The After Party

Locker Letters

"I can't stop reading this note. Is it even a note? Note. That makes it sound like a simple reminder to pick up eggs. This is a death threat. Someone is literally threatening my death." I feel like my chest is closing in and my throat is sinking down into it as it hits me.

"Kayla. Calm down. It's a stupid note left in your locker, probably by mistake. Or they're probably pranking you." Iyana gently pats my arm as I sit down on the bed next to her. As she looks back down at the crumpled paper she frowns.

I stay quiet for a moment because I don't want to worry her, and I need to calm down. A small part of me hopes it's a joke, but I know better than to waste time on hope.

Iyana springs to life as if she was just reborn as Funshine bear. "There's an after party tonight."

I lament the days when I could count on her to always be talked out of parties with the promise of a Netflix night.

"Don't give me that look Kayla. We're going. Hot college boys and beer will take your mind off of anything."

"That seems to be what gets your clothes off each time too."

She hip bumps me in retaliation for that comment and checks herself out in the mirror. She is always perfect. She's wearing a romper that's a bit too short in the back for my taste, and long hair that never seems to be out of place and curls just right at the tips. I, on the other hand, look like I just woke up and didn't care to get dressed. In reality, I actually put a lot of effort into my frizzy hair bun and a slightly baggy sweater dress. I avoid looking in the mirror because I feel like I look like someone's hipster grandmother.

"Okay, you ready?" Studying me, she raises both eyebrows and quickly grabs a belt from the closet and wraps it around my waist.

"You need to show off your shape more."

"But I don't want a shape." Looking desirable feels so wrong to me. I feel like that's for other girls but not me. Besides, how can I want attention when obviously I'm getting way too much of it from some psycho who leaves notes in my locker like it's the 90's?

Iyana grunts. "Stop thinking about the damn note. Look, Kayla, If someone tries to hurt you I'll kick their ass."

I know she can't really defend me any more than I can, but the words do help to perk me up a bit.

I grab the floral satchel bag she hates, and we head out of my bedroom. On the way downstairs, I hear my parents' door squeak a bit. I know this means they are checking to see if I'm heading out so they can have the place to themselves. My sister Maria is the oldest and she's always out. The living room is filled with her trophies, ribbons and honor roll letters so our parents give her a non-verbal pass to do as she pleases. My little brother stays at his friend's house a lot and that works great for my parents since he is gone when I actually leave the house on a Friday night.

Suddenly I am hit with a rush of nostalgia in the car as we listen to songs from the early 2000's. We shriek at the beginning of each one. It would be hard for an outsider to decipher if we were in a horror film or at a Backstreet Boys concert.

I begin to reminisce, and my thoughts go back to the very beginning. It was the last day of 6th grade and I was going to ask out my crush, Kahili. He had an adorable Hawaiian accent and was the cutest boy in our grade. I didn't have friends or social skills so I wrongly thought I had nothing to lose.

At the end of lunch as we went to put up our trays I marched up to him in my thick-rimmed glasses, overalls and penny loafers. Yes, that is how I dressed, and I still think I looked neat. He was bending down to pick something up and I stood over him with my big goofy smile and waved.

"Kahili, I'm Kayla. I like you and I like the sound of our names together so let's be boyfriend and girlfriend."

He looked up at me slowly and for a moment that got cut way too short I thought I was in a fairy tale where the prince gazes slowly up at the princess and realizes he has been in love with her all along. He began to smile and it was the most beautiful smile I thought I'd ever seen with braces.

"Um. Kayla?"

"Yes." I tried to brace myself for this moment. I wanted to remember every word and facial gesture.

"You're standing in my meatloaf surprise. I was just trying to clean it up."

My humiliation was accompanied by the roaring laughter of all the kids around me. I still don't understand how I got their attention so quickly. Maria, my sister came and stood next to him. She didn't mush his face into that probably meatless meatloaf for rejecting me. She didn't threaten to pummel any kid who let out so much of a giggle for laughing at my embarrassment. She snaked her hand through his arm and said, "Meatloaf girl can clean it up. My mom said she would take us to the movies Kahili. What do you want to go see?"

A tear chastised me as it welled in my eyes but stayed barely in its place. In one swift moment, Iyana was there. She grabbed some slop from her tray and through it at Maria. It landed in her hair. Other students joined in, throwing milk cartons and homework paper at each other. Iyana took me to the bathroom so I could get myself together as the cafeteria was slaughtered in a food fight. She didn't say much while I wiped the food from my shoes and the bottom of my overalls, but she didn't have to.

"Kayla we're here. This night is going to be amazing. No more thinking of the note leaving crazy-ass okay? I've got your back like I always have. It's gonna be fine. Just try to have fun."

"You're right." I quickly begin walking toward the loud vibration of what I'm sure is vulgar music.

"This may actually be fun." I begrudgingly admit.

I look around because I notice I don't hear a response. I don't see her. The car is dark so she couldn't have gotten back in. I'm afraid to go check. I'm afraid to move.

I hear the low sounds of someone's throat being cleared. I freeze. I want to urinate on myself. Maybe if I do they'll leave me alone and I won't be kidnapped. Now I feel heat near the left side of my neck. I'm afraid to move. I'm shaking but if I move back I may feel that someone is really there and then this moment will be way more real than I'm ready to confront. What if it's him? What if it's the guy who left the note in my locker? We haven't dined yet. Not even a last meal or final wish and he's skipping to the final part of the note.

"Kayla."

At the sound of my name, I feel the corners of my mouth stretch to my chin as I scream and jump with my knees in the bent and high in the air. I look like I'm playing an awkward game of jump rope.

"Iyana? Where did you go? I just got so freaked out. I thought you were right behind me. What happened to you?"

"Chill out Kay. I had to pee in a bush. I pre-gamed it before I headed to you and it all ran straight through me."

"Someone is trying to kill me and now you're drunk driving?"

She lets out a light laugh. "Come on. We have cute guys to hook up with. And do I smell like pee? I still smell it."

"You're good." I sheepishly say. "I don't think it's you."

"Cool. Who was that guy near you, Kayla? He was eyeing you hard."

"Iyana, what guy?"

"The one who was walking right behind you."

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Author's Note: Hey Ya'll!

Tell me your thoughts on this story. What do you think will happen in Ch. 2? Were you afraid with Kayla or laughing at her? Who do you think you're more like, Kayla or Iyana?

I've been working on this for a while and I'm glad that more people than just a few classmates get to see it. Thanks for reading.