“You’ll what? Tell everyone what I did to get sent here?” Marcia scoffs. “Wait, you already did that.”
“Get over it already!” I snap. “Eighty percent of you are rich brats who fucked up and had to have some kind of punishment. I hardly think it’s that big of a deal if people know you set off an explosive in your ex boyfriend's car.”
“Are you that stupid? No one will want to do business with my family's company knowing that! My father is planning to marry my sister off to the Wilsons; it was supposed to be me, and my sister is a troll.”
“Wow, I have no words. But I need to go and check on my friend.”
“I would hurry; after she torched her family, I heard she was suicidal...something small could push her over the edge.”
One of Marcia’s friends throws something very thick and very cold over my head before they all take off running out of the bathroom.
I hold back a scream and march out of the room. Jasper takes one look at me, his lips pull in and I point at him. “Don’t even think about laughing! Just move your ass. I have some bitches to confront.”
As we head into the dining hall, laughs and whispers fill the room. I spot Elsie first, sitting at our table. She is shocked when she looks up at me, but before she can ask, the room goes dark as everyone's tablets bleep. Elsie pulls hers out and places it on the table. The room falls silent while the video plays: newspaper articles, news reports, psych evaluations fill the screen on some sort of video or slideshow loop.
I look at Elsie and she is frozen. They’re all about her. Shit! I move to her side and pull her into my arms. She screams. That’s when I notice the room is filling with smoke. Everyone in the room tries to run, but the doors are locked. Jasper jumps into action telling us to stay put, and I rock with Elsie wrapped firmly in my arms. I will fucking kill those bitches for this.
“It’s okay, you’re safe,” I croon to her.
The loudspeakers in the room start to crackle. “We are at this school with murderers… Do we feel safe with them walking amongst us?”
For fuck’s sake! I really didn’t think it through when I posted everyone’s business. I see that now. There are currently three killers in the school: Elsie, Baxter and myself. And we’re about to be targeted. Hard.
Jasper comes running back over. “The doors are open and it’s just a smoke machine.”
He takes Elsie and lifts her into his arms. We get three steps and the twins and Kalen make a wall in front of us.
“Are you hurt?” I shake my head no at Slate’s question.
“Who did this?” Onyx shouts to the room but everyone is in a panic. Kalen wraps an arm around me, pulling me to his side.
“I’m pretty sure it was Marcia. The only people who knew why Elsie is here are myself and Baxter. Unless Elsie told her about her past.”
“You can ask her later. I’m taking her to her room and calling Frost in to help. Are you guys okay to watch Amelie while I'm gone?” Jasper demands.
“Wait, I’m not leaving her alone.”
“You need a shower and a change of clothes. Kalen, you go and call Sawyer and Dad, tell them what’s going on.”
“Why me?” Kalen complains at Onyx’s demand.
“Just do it!” both the twins snap at the same time. Kalen huffs and storms away.
The anger coursing through my body makes me shake. Marcia walks past us and flicks her hair.
“Did the carpet licker really think I would date her?”
I see red.
I lunge at Marcia. My whole body collides with hers. I swing as hard as I can, and a loud crunch has me semi-satisfied that she’s at least a little hurt. I can’t tell if it’s her blood or whatever I’m covered in that’s on my fist when I pull back. I want more though; she needs tohurt.
“Watch your back. Everywhere you go. There are three killers in this school and we’re all friends. The odds are not in your favour,” I whisper just as I’m dragged off her.
“Let's get you cleaned up before I get any more turned on.” Onyx laughs, taking my hand and walking me from the room. Teachers have now managed to get the scared students sorted.
The entire walk, I curse the ground that bitch walks on. The twins just let me be, allowing me to let it all out. Onyx doesn’t let go of my hand and Slate walks on my other side. I don’t realise until it’s too late that we are walking through the door of the twin’s bedroom. Immediately I notice their laptop is lit up and the screen is open on a view of my room. I turn and seethem watching me, gauging my reaction. My anger rages like an unruly inferno in my gut.
“What is wrong with everyone at this school?! Criminals walking around like it's some day camp, and you lot, with all your secrets. I suppose this is just another one you can’t tell me about.”
