Shuddering, I let the paper flutter to the ground. I fall back on my ass in the snow. “No. No!” That's all I can say because I can’t think coherently enough to form a sentence.
Riley picks up the paper, reads it, then hands it to Elias as she looks at me with terrified eyes. “What does that mean?It was supposed to be you?”
Melody snatches the note from Elias, then balls it up and throws it at me. “It means my best friend should have never been attacked. It should have been her. Of course this is all your fault.”
“No,” I shake my head, “it’s not my fault.”
“It is so and now Hannah is hurt because of you.”
“Shut up, Melody,” Elias grumbles. “How the hell was Scarlett supposed to know Hannah would be hurt in those tunnels?”
“Wait,” I say, mid-thought, “what if he’s not referring to Hannah, but Lucy instead? Someone grabbed Lucy in my room, but when she screamed, he pushed her away and took off. What if he was trying to kidnap me?”
Melody scoffs as she climbs to her feet.“Well, either way, it’s your fault. I say you give yourself up to save anyone else from getting hurt.”
Something just isn’t adding up here. How is Melody suddenly involved in this, anyway? Better yet, why is she?
I look at her, scowling. “Why should I believe anything you say? For all I know, it’s you doing all of this. You hate me, so why not?”
She laughs. “Oh yeah…and I just decided to bang my best friend's head into a wall. Do you hear yourself?”
Melody’s schedule.Another piece of evidence that comes into play
“I’ve got a question for you, Melody? Where is your class schedule?”
She scoffs. “Hell if I know.”
“I do. I found it on the library floor after someone dropped it. Now I’m thinking that someone was you.”
“Me?” She chuckles sarcastically. “In the library? Now you’re really sounding crazy.”
“You would have been disguised. So yeah.”
“Someone please tell this girl she has officially lost her mind.”
“Maybe I have. But why don’t you tell uswhat this mystery person in the woods was wearing,Melody?” I enunciate her name, adding a punch of my own sarcasm.
“Umm. A black robe with a hood and a black ski mask.”
Exactly what I saw in the library.
“Did he talk to you?”
“No, Scarlett. He used sign language to tell me to give you this note. Yes, he fucking talked to me.”
Man, I really wanna punch this stupid bitch. But I won’t. Not yet. “And did you happen to recognize his voice?”
“Don’t you think if I recognized his voice, I would tell you who it was?” She sweeps the snow off her white jeans. “I have to go. Elias, will you walk me to my dorm, please? Really don’t wanna be alone after what just happened.”
Elias shares a glance with me and Riley before saying, “Yeah. I guess you can walk with us?” He looks at me. “That okay with you?
I shrug my shoulders. “Whatever.”
On the walk back, I’m lost in my thoughts. What if I really am the one this guy wants? People are getting hurt in the process, all so he can get to me.
Maybe Melody’s right. Maybe I do need to give myself up. But before I decide, I need to know what I’m up against. Part of me hopes it really is Melody, so I can finally hit her where it hurts…right in the fucking jaw.
ChapterTen