The Red

Chapter 33

On Tuesday, I can hardly being myself to mention the kiss. Kian doesn't mention it either. It's at lunch when I finally speak.

"Your goal was to kiss me?"

He smiles. He's been smiling for real all day, and it makes me happy.

"Maybe," he says.

But he doesn't seem to want to talk about it. He doesn't talk about his feelings or anything. He just talks about his classes and a bunch of other causal things, and doesn't mention it. It's almost like it never happened. It's kind of a big deal, though. At least to me. If it's not a big deal to him than don't know what I'm even going to do.

It stays that way all week. He doesn't mention it, and he's just confusing me all over again.

✯ ✯ ✯

There's three more weeks of school, and two until the dance. Hayden hasn't spoken to me since he tried to ask me, which I am becoming fine with. Kian still doesn't mention any of the things that are confusing me, giving me headaches, which I am not fine with. I just settle on being quiet throughout my classes, trying to distract myself with work.

In science, Hayden talks.

"Hey."

"Hey," I say.

"How've you been?"

"Fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"But I am."

"Whatever you say, beautiful."

"Shut up."

"No."

"Not again," I complain. "I'm really not in the mood."

"So you're not fine."

"I never said that."

"Please be happy," he says.

"I will once you shut up."

"Seriously, what's your problem?"

"I'm just confused right now, okay?" I imagine Kian glancing at me, but I just don't even look at him.

"I think that Kian kid is rubbing his depressing personality on you."

"Hayden, he's right there."

"So? He knows he's ruining you."

"Stop-"

"Ever since you two started hanging out, you've slowly been more and more different than when I first met you. I think it's him."

I hear movement from my other side, and is look over to see Kian gathering his things. He signs out on the bathroom log, but I don't think that's the reason he's going.

"Look, Hayden. You just hurt his feelings."

"He doesn't care."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Natalie, I want you to go to the dance with me."

"No," I say.

"Why? Because you're in a bad mood?"

"I'm going with Kian."

"What?!

"I said that."

"Natalie! Don't you see?"

"See what?"

"Kian is The Red!"

Everything falls on me in that moment. I remember the lady The Red murdered from that jewelry store. Nancy Young. Hayden Young. That must have been his mom, and that's why he's sensitive about The Red.

"That's absurd," I say.

"No, it's not. Ever since my mom was killed, he's been looking at me weird. It's like he knows, even though most of the other students hadn't guessed it. How did he know? And why did he look guilty? Why does he still look guilty every time he looks at me?"

"Hayden. Shut up."

"It's true! You have to believe it! You're in danger Natalie! I bet he even gave you that cut on your face!"

"What? No!"

"He's out to get you."

"He is not The Red."

"Oh yeah? How well do you know him Natalie?"

I hesitate. "It's not like that."

"Who are his parents? What does he do in his spare time? Where was he the day that Danny kid died? Every time someone dies, he's not here. What do you have to say?"

"That's not true, Hayden! And why have I been told he never misses school if it's not true?"

"Stupid freshman rumors. But you don't know him, Natalie."

Tears are brimming in my eyes, but I just tell him, "I don't know you either."

He pauses with momentary shock.

"I bet you can't even prove it," I say.

"I bet you can't prove he isn't."

"If he wanted to kill me, he's had several opportunities!"

"Why would he kill you in public? He'd reveal himself."

"What if we aren't always in public? And don't The Red always kill witnesses too?"

"He's messing with you."

"Hayden, I have almost died many times. But the reason I lived was because he was there to save me."

"I'm telling you, he's messing with you."

"Hayden! Don't jump to conclusions!"

"Natalie," he speaks very quietly, so as not to be heard. "The day my mom was killed, Kian wasn't at school. At all. I thought nothing of it. But that evening, my mom was killed. I stayed home from school for a few days, but I couldn't stay too long or people might realize that it was my mom. I didn't want to be known as the kid who lost his mom to The Red, so I played it off. The first day I returned, no one looked at me funny, and no one gave me pity. Except him. I kept catching him glancing at me with worry written all over his face. So he was the only one in the whole school who realized that Nancy Young was my mom? No one said I was acting different, because in reality, I was fine. I'd accepted what happened and everything went back to normal. But he still looked at me. Whenever I was around, he would keep turning his head to see if I was looking at him. And I'll tell you, I was. I was watching his every move. He was always jumpy when I was around. He knows I suspect him, and I'm certain he's The Red. And if it wasn't him who killed my mom, it was one of his allies."

I don't say anything. As much as I hate it, I believe his story. But something about Kian being part of The Red doesn't fit.

"Well," I say after a minute of silence. "If he kills me, you can rub it in at my funeral."

Hayden glares at me. "I'll bet you anything he tries to kill you, sooner or later."

I can't bring myself to stand up for Kian. It's because I really don't know anything about him, and chances are, Hayden is right. But as of now, I'll ignore what Hayden said. If it comes back to bite me and I die, so be it. Hayden can turn Kian in and maybe The Red will be gone forever. But I'm not believing anything just yet.

__________________________

Shout out:

@zohappy has some awesome works. There's three of them and each is suspenseful in their own way! I have like no clue what's going to happen!

1. The Prince and the Villager (Fantasy, Romance)

2. Yellow Shoes (Teen Fiction, Romance)

3. Queen of Dragons (Fantasy)

Go give those some votes and comments! :3