I danced with a random girl, booze burning through my veins. Her forest green eyes were wild and alluring, I could get lost in them. The green eyed girl leaned closer, hot breath tickling my neck and we clasped hands, making eye contact.

I wanted to ask her name. I wanted to kiss her, to be consumed.

I stared into her eyes, biting my bottom lip. The girl grinned and we leaned in -

Someone gripped my forearm, pulling me back. "Tee, come be my partner in beer pong," Abben yelled, a friend from school. "Come on. I'm not losing another one to the boys."

I glanced back to the green-eyed girl but she had disappeared. Gone. Like she never existed. Well okay, then.

Reluctant, I followed Abben into the kitchen where a crowd of boys and a few girls stood around the dining table. Beer pong had been set up and as my shoes stuck to the tiled floors I could tell they'd been playing for a while.

"Really, Ad?" Kyler grumbled, glaring at me. "You had to go and find Tarryn?"

"She's the only one that can beat you nimrods even when drunk," she shouted, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. I smirked at Kyler, both of us knowing it was the truth. He huffed and I knew he stood no chance against me.

I grinned, winking at him. "Let the game begin."

+++

I squealed with laughter, shoving someone out of my way and bolted through the hallway, Kyler on my tail.

He chuckled. "Come back here, you little shit," he yelled, his fingers grasping my hand. Josiah stepped out of a bedroom, buttoning up his black shirt. I ran over to him, using him as a shield, the cup I had stolen from my friend sloshing on the floor.

My best friend caught my arm, laughing. "Hey, hey, slow down." Josiah caught my wrist, making me crash into his chest, managing to take the cup away.

Kyler sprinted away, giggling. "Abben, can you pour me a shot?!"

I took the cup back, chugging the contents before he could stop me. I belched. 

"Very classy." Josiah shook his head, nudging me towards the hallway. I belched again, loud and the smell of my own breath nearly knocked me out. "You're so disgusting."

I shrugged, laughing. "You love me anyway."

"Debatable," he murmured, a smile tugging on his lips. "Come on, I will drive you home."

Josiah didn't drink. He liked to party but he never had a sip of alcohol.

"A few more minutes, Joey," I pleaded, "please, please, please."

"No. It's nearly 7 a.m. I have a exam to study for on Monday too.

I pouted. "Okay, fine."

Josiah wrapped his arms around my waist, guiding me from the house and outside. Kyler and Abben, yelled slurred goodbyes, being chased around by our friends Liam and Gillian. They tried to corral the two in the kitchen, becoming exasperated.

He held me upright as we trampled through the grass, practically carrying me to his Jeep. "Who was that girl you were with?"

"What girl?"

"The green-eyed one."

Josiah opened the passenger door and helped me in, reaching over to buckle the seatbelt. I tried to think of the girls name, but I realized I didn't ever ask her. "I don't know."

"Have I taught you nothing as a your best wing-man?" He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Shameful, shameful."

I socked him in the stomach with my fist, smirking when he let out an oof. Josiah shut my door, sprinting around to the drivers side.

We drove towards my house and I clumsily plugged in my phone, waiting for it to come to life. It died three hours ago.

"Hey, can you make sure you don't get caught sneaking back in?" Josiah asked. I glanced over, raising an eyebrow. "I want to come for dinner tomorrow night. She's making fajitas, right?"

+++

I scrambled up the stairs and onto the porch, hoping my mom wouldn't be in her room still. Reaching the screen door, I pried it open with absolute care, stepping inside.

Something felt odd. At half past seven in the morning, all the lights were off, unusual for a Tuesday morning. My mom usually woke up at 6:30 for work, starting her usual routine: coffee, shower, breakfast, and drive half an hour to the university.

I tiptoed inside, peering into the main entryway. I tore off my jacket, throwing it on the doorknob of the closet, and stuck the piece of gum in my mouth, courtesy of Josiah.

Don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious, I chanted, making my way to the kitchen. I need water - my mouth is so dry - and if I do get caught, I'll use the excuse I woke up early and need to get a drink of water.

I rounded the kitchen corner and nearly slipped, catching myself by grabbing the counter. I looked down, swearing.

The lifeless eyes of Jed stared back at me.

I screamed, stumbling back into the counter.

"Oh my God," I cried, taking in the blood.

I backed up, choking on my own sobs. Blood covered the floor, oozing from a gun shot wound in his head and chest. Blood was everywhere.

An arm circled my waist, another hand covering my mouth. I began to fight, bucking my hips to free myself.

