Episode 38
âDonât forget your exam is on Friday, and it covers chapters ten through fourteen,â Mr. Meyer announced as everyone gathered up their stuff to leave. âItâs your last exam before winter break, so make sure to study hard for it. It counts for twenty percent of your final grade.â Hearing a chorus of groans, I smiled. Despite everyoneâs distaste, I was actually happy. School was normal; an exam was normal. And right now, with everything going on, normal sounded niceâwelcoming.
âIs everything okay?â Bradlee whispered, making sure his back was turned away from our lingering classmates.
My hand paused in mid-reach for my bag. âEverythingâs fine.â
âAre you sure? Youâd been quiet after getting that text from your cousin . . .â
âI wasââ I paused, not knowing what to say. Bradlee knew he was involved but I doubt he knew his brother was also a suspect, nevertheless the possible killer now. âI was, umâjust thinking.â
His eyebrows dipped in thought. âThinking? About what?â
âAbout the killer. Who he is . . .â
âAv, what exactly did your cousins tell youââ
ââsorry to interrupt you guys, but ah . . . Bradlee, I have something to say to you,â a new voice said from behind. I let out an audible gasp when I saw the familiar face fidgeting with the ends of his shirt. My eyes narrowed into slits seeing Kasey, before pushing Bradlee behind me.
âWhat do you want Kasey?â I spat.
He visibly flinched at my tone. âTo apologize,â he mumbled quietly under his breath.
I blinked. âW-what?â
He sighed. âListen . . .â he started out nervously, as I looked at him cautiously. âThis past weekend, I saw messages my brother sent to his friends, and I ah . . . read that you protected him when you saw a group of people beating him up that one time. I-I just want to say sorry for everything Iâd said to you. I honestly didnât know.â His light emerald eyes clouded over with remorse as they gazed over at Bradlee. âWhen I saw him beaten to a pulp, I automatically assumed you did it, since you were the only one around, and when he didnât say anything, I thought maybe youâd threatened him.â He hung his head low. âI guess what Iâm trying to say is, Iâm sorry for everything Iâd said to you,â he apologized, before turning his head towards me. âAnd Avery, Iâm sorry I lashed out at you before. You didnât deserve being treated like that. I was angry, and I was trying to protect him as his older brother. I justââ
ââsay no more.â I stopped him. âI have two older siblings, so I know exactly what youâre trying to say. If my brother saw anything remotely what you saw, he probably wouldâve ended up in jail for doing something irrational. Heâs really protective like that.â
Kaseyâs smile widened instantly at my words. âThank you for understanding Avery.â He looked back at Bradlee who was staring back at Kasey in silence. âI know I donât deserve it, and I probably wonât get an answer from you, but I hope someday, youâll forgive me.â
When Bradlee didnât say anything, Kasey stood solemnly before he started to leave. Before I could stop him, a voice called out his name from behind. Kasey paused, unsure if he heard right. I stood, shellshocked as well. D-did heâjust talked to someone in school? Turning around slowly, I looked up to see Bradlee smiling nervously at Kasey, as the corner of his eyes twitched involuntarily. Was this really happening? Was Bradlee actually talking to someone from our school?
âThanks for apologizing,â he spoke after a deep breath, causing Kasey to gasp at him some more.
âY-you actuallyâam I dreaming?â Kasey managed to get out. âYouâre actually forgiving me?â
âItâs not like you did it for no reason.â Bradlee shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He shifted on the balls of his feet. âI do have two younger siblings, you know.â
âYouâre the older twin?â he asked, surprised.
Bradlee nodded. âWhat? Did you think Hunter was the older twin?â
âWell . . .ââHe paused, swallowing.ââYeah. He always seemed like the older twin, even though he does act weirdly from time to time.â
âWeirdly?â I asked, cutting in. âAs in . . . ?â
Kasey looked at me, before answering. âOne minute heâll act one way, and the next heâll act another way. Itâs like he forgets his own personality.â Forgets his own personality . . . Could this have something to do with his selective memory? Could someone really forget their own personality? They couldnât . . . could they? âAnyways, I better get going before the bell rings,â he said, bringing me out of my train of thought. He swung his backpack over his shoulders before looking back at Bradlee. âBy the way, not to sound totally gay right now, but you should talk more. Itâs actually nice hearing your voice for once.â
Bradlee cheeks reddened, thoroughly embarrassed as he looked at Kasey. Kasey gave us a final wave goodbye, before he left the classroom, acknowledging Mr. Meyer on the way out.
