Fall

I leaned my head against the window and pulled up my Facebook. I needed a distraction. I was probably one of the only celebrities that actually tried to have a Facebook account that focused on my personal life. It was my first name and middle name, nobody had figured it out, and my pictures weren’t close ups. Most people on it were close friends and family who knew my secret and, of course, Demetri and Alec.

But I’d added her.

It was a knee jerk reaction. At first it was because I wanted to check up on her, make sure she was okay and all that.

And then it turned into more.

I started talking to her. Nothing crazy — just leaving random comments on her pictures and liking her status updates. You know, real crazy shit.

I know, I know, I need to get my head out of my ass. But it was too tempting. She was too tempting, and those damn wedding photos? I’d stared at those like a creepy stalker for hours.

I was almost surprised Dateline didn’t call me up — I truly mean it was hours, no exaggeration.

I’d take it to my grave.

For the most part I’d just commented on photos and posted on her timeline. But I’d never made actual contact. Holy crap I sounded like an astronaut exploring a foreign planet. Was she that terrifying to me? My thumb hovered over the message button. Without thinking, I clicked it and typed in her name, Priscilla.

She may hate me. But Jamie Hudson? She would love him. Maybe it was the crazy talking — or maybe Seaside was already starting to seep into my veins, making me do crazy shit I would normally pass on.

But, I still typed, I typed one word, I had no bloody clue that one word — would be my downfall.

Chapter Six

Priscilla

My footsteps echoed across the empty hall as I set my purse on the counter and leaned against it.

I hated the sound of my own breathing. It reminded me that I was alone, that I had no friends, and that it was four in the afternoon on a Saturday and I would most likely be in bed by eight.

I almost screamed when my phone ringtone went off — it was AD2’s newest song. I listened for a few seconds as Demetri crooned, then I answered. “Hello?”

“How are you, beautiful?”

I laughed. “Dad, I’m good. Feeling awesome. Guess how many calories I burned today carrying boxes?”

“Too many?”

“Correct.”

“Order some pizza, drink some pop, eat sugar, sweetheart. Feed your inner monster, you know you want to.”

“This is why I love you.” I laughed. “What’s up?”

“Well…” Dad hesitated — he never hesitates. My stomach dropped. “Your mom got a phone call from your brothers in the Philippines. The orphanage needs a new roof. We decided to forgo our vacation in Seattle, fly down, help out as much as we can, and then fly back to the States in time to see your sister’s competition. We’ll take a rental car back.”

I was silent.

“Pris…” Dad breathed. “I’m sorry. I know you hate staying by yourself.”

“It’s fine.” I mean, he was doing charity work. How selfish could I be? So what if I was still afraid of fires and the boogey monster? Not a big deal. “Dad, you need to go. It’s the right thing to do. Plus, you and mom haven’t visited the orphanage in a really long time.” And I knew they missed my brothers, we called them my brothers, but technically we weren’t related. They visited twice a year, and in turn, my parents would visit them twice a year. They were missionary kids that had, at one point, lived with us when their parents were overseas.

“I knew I did good having you as a daughter.”

“You had nothing to do with it!” I laughed.

“Aww, sweetie, of course I did. When a mommy and daddy—”

“Bye, Dad!” I interrupted. “Stop traumatizing me.”

“Stay safe, sweetie. Oh, and Mom says to make sure to take your vitamins, eat your pie, and not talk to strangers on the Internet.”

I rolled my eyes. “Tell mom I just made friends with a sixty-year-old man who lives in England. He promised to make me a princess and said all I have to do is send him my social security number and five hundred dollars — I think I’m going to do it. I don’t want to die alone.”

“Make sure he gives you the crown first.”

“Always,” I said solemnly. “A girl has to see the goods first.”

He said something to my mom and then got back on the phone. “Your mother says to make good choices.”

“Tell her I’m fine.”

“Eat your vegetables. Don’t talk to strangers—”

“I’m getting off the phone now.”

“—guard your virtue!” Mom shouted.

The phone line went dead. I rolled my eyes and tossed it onto the counter. My parents were out of control. I loved them to pieces. It always seemed weird to be at the house without them, like it was haunted — dead. I shivered.

My Facebook alert went off.

I pulled out my phone and smiled.

Jamie Hudson.

I’d never met him, and the only reason I even added him was because his mutual friend list included Alyssa, Nat, Alec, and Demetri, so I assumed he was safe and not the type of guy to friend you on Facebook, leer at your pictures, and then try to kidnap you or convince you to meet him even though he was some sick sixty-year-old pervert.

Jamie Hudson: Hey.

I grinned, his name sounded hot but his pictures had been snapped too far away for me to see what he actually looked like. You know your life is pathetic when the only good thing you have going for you on a Saturday night is a stranger messaging you on Facebook.