Chapter 2

Mel POV

Back at the apartment, Lilith kept talking about a strange man who was allegedly in the changing room with her, but I can't understand how was that possible, it was locked on the inside, and she claimed he just vanished like that. Throwing the shopping bags across the floor, I sat on the sofa, trying to avoid Lil's crazy talk, but she came right next to me continuing her wild imaginary story,

“Mel he kissed me, that bastard kissed me and...”

I wasn't even listening to her anymore, all of this felt like Déjà vu.

Growing up with Lilith was fun for the most part, but there was also a part of her that scared me. Whenever we would have sleepovers, Lily would wake up kicking and screaming, complaining about monsters in dark and men with black eyes walking through fire. They got awful to the point where I had to stop inviting her over because my mom thought she was possessed and my dad...well he seemed to care less. Growing up with my parents in that town was torching. So I had to get away from it, especially from them. They were controlling, trying to raise a little 'Ms. Flawless', forcing me to dress up all the time, telling me what to eat, whom they approved of to be my friends, so my next best option was moving to the city. I was having secret conversations with a young man online, his name is William... William Foreman. Months after months I kept speaking to him, I told him about my parents, my childhood, my crazy ass best friend, everything.

So he invited me to the city to start a new life, and he would help me to get an apartment, the car of my dreams, a job, anything. But I had lie to my parents, I was twenty-five, and they treated me like a child, so I forged a college scholarship and left home.

“Mel are you even listening, I'm telling you, there was a man with dark eyes in the changing—”

“LILITH STOP!” I yelled.

It wasn't intentional but her constant bickering was annoying me.

“I'm sorry it's just that... Do you remember when we were kids, and we used to have fun sleepovers but at nights you would scream, afraid of the dark, afraid to sleep because you said men with horns and black eyes were coming to get to you?”

Hanging her head down, she whispered lowly, “Yes.”

I knew Lilith, she's just an innocent, jovial, indecisive young woman, and I blame it all on that town.

I took her hand in mines, “ No one is coming to get you and it's ok to be afraid— afraid of changes, but it's all in your head, it's not real Lil, ok?”

“Ok.”

“Now enough with the demons and monsters talk, how about we take a couple of shots and you... my friend, is going to try on your new outfits? Speaking of outfits, what's up with that black dress, got a hot date I don't know about?”I joked.

“A date? Me? I curious to know who would want to date me, a twenty-one-year-old virgin,” She laughed scanning through each piece of clothing.

“Shut up!” I yelled in excitement, “So you mean to tell me, you have never done it before?” I questioned.

“No... have you?” I stood up and handed her a pink romper, ignoring her question,

“Try this one on.”

“You bloody slut, you have! Haven't you! was it with your boyfriend? Can I meet him?” she excitedly wiggled into her new clothes

“Well yes—” I explained as I poured us vodka shots, “—but I strongly advise you to drink this before I tell you anything.” She quickly took the shot cup from me, gulping down the clear fluid.

“Ugh!” She started to cough, regret drinking it all so quickly.

“This is what people drink at parties, it's nasty.” I chuckled lowly at her innocence.

“What are you laughing at, who did you fuck?”

Her strong language surprised me, I guess she isn't as innocent as I thought.

“Well…” slowly massaging her throat to ease the slight burning from the vodka, “Go on then.”

I kept my eyes fixed on her, just to see her facial expression

“You remember Roger?”

“Roger? Your dad's mechanic!” she shouted, “He is like forty!”

“Technically... he is the town's mechanic plus I was nineteen, and he was twenty— a lot,  at the time, so it's ok to wait for the right one, he surely wasn't,” I chuckled.

“Easy for you to say, Mel, I'm almost twenty-two, and I'm still a virgin, but I guess you're right, I'll just wait for the right one.” I smiled widely as I poured us another round,

“I'll drink to that,” I chuckled. We were laying on our backs, next to each other, The vodka bottle was empty and that's when Lilith curiosity began to kick in,

“So Mel, I have seen a single textbook, did you leave them at school?”

My mouth suddenly got dry, forgot I've told Lilith about William yet, I nervously sat up, and she sat up next to me,

“Hey was it something I said, I am so sor—”

“No,” I nervously chuckled, “It's ok, But I have something to tell you and you're probably going to freak out, but there is no college,”

“What...what do you mean?”

“I faked it ok, pretending to get a scholarship, so I could escape from that hellhole, I… I've met a guy, His name is William Foreman, he's twenty-nine, he's rich, owns a company, and he takes care of me— and I know what you're going to say, now and then I work as a bartender, he got me a job not too far from here, it doesn't pay a lot, but I am saving from it, I... I just don't want to become a lawyer Lil, that's my parents' dream, not mine, I just want to do my own thing until I figure out what I want,”

I didn't even realize I was crying, But Lilith said nothing, she only nodded and I knew she understood, She reached out and hugged me, holding me while I cried silently on her shoulders, I think we had too many shots.