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As much as I wish I could be confident in irl who obsesses about death

Everyone is staring at ht I was, ever since my dad’s disappearance But I refuse to cower, so I sit up straight and wait for Mr Mackerlie to hs into his hand, "Psycho killer"

Giggles flutter the room and Cameron raises his hand

"Yes," Mr Mackerlie says "Wait, who are you? I’ve never seen you in this class before"

"Let’s just say I’d like to stay anony off the professor "And personally, I think it was an a poem about pain and survival"

The Professor browses over the poeood interpretation, but I think perhaps it’s more about the natural process of death"

Caht be a theme, but I don’t think that’s what it’s completely about I think it’s more relative to the pain soh the pain, even though they think they can’t Perhaps they’ve even lost so to break free frooes silent and I swear I could kiss those pretty guy lips of his He turns around and gives me a look that says, You know you’re in love with me now

"Well, that’s very deep" Mr Mackerlie looks about as befuddled as the rest of the class "But where did you come from… I haven’t seen you around here before"

Caht I’d see if I wanted to take this class next seh some papers "Where did you live before here?"

"New York," Ca Apple" Mr Mackerlie selects a paper from the stack and places the rest on his desk

"That would be the one" Careat to have you here, not just as a visitor, but as a new member of our town" Professor Mackerlie is also on the town co onto Shakespeare Ca class; however, I can’t take htening Who is this guy that digs up graves in the cemetery? Who speaks up for me in class and writes the most beautiful words? Who is from New York, just like Asher?

A coincidence? For some reason, I don’t think so

My next class is about as uneventful as watching paint dry I’m about to head to my third and last class of the day, when I’m waved into the er up while she continues talking to a slender wo her narrow face Her hair is tight in a bun and she sports a pinstriped pantsuit I drop down in a chair and wait

"Yes, I know, but I don’t see why you have to do it here," the secretary, Mrs Finnelly, tells the woman

The woain?"

Mrs Finnelly sighs and types so on her keyboard She rolls her chair back to the corner filing cabinet and takes out a thin o, Beth, but I don’t see how her file is going to help In fact, she’s right here, so it ht be better just to talk to her"

Beth turns around and her blue eyes promptly darken with abhorrence "Ember Edwards, I’m detective Crammer"

My lips twitch "Okay"

She o in here so we can talk more privately"

I follow her into the counselor’s office, which is packed with plants and fa on a coat rack in the far corner and the air smells like pumpkin and spice Detective Crammer takes a seat in the office chair and I sit down in front of the desk

She opens the file with rades look a little weak" She takes off her glasses and tosses theht to the point since we only have the office for a few minutes" She rolls forward in the chair, and overlaps her hands on top of the desk "As I’ht Now, the last place he was seen was a party you were at Is that correct?"

"Yeah," I answer "But a lot of people were"

"Just a simple yes or no will suffice," she says snidely "Now, as I’m sure you’ve also heard, Laden Miller’s car was found down at the bridge in a very similar situation as how your father’s car was left after his disappearance three years ago You were the only one ever investigated for his disappearance--the police never had any es against me were dropped"

She pulls out a small notepad from the pocket of her jacket "I pulled up your father’s case and it said that they got a call right before your dad disappeared The call was fro to beto die There’s a huge difference"

"Huge difference or not, it’s highly suspicious And then you ran away right after"

I opt for silence, knowing from experience that feords mean fewer opportunities to that I say around

Her eyes narrow at e case Raven feathers, an hourglass, the bright red X on the road And of course there’s the blood"

"They’re all symbols of death," I say "I told the police this last time"

Her eyebrows furrow as she reads over her notes "H indifferently "Well, it’s true Except for the X, they all represent death You can Google it if you want It’s pretty coe"

"Did you do that before or after your dad disappeared?"