34 16.1: Silly You (1/2)
`sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge`
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I'm lying down. Under a streetlamp. It's very bright. Bright enough to have hurt my eyes if my pain ability still existed. My blonde hair is all around my head and my red dress is spread around my knees in impossible perfection.
For a second, I pretend to be a doll.
Unfortunately, a redhead seems keen on interrupting my little fantasy as he hovers right above me with his dog barking by him excitedly. His hair is falling over his face as he gazes down on me with vividly hazel eyes and a slight frown.
”You had me thinking you were dead for a second,” he tells me, his lips slowly cushioning the words out. I blink my drowsiness away and put out a hand that he takes. He helps me up and steadies me as I look around.
A non-ending, dimly lit street lies ahead and what I remember to say is, ”I am dead.”
I examine Tobias' tall figure as he paces slowly in front of me, his hands in his short's pockets and his eyes trained on the ground.
”What are you thinking about?” I ask and he stops with a small smile.
”You.”
”Other than that?”
”How much of the month we have left,” he tells me, puffing out a breath.
I sigh heavily. ”Let's not think of that.”
Tobias tsks and nods, looking away. ”Do you know where we are?” He asks instead and I look closely at the streetlamps at the sides of the eerily abandoned street. And it rings a bell.
Almost immediately a motorcycle's ′vroom′ startles both of us and grabs our attention. My lips part and I start shaking my head. I know where we are.
We instinctively turn around to find two figures getting off a motorcycle and removing their helmets.
Joshua and Sierra.
”This will be one hell of a night,” Tobias comments and I exhale shakily as I walk with determination toward them. Benji struts by my side and wags his tail and I wonder if he can feel my agitation.
Sierra is leaning against the motorcycle, dressed all in black, with her hair hanging high in a ponytail and a helmet tucked under her arm. She's staring at Joshua who's standing next to me, looking unhinged with his shaky hands and quick breaths.
Joshua scans the place and I absently step back only to be stopped by Tobias' arms. He holds me from behind and it'd be too comforting if it isn't for my guts that are threatening to empty themselves on this dead street.
I step away from Tobias, feeling the world already spin around me. Because I know, I know that nothing good comes out from those two together.
”So,” Sierra starts as she lets go of her helmet and assesses Joshua who stands tall in his jeans, red flannel and grey undershirt. ”What is it that you needed to talk about?”
Joshua gulps. ”What is it with this fucking street?” He says. ”Why can't we meet up in the cafe or something?”
Sierra smirks. ”If I didn't know better I'd think you're intimidated, Josh.” She tilts her head.
”Blimey, it is intimidating,” Tobias remarks.
Joshua scoffs and reaches for his back pocket for a cigarette. He lets it hang in his mouth as he looks for his lighter. Sierra lights it up for him anyway.
Joshua looks at her carefully before drawing in his first breath and exhaling it out.
”I ain't got all year,” Sierra says impatiently and my anxiety manages to roll itself into a ball next to my heart. I hold my hands to my chest and almost worry that it's palpable. That Tobias can perhaps see it.
”My phone,” he says. ”I can't seem to find it.” He flicks the cigarette and pouts at the groud.
Sierra feigns surprise. ”Really?”
Joshua narrows his eyes on her and shakes his head. ”Yeah.”
”And?” She starts. ”You want my help to find it?”
Joshua clears his throat. ”Nothing much,” he says. ”I want you to distract Mason so I can get through his to room to his parents' to find my phone.”
Sierra purses her lips as if in deep thought. ”Didn't you say Mason was your best friend?”
Joshua's throat bobs and I wonder if he knows how bad he is at lying. ”Yes.”
”Then why not ask him? Why not let him get you your phone?” Sierra says too quietly, it's almost scary. ”Why do you need to break in?”
”Shit,” Tobias breathes out and I nod in agreement. I nod, worried for the poor boy who has no clue what he's just walked into. An intricate trap.
”Are you seriously asking that?” Joshua tries to appear infuriated, but his fear is evident in his blood-shot eyes and fingers' tremor. He sounds nothing but desperate and Sierra is enjoying that.
”I don't know, Joshua. He's your 'bestie', figure it out with him, not me!” She gestures wildly and Tobias shakes his head.
”She's ruthless,” Tobias says. ”Makes me wonder if she was born roaring instead of crying.”
I glance at him and his ridiculous smile that drops immediately when he sees my face.
”Please, Sierra, okay?” Joshua says. ”Just do it.”
”What's in it for me?” She asks, arching an eyebrow.
Joshua drops his cigarette. Crushes it with his black, worn-out, unlaced converse. ”What do you want?”
”I want your secret.”
Joshua's hands get too shaky, he shoves them in his pants' pockets. ”Secret? What secret?”
”Your secret to your roaring reputation.”
”There's no secret in that,” he says. ”I don't understand. What do you want from me? Why are you so keen on haunting me?”
She smiles. ”I don't know?” She crosses her arms across her chest. ”Maybe the challenge I'm working on, the person I'm 'ruining', is you?”
Joshua shakes his head and lifts a brow almost smugly. ”You don't even have your phone.”
Sierra says nothing to that and I find it difficult to stand regardless of the effort it doesn't need. ”Answer my question.”
”I'm popular because I'm awesome. What stupid shit are you on?”
”Make me your girlfriend.”
”My what?”
”His what?”
Tobias and Joshua say simultaneously and I shake my head in shock. She wants to bask in Joshua's popularity light. She'd do whatever it takes to get to wherever she wants to be.
Sierra smiles and approaches Joshua only to rest her palms on his chest and her eyes on his. Joshua, Tobias and I stand very still, not knowing what to anticipate.
”I'm a lady, you know,” she whispers. ”I can fulfil your needs.” She tiptoes and leans in his ear. ”I can be much better than your Roseline-”
At that, Joshua's hands find her wrists and push her away. He holds her eyes and very slowly says, ”You'll be nothing like her. You're a vile creature who feeds on people's insecurities for fun. I'd rather die than have you stand by my side as a servant, never mind a girlfriend.” Her lips part. ”It'd shame my every cell to be thought of as your boyfriend. Just the mere thought of it disgusts me.” He then lets go of her wrists as she stumbles back, a little disoriented.
And it confuses me, really, how her eyes tear up. I wonder if Joshua noticed.
Sierra clears her throat and blinks a couple of times as Joshua grimaces at her. ”Well, then,” she says, collecting herself. ”Well, then, I guess you will die.”
Joshua loses his composure and lashes out on her. ”Just stop talking and making everything worse!”
”I just asked to be your girlfriend,” Sierra says calmly and my dead bones rattle in their grave.
”It's impossible!”
”So is finding your phone!” Sierra finally shouts back and Joshua stops for a second to point his index finger at her.
”It's not impossible. I don't need your help!”
”It is impossible, Joshua.”
”It's not!”
”It is because it's not lost!” Sierra announces and Tobias whistles lowly.