Fear Games

11. There's No Place Like Home

"Don't you get it?" Matt asked. "I'm already involved." 

And that's when he kissed me. It was so abrupt, so quick, that for a second I wasn't sure if it even happened. His lips brushed against mine, and for the first time in forever, it was just he and I, no one else. The warmth of his lips pressing against mine was so gentle and so sweet, and when he pulled away, I couldn't speak.

"I'm already involved because I care about you," Matt whispered. "I'll help you no matter what."

My phone buzzed in my pocket and my heart stopped. No, I thought. It can't be them. 

I pulled it out to see who the message was from and sighed with relief. It was from Eden.

You won't believe who's back at school today. Come to the cafeteria.

"Come with me," I said to Matt. He followed me out of the library all the way to the cafeteria where I found Eden and Brandon standing together, with Peter and Luke not too far away. They were all watching the same thing, and my eyes immediately fell on it.

It was Haven. She was all dressed up in skinny jeans, a cute tank top, and was wearing a few bracelets on her wrists. Her hair was curled and flowing beautifully, as if she hadn't just been missing her as long as she was. I had a feeling that Haven would come back, but not as fast as she did. But it wasn't just that that shocked me. It was who she was standing next to.

Rachel.

Eden met my eyes. "Josh," she said.

"Is that...Rachel?" I asked. Blood boiled beneath my skin. Haven and Rachel were friends? What the hell was going on here? 

"They're all buddy-buddy now," Brandon said. "And people can't keep their eyes off of them."

"How is Rachel even here?" I asked. "Wasn't she a senior last year?"

It seemed odd that Rachel would want to come back to school here. And the crazy thing was, she seemed perfectly fine. She was dressed like a total prep, and had her hair curled the same way Haven did. Rachel was also wearing these big hoop earrings, and the two of them laughed at something, completely oblivious to the stares they were garnering.

"You don't think..." I started. But could it be possible?

"What?" Eden asked.

"Remember the night at the graveyard?" I asked. "The night we saw the Masquerade and the Lion? Do you think it's possible that maybe...Haven and Rachel are in on this with Damien?"

"Wait, seriously?" Matt asked. "You think Damien's the killer?"

"And more importantly," Eden said, "you think Rachel would help him? What gives you that idea in the first place? Wasn't she the one who was sitting in a hospital practically drowning in her own misery because of what happened to her?"

Unless Damien offered her a way out. Offered her a chance to redeem herself. Offered her a chance to get better.

When my phone buzzed in my pocket, I knew who it was before I even checked. My friends watched me as I pulled out my phone and read the message out loud.

Tonight's the night. Meet me at St. Paul's at 10 PM. Bring your friends. 

There was an address attached to the bottom of the text. 

"St. Paul's?" Brandon asked. "What's that?"

"It sounds like a hospital," I said. "Like St. Mary's. But...what the heck is St. Paul's?"

"Whatever it is, they want us to go," Eden said. "Do you think we should tell someone about this? Like the police?"

"Are you kidding?" I asked. "We know what will happen if the police get involved. The killer already threatened a blood bath. We don't need them to go through with it. We go alone and that's it. Anyone who doesn't want to come doesn't need to."