I smiled cheekily up at Bradlee, before poking him on the side. âSo, youâre the older twin, huh?â
âAnd you have a protective brother, huh?â he copied my tone.
âIâm surprised you didnât know that. I mean, I was your childhood idol, wasnât I?â
He scoffed. âOf course I knew that. I just didnât know he was overprotective.â
âOh yeah?â I challenged him, staring dead into those gorgeous blue eyes of his. âWhatâs his name?â
âJohn.â
I tilted my head to the side, pressing my lips together. âLucky guess.â
He chuckled. âCome on, letâs go.â His hand brushed my back, sending delicious tingles down my spine. âMeganâs probably outside waiting for you.â
I nodded, following along.
As we stepped into the now empty hallway, my brows furrowed down in confusion when I didnât see Megan waiting by the door like always. Seeing Skylar in his janitorâs uniform down the hallway, I eyed him secretly, before mouthing Meganâs name. He shrugged his shoulders in reply before going back to work.
âDid she leave already?â I wondered out loud.
âMaybe she neverââ Bradlee started to say before someone else cut in. Looking towards the direction of the sound, I heard a familiar giggle.
âSeriously?â Megan asked, laughing. âAnd then what happened?â
âI tripped.â My eyes widened when I realized who she was talking to. Hunter. âAnd then I cried like a baby.â
She gasped. âYou did not.â
âI so did.â He chuckled, as they rounded the corner. When they both came into view, Megan was smiling widely at Hunter, as he sported a lopsided grin aimed directly at her. If he wasnât the only suspect left in this case, I wouldâve squeaked loudly in joy for her. Iâm pretty sure sheâd been crushing on Hunter for weeks nows even though sheâd first called him a jerk.
âI donât think thatâs something you should be proud of,â Megan said playfully.
His mouth dropped open. âIâll have you knowââ Hunter started saying before he heard me clearing my throat loudly. He turned towards Bradlee and I, his cheeks tinting pink.
âA-avery. Bradlee,â he stuttered, stumbling on my name. âWhat are you doing here?â
âWaiting for Megan,â I answered him. âWhat are you doing with Megan?â I asked, trying to keep my voice level. If he really was the killer, I didnât need him catching on to usâor make it more suspicious if he already knew. And most likely he knewâif the letters were anything to go by.
âWe met on the way here,â he said with a roll of his shoulders, as Megan nodded in return. âI was going to talk to Bradlee, and Megan was visiting you, so it just ended up that way.â
âYou needed to see Bradlee?â I asked, peeking up at Bradlee in the corner of my eye. He was staring at his brother in questionâhis brows arch down, silently asking Hunter, why.
âMom and Dad came home last night,â was all he said to cause Bradleeâs eyes to enlarged in surprise.
Bradlee quickly mouthed something to his brother, before Hunter responded with a quick flick of his eyes, agreeing with whatever he said. âTheyâre seriously worried sick about you,â he told Bradlee. âI tried telling them you were fine where ever you were, but they didnât believe me. They actually made me go out to look for you in middle of the night!â
Bradlee sighed quietly under his breath, that it almost went unnoticed. Bradlee eyed Megan for a fraction of a second before he his eyes shone defeat. He soon lifted his fingers and started signing to Hunter. They moved with lightning speed and sheer precision; I was surprised Hunter could even read what he said.
âOf course I did,â Hunter said immediately, sounding slightly offended. âThey wouldnât let me back into the house if I didnât. Seriously, where were you last night? I checked everywhere for you, including the park.â
My body froze, incapacitated with fear. âP-park?â
His dark eyes shifted over towards me. âYeah. Itâs Bradlee favorite place to hang out at.â
The color drained from my face, before I stared at the ground with wide, horrified eyes. Was this it? Was Hunter really the killer? Was everything he said a lie? Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked up to see a pair of confused looking eyes. âD-did youâdid you see anything?â
He shook his head, sadly. âNo, it was dead quiet when I got there,â he answered me, before turning his attention back to Bradlee. âPlease tell me youâre coming back tonight, otherwise I can kiss sleeping inside goodbye.â Watching his facial expression, I couldnât tell if he was lying or not. But for some reason, my gut was telling me he was telling me the truth.
