Devious

by Aria Declan

  I would remember a handsome model looking dude like Christian. Especially, a man covered in tattoos that never kept his shirt on.

  I put my purse on my shoulder and walked toward Christian. He did not realize I was coming in his direction until a dog began to bark from next door. He jumped from his porch and greeted me.

  “What is wrong?” he said.

  “I need a ride to school.”

  He nodded for me to get into his dad's truck. “I'll use my dad's truck since mine is still not working. I love my car and I won't sell it.”

  I beamed and got into the truck. This time I was able to get inside with my flat shoes on. “I can't wait until I get my car.”

  “How old are you?”

  “I'm seventeen with a license. It should be a crime for me not to have a car.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, you'll hate it once you get it; too much responsibility,” he paused, “so, why isn't Ken driving you to school?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I haven't talked to that asshole since he left me in the middle of the road.”

  “What? When did this happen?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “I knew something must have happened. Men can be such assholes sometimes. I’m sorry about that. You should have told me so I could kick his barbie ass!”

  I laughed and nodded but Christian was serious. “Barbie boy isn't as weak as he seems...oh trust me,” I muttered.

  Christian arrived at my school and of course I was late. No one was insight, probably already at their desk gossiping about Mrs. Carol's death.

  “Thanks.”

  “Do you need me to pick you up?”

  “That's okay. I'll find a way home,” I said as I got out the truck. “Thank you.”

  “If you don't find a ride, here is my cell phone number.” He wrote down his number on a piece of paper and then drove off.

  I despised going to school for various reasons. I stood out like no one could believe. I came off as the stuck up pretty girl, but in all honesty I just really wanted girlfriends to talk to. I wanted something so simple, but yet so hard to find. However, at the same time I just did not want to be bothered with them. Having friends in general was drama, but girls were just a headache that no painkiller could relieve.

  I went into my first period class, which was art class. Probably the only class I had to try in. I was not given the gift like my mother. My father must have been a horrible artist because I could not even draw a heart.

  “I'm so glad to see you Leanna,” said my teacher, Ms. Paine. “We've missed you.”

  I smiled, and knew she was lying. I did not know anyone's name in the class. I was sure they were amazing students and great people but I just did not care to talk to them.

  I raised my hand and the whole class stared at me. Even though I did not talk to them, it did not mean I did not talk at all. Most of the time it took the class bell to shut me up. “My mother is going to be on this new art show on FOX in three weeks. So, if you're interested maybe you should tune in.”

  “Oh, I heard about that show. That's amazing! Thanks for the information, Leanna,” Ms. Paine said.

  A girl, who looked like an obsessed Disney fan, stared at me from across the room. She was all sweaty with a Micky Mouse tank top and bunny ears as if it were Easter. I knew she had something to say to me so I stared back at her for a long second.

  “So, do you know anything about what happened to Mrs. Carol? You do live across the street from her,” said the crazy Disney fan. “Is it true that it was only her body left behind?”

  “I don't know much about what happened considering I was not home when the actual murder happened.”

  “You must have been with some boys,” said someone under their breath.

  “No, I wasn't. I was at...” I paused wondering why I had to defend myself from children I had nothing in common with besides being stuck in Riverbed. “It doesn't matter.”

  Ms. Paine walked over to my desk, “It's okay, Leanna. You don't have to explain anything. Just go ahead and finish that...um...apple?”

  I giggled and stared at my drawing. “I'm no Picasso.”

  As the class went on with their art work, I felt my phone vibrating in my purse. I forgot to put my phone on silent, because with it on vibrate I was always tempted to see who it was.

  I kept my worried eyes on Ms. Paine as I pulled my cell phone out. I placed the buzzing phone on my lap, under the desk and instantly went to my inbox.

  Hey. It's me...

  I stared at the unknown number in confusion, wondering who “me” was. That could have been anyone in the world.

  Who is this?

  Instantly, I received a new text. Leanna, it's the hot guy you like...

  I knew lots of hot guys, but I did not like any of them. I’m sorry, I have no idea who this is, honey.

  Leanna, it's Christian!

  I laughed out loud and the class stared at me. I lifted my head up and pretended to draw my hideous apple again. When they went back to their work, I went back to my cell phone.

  I was just kidding, I texted. I knew it was you.

  You're missing out on everything. There are ten police at the bar questioning all the men and trying to get security cameras. The owner won't hand them over though. He said they don't reach Mrs. Carol's home—which is bullshit. I think he's hiding something.

  Are you serious? Um...how did you get my number?

  I waited for Christian to text me back, but he did not. I hated waiting, and the feeling of anticipation could have killed me.

  The bell rang for break time and I ran out the classroom first. I was supposed to put my artwork into my folder, but who was I kidding—that picture did not deserve a folder.

  I dialed Christian's cell phone for him to pick me up. Even though school would continue into the day, I could not stand being there. It was like I were being tortured to learn basic knowledge that I had learned in summer school three years prior.

  I sat on the school's front lawn, waiting for Christian to pick me up. As the bell to go back to class rang, I got annoyed, fantasizing about my new car. I wanted a little purple car, or maybe a truck so I would not stand out too much. But, it had to be a shiny purple.

