“Does your brother get his jollies from killing innocent old men? Is that what you do in your spare time, too, Anna?”

Suddenly, whatever was holding me back before disappears from my mind since it’s no longer me Kaitlyn’s threatening, it’s my friend. Brushing past Noah, I get so close to Kaitlyn that I can count each eyelash.

“Tread very carefully here, Kaitlyn,” I warn, my voice low, making sure she understands every word I’m saying. “I know your mom’s the principal and you think you’re untouchable, but I promise you, push the wrong buttons and nothing’s stopping us from pushing back.”

“I’m just stating facts,” Kaitlyn says confidently, no fear in her eyes at all.

Annalisa moves around Noah, assuring him she won’t do something stupid, and I step back so that she can stand in front of Kaitlyn. It takes Annalisa a great deal of strength to stand so near Kaitlyn and be somewhat calm. I can tell she’s fighting every instinct in her body that tells her to destroy Kaitlyn.

“Talk about me or my family again, and I will find you, and I will make sure that no amount of reconstructive surgery will be able to fix your face.”

The tone that Annalisa uses sends shivers down my spine, and she’s not even talking to me. To Kaitlyn’s credit, she looks completely unfazed by Annalisa’s promise. It’s probably something she’s heard plenty of times before from Annalisa. Kaitlyn actually smiles, as if she just won some game that Annalisa and I weren’t even aware we were playing.

“Just stay on your shitty side of town and we won’t have a problem.”

Satisfied, she turns around and struts off, shoving a freshman out of her way and into a locker without a thought as she continues down the hall, Makayla at her side.

“Whoa, someone took an extra dose of their evil psychopath pill this morning,” Noah says as Kaitlyn disappears around the corner.

I don’t hear what Annalisa replies, my brain focusing on what was just said. Secrets don’t stay secrets forever.

Here I was, excited to trade insults with Kaitlyn like the good old days and feel back to normal in our routine, our simple, safe routine in comparison to murder attempts and political scandals, but obviously Kaitlyn’s stepping up her game. Does she know something? Is she close to exposing me? If she doesn’t already know and digs deep enough, she’s going to stumble onto a secret that’s much bigger than she, or anyone, could’ve ever imagined.

2

As I go through my morning classes it’s impossible to keep Kaitlyn’s words out of my mind. I don’t know how much time I’ll have at this school before I’m relocated, and even though it hasn’t all been pleasant, I’m going to miss it. I’m going to miss the shrieking toll of the bell, the beige color of our lockers, the fading Go Lions! mural in the hallway, and as I walk through the halls after English and spot Aiden leaning against my locker, I know I’ll miss that sight most of all.