I walk into a party that I, not only was forced to go to, dread being at. Freshman really don't know how to throw a good party. The music is slow, not upbeat as it should be. The alcohol they did buy is cheap, and it has a grainy aftertaste.

Yet everyone is drinking it, trying to forget about the stress of high school.

Letting my gaze wander around the room, I look for Mason, trying to avoid the other sophomore cheerleaders. Unfortunately, our eyes manage to find each other at the same time, thus the reuniting began.

"Omg! Kaylee, your finally back from Hawaii! How was it? Any cute boys?" My co-captain, Leah, adds, her wink flying through the air to me.

"It wasn't as good as it's told up to be, and besides. I've been there like, a million times." I roll my eyes, barely even paying attention to what I say.

All I care about right now is finding Mason. I left for Hawaii straight after a bad argument, and I want to make sure we are okay. We always are, but that doesn't stop the fear from dripping into my gut.

Leah shoves a cup of her self-brought drink into my hands, telling me to drink up.

"Leah, we'll catch up later, okay? I need to find someone." I glide past her, and I can feel her eyes digging into the back of my skull as I walk off. She isn't mad, just annoyed. I'm always looking for Mason is what she says.

Stray elbows dig into my ribs, and I decide to sit down for a moment in the corner. It's hard enough being here, let alone trying to find Mason, who could be anywhere.

As I go to sit down, I see more people wanting to talk to me.

Not in the mood.

Turning on my heels, I walk away. I'd rather not be near, well, them. I see more of the wanna-be girls pushing their way to me with big fake smiles. Popularity can become annoying sometimes.

I go up the stairs, eyes failing to find Mason. Where is he? I curse under my breath as more people come my way, and decide to go hide in the bathroom.

Turning the handle, I fill with regret. NOT the bathroom. When the door is completely open, I finally see him. Mason. He is sitting in the corner of this oddly fashioned bedroom, beside a girl I don't know.

And looking at her smudged lipstick, I think I know what's going on. As my eyes drift over to her, her lips curl up as she speaks. "What the hell?"

Her words don't even process. All I can do is see Mason. Here. With whoever this idiot is.

He looks me in the eyes, not a sign of emotion. "Mason?" I hear my voice crack, but I don't care. Not right now, I don't.

"What do you want, Kaylee?" He asks as if he isn't the one in the wrong here.

And I can't keep my emotion in. "What do I want? I want a boyfriend who I can trust. Is this all you did while I was in Hawaii? I bet. I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. I can't believe I was so stupid!" I turn around slamming the door. I hear it open after I leave, but I don't care. 

I need out of here. I chug the drink that Leah gave me, and I wipe the mascara dripping down my cheeks. I can't do this. I just need out of this crowded house.

People turn to stare at me as I storm out, shock in their eyes. It must be new for them, seeing Ms. Perfect cry. Seeing her boyfriend yell her name out behind her as she chugs from a red plastic cup.

The perfect, popular girl has finally broken. And they all want to see.

I turn around with such speed I almost fall. This drink is kicking in faster than I expected, and I like it. "Just go kiss her, Mason! You like her more than me, don't you?! Go enjoy your prize of being the biggest jerk!" I can hear the slur to my voice. My parents are going to be furious.

The look in his eyes shows me that their being together was a secret of theirs. And that gives me power.

"Oh! You didn't want them to know your dirty little secret? Too late! Why don't you tell them yourself?" I don't know who this girl is, but she must be important. I see the slight shake of his head.

I take a step forward, stumbling. This drink is strong. With blurred vision, I reach up to the ring on a chain around my neck, and I rip it off. Pushing it against his chest, he looks sad. He pretends to look sad.

I look at my phone, 6:00 pm. I have time. "Tell them about that pretty girl I caught you in the corner of the bedroom with! I'm sure they want to know about her! I-" Then I stop, recognizing the girl who runs out of the odd bedroom.

Its a teacher. To be specific, Mrs. Lainey, the new science teacher. She just got out of college, at the age of 24.

I drop the cup in my hands, wondering why she is here in the first place.

Mason finally spoke up. "She is being crazy," He laughs. "She's way too drunk. I'll get her home!" Then he turns me around, hands on my shoulders. Then he whispers, so lightly I barely caught it, and I bet nobody else did over the music and murmurs of the crowd. "I'm not going to jail, Kaylee. I'll be sure of it, too."

He pushes me out the door and my feet barley shuffle.

As we walk through the park, we don't speak. Every so often I need to stop to throw up. I'm not used to that much alcohol at once.

Kaylee is not known for getting this drunk.

As we walk, we take a right into the path that goes through the woods. The opposite direction of my house. "Mason," I say, voice slurred. "wrong way."

"We are taking a long way." He says, and I feel the goosebumps spread along my skin.

"I don't want... I don't wanna!" I whine like a little child. "I want to take a short way! I'm tired!" I hold the word 'tired' longer than needed, making myself sound even more childish.

"Okay, fine. First, take a break. You are tired after all." He shoves me off the path, and my foot catches on a rock. I fall, arms flailing. Why the hell did he push me? "I'll be right back." He says, looking down at my limp body on the ground.

Oh god, he moved me to fast. The world spins and I can't sit up, so I just lay there.

I hear him moving behind me, leaves crunching. I don't know what time it is, but it's getting darker. I really should be at home.

The world stops moving, and I sit up, rubbing my head.

But then something hits my head. Hard. I fall back over again as I yell of agony.

Darkness enters the corners of my vision, but I refuse to lose conciseness. I slowly blink, and I know this is bad. I'm not stupid, I know I'm in bad condition.

"That was a bad mistake, Kay." Mason enters my view again, bloody rock in hand. "You should've kept that big mouth of yours shut." He grins as if this is a joke, and crouches down to my head, lifting it by the hair. "Too bad."

I let out a soft moan, and he chuckles. The world blurs around me as he sets the rock under my head as if it was a pillow. I'm going to die here. The moonlight shines through the branches of the trees, illuminating me like a spotlight.

And that when he walks off, and I bleed. I bleed and I bleed. The blood swarms my head. It's a funny thing. It isn't as light as you'd supposed it'd be. More of a dark, red sap. It is slow, but not too slow, and it surrounds me like some sick type of a crown. I lay and watch as it slowly leaves my body, entering the soil. 

I hope Mason regrets this. I hope the guilt engulfs him to the point where he can't go on.

I watch as a bird lands on the ground, looking me in the eyes. It walks closer, covering its feet in blood. I let out a sob, and the bird flies away.

And that's when the darkness takes me.