Each day, Calla and her fragile heart are that little bit closer to death... but before she goes she'll prove to the world the boy she loves is no murderer.
🖤🖤🖤
With a life steeped in wealth and privilege, Calla Pierce should be protected from t...
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I bound down the stairs, trying to ignore the tight feeling of unease across my skin. Tugging unhappily on my baggy cardigan, I try to hide my battery packs, but it leaves an unnatural lump on either side of my torso. I feel the straps digging into my shoulders more than ever. I pad into the kitchen. Dad is tapping away on his phone quietly as Mum yawns, eating muesli next to the twins. I scan the ivory room, my eyes narrowing when I don't see my sister.
"Where's Alice?"
"Where do you think you're going?" Mum asks, ignoring my question. I purse my lips, tightening my grip on my bag. Mum sees the movement, letting her spoon fall and clank against the side of her bowl.
"Alex?" Dad glances up absently, but his gaze sharpens when he sees me.
"What are you doing, Calla?"
I bite my lip, trying to hold back the response I want to give. The twins giggle as they play a game on Mum's phone, having not even noticed I've walked into the kitchen.
"I'm going to school. Where's Alice? I need a lift."
"You've missed her. She left already. Today's Damien's assembly..." Mum's face drops, and she turns her gaze to the window. I curse inwardly. The whole point of going to school was the ride with Alice. I'd spent most of yesterday trying to speak to her, but she was clearly avoiding me. I needed to know what happened when Owen attacked Damien. I needed to understand.
"I know. And I want to go too. And I need to use the darkroom, so... It's a couple of hours, tops." Mum and Dad look at each other unhappily. The whiny sound of the twin's game grows even louder. It had been four days since Damien has died, and the school was holding an assembly in his honour. Personally, I couldn't imagine something Damien, with his loud laugh and lit-from-within eyes, would want less is all of us crammed into that dark and musty room, talking about our grief and sadness. Even so, it was a good excuse to go to school and spend time with Alice, even if that hadn't exactly gone to plan. "I'm not stupid, OK. I was going to get a lift in with Alice, but if she's not here... can someone take me, please?"
Dad exhales and stands up slowly. Looking down at me from his great height, as if daring me to challenge him. I smile sweetly instead.
"Fine, but we're leaving now." At that, he drains the rest of his coffee and heads to the front door.
"Thanks, Dad," I say to his back as he's already left the room. I turn to smile at Mum, who watches us warily. She gets up and walks over slowly, squeezing my shoulder.
"Just be careful, OK?" I hear the crack in her voice, the memories of last summer churning like sour milk in my stomach. I nod but can't quite make my mouth form words.
I follow Dad into the hallway. He's standing in front of the door, which is already open. He's talking to someone standing outside.
"Search it again," Dad says, his voice unyielding. The voice that returns is one I recognise as Detective Harrison's. I'm slipping on a pair of boots from the coat cupboard, pretending not to pay attention.
