The Perfect Stranger

Chapter 2 : Lizzie

I hop in the shower and as soon as I do, I hear my phone chime. I hop out be- fore the water really gets me drenched to check my phone on the counter. It’s a text from Kassie:

“Sorry Lizzie, I forgot we drove together. Things here are a little hectic so I won’t be able to meet you to get ready. I’ll meet you at the

party. Xoxo”

Interesting. I hope everything is okay. I hop back into the shower fully submerging myself under the hot stream of the water. Tonight is going to be great, even if I have to get ready by myself and my fiancee is at work instead of at home with me getting ready. He promised he would be there tonight on time. Seven on the dot is what he promised me. Kassie said she would meet me there and she’s never ever let me down before, so I’m not going to worry about tonight. I’m going to get ready and meet my love and my best friend at my engagement party and every- thing is going to be great. I finish up my shower and hop out to start getting ready.

I start with blow drying my hair straight before flat ironing it and adding some big bouncy curls. Being that my hair is naturally curly, when it is straight it is down just past my shoulders with the big curls. Next, is my make up. I’ve never really worn heavy make-up, nor have I ever been the type of woman who is pressed to have a full face of make-up before leaving the house. But, tonight is different. Tonight, I am going all out. A bold red lip with long dramatic bold lashes and a smoldering smoky eye. Eat your heart out Eric. He would always say it wouldn’t hurt if I did my make-up once in a while. Well, tonight he’s going to get his wish. Finally, I move into the bedroom and lather my body with a shimmering vanilla body lotion and spray before stepping into the beautiful white gown and the beautiful gold shoes the boutique owner, Daisy, gifted me. Thank God, I decided to get a manicure and pedicure earlier this week so my toes are freshly painted to match my nails.

Taking a final look at myself in the mirror, I can’t believe the woman staring back at me. She looks like me, but more womanly. Who is this woman? I don’t know, but I like her. I look at my phone and realize it’s time to leave. I call Kassie and get her voicemail again. Interesting. That’s not like Kassie, she has not answered any of my calls today. I hope everything is okay. I call a cab to take me to the venue of our engagement party. When I arrive, I see Eric standing on the curb talking on the phone. He looks stressed out. I hope everything at work is going okay. I instruct the cab to pull up in front of him so I can see his face when he notices me. He ends the call quickly and opens my cab door. “Lizzie, you look amazing. Shall we go to our party, the future Mrs. Eric Johnson?,” Eric says in his southern drawl. I grab his big strong hands. He looks yummy tonight. But when doesn’t he. Eric has always been a looker, ever since college. He was the very definition of tall, dark and handsome. He is dressed in a dark blue suit tailored to fit him just right and hang on to his muscles. His white teeth were a stark contrast to the dark chocolate color of his skin and his coal black hair was cropped low and swimming with waves. When I tell you Eric is a walking chocolate bar, I’m not lying.

As soon as we walk into the party, all eyes are on us. My eyes immediately scan the crowd of people for Kassie. She’s not here. Or at least I don’t see her. I turn and whisper to Eric that I don’t see Kassie. She told me she would be here before I got here or when I got here. Either way she said she would be here. Eric tells me to relax and she’ll be here. So, I do, and as time goes by, I slowly relax but there’s still no sign of Kassie. So, I sneak off into the bathroom to give her a call when I notice a text from her.

“I’m so sorry Lizzie but I showed up tonight and you looked beautiful. Both you and Eric looked beautiful, but I couldn’t stay to watch you guys tonight. It hurts too much. I love you and I truly am sorry.”

No ‘xoxo’ at the end of that message. Weird. I call Kassie and no pick up. Her message has me freaked out, so I run to find Eric. He’s talking with his friends over in the corner of venue. I walk over to him, and as soon as his boys spot me their group goes silent and Eric turns around. He’s a little drunk, but he smiles a goofy smile when he sees me and it warms my heart a little to know that I’m going to marry this man in a few months time. He takes a long stride over to me and grabs me up in hug.

“Whats wrong baby? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” He slurs his words while he grabs a handful of my backside.

“Its Kassie.” His body stiffens. Weird. “She sent me this weird text saying she was here and saw us together and she couldn’t handle it. I don’t know what that means and I’m worried about her. Should I go over and see what’s wrong?,” I ask truly concerned.

