"I can't either. I just have this feeling he did."
"Were you there that night?"
"I was, but I left around eleven. They think she died later."
"Is it true they were fighting?"
She nods. "It was so bad. They were screaming and Braden was throwing things at her. None of us knew what to do. Everyone's too afraid of Braden to confront him so we all just tried to ignore it."
"And Trystan didn't do anything?"
"Trystan worships his brother. He wouldn't try to stop him. I'm sure he assumed Andrea did something to provoke him. Trystan always sticks up for Braden."
I haven't even seen Trystan today. If I did, he'd probably ignore me like everyone else. He's loyal to Braden. He wouldn't take my side.
Alyssa gets up. "I'm freezing. I need to go inside."
I follow her down the bleachers. "Are you sticking around for the assembly?"
"I have to. Kristen would want me there."
"Hey, um, do you know if Kristen was dating anyone? Like recently?"
"Not that I know of. I knew she was still hanging out with Jackson." She glances at me. "I mean, as a friend."
"You heard I'm with Jackson?"
"News travels fast around here. I think everyone knew by midnight on Friday, maybe even sooner."
"And you're still talking to me?"
"I never had anything against Jackson," she says as we walk on the trail back to school.
"But you said all those bad things about him when we met."
"Only because I had to. He left here to go to Legion, which makes him the enemy. I actually liked him when he was here. I thought he was hot. I wanted to date him."
"But you never did?"
"I didn't have a chance to. He was always dating someone else. A guy that hot doesn't stay single for long."
"You don't think he..." I decide not to finish that thought.
"Killed Kristen?" She walks faster, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "No. Jackson doesn't have a temper like Braden. And I can't imagine him hurting anyone. One time he gave me a ride home and made us stop to pick up a dog that was in the street. Killers don't do stuff like that."
"Then who do you think did it?"
"I have no idea." She shivers as we go inside. "It's cold in here too."
"It's actually really hot. You might want to go home and rest. I think you're getting sick."
The class we skipped is getting out and people are heading to their lockers.
Peyton comes up to Alyssa. "Where'd you go? You missed class."
"I wasn't feeling well," she says. "I took a nap in the nurse's office."
Peyton eyes me, then looks back at Alyssa, taking her arm and turning her away from me. "C'mon. I have an entire pharmacy in my locker. Something in there will make you feel better."
