"Hailie!"

She almost jumped out of her skin, when Amy appeared out of nowhere with a big, bright smile on her perfect face.

"Oh!" She caught herself by the heart and calmed down, seeing how the blonde girl stopped in front of her.

And the day was supposed to be so nice. She woke up in a good mood, for the second time in a row. Yesterday Shane had to work until the evening, but today they were planning to go for a movie and then for a late dinner. During classes, she couldn't wait for that to happen, so she rushed out as soon as the lecture ended. What an unpleasant surprise that Amy managed to catch Hailie, before she got to the car.

"Nice to see you too. How are you, my dear ex-friend?" Amy asked.  

Hailie looked at her like she was a lunatic. What was it about? Amy didn't have anybody else to torment?

"Go away, I don't want to have anything to do with you," she mumbled and passed by Amy, rushing to the parking lot.

"Come on, you need me just like I need you. Honestly, out of all my friends, you were the best. So sweet and, well, we had fun, didn't we?"

Hailie tried to remember anything good. Sure, there were few moments, good moments, but she could count them on her fingers. Amy was just pretty much awful. Even when she was trying to be nice, trying to cheer her up, all those hateful comments ruined it. She just couldn't shut up. Maybe it was making her feel better or maybe she was a bitch. It didn't matter, because Hailie had enough of Amy Booker.

"No. You had fun. Not me."

Amy rolled her eyes. It was so boring in this town, and now Hailie was boring as well. How could she be so lame with a house full of whatever it was, probably ghosts? The blonde girl certainly looked like a troublemaker. Maybe in other circumstances they'd become friends. Anyway, Hailie's house was like a weapon to destroy enemies. It was more than cool.

"Hails, I know about the house." She stepped into her way once again, making Hailie to stop. "About, you know, that blonde ghostly friend of yours, and that there are also others."

Hailie quickly analyzed her every word. She might've known something, but not that they're demons. She called Pride a ghost. And in this town, everybody believed that the Bloody Mansion was haunted. So, after all, Amy knew pretty much nothing.

"Good for you. Now you know to stay away." Full of growing irritation, she tried to pass by Amy once again, but she didn't let her.

"And I've made you a favor. One less problem. You know what I mean, don't you?" She blinked at her like it was one of their girly secrets they were sharing at nights, while doing manicure and laughing at school gossip.

The way Amy said that, it made Hailie crack. She was trying not to think about what happened. She didn't want to ask Amy if she really has done it. But now she was standing at the parking lot, practically admitting to the crime. She said it without any regret, moreover, like it was the best thing she has ever done. And like it was a favor for Hailie, who didn't even care about Declan. He was the smallest of her problems. Nothing compared to Jayson.

And he was dead.

Because of Amy.

"Are you nuts?" yelled Hailie, who just couldn't stand Amy's presence anymore. "I always thought you're a bitch, a liar and full of shit, but congratulations, now you're a murderer too. A psychotic one, because you apparently don't care at all what you've done. Declan is dead!" she lowered her voice. "He's dead because of you. Dead. Do you even know what that means? You killed your ex-boyfriend. That's not only horrible, but it's also inhuman. Don't try to look for excuses, because there is none."

Amy tightened her lips, not happy to hear how Hailie was accusing her of killing Declan. That guy got what he deserved. Besides, it wasn't her who pulled the trigger or whatever else happened to him.

"I just told him to go inside the house. That's not murder."

"We both know it is. You did it on purpose." Hailie pointed at Amy. "You knew what's going to happen to him."

"No, I didn't. I just wished for that and my wish came true." Amy smiled like it was not a big deal. "Wishing for someone's death isn't the same as killing them."

Hailie shook her head. No, there was no sense talking with Amy. She couldn't change. She was a monster and now Hailie saw that more clearly than ever. Hailie was actually embarrassed that she ever was friends with a girl like that.

"Believe whatever you want." Hailie controlled the anger, even if it wasn't easy. Amy's presence was making her feel on the edge. She was awful. "But leave me alone." She pushed her out of her way.

Luckily, Amy didn't try to follow her anymore. Hailie's relief didn't last too long, because the moment she walked up to the car, Jayson emerged from behind a white van parked next to it. She flinched and looked behind, but Amy already left. There were other students in the parking lot, but no one stood close to them. She slowly reached to her bag for the phone.

"Easy, I'm not here to kidnap you," he laughed, because her face looked like she was about to faint.

"Just to make me uncomfortable with your presence?" She wondered how to pass Jayson and get to the car. He was standing right in her way, so there was no possibility to go by him.

There was something weird about him. She got used to his many moods. That made it easier for her to see that he wasn't here to be violent. It made her calmer. He kept his distance with a smirk on his face.

"I came to ask you, if you could put some posers on your street." He took out a poster file with Declan's face on it. "He's missing and after all, we used to be friends, huh?"

She looked at the poster file, then again at Jayson. Was this some sort of a joke? Or maybe he was testing her? But what he wanted to find out by this pitiful scene?

Hailie wasn't going to take any part in this. She was never a friend of Declan's.

"Yeah, of course I could do that," she nicely said and smiled at Jayson. "If I cared. But I don't, so no, go put the posters by yourself."

