Two Faces

Chapter 1

                                                                                   Part 1: Scarlet 

Tragic accidents can change everything. They can even make you question where your loyalties lie...if you know who to question, or if you even need to question anyone. If you don't question anyone, even the closest people to you, be careful. You never know who's going to be holding the gun...

  It was a bright, sunny Friday afternoon and I was sitting outside during recess with my best friend Jetta, her sister Addison, and my other friend, Natalie. Natalie was telling a joke, and Addison and Jetta were laughing. I didn't feel like talking, or laughing and unfortunately, Jetta noticed. When Addison and Natalie had gone back to talking to each other, Jetta turned to me.

   "Scarlet, what's up?" Jetta said, her voice gentle. "Nothing, I'm fine," I replied, covering my face with my hands. "Scarlet..." Jetta began, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Don't tell me you're fine, when clearly something's wrong. Talk to me, please," she finished.

   I sighed in defeat. How did Jetta do it? I finally looked at her, and I could feel tears streaming down my face. "Fine, but could we please talk somewhere else?" I asked, glancing at Addison and Natalie. I felt like a bad friend. "Of course. Let me tell Addison and Natalie, and then you and I can go to the other side of the field," Jetta replied, turning to tap on her sister's shoulder.

   I still wondered how Jetta did it, how she sensed when I was feeling down. I decided it was one of the many things that made her such a great friend. But why couldn't I open up to Natalie and Addison too? That, I did not know. "Ok. We can go now," Jetta said, standing, and turning to help me up. When I was on my feet, I looked at my other two friends. Their eyes were filled with worry. "I'm sorry," I said, too softly for them to hear.

   As Jetta and I walked away, I looked back at Natalie and Addison. "They're probably mad at me," I said, turning to Jetta. "I doubt that. They have no reason to be mad at you," Jetta replied, shaking her head. "I wouldn't be mad at you if there was something you wanted to tell them and not me. I would understand."

   When Jetta and I sat down on the grass across the field from Natalie and Addison, I began to cry again. "Scarlet, please tell me what's wrong," she said, putting her hand on my arm. "I had a dream last night. My parents died and I had to go into foster care because there were no other people to take custody of me. In reality, all those other people who are allowed to take custody are already dead. My parents are the only thing I have left," I explained.

   "Scarlet, that won't happen, not anytime soon," Jetta reassured me. "You're coming to our house after school anyways. Maybe it will cheer you up a little more," she said.

   I smiled. I had forgotten that I was going home with Jetta and Addison this afternoon. Jetta and I could practice music on our instruments.

   Jetta played the trumpet, and I played the flute.

   We could watch the Twilight movies, like Jetta and I had been wanting to do for a while now. "You want to go back over to them?" Jetta asked, motioning to Addison and Natalie. "Sure," I replied.

   When we got back over to Addison and Natalie, they were still talking to each other. I decided I didn't need to tell them about my dream. It was nothing... nothing compared to what would happen later that night.