It was cloudy on the other side of the glass. My mom had just dropped me off. I recall her mentioning she was going to pick me up in an hour. I turned around to look at my friends. Clare and I had planned on meeting at our friend, Fey's house. Neither of us had been to her house. It was...empty, with a sofa and large T.V.

I sat on the ground looking at our project that is due two days from now. We made a board game, which I hardly remember, trying to forget this day. Making me wonder in confusion.

Like normal teens, we took a break. Fey logged in to her computer and we watched videos on YouTube. Video after video we laughed as if there was no tomorrow. Clare had mentioned that she was thirsty. (As usual when we laugh like crazy) We left the board game sitting there on the dusty wooden floor.

One by one, we walked through the hallway were the only adult in the house, her grandpa, was watching a show in another language. He was lying on the bed watching as if the house we still, without and kids smudging the floors.

Fey opened the pantry door, where I saw the jar of peanut butter that Fey and I were ‘suppose’ to share. She handed Clare a water bottle that seemed odd through my eyes. It seemed as if everything in her house was taken over by dust.

She unwrapped a green tea flavored lollypop stuffing the wrapper in her pocket.

“I didn’t even know those exist,” Clare said. Fey smiled and placed it in her mouth. We exit the dark kitchen into the living room. Trying to change the subject, Clare looked at the piano at the entrance.

“Hey Fey, play a song,” without hesitation she sat on the chair, starting to play a song. I listened to it for a while; it was a very haunting song. I didn’t feel safe anymore. This isn’t the Fey I knew.

I knew it was the end of the song just by the tune. She sat there. I looked at Clare, she looked back. Just then Fey dropped the lollypop on the ground. She started giggling and ran away into the dark kitchen.

“I’ll take this side!” said Clare. She went behind the couch were there was one entrance to the kitchen. I went to the other where it blocked anyway of her leaving. We both thought Fey was playing a game, “I see her! She’s in the kitchen.” I looked around, “did you find her?”

“No she’s not here.” Just then I heard the door slam where her grandpa was.

I lowered my voice because he clearly thought we were too loud. Then I heard the giggling again.

I walked in front of the couch, still keeping an eye on the hallway.

“I know you’re here!” Clare said standing next to me. Both Clare and I saw he feet and socks crawling behind the couch. Clare ran to her and once again I ran to the kitchen. She wasn’t there.
We decide to give up on playing games. We walked back to her room. I opened the door.

Inside the room sat Fey in front of the computer, wrapped in a blanket with a white stuffed animal next to her.

“What were you guys doing?” she said laughing.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean…does it take that long for someone to get a drink?” Fey replied.

“You’re the one who gave me the water bottle!” Clare yelled, “Stop playing games!”

“I don’t even have water bottles! I didn’t even go with you guys I was here all along!”

I know exactly what you’re thinking. That it’s the part where she’s just acting. She’s just messing with us. She wasn’t. We explained everything that had happened to her. But she was the last one to leave the room.

Or so I thought.

“Yeah, your grandpa got mad that he even closed his door,” I said. Fey had nothing to say. She just had to act as if nothing happened. Just then my mom called. We barley finished our project. I wanted to go anyway after what happened.

I put my shoes on. Fey and Clare walked me down to the door. Half way walking down the hallway, he grandpa started yelling at Fey in a different language. She translated to us.

“He said why did you close his door?” I told her we didn’t, I thought he did. She told him. Then her tone changed.

“He said…Why did you make a little girl cry? She came to his room talking about you guys not wanting to play games with her…” My heart felt twisted in many directions. Now I wanted to leave. I’ve played enough games. During the game, the hallway was empty the whole time. I’m positive of that!

Fey moved after we presented our project at school, she was still in Virginia. Then a few weeks later she moved out of the state.

I haven’t heard from her since.