CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Later that night, Melissa was in bed, thinking of all the possibilities. It could have been Callie, Melissa thought. Maybe she stabbed herself. Maybe-
The ringing phone awakened Melissa out of her thoughts.
"Hello?"
"What's up? It's Brittany. Uh, Melissa, can you come pick me up? My parents are on rampage again and I'm not walking down to your house after what happened."
"I know you wouldn't," Melissa told her. "So, yeah, I'll pick you up. Stay inside, okay? Look through a window or something and come out when you see me." Melissa hung up; pulled on three sweatshirts and a pair of sweatpants, grabbed her car keys, and headed outside toward her blue Chevy. The night air swirled around her like a deep snowstorm. Without hesitation, Melissa scrambled into her truck and started the engine.
Nothing happened.
Melissa realized that the engine wouldn't start. She'd have to walk up by herself.
Walking through the snow, Melissa looked back every few seconds to make sure she wasn't being followed. When she reached Brittany's house, Brittany came tearing out of the door.
"Why'd you walk?" Brittany said, "You could have been stabbed like me!"
"My engine wouldn't start," Melissa told her as the two walked down the street. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the darkness. Melissa gasped. She looked at the person-and found herself staring into Callie's face.
"Uh, hey, Callie," Melissa stammered. "What b-b-brings you h-here?"
"I have a question for you, Melissa," Callie breathed. "How come you're up here so late at night?"
"I don't know how you can remember my name, Callie," Melissa sneered. "Seeing as you have brain tumor."
"Ha!" Callie exclaimed. "That was an act, Melissa. A clever, scheming act."
Melissa stared at Callie. She's crazy, Melissa thought.
"NO!" Melissa shouted. "Callie, you are so mixed up. Come on. I'll take you back to the house and we can all go to sleep, okay?"
"No way," Callie said, taking a step toward Melissa. "I'm not going back, sis. Not until I do what I came for."
Melissa looked at Brittany, whose wide eyes were the size of beach balls.
"She absurd," Brittany whispered to Melissa. "I think she's lost way too much of her brain."
Melissa looked at Callie. What's wrong with you? Melissa thought, staring into her sister's eyes. Is this the true Callie that I love? Or are you the person that's brought so much hurt into our family?
Later that night, Melissa was in bed, thinking of all the possibilities. It could have been Callie, Melissa thought. Maybe she stabbed herself. Maybe-
The ringing phone awakened Melissa out of her thoughts.
"Hello?"
"What's up? It's Brittany. Uh, Melissa, can you come pick me up? My parents are on rampage again and I'm not walking down to your house after what happened."
"I know you wouldn't," Melissa told her. "So, yeah, I'll pick you up. Stay inside, okay? Look through a window or something and come out when you see me." Melissa hung up; pulled on three sweatshirts and a pair of sweatpants, grabbed her car keys, and headed outside toward her blue Chevy. The night air swirled around her like a deep snowstorm. Without hesitation, Melissa scrambled into her truck and started the engine.
Nothing happened.
Melissa realized that the engine wouldn't start. She'd have to walk up by herself.
Walking through the snow, Melissa looked back every few seconds to make sure she wasn't being followed. When she reached Brittany's house, Brittany came tearing out of the door.
"Why'd you walk?" Brittany said, "You could have been stabbed like me!"
"My engine wouldn't start," Melissa told her as the two walked down the street. Suddenly, a figure stepped out of the darkness. Melissa gasped. She looked at the person-and found herself staring into Callie's face.
"Uh, hey, Callie," Melissa stammered. "What b-b-brings you h-here?"
"I have a question for you, Melissa," Callie breathed. "How come you're up here so late at night?"
"I don't know how you can remember my name, Callie," Melissa sneered. "Seeing as you have brain tumor."
"Ha!" Callie exclaimed. "That was an act, Melissa. A clever, scheming act."
Melissa stared at Callie. She's crazy, Melissa thought.
"NO!" Melissa shouted. "Callie, you are so mixed up. Come on. I'll take you back to the house and we can all go to sleep, okay?"
"No way," Callie said, taking a step toward Melissa. "I'm not going back, sis. Not until I do what I came for."
Melissa looked at Brittany, whose wide eyes were the size of beach balls.
"She absurd," Brittany whispered to Melissa. "I think she's lost way too much of her brain."
Melissa looked at Callie. What's wrong with you? Melissa thought, staring into her sister's eyes. Is this the true Callie that I love? Or are you the person that's brought so much hurt into our family?