Page 2 of Shadows Within

She blinks slowly, taking in my words. Clearly, she’s tipsy.

“Where have you been?”

“Soph, I–” I stutter, not sure what I’m saying. Tears start to flow down my cheeks again. “I think someone- I, um, I think someone put something into my drink.” I look at the floor and hope no one else hears me.

Sophia immediately sobers up and fear flashes in her eyes.

“Okay, let’s go, now.”

She grabs her purse off the couch and doesn’t let go of my arm. Holding my hand, she leads us out of the house.

Once we step outside, Sophia hugs me tight. I gasp, finally catching my breath as cold air hits my lungs. Sophia unlocks her car, helps me into the passenger seat, then steps around to the driver’s side. Once she’s in her car she locks the doors then faces me, her eyes squinting as she holds back tears.

“Scar, I’m so sorry,” she says, “Who do you think it was? Who were you with last? This is so fucked. Were you hurt? Do you remember anything?” I don’t respond. I don’t have any answers.

“Soph, you can’t drive.” I point out as she starts the car.

“I know, I just want to warm you up, you’re freezing.” She pulls out her phone. “I’m calling Stirling.”

Stirling isn't a good friend of mine, but if Sophia trusts him, then I will too.

“I need you to come get us.” Her voice is stern. “No, not your driver Stirling,you.” Her eyes are full of so much left unsaid. “Okay, yeah I’ll send you my location, but hurry up.” She ends the call.

We spend the next fifteen minutes trying to recall what happened.

All we can piece together is that Sophia last saw me by the pool. I was sipping the only drink I had all night, and then I told her I was moving inside. She told me that one of the girls in thehouse saw me go upstairs, and Sophia said she looked for me but couldn’t find me. She called me three times.

“I shouldn’t have stopped looking for you.” She stares out the window. I hate that she feels guilty. Finally, Stirling pulls up in his blacked-out sports car.

“Please, don’t do that Soph, you didn’t know.” I say as we walk toward his car.

“Get in.” She motions with her head toward the back seat.

I slide in and curl against the door.

Sophia gets into the front and slams the door harder than necessary.

“My house.”

The ride is quiet. Stirling doesn’t push conversation—I’m sure he can sense the tension. I lean my head against the window’s cool glass and suppress another cry as the engine hums. Outside, the streetlights flash past. I squeeze my fingers together and don’t say a word.

This night feels surreal.

Every inch of my body aches. As tears finally fall, humiliation washes over me, and my eyes burn. Through the window, the night blurs.

I wonder if I’ll ever feel whole again.

Avoidance

Scarlett

I step into Dad’s auto repair shop and get hit with the smell of motor oil and hot metal, it’s pure bliss. These scents, along with the taste of Sour Patch Kids, can instantly cure my anxiety better than deep breathing ever could.

I see my dad, Jake Voss, bent over and elbow deep in the hood of a beat-up Camaro.

“Hey, Kiddo.” He emerges from the front of the car with grease on his cheek and a smile on his face.

I walk across to the old fridge in the corner and pull out a grape Crush.