《Consumption》 The Beginning It all took place in a small friendly town known as Ember. One young man by the name of Braxton Taylor lived in this small town. Braxton had been born and raised here, along with two other siblings, him being the oldest. He stood just short of six feet, being right at 5¡¯11. He had short dark brown hair and blue eyes that matched the sky. He had a broad frame but was more on the bigger side compared to other boys his age. He had maybe two or three friends, but outside of that, he didn¡¯t know anyone, even though Ember was the kind of small-town where everyone knew everyone. This small town was out in the country, very southern-like. The air was sweet here and around every corner, you were greeted with some kind of southern hospitality. Life was simple for the residents of Ember, for the most part at least. Of course, there were always people who disagreed, and Braxton was one of them. He hated everything about his hometown and the memories that he has there. He felt as if he was chained down to a city that he had no care for. For as long as he could remember he always wanted to leave and live a life of his own. Ember didn¡¯t have much in terms of work or places to go to have fun. It had a handful of fast food joints, a few shops along the main street with some small bakeries. There were also a lot of misplaced car washes, though Braxton could never understand why such a small town needed so many car washes. Outside of this, Ember didn¡¯t stand out. However, everyone¡¯s once peaceful lives were about to be turned upside down when tragedy strikes. It was a regular day like any other in Ember. It was the middle of June, with temperatures rising in the high 90s. This kind of heat never stopped the residents of Ember from preparing for the biggest holiday yet. The Fourth of July. The townsfolk always went all out on this holiday, excluding Christmas, and everyone was usually bustling about getting ready for the holiday. This day was different though. Not many people were out, it seemed as if the townsfolk were staying at home unless necessary on this day. On this day Braxton woke up in a sweat. The white t-shirt that he had put on before going to bed was now stuck to his back. His bangs clung to his forehead, he wiped away the sweat that accumulated on his forehead. ¡°Why is it so damn hot in here?¡± He muttered to himself, pushing his comforter off of him in hopes to cool off a bit. He looked at the clock at his bedside and groaned. 9:15 am. ¡°It is way too early for it to be this hot in this house. I¡¯m pretty sure I had set the A/C to 69 last night before bed.¡± He got off the bed and headed towards the living room where the thermostat was. Sometime during the night, someone had turned the heat on! ¡®What is wrong with these people?¡¯ Turning the A/C back on he headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing the last cold water bottle. He pressed the bottle to his lips and took huge sips at a time, letting out a huff when he was finished. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you up this early.¡± A voice spoke from behind him. Braxton turned around to face the source of the voice, giving a sly smile as he did so. ¡°Good morning to you too Sammy.¡± Samuel, his younger brother, stood with his hands on his hips, watching Braxton¡¯s every move. ¡°Mom made breakfast this morning if you would like some.¡± He gestured towards the food that was placed on the kitchen table. Eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Their mom usually never cooked, so seeing the food took Braxton by surprise. ¡°Why?¡± His brother just shrugged. ¡°She was just in a good mood.¡± When people saw the two brothers together they always commented on how much they look alike, when in reality they had very little similarities. The only similarity between the two was that they both had round faces, the same brown hair, and the same parents. Samuel was shorter than Braxton but was more on the slim side, and his eyes were hazel, not blue. Their personalities were also complete opposites. Samuel was a social butterfly, and was very popular among his peers, and loved playing sports. He planned to continue living in Ember while Braxton was more introverted, preferred video games over social events, and only ever wanted to travel. ¡°So, why ARE you up so early?¡± Samuel inquired. Braxton took a pancake from the stack on the table and shoved one into his mouth. ¡°Someone turned the heat on during the night, and my room got overheated. You know I have a hard time sleeping in the heat.¡± He spoke through mouthfuls of pancake. Samuel cringed. ¡°You should learn to wait to speak when you have food in your mouth.¡± Braxton rolled his eyes as he finished what was in his mouth. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I was going to be getting up in an hour or so anyway. I was going to meet up with Willow and Jennifer at the coffee shop this morning. I¡¯m grabbing a shower then heading out early to meet them.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Willow and Jennifer would be the two people who could be considered Braxton¡¯s best friends. Braxton had known Willow since they were almost ten years old, while he had known Jennifer at the age of fourteen. The three of them had been inseparable. After a cold shower, Braxton put on a light blue, short-sleeved shirt with a pair of his favorite black basketball shorts. ¡®It¡¯s going to be a hot one today, I can already tell.¡¯ He groaned at the thought as he grabbed his phone and keys from his room. ¡®I just want to stay home today.¡¯ On days like this Braxton usually just stayed in playing whatever game he felt like playing, he was now regretting making plans to meet with his friends. With a glance around the house before stepping out, he shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few hours!¡± He was met with silence. Getting in his car he adjusted his mirrors. He ran his fingers through his hair. ¡®I¡¯m getting tired of this natural color. I should dye it soon.¡¯ With that, he was off to meet his friends. When he arrived he was surprised to see that Willow and Jennifer were at the front of the shop waiting for him. ¡°You¡¯re here early Brax.¡± Willow commented. Braxton snorted and patted her head. Willow stood at 5¡¯2, with red long hair that went all the way down to her mid-back. She was stout and her face looked babyish. In a way, she was the same as Braxton when it came to wanting to be alone, but she could also be a social butterfly when she pleases, but overall she had a bubbly personality. ¡°I could say the same thing to you short stuff.¡± This caused the female to huff. ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, would you guys want to go ahead and head in?¡± Jennifer spoke up. Jennifer was taller than Willow, she was very slim and had short black hair that came down to her shoulders. Out of the three, she was the most serious one and was the self-proclaimed ¡°mom¡± friend. She could also be adventurous when she picked to be. Braxton nodded and held the door open for the two females. ¡°After you both.