The Betrayal

I had never believed the phrase “the people closest to you could be your worst enemy” until now. As I lay here, blood oozing out of my chest, my life played in pieces before my mind, like a rerun of an old movie. I started to realize, maybe she had never been my friend at all.

Like the one time she kissed my boyfriend while she was drunk or the time everyone had found out a secret I had only told her. She played both of those instances off as if I were the one in the wrong, and I believed her. But what she’s done this time cost me my life. Let me take you back to this morning…

“Alex!” I heard someone shout behind me. I turned around to see none other than Jennie Krysten, my best friend, and my murderer, although I didn’t know it at the time.

“Oh hey Jennie,” I said, waving to her, a big grin on my face.

“So what are you doing after school?” she asked me.

“Just my tuba practice,” I said skeptically, knowing she loves planning surprises.

“Well cancel that, we’re going to a haunted house,” she said, shoving her phone in my face, which showed the flyer for a temporary haunted house the next block over from her house.

“Jennie, you know I have that concert next week, I need to practice,” I said, moving the phone from my face.

“Oh come on, it’s halloween, missing one practice won’t kill you,” she said, her eyes begging me.

I rolled my eyes, “fine, you win,”

“Yay!” she said, throwing her hands up in the air.

~Ding, Ding, Ding~

I looked up at the intercom and exclaimed, “Oh crap, gotta get to class, bye!” I gave her a quick hug and ran off to my next class.

“See you later, love ya!” she yelled back.

“Love ya!”

If I had only seen the intent behind her eyes, maybe I could’ve prevented getting hurt.

I ran into my Biology class as soon as the late bell rang.

“That was a close call there Miss Teal,” my teacher, Mr. Crael said, raising his eyebrow.

“Sor-sorry” I said, trying to catch my breath.

“Have a seat,” he said, his hand extended to my desk, right in the front of the classroom. I could hear my classmates snickering in the background as I sat down and got my textbook out.

I sighed in relief, happy that I managed to make it to class on time. “Okay class, turn to page 394 in your textbooks and read to page 430. I could hear a collective groan from the class.

“Can’t we have a free day today?” I heard a voice from behind shout.

“Yeah, it's Friday, can’t we just relax?” another voice replied.

“How about this?” Mr Crael, said, “You finish the reading and you can get on your phones after, sound good?”

“Meh, good enough,” Sam, my boyfriend, said beside me.

I giggled and started to read my book, wanting to text Jennie afterwards.

After reading for a bit I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to see Sam holding a note in his hand. His hand low in the aisle of desks so that Mr. Crael wouldn’t see.

I raised my eyebrow and took the note. It read, 'Jennie tell you about the plans after school?'

I nodded and wrote back, ‘Jennie didn’t tell me you were going to, is anyone else?’

I handed the note back to him and he wrote back, ‘Nah, Jennie wanted to do something fun and roped me into it, in case you didn’t agree when she asked you’

I read the note, and nodded, understanding. I don’t usually agree to skip practice or studying so that made sense. On top of tuba practice I had concerts, robotics, FBLA, cheer practice and chamber choir. I didn’t have much free time, so convincing me to do things usually took a while. And to think, if only I hadn’t given in, maybe I would still have all the blood in my veins.

~Later that day, at the Teal household~

“Hey mom,” I said, placing my bag on the shelf by the front door.

“Hi sweetie, how was your day?” my mom shouted from the kitchen.

“It was okay, I aced my calculus test today, so that was good.” I said, walking into the kitchen to see my mom fanning smoke from the oven. “Mom, what did you do?” I said rushing over to help her.

“I was trying to make dinner and well, this,” she said.

“Maybe we should get takeout,” I said.

“Yeah, I think you’re right. This lasagna looks like a burnt doorstop now.” she said.

“Oh, on second thought, you and Marley can get takeout, I agreed to go to a haunted house with Jennie and Sam tonight. I already told Mrs. Johnson I couldn’t make it to tuba practice.”

My mom pursed her lips. “You know I don’t like that girl. She doesn’t seem like a good influence.”

“Mom, we’ve talked about this, she’s not a bad influence. You just don’t know her like I do,” I said sighing.

“Oh really, I talked to Mrs. Johnson and she says you’ve skipped tuba practice 3 times this month, and you missed the last football game. Coach Russell has been bugging me non-stop asking if you were okay because you told him you had the flu.”

I hung my head slightly, and said, “please mom, I’ll do better,”

She sighed, “You can either go with her today or you can go to the speedway for the races next Friday with your father, not both.”

I shot my head up, “but mom, we’ve been planning to go to races for months! Dad’s been saving up for over a year just so he could take me!”

“Then don’t go to the haunted house tonight and you can go,” she said.

"But mom!"

"No, no buts!"

“Fine!” I shouted, running upstairs. I slammed my door and flopped onto my bed, tossing my phone beside me.

~Brrrr-ing Brrrr-ing~

I looked over at my phone, lighting up and buzzing. I looked at the contact and it said, ‘The Best Chica’ which was Jennie. I answered the call and put the phone up to my ear.

“Alex! Are you coming?”

“No Jennie, my mom said it was either that or the races, I can’t go.” I said sadly.

“Can’t you just sneak out?” she asked.

“Jennie-”

“Oh come on, we never get to do stuff, please” she begged. I hesitated. “Please!”

