Under Her Skin

Chapter 28

Police Officer: What happened at the weed party?

Me: You mean Christmas?

Police Officer: Yes.

Me: Nobody really knows anything. Except to say that things became blurry. There was a fine line between fun and tragedy from the start and many people crossed it. 

It was an unusually hot summer, with some of the highest temperatures ever recorded. The day Selena died was the hottest of the year. Inside the interrogation room, the air was suffocating. Nobody could really breathe, and with that came irritation.

Me (frustrated): So, did she do it? I mean, I just don't understand what we are trying to do here. Can you guys just figure it out already?

Police Officer: The facts are simple: Sunny was found alone with Selena's body; only her hands were bloody. I have no doubt she killed Selena. Why she killed her, on the other hand, remains a mystery.

Police Officer: That's why I need your cooperation. I know it's getting steamy. But let's just focus. Try to recall for me. Start on the coldest day of the year, Christmas Eve, and let the events speak for themselves. You mustn't color them, twist them, or tell any lies. Cool down, and speak.

***

In the lunch line, Sunny swished the bills around in her hand, doing mental math. She knew that it would only be a day or two before she had to face the fact that she was out. The wind around her wraps tighter before all noise stopped as Brad stepped into the line. It was odd he was here. 

He didn't belong in Wrestler. It felt like the Prince of darkness had swept his coach over them. The lights dimmed and Sunny turned to Selena and asked if he was bad as she said. Selena blushed the color of beets.

"He's gorgeous and rich and dangerous. AND he's having a weed party." The Kitties stopped walking.

"Rumor has it he sleeps with anyone," said Tate.

"Shut up. Those are exactly what you said they were. R-U-M-O-U-R-S. They are spread by envious whores. Nothing to believe." Selena turned around twirled her ponytail in her fingers. Tate turned to Sunny and in a perky voice asked if she was going.

"I don't know," said Sunny, hesitant not because of the weed, but because it was on Christmas. "Lyssa is going to make me stay home." Selena stopped her there.

"Enough with Lyssa. Who is she to make decisions for you? It's like literally BRAD we're talking about. Everybody will be dressed up. Santa ain't real, okay. Get over it," hissed Selena. Sunny knew that Selena tended, if anything, to exaggerate. She knew that the fun she was describing had to be discounted by a whopping 60%.

"You're just going to be with Brad the whole time."

"No," she said, hesitantly. "Okay, well maybe. But," she said, drawing her closer just as Tate looked away, "you're my best friend." It tickled Sunny's insides when she called her 'best friend'. It was an indicator that she was irreplaceable and it made Sunny believe they were sharing some underground secret that only the two of them could understand. She agreed. Selena put her hand over her mouth and squealed.

***

Sunny was scrolling through Josh's incredibly beautiful selfies when a dazzling silver of sunlight pierced through the curtains like a shining silver sword. Josh had been too busy for her lately, too busy finding his distinctive fashion-forward style by shooting semi-starved, semi-naked women in strange flattering angles. 

It slightly irritated her that he never asked her to be his subject. But then again, she remembered the saying that lovers were best found in different areas of work. She lay languidly as Lyssa came into the room, proudly bearing a Santa hat atop her head.