The aged woman was trembling in her seat. It stunned her to the core that she almost lost her granddaughter the same way she lost her daughter. She must have felt like the universe hated her. That some demon had a taste for irony and an itching to terrorize her. There were no words I could say that would make her really hear me. Instead we sat in silence, observing the officers buzz around like bees in a hive.

Detective Carson emerged from the crowd of busy workers and pulled up a chair across from us. I thought he was going to ask us some questions or let us know what's being done to search for the attacker like a detective would. However, it appeared tonight he wasn't a detective. He was just a man. He folded his hands between his legs and stared at the ground. I wondered if he was still thinking about his daughter.

Soon everyone in town would receive word about what happened on the road. I couldn't help but wonder how they would react. Would families start to move away? Standing up and demanding a change was unlikely so the only other option was to stay and hope it wouldn't affect them.

"How are you feeling?" Carson asked finally lifting his heavy head.

"I don't understand why all of this is happening." Gran's hooded eyes were at the brink of tears. "Ever since that beautiful young girl passed . . . things have been . . . this town has been filled with horrible tragedy. We all knew something was going to happen- we all knew it could only get worse!"

"Amen!" cried a voice at the other end of the station. It was a big busted woman who stood with the presence of a queen; though her most remarkable feature was her stunningly green eyes and its contrast to her dark skin.

"What is going on in this town?" she exclaimed fiercely. She glared at all of the officers and workers that now gave her their full attention. "We had a girl kill herself just a few short months ago! We had a young woman admitted into a mental hospital a few weeks ago and they still don't know what's the matter with her! They're just holding her there!"

Everyone was sharing glances, unsure of what was trying to be said. Some were stone faced and others appeared intrigued. Nethertheless, the series of people were all unified in the way they listened.

"My son who goes to the Raven's Eye High School and when I asked him about how he felt about being a senior he said relieved! Why? Because the school has countless manipulative bullies that undermine the very staff and administration that are suppose to keep students safe and comfortable! He didn't tell me that though. He didn't think telling would be any help." She shakes her head, her veins bulging from passion as she gestured toward us. "These folks were run off the road! Nobody feels safe walking alone at night or even in the daylight! Now no one will feel safe driving either! What is this town becoming? More importantly why is it becoming this way?"

I sprung up in a burst of realization and passion before my nerves tethered me back to my seat. "We all turn away from the problems! We ignore them or try to figure things out on our own." Everyone was looking at me now, including the woman whose purple lipped smile suggested she liked where I was going. "If we want things to improve, then we have to work together to accomplish it. This is our community and we shouldn't let things slide or else they will get worse. Things won't fix themselves."

Shouts of agreement spread around the station until the whole station was on its feet. Detective Carson wore a lopsided smile and Gran nodded her head proudly.

Everyone was so wrapped up in the excitement of rallying for a change - including me- that I didn't realize the young woman behind me at first. She had long blonde hair and the same green eyes as the lady who had formerly stood across the room. She placed her delicate hand on my shoulder.

"That was magnificent advice. I hope you can practice it in your own life." Then with a charming smile she waltzed away into the crowd.

The stranger was right. I should practice the advice in my own life. It was easy for me to say that we should work together as a town instead of remaining isolated but wasn't I doing exactly what I preached against? Wasn't that why I pushed Pete away? Wasn't that why I hadn't told Shelby about my investigation. Wasn't that why despite the girls renewed loyalty to me I still kept away? Sure, I wanted to protect them but I was also falling into a toxic independence.

But how was I supposed to discern when to open up to others without dragging them into a mess they aren't prepared for?

__________________

"Do you have any idea where Zac disappeared to?" The guidance counselor was pleading with her puppy dog eyes, her lipstick as red as ever. "I know this year has been especially . . . problematic for you. It has been for him as well and I know you two were friends. Is there anything he might have said?"

He did say things but did any of those things make sense? No.

"I'm sorry. I don't know anything that could help." I shrugged and cast my eyes on the rain drop dotted window.

The image of his body laying at the shore of the beach haunted me. He said he wanted to protect me but he messed up. He said he left to stay safe. Maybe it was better that they didn't find him.

Where did he go?