  “Leanna Vita Cruz!” yelled Christian from his dad's pickup truck. “Get in now.”

  I beamed like always and hopped into the passenger seat. “Ew.” I stared at Christian who was dressed in old clothes. Clothes that looked like a grandma glued patches of fabric on. “What are you wearing?” I asked, thinking if I should ask him about how he got my number—but, I decided not to ask.

  “When you called me I was on my way to go hunting. Well, not hunting but more like shooting bottles.”

  I looked in the back seat of the truck and stared at the six rifle guns. I grabbed one and Christian jumped in fear as he drove off. He tried to yank the loaded rifle from me, but I shoved him away. “I know how to use a gun, honey.”

  He began to breathe heavier. “Okay, I believe you, but you're in a car. If a police sees you with a rifle in the front seat, they might just shoot you dead on the spot. So, put it back.”

  I laughed with sarcasm, “You get frightened easily.” I pointed the gun out the window to the desert. I spotted a Joshua tree surrounded by nothing and aimed the rifle at it.

  Christian stopped the car in shock, as I shot the tree with one hit. His mouth dropped in worry, “That was a perfect aim.”

  “Barbie boy used to take me shooting,” I teased. “Some people are just born to shoot.”

  He laughed and began to drive again. “So, you're telling me that Ken shoots?”

  “He doesn't, but I do.”

  With a confused face, Christian continued to drive. “So, you are pretty, intellectual, and you can shoot. What the hell is wrong with you then? You are perfect.”

  I smiled, “Honey, I cannot draw.”

  “You're still perfect in my eyes.”

  I did not like that word—perfect. Just because he would f
ind a flaw about me and then what would I be—imperfect. However, I liked the rush of his complements. They made my heart race with excitement, and kept a smile on my face. It was like I were high.

  He kept me high.

  Chapter 4

  Blue Jeans

  I had my shopping cart full of bread and cereal since I did not know how to cook—breakfast was my specialty. Derek was supposed to be at my home every morning to cook, but he apparently was sent to jail for a DUI and had no one to bail him out.

  It was not his first DUI either. I could not imagine having a father like him. Honestly, I could not imagine having a father at all.

  “...My husband who works for the police department told me that both deaths were from a gun shot and that the killer drank their...”

  I pulled my fitted pink Hollister hoodie over my head and hid behind the oranges to get a better listen at the housewives gossip. I despised getting into Riverbed's hot topics, but it was so tempting.

  I kept my eyes on the leader of the five ladies. She had at least four inches of height over them, so she claimed the throne. I could tell they hung around each other a lot because they all wore matching floral dresses that were hemmed right above the knee and perfectly curled dark hair. I called them the gang of Riverbed—Riverbed's gang.

  “...How does he know exactly that it was a gun shot?” said the shortest of the bunch.

  “Because the way the blood splattered around the room. They all had gun shots to the head before being decapitated,” said the leader.

  “So, where are the heads?”

  “Does it look like I would know?” she snapped. “But, this is all gossip.”

  “They were not decapitated! Little Sammy started that rumor last night,” said another member.

  I screeched as I tripped over an orange. The ladies stared at me, then ran off to get some fresh apples. They probably did not recognize me, or they would have stopped to ask if I knew anything else about Mrs. Carol's death.

  I tugged on my tiny jean shorts and picked up the oranges I dropped. I turned my head quickly as I felt like someone was staring at me.

  “Leanna?” Tyler narrowed his eyes as he walked toward me. He was dressed in a suit, with leopard print dress shoes.

  I choked on his cologne as he gave me a hug. “Hi, Tyler,” I coughed. “Why are you so dressed up?”

  “I've been promoted to manager down at the diner,” he smiled, and stood up straight. “Where have you been? I haven't seen you in days! I know you can't still be mad at me. I’m all you ever wanted.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I've been really busy. I’m stocking up on items so I won't have to leave home. I’m becoming a homebody now to avoid being murdered. You know Mrs. Carol died—she lives right across the street from me. And if my math is right, the murderer is killing every ten homes, and mine is the next tenth one—”

  “Leanna, calm down. You're speaking so quickly. No one is killing you tonight,” he laughed. “This is all just a random killing of old losers. No one is dumb enough to kill the most beautiful jail bait.”

  I punched Tyler in the arm. “Honey, I cannot stay here to chat with you. I have important things to do today. My mother's show premieres tonight and I need all the chips and popcorn this store has to offer. I’m planning on watching it ten times on the DVR.”

  “Wow, it's coming on already? Riverbed has a new celebrity. I'll spread the news about your Mama,” Tyler said as he kissed my cheek. “I really miss you.”

  I walked away without saying anything else. Three weeks had gone by and Tyler did not call me not once—only when he wanted something. Something I did not want to offer. He was not even the one who told me about his father being in jail.

  He was like all the other men I ran into of the seventeen years of my life—good for nothing losers.

  As I left the store, I felt a raindrop hit my nose. I gasped in shock as more dark clouds covered the blue sky. I sat on the wooden benches outside the market and pulled out my cell phone to check the weather.

