Chapter One
Chapter One
I stare into the mirror at the third or fourth outfit Sadie had forced on me. This was by far the most simple— a pale lilac babydoll dress with a dark brown leather jacket and some beige slip on stiletto heels. The jacket was definitely made for a man, and the dress was a bit short— stopping around mid thigh.
In the eyes of Sadie, it was a crime to wear a pair of jeans and maybe a cute top to a first date. She wanted me to ‘stand out’.
I do a spin, letting the dress flow around me for just a moment. I guess it was a cute outfit. It felt a bit dressed up, but maybe that was just because my go-to would be something way more casual. Maybe too casual.
I run my fingers through my sandy blonde hair, holding it back into a ponytail for a moment. Would it be better up? Or should I just keep it the way it is? Sighing I let my hair fall back down and I walk out of my room to show Sadie.
“Ahhh!! You're so cute!!” She squeals, up and in front of me before I can even register it. “Oh my gosh- oh my gosh!!” She circles around me like an animal circling its prey. “If I were him I'd propose to you on the spot!!”
“Woah now- I don't need any more proposals right now. You saw where the last one got me.” I force a dry laugh and smile at her. “Plus I am a nervous wreck right now- even if I look cute, I’m probably going to be so awkward.” I grimace at the thought. “This is my first-first date in years. I mean, honestly it's the first date I’ve been on in a while- at the end of our relationship me and Matthew barely got to see each other. It's why I wanted him to move in-”
“-I know!! But Jed is a good dude. He's always nice to me and the girls- not like in a flirty way!!” She says, cutting my spiral off and grabbing my arms. “But like, a helpful way. He helps with our work loads if we’re getting overwhelmed- and if he's not too busy. He helps clean up around the office, he even makes coffee in the break room before anyone gets there. He’s honestly probably the nicest person in the office.”
“He sounds very sweet- but there isn't gonna be a wedding any time soon.” I roll my eyes, giving her a long hug. “I do have to go- I don't wanna be late and awkward.” I laugh, pulling away from her.
“And cute!! Don't forget you're cute!” She smiles at me, before letting me leave. I giggle as I run down the steps of my porch- I know she's going to be here when I get back.
Ever since I bought the place it was basically her second home. It's quiet and a bit out of town, but that's what makes it so nice. A little cabin in the mountains, surrounded by trees and waterfalls. It was a bit secluded but I felt a bit safer outside of Roseville. None of the killings had been reported this far out.
Walleyes Pub was a nice place, it looked like a hole in the wall kinda bar in the middle of town. Crowded by similar brick buildings, all either restaurants, antique shops or other smaller pubs. I had to find parking on the street a block down, but even with the walk I was early. I look around, it was actually pretty crowded, but there were a few spots at the bar.
I make my way to the stools, sitting up front. I mean he knew what I looked like, and all I got was brown hair and the ‘bluest eyes you’d ever see’. I choose a random drink off the menu while I wait, a French Martini. A fruity drink with a shot of vodka. I really don't drink much, but right now I need something to calm my nerves.
I could feel the anxiety building up in my gut every second it got closer to 7 o’clock. I sip on it and let my eyes wander around the groups of people. There are a few large groups, most of them not at the bar. Close to me is a group of girls. One of them, a slim brunette in a tight black dress, wore a sash with the words ‘birthday girl’. She was surrounded by five other girls and their drinks.
I smile and sip my drink, looking back at the door. I watch a man enter- tall with honey-beige skin and silky chestnut hair. He held the door for a girl leaving, giving her a smile and showing off dimples in his cheeks. As he turned to me, our eyes met. I could feel my heart beat faster, looking into his intensely blue eyes. They’re like crystals reflecting light, a frozen icy blue. Just like Sadie said.
On the other side of the bar, an older man sits alone looking a bit disheveled. He sips at a dark liquor, glancing over at a couple- a girl with dark brown skin, and even darker hair in tight curls that frame her face, and a man a little taller than her with skin a shade lighter than hers -flirting and laughing together.
