I’m fifteen minutes late to Renner’s class when I walk in. My classmates are all busy on their laptops, besides Annica, who is mouthing “Where were you?”
“Sloane,” Renner says when he sees me sneaking in. “See me after class.” Somehow his words are scarier than Grange’s.
I open my outline for my short story. The one I never started. I watch the cursor blink on a blank document. It’s just an outline, Sloane, it’s just the bones. I type out the words: “Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Conclusion.”
My hands hover over my keyboard as my mind wanders back to my conversation with Grange. He knows there’s something sketchy about the whole situation and his focus is entirely on me. I don’t blame him. Itwasall too coincidental. I exit out of the outline and go into my email to pull up the one from Miles. He’s nowa professor at Ivy Gate, and he is the only person who knows about my journal. Is it possible that he would be the one to photocopy a page of it to give to Ryan Austi? But why? For revenge? I ruined his marriage and got him fired from Pembroke so he... what? Stole my journal to copy the pages and give them to my exes? Could he have been there at the party that night?
There’s only one person that might know.
The class begins to pack up when senior seminar ends and I walk up to Renner’s desk in the front of the class, preparing an excuse.
“Miss Sawyer.”
“Hi, if this is about the outline, I’ll have it to you by tonight. I’m sorry. I was having computer issues over the weekend and couldn’t finish it during class.” I figured that was better than saying I was so stressed out about almost being a murder suspect that I couldn’t get it done.
“And the reason for being late today? Also computer issues?”
“No, just... running late.”
“You know, I was on the board that decided to let you move forward in the writing program here.” I nod, unsure of what to say. “Don’t make me regret it.” With that he goes back to his grading in a silent dismissal.
Annica is outside the classroom waiting for me. “Where were you?” she asks.
“I ran into that detective from the party; he had more questions for me.”
“About what?”
Part of me does not want Annica and Dani to know the details of the journal. Honestly, the less people that know the better.
“Just going over the timeline of the night again.”
“Oh,” she says. “Will they call me too, do you think?”
I didn’t think of the fact that they could call her again for questioning, maybe even about me and this journal entry.
Miss Labrant, has your best friend ever had any murdery tendencies that you’re aware of?
“No,” I say. “I don’t think they will.”
When I walk past the door to our world literature course, Annica stops short.
“Sloane, where are you going?”
“I’m not feeling good,” I lie. “I’m going home to rest for a little bit.” Another lie.
“Okay... will we see you later?” she asks.
“Um, maybe. Let me know if I miss anything important.”
“Will do,” she sighs, and heads into the lecture hall as I leave the building, but not to go home.
I sit at one of the long center tables in the Ivy Gate library, looking up at the vast collection of books that line the walls going up six floors. My foot nervously taps on the ground as I search for Cam, the freshman who stood outside the frat house front door all night watching everyone who went in. A girl two seats to my right gives me a pointed look at the sound my foot makes before giving me a “Shh!” I stop tapping and resort to biting my cheek.
Cam walks in ten minutes later, just like Ty said he would. He takes a seat three tables down and I walk over and sit across from him.
“Cam?” I say when he doesn’t look up.
His brown eyes flick up to meet mine. “Yeah?”
