Scream

Aero King

Monday used to be the day when everyone dreaded getting up and going to school. Now, it's the day when I go to school for the first time since the Solaris hospital incident. Maybe I can resume a normal life. Maybe I can put aside the crazy after-school special and invest in my academics. But that'll be pretty hard to do in the fourth block with two empty seats – the seats of Allister and Adelina. 

I dress in a navy polo shirt and khaki shorts. Slipping on boat shoes, I slide my backpack over my shoulder. "Mom, Dad!" I call in the house, stepping down the steps."I'm leaving."

 "Mom" is actually not my mom – she's Enzo's. "Bye," she lazily calls to me, sipping"coffee" on a barstool. She doesn't really like me, but it's fine, considering the feeling is mutual. 

"Have a good day!" Dad yells from his bedroom, voice hoarse from just waking up. 

Snatching a banana, I head out the door and start walking to school. It isn't long before a  yellow Jeep pulls up my way. "Aero!" a familiar voice says, vehicle slowing down. "Come on, let me give you a ride." Stopping, I look to see Ozzy, his golden hair pulled back in abun. "I promise I won't bite," he jokes when I don't do or say anything. 

 "Oh, sorry," I respond, forcing a laugh. "Umm, yeah. Thanks." I hop in the passenger seat and we bounce along the road. "So how'd you get free from the cops?"

 Ozzy explains the reveal of the autopsies and that someone else, probably larger than him, strangled Hanzo Duvall. Allister Casada sniped; Adelina Saylor was slashed; Hanzo Duvall was strangled. How will the killer end us next? Who will be their next victim? 

 Ozzy parks his car next to the navy car of Kellin Kodiak, who gets out and greets us with a customary smirk. "Hey, guys." 

 A car rolls by us and parks by Kellin's. It's green and shiny as if it's just been washed. 

From the driver's seat, Maren pops up. "Perfect timing." I look at these three people. Is this what's left of us? From what started as Hanzo, Makai, Reyna, Della, and Al; became some misfits and Makai and Rey. 

 "You sure you're ready for this?" Ozzy asks, smiling. "I mean, I don't know what you went through, but I have a good idea. And the idea is a terrible one." 

 Acting cool and calm, I shrug. "If I'm not ready now, then I never will be." 

 "That's the spirit," Kellin assures, heartily slapping me on the back. 

 "Gee, thanks." 

 Though my legs move with rhythm and tempo, they feel numb. Already, people sitting at benches and picnic tables look my way. They stare at me as if I carry the Bubonic plague on my shoulders. As if I'm cancer. I don't meet their eyes, knowing that the hidden temper in me would snap and ridicule them for being cowards for viewing me with disgust. 

As we pass cliques and groups of people, I hear their whispers.

"...got caught doing that with her..."

"He's such a dick for putting that out there..."

"...do you think she knew what he did?"

I feel my brows furrow. What are they talking about? I didn't put anything out anywhere. And I never got caught doing anything. Are they talking about me or Ozzy or someone else they have me mistaken for? 

 "Ahh, don't let 'em get to you," Oz instructs. "They don't know how to handle a total badass survivor." 

 "I don't even know what they're talking about," I whisper.