Part 1

    The bass from the music rattles Jane’s heart and keeps her from hearing Sarah right next to her.

    “What did you say?” Jane yells. 

Sarah keeps chattering on. 

The song changes and for a moment the after party grows quiet. It is then when Jane sees Corey. He ‘s no longer sporting his white suit coat he wore in the pictures his mom made them take. Instead, he is wearing a tight tank top yellowed by sweat. Jane expects him to go toward his most recent fling, Jenny, but instead Corey b-lines to her.

“Jane,” he screams. She backs away from the noise. Being by the speakers the whole dance already damaged her ears. He starts to scream her name again. Before he can finish she pulls him outside into the chilled late spring air. 

Sweat oozes from every one of Corey’s pores. He takes large steps back and forth, eyeing the pairs of lovers in the pool. He says her name once more, whispering now. 

Jane runs her fingers in her ears till they pop and she’s able to hear the low, frantic voice of her childhood best friend. Corey’s heart is still beating as powerfully as the bass inside. It’s overwhelming his own thoughts, his own fears. After trying to get the words out and failing he drags Jane to the back of the parking lot stuffed with cars. Two girls stumble past them with their hair and makeup still done up from prom. Once there Corey curses and slams on the top of his silver car. A small crevasse glints when he moves his muscled arm.

“Corey!” Jane says. “Calm down.” Corey has always been able to play it cool till the rare moments he is pushed over the edge. This time is worse though. In all the years, Jane has never seen him like this, even though they haven’t been close since he got his football scholarship and started acting differently.

He runs his hands through his hair, runs them down his neck, and grasps them against the neck of his tank top. “I messed up.” His head hangs down.

Jane searches for his eyes.

“I messed up,” he repeats again. “I messed up and I need your help.”

“Does this have to do with Jenny?” Jane questions.

Typer starts pacing again. “No, nothing to do with her.” His voice came out like a growl. As if he’s trying to hold a monster inside.

“Then what is it?” Jane steps towards him. 

Corey shoves her down. Regret immediately bowls into his stomach. He quickly moves to the curb where he throws up his pre-prom meal. Jane moves to him. He wipes his mouth. “Your leg!” Corey exclaims. Jane looks down to see all the skin on her shin missing and a puddle of red growing under her foot.

“I have to go clean this.” Jane starts towards the house, careful to how she holds her leg. 

“Not yet.” He grabs her hand. She pulls away at first but then relaxes.

“What did you do?”

His trunk pops open. 

Jane steps closer.

A man dressed in leather lay lifeless on his previously white suit jacket.

Jane wants to scream. She wants to scream and yell and cry and leave. She wants to leave. She wants to leave so bad. But Corey is in trouble. And she can’t leave him.

Corey slams the trunk back down and begins to sob.

“Corey?” she whispers and waits a longer time for him to move his head upwards. “Why do you need my help?” Jane asks, yet her mind already knows the answer.

“We have to hide the body.”

Silence settles between them.

“Okay.” 

Jane starts thinking of a plan.