His legal guardian, his twenty-three year old uncle, was of no use to the school. He was the "cool" kind of guardian. The kind that would let the teen he's responsible for disappear on a claimed school camping trip without checking with the school.

"That's okay. I'm sure he will turn up soon." Mrs.Pillsbury shifted through her papers before clearing her throat nervously. "I see that you have applied to mostly in state colleges. After the events of this year . . . I was wondering if you would maybe like to consider some further options?"

"My grandmother is here. I can't leave her." The answer was automatic. I had thought about leaving. There were beautiful college options outside of this town and state but with my grandmother's sickness it was even more important for me to stay and look after her. Also, leaving would feel like running. I was trying to make more of an effort to face my demons.

"However," I said with a shrug, "a gap year would be nice."

She smiled. "I understand. I'll see what I can do for you. Thanks for meeting with me."

With my bag hanging loosely from my shoulder, I sauntered down the hall with my gaze latched onto my locker. These days people hardly stared at me anymore because I wasn't as relevant in the high school environment. However, today people were. I assumed it was because of the car incident.

Shelby appeared beside me. "They're staring because Hannah started a rumor about you and Pete. The car incident is what the adults are gossiping about." There she went again, seamlessly reading my mind.

"Pete and I?" His name faltered in my mouth.

"Yeah, there's said to be visible tension between you two and someone spotted you guys going into those empty woods next to the lagoon together. They think you guys-"

I held out my hand to stop her short. "At this point, it doesn't even matter."

"So can I know what's going on between you two or . . .?"

I smiled sadly. "Nothing. If there was even any chance of that its gone." I wasn't sure why the statement formed a pit in my stomach but it did.

"Oh, well that's good. Boys are dumb anyways. First Zac and now Pete? Sounds like too much for one Arielle to juggle."

As if summoned by our conversation Pete walked by and visibly sped up his pace once he saw me.

Ouch.

"He really looks hurt. You two haven't kissed or anything, have you?" Shelby asked.

"No, why?" I turned to face the girl that seemed to be relieved by my answer. She quickly let out the breath she was holding so that it made the cartoonish phew sound.

"I heard kissing someone can form unwanted emotional bonds. You guys should be fine!" She clasped her hands together and then hurried to the locker room to get ready for gym class.

It was at my own locker that I was surrounded by familiar faces.

Norah and Helen were standing around my locker with their arms crossed, gazes serious. They began speaking before I could even greet them.

"We know what's going on!" Helen said pointing an accusing finger at me. Norah nudged her side and whispered a correction. An Oh escaped her lips cracking her authoritative demeanor. "I mean, we don't know what's going on but we know something is going on and we want to know what!"

"What?"

"We know that you have continued looking into Victoria's passing. You've found something and that must be why you got ran off the road," Norah said stepping in. Her eyes dared me to tell her otherwise.

"No, I -"

"You can't lie to us, Arielle. Sadly, we're the ones who taught you how to lie." Helen squared her shoulders and looked to Norah for support. "If you are staging a murder investigation to bring justice to our dead friend then we want in. That's final. We always knew something was fishy about the way Tori went out."

"Yeah and we've opened up to you, Arielle. We've shown you that we trust you." Norah tapped her foot the way she did when she didn't want to get emotional. Helen was smiling through her pleading eyes. "We're so sorry about everything that happened in our group with Hannah. We were all so horrible to each other without realizing it but what we have doesn't have to stay bad."

"We can fix it. Together." Helen said.

It was about time to let them in . . .

Three heads did work better than one . . .

Victoria was their friend too . . .

This had been a lot to carry on my own . . .

How could I say no?

The thoughts rushed through my head.

It was upsetting to think that no one had any idea what I was truly going through. No one really knew me and no one ever would if I kept this to myself. I would have to keep struggling on my own, which wasn't working as good as I hoped it would.

Besides, wasn't staying shut and acting like everything was fine what the murderer wanted me to do? That would make things so much easier for them and harder for me.

To have two people to lean on that understood what I was going through would be amazing. There was no guarantee they would understand or want to stick around but what if they did. Don't they deserve the benefit of the doubt?

I had to let it out. I couldn't keep quiet anymore.