Bradlee rolled his eyes at Hunter, mouthing, âyouâre exaggeratingâ at his brother, before glancing down at me. He motioned his eyes towards the general direction of my cousin, asking silently if he was free to go back home. I lowered my eyes, before the corner of his lips twitched up into a wide smile, catching on quickly. He knew he was no longer a suspect.
He gave Hunter the okay sign, causing Hunter to breathe out a sigh of relief. âThank God.â Digging his fingers inside his pockets, he pulled out a set of keys. âI drove your motorcycle to school today, knowing youâll be needing it.â He grinned, tossing the keys at Bradlee, that he caught easily. âIâm catching a ride with Ailee after school, so meet us at home. Mom really wants to take us out for dinner.â
His right hand quickly signed something, before Hunter nodded at us and left. Megan stared at him in awe, before looking up at Bradleeâs tall frame.
âI didnât know you guys knew sign language!â she gushed, finally exploding with enthusiasm. âDoes that mean youâre trilingual? I heard Hunter can speak French. Can you speakââ
ââMegan, shouldnât you be going to class?â I asked her.
She closed her mouth, pouting. âI canât. Your cousins said I need to take you to and from classes.â
âI have Bradleeââ
ââisnât he a potential suspect still?â she probed, making sure to lower her voice dramatically just in case.
I smiled. âNot anymore.â
Her lips drew into a big smile, before pulling me into a hug, squeaking loudly. She hooked her arms around my neck, crushing me tightly against her tiny body. âDoes that mean you can finally dateââ
ââMegan,â I stressed, blushing bright pink. âPlease go to class.â
Her body slumped against me, before letting go, reluctantly. âFine. Youââ She pointed at Bradlee. ââBetter take care of her,â she said, before she rushed towards the direction of her second class.
âYour friendâs really interesting,â Bradlee concluded after she disappeared from our line of view.
âYou can say that again,â I agreed, laughing. My voice died down, as I felt an unexpected warmness at the palm of my hand. Peeking down, I saw Bradlee entwining our hands together. I bit on my bottom lip shyly, as our eyes connected. His soft lips stretched into a smile, so genuinely sweet, it made me melt under his warm glow and piercing blue eyes. âIâum, locker.â
He chuckled, deep and throaty. âGo ahead.â
I moved robotically, with Bradleeâs hand still grasping mine tightly. When I met with my locker, I quickly put in the locker combination before I saw a note placed perfectly in the middle of my locker, with my name spelled out in neat print. My pulse quicken, banging in my ears. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck, as I debated over and over with myself if I should read it or not. No. You need to do this, Lily. You need to do this for your friends, for Bradlee, and for any potential future victims. I nodded to myself, making up my mind. Taking small, deep shallow breaths, I moved my hand towards the note, before I felt another hand, ghosting over mine.
âLily,â Bradleeâs whispered suddenly, pulling me square against his chest. His warmth surrounded meâhis sweet smelling cologne strangely calmed me down, relaxing me. âYou donât need to open it.â
âI-I know, butâbut I need to.â
âAre you sure? You need to knowââ
ââNo. Iâm sure, Bradlee.â
âOkay.â He took his hand away from mine, but kept his body pressed right up against mine. Almost like he was protecting me, shielding me from any harm.
Getting an ounce of courage, I snatched the note from my locker. Ripping the note from its envelope, I flicked the paper with my side of my thumb before small, print font stared back at me.
I guess since itâs almost winter break, I should let you in on a secret. Think of it as my early Christmas gift to you. Remember the other night? Well guess what? I knew that f—-r of a FBI agent was following me. He was quite fast if I do say so myself. Too bad he wasnât as smart. You may think youâre one step ahead of me, but youâre not. Believe me, Iâm always watching you, and I know exactly what youâre planning. Even as youâre reading this note, Iâm f—–g watching you. Scary, isnât it? And oh, by the way, dear sweet Lily of mine, Iâm not blonde.
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