¡± Once seated at a booth a waiter took their order, the three only getting a cup of coffee with a small bowl of ice cream to go on the side. ¡°Are you guys excited for the Fourth of July?¡± Willow spoke in an excited voice. The Fourth of July was always Willow¡¯s favorite. Braxton and Jennifer exchanged glances then smiled. ¡°Of course we are! But have you guys noticed that no one in town is getting ready for the holiday like they used to?¡± Jennifer whispered. They looked around the coffee shop. Even though this place was empty, around this time it would be booming on a normal day. ¡°Can you blame them?¡± Willow asked in a hushed voice. Suddenly cups were placed in front of them and everyone jumped. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that! I didn¡¯t mean to scare you guys!¡± The waiter had returned with their drinks and ice cream. ¡°It¡¯s okay! We should have been paying attention, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Willow was quick to apologize. ¡°Is there anything I can get for you three?¡± The group all shook their heads and the waiter walked off. ¡°Anyways, people are all on edge lately, can you blame them?¡± Braxton stared off blankly as Willow spoke. ¡°First what happened to Khloe and now Hayleigh, the whole town is on edge. It would be hard to be in high spirits when all this just happened recently.¡± Again, no reaction from Braxton as those words left Willow¡¯s mouth. Jennifer eyed Braxton, clearly irritated. ¡°Could you give SOME kind of reaction, Braxton? They were your FRIENDS! One is dead and the other is missing!¡± She was starting to raise her voice. Grabbing her hand Willow hissed. ¡°Jennifer, don¡¯t forget where we are. Just because it¡¯s empty doesn¡¯t change the fact that the workers are still here and that anyone could walk in and hear you.¡± At the other female¡¯s words, she blushed out of embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just get overheated about things.¡± Khloe Tate. She would have been the same age as Braxton by now, but a few months ago she had been found hanging in her room with a note. It was a suicide, but some believe that she was murdered and it was made to look like a suicide. Hayleigh Henderson. She had been a year younger than Braxton, and she had disappeared just two weeks ago. The Henderson family was well-respected in the community, and when news of Hayleigh having disappeared broke out everyone got together to search for her. Everyone came back empty-handed. It¡¯s said that Hayleigh had been abducted on the outskirts of town when she had originally told her parents she would be going out with her friends that day. It turned out that she never had met up with any of her friends. Braxton had become close friends with both girls, with both girls having to have started forming crushes on Braxton. The Henderson family was also a family of money, so most were perplexed that a ransom was never demanded to return Hayleigh. ¡°Anyways,¡± Willow broke Braxton¡¯s train of thought. ¡°I heard the Henderson¡¯s are hiring a private investigator to help with finding Hayleigh.¡± This shocked and scared Braxton. Willow saw the look on his face and frowned. ¡°Braxton, are you okay?¡± He nodded slowly as he took a sip of his now lukewarm coffee. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright.¡± He whispered. ¡°If that¡¯s true, the next person they might start looking into is me.¡± Both girls looked at him with confusion. ¡°I was one of the last people to see Hayleigh the day she went missing.¡± Looking Back ¡°What do you mean you were the last person to see her?¡± A few seconds of silence had passed between the group after Braxton¡¯s breaking news, and Willow was the one who finally found her voice to speak up. ¡°The day she went missing, I had seen her. Even if I hadn¡¯t seen her, I had gotten that restraining order against her a while back, remember?¡± Willow slightly nodded while Jennifer looked at him with a confused expression. ¡°Why am I just now hearing about this restraining order?¡± She asked. Braxton began stirring his now melting ice cream then took a spoonful of it into his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal. During school you had a different schedule than us, so you didn¡¯t hang out with us when we hung out with Hayleigh.¡± This caused her to cross her arms, puffing out her cheeks as she pretended to pout. ¡°I still like to know what¡¯s going on with you guys.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyways, things kind of got out of hand at the end of last school year, so I had to get a restraining order.¡± ¡°Is that why you seemed so cold about her being missing?¡± Jennifer asked. Braxton sighed. ¡®She wasn¡¯t there for what happened Braxton, keep your cool.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, because I do, you just don¡¯t know what she was like there at the end of our friendship.¡± There was a pause Jennifer wasn¡¯t going to drop it anytime soon. ¡°She got obsessive and started stalking me.¡± He said in a monotone voice. Obsessive was an understatement for the situation, but it was the best he could do to describe it. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that though, not unless I have to. It¡¯s kind of a touchy subject for me, especially since she¡¯s now missing and I might be looked at as a possible suspect.¡± Taking another sip of his coffee he chuckled. ¡°I never thought I would find myself in this kind of predicament.¡± Jennifer rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. ¡°How did you two even get to be so close though? You two were complete opposites.¡± He gave a soft hum. ¡°I can at least tell you that much.¡± It was the beginning of Braxton¡¯s senior year when he first met Hayleigh Henderson. Hayleigh had just barely turned sixteen and was in her sophomore year. The two of them went to the same school, but Braxton was the loner type while Hayleigh had been one of the popular girls, so they had no reason to interact with one another. Braxton already knew about Hayleigh, not by choice, but it¡¯s always hard to escape rumors. Everyone knows your High School years are the best, correct? Wrong. Not everything went that way for most people. Hayleigh was one of those people. The rumors had started at the beginning of the last semester of that school year. Most boys in Hayleigh¡¯s grade would fawn over her, completely entranced by her beauty. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, with curly ginger hair that reached down just a little past her shoulders. She had freckles that were covered from one cheek to the other. Her face was sharp, and she had more of a curvy figure and a bigger bust than other girls her age. Out of all this, her eyes were what caught Braxton¡¯s attention. Before the rumors had started Hayleigh had been dating a senior who went by the nickname, Lucio. He was what was considered a ¡°bad boy.