Sharp Edges 🖋

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY

Four days before, Aria Katelyn Blake sat next to Essie Cara Hatch on a bench outside her friend's house.

Essie's head was in her hands; she stared at the cracked concrete beneath her with wide eyes, one glittery, brand-new sneaker kicking at the air. "I can't believe it." Her voice was flat with shock. "I really can't believe it."

"I know." Aria murmured, not looking at her. "It's crazy, right? No one expects something like that to happen."

Essie crossed her arms as if she was cold. "Yeah. It is crazy."

"Crazy things happen sometimes, I guess." Aria mustered what she hoped was a convincing smile. Even so, guilt weighed her down. "But all you can do is...rebuild, right?"

"The police are looking into it." Essie still sounded unemotional- detached. "But they're not hopeful. There aren't fingerprints. Not on the gate, not on the safe. But the thief would need the password for that, wouldn't they? The gate sends an alert when it's being infiltrated, so someone would have needed the password."

Aria swallowed. Essie was smart- she always had been. And now...well, why was she acting so strangely?

Aria told herself she was being irrational. Jumpy. Essie didn't suspect.

No one ever had before.

"Maybe someone blabbed. Most people at school have it, right?" Aria probed. "Like for your birthday party?"

"We changed it afterwards." Essie informed her.

Aria's heart dropped into the recesses of her stomach. But, determined to be Vivian- perfect, helpful, innocent Vivian- she asked, "Well, who else has it?"

"Chase." Essie said. "Jessica. Mom. Dad. Jamie. And you."

"It could be Jessica." Aria said, practically spitting the name. "She's always been jealous."

"Of who? Me?" Essie laughed dryly. "I've known Jess since I was three. Trust me, it's not her. And it's not Chase either."

Aria sucked in a breath. Essie had just eliminated the two other people outside of her family.

"So who is it then, Vivian? Who else have I only known, what, a month, who also has the code? Who else don't I know anything about? And the more I think about it...well, Vivi, can't you see why I'd be suspicious? You beelined right for me that day, and you know it. Why?"

"I don't understand." Aria said stiffly. "You know plenty. You've met my sister. You've hung out with me almost every day." She forced a laugh. "I think you'd know if I'm a criminal."

"Yes." Essie said. "The occasions I paid for, right? And the jumpy girl who looks nothing like you- that sister? The one you called Jolie, but who introduced herself as Aggie? Funny mistake, right? Is that who you're talking about?"

"It wasn't me." Aria told her furiously, standing up. "Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends."

"Are we, Vivi?" Essie glanced up finally, her eyes red-rimmed. "I can't really tell anymore."

Very softly, so only she could hear, Aria whispered, "Neither can I."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The next day, when Aria showed up to grab ice creams for herself and Jolie at Sweet Tooth, she bumped into Essie in line.

"Oh!" Essie exclaimed, stumbling when Aria shoved her away on impulse. Then her eyes narrowed. "Oh."

"Hello, Essie." Aria said in an attempt to be civilized.

"Hi, Vivian." Essie replied, doing the same. Looking closer, Aria realized that her eyes were shadowed, as if she hadn't slept. "Where's Aggie?"

"Outside." Aria said. "Why?"

"I just...wanted to know."

"Don't bother her." Aria warned.

"I won't." Essie promised. "Out of curiosity...where did Jolie come from? The nickname, I mean."

"Oh," Aria waved a hand, lying through her teeth, "It's nothing. A family thing."

"Right." Essie seemed unconvinced. "Well, don't let me bother you, then."

She turned and stormed out of the shop. Only later did Aria realize she didn't have her wallet on her, nor did she purchase ice cream.

She had just been standing there. Waiting.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Three days after that, Essie showed up abruptly on the steps of Aria and Jolie's apartment building.

Seeing her was certainly a shock; Essie rarely came around this area, and Aria was glad. She disliked seeing the pity cross her friend's face every time she took in the weeds, the old beer bottles, and the general clutter. Even the skies seemed greyer on Hollow Street.

Yet there Essie was, knocking on the peeling paint, her face carefully blank.

Jolie was the one to open the door.

"Oh." She said. "It's you."

"Good afternoon, Aggie." Replied Essie politely. "May I speak to Vivian?"

Jolie regarded her with something akin to wariness. "Of course." She said tightly. "VIVI!"

Aria emerged from a back room, confusion etched on her face. "But you never call me-"

She was smart enough to cut herself off upon seeing Essie, but the other girl still stiffened. This was just more proof, according to her. "Oh." Aria echoed Jolie's earlier statement. "Essie."

"We need to talk." Essie said, abrupt and to-the-point. "Can you come to the beach tonight at nine?"

Aria didn't let her indifference waver, even though this was tearing her into pieces. "Yes." She said, against her better judgement. "I can make it."