He shrugged, like it was not a big deal and he totally got it. That wasn't like Jayson at all.

"Fine." He even stepped back, making a way for Hailie to go to her car. "I hope you'll enjoy this beautiful day very much. We get so few of them."

She frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

With the clear way she slowly started moving towards the car, still watching Jayson at the same time.

"I said, enjoy your day. We never know how many of them are left. It can happen in one night, just like with Declan."

"He's missing." She pointed at the posters.

"Is he?" he asked, gazing at her carefully, just as if he tried to learn the truth from her body language. It surely looked like Jayson was convinced that Declan is not alive. "I hope so, but bad things happen to people coming too close to the Bloody Mansion. And even worse to those who are living there." He caught the posters tighter. "I think I'll follow your advice and put them on your street later."

She said nothing, just got in the car, feeling his eyes all over her. He was terrifying even when he kept the distance. Hailie had no idea what was going on in his head and what plan there was being created. She didn't want to know, her only wish was to leave the parking lot. It was hard, because her hands started shaking, while she was trying to turn on the engine. It was such a relief, when it finally responded, and Hailie could leave the parking lot. Driving towards the exit gate, she could see Jayson in the back mirror, who was still observing her.

There was some time before her meeting with Shane. She planned to spend it on getting ready in the Bloody Mansion. Now, there was another reason to get back home. As soon as she left the car and walked inside, she yelled, "Hello! Anybody, I need to talk!"

Hailie was wondering which demon would show up first. The one who came was Envy. She was holding some daggers in her hands.

"I was practicing on throwing blades at the targets, but what's up, Hailie?" she asked freely, like it was a normal thing to do.

Yeah, maybe it was for demons.

"What happened to Declan?" She had to know. It was her, who was bullied by Jayson, even if it was Amy's fault. She wasn't going to snitch on her ex-best friend, but it would be better if Hailie at least found out what happened that night. Somehow, she didn't wake up. Maybe because of Sloth. Probably.

"Um, he's dead." Envy didn't have any problem with being straight-forward. "But we didn't kill him, actually. We summoned Hellhounds, who kind of tore him apart. It's like a hellish judgment system. Hellhounds are deciding whether to take sinner's soul to Hell or let him keep living on Earth."

"I'm not drinking, but I, uh, might use one now." She went towards the kitchen with Envy trying to catch up with her. "It was Amy, who ordered Declan to come here, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, Pride met her. They even talked."

Hailie rolled her eyes and sat at the chair.

Wonderful.

"And now Jayson thinks I had something to do with Declan's death. That I'm responsible. He's also blaming me for his parents' death. And for ruining his sports career, or even whole future."

Envy leaned on the wall, still playing with her daggers.

"You're afraid he's going to hurt you?" she asked, thinking that it'd be nice to practice shooting on Jayson's body. "If he tries, then-"

"He won't do that anywhere close to the Bloody Mansion." That one Hailie was certain of. Jayson didn't know the truth about this house, but he wasn't as dumb as Declan and as careless as Amy. He won't set a foot in these grounds. He will try to unfold the truth though. She could see this in his eyes. He wants to find out what it is with this place. "I need to get ready for my date with Shane," she changed the topic, wishing to stop talking about Jayson and Declan.

But maybe it wouldn't be that bad of an idea to move into Shane's apartment again? Jayson didn't know his address, besides Hailie wouldn't be worried about living under the same roof with that lying manipulator, Lust.

That might've been a proposal for consideration.

"Want some help?" Envy asked, but Hailie needed just one look at her outfit to politely refuse. She preferred her own clothes much more than Envy's, even if the demon girl looked smoking hot. "Then let's have that one drink and I'll let you go." Envy walked to the cabinet and took out a bottle of alcohol. "Sorry, if I was too harsh on you yesterday. I shouldn't question your choices in men. Shane seems like a good guy, however if you spent one night with Lust, you probably wouldn't forget it for the rest of your life."

"If I had sex with any demon, I would find it difficult to forget," she mocked, sure that Lust isn't so special.

Envy chuckled, "My point is, it's good to try different things." She poured them a glass of alcohol that they both liked. "Human life is so short. It comes and goes. You should make the most of it, living it the way you want."

"I am, just by living with you, guys."

Who else could boast about living with demons? Except Leah, who used to be here.

"Smooth."

They raised their glasses into the air and clinked.

"Haven't you thought about finding a way out of this house?" Hailie asked, not able to imagine how it must've been being trapped here forever.

"We did."

It was laconic enough to keep Hailie from asking more questions. Envy wasn't in a mood for a story of how they probably failed in getting out of here.

"Maybe one day you'll manage to break free."

Or maybe there just wasn't any way to leave.

"Maybe." Envy took a sip of the drink, thinking about that day, which might never come.

And about a price that they'll have to pay, if it ever happens. 

***

So, today I've created an account on Instagram! Yey! 

My username: Caroline_Korlins

You can check it out, I published an aesthetic I did for Pride (I'll publish all aesthetics done for the characters from my book both on Instagram and Wattpad, but on Wattpad after I create them all, so you can have a sneak peek on Insta)

Xoxo, Caroline ❤️