¡± He skipped out on school a lot, hung out with tough crowds, and was always in some kind of altercation with someone, but his looks were what caused girls to flock to him. Lucio was extremely lean and had a tan that looked like it was almost natural, with a mop of messy black hair on the top of his head. Most seniors liked to party at this time in their life, and Lucio was no exception. A friend of Lucio was throwing a party and Lucio dragged Hayleigh along with him. Things never go as we want, do they? The day after the party is when the rumors started. It appeared that Lucio and Hayleigh were no longer together, and everyone was talking about it. According to rumors, Hayleigh had finally slept with Lucio and took it a step further by sleeping with his friends as well. For the next couple of months, she had been titled the biggest slut in the school, and all of her ¡®friends¡¯ started to avoid her. As the end of the school year got closer it started to seem like people had forgotten about Hayleigh and moved on to the next ¡®big thing.¡¯ One day Braxton happened to stay after school, he was hoping to find peace in the library to finish up on a project that was due soon. As he walked into the library he was hit with the smell of pages of old and new books. It was a calming scent. He glanced around and saw a girl sitting by herself at one of the furthest tables reading a book. ¡®Hayleigh Henderson.¡¯ Her name popped into his head and before he could look away, their eyes met. If it hadn¡¯t been for her eyes, he never would have approached her. ¡°That¡¯s a good book you¡¯re reading,¡± he said as he approached her table, pulling out a chair to take a seat. ¡°It¡¯s one of my all-time favorites.¡± The girl had been shocked that she was being spoken to. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he said something wrong. She noticed the worried expression on his face and spoke up, ¡°Ah sorry! No one speaks to me, so I was surprised that you did. I was never a reader, but it¡¯s not too late to start a new hobby.¡± Her eyes glistened as she spoke, twirling one of her curls around her finger. He immediately felt emotionally deflated. Here he was hoping that there might have been something in common, just for that hope to lead to a dead end. Right as he was about to excuse himself his eyes met hers once again and his gaze was locked with hers. Loneliness. That was the first word that came to his mind whenever he looked into her eyes. The eyes that were going to be his downfall. Something inside of him told him to stay, to keep talking to her, so he did. ¡°Are you liking it so far?¡± He asked as he nodded his head towards the book in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying it, I think this place is the best place to read after school.¡± There was no arguing with that. From where they sat they could look out the window and watch the sunset. ¡°It does feel cozy enough to sit here for hours and just read a good book.¡± He spoke softly as if he was trying not to disturb something or someone. This caused Hayleigh to eye him suspiciously. ¡°Well you aren¡¯t reading, so why are you here?¡± Her tone sounded cold, which took Braxton by surprise. ¡°Uhm, I only stayed after so that I can finish a project for one of my classes. I wasn¡¯t expecting for someone else to be here when I got here.¡± He spoke in a low tone. The sudden silence between them grew, and this told Braxton it was his time to leave. Grabbing his bag from the floor, he stood up but was suddenly pulled back down. Hayleigh¡¯s natural rosy cheeks were now a bright red. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°I just¡­¡± She trailed off, biting on her bottom lip as if she was getting lost in thought. ¡°Since the rumors started at the beginning of this semester no one has spoken to me. There had been a few guys who tried but that was only to see if I would have sex with them.¡± Irritation laced in her voice, but her eyes showed pain. At that moment Braxton couldn¡¯t help but feel pity towards her. ¡°Ah, I apologize if my approaching you made you think I was only out to get you to sleep with me.¡± His face was now also red, but more so from embarrassment. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I shouldn¡¯t have assumed. I¡¯m about to head home. Would you care to come outside with me and talk?¡± She was already shoving her book into her backpack, looking at him as if she was expecting him to follow. ¡®I can just finish the project tomorrow.¡¯ With that thought, he grabbed his bag and followed her out of the school. As they stood outside they could see that the sun was setting, silence fell between them once more. ¡°So,¡± Hayleigh broke the silence. ¡°What do you think about the rumors?¡± ¡®Straight to the point, huh?¡¯ He took a moment before answering, trying to gather the right words to say without possibly seeming like an asshole. ¡°If you want the truth, I¡¯ve never been that big into gossip. I wasn¡¯t there when it happened, so it¡¯s not my place to tell if it''s true or not and it also isn¡¯t my place to go around telling other people.¡± He could tell by the expression on her face that she wasn¡¯t expecting that response. For once in his life, Braxton felt as if he said the right thing. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Before the conversation could continue, Hayleigh¡¯s phone started to ring. ¡°Sorry, just one second,¡± She turned her back away. ¡°Hello? Yes, I¡¯ll be heading home soon. I love you. Bye.¡± She quickly turned back to face him. I¡¯m sorry, that was my mother. She wanted to check up on me.¡± Braxton only nodded. ¡°To what you said, all rumors do have some truth to them.¡± He was barely able to catch what she said before she was suddenly in his face. Up close he saw how beautiful her freckles were and how they helped make her eyes pop out. ¡°I feel like I can trust you though, so I¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡± ¡®The truth?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to know, but he stayed quiet. ¡°As the rumors said, I went to that stupid party with Lucio. At the time we had already broken up. While we were together he was very abusive mentally, and I finally had enough of it and had broken up with him. He pleaded for me to stay, said he would change, and I believed him. That was stupid of me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± She laughed, but it sounded sad. Braxton knew better than to answer that question. ¡°At first it was getting better. When he asked for me to go with him, I agreed. When we had arrived everyone was drinking, most people were passed out drunk or were high. They had a few sodas though, and I felt uncomfortable, so I asked Lucio to get me a soda so that I could distract myself. He left me by myself as he went to get my drink, once he returned with it I had drunk most of it. It tasted funky but I had ignored that.