A Mystery Novel

~ČĤÁPŤĔŔ 5~

Miley

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"You're an idiot," Jacob says, they still haven't hung up even though he's standing at the door.

"I'm your idiot," Xander says, standing on the other side.

"Eww, that makes us sound like a couple," Jacob laughs.

"If I was gay, I wouldn't date you even if you were the last guy on earth."

"If I'm the last guy on earth, you wouldn't be here, dummy."

They just stand there and stare at each other. "Hang up," Xander says.

"You hang up," Jacob replies.

"No, you hang-"

Miley and Savannah take their phones and simultaneously hang up.

"What's the sitch?" Tyler asks.

"In the kitchen," Xander says, leading them past Jacqueline and into the kitchen.

"What's up with your face?" Miley asks Jacqueline who looks like she's going to cry.

"Nothing, it's just.....I like the kind of relationship Xander has with Jacob, I wish it was that way with my friends."

"Miley, come look at this," Savannah calls from the kitchen and Miley rushes in.

Staked to the counter by a knife stained with what looks like blood is a small piece of paper.

"Is....that blood?" Miley asks.

"We don't know," Savannah says. They all stand in a corner, staring at the knife.

Miley takes the bold step and sniffs the red liquid, then she licks it.

"Eww!"

"Gross!"

"Seriously?"

"Thats disgusting."

They say simultaneously.

"Calm down, it's just ketchup," Miley says, removing the knife and taking the paper. "It says 'dear diary' in Xandra's writing."

"That's not possible, Alex doesn't have a diary," Xander says.

'Didn't' Jacqueline corrects in her head.

"How do you know that?" Tyler asks.

"Because she thinks diaries are dumb."

There he goes again with the present tense. As a perfectionist, Jacqueline feels the urge to correct this but she doesn't want Miley to snap her neck.

"We just have to accept the fact that none of us know the real Xandra," Jacqueline says.

"You're one to talk!" Miley snaps, see? "You didn't even know the fake Xandra. I mean...ugh, never mind."

"So what do we do?" Tyler asks. They all stare at the note on the counter.

"We find out how whoever left this here broke into my house," Xander says.

"You don't think Xandra's ghost left it here?" Jacob asks mockingly.

"Alex doesn't have a diary," Xander says again.

"Maybe she just didn't tell you that she had a diary," Jacob says.

"She would have told me if she did."

"Right, just like she told you she was gonna kill herself," Jacob says. The tension in the room palpable at that point.

"Let's just search for it, if we don't find it then its either she didn't have one or she was very good at hiding things," Savannah says to break the tension.

"The second one seems more accurate," Jacob says.

"Oh no!" Xander exclaims, glaring at the spot on the counter where the knife was found.

"What?" They chorus.

"The knife left a dent in it. My mum's going to lose it."

They all roll their eyes and make their way to Xandra's room.

Jacqueline is about to enter but Miley stops her.

"Only Xandra's friends are allowed in, one step into this room and I'll make sure you never take another step," she says menacingly.

Jacqueline looks at Xander, hoping he'll come to her rescue but he's too busy berating Tyler who's sniffing Xandra's pillows.

"Ah," he sighs, "smells just like her."

Xander smacks the pillow out of his hands, "dude, I've told you, girls don't like when you sniff their stuff. Now get back to work."

They search for over twenty minutes with Jacqueline standing by the door, watching them search and Tyler sniffing Xandra's clothes.

"Quit sniffing my sister's stuff," Xander smacks the back of his head.

"Ow!" Tyler rubs the spot while pouting, "that hurt."

Jacqueline notices one of the drawers in Xandra's desk that is open, it doesn't look right. She is about to go check it out, she has barely taken a step forward, when Miley stops her.

"What do you think you're doing? Didn't I make myself clear? Do you want broken legs?" She asks.

"I just want to check something."

"How about you just stand there and do nothing?"

"Whats going on?" Xander asks, walking towards them. Jacqueline uses the opportunity to slip by them and before Miley can do any damage, removes the drawer from the table and turns it upside down, spilling all the contents to the floor.

"I'm going to kill you!" Miley lunges at her. Jacqueline uses a book to shield herself like it'll protect her or something. Miley pauses when she sees the book in Jacqueline's hands.

"That's impossible," Miley says, "I checked that drawer."

"It had a false bottom," Jacqueline says, "I noticed the bottom of the inside and outside weren't on the same level."

"You got lucky this time," Miley says and snatches the book from her.

The front door opens and closes, they all freeze.

"Xander?" Mrs. Kresge's voice calls from downstairs. "Xander, I'm home."

Mrs. Kresge begins to ascend the stairs and they all panic, not knowing what to do. They try to put the room back in order but she has already made it to the door.

Mrs. Kresge stares at the mess in the room and almost loses her mind. "What the hell is going on here?! Xander! Care to explain?"

"I-"

"Shut up! You destroyed your sister's room! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Mom-"

"I said shut up! Look at this mess! This place is an eyesore! Clean this place up right now!"

They start to arrange but she continues to rant, "stop! Just stop! All of you, get out! Right now! I'm so disappointed in all of you! Ten year olds wouldn't make this kind of mess! You're all eighteen for crying out loud! Act like it!"

They all walk out with their heads hung in shame. Everyone knows that Mrs. Kresge never yells, especially not at Xander, not since Xandra died. What they did really hit the spot and she just exploded.

They walk to the living room with Mrs. Kresge in tow, she looks ready to bury them alive.

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