Josh strolled out of class, waving absently to familiar faces as he headed toward his locker. His eyes, however, remained fixed on his phone, scrolling through the unanswered messages he had been sending Eric.
Eric had told him three days ago that he wouldn't be coming to school, but since then, nothing. Not a single word.
"Aren't you coming today as well?"
"Are you feeling sick again?"
"Okay, dude, I'm worried about you now."
"You aren't even reading my texts."
"I swear to all that's holy, if you don't show up today, I'm breaking into your apartment."
"Eric…"
"Can you at least pretend to read my texts?"
Josh sighed, the weight of frustration and worry pulling his expression into a frown. "What the hell is he up to?" he muttered under his breath, shoving his books into the locker. Slinging his bag across one shoulder, he jabbed the call button on his phone.
The person you're calling is not available…
The person…
The...
After the fifth attempt, the robotic message grated his ears so much he finally gave up, slamming his locker shut.
"Jeez!" he yelped, clutching his chest when he noticed a red-haired girl leaning casually against the row of lockers, staring at him with wide eyes.
"How long have you been standing there?" he asked, panting. "You know normal people don't just jumpscare others like that."
She pushed off the locker with a playful chuckle, folding her arms neatly under her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Jumpy-Pants. I actually walked here, loudly, might I add, in these heels." She tilted her head toward his phone. "If you weren't so glued to that screen, you would've noticed me."
Josh rolled his eyes. "As if dealing with your crap at home isn't enough. What do you want now Mira?" His words came out half-slurred, half-tired.
"I need a ride," she said without hesitation.
Josh narrowed his eyes at her. "You have a car."
"Well, If you weren't so obsessed with your friends and glued to your phone 24/7, you'd know Mom grounded me yesterday and confiscated my keys. So… ride, please."
"It's called having a social life," Josh shot back with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Not everyone's an antisocial hermit like you. And what does Mom taking your keys have to do with me?" He started walking past her.
He didn't even need to ask it got confiscated. Mira had a reputation for flying down highways whenever her temper flared. In one week alone, she could rack up twenty speeding tickets.
"How am I supposed to get home?" she whined, stomping her foot as she followed behind him.
"Same way you came."
"Ew, no. Do you know how sick I felt taking public transport?!"
Josh stopped, exhaling through gritted teeth before turning to face her. "No, Mira, I don't. But I'm sure you're about to enlighten me." He planted both hands on his hips.
"I stood the entire ride!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up. "And some sweaty creep kept leaning on me. I was sandwiched between two perverts!"
"Then why didn't you just use a cab?"
"Dad froze my account," she replied with a pout.
Josh pinched the bridge of his nose heaving a sigh. "What was it this time?"
"Vicodin," she muttered, fiddling with her fingers. "But it was just for my legs, they've been killing me. Dad freaked out because he saw me with Felix. He thought we were hanging out or something."
Josh's jaw tightened. Felix, of course is a drug supplier. They had pulled Mira out of that nightmare once before. Therapy, tears, near-relapses. And their father had made one thing clear if she ever went near Felix again, he'd freeze her account.
"Pretty pleeeease," she begged, clasping her hands together like a child.
Josh sighed, rummaged through his bag, and handed her a wad of cash. "Here. Take a cab. Go home."
Mira's pout instantly transformed into a mischievous smile. "Love you, brother!" she chirped before bolting toward the exit and disappearing into the street.
"You'd better head home straight!" Josh shouted after her. But she was already gone.
With a weary shake of his head, he made his way to Eric's apartment on the run-down side of Nalley. The door was locked. No answer, no shadow of him anywhere. Josh waited for a while, but the silence told him enough.
Two days later, like nothing had happened, Eric reappeared in the middle row of the lecture hall, sitting in his usual seat as if he'd never been gone.
"Dude."
Josh hurried over, Jay trailing behind.
"The hell, man, I thought you were dead. What gives?" Josh demanded, dropping into the chair beside him.
"Sorry," Eric replied casually, though he didn't sound the least bit apologetic. "Got caught up in something.
"You didn't take my calls, bro. I even went by your apartment, and you weren't there. Do you know what went through my head?" Josh's voice cracked with a mixture of hurt and exasperation.
"Oh, yeah. Lost my phone. I was visited a relative, stayed by for a while" Eric said smoothly.
"Out of nowhere?"
"Yeah."
Josh studied him, disbelief clouding his face. "You could've just said so, man."
"Trust me," Jay cut in with a smug grin, smacking Josh lightly on the chest, "this guy was a wreck. Told you Eric was fine."
"Don't be ridiculous, I wasn't sobbing over him," Josh shot back with a sneer while smacking his hands away.
"Sure," Jay teased, "so who was planning to file a missing person's report after class today?"
"That's what responsible friends do! Unlike you, who's been chasing Natasha nonstop."
Their bickering faded into background noise as Eric's mind drifted elsewhere. His gaze stayed fixed forward, pen clutched tightly in his hand.
Lies rolled off his tongue too easily these days. He had lived with them so long they almost sounded true, even to himself.
The truth was darker. His phone had been blowing up with calls from the club ever since that Saturday night. He hadn't answered once. Lugrid and Derek's name came up on the receiver each time. For some reason, he already knew what they wanted but he wasn't ready to face them. Not after that.
Those soulless black eyes still haunted him. That night clung to his skin, festering like rot. He felt filthy, hunted.
"Hey."
Josh's voice broke through the fog.
Eric blinked, forcing his breath steady. "Sorry, what were you saying?"
"We were thinking—" Josh began, but Eric's attention snapped elsewhere again.
The lecture hall had grown quieter. Murmurs rose, especially from the girls, as the their professor strode confidently inside.
Only that he wasn't the professor.
"Good morning all" his deep baritone effortlessly commanding the room. "My name is Aaron Wolfe, your new psychology Professor."
Eric froze. His blood ran cold. He couldn't tell if he was still trapped in his nightmare, or if reality had finally caught up with him.