¡± She paused, then swallowed as if there was a lump in her throat. ¡°Next thing I know, I¡¯m passing out. When I came, Lucio was on top of me. From my waist down I was naked. Before I could fully understand what was happening to me, I felt a sharp pain and I cried out. Lucio whispered in my ear that it was okay, to calm down. Then I felt him moving and it hit me what was happening. I was being raped! I struggled underneath him, and he wouldn¡¯t let go. I screamed at him to stop, that I didn¡¯t want it, but he kept going. I could hear his groans in my ear as he finished inside and pulled out. I remember looking off to the side, and I saw his friends just sitting there. None of them had tried helping me. ¡®Do what you want with her,¡¯ I remember Lucio saying. Then next thing I know I¡¯m being passed around to these different men, screaming for help. The next thing I remember is passing out again. When I woke up once more someone was over me, they were on the phone calling for help. Lucio and his friends were already gone. I was rushed to the hospital where they found traces of a strange drug in my system, and my parents had been called.¡± Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Hayleigh.¡± It was all he could muster as the tears began to slide down her cheeks. He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. ¡°No one should ever have to go through that, and I am so sorry that you had to. You are so strong for still living life after that.¡± Her body stiffened in his arms but then relaxed as she hugged him back. Finally, Hayleigh backed away, blushing. ¡°Thank you for that, I needed it. It¡¯s getting late though so I should head home. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡± Braxton nodded. As she began to walk away he called after her. ¡°Wait! Let me walk you home, is that okay?¡± As the words left his mouth his cheeks flushed. She gave a small nod and a smile. ¡°I would love that. My house is this way.¡± They walked in silence. As they walked Braxton couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. He was on the rich side of town, all of the houses and yards looked so much fancier than what he had ever seen. THUD! Hayleigh had stopped walking and he hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Are you okay?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. This is my house.¡± He looked up at the place and was amazed. Around the yard was a metal gate, the fancy kind, and the house itself was a light blue-colored mansion. Braxton had never seen such a huge house before in his entire life. ¡°Your house is nice!¡± He couldn¡¯t contain the excitement that escaped from him. Hayleigh looked sad. ¡°It can be pretty lonely. Anyways, I need to get in before my mother worries. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at school.¡± With a wave goodbye, Braxton watched her enter her house, and he headed in his direction. ¡°Wow, Hayleigh opened up to you just like that for the first time meeting?¡± Jennifer was in awe. Braxton looked down at his cup, which was now empty. He gives a curt nod. ¡°Honestly, as she started talking about it I wanted to stop her. I didn¡¯t want to bear the thought of what she had gone through.¡± He gritted his teeth. Thinking about it made him angry over and over. He had seen Lucio a few times after and he always wanted to sock it to the guy for what he did. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her then?¡± It was Willow who spoke this time, her eyes shining with curiosity. ¡°Was it love at first sight? Is that why?¡± ¡°No, Willow. I just had the feeling she needed someone at that moment, so I let her speak. If I had known what it was I never would have approached her to begin with. I¡¯m too messed up as a person myself to be able to be the person someone needs when they experience something like that.¡± He squeezed his cup. ¡°Well, to me it seems like you were exactly the person she needed at that time.¡± Willow placed her hands over his. ¡°You were always a good friend to her, even if you might not want to admit that. She cared about you, even when it got bad between you two.¡± He just looked at her. ¡°Are you guys done? I was thinking we could go do some shopping together and get ready for our little party for the upcoming holiday.¡± Both Jennifer¡¯s and Willow¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Yes!¡± The two exclaimed in unison. They all got up, paid for their coffee, and headed out of the shop. Grabbing his keys from his pocket, he noticed a white slip on his windshield. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ He grabbed the slip. It was a note. His blood ran cold. ¡®Watch you¡¯re back. Someone has their sights set on you, and they will do anything and everything they can to get their hands on you.¡¯ ¡°What the fuck is this?!¡± He was breaking out into a cold sweat. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Willow had pulled up beside him, concern etched into her face. Braxton quickly shoved the slip inside of his pocket. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Before she had the chance to speak he was slamming his door shut, hands shaking as he gripped the steering wheel. ¡®Please just let this be a prank.¡¯ The store was just as empty, which was unnerving. ¡°There is no one here!¡± Willow said in amazement. On one of the walls nearby there was a missing person poster for Hayleigh. Braxton didn¡¯t want to be reminded that he might be looked into as a possible suspect. ¡°Let¡¯s get our stuff quickly and leave.¡± He murmured as he headed past his two friends. ¡°Wait up Braxton!¡± Willow pouted. To Braxton¡¯s surprise, the store trip was quick. He had wished for longer to give himself some more time to be distracted but it looked like luck wasn¡¯t in his favor. He was exhausted. ¡°Time to head home,¡± Willow said through her yawns. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all meet up next week to plan out our party more?¡± Jennifer and Braxton both nodded in agreement, and they all went their separate ways for that day. Walking to his car, it felt like the note he had was burning into his pocket. He so badly wanted to find out who sent it and hoped that it turned out to be only a prank, but something deep inside him told him he wasn¡¯t, and even if he didn¡¯t want to, he was going to find out who sent it and why they sent it. Once back at home he changed out of his clothes and into nightclothes. It was now only four o¡¯clock, but he had no plans of going anywhere else, and he just wanted to relax for the rest of the day. He had placed the note on his bedside table as he crawled into bed and covered up. ¡®I just need a quick nap.¡¯ As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep. Darkness. It was all that surrounded him. The sound of pained groans wrapped around him. He frantically looked about, trying to open his mouth to call out to whoever it might be only to find out that he had no voice. Lifting his arms was a challenge as if a strong force was holding his body down. With each attempt to move forward he was filled with a sense of dread. Without warning, a bright light flashed before his eyes. He grimaced, attempting to cover his eyes but failed. ¡°Braxton.