Teen Ink

I Call Her Elaina

She liked being the Leader. She liked to be in control. It brought Power to her fingertips. She liked Power. She was obsessed with it really. She had to have Power. No matter what it took. She had to have Power over everything she did, everyone she talked to, everywhere she went, and if she didn't there would be consequences. Serious consequences. She was someone you didn't mess with. She was the definition of Death. But even all killers came to their end. Even all killers had a story behind those perfect lying eyes. So listen closely to the most deadly, most perfect killer you'll ever meet.

Everyone was frightened of her. Everyone worshiped her. Everyone despised her. Everyone envied her. Weird twists of events believe me I know. But she was the most popular girl in school, despite everyone hating and envying her that was. She was what every girl wanted to be. But they didn't know her secret. If they did, would they still want to be like her? Maybe since she got away with everything every time. She was perfect. In everyway. She had beautiful long blonde hair. It went past her waist, it was naturally straight. And it shone brightly in the sun, nearly white. But a beautiful white. It was a natural color. Her eyes were crystal blue and shone brightly. Her cheekbones were that of Cherokee Indians and her figure was perfect. Her skin was a pale color but could tan easily, no sun burning though. She was of average height and she was brilliant at sports. She joined every play and every sport she could. She was always ahead of her class. She was the perfect student. But every perfect person has a dark secret. Hers was that she liked to kill. I call her Elaina.

She was my best friend, since Kindergarten. After we met, we inseparable, even her wild schemes couldn’t pry me away form her. Even if we did come from two different worlds. We were only a month apart in birth, same year. We told everything to each other. So naturally I knew her killing instinct. She wasn’t a bragger, she just wrote about it in her diary. And Elaina’s number one rule for our sleepovers every weekend was that we swapped our diaries and read each others entries. She made this rule when she started on her first diary in fifth grade. I wasn’t into diaries, but she bought me one and made the rule. I know it sounds as if she’s invading my personal space, but really, she’s not. I know her deepest darkest secrets, whilst she knows of mine. But I wasn’t thirsty for a killing, not like Elaina was. I didn’t even like to kill, so why did I do it? Because she was my best friend. That’s what friends did for each other, right?

