Legacy || Stargirl

Chapter Four

Beth apparently had a similar idea, observing the two girls as she casually followed them across the halls, stopping only when she nearly slipped on the water they used to mop the floors.

"Why are you following Courtney and Yolanda?" Zoe asked the girl. Beth frowned at her.

"I want answers, and since someone here has been avoiding me," Zoe was quick to look away, feeling slightly guilty. She had been avoiding her, purposely running away whenever Beth was close enough to start a conversation, "I'm going to get them myself."

For a moment Zoe remained speechless, not because she couldn't bring herself to reply, but because she didn't know what to reply. Following people and hiding stuff from her friends and family. This was foreign territory for her and she didn't know what to do.

And maybe she needed help.

Zoe took in a quick breath and made her mind, "I don't know what's going on here as well, but maybe we can figure it out together?"

"Like investigation partners?" Beth's eyes seemed to lighten up at the proposal.

"Sure," Zoe agreed hesitantly, hoping she wasn't making a mistake. Trusting people other than Jake, Artemis, and her parents was a foreign territory, too.

The dark-skinned girl seemed joyful at the idea and Zoe turned to look in the direction she had last seen the two masked girls, "Well, first things first, if we want to find out more, we should be discreet and not do it in school. Do you know where Courtney lives?"

Beth gave her a knowing smile and nodded.

~~~

When the two girls rang the doorbell, a tall, blonde woman, wearing a bunny ears headband and holding a candies bucket in her hands, was quick to open the door. She seemed to look delighted when Beth told her the two of them were Courtney's friends (a statement Zoe strongly disagreed with but kept quiet for the sake of their mission).

The woman, who quickly had introduced herself as Barbara accompanied them into the kitchen for a quick chat until Courtney would arrive. However, that quick chat turned into a whole conversation – well, it was more like Beth rambling – about her parents and their family hobby of ant farming.

Zoe tried not to flinch as the younger kid in the kitchen, who she assumed was Courtney's brother, kept lodging knives angrily into the pumpkin he was carving faces into. It was kind of spooky if she was being honest. She didn't see many horror movies but in those she did, going into strangers' houses was always a red flag and that kid had too many knives in his grasp. She quickly pushed those thoughts away and mentally groaned – Jake filled her head with too many Halloweens' stuff at school.

She needed to stay focused.

"Ants, they're like a total and complete mini-society, working for the greater good." Beth continued eagerly, "Oh, we used to have a roach farm too. But then all of those got..."

"Oh, wow, would you look at the time." Barbara suddenly said, "I have to get ready for these trick-or-treaters. Would you mind waiting in the living room?"

"Of course," Zoe said, grabbing Beth's arm leading her toward the living as an idea crossed her mind.

While Beth comfortably sat on one of the couches, the redhead girl used this opportunity to check if Barbara or any other household resident was nearby and luckily it looked like they were left alone.

"What are you doing?" Beth asked when she noticed Zoe making her way up towards the staircase.

"Investigating. Come on," Zoe answered, motioning upstairs.