Not looking at me, he gives me a half smile and tells me not to worry and to en- joy the party. He turns to his friends and tells his best man, Jamal, to look after me before turning back to me and telling me he will be right back. He’s going to

check on Kassie for me so I don’t have to worry and tells me that he’ll be back shortly. Jamal and I make eye contact as soon as Eric turns to leave. It’s a weird vibe that he’s giving me, like something is not right. Just before I can go ask him, he turns away from me and walks in the opposite direction. Weird. Why is today so weird?

I continue to enjoy my party alone since my fiancee went to rescue my best friend and bring her back to me so I can find out what’s wrong. It’s been an hour and there is still no sign of Kassie or Eric. I try calling both of them and both phones ring until I reach their voicemail. Maybe they were in an accident on their way back and they couldn’t call me to let me know. Just as I’m about to dial the number to a local hospital, I hear a very familiar voice. But, I didn’t think I would hear that voice tonight or hear it as strong sounding as it sounded. I turn around to find Mrs. Thomas. Kassie’s mom is here and no Kassie. I thought Kassie said her mom was sick and that she couldn’t make it. I immediately turn in her direction and walk straight towards her. Her smile brightens when she sees me.

“If it isn’t little Miss Lizzie Franklin. Oh honey, you look beautiful. Where’s that knucklehead of a daughter of mine and that dreamy dreamboat of a fiancee?” She asked me before I could get out my questions.

“I’m not sure. Mrs. Thomas, what are you doing here? Kassie said you have been sick, and had developed this nasty cough? I’m surprised that you were able to make it. I wasn’t really expecting you to show, even though I did send you an invitation,” I tell her, with a look of confusion lacing my brow.

She looks at me with a look of confusion to match mine. “Oh honey, I’m as healthy as an ox and wouldn’t miss your engagement party for the life of me. Especially, since I know how your family feels about Eric. I’m glad I am, seeing as they couldn’t make it. Where’s your sister?,” she asks. “She couldn’t make it, she’s pregnant and the doctor put her on bed rest for the next few weeks until the baby is born. As far as my parents are concerned, they just don’t approve so they’re not here. They still think Eric is no good for me, but he’s the best. Speaking of Eric, he’s calling me now.” Excusing myself, I find a quiet spot to go answer the call. It’s Eric, but he sounds kind of muffled. “You shouldn’t have texted her that, she’s going to be worried now.... I’m sorry I hurt you, but you know how my parents feel about you and us.” I can barely hear what he’s saying, but I was able to make that out before the line went completely dead. Was that Eric, who was he talking too? He said he was going to talk to Kassie, so where is he?

I grab my phone and put in a request for an Uber to pick me up and take me to Kassie’s. Since they aren’t picking up the phone, I’ll go to see what’s going on. It literally takes like five minutes before the Uber is waiting outside for me. I jump in and she drives me all the way over to Kassie’s new apartment building. I haven’t been able to visit her new apartment, since I’ve been so busy with starting up my teaching career. I haven’t had the time to check it out. I have waited in the lobby for her to come down when we had our lunch dates. It’s nice, like really nice and fancy once you get on her floor. I walk to her door and I’m greeted with the sound of Eric’s voice. Its rough and he sounds like he’s out of breath. I try the door and it opens. Pushing the door open, I see the most horrific sight. I cannot believe what I am seeing. Eric, my fiancee, the love of my life, has two long snow white legs wrapped around his waist and there’s a blonde head in a messy bun sticking out from his neck. The blue eyes attached to the blonde head meet my eyes and they go wide. Kassie is looking directly at me and she immediately calls my name. Before Eric can turn and see me, I’m running down the hall toward the elevators.

I hear my name as soon as I approach the elevators and I slam the button as hard and as fast I can over and over until the doors open. As soon as the doors part, I slide in and slam my hand on the close doors button to make it close as fast as it can. The doors slam close just in time to see Eric and Kassie running towards me. The closing of the doors is my saving grace. There is no way I saw what I just saw. My heart can’t take it. That’s when the voice of Daisy comes back into my head. Her warning about that phone call. She jinxed me or she called it. No wonder she has been avoiding my calls tonight. The elevator reaches the bottom level and I bolt through the elevator doors. Down the steps and into the dark night only illuminated by the moon and streetlights. It’s so dark tonight. Weird. I start running when I hear my name being yelled down the street. It’s Eric; he followed me. I pick up the pace, knocking into someone in the process. I mumble out an apology, not really paying attention, trying to put as much distance between me and the people who used to mean the world to me. I keep running and soon feel a drop of rain hit my face. Looking up at the sky, I continue to run, not paying attention.

Before I can stop myself, I run out into the street. There is a bright light and then the sky. The sky is so dark, I think to myself before the world goes dark.