Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“Ana!” I said.
She wrapped her arms around me and a small tearful hiccup escaped her throat. I had to force my body to go soft at her touch.
“I thought you didn’t recognize me.” She stepped back so I could get out of the car and close the door. Her eyes darted to my throat. I should have covered it up with a scarf.
“Of course not. How could I forget you?” I asked.
Devon hovered beside the bumper. His hands rested casually in his pockets but his eyes darted over the parking lot—keeping watch. That’s when I noticed how many eyes were turned toward me, how everyone had stopped doing whatever they’d been doing to stare at me like I’d just risen from the dead.
Devon positioned himself on my left side and Ana sidled up on my right, sandwiching me between them like my personal bodyguards as we made our way toward the front doors. Some people stumbled over their feet because they were gaping and pointing at me. Had their parents never taught them manners? A small part of me wanted to shape-shift to give them the scare of their lives.
“What jerks,” Ana said as we went inside.
The halls weren’t crowded, probably because so many people were standing outside, still whispering among themselves. Where they too shy to approach me? I was welcomed by only a few mildly familiar people whose faces I couldn’t link to a name. They kept glancing at my throat and I could tell they were curious but, thankfully, they didn’t dare to ask. Maybe Devon’s glare was what stopped them.
If I’d really been Madison would it have bothered me? Would this have hurt my feelings? It was likely, but I wasn’t sure.
“We have biology first,” Ana reminded me.
I’d studied the schedule and even browsed a few of the schoolbooks since I would have to participate in all of Madison’s classes. It was the first time I’d ever been in high school. If the situation was different, I might have enjoyed it. But I was out of my league. I didn’t know the first thing about how to act as a regular student, let alone a senior.
Ana stopped in front of a locker and entered the combination. The lockers were yellow, and matched half of the overly cheerful yellow-and-blue checkered tiles on the floor.
“Umm, that’s yours.” Ana pointed at the locker next to hers. A piece of paper stuck out of the gap between the door and the frame. Devon grabbed it before I could react but I snatched it out of his hand. “That’s for me.”
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue. “Who’s it from?” he asked. Ana had stopped rummaging and stared at Devon and me.
“Do you know my combination?” I asked, but Devon didn’t let the topic change slip. He reached past me and turned the lock first right, then left, and then again right. He pulled it open and handed me a scrap of paper with the numbers. “Now spill, Maddy.”
People were whispering and watching but no one stood close enough to eavesdrop. Nervously, I unfolded the letter. It was a message from Ryan.
Hey Maddy,
I know you’ll be back today, and I can’t wait to see you. I was so worried about you. Your brother didn’t want to tell me anything. (You know how he is.) But I can’t stay away from you. I miss you.
I need to talk to you. Meet me in the parking lot after school. Please?
Ryan
“No. You’re not meeting him,” Devon said. He’d been reading over my shoulder. “You don’t remember how miserable you were because of him. I won’t let him use your amnesia to get you back.”
I crumpled the letter and chucked it into my locker. “I can take care of myself.”
“Please, just once, listen to me. Stay away from Ryan, at least for a few days until everything is settled.” I gave a reluctant nod, a lie of course, and picked up my biology book and a folder.
Devon walked Ana and me toward the classroom. “Is Ryan in biology with you guys?”
Ana nodded. “We share most of our classes.”
“I’ll be fine, really. I mean, when did I break up with him?”
“Like two months ago,” Ana said. The first murder happened around that time.
“So it’s been a while. It’ll be fine,” I said. They didn’t look convinced, and who could blame them after reading that letter? “Go,” I urged. With a last glance over his shoulder, Devon jogged to his class.
Ana and I took our seats and a hush fell over the room. This was starting to grate on my nerves. I gave them all a smile to show them I was really alive. If they realized I knew they were staring, they might stop. As if someone had just yelled “action!” the girls gathered around my table and the boys slowly followed.