¡± The voice that spoke his name was gentle, sounding almost happy to say his name. He went to speak and realized he now was able to control his body without issues. He frantically looked around him to only find nothingness in the light. ¡°Who are you?!¡± He shouted, his voice shaking as he called out. ¡°Braxton, it¡¯s me. Do you not recognize my voice?¡± The voice spoke, its tone now sad. ¡°Khloe?¡± He said, voice barely above a whisper. Suddenly a female appeared before him. She had straight black hair that came down to her shoulders, but it was braided in french braids, her once bright green eyes were now a dull green color. She wore a mid-thigh dress that was covered in sunflowers. She nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time Braxton but you have to know that I was,¡± suddenly she was no longer speaking but her mouth still moved. ¡°What?¡± He asked. She kept talking, but still, he could hear no words. Suddenly the darkness was back and it was beginning to suck Khloe into it. The female made an expression as if she was crying out for help and reached out her hand towards Braxton as the darkness took her away. Braxton attempted to lunge towards her but the weight holding his body from moving had returned and he was forced to watch Khloe disappear in front of him. Suddenly he was falling. He had no way of catching himself, and his voice wouldn¡¯t work, his attempted screams not even coming out. He jolted upright, covered in a cold sweat as he looked at his clock rubbing his head. ¡°What a strange dream,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°At least I hope it was a dream.¡± If not, he had to figure out what it was Khloe was trying to tell him. However, spirits weren¡¯t real. Right? A Special Visitor Stolen novel; please report. An Old Tie Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Confession It had been a week since he found Ashley in Willow¡¯s trunk. Since that day Braxton hadn¡¯t left his house, worried that something else might happen around him if so. It had been all over the news about Ashley¡¯s death. The town is now obviously in fear, a girl goes missing and one ends up dead. As far as anyone could remember, these kinds of things didn¡¯t happen in Ember. Ashley¡¯s funeral was to be held the next day, it was all Braxton could think about as he had laid in bed mourning her death. In light of Ashley¡¯s death, more people were pushing to have Hayleigh brought home. Braxton had tried to get ahold of the Henderson¡¯s to try and be allowed to come to Ashley¡¯s funeral, but could never get ahold of any of them. He was never going to be able to. Suddenly there was a knock on his bedroom door. He assumed it was either his mother or Samuel, so he ignored it. The knocks got harder. ¡°Ugh, who is it?¡± He snarled towards the door. ¡°Jennifer. Can I come in?¡± He sat up as quickly as possible, trying to get dressed to be more presentable. ¡°You can come in.¡± He said as he opened his door. He looked his friend up and down, shocked to see her there. She had never been over at his house before and this confused him. ¡°Hey Jennifer, what are you doing here?¡± She crossed her arms, giving the expression that said that he should know why. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get ahold of you ever since I called you, but I could never get ahold of you and I had no way of getting ahold of anyone else to get ahold of you. We need to talk.¡± He nodded. ¡°Sorry, my phone started acting funky, and then it shit itself. I haven¡¯t been able to get a new phone, and I¡¯ve been in too much shock over Willow and finding Ashley¡¯s body like that that I haven¡¯t left the house.¡± Before he even looked into her eyes he already knew that Jennifer was looking at him with pity. ¡°That¡¯s why I came to talk to you.¡± Their eyes met and he sighed. ¡°What is it?¡± Jennifer took a seat beside him, looking down at the floor. ¡°They looked more into Ashley¡¯s death. They said that they believe her time of death was a few hours after the night she was last with you. They found that she had ten different stab wounds. She didn¡¯t die right away, she had bled out, and apparently, all of her nails had been ripped off and her lips had been cut off.¡± Braxton covered his mouth, he felt as if he was going to be sick. ¡°What about Willow then?¡± ¡°She has an airtight alibi for that night. She has people that can back up where she had been, as well as video footage of her being out with other people that night. So she¡¯s been ruled out as the killer, but they are still looking into why Ashley¡¯s body had been inside of her trunk.¡± Jennifer went quiet. ¡°What does that mean for Willow?¡± Braxton swallowed a lump in his throat. ¡°She was being released, but she is being followed to see if they could find out who had placed the body in her car if she hadn¡¯t done it herself.¡± She began rubbing her hands together, she looked almost ready to cry. ¡°The three of us were supposed to have a good fourth of July party in a few days. We were all living somewhat normal lives over a week ago, so why has it all gone to shit now?!¡± She sobbed. Tears were now freely pouring from her eyes. Braxton wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. ¡°Jennifer, everything is going to be okay. We¡¯ll find a way to fix this. Whoever is doing this is going to be caught, hopefully, Hayleigh and Ashley will be the only two who had to be this person¡¯s victims.¡± That word stung his heart. Victims. He never thought he would have to view people he used to care about and currently cared about as victims. It tore him apart inside, but right now, he had to be strong for Jennifer. Wiping away her tears she met Braxton¡¯s gaze. ¡°Braxton, you need to know something. When the police were questioning when they came out for Ashley¡¯s body, Mrs. Henderson said that you had ties to Hayleigh then she went missing and then you started seeing Ashley, and now she¡¯s dead, and that they need to start looking into you.¡± Braxton groaned. ¡°Of course she did. She so badly wants to pin Hayleigh¡¯s disappearance on me because I turned down her daughter, ever since she has had it out for me.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you turned down her daughter?¡± Jennifer questioned. ¡®Oh, fuck. I forgot about telling her about this.¡¯ ¡°Well, it kind of leads to the whole restraining order thing.¡± ¡°I want to know.¡± Her tone sounded demanding, and he felt obligated to tell her. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a drive, and I¡¯ll explain, okay? I need to get out of this stuffy room anyway.¡± Jennifer gave a slight smile. ¡°Only if you pick me up a coffee as well.¡± He returned the smile. ¡°I think I can do that for you.