Velvet

Chapter Six

NATE's POV

Like thunderclaps, gunshots whizzed through the air. We hid under the table.

The deafening roar of gunfire reverberated through my bones.

I turned to look at Casey, she looked pale, a frightening look on her.

“Nate they're going to kill us”, I glanced at Casey, her eyes wide with terror, her trembling hands clutching onto mine.

“Nothing is going to happen to us. Don't worry, " I reassured her, knowing very well that it would only be a miracle for us to survive from these gunshots.

The symphony of destruction played out in a chaotic ballet, each movement seemed like a dance between life and death.

Mr. Garson, Casey's father, he laid on the ground in a pool of blood. They shot him.

The party had turned into a turmoil of destruction. First time in my life I was petrified to dying.

I hid under the table, confused about what was going on. Gunshots at a party do not sound like how you would imagine a normal party would be like.

From a distance, they all looked strange wearing their tux with colorful masks to cover their faces.

“Everyone...stay where you are…If you move, I'll shoot!” one of the men shouted.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, heightening my senses as we heard footsteps coming in our direction.

“Nate, we have to do something,” she whispered, her voice barely audible amidst the chaos. I nodded, trying to find the nearest exit.

As the footsteps approached, I caught a glimpse of a nearby exit. It was our only chance to escape, our only glimmer of hope.

The footsteps grew louder and closer, and my grip on Casey's hand tightened.

“Casey we need to run… And remember, don't look back…Just run” I whispered urgently, praying that they don't spot us.

I started to feel panicky, and without thinking, I sprang into action.

“Run, Casey! Run as fast as you can!” I shouted, releasing her hand and bolting towards the door.

I reached the door, but the guns fired again, two gunshots, and at that moment, I felt a searing pain erupt in my shoulder.

I heard a loud thump on the ground. Casey… she was on the ground bleeding. Her body was unnaturally still.

I had no other choice but to run for my life.

I bolted upright in bed, my heart racing as I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead. My morning couldn't get any worse, I thought to myself.

“Carl… I hate you. You cannot be doing this to me!” The noise that echoed through the house came from downstairs. It was Mom.

“Oh, come on, not this again,” Dad's frustrated proclamation barely registered

The sound of breaking glasses shattered the silence of my morning. Mom and Dad's voices rose in a discordant symphony, their words a blur of anger and frustration.

With an annoyed sigh, I shuffled my feet on the carpet, walking towards the living room.

The carpet beneath my bare feet muffled my steps, as if conspiring to shield me from the reality that awaited me beyond that closed door.

The farcical scene of my parents standing at opposite ends of the room felt like a rerun of a show I had seen a thousand times before.

“ I am sick and tired of this marriage!… Don't you understand that I do not love you anymore? “ Dad shouted.

My parents stood in the living room, facing each other with frustration and anger written all over their faces.

Their arguments reverberated through my core, and I was tired of always seeing them argue. I could not wait for senior year to be over and leave them alone in this house.

Just as I contemplated making a move, Dad walked out, his words hanging in the air as if he had dropped a bombshell in the room.

“It would be best for both of us if we got a divorce”, Dad's last word before he left the room.

I glanced at Mom, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She looked at me with a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes before walking up to her room.

For a moment, I stood there, caught in the uneasy silence that followed.

The room felt emptier than it had ever been, the echoes of their arguments now replaced by a hollow void.

I wandered back to my room, took a shower, and drove to an abandoned park nearby that I had noticed on my way back home.

It was Tuesday morning and I could not care less about school. For a minute, it felt like I was going to my past life. I ditched or skipped school every time I was in a bad mood.

My parents did not care because they were too focused on their daily arguments to even notice anything I did.

The ride to the park was quiet, which I did not like, it felt a bit irritating.

As I leaned against the bench, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

I exhaled slowly, letting the smoke mingle with the air around me, as if releasing a part of my pain and frustration into the wind.

It had been years since I last smoked, but right now, it felt like a necessary companion. It always helped calm down my nerves.

With every inhale and exhale, memories resurfaced. Memories of the nightmare still clung to my mind.

Images of her laughter, her eyes filled with life, the crinkle at the corners of her eyes, the warmth of her hand in mine—it was as if she were beside me. I could almost hear her voice.

I would pay every penny to relive every moment with her again.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the park, I stubbed out the cigarette, crashing it with my feet on the ground.

With a heavy sigh, I returned to the car and started the engine.

*****

The rest of the week went by quickly. After realizing that I had missed plenty of classes, I decided to go back.

It was Wednesday and the day I decided that it was finally time to go back to school.

My first with Mrs. Tee was interesting, except she kept asking why I was absent, which was a bit irritating.

It was finally time for the next class as the bell rang.

I quickly walked out of class to save myself from the countless questions Mrs. Taylor had for me. She seemed too curious about my life.

I searched through the room looking for a familiar face that I knew.

I had not seen Velvet in weeks, and I know she must be thinking I am a bad guy. Well, I can't blame her for thinking that way.

I spotted her standing in front of her locker through the crowd of students who were heading to their next class.

She was taking out her books for the next class. I guess.

I quickly walked towards her direction, not sparing a single moment.

I tapped her shoulders and she quickly turned around to look at me, she looked quite surprised.

“Hey,” I said, smiling from ear to ear. I could not hide the happiness that I felt within after seeing her again.

I was happy to talk to her after a long time.

“Hey what's good? “ She replied, taking out her books from the locker. Her voice was so comforting that it made me forget about all my problems.

“How was your weekend?” I asked, trying to make conversation with her.

She replied, “I had a great weekend. How was yours?” I found myself lost in the mesmerizing sight of her lips. They looked soft and inviting, I could stare at her the whole day.

It was not long until our conversation was rudely interrupted by the sound of the bell. It was time for the next class.

“See you later” she hurriedly rushed to her next class, not waiting for me to reply.

I watched her graceful speed off to class, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

“See you later…" The words played over in my mind, trying to find meaning to them.

Intrigued by her words, I gathered my things and headed to my own next class, my thoughts lingering on her actions.

What did she mean by “See you later”?

Was it a casual farewell, or does it mean we'll definitely be seeing each other again?

The enigma of her words left me in a jumble of thoughts. I couldn't wait for our next encounter.

The rest of the day went by quickly, including basketball training, even though it was fun, but Velvet was on my mind the whole time.

I decided to join the basketball team because I have decided that I need to start making some new friends and probably try to fit in.