Page 20 of Don’t Open Your Eyes

Avery was waiting for Scarlett by her locker when she got to school.

“You’re lucky you got out of your suspension,” Avery told her. “I heard the principal changed it to an expulsion, since two of the vapes had pot in them.”

“Seriously?” Scarlett would have been mortified if that had happened to her.

“Yup. I don’t know what your mom said, but you should thank her.”

“My mom can be very persuasive. She should have been a lawyer. And thanks for sticking up for me with Ms. Barfo,” Scarlett said.

“No prob. I wish you would’ve told me you were planning on coming. I would have warned you to hide.”

“No big deal. All good now.”

“Are you still chatting with Ben?”

“Yeah. The more I get to know him, the cooler I think he is. You wouldn’t believe how much we have in common. It’s freaky. We like the same shows, the same music. He’s seen every single episode of Lost too!”

Avery pursed her lips. “I’ve been thinking. All that stuff is on your Insta, right? Do you think maybe he’s just saying he likes the same things?”

“Why are you being so harsh about him?”

“Naturally cynical, I guess. You have seen Nightline, right?”

“Oh, come on! He’s not a pedophile.”

“Seriously, have you guys FaceTimed yet? You know, to make sure he’s not catfishing you. I saw a movie about some old guy pretending to be a hot young guy, and then when they met up, he tried to kidnap the girl.”

Scarlett rolled her eyes. “He’s not catfishing. I can see other friends’ comments and stuff on his Insta. I don’t want to FaceTime him. I want the first time we see each other to be in real life.”

Avery gave her a skeptical look. “I think you should at least FaceTime once. You need to do your due diligence.”

“You’re such a journalist! I know you’re trying to help, but I know who he is. Look, I can’t tell you everything yet. I promised him I’d keep it secret for now. You have to trust me. I know for sure he’s who he says he is. I have proof. Okay? Just leave it at that.”

Avery raised her eyebrows. “It’s your funeral.”

The bell rang, and they parted ways. Scarlett appreciated Avery’s concern. She was turning out to be a true friend; so different from Zoe, who was still being a total bitch. But Avery didn’t have to worry. Ben was someone she could trust. In fact, she was starting to think he was the only one she could trust and who wasn’t lying to her. Ben had pointed out the holes in the stories her parents had told her. A few months ago, she’d been given a school project about heritage. Her father had refused to sign the permission slip to allow her to have her DNA tested, claiming it was a violation of privacy and could be used for other things down the road. He was such a freak about stuff like that. But now she understood the real reason he was insistent that she not do the DNA test. He didn’t want her to find out the truth.

Before

The semester was finally over. Randy had invited her over and had promised to cook her a special dinner. Annabelle used the last of her weekly budget to pick up an eight-dollar bottle of wine. She hoped it wouldn’t give them headaches. As she walked up the sidewalk to his house, she noticed two silhouettes standing in the living room. Must be his roommate, she thought. It boded well that Randy was ready to introduce her.

She rang the bell, and the door swung open. Randy greeted her with a smile and a peck on the lips. She looked over his shoulder to see a nice-looking guy with blond hair and glasses watching them.

“This is James, my roommate,” Randy said, taking her coat and moving out of the way so James could shake her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Annabelle,” James said.

He held her gaze, and for a moment she felt strangely uncomfortable. “You as well,” she replied, dismissing the feeling.

They moved into the kitchen, where an open bottle of wine and two glasses were waiting on the island. Randy filled them and held his glass out for a toast.

“To not being your professor anymore,” he said with a laugh.

They clinked glasses and drank. The wine was delicious, and although she didn’t know much about wine, she could tell it was definitely a higher quality than what she’d brought. She looked at James. “Randy says you’re a doctor.”

“Resident. Finishing up my first year.”

“Is it as much of a slog as they make it look on Grey’s Anatomy?” she asked.