CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
[23]

song: closer than this by kaye

DAISY HUFFED DOWN THE STAIRS, her boots clunking against each wooden step as she prepared for the freezing cold air she was about to embrace as she approached the front door. She swung her coat over her before grabbing her bag.

"Honey," Her mom said from around the corner. Daisy peaked around to see her mom hanging the phone back up on the landline, a distraught look on her face.

"What?" Daisy says, brushing her hair behind her ears.

"You haven't heard from Tommy, have you?" Susan asked. 

Daisy's breath hitched, and her body surged for a proper response while her brain failed to comprehend the question. "Uh," she thinks. She felt herself snap out of it, and took a deep breath before speaking again, trying to feel that confidence she usually felt when lying to her mom. "I haven't talked to him since we broke up. Why?" She says, trying to keep it short and simple.

Susan pierced her lips together and hesitated before speaking. "His mother just called and asked, apparently they haven't heard or seen him since Halloween."

Daisy tried to force a concerned look. "Like he hasn't been home?"

"They thought at first he was just with Mark, but after a day passed they called Mark's parents and he left his house that night." She inhaled deeply, a frown appearing on her lips.

Daisy swallowed. "I mean, he hasn't been at school the past two days but I just assumed he was sick or something."

Susan frowned again. "Let me know if you hear from him. I'm sure he's fine." She nodded, trying to comfort Daisy who appeared upset.

"Yeah." Daisy said softly, Susan gave her a reassuring nod before walking back into the kitchen. Daisy glanced out the window to the driveway, where Kai's car sat to pick her up. "Bye." She spoke, swinging the door open and quickly walking out to his car.

She sent a quick wave to Josette, who sat in the front seat, stealing a glance at Kai who eyed her as she walked to the back. She sat inside, it wasn't warmed up yet, but it was better than the blistering cold of the outside.

"Good morning." Josette says, turning around in her seat and smiling at her friend.

Daisy situated herself in the back, buckling her seatbelt and returning the smile. "Thanks for giving me a ride." She nods.

"It's no problem at all. We're just next door." Josette says, turning back around in her seat. Daisy looks up at the mirror, meeting eyes with Kai who glanced at her before putting the car in reverse and backing out the driveway. "Right, Kai?" Josette nods at her brother.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure."

—

As the final minutes of the school day rolled around, Daisy found herself in the girl's locker room, taking off the old red sweatshirt they provided for gym class, and shoving it back into her locker.

The girl's hung around on the benches, talking and gossiping with their friends. It was so humane, and Daisy was just like them not too long ago. Completely oblivious to what else was out there— witches, covens, siphoners. It was a whole new world that she had no idea existed a week ago, and now that she knew about it, the rest of the world felt so little. High school, felt so little.

Daisy turned and glanced towards the showers, which were finally unoccupied. She grabbed her clothes, and a towel, and walked over to the showers, turning one on and waiting for it to heat up. She sat her clothes outside of it, and took off the rest of her gym clothes before stepping inside. She preferred showering at school, they surprisingly had much warmer water than at home, considering Allison took ten years to take a shower and hogged all the hot water.

The hot water burned against her skin, but it felt good. Steam resonated in the shower above her head as she washed her face with the water.

The last girl must've left the locker room, as after she heard the door shut, the room went silent. She exhaled deeply, feeling her muscles relax. She untangled her dark hair with her fingers, before washing her hair and body, and turning the shower off.

The only sound was water slowly dripping from the shower head as she stepped out and wrapped the towel around her body. She sat on the bench and waited for a little bit before she was dry enough to put her clothes back on.

After she changed, she wandered back out to the common area to put the rest of her gym clothes back into her locker, only to find the word 'murderer' written in red paint on her locker.

She stepped back, processing it with wide eyes. Paint still dripped from the words, and she turned around quickly to see if the culprit was still in here. "Hey!" Daisy shouted, it echoed throughout the room. She slammed her towel down on a bench and wandered around to another row of lockers. "I know you're still in here." She said.

"Behind you." A female voice said.

Daisy spun around, seeing Carol and her two friends beside her before she flung a bucket of deep red blood onto Daisy.

As the warm blood hit her, she didn't see Carol standing there, she saw Tommy and his slit throat, and she screamed. An ear piercing scream that rang throughout the locker room. She squirmed at the feeling, wanting to throw up as that feeling from Halloween night crept up on her again. She stood frozen, shaking, as it dripped off of her.

"They're going to find out what happened to Jenna." Carol says, Daisy wiped the blood off her eyes, now realizing it probably wasn't blood. "And you're gonna be locked up for the rest of your life."

"I didn't kill Jenna." Daisy spoke, trembling. That, technically, wasn't a lie.

"I don't believe you." Carol says.

Daisy couldn't talk anymore, that string of patience snapped a long time ago. She reached for Carol's throat, she grabbed it tightly and slammed her against her locker, the words murderer sat right beside Carol's head as she choked for air.

"Leave me the fuck alone." Daisy said getting inches away from her face, as she felt one of Carol's friend pull at her arms to release Carol.

Daisy pulled off of Carol, turning to the girl and throwing a punch right into her jaw, which sent the girl flying onto the ground. Daisy's fist stung with pain, as she turned back to the other girl, lifting her arm to hit her too— when she felt a strong grasp pull her back.

Carol coughed, itching at her throat as Daisy looked up to see Kai staring at her with concerned eyes. He glanced to Carol. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He yelled.

"Me?!" She rubbed her throat. "It was just a prank and she fucking flipped shit on us!"

"Making a mockery of your friend's murder is a prank?!" He yelled. "Get out!" He yelled again. The girl Daisy punched slowly rose from the ground, crying, and Carol glanced at her and back to Kai with a concerned expression. "I said get out!"

Carol, and the other two girls, quickly scrambled out of the locker room, quick whispers left with them when the door shut.

Kai turned to Daisy, who examined the red substance on her hands as she shook. "It's not blood." Kai said, he stroked her hand with his finger and examined it. "It's water, red food coloring and chocolate syrup." He says. Daisy, still covered in it, looked up with a confused expression. "The chocolate syrup gives it that thick blood-like feeling." He shrugged, like it was common knowledge.

Daisy sat down on the bench beside her, not bothering to wipe any of it off her since she was literally covered head to toe, letting out a huff. "Did they hurt you?" Kai asked softly, sitting down beside her.

She shook her head, her eyes staying glued on the floor. "I just took a shower." She complains. Kai let out a chuckle, a feeling of comfort washing over Daisy as she let out a laugh too. "Jesus." She huffs, shaking her head as she looked up at her locker.

"Imagine what she'll do when she finds out about you know who." Kai scoffs.

"Shh." Daisy puts a finger to her mouth.

"They're gone." He shrugs.

She rolls her eyes. "Oh, I'm counting down the days." She said sarcastically.

Kai sighed, and placed a hand on Daisy's as they sat beside each other. They intertwined hands, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He glanced down at her, not bothered by the fact that she was getting this mess all over him, too.

"You know you should probably not choke people who just accused you of murder." Kai shrugs. "Just a thought."

"Says you." Daisy responds.

"Ha-ha." He says blandly. Silence fell over the locker room again, and Kai searched for something to say to break it. It wasn't awkward, he just liked talking with her. He glanced down at her again as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love—" The words fell from his mouth before he could register he was even speaking, but he stopped himself before he could finish the sentence. She looked up at him quickly and narrowed her eyebrows. "This weather." He said. "I love this weather."

Her face relaxed, and he smiled, trying to ease the tension. Not yet. He reminded himself, she wasn't ready yet.

He's known her much longer than she's known him.