1

"Erikia!" a voice squealed. "You came! And you look…."

Erikia turned and looked down at her outfit as she turned around to face the voice. She was wearing a grey sweater, jeans, and combat boots. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, and she felt like she'd been through the mill.

Erikia said nothing as she took in her friend's outfit.

She and Isabella have been friends since third grade and did everything together. When they first met, Isabella was outspoken and goofy. Even with her gap-toothed smile, she'd have no problem with telling an older woman that she looked ugly.

Isabella was wearing a tight teal dress and matching sequined heels. Her usually straight hair is done up in a complicated bun on the top of her head, though some of her hair had started falling out and stuck to her forehead in curly clumps.

Erikia looked around her and swallowed, taking in the dancing kids, the girls were wearing short dresses and revealing clothes while the boys wore loose shirts and, hanging jeans, the smoke in the air, and the loud music that was making her head throb. The smoke was enough to choke her. She swallowed and turned back toward Isabella.

"It's all I had time to throw on." Erikia sighs.

Isabella giggled and stumbled as she took a step toward her. Erikia raised a brow and glanced at the red cup that was in her hand.

How much had she drunk?

"Come on, let's dance."

Erikia allowed herself to be led to where the other kids were dancing. Isabella placed her cup on a coffee table just as the cupid shuffle started playing.

Isabella gasped. "Let's go, Erikia."

As the song started playing, the surrounding kids started to do the dance, Isabella was stumbling along as best as she could, and the sight of her made Erikia smile.

Sighing, she gave in to Isabella's request.

When the song had ended, Erikia led Isabella over to the couches to sit. Isabella plopped down with a long sigh.

"That was fun, huh?"

Erikia nodded. "Very. How did you know about this party?"

"Well, Frankie posted it on Tumblr. And if your parents let you have social media, you'd know." Isabella hissed.

Erikia's phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out. A message from her brother crossed the screen in all caps.

YOU BETTER NOT BE AT THAT PARTY, ERIKIA!!! YOU KNOW OUR PARENTS WILL KILL YOU. I'M COMING TO GET YOU!!

Erikia rolled her eyes and stuffed her phone away. Isabella smirked over at her and threw her head back, laughing.

" I'm guessing that's your brother threatening to come find you?" she smirked. "He's such a killjoy."

Erikia turned toward Isabella and her thoughts began streaming in at rapid speeds.

Should I get another drink? Hell, where did my drink go?

Oooh. That's a hottie over there. What's he doing alone?

I hope I don't get Erikia in trouble. Though her brother can be a pain in ‌the butt, sometimes he's good-looking too.

Erikia looked away and pretended to be interested in the peeling wallpaper. She kept her unusual ability a secret from everyone. The thought of her family finding out and considering her a freak scared her. She first realized she had this ability when she was six years old. She and her mother were sitting in a doctor's office with a woman and her son.

Initially, she attempted to disregard the voice until she located its source. The young boy had gotten off his mother's lap and positioned himself in front of her.

She's not as pretty as I thought.

Erikia frowned. "That's not nice."

Surprised, the boy scrambled back to his mother's side and didn't look at her again.

Erikia never really fits in at her school, she hangs with Isabella and sometimes her friends, who aren't very accepting.

Erikia wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.

Isabella shifted beside her to get up. "I'm going to go talk to-"

"I know." Erikia bit back the comment and turned away. "I mean…"

"You've been watching him too, huh?" Isabella whispered. "Go talk to him."

"What?"

"Go talk to him," Isabella insisted, gesturing her forward. "You need a distraction from your breakup with J and he could be the perfect solution. Don't you agree?"

"Um….no."

"Aw, come on! Don't tell me you're still dwelling on that piece of garbage!" Isabella exclaimed, drawing attention from some of the other partygoers. "You deserve better than him!"

Erikia pulled her hood over her head and sighed. "I'm going to go outside, get some fresh air."

Without waiting for Isabella to respond, Erikia got up and made her way to the front door. She pushed past dancing couples and practically threw herself out the door. Erikia took deep lungfuls of air, happy to have some clean air to breathe in.

Suddenly her phone started ringing in her pocket. She pulled it out and blinked at the caller ID. Uncle Amos?

She answered. "Hello?"

"Erikia. Where the hell are you?"

Erikia whirled around expecting to see her family standing somewhere off in the distance. "At a friend's house. What's wrong?"

"Oh goodness, I thought your father would've told you. Oh, baby. I'm so sorry."

Erikia's eyes widen. "Uncle, what is it?"

"Your brother is dead."