"I've got some issues that nobody can see."
-Soundtrack 2 My Life, Kid Cudi
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The day passes in a blur of concerned thoughts about Alec and Jasper and even more concerned thoughts about the blood.
What Jasper had said at breakfast this morning just before he left has got my head hurting with anxiety. Jasper likes me. Apparently Alec likes me too, according to Jasper. I like them both. But with this whole waking up with blood on my hands- literally- predicament, it's probably the furthest thing on my mind right now.
After last period, I jog down the steps that lead up to the main entrance, noticing Alec and Jasper stood a few feet apart. I approach them, and greet, "You ready for another evening with Mr Jefferson?"
Alec laughs, sweeping his stray locks over his head and rolling his eyes at the very thought of the groundskeeper. "It can't be much worse than yesterday, can it?"
"I vote otherwise," Jasper replies as we begin a quick journey back into the woods towards Mr Jefferson's house.
It's colder today, the strong winds making the trees howl and our bodies shiver. The sky is a deep grey, and somewhere far off I can hear the low grumble of thunder.
"So, Liv, you wanna hang out after this thing is over?" Alec asks from in front of me while the three of us walk along the narrow path briskly.
Jasper is behind me, and before I can respond, he mutters, "I'd love to hang out with you guys."
"It wasn't an open invitation," Alec hisses over his shoulder.
"Sure it was, we're all friends here..." Jasper mumbles, setting me further on edge.
Alec stops in his tracks and spins around abruptly. I nearly plough straight into him, but stop just in time. Jasper raises his eyebrows and folds his arms, a daring glint in his icy eyes.
"Let's get something straight, pretty boy, we are not friends," Alec grunts. I'm stood in the middle of them, watching uncertainly. They're both taller than me by a lot, so as they draw level, it's like watching two broad bulls facing one another. "We may be stuck in detention together, but this isn't some messed-up version of The Breakfast Club. It doesn't mean we'll develop an unexpected friendship, you got that?"
Jasper rolls his eyes, shooting me an unimpressed look. "Is he always this dramatic?"
Alec scowls and exhales through his nose. "Don't test me."
"Don't give me another reason to," Jasper snaps, taking a step closer. The thunder grumbles louder, the storm getting closer.
"Stop it!" I interrupt, wedging myself between them and pushing them apart. "I've had enough of this. I'm tired of your bickering. Both of you." I shoot them both a look, before stepping aside and continuing to walk down the trail, leaving them standing in place a few meters behind me. "Come or don't. But we've got detention. And right now, that's our common ground."
I walk away, and after a moment of silence, I hear footsteps following behind me. I don't turn around, and even when I make it to Mr Jefferson's house, I head straight to his door and knock.
Great. No response.
"Surprise surprise, the bastard's ignoring us again," Jasper says from behind me. I begrudgingly move away from the door, gazing at the trees as the bad feeling returns.
You shouldn't be here, a voice mumbles from the darkest crevices of my mind.
My heart skips a beat, and I fold my arms across my chest. "What?" I say to the voices, fear curling around my words like a pair of claws.
Bad things have happened here. And you are responsible.
I gulp, trying to swallow away the anxiety. Jasper and Alec are knocking on the door and calling his name, but there's no answer.
Suddenly, the grumbling thunder deepens as my heart races faster, and rain pours from the sky in heavy sheets, smashing against the ground violently.
I'm soaked in seconds, my hair and clothes sticking to me with water. I spin around and turn to Alec and Jasper, who are both equally as soaked. At least they make the 'caught in a storm look' appear good. I look like a drowned rat.
But it's the least of my worries right now. Because the bad feeling in my gut and the voice's sinister words are making my heart rocket out of my chest.
"Come on, he's gotta be in there," I say, scooting past them and banging the door with the palm of my hand.
"What do we do?" Jasper asks, running a hand through his soaking hair. His plain shirt is sticking to him, while Alec's black jacket is keeping him somewhat dry.
My eyes fall on the handle, and I drop my hand onto it. Carefully and quietly, I twist the handle and the door swings open.
The second I'm exposed to the hallway, I'm thrown backwards as an awful scent hits my nose. And I can tell what the smell is in a second, even without seeing the blood lining the walls. The smell of death.
Jasper and Alec both seem as anxious as I am, but at least they're trying to keep their composure. My breath is coming and going too quickly for any sense of calm.
I scoot along the hall, trying my best to avoid stepping in the large pool of blood that has made its way along the wooden boards of the hall.
Cautiously, I open the kitchen door at the end of the corridor, where the blood seeping into the hall is coming from. Alec and Jasper are right behind me.
The sight forces me to my knees, causing my body to tremble until I feel like I'm going to throw up any food I've eaten today.
Mr Jefferson's body is resting against the fridge like a broken doll that had been discarded by its owner. His eyes are empty. His mouth hangs open a little, like he can't quite believe that he's dead. Crimson stains his clothes, particularly around his lanky chest.
"He's..." Alec starts, leaning over me to get a better view of the groundskeeper's body.
"Dead," Jasper finishes, gently picking me up and cocooning me in the safety of his arms.
"What do we do?" I ask, clinging to Jasper's warm, strong chest.
Alec shakes his head and steps around us, examining the kitchen around the body. There are signs of a struggle, but Mr Jefferson is dead, meaning the struggle didn't end in his favour.
The kitchen is cramped, the wallpaper is peeling, and the wooden floor is rotting a little. The cupboard doors are all worn, the stove needs a good clean of grime, and the sink is filled with dirty plates. In general, it's not a pleasant house at all. And now it has a dead body in it.
I ease myself out of Jasper's grip and crouch in front of Mr Jefferson, eyeing his dead eyes. They are just as cold as when he'd been alive. I press my lips together and stand up when Alec mumbles my name from a few feet away.
I turn around, and my eyes widen at the sharp object in his hand.
"Liv, you said you lost your knife," he says, handing it to me.
I take it, and catch my breath when I see O.M engraved into the handle.
"Why is your knife here?" Jasper asks, turning to me worriedly.
"I didn't kill him, honest to God," I say, although God had never really been on my side. I switch looks with them both before looking back at the knife, blood dried on the end.
"What about the blood this morning?" Alec says quietly, expression pained. Jasper runs his hand through his hair, stress coating his features.
"You think I did this," I grunt in confirmation, turning to the tap of the sink and running my knife underneath it. The blood runs into the sink. When it's clean, I calmly fold it and place it into my shoe.
"Did you?" Alec asks.
"Why would I do it, Alec?"
"Mr Jefferson really got to you yesterday," he replies, watching his feet to avoid my furious gaze.
"You think because he said a few nasty stuff about me that I'd kill him? Alec, if I killed everyone who said something nasty about me, I'd have mass murdered an entire high school by now!" I snap. "Someone is trying to frame me. And until I find out who it is, I'm a prime suspect."
Jasper stands beside me, gently placing his hand onto my arm to calm me down. Thankfully, it seems to work a little. "Olivia, if you say it wasn't you, then it wasn't you. We just need to figure out who's framing you."
I nod slowly, flashing Alec uncertain looks. "And you? Do you believe me?"
He doesn't say anything, just leans against the wall, arms crossed.
Silence apart from the rain hammering on the roof.
"Yesterday you told me that you were called a liar. Are you going to tell me I'm lying after being called it yourself?"
He remains silent for a moment, before sighing and standing properly. "I believe you, okay? But it won't matter if the teachers see this and assume it was us since we were supposed to be here for detention. Because then we're all going to prison."
"We're not going to let that happen," Jasper assures, his voice soft.
I smile at them both weakly, before turning back to Mr Jefferson. "Okay, let's clear this up."