Page 1 of Burn With Me

Violet

Nine Years Ago

As the second pebble hit my window, I knew I needed to get going or not at all. Stuffing pillows under my comforter, I waved to Becky, who was waiting on the back lawn. I could just make her out, standing in the shadow of the pool house. The lights from the pool cast dancing shadows along the wall, making me shudder. As quietly as I could, I opened the window and froze as it made a squeaking noise. The house made a ton of strange noises for being relatively new. Feeling the heat, I cursed the humid night air. The windows and doors all seemed to shift with the sticky heat.

I looked back toward the door that proudly had my name, Violet, hanging over the top in bright purple letters. My parents thought I just really liked the stupid thing I’d made in shop class, but in reality, it was my little alarm system. Anytime someone was walking down the hall, it rattled back and forth.

As my homemade alarm remained silent, I smiled and slipped out the window to the overhang that traveled the entire length of the back porch. I thought about closing the window, but I didn’t. Not wanting to risk making any more noise, I drew my curtains closed to cover my escape. Getting onto my knees, I scooted to the edge of the overhang. I reached over, my fingers brushing the top of the lattice covered in my mother’s climbing roses.

“Come down backward. It’s easier,” Becky whisper-yelled at me.

“I can’t. I hate heights.” I’d done this a few times now and you’d think it would get easier, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Just do it.”

“Shh, don’t wake my parents, or I’m so dead.” I glanced at the window further down the length of the house, but no one moved behind the darkened glass.

“Fine, do it your way.” Becky huffed. “Just hurry up.”

Getting a grip on the white ladder-like wall, I swung one leg and then the other over the side of the roof.

“Ouch.” Of course, my hand had to land directly on a thorn. “Stupid roses.”

I hated those flowers. Even though they were my mom’s, I was the one that always ended up trimming them.

Carefully, I made my way down. When close enough, I jumped to the grass below.

“What took you so long?” Becky said as she ran her fingers through her mane of wavey brunette hair. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming at all.”

I stared at my best friend for a moment. She’d put on make-up and was wearing a cute blue sun dress that matched her eyes. She never did either of these things. I had no idea why she suddenly wanted to try and impress a stupid boy. They were all jerks. I hadn’t met one yet that wasn’t stupid. They all farted and belched like it was the funniest thing in the world, or they wanted to feel me up—pigs, all of them.

“My parents were being dick-wads about my grades and other shit. They went to bed late,” I said, dusted off my jeans, and grabbed the backpack I’d stashed earlier in the day inside the pool house. “Come on, let’s go.” I headed across the large backyard toward the woods. Becky remained standing in the same spot. “What is it? I thought you wanted to get going?”

“I do.”

“Well then?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t. You know what will happen if we’re caught—you’ll be so grounded.”

I smiled wide. “I’m already grounded, and yet here I am. Now come on.” I held out my hand to my best friend. Becky rarely stepped out of line, and sneaking out to go to a party was new for her. I’d been doing it for months. What I hadn’t told Becky was that part of the reason my parents were so pissed off was that they’d caught me skipping school again, and this time it was the police that had picked me up. Coming home in a cop car drunk didn’t exactly win you any points. But come on…what did they expect? The stories I’d heard about my parents were worse than anything I did.

Becky glanced at my hand like it might bite, and maybe it would. I tended to party a little too hard, but now that she was out with me, I wanted her with me.

As soon as our hands clasped, we were off.

It didn’t take long to get to the small beach cove. It was a hidden gem that rarely anyone ventured to other than us teens. We both started bopping our heads as the music reached us before we exited the narrow path. I smiled wide at Becky as the path opened up to the small sandy area.

“Isn’t this great?” I stared at the bonfire and the party that was well underway as people talked and danced. I raised my hands in the air and wiggled my hips back and forth to the Eminem song that was playing.

“What did you say?” Becky said, her eyes scanning the group of people.

“I said, ‘Isn’t this awesome?’ ” Her eyes found mine, but she didn’t look so certain now that we were here. Her eyes continued to dart from side to side as she stood, arms wrapped around her body. “What’s wrong?”

She nodded off toward the far side of the beach. I narrowed my eyes, my hands balling into fists as I recognized Tyler. He was locking lips with Jenny.

“That jerk. Weren’t you supposed to meet him tonight?” Becky nodded, her big blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. “What is he doing locking lips with that slut then?”

I took a step in their direction, and Becky grabbed my arm. “No, Vi. Don’t.”