agowilt (n.)
sudden, unnecessary fear
* * *
DESPITE the sting of his words, my state of bliss didn't fade. It would take a lot more than being friend-zoned to get rid of me.
We sat on the cliffside for another hour to watch the sunset. When it was finally dark, Eli insisted on giving me a ride home. I had my car with me, but he argued that I was too upset to drive and should just pick it up later.
"Hey! I'm home!" I called out.
My mood soured as my voice echoed through the eerily quiet house.
The house was never this quiet—even in the middle of the night. Someone was always doing something to make noise, whether it was cooking, playing video games, watching TV, or talking loudly.
Our half-eaten food was still on the dining room table. The blankets and throw pillows in the living room were exactly as they were when I stormed out. My phone was still wedged between the cushions.
The only thing missing was my family.
Where did they all go? Did he do something? They surely wouldn't have left without leaving a note.
Shuffling through the miscellaneous papers on the kitchen island, I found absolutely nothing.
Something was wrong—it was the only logical conclusion.
Thump!
I froze in my tracks, a chill going down my spine.
It sounded like the noise came from the basement, so I tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear up to it.
Clang!
I grabbed a skillet for protection and slowly inched down the stairs, ready to strike the intruder.
My heartbeat quickened with each step down the dark staircase.
I blindly reached for the lights, prepared to flick them on and whack whoever was in our house.
"Ah!" My mom cried sharply, shielding her face from the skillet I was about to whack her with. "Geez, Charlotte, you almost gave me a heart attack. What is wrong with you?"
My face flushed as I set the pan on the couch. "Uh, I thought there was a robber or something here."
"A robber?" she asked incredulously.
I nodded meekly. "What else was I supposed to think? The house is empty, quiet, and I heard a crash."
She motioned to the side table and vase she knocked over.
"Oh."
"We'll deal with that later." She sighed tremulously, running her hands through her disheveled hair. "Where on Earth have you been? Everyone's worried sick about you."
"I—"
She raised her hand, interrupting me. "No, I am not done... You didn't even think to call? You disappeared for two hours! For all I knew, you were lying dead in some ditch!"
"I forgot my phone," I said feebly. I also assumed that Eli told Ethan where we were, so I didn't think it was a big deal.
"You're in big trouble, young lady."
In a millisecond, she stalked towards me and wrapped me in a bear-hug.
I awkwardly patted her back, confused by her sudden change in emotion. "Um, okay?"
YOU ARE READING
Because of Haven Beach
Teen Fiction"The moon's really beautiful, if you think about it," I blurted. "Yeah?" he asked, mild amusement and curiosity mingling in his voice. "Yeah," I confirmed. "It's just- there's something about the moon that's ethereal. I don't really know how to desc...
