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Choice A [ii]: To Go

The red numbers on the car's digital clock flashed 1:27am. The dark night sky had stopped raining down snowflakes, instead settling on a nippy winter breeze that was somewhere between cold and freezing. 

The pack of bacon Saskia had given me had been wet, and the excess water had now dripped all over my hands and jeans. I'd spent at least ten minutes rubbing viciously at the wet patches in an attempt to dry them, but to no avail. During that time, the conversation between Saskia and I had gradually died down, and hadn't yet resumed. It worried me, slightly. Perhaps it was the effect of the years of receiving the silent treatment from Nora, but I viewed not talking as a sign of anger, annoyance or even boredom from others. 

And I really didn't want to be viewed as boring.

"So," I piped up, my voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the engines. "Where are we going?"

Saskia flashed me a small smile, but didn't answer. Instead, she slowed down a little, before plucking the cigarette from her ear and taking a long, slow, drag. As she daintily blew a puff of smoke from her lips, she took the cigarette from her mouth and held it out to me. 

A silent invitation.

"Uh, no thanks." Nora would kill me if she'd found out that I'd been smoking. "I choose health and long life."

She let out a snort, "Ouch, kid."

"Nigel," I corrected, but even as I did so I knew that the nickname would stick. Who knew? Maybe I would even grow to like it. "But you haven't answered my question. Where are we going?"

Saskia stuck the cigarette back between her teeth, but didn't inhale. "Friend's house. Good friend. Haven't seen her in a while."

"Okay." I got the vibe that she wasn't exactly in a talking mood, which seemed odd. She seemed perfectly fine when she broke into her parent's house to get me bacon. Now, she seemed tense - anxious, almost. "Why are you bringing me along, then?"

She cast me a questioning glance, and I hurried on, trying to explain myself. "I mean, if you haven't seen your friend in such a long time, why are you bringing me along? You literally just met me an hour ago."

"Maybe because I need you," she smiled once more, but this time, I could tell that it was a mischievous smile. It was a smile that meant trouble. 

"Um," I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, fingers rubbing along the edges of the bacon in nervousness. "Need me for what?"

She laughed - giggled, more like. The sound suddenly made her seem much younger and carefree, as if she were a child. "You'll see. Just go along with what I say."

I nodded, even though I was nowhere near understanding. Deep inside me, I felt a prickle of annoyance and disappointment. So Saskia only invited me to go with her because she "needed me." And here I was, just starting to wonder if I had been something special. 

Oh Nigel. You're so stupid. 

"Yeah, I guess," I mumbled, before realising that I had actually said that out loud. Suddenly afraid, I whipped my head around to look at Saskia, but she had her icy blue irises trained on the empty road and gave no indication of having heard me. I was relieved, but yet again, a little disappointed. Why was she suddenly so distant? 

Then, suddenly, she turned down a small, eerily dark road. It was very much deserted, except for a large house that stood tall and proud at the very end of the path. As Saskia pulled over to the curb, I briefly wondered if she was here to rob bacon from another family member, but dismissed the thought immediately. 

Nigel, you're doing the thing where you're being stupid. 

As I stepped out of the car, I suddenly noticed the faint sound of dance music coming from inside the house. This wouldn't have been so unusual if all the lights hadn't been off in the house. Who played party music with the lights off, anyways?

However, Saskia bounded up the steps like a creepy house in the middle of nowhere playing dance music at one in the morning was a completely normal thing. I half expected her to pull our her hair clip and pick the lock, but this time, she actually knocked on the door. As I hurried up next to her, I internally wondered who this great friend of Saskia was - and why they were playing party music in a completely dark house.

For some reason that was really bothering me.

For a few tense seconds that felt like minutes, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, the door burst open with so much force that I thought it would've been thrown off its hinges. 

Standing in the doorway was a young woman  looking about to be Saskia's age with wispy brunette hair and flowed down her shoulders. She wore a striped white dress with dark flowery patterns, and her blood-read lips curled upwards when her chocolate eyes connected with ours.

"Saskia," she purred, in a thick British accent. "Who's this?"

"This, Teresa," Saskia gestured to me. "Is your date, Nigel Paxley."

//

A/N:

Hey lovelies! <3

So, so sorry for the long wait! I meant to update sooner, but as some of you know, I've been busy with hosting and managing The Heavenly Awards 2017 on the account TheHeavenlyAwards. Anyways, I hope that you guys are liking "Choices" so far, haha. If you did, please click that little star to vote because it goes a long way. Comments are appreciated too! If you didn't, feel free to leave some constructive criticism - I'm always looking for ways to improve!

QOTC: What do you think of our newest character, Teresa? 

Thank you,

-Nicki