Pretty Girls

Thirty One

Cora killed Bree.
Bree's dead, because Cora killed Bree.

And yet, no matter how many times Chaz's voice bounced around in my mind, I still found it hard to believe.

At least, fake believe for that matter.

Truth is, I knew he didn't know the truth, because if he did, there would be a whole different girl in custody with an insanity plea.

Why? Why would Cora admit to a crime she didn't do?

Part of me wondered if Jessica blackmailing her had something to do with this, by the unfazed look she had when Detective Arias had called us out during class to speak to us about where both our 'missing friends' had been.

But then, what reason would Jessica have to ask Cora to cover it up? She had already suspected her of killing Bree, all she did was confirm her suspicions with a lie.

So maybe it was Cora, maybe she knew the trials she'd face once everyone started to suspect that it was her. Bree was a maniac, but she was still a leader. And Cora killing her only meant greed in their eyes.

She had played into their pen, ditching her boyfriend and designer clothes for cell wardens and jumpsuits. Which was good on my part, yet I still felt guilty about this.

I should have been the one being incriminated. It was me who killed Bree. Though I wasn't about to admit it, not to the Groups, not to my therapist, and certainly not to my parents.

So all I could do was slump and listen to them criticize 'my friend Cora' and the 'bad friends I've made at school', while thinking of ways to mask my guilt and shame in the meantime.

"So," Jax spoke up after our run.
"Seems like things worked out huh? I mean, with Cora being the one to 'admit' to killing Bree," Jax almost chuckled, then caught himself.

"Jax, it's not the truth. And I know it's supposed to be helping me, but I can't stop thinking about why. Why did she confess to a crime she didn't commit?"

Why didn't I, I felt like adding in, but managed not to. I had felt like crap, never even fully grasping what I had did.

Yeah, it flew by me every once in a while, but I was so caught up in my fairy tale world I never got a chance to look at the original transcript: I was a murderer. I actually killed someone.

And now, someone completely innocent has taken the fall for what I had done.

Jax, sighing, had put a hand on my shoulder.

"Savannah, look. One thing you have to understand about Cora, is that she's not one to be marched over. She's a fighter, someone who refuses to be seen as a wimp. When she came back... I don't know, I guess we all knew something was off. She knew she lost against Bree, everyone else knew that when Bree went missing Cora came back. My guess is, she didn't want to go out without a bang, so that's why she confessed. Confirmed everyone's suspicions, and now that she's in custody, she's pretty much untouchable."

I slumped into my seat, sighing.

"Jax, at one point, they're going to find out what really happened, and who I really am. And, and I'm just not sure that I am ready for that that," I inhaled, worried about the truth. It's March, and yeah the school year is almost over, but there's still a lot of time for things to happen. Jax and I can't just leave this school and head to Tampa without the others getting suspicious and finding out what was really going on.

And as much as I didn't want to admit it, one day they are going to find out what's really going on.

Though he knew I was right, he tried to make me feel better anyways.
"Don't worry about it Savvy, for now, we are safe," he gave me a hug and planted a kiss on my forehead.

Yeah. For now.

**

"What are you doing here? Don't you and your little posse hate me now?" Cora took a seat, talking to the person in front of her.

"You may have everyone fooled, may have even Ryan fooled, but not me Cora. I know you didn't kill Bree, Bree can't be dead. Tell me what happened that night Cora. Tell me what happened on February 16th."

Cora inhaled a deep breath, then sighed. "Okay Marj, I'll tell you what really happened. But on one condition: Let me stay, I don't want to leave this place. It's what I deserve."

"It's what we all deserve Cora," Marjorie rolled her eyes. "Now tell me, what happened to Bree?"

"All I know is that it has to deal with her."

"Who? Jessica?"

"Blanchard. It has to do with Savannah Blanchard."

**

"Jax," I cried as I talked to him from the other side of the wooden door.

"Savannah, DAMN IT SAVVY JUST OPEN THE DOOR!"

Jax's continuous pounding on the other side left me wondering if this was how she felt, before she killed herself, before she slit her wrists.

And it made me wonder why I was still breathing,

Why I hadn't slit mine.

**