CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER ONE
MOLLY POV
The air in my room felt a little cold, so I slowly stood up and walked over to close the window. As I was doing that, my phone buzzed. It was Abby, my best friend.
"Don't tell me your parents are still planning to keep you stuck at home just because of that little party?" she asked from the other end of the line.
"Ugh, tell me about it," I said, feeling annoyed all over again. "And guess what? They're going away again," I mumbled, kicking my pillow with my foot like it was the one to blame.
"Oh really? So, where exactly are they off to this time?" she asked. I ran my fingers through my hair, making it even messier than it already was.
"Honestly, I don't even care where they're going," I sighed. "I just really miss hanging out with you, Abby," I added, which made her laugh.
"What's so funny?" I asked, a little confused as her laughter filled my ears.
"Do you really miss me," she said, still giggling, "or do you just miss having parties and, you know... boys?" She finally said it, and I couldn't help but chuckle and bite my lip. She knew me too well.
"Come on," I said, trying to sound a little offended but secretly agreeing.
There was a short pause before I remembered what she had asked earlier. "Oh, right. They're going to Korea," I said.
Suddenly, Abby let out a loud scream. "Wtf, Abby! My ears!" I exclaimed, pulling the phone away from my head.
"Jeez, sorry! I'm just... surprised," she said quickly. "You don't seem that bothered. It's a chance for you to go to Korea! You could see all those music concerts you like." She sounded so excited, but I just huffed.
"I really don't feel like going," I said, walking over to the desk where the pizza box was. "Traveling with my parents is the worst. They're always watching everything I do. I'd rather stay home alone, seriously!" I picked up a slice of pizza and took a big bite.
"How long are they planning to be gone for this time?" Abby asked.
"Hmm, about three weeks," I mumbled with my mouth full, then rolled onto my back on the bed. I stared at my finger, which had some pizza sauce on it, and then licked it off.
"You know your parents would never let you stay home alone for three weeks after what happened last time," Abby said, and I could practically see her shaking her head on the other end.
"Yeah, Mom told me she's going to ask that old lady who works at the corner store, the one who needs extra money, to keep an eye on me for those three weeks," I said, feeling a wave of annoyance wash over me. "I'm really hoping she gets sick or something and can't do it," I added, and even though I was grumpy, Abby still started laughing.
"Can't you just talk them out of it? You're almost eighteen! They shouldn't be treating you like this," she said, sounding serious for a moment.
"I tried, Abby! Believe me, I tried," I groaned. "They just won't listen. They obviously don't trust me anymore."
There was a short silence, and I could tell Abby was thinking. "Well," she finally said, a mischievous tone in her voice, "since we can't have a party at your place, maybe we can sneak out and go to one? We could still have some fun."
A small smile started to spread across my face. At least with Abby, things wouldn't be completely boring. "Soon," I said, feeling a little more hopeful, "as soon as I'm officially eighteen! We can have so many parties, and no one can tell us what to do!"
I lay on my bed, talking to Abby for another twenty minutes. We chatted excitedly about all the amazing parties we were going to throw in the future, imagining loud music, dancing, and no annoying parents to ruin the fun.
"Molly, sweetie, your food is ready!" Mom called from behind my bedroom door, her voice sounding a little rushed.
"Okay, Mom! Just need to wash my face. I'll be down in a few minutes," I replied, quickly pushing the notebook I had been using under my pillow. In it, I had scribbled down a bunch of things I wanted to try doing – things that I knew Mom and Dad would definitely not approve of.
My name is Molly Griffin, and being the only child in our family meant my parents did their best to give me everything I could ever want. At the same time, they were always watching out for me, making sure I was safe and not getting into any trouble with the law.
The smell of warm pasta filled the kitchen. "Your food is going to get cold," Mom said gently as I leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before taking my seat at the table.
We ate in comfortable silence for a few moments. "When exactly is your flight?" I asked, trying to sound casual, like it wasn't a big deal.
Mom sighed softly as she rinsed a plate in the sink. "It will be in two hours, sweetie."
Two hours! That meant they would have to leave for the airport very soon since it usually took about an hour to get there.
"The babysitter will be there the minute we leave, Molly," Mom continued, turning to look at me with a serious expression. "I want you to be on your best behavior! Mrs. Hong isn't feeling very well, so please don't give her any stress."
I frowned a little. "Can't I just stay here by myself?" I asked, hoping they would say yes.
Mom shook her head firmly. "Not after what happened last time, Molly. I would be very disappointed if Mrs. Hong had to call with a complaint about you." She said this as I twirled some pasta around my fork.
"Promise me you won't do anything silly?" Mom asked, reaching over to rub my back reassuringly.
"Sure, you have my word," I mumbled, feeling a light kiss on the top of my head.
"Thank you, baby," she said, her voice softening. Just then, Dad walked into the living room, looking smart in his travel clothes and ready to go.
"We're leaving now," Dad announced, picking up his suitcase. For some reason, a wave of sadness washed over me, and I suddenly wished they weren't going.
"I will call you as soon as we arrive in Korea," Mom promised, giving me a tight hug. I watched them walk out to the car, a strange feeling in my chest. I stood by the pouch, waving until their car disappeared down the street.
Now the house felt big and quiet. It was just me and the empty rooms. The thought of having someone else here, watching over me, made me feel annoyed and restless. It felt like I was being treated like a little kid. I locked the front door and carried my empty plate to the kitchen sink. I remembered the first time my parents told me they were getting a babysitter for me – I had actually laughed out loud. It seemed so ridiculous!
But now, as I stood in the silent house, it didn't feel funny at all. I walked upstairs to my bedroom and flopped onto my bed, wanting nothing more than a good nap. After a fun party, sleeping was definitely one of my favorite things to do.
woke up with my stomach rumbling loudly. I reached into my bedside drawer and took out my ulcer pills before heading downstairs. I glanced at the clock on the microwave – 8:00 PM. The babysitter still hadn't arrived, which, to be honest, made me pretty happy. I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed Abby's number.
"Don't tell me the babysitter is some scary old lady!" Abby's voice came through the phone, soft but eager to hear what I had to say.
"I have great news!" I said, opening the refrigerator to see what snacks were available.
"What? You finally have a new naughty show to binge-watch all by yourself?" she teased, her tone mocking.
"You think that's funny, but just wait until you hear that the babysitter isn't showing up!" I exclaimed. Suddenly, I heard a surprised shriek from the other end of the line. Just then, the sound of footsteps inside the house made me abruptly scared. I ended the call without even saying goodbye to Abby.
My heart started to race. I grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter, holding it up in front of me for protection. I was sure I had locked the front door, so there was no way someone should be inside unless they were a thief. The moment I raised the knife, I felt a sharp kick, and the knife went flying out of my hand.
"f**k!" I cursed, clutching my side in pain.
Suddenly, my arm was grabbed from behind, and I was roughly pushed to my knees, feeling like a criminal who had just been caught. "What are you doing in my house?" I gasped out in pain and confusion, not understanding what was happening. The person instantly released my arm, and I looked up to see a young and surprisingly good-looking Asian guy standing over me.
"I'm here to babysit," he said calmly, making my jaw drop in disbelief.