“Fine,” I sighed.

“Yay! We’ll wait for you outside your house, be ready at 10,” she said.

“Okay,” I said. “Love you, see you later.”

“Love you, bye,”

I set my phone back down and sighed. Jennie always had ways to get me to go along with her. If only I hadn’t agreed…

~Later~ Time: 9:54

I opened my door, my clothes for the haunted house hidden beneath my pajamas. I walked down-stairs with my old soup bowl, to see my mom watching tv on the couch.

“Oh hey sweetie!” she said, pausing the tv and turning her head to look at me. I didn’t reply. “Are you still mad at me?” she asked.

I sighed, “No, I understand, just disappointed that I couldn’t go.”

“It’s okay sweetie, you’ll have more fun at the races with your dad than you would with that girl,” she said, scowling lightly at the mention of her.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right mom,” I said walking to the kitchen. I placed my bowl in the sink and said, “Well, I guess I’m gonna go to bed, love you mom.”

“Love you too honey,”

I walked back upstairs, turning my head around at the top to see my mom walking back to her room, turning off the living room light as she went.

I walked back to my room and closed the door. I took my pajamas off, revealing a black crop top and skinny jeans. I put my black Nike shoes on quickly and then walked over to my dresser. I put on a little mascara and lip gloss before turning my light off. I shined my phone light into the darkness of my room and made my way over to my window. I cracked it open, pausing to make sure that there was no noise. I pushed it open the rest of the way before stepping onto my windowsill. I looked out over my yard and stepped carefully onto the roof. I turned and gently closed my window, making sure I would still be able to get back in. I crawled over to the fence, trying to keep my balance. I lowered myself onto the top of the fence and then jumped down to the ground. I looked out onto the street and saw Jennie’s car waiting across the street from my house and I ran over to her car.

“Wow, I didn’t think you were actually gonna do it,” she said laughing as I got in the car.

“Yeah, me either,” I said, putting my seatbelt on.

“I should probably go before you change your mind then,” Jennie said.

“Where’s Sam?” I asked.

“He’s meeting us there,” she said.

“Oh okay,” I said, glancing at my phone.

If only I had looked up, maybe then I would’ve seen her sinister grin staring back at me from the rearview mirror.

~At the haunted house~

“We’re here!” Jennie squealed as we pulled up.

“Look, there’s Sam,” I said, pointing out the window to Sam leaning against his truck across the street.

“Yep,” right on time,” Jennie said, parking the car.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.

She groaned, “Oh come on Alex, it’s gonna be fun, stop being such a worry bug!” We got out of the car as Sam walked over to meet us.

“Hey guys,” he said, grabbing my hand.

I smiled up at him, “Hi Sammy,” I said, holding his hand.

“Okay you two, I’m still here you know,” Jennie said.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Come on!” she said, grabbing my hand and dragging me inside.

“Are you sure this is an attraction?” I asked. “Just looks like an abandoned house to me,” I said.

“That’s what it said on the flyer,” she said. “Just use your phone flashlight and look around the owner should be in one of these rooms,”

“Okay,” I replied, turning my flashlight on.

I walked into the next room over but there was nothing in there except for a mildewy couch, a broken chandelier lying on the floor and old, ripped paintings hanging lopsided from the wall. I walked over to a painting and blew some of the dust off the frame. I saw Jennie in the reflection of the frame, standing behind me, with something in her hand that I couldn’t quite make out.

I turned around to see Jennie holding a knife in her hand. “Wow, Jennie, where’d you find that?” I asked. “It looks dangerous, you should put it back where you found it.” I said.

“I actually think I have a better spot for it,” she said, pausing “Your skull,”

My eyes got wide and I tried to run for the door, but as I reached the door, Sam appeared and blocked the doorway. “Wh-what, are you guys doing?” I said, backing up into a corner away from them. Jennie stepped closer and Sam leaned on the door frame, preventing me from any attempt at escape. "Come on Jennie, we're friends, right?"

"Well you see, I never really liked you, I just needed someone gullible and naive. You fit the narrative pretty well," she said, polishing the blade. “Besides, I miss killing,” Jennie said, sighing.

“You’ve killed someone before?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“Oh yes, I forget how many times. Sam’s actually my partner,” she said, getting closer to me.

“And I’ll be taking that,” Sam said, ripping my phone from my grip. “Don’t want anyone finding you,” he taunted.

“I thought you loved me?” I said with tears in my eyes.

“I did, but," he said pausing, "actually what am I saying? I never loved you, I never even liked you to begin with,” Sam said.

My eyes watered. "Aww, is little Alex gonna cry?" Jennie ridiculed.

“Just get it over with,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Oh but why make it quick and put you out of your misery? I want to hear you scream in pain. I want to hear you beg me to kill you,” Jennie said, a smile on her face that would only appear in your nightmares.

She lunged for me, knife up in hand. I side-stepped and tried to rush to the door but Sam caught me. I struggled trying to pry myself from his grip but to no avail. I was stuck in his grasp as Jennie stabbed me. I screamed, the pain of betrayal and physical pain overwhelming me. Blood oozing out of my chest, I clawed at Sam's hands but my own hands slipped on my blood. Jennie stabbed me over and over and over before Sam dropped me. They left me lying on the floor, crying and wailing for help.

No help came.

I died.

No one ever found me, and I laid in that house for the rest of eternity.