Page 30 of The Honor Society

My stomach clenches. Is this it? The time we’re going to talk about it? The giant elephant in the room or just the girl who had a gun and pointed it at her boyfriend? “Axel?”

“Yeah,” Lilah’s eyes narrow. “And sit down you look pale, we aren’t going to talk about the incident, I mean why did Axel have The Dean’s List in the first place? I mean he told us Jude’s mom gave it to him, to protect him, to get her vengeance blah blah blah but why Axel of all people? He said it was because he could move from room to room without anyone noticing, but have you seen that man? A chameleon he is not.”

I frown. “No but,” do I say something? “Sometimes, he’s like a different person. I mean I noticed it a little before but since, the incident that shall not be named for obvious reasons I’m not ready to discuss, he’s…different Lilah.”

“Different how?” Lilah leans forward and reaches for her mug.

“Like last night.” Thank God I can talk to her. “It was like I was with Axel but he was trying to distract me. Yeah that’s it, he was using sex as a distraction, no, not just that, an apology. Why would he be apologizing to me of all people?”

“You mean the bitch who shot him?” I flinch. “What? Too soon? Please, you had your reasons I mean I for one don’t go shooting people over family drama but I also know why you wanted The Dean’s List so badly.”

No. Girl. You really don’t. It was me or him. And someone else already had a gun trained on him. And he, he would not have missed. I think back to the antiseptic, to the scars, to the way he looked at me.

“Right.” I chew my lower lip and slightly change the subject. “Sometimes it feels like I’m looking at someone pretending to be him. That sounds crazy when I say it out loud.”

“He was shot.”

“You’ve said that three times now.”

I take a deep breath. “I’m going to get some air.”

Lilah stands. “Charlie, I’m sorry, I know this is hard.”

“It’s fine, really. I know more than anyone the sins I’ve committed. I’m not mad, I literally have no leg to stand on. I just need air.” I slide into my flip flops, make sure I have my phone and keys and give her a sad smile. “I’m fine. Really.” I will never be fine again. “Drink your morning booze, bitch.”

“Alright killer.” She winks.

This time I do laugh. I have to, to keep from crying. And when I walk out into the hall, my walk turns into more of a sprint towards the stairs and out the front door where I finally suck in some air and start walking towards the park.

Yeah, because getting on a swing will reinstate my innocence and cleanse my bloodied hands. God, maybe I should just side with Jude on this one and start working for the bad guy. What the hell is he thinking? It has to be to get close to him. And, honestly, to protect Lilah from letting his dad use her again. That’s what I would do.

I frown and stop walking and make a mental note to say something to her about it when I get back. No, no waiting. I should tell her now. I turn and that’s when I see the flash of black. A sedan. The same one from before that used to follow me everywhere. Axel said someone on campus probably had a crush on me. My response, oh yeah who a serial killer? Not so funny now that I had no gun, no protection and was in flip flops and an oversized sweatshirt.

I cross the street. Maybe I’m being paranoid. But the car doesn’t stop at the light, it whizzes through it and starts to creep after me. Well, this is fun. The car finally rolls to a stop next to me. The windows open. “Hello Charlotte.”

I freeze. “Nobody calls me that.” Except the person who wrote me texts and notes. Great. Just. Great.

“I’m not nobody.”

“Sure, okay, well bye, and for the record Ted Bundy already cornered the market on good looking serial killers, find work elsewhere psycho.” It’s valid point. He should at least know and be distracted enough by my calm demeanor that he lets me go. Maybe.

“So I’m good looking?” The man chuckles. “I guess you’d find out if you took the time to enjoy your stroll and turn to your right.”

“I’m good. I like walking alone.” I hate it, in fact normally I’d have Axel either with me or texting me asking if I was safe and why I wasn’t at the apartment. I used to think it was weird to have the find your friend app with location on, now I wish he did.

“Dangerous, dangerous little thing aren’t you?” He chuckles. “And so in over your head you don’t even know it.”

A chill rolls down my spine. This is bad.

“Don’t.” He snaps.

“Don’t what?”

“Make a run for it. You’re smarter than that. After all…you, my dear, missed.” It’s him. It has to be him. If I’m going to find out anything, now’s the chance. Unless I’m the outlier. Unless I’m the one he wants to silence now.

Shit! Run. I need to run. Too many chances that this could end with me in a body bag. I back away slowly from the car and turn. Not realizing a man had already gotten out and is facing me. All because I never looked. He’s wearing a black baseball cap and leather gloves. Gotta admit the gloves are a really bad sign. My stomach rolls.

“Don’t.” He says it again, this time I lock in on his mouth. He’s younger than I thought judging by his lips, the lack of wrinkles around them, or maybe he just doesn’t ever smile? No stubble to see if he’s graying, just smooth skin, straight white teeth, and a cruel knowing smile.