  Once again, the weather failed to tell me that a storm was coming soon. That was not good because I had to carry six bags of groceries to my home, which was six blocks away. I dialed Christian's number because I knew he was always willing to help me out.

  Twenty minutes passed by and Christian barely pulled up. It was a shame considering he did not live so far away. He opened the door for me, while still sitting in the driver's seat as the rain poured down. He pulled me inside and threw all the bags in the back seat.

  “Seriously? I called you at five and it's five-twenty,” I snapped.

  He rolled his eyes and drove off. “The road to get here was flooded. You're so lucky I even came to get you.”

  “You do what I say and you like it.”

  He tried to hold in his smile as he went the long way home.

  We passed by several police cars as they were still investigating the murders. I played with my hair that had grown several inches within the last few months as Christian flipped through the radio.

  Christian pulled up to my home just when the rain was the heaviest. “It might snow tonight.”

  I gathered my stuff and paused. “Ugh, don't say that. My television won't work if it snows or rains too hard because of the satellite. Oh no!” I dropped the bags on the seat and ran into my home to see if the television worked.

  Leaving the front door wide open, I flipped through the blank stations. “CHRISTIAN!” I screamed for him to get out of his truck.

  He ran into the home with my bags in his hands. “What happened?”

  “My television doesn't work,” I cried. “My mom's reality show comes on today. I cannot miss it.”

  He sighed, “Ugh, I thought a murderer was in here the way you yelled. Do not yell like that again!” He tried to flipped through the stations, but the screen was blank. “No worries, Leanna. I have a television that doesn't have a satellite.”

  “I can come over to your home?” I asked. “Really?”

  “Um, yeah...why not?”

  I always wondered what Christian’s home looked like since I had never been invited over. I grabbed some pillows, my pajamas, and plates to take to his house. He stared at me as if I were crazy bringing all that stuff—but, I had a plan to watch it ten times.

  “I hope you have a DVR,” I said as he drove a few homes down.

  “Yes, I do. Why?”

  “Oh nothing.”

  Christian pulled me to stay in the car. “Before you get out, I should clean up...it's really messy. You know it's just me and my dad that live here so it's a man cave.”

  “I don't care, but you should tell your dad I’m coming over.”

  “He's not coming home. He mostly stays with his girlfriend in Lancaster.”

  I grabbed all my things and jumped out the truck. “Don't be silly, Christian. My house is really messy too and you've been over.”

  “But, your home is girl messy, mine isn't...”

  I walked up to the front door and accidentally hit it open while Christian was getting the rest of my stuff. He was just a statistic waiting to be killed. I just did not understand why people did not lock their doors.

  I peeked inside and my eyes grew large as the couches were covered in guns. I stepped back and closed the door to wait for him to let me inside.

  Christian hurried to the steps as the rain began to pour down heavier. “You can go inside. It's open.”

  “Um, are you sure I can come inside?”

  “Uh, yes.”

  I bumped the door with my hip and walked inside with curious eyes. I searched the home and it was like a man's paradise—guns, booze, and a big flat screen television. I put my stuff on a chair and looked at Christian.

  “Our family collects guns,” he said. “I'll move them. Don't touch them, Leanna. Some are loaded.”

  I walked over to the wall where he had family photos. “If you don't mind me asking, but what happened to your mom?”

  “I don't know.”
/>   “Huh?”

  “She disappeared ten years ago. Well, she did not disappear, but she left our family for a new family. It's just drama I would rather not talk about.”

  I sat on a wooden chair as Christian took his guns to the back room. I could not stop myself from thinking about the Riverbed gang and how they said both murders were a result from a gun. However, that could have been anyone in town. Everyone had a gun in this town, even if it was not a legal one. On my thirteenth birthday, Mama gave me a gun. Guns were like keys, everyone owned a few.

  “You know I heard that Mrs. Carol died from a gun wound,” I said as he walked back into the living room. “What do you think?”

  “And?” he snapped.

  “I'm just wondering if you heard anything new.”

  “People are saying they heard the gun shot at noon. Some are even saying they saw a person with a ball shape under their arm walking down the street.”

  “So?”

  “A round shape...a head. Duh,” he teased.

  “That doesn't really prove much,” I smirked.

  “Some think she was decapitated and others think someone slit her throat and sold her blood to the black market.”

  “People will always gossip though.”

  As soon as the couch was cleared, I yanked my shoes off and stretched across the couch. I covered myself in my zebra print blanket and waited for Christian to come back so he could turn the television on.

  He was gone for a good ten minutes and it made me wonder what he was doing. I got up from the cozy leather couch, and tip-toed into the kitchen where pounds and pounds of raw meat were on the counter. I poked the meat with a pen and blood squirted onto the tile floor.

  I peaked out the sliding door that led to the backyard and all I could see was a chair about to blow away in the storm. I thought about saving the chair, but I might have blown away in the wind.

  Next, I turned around to the halls and mesmerized the wooden floor. It was a long hall and I was afraid because I did not hear Christian. I continued to walk and passed by a room that was slightly open. I peaked inside and the room was covered in plastic. I stared harder, squinting my eyes to get a clearer picture.