There's a group of men and women drinking around the pool table, gazing over at the largest booth I took note of group of younger, maybe college age kidswho probably weren’t even legally allowed to drink. I notice the bartender seems to have his eyes on them too.
There were a few people sitting alone, drinking or eating, or maybe waiting for friends. Or perhaps courage to approach someone.
I give a small wave as he moves towards me, and he flashes another smile before taking a seat between me and the group of girls. “Lorelei?” His voice was deep, and smooth, between his eyes and his velvety voice, I could understand why any girl at his office would be infatuated with him. “You look very nice tonight.” He commented, giving me a quick up and down.
“Thank you.” I blushed, pausing for only a beat. “You can just call me Lori— only my grandma called me Lorelei.” I smile and adjust myself to face him. “Sadie said something about your eyes- I didn't expect them to be so blue” I say, my face flushed an even darker red than before at my awkward statement.
“I’m used to comments about my eyes.” He smirks with a light chuckle, probably noticing my awkward fidgeting. “Let’s get something to eat. Have you been here before?”
I nod “A few times with Sadie and her friends from work— I guess a few of your coworkers” I giggle “They have really good mozzarella sticks here.”
He smiles, flashing those dimples again “How do burgers and mozzarella sticks sound?”
“That sounds perfect.” I say, sipping on my drink as he orders his food, and an old fashion. Which he gets almost immediately. I order the same as him and we chat about small things for a while. I feel my face burning red the whole time, every word or comment I make repeating over and over in my head. Everything feels so off. So awkward as I speak to him, but he never seems affected.
“I’m so sorry if I’m being awkward.” I sigh, looking into my drink. “I haven’t been on a first date in a loooong time.”
“It’s okay. I’m really not fond of first dates either.” I look over at him, letting our eyes meet. “I’m more of a second date kind of guy.” He winks, and I laugh. “Why don't you date? I’m sure it's not the lack of admirers.”
“It’s not that I don't date, I just haven’t in a while— I actually had a fiancé but we broke up about a year ago.” I mumble, fidgeting in my seat and looking away from him. “He was my first relationship so— I’m sorry- Is this weird to bring up?? I-I don't know.”
“Well I’m glad you decided to start with me.” He smirks at me before the bartender gets his attention as we’re given our food.
I take this moment to look around, as the bar fills up more. It becomes more lively, the birthday girl and her friends getting a bit louder with every round of drinks. A group of men walk in, already a bit tipsy, but they walk over and join the girls. None of them seem to mind, but they don't seem to know each other.
When I look back over at Jed, he seems to be watching them as well, a bit intensely, maybe that's just the journalist in him, observing his surroundings like a detective taking in each and every detail With a hint of something in his eyes that I just can't seem to place.
“Has it been a while for you? Dating wise? Or do you just make it to the second date and quit?” I ask, breaking our silence and hoping that came off as a cute quip and not a rude comment. His attention returned to me, a small smile on his lips.
“I’ve dated here and there— but I tend to focus on my work usually.” He shrugs, swirling his drink. “I haven’t gone out with anyone since I moved here though.”
“I guess we’re each other's firsts” I laugh holding up my drink to him, he laughs putting his drink to mine with a slight clink.
“I suppose so” He smirks, and we drink. Our conversations continue as the night goes on. We eat our food and each have another drink or two. I feel more comfortable as the date goes on, whether that’s due to alcohol or just naturally being comfortable around him, I am not sure.
We talk about where we grew up, our best friends as children- where we talk a bit about Sadie. How she tends to light up every room she’s in. We talk about our childhood dreams, where I do not bring up my parents.
Bringing up my ex fiancé was enough, bringing up dead parents on the first date might be a deal breaker.
As our night leads to an end, He pays the tab, even after I offered to pay my half. He only responded to my objection with a quick “you can pay me back with another date .” As we stood to say our goodbyes. Of course I agreed, a bit flustered. “Do you need a ride home?” He asks, and I’m almost tempted to say yes. I feel the alcohol begging me to make every impulsive decision. I shake my head with reddening cheeks.