"Calm down, Tarryn. It's me," my mom hissed, letting go. I whipped around, staring at her with wild eyes. She had blood on her white shirt, her hair a wicked mess.

"M-mom, w-what happened?" I stuttered, my chest constricting, Mom grabbed my arms, pulling me towards the front door.

"It doesn't matter now," she said, refusing to let me go. "We need to go."

"What? M-mom, we need to call the police. Jed-"

She spun around, her eyes wild and frantic. "Jed is dead. We're wasting time, go get in the car!" She shoved me towards the front door. I glanced once more at Jed lying on the floor, in his own blood. "Tarryn, now."

Without another word, I turned and walked into the night, confused and shaken. I didn't bother to shut the door, heading out onto the porch and down the weathering steps to my mothers car.

Jed was dead. Jed was dead.

Shot between the eyes.

What happened?

D-did my mom kill him?

No. No, that's absurd.

She loves him ... she loved him.

I plugged in my dead phone, glancing through the window, rain trickling down the glass. My mom ran through the door, a black backpack and her purse in hand. She slid into the drivers seat, setting the backpack on my lap.

"What - where are we going?" I asked, stammering as she revved the engine and stepped on the gas petal. We lurched forward, speeding down the driveway. The house, my childhood home, faded into the distance. "Mom, answer me!"

"For fuck sakes, speak!" I slammed my hand down on the dashboard. She kept quiet which frustrated me further. "I need answers. What happened? Shouldn't we be calling the police? W-who, who, who even ... oh God."

My head throbbed, skin tingling. A fucking anxiety attack? Right now? Wonderful. I felt like I was drowning, being pulled down under, not able to breathe.

"I need you to calm down," she stated, "and I will explain everything. Okay? Can you do that for me, sweetheart?"

"Yes," I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut.

"I know you are scared right now, and I am too," she said, her voice full of emotion. "Jed was murdered. We were working on a case ... we were in too far. Things got ... complicated."

"What, I don't understand ..." I mumbled, trying to not throw up all over the dashboard. "You were on the Kessler case."

"Kessler murdered those women, girls. He murdered many more too and Hudson and Timmons have taken over gathering evidence for the trial."

"What are you saying? That, that, he killed Jed? He's in prison."

"While investigating Kessler, we found Kessler was connected to a larger OCG," she stated, which confused me more. "Sons of Solomon. It's a international organization and I've been working with dozens of - FBI, DEA, Interpol-"

I felt my eyes grow wide. "Interpol? How big is this? Why did you say anything? We thought you were building a case on Kessler." I didn't understand.

"I am ... but there's so much more, and fuck," she cried, clutching the wheel tighter, glancing in rear view mirror. "Tarryn, get down. GET DOWN!"

With one hand, she shoved my head down, swerving and stepped on the gas. "What's happening?" I asked, terrified, and looked in the side mirror. A black van drove behind us, on our tail. "Is it the same people that killed Jed? W-what, what, what do they want?"

I think I already knew the answer, my mom taking a sharp turn. "Up ahead, the next turn, there's a drop off. We have a three second window. You're going to jump."

I whipped my head up to look at her. "Are you insane?"

She huffed. "I'll go slow," she said, and I felt the terror rise. "Tarryn, this is the only way. You need to jump and then go to Trey. You both need to get out of town-"

"What about you? Where are you gonna go?" I shouted, interrupting her.

"I will be okay. Don't worry about me," she stated. "We have about another minute, Tarryn. You need to jump."

"No."

"Tarryn, I love you. I'll be okay, okay?"

"No, no," I cried and stared at her. Her expression wasn't anything I'd ever seen before. Her eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty. I shook my head, tears slipping down my face. "I can't do this!"

"I will be okay. I promise, sweetheart."

My mom began to slow down as we reached the corner, skidding to a stop at the corner. "Go, Tarryn," she screamed, and I opened the car door, the headlights of the van 100 feet away. "Now."

I jumped, a giant leap down to the ditch. I heard the tires squealed as I rolled, my head thudding against the hard, damp ground. Twigs and sticks my face, rocks imprinting in my face and arms.

I collided against a tree trunk, screaming in pain. A metallic taste swelled in my mouth, black dots clouding my vision, slowly losing control as the drifted shut.

+++

I hope you enjoyed this chapter 🧡
First thoughts, reactions, opinions?
Thoughts on Josiah? He's a main character, btw I think I have to still make an aesthetic for him. Thanks so much for reading!!