Jamie, meet Dylan. Dylan, meet Jamie

Chapter Twelve

I looked at my watch. It was almost four.

I waited for Sarah outside her house and took in a deep breath. I nervously ran a hand through my hair and looked outside my window. Her house was white with large windows and a frosted glass gate that hinted at the garden inside. A figure showed through the glass and Sarah walked out of her house with her purse in hand. She was dressed in a black dress and had her hair up in a ponytail. Even if it was simple, she still looked nice.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said as she got in the car.

I smiled and shrugged. "Don't apologize. So it's in London Woods, isn't it?" I asked her. She nodded.

London Woods was right behind the school, a common area for kids to host halloween parties and spooky pranks. I wondered why the memorial was there, anyway.

It was a silent five minute ride to London Woods. I didn't exactly know what to talk about and Sarah was on her phone the whole time. I thought about Dylan's words for me to actually start doing something about my liking Sarah, but I still was too nervous.

I circled the school towards the woods and took a deep breath. There already were files of cars parked right behind the school.

"Wow, that's a lot of people," Sarah exclaimed. I felt bile rise up my throat. He was truly admired by a lot of people. People were walking towards the woods, and we followed them through. Sarah grabbed my hand for support, and I gladly helped her through the field. We followed the peopleuntil we reached a wide circle of people with a bonfire in the middle.

Girls his age were crying and hugging each other for support, while the guys kept their head low, as if praying silently. I wanted to scream that Dylan Reed was the reason Tucker was dead. I wondered what they'd do. Would they believe me and go after Dylan or would they just think of me as a psychotic teen and get me kicked out? Either way, I wouldn't do it.

I felt sick to my stomach; perhaps coming here wasn't such a good idea. His picture was hung on a tree nearby. It sparked so many images of the events that haunted me, and I found myself running out of the woods. It was too much to handle.

I could hear Sarah call after me but I pretended not to hear. I hurried to my car and revved the engine. I could see Sarah giving up on calling me and heading back to the woods to join her friends. I felt bad for doing this to her but I felt worse for coming here.

"Shit," I said. I remembered Dylan telling me I had to be at his house by four. It was almost four twenty right now. I didn't know what he wanted me for but I had to go, especially with what had happened yesterday in my room. I could face being later, but I could not face never showing up.

It was a fifteen minute drive to Dylan's house, and that was after some intervals of speeding. I quickly parked the car in the driveway and pressed the doorbell. My heart was pouding so fast and I could feel the pits of swear form under my arm.

The door opened and Dylan glared at me before letting me in.

"Jamie, how are you?" Mrs. Reed said from the living room. I waved at her half-conciously before following Dylan upstairs. He didn't take me to his room, where we had gone the last time I visited but rather the attic.

It was furnished with a hammock, a pool table, a small fridge, and a couple of boxes sprawled around. It was probably used as Dylan's lounge area.

"Wait here," Dylan finally spoke. I stood alone in the attic and looked around. The setting sun poked through the sky and casted playful shadows on the floor. I was mainly concerned with why Dylan brought me here; not just to the attic but to his house.