Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
He nods, and we go our separate ways.
I reach my small locker and undo it, having grabbed the wrong book last week. As I open it, a piece of paper flitters out and lands on the ground. Frowning, I lean down and pick it up. Maybe one of my notes fell out. I open it, not thinking too much about it, until I see the words scrawled across the page.
She didn’t deserve to die. You did.
What the hell?
A cold shiver runs up my spine as I stare at the words, over and over I read them, as if that will change what I’m seeing.
Who the hell is doing this?
Why would anyone want me to die? I don’t understand. Is this just an angry friend who thinks I did it. That makes sense. I need to speak to Alyssa’s friend, sooner rather than later. Whoever is doing this needs to back off. I don’t need it right now. Taking the note, I tuck it into my pocket, swap my books over, and then head to Pete’s class.
The same as last week, he looks at me now with a weary scrunch of his nose.
What an absolute dick.
At least he’s leaving me alone.
I find it hard to concentrate through his class, and when it’s time to head to Gerard’s class, my brain is a foggy mess. I’m trying to figure out who left that note and if it’s something I should be concerned about. Do I take it to the head of department? I don’t even know what to do. It’s most likely a prank, some stupid dumb college kids thinking they’re absolutely hilarious.
“Morning,” I say when I walk into Gerard’s class early, like always.
“How are you, Ciara?”
I pause, then shrug. “I’m okay, I guess.”
“I heard about your wall being spray painted. That’s terrible. Do you know who did it?”
I shake my head. “No, but whoever it is seems to have it in their head that I killed Alyssa when obviously I didn’t.”
“They’re probably just trying to shake you up, don’t take it to heart.”
“I’m trying not to.”
He offers a smile, but it does little to comfort me. I find my seat, get through the class, and then hunt down Paulie. I want to talk to Alyssa’s friend, and I’m tired of waiting. There is a solid chance she won’t be back to school for a bit, so I need to contact her. I considered doing it over Facebook, but I don’t think she’ll answer me so I’m hoping Paulie has another option.
He smiles when I finally find him. “Hey, girl.”
“Do you think you can get Halo to talk to you.”
Alyssa’s best friend’s name is Halo, which I think is super cool. She seems like a nice enough girl, judging by all the social media stalking I did before I came to Paulie.
“She isn’t even here.” Paulie frowns.
“I know, but I want her to meet me. I know she won’t talk to me if she thinks I actually killed her friend, but I am running out of time. I found this in my locker.”
I hand him the note. He reads it, and his eyes widen. “Damn. Okay, well, I actually have a class with her, so I’ll message her and ask her for some notes. I talk to her here and there.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to bombard her?”
Paulie waves a hand. “I think we’re out of options.”
He’s right.
I think we are.
12 – Ciara
“You can’t be serious!”
Halo, who is a beautiful blond around twenty, with golden yellow eyes and a figure to die for, scowls when she realizes I’m with Paulie.
I only have a matter of seconds to get her to listen before she flips out and leaves. She agreed to meet Paulie at a café to give him notes, but she wasn’t expecting me to be here. I know what she thinks, they all do, but it’s my only option.
“Halo,” I say quickly, putting up my hands as she goes to turn and leave. “I know what you think, but I swear to you I did nothing. I went in there for a shower and stumbled across Alyssa, and now someone is bothering me. You don’t know me, I don’t expect you to believe me, but please, you’re the only person who can help me.”
Her eyes dart to Paulie, and he continues, “I promise you, Halo, she is a good person. She didn’t do it. You know that. I know you do ...”
Halo glances at me again, then stares down at her feet. “It just doesn’t feel real, you know?”
I exhale. She’s going to talk, and maybe then we will get the answers we need. Carefully taking a step toward her, I reach out a hand and put it on her shoulder. She flinches, but she doesn’t pull away. “I am so sorry about what happened to her, but someone is out there getting away with this right now, and I want to know who it is.”