¡± They headed out and grabbed Jennifer¡¯s coffee on the way. The day after Braxton had walked Hayleigh home from school, Hayleigh began to stick around Braxton at school. Her hanging around led to her befriending Willow as well. The three all got along really well, especially Hayleigh and Braxton. Over time Hayleigh found herself falling for Braxton, and it was obvious that he was beginning to feel the same way towards her. ¡°So, Hayleigh, I¡¯ve been noticing you eyeing my best friend more than usual the past few days, what¡¯s going on?¡± It was Willow and Hayleigh alone on this day. Braxton had stayed out of school due to being sick. Hayleigh blushed. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can trust you not to say anything,¡± Hayleigh spoke. ¡°I like Braxton. I want to see if I could have a chance to be with him.¡± A blush crept onto her cheeks. Willow smirked and patted Hayleigh¡¯s back. ¡°Everything makes sense now. Have you told him how you feel?¡± She shook her head, putting a strand of her ginger hair behind her ear. ¡°I was planning to do it soon though.¡± Willow nodded. ¡°If I can help, let me know.¡± At that moment Hayleigh was thankful that she had befriended Willow. The next day at lunch, Braxton was there. He sat at the table with Hayleigh, glancing around. ¡°Have you seen Willow? She should have been here by now.¡± He kept searching the area. It was unusual for Willow to run late meeting them for lunch. Before Hayleigh could reply, Willow approached the table with a girl following behind her. ¡°Hey guys,¡± she said, waving a hand. Braxton eyed the girl behind her. ¡°Who is this?¡± The girl was maybe two or three inches taller than Willow, she had a light tan with long black hair with bright green eyes. ¡°This is Khloe, she just transferred here today and so I volunteered to show her around.¡± She took a seat at the table and motioned for Khloe to join them. Khloe took the seat beside Braxton. ¡°This is Braxton, my best friend, and this is Hayleigh. We¡¯re a pretty tight-knit group. Braxton and I have one other friend named Jennifer, but our school schedules never line up so we never see her unless it''s after school. One day you¡¯ll meet her. Hayleigh still has to meet her too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. If you need anything, let me know?¡± Braxton smiled at Khloe. She returned the smile while Hayleigh glared at her. Braxton and Khloe didn¡¯t have much in common, but they still enjoyed each other''s company regardless. Khloe listened to Braxton¡¯s interest and Braxton did the same for her. They became inseparable, and this caused Hayleigh to get jealous. One day Hayleigh had seen Khloe and Braxton together, but Khloe was too close to Braxton for Hayleigh¡¯s liking, and she felt her anger boiling inside of her. ¡®I need to get her away from Braxton!¡¯ Before she could be noticed, she stormed off in the opposite direction. From then on, Hayleigh made sure to find a way to keep Braxton¡¯s expression on herself, and it was working. ¡°You don¡¯t like Khloe, do you?¡± Willow asked one day, the question caught Hayleigh off guard. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me, I see how you look at her when she¡¯s around Braxton.¡± Hayleigh only hummed in response. ¡°Come on Hayleigh, spill it, it¡¯s just us right now.¡± Willow and Hayleigh were standing out the front of the school, waiting for Braxton to meet up with them after getting Khloe from her classroom. Hayleigh huffed. ¡°Has it not seemed to you that she¡¯s been taking Braxton¡¯s attention from us?¡± Willow caught the anger that had flashed in Hayleigh¡¯s eyes, and for some reason, this made Willow nervous. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not true, besides, he spends most of his time with you so why are you so jealous?¡± She nervously laughed. ¡°That reminds me, have you told Braxton about how you feel towards him?¡± Hayleigh shook her head. ¡°You need to! You two would look cute together.¡± Willow said excitedly. ¡°The only problem is Khloe,¡± Hayleigh hissed. ¡°I think she has feelings for Braxton as well, but I know that she¡¯ll never love him the way I do.¡± She clenched her fist as she spoke. Willow placed her hand on top of Hayleigh¡¯s. ¡°What if Khloe takes him from me?¡± Hayleigh¡¯s voice was now above a whisper. Willow gave her a sympathetic smile. ¡°I also don¡¯t want to cause him any trouble because of my current case.¡± Over the past few weeks, legal action had been taken against Lucio and his friends, but the case was currently still ongoing so it was going to take a while before actual charges were pressed against them. ¡°Hun, you could never cause him trouble. If he felt like you would, he wouldn¡¯t let you stay around and he definitely wouldn¡¯t be cheering you on from the side.¡± Willow spoke in a comforting voice. ¡°So tell him while you still can, okay?¡± Hayleigh smiled. ¡°I will.¡± The week after their conversation took place, Khloe had been found dead in her room, hanging. It was all over the news and the whole school had been talking about it. ¡°Goodmorning Braxton, good morning Willow!¡± Hayleigh said in a chipper voice. Braxton stared at her blankly. The news of Khloe¡¯s death was hitting him hard. Hayleigh frowned at the lack of a response. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She questioned. Willow gave her a bewildered look. ¡°Did you not hear about Khloe?¡± Hayleigh¡¯s expression went blank. ¡°Are you talking about the rumors I¡¯ve been hearing about all morning?¡± The way she spoke angered Braxton, and he snapped. ¡°They aren¡¯t rumors! Khloe is DEAD Hayleigh!¡± Hayleigh¡¯s eyes begin to fill with tears. ¡°I know you hated her! Don¡¯t think that I haven¡¯t noticed how you treat each other. If you don¡¯t care then just FUCK OFF!!!¡± At this point he was yelling at her, everyone around was staring. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Okay, Braxton.¡± The tears were streaming down her cheeks, and he instantly regretted what he said. Before he could open his mouth to apologize, Hayleigh was already walking off. ¡°Come on Brax, let¡¯s head to class.¡± Willow placed her hand on his shoulder as she walked him in the other direction. Two whole weeks passed since his blow-up on Hayleigh, and she went out of her way to avoid the both of them. On this day, Braxton and Willow stood outside of Hayleigh¡¯s classroom before the bell was supposed to ring. ¡°I hope we catch her in time.¡± He muttered under his breath. As soon as he muttered those words, she stood before them. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Her hands were on her hips and she was scowling, mainly at Braxton. ¡°Hayleigh, I wanted to know why you¡¯re avoiding me.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°You told me to ¡®fuck off,¡¯ so I am.¡± He took a step towards her and before she could react he pulled her into a hug. ¡°Hayleigh, I didn¡¯t mean it. I was just overly emotional because of Khloe.¡± She sighed. ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t like her doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t care.¡± She hugged him back. ¡°I want you around Hayleigh.