~Faith~

I wake up at 9 pm, panting. Whatever woke me has my heart beating fast. I pull out my phone and check my texts. Maya is at the top, with constant text about why my ass isn't at school lately. One is from Farah. Farah's THAT GIRL. You know, parties every other night and has too many friends to keep count. I shouldn't really trust her with the harm she's already caused, but right now I'm having trouble giving a fuck. She's inviting me to her house to party. I scroll up in the texts and there are more than a dozen similar unanswered invites from months ago. This time, I reply.

I decide to spend the night out to take my mind off Eli, Dad and the recurring nightmares that never leave me alone. I can't get my car out the garage without alerting Dad, so I text her asking if anybody in my area is attending so I could arrive in their car.

Farah

I'd love to come

I don't have a mode of transport tho

Got friends around here that could pick me up??

Gimme a minute

Yea

Dylan will swing by to get you

10ish

Be at Koko café.

K cya

I take a massive swig of the rum I stashed under my bed and leave the house.

I walk to Koko café and wait and wait and wait. Dylan doesn't show. I wait an hour then decide to leave, when someone places their hand on my shoulder.

"Stood up?" A husky voice asks me. I turn around so see a boy about four years older than me. I nod and turn to leave. He smoothly takes hold of my hand and holds it gently.

"I got stood up too. I'm a bit bored. You seem nice. Let's talk."

I sit down across him, shifting uncomfortably on my seat. He gives me a lazy smile while he orders a beer for the both of us. He goes to the counter to get them and comes back slowly. He opens mine, but there's no pop sound as he opens it. I take it and down the can slowly. We talk about trivial matters for an hour until he asks me whether I want to drop by his place for a bit to meet his dog. Alarms go off in my head but I nod.