GIANNA'S P.O.V.

"Why are we going to the courthouse?" Brianna asked. She was standing in my doorway. She wore a dress and was grasping her purse. "I get that you and Desiree are best friends. But why attend the court case? We cannot help it in any way. We are not witnesses."

I was admiring myself in the mirror and smoothing my dress out. It was a new dress that Grandma got for me. She and my parents were going as well. So was Possum and Jay. Desiree was practically family mainly because she lived with me. I would miss her when she returned home. She is a fun - and interesting - roommate.

You may be wondering how she can go home when her parents died. Remember? Olivia killed them as part of her revenge. She wanted people to believe that Desiree was a killer so she would be locked up. But when it did not work - when I intervened - she had to go with Plan B. Kill Desiree. She would have succeeded if not for me and the boys. I remember it like that it was yesterday.

There is a glitch in the death count. Olivia messed with it. Desiree's parents were not supposed to die yet. They are stuck between the living and the dead. They are not ghosts. They are neither alive nor dead. But they are. It is difficult to explain when you are not a ghost. What is important is that they will return to the living shortly. I pray that Darcy figures it out. It has been over a month since the roof incident. The last time that Desiree and I saw Darcy. My grandma did not get the chance to meet her again.

I will ask Darcy to see her good friend one final time. It would mean the world to Grandma.

I sat on my bed and started fixing my hair. "You realize that you would have a dead sister if Desiree did not kill Olivia. And not just me. Most of the kids are on that hit list. Olivia would have ended their lives. 'Cause she is a serial killer."

Brianna unzipped her purse and rummaged through it. "You mean...was. She was a serial killer."

I sighed. "I...I do not believe that Olivia, Kimberly, and Chloe are gone. I have a feeling that they are watching. That they will return angrier than ever. That is why we should be weary of our surroundings."

She took out her phone and walked to me. She put on a small smile. "It is not that I want you and our family to not defend Desiree. I do not condone her actions. But I understand why she did it. She sacrificed everything so you and those other students could live. And to think, I stabbed her. I stabbed her in the hospital."

I finished my hair. "I would not be boasting about that, sis, if I were you."

"I am not boasting. I am stating a fact. It is sadly a fact. I am just relieved that Desiree did not charge me."

I jumped to my feet. "Desiree is not such a bad person, now is she?"

Mom knocked on my open door. "You girls ready?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. My heart was pounding. "Ready as we will ever be."

"Is Desiree already downstairs?" Brianna asked.

Mom's eyelids lowered. "That girl has locked herself in the restroom. She has been in there since that we woke up and will not come out."

I was not stunned. I would be afraid too if I were in her shoes. "Did you offer her a mustard cookie?"

"How can I offer her one when I have not had the time to bake them? Besides, I do not know how."

"You do not know how to make time?"

"I do not know how to bake mustard cookies, sweetie." She sounded upset. Stressed. "Can you please talk with her, Gianna? Being late will paint us in a bad light."

"Sure. I will get her to come out."

Seconds later, I was by the restroom door. I jiggled the knob. Locked. I knocked and called to Desiree. Silence. No reply from her. Now I was worried. I knocked again and told her that it was me. I begged her to unlock and open the door. I added that she could lock it once I was in. I leaned close and listened for signs of life. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. I was praying that Desiree was fine. Physically anyway. I feared the worst. She was unconscious - or deceased. I called to her once more and was about to bang on the door.

I heard a click! sound. The door opened a crack. A lady poked her head out with a big smile. It was none other than Desiree. A toothbrush with toothpaste was in her hand. I relaxed and wiped my forehead using the back of my hand. I pushed said door the rest of the way and walked in. I had on my jacket and slid my hands in the pockets. I gazed at her and realized that she had on her regular outfit.

"You are not wearing that to court - are you?"

Desiree shut said door and locked it again. She strolled to the sink and turned on its faucet. "Is there a stain on my clothes?"

"I do not see any. But it should not matter because you should not wear it."

She rinsed her toothbrush. "I thought that you liked it. They do not make outfits like these anymore."

"I do like it. I love it. I just do not believe that the judge will."

"Why would the judge not like it?"

"It is inappropriate to wear clothes like that in court. A dress would look great on you."

Desiree set her toothbrush on said sink and moaned. "I do not want to."