Chapter Text
Prom sucks.
well, it doesn't suck, that's not correct, but being forced to stay behind and clean up does suck.
the party was so cool! I've never been to prom before, getting expelled doesn't help that, but this time was different. we didn't wear anything fancy, in fact i'm just wearing my school uniform. it was Frank's idea, to just wear our uniforms, but I liked it and it was decided, that was what we would wear.
the day itself was awesome, too.
it started normal, but I soon dragged my little brother, Mikey, to the local coffee shop. it's a small place, but I really like it. one of the other member's of the prom committee work there, and it was nice to see him before the chaos of the day began.
the coffee was nice.
getting ready made me feel like I was in a movie.
I picked a few of my favourite albums, put them in the little CD player, and the montage began. the sun shines in my bedroom beautifully, the music felt like it was all that mattered. the CD player isn't exactly the best sound in the world, but for a teen like me on prom night? it was perfect. I sat there, doing my hair and make-up like tonight will be the most important night of my life.
it'll be perfect.
I've been waiting for this.
I looked perfect.
and now i'm stuck in the empty dance hall, cleaning up after the party.
I dont even know how I ended up on the prom committee!
this is ridiculous.
the school is empty, everyone else left, which left eight teenagers to clean up. there's me and my brother, Mikey, who are actually on the committee. our friends Frank and Ray, who are not on the committee but stayed behind to keep us company.
and then there's four other kids. Patrick, the kind barista from the coffee shop. his best friend Pete who is proving to be an annoyance. Joe, the only other member of the committee who stayed behind. and finally Andy, who is not proving to be an annoyance, he's helping the rest of us clean up.
the hall is eerily quiet and empty, compared to what it was earlier.
the lights were so pretty, there was people everywhere, there was snacks that were definitely expired, fruit punch that tasted so fake it was almost worrying, and there was music.
I like music, a lot.
there's a part of me who wants to be in a band, but I'm not sure that's the best idea. I haven't tried singing in a long time, and I cant play any instrument for shit. Ray can, though, he plays guitar and he's awesome at it. I wish I could be that good.
but anyway, prom.
our new friends are in a band, and they're good. they had a short set during the dance, and it was pretty cool.
I'd do anything to do be on stage like that.
part of me thinks it should have been us on that stage.
the lights are yellow-ish now, the hall empty of people, the only sounds is the chatter of different conversations. me, Frank and Pete are cleaning the tables that have been set up in one area of the room. the punch bowl is still pretty filled, there's a few trays of snacks left, but we've cleaned most of it.
or hungry teenagers cleaned it for us.
"do you think the punch is spiked?"
I look over to see Frank grabbing one of those red solo cups and moving towards the punch bowl, his face already tells me that he'll drink it even if i answer that it totally has been spiked by now. he's mischievous, maybe a little wild at times, but I like it. he's cool.
"yeah" he glances over to me, a little hesitant "with alcohol, dumbass. it's not like it's fuckin' poisoned or something"
he lifts his arm and dunks the plastic cup into the bowl, filling it up with the toxic tasting fruit punch.
I had some earlier and honestly I wonder how he can drink it, it's so gross! he laughs at my comment, once again glancing over to me with one of those blinding smiles on his face.
his hair is all spiky right now, and i like it. he totally looks like an idiot though. "fuck yeah" he laughs to himself as he lifts the cup to his lips, pink liquid dripping down the side of the red cup and onto his hands.
"alright, love-birds, get a fuckin' room"
I had forgotten about Pete, hanging out with us despite barely knowing us and not being on the committee.
he's not even really helping, more snacking on the left over food and annoying us. still, the comment gets me to blush.
it's not like that between me and Frankie, we're just friends.
good friends.
who maybe have had their moments.
and yeah he's cute, but he's an idiot.
and if it was like that between us, he would have asked me to be his date tonight.
I sigh as I look over to Pete, sat on the edge of one of the tables, grabbing a pack of chips and opening it.
he's an idiot, and not the good kind.
"it's not..." I sigh "we're not in love. and anyway, dont you have someone else to go annoy? why are you over here?" I place my hands down on the table in front of me, I just finished folding up the cheap table cloth and placing it in a nice pile with the others.
"I wanted to hang out, maybe get to know each other more. i don't know, dude, why does it matter?" he shrugs
"alright, let's learn more about each other"
Frank speaks, leaning over the table and looking around me, to Pete. "why'd you go to prom? I mean, most people here know you're not the kinda guy to go to prom. did you just want to annoy us all?"
frank sips from his drink, and there is silence. the rest of the room is still active, but his question seems to have stunned the talkative Pete.
