Page 16 of Don’t Watch Alone

I step into my room, pick up the phone, and dial her number. It rings, and then goes to her answering machine. I stand there for a moment, staring at the wall like it’s supposed to give me answers, when I hear something crash in the living room.

I ran out of my room in an instant.

Drew stands near the coffee table, guilt painted across his face like a child who’s been caught doing something that shouldn’t be doing. Then I see it. My favorite lamp lies in pieces on the floor, shattered like the last of my patience. Tony groans.

“Dude, I told you… no horse playing,” he says, rubbing his temples like he’s the one with a reason to be stressed.

“I just bought that,” I snap.

“I’ll get you a new one,” Drew mumbles as he is backing away from the mess.

“It was on clearance. There is no new one,” I mutter as I walk into the kitchen, jerking open the cabinet to grab the broom and dustpan. Another reason I can’t fucking stand Tony’s friend. And the more I think about it, the less I want him anywhere near me tonight.

Tony follows me into the kitchen, keeping a few steps back from me, like he already knows what’s coming. I shoot him a glare before he can say anything.

“I’ll clean it up,” he offers, reaching for the broom, but I hold on to it a second longer before finally letting him take it.

Once the broken lamp is swept up and everyone’s pretending we’re all still friends, we decide to go get food.

The mood’s tense, fake smiles plastered on tired faces, and I go along with it only because I’m starving and sick of being in this apartment.

The vote lands on pizza, which means the mall, because apparently, that’s the only place that serves anything edible to this group.

“I still don’t get why we have to go all the way to the mall for pizza,” Eva whines from the backseat like she’s auditioning for a role no one asked for.

In the passenger seat, I hear the familiar crinkle of a bag. Drew’s already halfway through with some old chips he found in Tony’s glove box. Acting like he’s never eaten before.

“Because it’s the best,” Tony replies, his eyes meeting mine briefly, that faint smile tugging at his mouth like an apology he doesn’t want to say out loud. “And it’s not even that far.”

I give him a short nod, nothing more. My mind keeps looping back to Mary; her silence, her empty side of the world that keeps growing darker the longer I go without hearing from her. She wouldn’t just leave. Not without saying something.

The mall is its usual mess—people circling the parking lot like vultures, moms dragging screaming kids, couples arguing about absolutely nothing. We find a parking spot near one of the entrances, which somehow feels appropriate for the mood.

Inside, the air reeks of cheap pretzels, floor cleaner, and an overworked heater. It’s familiar, and that makes it even worse.

“Pizza first, then maybe we can play some arcade games?” Drew says, nudging Tony with the kind of energy that makes me want to slam my head into the nearest hard surface.

“Maybe,” Tony says, though his eyes glance to mine again. He knows I couldn’t care less about video games right now—or Drew’s enthusiasm for anything.

The food court is filled with noise, light bouncing off the tables and plastic trays. The pizza place is called “ShowBiz Pizza Place,” and it is packed. I cross my arms and stare straight ahead, trying not to let my irritation show through, but I can feel it simmering below.

Tony leans in close; his voice is low. “Look, I know you’re still pissed about the lamp, but I swear I’ll find you another one. Or something cool. Just… let me make it up to you.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to collect myself. “It’s not just the lamp, Tony. It’s everything. I don’t want them coming to the movies with us tonight.”

His expression shifts, and for once, he doesn’t have something quick to say. “Drew’s not that bad,” he offers after a beat. “And Eva’s…”

“She’s okay. And Drew broke my lamp five damn minutes after I asked him to stop screwing around,” I say through clenched teeth. “And I told you, I need you sober tonight. If something happens, I don’t want to be the only one thinking clearly.”

Before he can answer, Eva pipes in from behind us. “Are we still seeing that new horror movie tonight? It looks so good!”

“We were thinking of something a little less scary,” Tony says quickly, like he’s trying to glue the cracks back together before we go.

“No way, horror is perfect!” Drew adds, grinning. “You need the right vibe, man. Nothing like a good scare!”

I shoot Tony a look, one that says I’m two seconds away from losing my shit. He shrugs.

We finally reach the counter and start ordering, and just as I’m about to say something else, the TV above the drink machine flashes with a red banner: Breaking News. My stomach knots instantly. Maybe it’s about Mary. Maybe she finally…

The anchor’s voice cuts through the chatter: “Police are investigating a string of disappearances in the city’s northern area. ”

My whole body tenses. The noise around me fades to nothing. All I can hear now is Andy’s voice, echoing in my head.

Don’t go to the movies tonight.

We found a booth near the windows. The plastic seats were sticky, but the promise of greasy pizza outweighed the minor discomfort. We ordered a large pepperoni, half-mushrooms for Eva, and a pitcher of soda.

As I bit into my first slice, I couldn’t stop thinking about that news alert.

Then, my gaze was caught by a figure moving through the crowd in the mall.

A shock went through me so suddenly it almost made me drop my pizza.

It was a girl with long, dark hair pulled back just slightly.

There was a familiar slouch to her shoulders, and the movement of her denim jacket. It had to be her. Mary.

“I’ll be right back,” I mumbled to Eva, already halfway out of the booth.

Eva, mid-sip of her soda, she just blinked with a question remaining in her eyes. I didn’t wait for an answer, already pushing through the crowds of pizza-fueled kids, my eyes locked on the disappearing figure. She was heading towards the mall entrance.

“Mary!” I hollered, my voice a little breathless, as I burst out of the ShowBiz Pizza Place doors and into the brighter part of the mall.

The noise level dropped instantly, replaced by the quieter sounds of mall music and distant conversations.

She heard me, I was sure of it; her shoulders tensed, and she paused, just a few feet away from the entrance to one of the department stores.

“Mary, wait up!”

The girl turned, with her head tilting slightly.

My steps stopped. The hair was similar, yes, and the jacket, but as her face came into full view, the resemblance just vanished.

Her eyes were a different shade of blue, her nose was not quite the same, her lips looked like a stranger’s.

My energy left, leaving behind a chilling flow of embarrassment.

“Oh,” I breathed. My cheeks turned red. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were… I thought you were one of my friends.” I offered a weak, apologetic smile, wanting nothing mo re than to disappear from existence. She nodded politely, yet seemingly confused, and then continued on her way.

Mortified, I spun around and walked back towards Eva.

“Blaiz?”

The sound of my name, spoken in that particular tone, made my shoulders tense up. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. But I did anyway.

Andy stood there, a few feet away, with a desperate look in his eyes. He was wearing the same faded band t-shirt he always seemed to wear when he was hanging around the mall. Just seeing him sent a new rush of dread through me.

“Are you still going to the movies tonight?” he asked, as if trying to keep our conversation private in the public space.

“Yes,” I said, ready to make a quick escape. My eyes darted towards the ShowBiz entrance.

“Please don’t,” he begged, his hand shooting out and wrapping around my forearm. His grip was surprisingly strong, not painful, but firm enough to stop me in my tracks.

I stared at his hand on my arm, then back up at his face.

The desperation in his eyes was almost unbearable, but it didn’t make me feel sorry for him.

It only made me feel more trapped. “Listen,” I said, yanking my arm, but his grip held fast, “I know you have told me not to go, but I will have plenty of guys with me tonight. So, I have nothing to worry about. Please just leave me alone.”

With a final, forceful jerk, I pulled my arm free from his grip.

The sudden movement sent a throb up my arm, but it was nothing compared to the fear that twisted in my gut.

I didn’t look back, just shoved my hands into my pockets and half-walked, half-ran back towards the comforting sounds of ShowBiz Pizza Place, leaving Andy standing alone in the wide open space of the mall.