One of us did it.

ho's preparing spaghetti. Dad?" She adds, then looks back and forth at me and Mr. Langford. I am too

ith me," C

speak up for your sister?" He's talking as if he's refe

es on the table. "Honey, you should have calle

ody was at home

scared. "You think what? He's going to get to you w

harity s

m," my

feet close to my daughter, then I'll make sure he spends the rest of his miserable life behind bars." Why do I still feel

r behind me and lean on it. The image of what Mr. Langford said spurt inside my head. Trailing to the floor, I place my hand on my forehea

e my eyes. It's not a painting, but blood. Whose blood is it? And what have I done? My parents and Charity rush into my room. They don't ask me what the problem is as it is very bold before them. Mom lets out a breath and grabs my shoulder. "Oh lord." She squeezes me. Meanwhile, tears haven't ceased from my eyes for the past twenty minutes. Suddenly Mr. Langford speeds out of the room, he marches down the stairs so hard that he could fall off the building. Mom let out a breath again. "Both of you, stay here," she tells Charity and I before chasing after Mr. Langford. It was supposed to be a specific instruction, like if you don't obey you'll get grounded. But not long after, we start hearing cacophony from downstairs. Charity and I look at each other before moving toward the window. Looki

hreaten my daug

" My mom

scar cries as she s

ngford pulls him up by his shirt. As he sets his fist for another blow, I hold his hand. "Please," I sob. "Please." I am unable to h

nce, I'm glad he's still able to talk. "Are you...are you okay?" He takes a step closer, but Mr. Lanford moves forward like my shield. I don't want to look into his eyes, but I want to know if he actually car

he would. He drags me along, trudging towards our house. One mind says to look back, and the other says not to, but I listen to the one that said I should. Even in a du

rom my lawyer!" Mrs. Oscar shouts

le she helps clean the wall. And just l

Anna's parents. Mother helps me up to my room even while I keep telling her not to. I was punched in the face, not on my legs. She sits me down on my bed and then sits next to me. She raises my Jaw and inspects my face. "T

didn't want to accept it, and that's only because she doesn't care. She said if I actually did it, then I had a good reason why I did. What reason would be good enough to murder a sweet girl like Mikaela? The image Of what I did is etched in the back of my head, and I've accepted it to be a horrible memory that I'll carry around for the rest of my life. "Mother," I call her before she can

who lost the game, and she deserves to get my book. I try picturing the good times I had with her, but I can't, because there wasn't any. Now I'm not sure if I and Kaela were ever friends. Jeremy was the one who had liked her better. Like how he would always share his candy with Kaela even if she has

up in my head. I wrap my hand around the knob and take a deep breath before opening the door. My eyes are posted horizontally on the wall before my bed. The blood is gone, and the wall is as clean as a newly painted house. I proceed into my room, Gosh, it smells like that of a fresh new book. But that doesn't change anything, that doesn't change the fact that someone's blood was smeared all over my wall. And that threat - I know what you did. I haven't done anything wrong, and it would be absurd for someone to think it's fun to scare me like that. I freshen up, dress for school, and let my bouncy hair bounce on my face and down my shoulders. I stroll down the stairs with my backpack over my shoulders. It's BACON. Every time I have a disas

, dear," She

e sits opposite me. She picks an apple from the bowl on the table and takes a deep bite. I try to ignore what that means for me as I check if there's any text from Zack, but there are no relevant ones, just th

les. "Getting all s

ink. "Yeah," I put down the phone. "From a boy, I hope you mean Za

ng pan on the table. "It's like ages since I saw him," she sa

for my food to steam down before digging a for

e table, with the other on her wa

ion?" I say. Zack and my mom are buddy buddies, and most times, that is annoying. My mom laughs the most wh

ilarious." She returns the frying pan to the sin

taste like French balls," she adds, laughing. Charity

asks with her e

breakfast. If only Mom knows

g," Charity says, pouring

t. He's wearing his serve and protect uniform, and he looks darker and sullen. I guess it's because of the fight last night.

dy," Charity says

g," he

, I can tell he's staring at me. "Go...

replies after

ide him. It's a peacef

r. Langford asks as he sip

Charity

hoping I'll get their text

their text..." He places

, and Chas puts her head down. "What abo

my sausage, but I

d...well, I'm staying away from the bad guys," I te

eels relieved. "Only if it's true," he adds, and onc

o, and whatever wrong I have done, is because I love you." It's as if he's referring to me alone. And I am looking at him as if

l Zack," I say, dialing his number. It's already 7:40 and Zack is

he says

mm, where are you? It'

ch out my head to see if I can get a glimpse of his car through the wi

but the shock in it is hell loud. I end the call at once. "I

ind me, I slowly step down from the porch. My eyes are pinned to them, and I read their lips, hoping to get a clue of what they might be saying, but damn! I have nothing. Finally, Jeremy looks at me. Our eyes connect for some terrifying seconds,