¡± With that, they made up, and it was like it never happened. Khloe¡¯s funeral eventually came and passed. Braxton and Willow had attended, and to their surprise, Hayleigh did as well to give her condolences. ¡°Do you guys know if they¡¯ll be burying her in the city cemetery or their hometown?¡± Hayleigh questioned. Braxton paused for a second. ¡°I think here. I could be wrong though.¡± The three walked in silence. Now that the funeral was over, they were going to go grab some lunch. ¡°Hey, Braxton, can we talk for a second?¡± The three of them stopped walking, and Braxton stared at Hayleigh in concern. ¡°What is it?¡± She looked down at her feet, rubbing her hands together. ¡°Well, seeing how this happened with Khloe, it had me thinking about something, and I want to say it now.¡± Willow looked shocked and started shaking her head as if she was trying to say something without having to say it out loud. ¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting. I never know when something might happen to any of us, so Braxton, I want you to know, I¡¯m in love with you!¡± She blurted out. Willow frowned, clearly disagreeing with the situation. Braxton just stared at her, dumbstruck. Hayleigh¡¯s face was bright red, and she looked up at Braxton. She took a step towards him and placed her hands on his cheeks, and pressed her lips against his. ¡°Well, what do you say?¡± Her voice was barely above a whisper as she backed away. ¡°I¡­ Hayleigh, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t be with you.¡± He looked around them as if worried that someone might be listening. ¡°You probably should have never told me how you felt, I¡­ I just can¡¯t.¡± He was shaking. ¡°Hayleigh, we can¡¯t be friends anymore. I can¡¯t be around you knowing that you feel this way towards me.¡± Her pained expression hurt him, but it was for the best, at least it kept his guilty conscience from eating at him. Hayleigh¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she stormed off, Willow placed her hand on Braxton¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± A month had passed since Braxton stopped talking to Hayleigh, but for some reason, rumors were starting to spread that he was now in a relationship with Hayleigh. ¡°Hey, have you heard about Braxton? He and Hayleigh are now dating!¡± A girl behind him said to the girl next to her in class one day. Luckily, the second girl was smart. ¡°How can they be dating? Hayleigh hasn¡¯t been around Braxton in over a month. If anything it seems like they aren¡¯t talking.¡± ¡®Finally, someone who isn¡¯t so stupid!¡¯ Braxton thought. This took the first girl by surprise. ¡°Well, yeah, but it seems that someone has a pic of the two of them kissing and sent it to Hayleigh¡¯s parents. Since the Lucio thing happened they aren¡¯t allowed to be together so they are staying apart in public so that her parents don¡¯t find out.¡± She whispered excitedly. The other girl sighed. ¡°Who told you all of this? Is there even proof?¡± The second girl sounded annoyed. ¡°Then look at this!¡± There was a brief moment of silence. ¡°It¡¯s hard to refute if you have a picture, but for now let¡¯s stop talking about it, okay?¡± The second girl sounded nervous. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that they were in the middle of class, Braxton would have turned around and snatched her phone to see this so-called ¡°proof.¡± His blood was boiling. At lunch, he was finally able to meet up with Willow. ¡°Willow! We need to talk.¡± She stared him in the eyes, almost as if she already knew what was about to be said. Willow placed a stray of strand hair behind her ear as she looked off thoughtfully. He still waited for a response. ¡°Honestly Braxton, I heard people talking about it already. It seems like everyone has seen this picture except us, it seems like it¡¯s being kept from the both of us.¡± He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Do you believe that?¡± Willow only nodded her head. ¡°I do. We¡¯ll figure out who started this though, okay?¡± Braxton only nodded. The rest of the day he couldn¡¯t concentrate. His mind was still a blur even when he and Willow had started their usual walk home ¡°Are you even listening to me, Braxton?¡± Willow¡¯s voice brought him back to reality. ¡°Oh, sorry, no. I wasn¡¯t listening.¡± She frowned at him and stopped walking, and he stopped as well. Another sound of steps stopping caught Braxton¡¯s attention. He looked around quickly trying to find if someone was following, but there was no one. ¡°Hey, Willow, did you hear that?¡± She looked at him with confusion. ¡°Hear what?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I might just be imagining things. What were you saying?¡± On the walk home, Braxton felt like he was being followed, and sometimes I thought he could hear faint footsteps following behind him, and this kept happening for days on end. It got to the point that as he laid in bed at night he could hear knocks on his window, and sometimes he thought he saw a figure but was too scared to check. The rumor about him and Hayleigh was beginning to get out of control, and one day he finally got the ¡®picture¡¯ he kept hearing everyone talk about. It was a picture of her kissing him from when she confessed that she loved him. ¡®How the hell did anyone get this?¡¯ He asked people who sent them the picture, but some wouldn¡¯t talk, and others just straight up didn¡¯t know who the original sender was. However, the picture was the least of his worries. He had to focus more on who was stalking him. ¡°I know that the rumors matter, but I¡¯m more worried about finding out why someone is following me, only then will I confront the rumors and get the facts straightened out.¡± He sighed as he laid his head in his arms at the lunch table, Willow was mindless scrolling her phone as he spoke. For lunch that day the two decided they would sit out in the courtyard, where they wouldn¡¯t have to hear the whispers of the other students. ¡°Why don¡¯t I just stay the night then?¡± Willow asked. ¡°If you have someone following you then they¡¯ll see me going home with you and they might not bother you tonight. That way you can get some better sleep because a Braxton without proper sleep is a Braxton that can be hard to handle.¡± She gave him a slight smile and he returned it. ¡°We can also go buy you a camera to set up outside in a place that it can be hidden so you can find out who is doing this.¡± ¡°You think of everything Willow.¡± She beamed at the compliment. ¡°Thanks.¡± A few minutes passed before Willow spoke once again. ¡°Are you sure Hayleigh isn¡¯t the one who started the rumor?¡± Braxton glanced up. Willow turned her phone towards him. Hayleigh¡¯s social media accounts all had it put that she was in a relationship dating back to when the rumors began, but none of it said with who. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure. It does seem very likely though with seeing that, but we¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± He hoped that it wasn¡¯t her. On the way back to Braxton¡¯s place, the two friends stopped by a store and bought a camera to set up outside of his bedroom window. Once they got to his place, they set it up and Braxton sat on his bed and let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Hopefully we catch them tonight.