Controlled

Chapter Three: Sophie

I woke up to the annoying ringing of my alarm clock. I blindly searched for the snooze button, but when I couldn't find it, I sighed and got out of bed. Naomi, who was at the foot of my bed, picked her head up and started wagging her tail.

"Good morning," I yawned, standing up from my bed. I went into my bathroom and brushed through my hair, then washed my face. As I dried my face, I heard something hitting the hardwood floor outside my room. Then, Naomi started growling.

I walked out of my bathroom and nervously glanced down the hallway. Nothing seemed to be out of place. Then I heard the front door close. No one was supposed to be home.

"Mom?" I called. "Are you home?"

I waited. No answer.

"Hello?"

Still no answer.

Naomi had stopped growling, but I couldn't shake the nervousness I felt. Just then, Zoey jumped into my room.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!" she shouted.

"What the hell?" I shouted, startled. "You scared the hell out of me!"

Zoey laughed and Naomi jumped up, excited.

"How the hell did you get in?" I asked, feeling my heart thumping in my chest.

"Your front door was unlocked?" she said, leaning down to pet Naomi.

"Not it wasn't," I said, confused.

"Well then how did I get in?" she pointed out.

My mouth closed and I didn't respond. I could've sworn I locked it behind me last night.

"Whatever," I sighed. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Well, you never said bye to me before you left last night."

Guilt washed over me. "I know, I'm sorry. I was tired so I told Justin to tell you bye for me."

"He left, too. Julia and I came out of the bathroom and you two were nowhere to be found. We assumed you know...." Zoey trailed off and smirked up at me.

I gave her a blank stare, realizing what she was implying. "Seriously?"

She held up her hands defensively. "Hey, can you blame me? It's bound to happen sooner or later."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her, and finished getting ready for school. Zoey sat on my bed playing with Naomi while I put my makeup on.

"Well," Zoey said, standing after a few minutes. "I'll see you at school, okay?"

"Alright," I said, absently waving at her as she walked out the door. I pulled my shirt over my head and heard the front door slam shut. Once I was ready to go, I grabbed my book bag and keys, and headed out the door, making sure I locked the door this time.

When I got in the car, I turned on the radio and flipped through the stations. I heard the news, and it seemed to be a breaking news story, so I turned it up and listened.

"... the body of Kimberly Wilson was found late Wednesday night in her home. Officers state she was raped and killed by strangulation. They said a man, who is suspected to be the killer, called 911 to report the murder, but fled the scene shortly afterward. There are no suspects in custody, but they believe that it was a man between the ages of twenty-five to thirty. If you have any information please call..."

I shut the radio off as I pulled up to the school. Kimberly Wilson? Why did her name sound so familiar? I parked my car and shrugged it off. Chances were that I didn't know who she was anyway.