Where the Moon will Shine

Chapter 12

I could feel my muscles relax. I inhaled the steam from the shower and it was as if all my worries had disappeared.

I hadn't taken a bath since the incident with Oliver. One moment I was enjoying a nice relaxing bath, the next a boy was kissing me. I didn't want to take any chances.

I was showering before heading over to Anika's house. Oliver seemed disappointed that I wouldn't be coming to the party, but he said he'd live. He even made me promise to be careful, which filled my stomach with butterflies.

I turned the knob in my shower shutting off the water. As I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself, I realized just how nervous I was.

I was pretty petrified of the neighborhood, and the kid for that matter. The idea of being alone with Anika for a few hours scared me way more than the wrath of my mother grounding me for sneaking out.

I stepped out of my bathroom and walked into my room. I began to comb through my hair with my fingers when I heard my mom shouting.

"Rach, we're leaving in five! I wanna stop at the grocery store and pick up milk, k?"

"Sure Mom, whatever. I'm ready."

I was certainly not ready.

I threw my towel on the floor and put on an orange sweater that was lying on my bed. I grabbed my leggings out of the bushel, and quickly put on mascara.

"Rach, you coming?"

"Yeah Mom! One sec!"

I shoved my socks and boots on, nearly falling over, and ran downstairs.

"See, ready!"

My mom snickered and rolled her eyes. I was pretty confident that she had about enough of me.

It was around a half an hour until we got to Anika's house at 6:30. My mom ended up buying three bags filled with groceries.

"Love you, Rach. Stay safe." I felt my eyes involuntarily look up towards the sky.

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be fine. Love you too," I muttered. Although, I wasn't so sure that I would be fine.

I was making myself crazy. Freaking myself out for nothing. Lucy told me that I needed to stop doing that. I knew she was right. But when you have a gut feeling about something, aren't you supposed to listen?

Coming back to reality, I was then standing at the front door to the house. I hesitated a moment before knocking

Almost instantly, Anika's mom answered the door. I couldn't for the life of me remember her name.

"Hello Rachel! I'm so sorry to inconvenience you, but Anika was persistent about spending time with you alone. You must have really made an impression on her," she laughed, "anyways thank you. This isn't a problem for you, right?"

"No, not at all," I barely managed.

"Good good, well I'll see you around eleven then. Have fun!" She practically ran out the door, ushering me inside.

Wow. Okay, Luce never specified that she'd be coming back at eleven. I guess it'll be kind of a late night after all.

I walked down the dimly lit hall. This house is really in the spirits of halloween, I thought to myself.

"Hi."

I could feel my soul almost jump from out of my body.

"Oh, hi Anika. Sorry, you scared me a little." She just stood there, momentarily frozen.