The Bet [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24: Too early to relax

The news came as a huge shock to us. Nobody said a word. David ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply. Robin walked up to Joe, turned him around and gave him a long hug. This seemed to have made him realize what had happened and he burst out in tears. I couldn’t stand seeing him so hurt. But there really was nothing I could do.

A crazy thought crossed my mind. It couldn’t have been Phoebe, could it? No, she wasn’t that messed up… was she?

We left Kevin’s house. Our mood got ruined. We felt terrible for Joe, who was now heartbroken beyond words. He couldn’t even walk to his car, so David gave him, Robin and I a ride home. After he arrived home, David had to help him get out otherwise he wouldn’t have left the car.

I sighed when me and Robin were left alone. I still couldn’t believe it. Wasn’t I the one who told Rachel I would kill Joe if he were to ever make her sad? Rachel was far too sweet to get murdered like that. Joe told us they had found her with multiple stabs all over her body.

“Fuck…” I hissed under my breath.

Robin laid her hand on mine. “Are you okay?”

“She didn’t deserve to die…”

Robin nodded. “Of course she didn’t… Nobody does. Not even the person who killed her.”

I grimaced and looked out the window. David came inside and continued driving us home.

“I sure wish that person could…” I muttered.

Robin tightened her grip around my hand. “Oh Zack…”

“There’s no way in hell I’ll accept this…”

“Zack, there is nothing we can do about it,” Robin said, sensing my deadly intentions.

“Yes there is,” I said, “There has to be. There’s always—”

“No, Zack, just calm down.”

That made me snap. “Calm down? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I’m serious, Zack,” she said, taking my face between her hands, “Calm down. What would you accomplish by losing yourself? You’ll lose everything.”

David stopped in front of our house and looked back at us. I opened the door and stepped out but Robin pulled me back inside.

“I’m not done with you,” she said.

“I am,” I retorted.

“Zachary!”

I tried to break from her grasp. What did she eat to be this strong?!

“How do you expect me to just swallow it all down without doing anything?” I shouted.

“I know it’s painful,” she started, but I cut her off.

“First it’s John, then it’s Rachel. Don’t you think it’s strange?”

She frowned. This caught David’s attention.

“But John committed suicide,” he said in a low voice.

“I doubt it. I have a feeling someone was chasing him.”

“What?”

I told him about the phone call I received from him.

“But Zack, what are you saying? That whoever killed John killed Rachel as well?” he asked.

I nodded. “It’s possible, right? Even if it’s not done by the same person, maybe she made others do the dirty work for her.”

“‘She’?” Robin asked.