Lies From the Past by Ava Wong (best book club books for discussion TXT) 📕

Footsteps grew louder and heavier. 

"Scarlett!" He sang, half taunting, half threatening. "Come out, come out, wherever you aree."

She held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut. He can't hurt you, he can't find you. She repeated the mantra in her head. Clenching her fists, she dug her fingernails in her palm and stayed as still as she could. Her tiny body was hidden underneath the dozens of clothes in her mother's closet. She knew she wasn't visible but he was a lot wiser than her. 

The slow creaking of the floor as he moved around the room made her hairs stand on end. She held her breath, praying he didn't check the closet.

"Boo." The closet door flung wide open.

 "NO! DON'T HURT ME! GET AWAY!! I HATE YOU!!" She shrieked. Tears ran down her pudgy face and snot was dripping from her nose. His sneer could make children cry and-

---

"Scarlett. Scarlett, it was just a dream. Wake up honey." The voice seemed a million miles away. 

She peeled her eyes opened and found herself face to face with her Aunt Lisa.

"Tell me what happened honey." Her aunt coaxed, simultanously combing Scarlett's hair through her fingers.

"Nightmare." Scarlett whimpered, clutching the covers tighter in her fists. "It's been years, I'm so tired of seeing his face. When is this going to end?" 

"Maybe you should go back your weekly sessions with Dr. Marilyn. I know she says you don't need them anymore but if the nightmares are getting this bad, I want you to get professional help." She said softly.

"No, I'm fine." She said curtly. Turning away from her aunt's touch, she crawled back under the covers. "I'm going back to sleep, I'll be okay. You can go back to bed. Sorry for waking you."

"Oh Scar, don't be sorry. I'll sleep on the couch tonight in case you need me."

First day of senior year tomorrow and these nightmares happen the night right before.

She turned over and glanced at the clock. 2:47am. Great, I'm showing up to school tomorrow with a fuck you, fuck everyone, shut the fuck up attitude. My teachers are gonna LOVE me.

---

"SCARLETT! GET UP! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" Aunt Lisa shouted.

"Ughhhh, gimme five more minutes." Scarlett mumbled.

Her aunt shoved the curtains open and sunlight poured over her eyes. "C'mon Scar, it's senior year! Aren't you looking forward to prom and senior trip and graduation?" She chirped.

"Clearly not as much as you are." 

"Don't give me that attitude, chop chop. Breakfast ready in ten. And please, do something about that godforsaken hair. It looks like a bird's nest."

Part of Scarlett was glad that her aunt didn't bring up yesterday's nightmare, it was embarrassing enough that she was still crying in her aun't arms at 17. "Why are you so energetic? It's literally 7 in the morning." She whined, rubbing her eyes, but her aunt had already made her way into the living room and increased the volume of the television. "Oh my God, Scar, there was another flood in Puerto Rico. Unbelievable." 

Yay, senior year.

It took about 2 minutes for me to throw a gray hoodie over my shirt and pull on a pair of sweats. I put my hair in a messy bun without glancing at the mirror. I probably looked I came back from the dead, but who am I impressing?

I took a few bites of the scrambled eggs on the table and stuffed some bacon in my mouth. "Mm-uh-nuh-walk-school-day-mkay?"

"What? Swallow your food, stop talking with your mouth full." Her aunt shook her head. 

"I said I'm walking to school." I turned around and grabbed my keys.

"You're going to school wearing that?" Her aunt scrunched her nose.

"Yeah, I always wear sweats." I looked down at my wrinkled hoodie.

"It's the first day of school honey, you should've asked me to take you shopping or something."

"That's okay, I have more than enough clothes. Thanks though!" She rushed out the door before her aunt made her change.

---

Sticking earbuds in her ears, she opened her Spotify playlist. She was in the middle of choosing a song when she crashed into something. "Ow! Fuck"!

"Oh my God, are you okay?" A male voice spoke from above her head. 

She glared up and met a pair of blue eyes. "What kind of idiot stops in the middle of the sidewalk?"

"Hey, YOU bumped into ME. And maybe if your nose wasn't stuck in your phone you would've actually seen a person standing in front of you." He shrugged.

He had a hint of an accent and she wondered where he was from. "I was choosing a song, how was I supposed to know some retard was gonna be standing in the middle of a sidewalk, where EVERYONE walks." She rolled her eyes. He towered over her 5'5 frame, stretching up to at least 6 feet, so glaring at him probably looked like a 5 year old glaring at their mom.

"I'm new to town and I was using Google Maps to find my way to Springsville High. But my phone service sucks here and I have almost no signal." He frowned.

"Did I ask for a life story?" She sidestepped him and continued her way to school.

"Did I ask for an attitude?" He countered.

"No, but if you wanna make a good impression on the first day, I suggest you shut up and follow me."

"So you go to Springsville High?" He called.

"No, I go to Idiotville High, you sure you're not looking for that high school?" She snarked.

"Are you always this pleasant?" He smirked.

"Are you always this annoying? Because asking stupid questions isn't not gonna help you when you're in class."

"Actually, all my past teachers loved me. And no question is stupid, you should've learned that when you were younger." He called.

"You know, I really hope you survive in school this year. Because your looks are seriously the only thing going for you."

"Oh, so I'm good-looking?" He teased.

She rolled her eyes and glared at him, "That's an overstatement." Like he needs more compliments to boost his huge ego.

"Look, it's 7:47 in the morning. I just moved to town and I deadass have no idea where anything is in this freaking place except for the gas station, which I passed by on the way to the house. I'm just trying to make a good impression, do whatever it takes to get by the last year of high school so my ass can finally just go to LA and start my college life. As friendly and extremely nice as you are, I really don't need a bitchy cute girl on my dick for whatever reason." He said nonchalantly.

"I'm not bitchy, I'm grouchy. As you stated, its 7:47 in the morning. And I would like to get to school and finish senior year so MY ass can finally move to LA and start my college life. The last thing I need is a pain in the ass new kid bothering ME when I have better things to do, like get to class on the first day on time." She shot back. But all she could think about is he thinks I'm cute?

"Just go to school and I'll stay a close 10 feet behind you. Once we get there we won't have anything to do with each other. I don't want your vibe rubbing off on me anyway."

"Less talking, more walking." She turned and rolled her eyes.

Publication Date: 10-04-2017

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