“No, I’ll be okay, Sadie is waiting for me at my house so she’ll probably just pick me up.” I say smiling at him. “What about you?”
“I live one block over. I walked here, so I’ll be fine.” I looked around one more time, noticing the birthday girl’s friends had left her. Leaving her with one of the men that had joined them earlier. I feel something in my gut twist as I watch her with him. She looks so drunk. Too drunk. While he seems almost sober, towering over her as she is almost limp in the bar stool.
I nod, “Well, I would like to see you again.” I say softly, moving a bit closer as I search for a pen in my purse. “Do you have a pen?” I ask looking back at him, realizing how close I had actually gotten to him. His head was bent down slightly, his long dark lashes hiding his blue eyes as he patted each pocket, just a small glimpse of blue shone through. I blush and he pulls a pen out of his coat pocket.
“I always have pens on me.” He says so softly I feel like he’s whispering to me. It just makes my face burn harder as I take his pen, and then his hand. Attempting to write my number down on his skin, the pen seemed to have died on me, unconsciously I dab the tip of the pen to my tongue before trying once more. It worked.
The image of him doing the same motion crossed my mind for only a moment.
Before I could reconsider, I leaned in more, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Immediately I move away looking back at the girl at the bar. Too embarrassed to look at Jed again. I notice her putting a hand on the man's chest, muttering something to him that I can’t hear and trying to pull away. Her body language screams that she doesn’t want to be with him. Despite that he grabs her by the waist, pulling her up and ushering her towards the door.
I look back at Jed, trying not to look him in the eyes after my awkward kiss on the cheek. I grab his hand again, placing his pen back into it. “I hope I’ll see you again soon.” I say
“Of course, I’ll see you later, Lori.” He says with a wink, putting his pen back into his pocket as we make our way towards the door. He waves to me as he exits with me, walking away from the bar before I do. I scan the area around me, looking for the brunette.
I barely spot them walking into an alleyway together, the opposite way Jed had gone. I make my way towards them, trying not to drunkenly stumble into the street. I feel my gut twist and my heart race as I get to the alley. It was pretty thin, two brick buildings almost squeezing together, but not touching. I place my hand on one of the walls, making my way down it. Slow and quiet. Shuffling further and further into the dark space on wobbly legs.
As I reach the end, the alley way opens up to a larger space, almost like a quartyard full of cement and garbage cans, and the backs of brick buildings. Lights from windows and the moon are the only things keeping the area from being pitch black in the night.
It still didn't help much.
“S-St..stop..” A woman groans— and my gaze snaps towards her. He had pinned the girl to one of the brick walls, with her dress pulled up above her hips. One of his hands pushing her back and the other in her panties. The sound of my breathing was so loud I was worried he could hear me, the scene before me making my heartbeat spike.
I cringe as he pulls them down to her knees, reaching for his belt. Her hands were planted on his chest, pushing him away weakly, her head lulled back, only being held up by the brick behind her. The alcohol feels heavy on my mind. What am I supposed to do? Why didn't I just ask the bartender to call the police? He had obviously drugged her. She can barely even move.
I grab a brick from off the ground, stumbling a bit before throwing it at him. I miss horribly, hitting the wall instead, but I still startle him. He moves away from her. I took the chance to rush forward moving in between them boxing her in. Too drunk to think about the consequences, I pull her dress down for her as she leans against the wall, somehow keeping herself up.
“What the fuck?” He scoffs, staring down at me.
“Leave now and we don't need to get the police involved.” I hiss, a bit quieter than I intended. Please just let him leave. Make him back down now that someone is here, please. Please. I can feel my hands start to shake.
“You have no idea what’s going on.” He huffs. “We’ve been talking all night.”
I roll my eyes, adjusting myself in front of her, before giving her a shove towards the entrance of the alleyway. “Get out of here.” I mutter to her, watching her stumble away, holding herself up against the wall. She lets her panties fall, unable to pull them up herself. Thankfully she didn't trip on them as she left them behind.