“Come on Angie! We’re gonna be late! ”Elaina whined pushing me forwards out the front door.
I sank back at the bright light the sun cast over me. “Goodness Elaina, must we get up this early?” I muttered trying to stifle a yawn as I glanced at my watch. “It’s Saturday! Not Monday! Even on Monday’s I don’t get up this early!” I complained as she dragged me to her white Mustang which shone unusually bright in the sunlight. I covered my eyes, shielding them from the torture of the light.
“Yes we must! We have loads to do before tonight’s party!” She exclaimed sliding into the driver side.
I stared at the passenger door, debating whether or not to get in. I didn’t want to know what was going on tonight, for surely I’d be dragged into it. I was going to find out whether I wanted to or not. Whether or not I got in the car or walked back inside and up to bed. I was going to find out either way. I always did, so why not just get in the car and find out the easy way? I opened the door and was hit by the smell of fresh pine. My eyes darted to the air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror. I looked questioningly at Elaina.
She shrugged and swatted at with her hand. “Parents visit next weekend, have to get the stench of cigarettes out.”
I threw my feet onto the dashboard and crossed my ankles. “Whatever. I’m going back to bed.” I mumbled putting on my sunglasses and leaning back into my seat.
“Why?” Elaina whined reaching forward to take my feet off the dashboard.
“Because it’s six in the morning Eli! And we barely went to bed and two this morning! I don’t even understand how the sun can be up this early!” I let out a huge yawn.
“You can’t go to sleep. Not yet at least, please?”
“Where are we going then?”
“Away.”
“How far away?”
“Out of town far away.”
I sat up and stared at her through my tinted sunglasses. “You’re kidding right?” She shook her head. “Alice! What the Hell?! If my Foster parents find out I left town again do you realize how much trouble I’m going to be in this time?”
“Chillax Angie, they think you’re at my place all weekend and halfway into next week.”
I rubbed my head, sometimes Elaina gave me headaches. “I know I am going to regret asking this, but why do they think I’m staying at your place that long?”
She looked over at me grinning widely. “I told them my parents were out again and I didn’t want to stay by myself. And they know how I just hate a bunch of people so they agreed.”
Typical Elaina. Telling lies to get her way and getting it. I couldn’t do that not in a million years. And I envied her for that.
“There are some people in the city I want to take care of.” Elaina chirped shattering my thoughts.
I raised my eyebrows. “What for this time?”
“I’ve told them one too many times not to get in my way.” Her tone turned dark and that’s when I knew to shut up.
Elaina was just someone even I didn’t make mad. It was the one rule I has no problem following but I had to open my mouth. “I have therapy on Monday after school.”
“I know that and you’re going to talk about me again.” Elaina shrugged it off as no big deal.
“How did you-? Oh right, my diary.” I let out a heavy sigh. “Seriously, maybe we should give that up?”
“And ruin our friendship? No thanks!” She scoffed turning the corner onto the highway.
Elaina had a different perspective on life then anyone I knew. If she didn’t know my personal world and I didn’t know hers, our friendship would be ruined. At least in her eyes it would.
“So why do you talk about me anyway?” She asked curiously, looking at me.
“Eyes on the road Eli! And I talk about everyone.”
“Not as much as you do me, your diary says so.”
I just let out a deep groan and shook my head, turning to stare out my window.
“Why though?” She questioned again.
I could feel her eyes boring into the back of my skull and it made me fidget in my seat. “Just because you’re my best friend of course.” I answered lamely.
“Well isn’t that sweet!” She cooed her voice that for a baby.
I think I liked her pitched voice better. “I’m not a baby Elaina”
I went flying in the dashboard as she slammed in the brake. My forehead went crashing into it and then my head whipped back. I felt fingers wrap themselves into my hair, my lips parted slightly and a hand with manicured fingernails slammed over my mouth. I let out a muffled scream and squirmed in my seat.
“I’ll treat you however I want!” She snarled her minty breath washing over my face and I knew she had put her face next to mine.
I knew better then to give her orders especially when she was in this kind of mood. I knew better then to even suggest an order but I still did it anyway.
“You listen to me now! You do as I say do you understand? It’s always been that way! Always have been an always will be! You know that Angie! Why do you question me!?” She shouted in my face.
I swallowed and let out a small whimper of pain as her nails dug into the back of my neck.
“I am the Boss around here! Is that understood!?” She hissed.
“Yes!” I gasped eyes wide.
Her eyes sparked with excitement and her mouth upturned into a blood red smile.
“I’ll deal with you later.” She lifted a hand and stroked my cheek gently.
That’s when I saw it, her eyes shining with, what was it? Envy, passion, love? It seemed to be all of them. And more. Was there fury I saw in them? I squirmed in my seat as she fell back into hers. I watched her a moment before realizing the aching pain throbbing in the back of my head. My eyes watered slightly as I bent my head down away from the sunlight.
“Oh stop whining I didn’t hurt you that bad.” Elaina laughed flipping her hair over her shoulder.
