The Marked

Chapter Six

The bell rings for lunch and Lily exits her classroom, as she goes round the corner to walk to the cafeteria she sees her brother go into the principles temporary office and close the door behind him.

She walks up to the door and puts her ear to it, she can only hear muffled voices. She turns the door handle slowly so it doesn't make a sound and she opens the door slightly. She waits a moment to see if she was noticed, but when nothing happens she remains still, listening in.

"I'm not sure if you've heard but last night the body of Poppy Michaels was found in the woods, the body has been sent off for tests but the last person seen with her alive was Rhett Merrick, we've tried his parents but can't find them, so when was the last time you saw him?" She hears her brother ask the principle.

Having heard enough and not wanting to be caught she slowly pulls the door closed managing not to make a sound, then continues her walk to the cafeteria,

Once there she finds Casey, Tristan and Ryder all sat together, she makes her way over and takes a seat next to Ryder.

"Where have you been?" Tristan asks her.

"I saw my brother go into the Principles office, Poppy's dead and I think Rhett's a suspect." Lily whispers to them.

"There's gotta be a lighter way to say something like that." Tristan says.

"Wait, you just heard this how?" Ryder asks.

"You know how the principles office is being refurbished, well I'm guessing he's using the room with the door that is always slipping open slightly as a temporary one," the other three nod, "well I managed to slip it open with no noise and I heard my brother tell the principle that he found Poppy's body and then asked him if he'd seen Rhett."

"Why does that mean Rhett's a suspect?" Casey asks.

"Because he was the last person seen with her alive, he's the first person they're gonna question, if they catch someone it could be the same person that's been following Ryder." Lily explains.

"So someone has actually been following him?" Tristan asks.

"I don't know, it feels like it." Ryder answers.

"Lily, your home early." The four of them are suddenly pulled out of their conversation by Maisy.

"I appear to be." Lily responds with a sarcastic smile.

"How come?" Maisy presses on.

"You don't honestly care, so-" Lily says but is interrupted half way through by Ryder.

"Did you need something Maz?" Ryder asks concerned, ending the conversation between Lily and Maisy knowing it would end up no where good. He gets up out his seat and escorts Maisy away from the table to somewhere they could talk.

"No, just wanted to come over and make sure your okay, you didn't answer my text this morning." Maisy tells him.

"I'm sorry, Lily came by early and I've just been so wrapped up in her coming back that I haven't really looked at my phone." Ryder explains.

Maisy looks up at him with an angry look on her face, "It's fine, I get it."

"Do you actually? Because the look you're giving me right now says otherwise." Ryder says not in the mood for this right now, with everything going on at home, with someone potentially following him, he did not need another thing added.

"I said I get it." Maisy repeats, turning on her heels and stalking away from him.