Alexis tucked away the diary, along with the banged-up copy of the Odyssey, into her carry-on. After everything that she witnessed, read, realized, and felt—she was utterly exhausted. She was so sick and tired of fake friends.

She went to bed, crying her eyes out while listening to Tate McRae.

A blue top with gray clouds, a pair of jeans, and a headband. Alexis felt a bit confident in her outfit, but as if that could stop the churning feeling in her guts as she went down the stairs.

Odetta and Lypsie were sitting at the dinner table. Alexis' hands felt sweaty as she took a seat. "Hi, guys."

"Morning."

"Good morning," Odetta said, kicking up her feet on the table. "This sucks."

"Only one more day until this nightmare is over," Lypsie whispered, looking distant. Alexis knew that she'd be the most likely to kill everyone. But Tellie's death? It looked as if it was done in a fit of rage. And who has that kind of brute strength?

Odetta Johnston.

Alexis stood up, feeling unsafe.

"Where are you going?" Odetta demanded and Alexis flinched at the angry tone of her voice. She's the killer, she's the killer, her mind screamed. Run, you idiot! Alexis ran off, heading to the garage. Maybe she could find a weapon, like a baseball bat.

Penny doesn't even like baseball!

She threw open the door in a panic. There was loads of junk from plants to random boxes that looked as if it was filled with puke. Alexis saw something, a gun perhaps, in a glass case.

Alexis picked it up, seeing it was a .22 gun, smooth and new. "Dear God..."

"Lexis, where did you go—" Odetta stopped dead when she noticed the gun.

"Don't hu-hurt me," Alexis said, her finger on the trigger. She's never used a gun in her life, she lived in Canada after all, but she'd be quick to learn if it was necessary.

"Put the weapon down, I'm not going to harm you," she replied calmly.

Alexis lowered the gun, but her finger was still gripped onto the trigger. Odetta backed away, going out of view. Alexis cautiously went back to the dinner table, not taking a seat.

Lypsie swallowed hard. "Do...do you really need that?"

"Someone killed P-Penny and Tellie."

"Yeah, and maybe that someone is you," Odetta barked back.

"Oddie," Lypsie said in a warning tone. "Don't pick a bone with Alexis, she's just trying to a reaction out of you—"

Alexis blew a loose fuse. "YEAH, I AM! Two girls are dead, so maybe I do want a reaction! Maybe a reaction t-to know that you didn't murder them! Maybe a reaction to tell me that I'm not alone!"

Odetta's fingers shook with rage. "I was the one who pulled the sheets over Penny's corpse."

And I'm the one with the gun, Alexis thought. They sat in silence until Alexis decided to go upstairs. She had to finish reading Penny's diary, to find out about everything.

No more secrets, no more lies.

Dear diary,

Odetta came back to senses, sort of. She's bringing that Lypsie girl everywhere, and it's ticking me off. What's so special about her? I don't understand, but I didn't want to pick another fight with her.

Alexis flipped to the next page, mad with rage. She was resting on her bed, the gun on her writing desk, and the window wide open to allow fresh, salty air flow through.

Everyone is drifting away from me. I hate it so much, having less control is bugging me. But I didn't have to worry about it for a few days. Helen is getting married to a man named Mel. I've only met Mel once, and I already can see that Helen's heart is going to be stomped out like a burnt cigarette.

Nestra, Helen's older sister and my other cousin, married Mel's older brother, Emnon. Mel and Emnon, such strange names, and that's already a red flag. Nestra and Emnon have four children, three girls and one boy.

Dear diary,

It's the day of Helen's wedding, and it's already a mess. Nestra was yelling at Emnon to stop harassing their oldest daughter, Neia. Leda, Nestra's and Helen's mother, couldn't stop sobbing and it was really loud.

I haven't met Helen since the Hespa Aigle situation.

"Hey," I said to her as she was preparing to walk down the aisle. "Congrats."

"Oh, hello, Penelope." Helen adjusted the bow on her flowy dress that showed off her curves. "How are you?"

"I'm on the varsity swim team, it's...cool."

Helen cleared her throat. "I quit."

"You quit what?"

"I quitted the lifeguard role after Hespa Aigle drowned," Helen sighed, frowning. "Look, it's my big day, don't screw it up by bringing up my past failures. I'm supposed to be happy, not crappy when marrying Mel."