¡± He said, Willow nodded. During the night a loud bang woke the two up from their slumber. ¡°Braxton! Are you okay?¡± Willow shot up. Braxton rubbed his eyes. ¡°Yeah, it sounded like it came from outside.¡± Another bang. Usually, it was just knocking, but tonight the bangs caught Braxton off guard. Maybe his stalker was angry that he had someone over? Every few minutes there would be another bang until after roughly twenty minutes, it stopped. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go out there and check it out, Braxton?¡± Braxton looked at his terrified friend. ¡°I¡¯m just as scared, plus we have no idea who it is or how many people are here. What if I went out there and they attacked me, got inside, and hurt you or anyone else in the house?¡± He snapped. She looked down. ¡°Why not call the police then?¡± Braxton sighed. ¡°By the time the police would get here, they would be gone. Also, I usually get too scared to call them.¡± He looked down in disappointment. ¡°In the morning I¡¯ll check the camera, then we¡¯ll see who it is.¡± That¡¯s exactly what they did when they got up the next morning. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Braxton muttered to himself. Willow had her arms crossed, the expression she wore made it obvious to anyone around that she was pissed. The one that was behind all the knocking was Hayleigh. It made Braxton feel sick to his stomach. ¡°We have to do something about this. We need to confront her.¡± Willow said sternly. Braxton only nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do it today during lunch, in the courtyard, that way there won¡¯t be much of a crowd to see what¡¯s going on.¡± Willow hummed in agreement. ¡°I told her this morning to meet us out here for lunch, but I¡¯m not fully sure if she¡¯s going to come.¡± Willow was pacing back and forth, clearly frustrated. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him from behind. ¡°Hi, Braxton! I¡¯ve missed you.¡± He instantly felt sick to his stomach just like he had earlier that morning. He tried to turn to face her to push her away but she just held on tighter. ¡°Hayleigh, I had told you to stay away from me. Just because Willow asked you to meet us doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re suddenly friends again and that you can go clinging on to me.¡± He snapped at her. Hayleigh¡¯s eyes sparkled, but her smile was menacing. ¡°Why would I stay away from my boyfriend?¡± She mockingly asked. ¡®So it was her who started the rumors.¡¯ His eyes met hers, but her eyes seemed different, deranged in some way. This was a Hayleigh he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Hayleigh, we aren¡¯t dating.¡± Anger flashed in her eyes and Braxton was able to push her away, stepping a few feet back. ¡°I know you¡¯re the one who has been following me recently.¡± She tilted her head, locks of her ginger hair fell on her face. From the corner of his eye, he saw Willow come to his side. ¡°You can be so paranoid sometimes, baby, but it¡¯s okay!¡± She took a step towards him. ¡°I have footage that shows you outside of my bedroom window banging on it.¡± Her expression changed to one of annoyance. ¡°Then delete it. Why would you care so much about your girlfriend coming to check on you in the middle of the night?¡± She sounded angry and the look in her eyes made it obvious that she wasn¡¯t in her right mind. Like she had snapped. ¡°For the last time Hayleigh, WE ARE NOT DATING!¡± He yelled. Willow grabbed his hand. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯ll be able to understand, so let¡¯s go.¡± Hayleigh glanced at their hands, biting hard on her lap at the sight of Willow holding Braxton¡¯s hand. Before he could realize what happened, Hayleigh reached into her pocket and brandished a pocket knife. She lunged towards Willow with it. Braxton quickly grabbed Willow out of the way and ran back into the building. The commotion had drawn a crowd, and teachers were already outside trying to apprehend Hayleigh, but she only stood there and watched Braxton as he ran away. ¡°You can¡¯t run forever.¡± Even with them outside of the school, he kept running, dragging Willow along with him until he stopped when he felt safe. ¡°Are you okay Willow?¡± He asked, trying to catch his breath. Willow could only nod, still shocked at what had just taken place. Without thinking, he started laughing. Willow eventually joined in. ¡°You saved my life Braxton!¡± Willow said through her laughs. Braxton smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad I did. I need you around.¡± Once they calmed down Willow got serious. ¡°Braxton, you need to go get a restraining order. She put both of our lives in danger today on top of the fact she¡¯s been stalking you.¡± ¡°I agree. Better get it done sooner than later.¡± That same day the restraining order had been taken out on Hayleigh. The next day Braxton received a call from the Henderson¡¯s. They begged him to drop the restraining order, telling him they would transfer their daughter to another school and that he would never have to see her again. It was agreed upon that he would keep his restraining order and that she would transfer, but that there should be no talk of it to not ruin the Henderson family reputation. Braxton was fine with that, and after that, they had kept their word. Hayleigh had been transferred out to another school, and Braxton never saw her again until the week before her disappearance. Jennifer sat there in silence. Braxton stayed silent as well, he wasn¡¯t wanting to force conversation unless Jennifer felt comfortable enough. ¡°So,¡± She started. ¡°How did you feel about Hayleigh before she confessed to you?¡± Braxton glanced at her from the side and sighed. ¡°I loved her. I wanted to be with her. It was just hard because of Khloe. I felt as if I wasn¡¯t allowed to be with someone I wanted to be with since Khloe was dead.¡± Jennifer gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because Khloe deserved to live her life, not for her life to end so shortly. Things got weird between us before she died.¡± There was a pause. ¡°You said Willow was proven to not have been the one who killed Ashley, right?¡± Jennifer nodded. ¡°Have you spoken to her?¡± She nodded again. ¡°She wants to talk to you because the last time she had seen you, you believed she had killed Ashley.¡± ¡°Call her, see if she¡¯s home. If so, we¡¯ll go see her.¡± Jennifer called Willow like she was told, and luckily enough, she was home, and Braxton had to apologize, as well as mule over who could have possibly wanted to shove Ashley¡¯s body into Willow¡¯s trunk. Little did Braxton know, there was a figure standing off in the background, watching him as he got out at Willow¡¯s house. Uncertainty Love what you''re reading? 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