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“Holy shit,” I h to take notice He shoves ingout of the trees and stu over the rocks that line the pool

Together, we fall into the ater, exploding through the surface with ragged breaths

“Swiot a head start before he takes off for the shore We’re barely out of the water before huge hands are grabbing ontome up the rest of the way

It’s Church

There’s blood everywhere, all over his hands, on his face, his yukata stained and hanging off one, smooth porcelain shoulder

Now, there’s even blood on me

“Let go ofmyself from the hands of the Student Council President Spencer slides in front of ht

“Don’t fucking touch her!” he snaps, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the woods But there’s nobody there, just the boy who gave h our teacher

“I need you both to cal his pal crimson streaks

“I saw you stab Mr Dave,” I whisper, pointing at hi I want to believe it was self-defense But then Spencer, and the hoodie, and … It occurs to uys are playing, the ulti Every incident I’ve suffered—the first knife chase that led ht off the bat, the headless bird and candles—they’ve all been connected back to the guys somehow

“You saw hienuine, it feels impossible to doubt him And yet, soers through his silver hair and glances back atis, Church isn’t the only one with so to do

“I wasn’t stabbing hi the knife” Church stays absurdly cal toward us with slow, easy footfalls, the slap of his bare feet on the patio the only sound besides the lapping of the water against the shore Spencer blocks hiy hoodie, the hoodie that uilty “It wasn’t deep—it hadn’t hit anything vital—and he asked me to help”

“There’s a dead kid in those woods,” Spencer growls out, panting hard He swipes his hand down his face and flicks the excess water aside “There’s blood everywhere, and then here you are, covered in it”

“Please, Spencer, don’t aze fully trained on , under that stare of his I’uilt, relief, suspicion All of the above, most like