Cupid's Guide to Murder

Chapter 1: The Devil's Calling

Like I said. Sometimes, you don't see it coming.

I clicked the pause button, my heart racing against my ribcage. His voice replayed in my head several times until I had memorized the message.

Griffin.

Griffin Freakin' Keely.

Holy shit.

Griffin's face wafted in my mind, the big muddy sea-colored eyes, a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. Every part of his face that I had forgotten, rushing back as if it had been pointless even to try.

He was Fairwood High gossip blog's favorite topic, mainly because trouble was his vice. Our paths never should've crossed, especially considering we didn't exactly roll with the same crowd. But he wasn't just a criminal in the making, at least not to me.

Growing up, I loved hearing about soul mates, but I also loved hearing about the 'almosts.' The 'almost' was the person who was never actually yours. The one who made you feel alive, the one who broke you, the one you had to let go of so they didn't ruin you.

Griffin Keely was my almost.

"Everything okay in there, Haven?" Justin's voice carried from the living room.

I ignored the wave of guilt.

"Yeah. I'll be right out!" I pressed play to hear the rest of the voicemail.

"I need your help, Haven. Natasha's missing, and I didn't know who else to talk to about this. I didn't even talk to the police yet, because... I don't know."

The air felt tight, and it was hard to breathe. In just seconds, the warmth on my skin from hearing Griffin's voice had evaporated, and goosebumps trailed down my skin, razor-sharp and icy cold.

I had seen photos of missing girls before — plastered on walls and sectioned off in frayed local newspapers; pictures of haunting innocence. They had been strangers, making it easier to pretend it wasn't real. But not Natasha. I knew her.

I thought I did, at least. You could know every external crevice of a person's life, but you still wouldn't know their mind. Natasha's mind held a web of secrets, and I always wondered if it would catch up to her, twisting her into the threads; until she was too tangled to escape.

There was a knock on the door, and then the sound of Justin clearing his throat. "Haven?"

Now was probably not the time to be having a nervous breakdown. I shut my phone, watching the screen fade to black, before opening the bathroom door.

"Who called?"

"Wrong number."

Lie number one.

"But I think I should head back, Jus. My mom texted."

Lie number two.

Justin nodded. "I'll drop you off. The storm's letting down, anyway. But, as I was saying earlier, Valentine's Day. I have something special planned for us. After we go to West's party, of course." He rummaged through the drawer, looking for the car keys. "He'd kill us if we didn't go to it."

"You don't have to do anything special for Valentine's Day," I blurted out. "We could just stay in and order food."

"I have something planned for the night." His eyes flitted to meet mine, gauging my reaction.

My stomach somersaulted. Justin was going to be my first, and even though I knew I could trust him, something was holding me back. Something told me Valentine's Day weekend would be the very thing I wasn't ready for.