Obsessive ~ Noah Foster [1]

Chapter Thirteen// Coroner

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"You're like a caveman: Dumb, crass, and barely housebroken."

--Brooke Maddox

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I woke up, and looked around. I was in the living room. I frowned, and sat up on the couch. I wore the same clothes that I was wearing yesterday. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a picture. I turned my head. Beside me, on the side table beside the leather couch was a picture of Nina. Smiling widely. Her sixteenth birthday. I smiled at it, and wished she were here with me."Hey, honey. What are you doing up so early?" My mom asked me, as she strolled by, holding a mug of coffee, making me jump. My mother was a lawyer, who had just gotten a new job at City Hall, added to the team of lawyers for Mayor Maddox.

"I don't remember falling asleep here." I whispered. "Yeah, uh, you got in late last night. Your friend... uh, Audrey--yeah, that's it! She drove you home. Oh, such a sweet girl. I remember her. You guys were friends in the third grade. What ever happened to that?" My mom frowned, grabbing the pile of papers that were on the coffee table, throwing them into her satchel. God, I hated that satchel. "We just drifted." I lied, standing from the couch. "Or... did you just stop being friends with her because she wasn't cool anymore in Nina's eyes." My mother eyed me. I frowned at her. "No. We just stopped being friends, mom." I said. "People aren't dolls, Arielle. You can't throw them away when you're done with them." My mother told me, sipping her coffee. "I realize, mom." I huffed. She stayed quiet as she sorted through more papers. I sighed. "Where's Kat? I'm going to get a ride with her." I told her. "You really need to learn how to drive, Ari." Katherine walked into the room, handbag in hand. "I know how to drive. It's... just scary." I said. "Whatever. Go get dressed. I can't drive you home, though. I have a job interview." She said. "Ooh, an interview?" My mother said in a sing-song voice. "Yeah, at the Grindhouse." My sister grinned. "You know, you should get a job with me." My sister bumped my hip with hers. "Haha, you're funny." I laughed sarcastically. "I think you should do it, Arielle. I mean, it doesn't have to be the same place." My mother said, sitting down on the sofa, going over more papers. I walked away from them, but then remembered. "Hey, mom." I turned back. She looked up at me, and raised one of her eyebrows. "Yes?"

"Did Aunt Tracy ever... uh, have other children?" I wondered, walking back to her. My mother slowly put her coffee down, then frowned at me. "Of course not, honey. What do you mean? Nina was an only child." My mother said quickly. I glared at her. I knew she was hiding something now. "Uh--"

"You should get going. Maybe fix your hair." My mother suggested, picking her coffee up, and sipping it, like everything was normal. Beside me, Kat glowered at me, knowing something was up.

As if I was going to tell her.

"Hey, stop here!" I told Katherine. She pressed the brakes, and we both were jolted out of our seats. "Really?!" Kat had her hands on the wheel, tightly. My backpack was slightly opened, showing the yellow envelope. "Sorry." I quickly unbuckled my seat belt, and grabbed my backpack, opening the car door. "Where are you going? Where are we?" I had made her stop at Emma's house. I spotted Emma on the porch, just walking down the steps with her mother. "Do you want me to stay?" Katherine asked. "Yeah." I told her, shutting the door behind me.

"Emma!" I rushed towards her. "Arielle, hi." Emma smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you... about something." I cleared my throat, as her mother was there. "What is it?" She peaked at her mom, who rolled her eyes, and walked towards her car. "Do you want a ride, honey?" Her mom asked me. "Oh, uh--"