"Seriously? You're my cousin!" I shouted. "And by the way, your choice of love sucks."

Helen tsked. "We can never be the same. You're still a freak."

But what was the same was Helen's heartbreaking skills. I knew her secrets, so I made the high ground here. "I know you're cheating on Mel with a man named Paris. I recall Mother telling me the Greek myth of how a girl named Helen ran off with a man named Paris, and guess what? They sparked a decade-long war."

Helen paled. "P-Penelope, please."

"We don't have to battle," I said, smiling. "But I can make your life feel like a war."

"Mel doesn't love me," she said woefully. "I love Paris, Penelope."

"Tough luck, freak."

Helen paced around the room, glancing over her shoulder to check if her husband-to-be was going to walk in. "Fine, play dirty then. What do you want from me? A big diamond necklace?"

"An apology for calling me a freak."

She snarled. "You're willing to destroy my reputation and love life for an apology?"

"Like I said," I said, stepping closer to Helen. "Do you want to spark a war with me?"

"Okay, fine—I'm very sorry, Penelope." Helen crossed her arms. "Anything else?"

I laughed, clasping my hands together. I wondered how I could torture my cousin further for insulting me. What was an expensive gift that wouldn't make Helen or Mel broke, but feel in debt? "Do you know what Omfori is?"

"Isn't it a private island in Greece?" Helen guessed. "Also, isn't it the tenth most expensive island in the world?"

"It's the ninth most expensive island."

Alexis remembered Helen Goode and Mel, or Uncle Meanie, very well. However, she never realized that Penny's and Helen's relationship was so strained as with the other girls. Alexis also didn't know that Omfori was bought as a bribe from Helen.

The Goodes were truly insane.

Dear diary,

I can't believe Helen and Mel got me Omfori after all! I guess the secret affair with Paris will have to wait until the next family dinner. Uncle Mel already had everything ready for me, there's a beach house called the House of Riches. There's even the Cage Pool!

Mother suggested I should take my friends there for summer vacation. I thought it would be great to reconnect and fix our bond. So when I broke the news, everything was going fine.

Tellie was excited as expected. Odetta agreed effortlessly. Stupid Alexis was hesitant, but I won her over as usual. It was just going to be the four of us, but then the Lee girl asked if she was invited.

Before I could reject her, Odetta said she was obviously going as well.

What the actual hell?

I spoke to Odetta in private, away from hungry eyes. "Odetta, what are you thinking? Lypsie isn't invited at all!"

She rolled her eyes. "What the fuss?"

"She's not invited!" I argued, my blood boiling. "She's not one of us!"

"Lypsie is, she's been one of us for a long time, Penelope!" Odetta protested, crossing her arms across her chest. Penelope. PENELOPE. I hated it when she used my full name. "Like, what's your deal?

"What's your deal?"

Odetta's cheeks reddened. "Penelope..."

"SPIT. IT. OUT. ODETTA. JOHNSTON."

"...I'm in love with Lypsie."

I wasn't expecting that at all, I expected her to give me a sob story. Not some average romance story. I'm in love with Lypsie. I could feel Odetta drift away, but this time, it was crystal-clear. I was losing my friend.

Those words made me rethink everything. I loved Odetta too. "Fine, stupid L-Lee can come if you're so concerned. If you are so concerned about her and not about me, Odetta. Call me Penelope all you want, but I'm still your BFF. But now? I'm not so sure."

I didn't know why I was crying, tears were forming. I couldn't let Lypsie ruin everything, let her ruin my life. Odetta's angry expression softened. "Penny, I'm sorry. I-I can't help how I feel about her—"

I turned around to leave as she grabbed my wrists. "Wait, wait, I'm sorry."

"We're all broken!" I cried out. "But you don't get it, do you?"

I need to have control over her, I can't let everything I worked for crumble to the ground. I grabbed Odetta and planted a soft kiss on her. I left her dazed and confused.

There, Lypsie Lee. If you're going to steal my friend, then try again.

Alexis Kathan was utterly stunned. They kissed? AND NO ONE TOLD HER?! Wait...something else shocked Alexis. Odetta and Lypsie were a thing? And still, NO ONE TOLD HER?!

She was having a mental crisis at the moment.

She saw that only a few pages were left that looked written. This was it, this was the moment she would maybe find out who killed Penelope Goode and Tellie hollows. Alexis glanced briefly at the .22 gun before focusing back on the diary.