm not sure if you should go back outside." she stated.
I scrunched my brows, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Umm…your boyfriend's kind of dancing with like, 10 other girls, and, like…I don't know how you'd take that. I mean…oh darn, I told you anyway didn't I?" Harper replied.
I smiled, giving my hair one last pat.
"Oh, Harper. Come on." I said, dragging her by the wrist. I knew exactly how to get Riley's attention back.
"'Scuse me, coming through, pardon me, did you just step on my foot?!?" I muttered, trying to make my way through the dance floor to where Riley was. I saw Justin and Miranda drinking punch and talking to each other in a corner and walked over.
"Heyyyy, brother. Hey Miranda." I greeted them, flashing my I'm-about-to-do-something-good-and-you-know-it smile. He was wearing a classic black and white tux, Miranda in a long, lacy, red goth dress.
"Hey, Alex." Miranda answered, giving me her usual half-smile.
"Eh." Justin said, barely excited to see me.
"You know what, guys? It's a dance. You know what you're supposed to do at a dance?" I asked rhetorically.
I walked over to Miranda and butted her into Justin.
"You dance! Like this, see?" I said, shaking my hips a little. Miranda laughed.
"Thanks for the help, Alex. Shouldn't you be getting back to your date now?" Justin muttered.
"Okay, okay. Someone's Mr. Bitter today." I replied, rolling my eyes.
It took me a little while to get past the queue of girls around Riley.
"Oh Riiiley! Remember your date?" I sing-songed into his ear, as sultry as I could.
"Alex! Of course I do." He said, pulling me closer into him. We moved over towards a corner, away from the circle of grinding girls. I laughed, not knowing what to say. This was bad. I should know what to say.
Riley cupped my face with his hands. We were moving against each other pretty rough, and he pulled me towards his face, landing a slobbery one on my lips. I wasn't even sure what to do now. I felt a familiar pair of eyes on me, and it wasn't Harper. But I ignored them.
Riley's hands moved lower and lower down my spine as he kissed me again.
"Wanna go somewhere with me? No questions." he asked me, grinning. I nodded, wanting to get away from the frilly dresses and throwup-colored lights.
We turned right down the hall, and stopped in front of the Teacher's Lounge. Riley pulled out a key from his pocket. As soon as he turned the knob, I was up against him again. For the record, the teacher's lounge at Tribeca was pretty sucky. There were only two couches, both dull brown in color, and a couple of chairs, as well as a broken 19" TV in the corner.
Suddenly, I felt Riley's face trail down my neck to my bare shoulder, where he kissed me. I fidgeted.
"Riley, can you stop it now?" I asked, with an anxious tinge in my voice.
"Oh come on." he protested, laughing. He continued to kiss my other shoulder and pushed me against a chair. His hand started to stroke my knee.
"No, Riley…stop. Stop it." I said, taking a few steps backwards. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around, wide-eyed.
"Justin? Where's Miranda?" I said, surprised to see my brother standing there, looking…angry.
"Not here. Move, Alex." he said in reply, lightly pushing me aside. Riley looked just as confused as I was.
"You think you have ANY right to touch her like that?" Justin yelled, grabbing Riley by the collar.
"Man, what's wrong with you?!" Riley replied, his collar still in Justin's fists.
Not saying anything, Justin let go of his collar, only to smack him in the eye before anyone even blinked. My mouth stood agape at the sight.
Justin punched him a few more times before I got in the way.
"Justin, stop. Stop, I think he's already out. Justin!" I screamed, shaking him.
"Let's go, Alex." he whispered, grabbing my hand.