Lola

5

In tenth grade when I was called a prude by a group of the rugby players, it was Caitlyn who shut it down. If any rumour was ever spread about me, she'd put a stop to it instantly. As a friend, Caitlyn is demanding. You end up doing things you might not like, or that you wouldn't do otherwise. It takes effort to stay in her inner circle. But everything that you put in, you get back out.

I've done the dirty work for Caitlyn more times than I can count. But the amount of times Caitlyn has gotten me out of strife, or gone after people who had done me wrong is astronomical. Is it really worth abandoning her just because we reacted in different ways to a tragedy? I found it uneasy to slip back into old habits, but that's her safety blanket. I've already lost one friend in the worst way possible. I don't want to lose the only one I have left.

"Caitlyn." I manage to slow my breathing and the red marks on my wrist are fading.

She looks up, hopeful. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

The second time she grabs me, she pulls me into a hug.

Cam

The longer I wait in the car park, the more I start to think that she's not coming. It's only when I see her - the last person to trudge out of the school into the car park - coming towards me, that I am reassured. "Took your time?"

"Rack off, I've been busy. What exactly do we need to meet here for again?"

"I was hoping I could take you somewhere. There's something I want you to see."

"Are you kidnapping me?"

"No. I just want to take you someplace important. Do you have a car here?"

"I don't have a car, I live close enough to school to walk."

"No worries, I can take you."

She wrinkles her nose. "You want me to get in your car?"

"That's the idea, yes."

She looks as though she's searching for reasons not to come. "Fine."

She slides into the passenger seat and stares straight ahead as I start to drive. I struggle to make smalltalk. "So...what were you busy with just now?"

She doesn't look at me. "Talking to Caitlyn."

I feel my stomach drop. "Right."

I suppose I had assumed from seeing her alone all day that she was choosing to distance herself from Caitlyn. She cocks her head to the side. "What?"

I stumble over my words in an attempt to express my concerns politely. "Uh, I just - I just thought that you were sort of leaving her behind, you know?"

"Because I sat alone this morning?"

"Well, yes, I suppose so. But also because of the way you talked about her yesterday like she was a slave driver to you and Lola."

"Slave driver might be a tad dramatic." She speaks coolly, and I can hear threats in her tone.

Her sudden change of opinion is frustrating - especially since she still seems incessantly bothered by my presence. "Does she know?"

"What?"

"Does Caitlyn know about this?"

"This being what?"

I suppress a sigh of frustration. "This being us working together to find out what happened to Lola."

"Right. Of course."

I wonder absent-mindedly if her empty body is in my car while her brain is still lagging behind in the car park. "So...does she?"

"No. I haven't mentioned you."

A wave of relief washes over me. "Thanks. Maybe let's keep it that way."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I'd just rather we kept this between us for now. I don't want it stirring up trouble."

"Fine."

I am unconvinced by her response. "Promise you'll keep it between us?"

She rolls her eyes. "Don't patronise me."

"I'm not trying to. Just please promise me that."

"Okay - I promise."

"Thanks."

The blanket of silences settles over us once again. I have so many questions dancing in my head, but I don't know how to phrase them. "So what were you talking to Caitlyn about?"

"None of your business." She retorts sharply.

This certainly doesn't sound good. "I was just wondering."

"Because you don't trust Caitlyn and I?"

She's got me there. "No, I don't really."

"Well it was your decision to ask me for help. We're not friends and I don't owe you anything."

"I know, I know."

She sits up a little straighter and I see her usual strong but elegant posture return for the first time of the day. "Don't you think me getting closer to Caitlyn again might be useful? That way I can see if she knows anything that she hasn't let on about."

A smile creeps across my face. I am impressed. "Ah, I see. So that's why you're talking to her again?"

A quick flash of distress flickers across her face, but is instantly replaced with neutrality. "Well, I guess. Uh, yeah." She looks down at her knees. My excitement quickly melts into nerves. Dani is hiding something.

We remain silent for the rest of the drive, until I pull up in a very familiar spot. I unlock the doors, step out of the car and wait for the questions to roll in.