"I dont know, man, I guess I thought one night could change it all." he pauses, a little laugh escaping from his throat, accompanied by a flash of a smile. "and my band played. so I had to be here."
oh yeah, the band.
Pete is their bassist, but I wasn't expecting him to also scream. the set was almost all Pop-punk, until they played their final song and showed off the guttural screams their bassist has on him. it was so fucking cool.
screamy songs are cool. being in a band is cool.
"whatever" Frank rolls his eyes as I realise I started to zone out, I do that a lot, fall into my own thoughts and I end up just standing there, silently looking like a crazy person.
"this does not taste like it has anything fun in it, so i'm gonna see if i can raid the teachers lounge. they totally have alcohol hidden in there" he places down the cup on the table and adjusts his jacket, why he does that, i'm not sure. but it's best to not question frank.
"okay, that's something we can agree on" Pete comments as frank starts moving away, his footsteps echoing around the hall.
for a moment, it's just me trying to clean up, and Pete sitting there, oddly silent. he's been talking our ears off this entire time, and suddenly he's gone silent. I might even go as far as saying he seems sad now.
but that doesn't last long, because he stands up and starts walking away from me. he doesn't say a word, he acts like I'm not even here. I'm not mad, but it's such a change that it feels odd. it doesn't feel like anything I should dwell on, and if I'm honest, I'm not sure I care right now. I have better things to do, like clean up.
...actually, it's prom night, and I dont want to spend the rest of the night cleaning like some goody-two shoes. I'm not that kind of person. I set down the plates back on the table, leaving half of the surfaces folded up, and half still dressed like they're waiting for another feast.
I'm a teenager, and I'm going to do teenage things!
.
the hall starts to feel stranger, yet nothing has changed.
well, Frank isn't back yet, but that's normal Frank behaviour. me and Mikey are sat on one of the bleachers, he's talking about some movie he wants to go watch and, if I'm honest, I'm not really paying attention.
"it's this slasher, and it's meant to be just like the old 90's ones, but even better. I think you'd like it. apparently the main girl is possessed by a demon, it's meant to be fuckin' crazy. but I bet mom wouldn't let us go. anyway, would you go with me? I... I dont know if I'd wanna watch it alone, I'm not scared but like... could be fun. like the old days"
he looks over to me, a little sad under his glasses.
it takes a moment to process what the hell he was saying, Mikey either speaks a lot or is just... silent. and when he does speak, I find myself losing focus sometimes. that's a me problem, though.
"yeah, of course i'd go with you. sounds fun. what's it about?"
for a few seconds, a smile reaches over his face, pulling at the corners of his mouth gently. I like seeing my brother smile, it makes me happy.
"well, it's a horror but not really. basically this girl and her friend go to this gig-"
Mikey stops speaking, his smile drops and he goes pale. I dont blame him, because in the quiet of the empty school, there's a scream ringing out.
not the kind of scream from the band's set, guttural and actually saying something. no, not like that at all. without thinking I lift my hands and place them over my ears, trying to muffle the shrill sound of someone screaming like they've just seen someone be murdered.
holy fuck, where is that coming from?
and why?
what the fuck is happening?
when the scream finally ends I find myself standing up, maybe I had already stood up and started to move towards the sound. Mikey is following behind me as I break into a run, a slow one at that.
"what are you doing? why are you going towards the scream?"
Mikey says, catching up and running beside me. his breathing is heavy, shallow inhales and exhales. he's still pale. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the sound was almost primal in a way. it was terrifying.
"someone... someone could be dying!" I manage to huff out the words as I arrive at a small door, I know it leads into the endless hallways of the school. a few others have also ran across the hall and are joining us as I open the door and step out. it's dark, I dont like it one bit.
"yeah, smart idea!"
Mikey adds in a sarcastic tone. i know what he's saying, its horror movie logic to not go towards the scary sound, but our group of four quickly becomes a group of six when we run into two others. strength in numbers. and its not like I can just ignore that fuckin' sound.
"where's Frank?" the short blond guy, Patrick, also the barista and lead singer of the band, comments. I start moving down the dark hallway, it's light enough that I can see if there's, like, a masked murderer down here, but dark enough to be a perfect place to hide if you are a masked murderer.
"I dont fuckin' know, he went to get drinks."
I dont dwell on the comment, because now my mind is racing on how I haven't seen Frank in at least an hour. he must have just gone to the store or something, its not out of character for frank to just disappear for a while. well, its not out of character for any of us to just disappear for a while.
that's when I see the blood.
I round a corner, and see blood.
and a body.
and a person standing over the body.
and the body is Frank.