I watched her as she did that and couldn’t help but get a whiff of her strawberry scented shampoo as it flew over me. I took the scent in, along with the pine scent. I turned my attention to the road as she started the Mustang up again. The windows were tinted, anyone looking in wouldn’t notice who was in here. I glanced at the speedometer.
“Elaina! Perhaps you should slow down?” I suggested, cringing a little as I asked the question.
“I won’t get caught if that’s what you worried about.” She said her voice strangely empty.
“I’m not worried about you getting caught. You never get caught.” I said in a thick voice. “Its just I’m worried about crashing.”
“Oh you shouldn’t be worried. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I glanced at her, her voice just wasn’t sounding like hers. It was as if it belonged to someone else.
“Are you alright?” My voice sounded shaky even to me.
I had to admit I was scared and nervous of her answer. It wasn’t entirely my fault. Elaina just made me this way.
“Oh I’m fine.” She answered in her lifeless tone, throwing me a glance before slowing the car down.
I froze. Her look had a dark gaze to it and nothing about it was friendly. I snapped my head back to gaze out the window.
“Angie?” Elaina asked curiously, her voice back to normal after minutes of silence.
I looked back at her, her eyes were pleading. My heart dropped and I felt pity for her. Genuine pity. I always felt pity for her of course. Whenever she needed it. She was my best friend and I loved her to death for that. Even if I shouldn’t.
“We’re going to have fun this weekend!” she chirped.
I narrowed my eyes under my sunglasses. “Don’t we always have fun?” I asked lightly.
“Of course we do!” She sang.
I looked at her with wide eyes and shook my head before turning my attention to the road. “Elaina! Your gonna get us killed!” I shouted gripping the edge of my seat as I saw the oncoming car on our side.
We were on the wrong side of the road and heading straight towards a SUV. I looked behind us and the color in my face dropped. There was no way that SUV could get onto that side without crashing.
“No worries Angie, we’ll be fine.” Her voice was soothing.
I looked at her with a bewildered expression. “Are you trying to kill us?”
“Of course not and if anyone ask, the steering wheel was stuck. Understood?”
I sat forward and she saw her face masked in pure terror as she stared out the windshield. I knew it was only a mask. I had known her for my life and knew she was brilliant when it came to pretending. It was who she was. She had to do it nearly everyday. Mask her real self. I sank back and then reached forward, gripping the steering wheel.
“What are you doing?!” She shrieked gripping it as well and tugged it from my hands.
We jerked left and towards the ditch on the side of the road. I snatched the wheel and fell back in my seat as the car went spiraling out of control. I glanced up and the world seemed to slow down. The SUV came to a screeching halt; the driver had turned and stomped on the break. It was now blocking the road and the car that had been on the other side of the road skidded to a halt, nearly missing the ditch. I could make out each face in the car and my heart skipped a beat. It was a family of four. I felt the car jerk to a stop and I breathed in relief, then I heard the creaking. I let out a low moan as I looked out my window and saw the ground approaching.
“Elaina you promised.” I choked out trying to catch my unsteady breathing as tears streamed down my face.
“Promises are always broken Evangline.” Her voice was icy and it had me in its grip.
I looked at her startled before I let out a piercing screaming as our car toppled to the ground. I gasped in pain as I felt the shards of glass enter my side and arms and let out a small whimper of pain. I tried to move my legs but the right one was crushed between the ground and dashboard.
“Why Elaina? Why?!” I sobbed reaching forward with a bloody hand to try and pry my leg out.
“You got in my way.” She said calmly.
I looked up at her. Her face was streaming with blood from shards of glass that had whipped her face but her eyes were full of laughter at my pain.
“I should’ve done this long ago. I should’ve killed you long ago, but instead I dragged you to all my Masterpieces. To show you how I worked. In the vain hope to get you to like it, but you were always disgusted. Always complained. You never wanted anything to do with my Art. And now that’s going to be no more. As far as your Foster family is going to be concerned, you died in a car wreck. I was the sole survivor since the car went down on your side. Everyone will pity me for losing my best friend.” She smiled coldly her voice was chilly and it sent shivers down my spine. “You’ll pay for what you have put me through Evangline.”
A flash of light and a searing pain in my stomach had me cringing, but I refused to cry. That would give her satisfaction and I wasn’t willing to give her that. I was the only one who knew how she worked. I heard screaming, shouts down to us. Elaina looked up and dropped her shard of glass and started pounding on window fake tears streaming down her face.
“Help! Help my friend! She got stabbed! The glass!” She cried.
She was such a faker. A good one at that. I sat watching her, counting my shallow breaths trying to remain calm. I had to give her credit; she knew how to get away with everything. A face appeared above the car and they pried the driver’s side open to a sobbing Elaina. They gently lifted her out and peered in on me. They spoke, I saw their lips moving but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. My breathing was starting to get even shallower, harder to take in. I leaned my head against the rest of my seat and closed my eyes not feeling the pain any longer. My body had gone numb and I felt so tired. I just wanted to sleep.