Valarie

The monster on your bed
is nothing but your best
While you lie under the bed,
with mistakes in your head.

I almost do jump out the window out of excitement, but Javi insists one opening the door. So I do, and my mind flashes back to all those years ago when I first came here. My mom handing me my little purple backpack and waving goodbye as I walk into the school.

I remember meeting Javier beneath the fourth tree on our left but I can never remember what actually happened. Being a kid is easy, if someone met you once, we assume they are going to be there forever. It sounds adorable, until you grow out of it.

A few months ago, Aria and I were planning which colleges we would go to, how we would meet and the cheesy lines we would say whenever Javi is around just to annoy him. That future is gone and I can't even think about the idea of having a different one.

"Was this a bad idea?" Javier asks.

I realize that the locked down tears have escaped my eyes, but I smile anyway. "Yes, obviously you idiot. Bring your friend to the place she met her dead best friend, no problem." He laughs after for what feels like a really long time but I notice the slight fear in his eyes. "Thank you Javi." I continue.

The relief in his eyes is obvious. Then comes the small moment of happiness, along with that slight smile Aria loved. Suddenly his eyes are distant and I can tell he's thinking about all the crazy moments we shared here.

Javier walks right towards the tree where we met and I follow him. We settle down on the grass. None of us were really in a mood to pack a blanket and a picnic basket, besides I'm pretty sure we are trespassing.

Javi suddenly starts laughing. I jab him in the side to ask what's so funny. "Ari will kill me if she ever finds out I told you this."

"Well good for us she won't find out then." I reply, unable to be patient. I regret it the moment his smile drops. It takes a few moments but he manages a weak smile again.

"I completely trust that she will rise from the dead to kill me." he states and for a moment I absolutely believe him. If anyone can manage that, it's Aria.

"If you don't tell me, I'll annoy you to death." I throw him the best murderous look I can, which is terrible compared to Ari's but it still works!

"I think you will do a better job of killing me with that cringy face." he laughs but I just glare at him to continue. "Remember how Ari and I used to work at that bakery a few years ago?"

I nod vigorously, it is the only secret they kept from me. "Well, one day I joked that we should put mayonnaise and toothpaste in cookies instead of white chocolate. Obviously Ari took that seriously and one day we actually ended up doing it." That couldn't have ended well. But it isn't a reason enough to hide it from me for two years.

"And?" I prompt.

"Those cookies were made for the owner of the bakery. And he gave them to the school to distribute among some students. Aria and I didn't take one of those cursed creations for obvious reasons, but you were eating one before we could warn you not to." I blink at his words, and then I punch his shoulder.

"You were responsible for that monstrosity?!" I yell as he lays down laughing.

"Worth it." Not.

I lay down beside him and leave a deep sigh. "She loved you, you know?"

He sighs too, "I know."

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Javi and I sit in the car outside my home and wait for the song playing to get over. We have been doing that for about an hour now, but the silence is never uncomfortable and it never gets boring. It just felt right to end the day with Aria's favorite playlist.

"Can I borrow your phone? I need a few of our photographs." Javi asks as the chorus comes to an end.

"Sure." I reply as I fish it out of my too-small jeans pocket. I'm glad Javi came here today. It doesn't make Aria's death hurt any less, neither does it make me miss her more but it helps anyway.

Suddenly Javi turns towards me with what I can only describe as anger. What's wrong now?

"Javi, what happened?" I ask, cringing internally at my broken voice.

"What is this, Val?" he asks and turns the screen towards me. The screenshots from 72 Hours flash back at me.

Make me your villian.

If you've come this far, mistakes have been made. Leave now or regrets have been prepared.

And the most recent one, Beneath the willow tree, lay your own body. Just wait.

I guess there isn't a point in lying now. Besides, his reasons are stupid and he knows it. It's just a game. A completely normal, non-murdererous game. He runs his hand over his hair, a nervous habit all the boys seem to have.

Then he pulls out his own phone and turns it towards me, the exact same images on the screen. I just blink at them, not knowing what to think.

"You said the game is murderous." I state.

"I did."

"And we are playing it because...?" I trail off, not knowing the reason myself.

"Because we are absolutely crazy?" he jokes, but neither of us laugh. I don't want to stop playing it, and by the look on his face, neither does he. As weird as it might be, it is the last thing that connects us to Aria and we are not willing to lose it. This might kill us if Javi is right, but i'm willing to take that ridiculous risk.

I take a deep breath and decide to do something stupid, "Will you play it with me?"

"Yes." He replies without hesitation. "But on one condition. We stop playing at exactly seventieth hour, just in case."

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