My body fills with regret as I turn back to him. Something about him feels a bit more dangerous now, maybe it’s the way his eyes flare when he glares down at me. I have to look up at him as I stand in the same spot as his victim.
“I’m not sure what you think was happening- but I can assure you it's a misunderstanding.” He speaks, as a cheshire-cat grin spreads across his lips “We just got a bit excited.” He grits out. Moving to block my exit.
“Yeah. It definitely looks like she wanted you.” I scoff and roll my eyes, forcing back any fear I have of him being bigger than me. Or stronger than me. I just need to get out of here. Now. “Just leave her be. She’s obviously too drunk. Try and find a sober girl if you want to get some.”
“Wow, brave for someone who thinks she’s alone with a rapist.” My heartbeat pulsed in my head, I was suddenly so, so dizzy. I need to get past him somehow. I waited, watching his every movement, at some point I will be able to make my escape.
“You're just a loser who can't get laid. I’m not scared of you.” I sneer with mock coolness. “Just feel lucky it wasn't the police who caught you.” There it was, he gave me the smallest opening, taking the chance I try to flee the scene- only to feel a rough hand on me.
I let out a squeal of pain as he grabs my upper arm, almost twisting it in his grip. “You don't know when to shut up.” He hisses, a menacing look in his eyes. He lifts his other hand as if he’s going to hit me— but before he can, a gloved hand is on his shoulder, and he lets out a pitiful groan of pain.
I don’t understand the pause, or the sound. I don’t understand why his grip loosens, but I take as many steps backwards as I can, before I hit the brick wall. I steady myself on it, trying to process what is happening. I hear a sickening slice. Over and over, until I can see the knife protruding out of his chest. Blood splattering across the ground between us, and even on my shoe.
I watch the knife exit his body, and he is shoved to the side so easily he almost looks weightless. He falls with a heavy thud. His eyes track me as he goes. I think he’s alive as he falls, but his body hits the ground dead. I stare at his corpse for what feels like forever.
A click-flash caused me to turn my head to look at him. I recognized him immediately— Ghostface. This is Ghostface- And he took my picture. My picture with a dead guy in it.
“Hello.” His rough voice brings me back to reality, watching as he pulls the polaroid picture out, waving it around for a minute. “It’s not safe to wander around in alleyways— you don’t know who might be lurking.”
I can't tell if he expects me to respond, so I just nod, feeling a little too much like prey. Too much like a deer in headlights, waiting for impact. So, I stand there, mouth slightly open, waiting for it to happen, for the knife to be stuck into me this time.
I’m too weak.
Something in me forces my body to move, I try to take a step back but I just push myself further into the wall, my fingers digging into the brick.
I need to run.
I am faster than him.
I need to be faster than him.
I stare into the mask, slowly slipping one foot then the other out of each one of my heels. I keep my eyes on him as I lean down, grabbing the shoes in one hand. I slowly start to move, taking a small side-step to avoid the blood.
“T-thank you..” I force, my eyes darting to the corpse for a moment and then back to him. His head tilted slightly to the side. A low chuckle echos from the mask, it makes my skin crawl. I hold back tears that prick at my eyes, and take the moment to spin around and bolt to the alley.
I feel immediate pain as I run on the filthy ground, covered in jagged rocks, trash and glass. I push myself towards the entrance, I try to slow down to make the turn, but I end up slamming into the brick- I throw myself off the wall, adrenaline and alcohol mixing in my head. I glance back at him, he is too close. Too fast.
I squeeze my eyes shut, imagining I am in high school again- running in track. I breathe in through my nose, and out through my mouth. Taking in as much air as I can. Every step turns into a bound. Every bound pushing me further and further towards the end. I try to push out the sounds of boots on cement and glass in my skin. I am about to finish the race, looking back at second place will not change that. I am going to win. I am going to win.
I have to win.