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JULIA HOWARDS SAT ON A bench, rereading her article as she waited for her friends to join her for school. For the most part of the morning, everything seemed normal and quiet. However, if she listened carefully, she would be able to hear her principle making the same announcement he had been doing since the first murder had occurred.
"All students are encouraged to return to their homes promptly from school grounds. Avoid all strangers and walk in groups of two or three," The school's intercoms crackled, leading the crowd of students to be completely unaware of the announcement. Though, Julia had heard it, like she did every other day. As she was the writer for the school's newspaper, Julia had always made sure to keep her ears open for any new news to appear.
As the announcement had come to an end, Julia peered over the crowd, lightly smiling once she noticed a few familiar faces making their way over to her.
"Did they ask you if you like to hunt?" She heard Stu ask, cocking his head to the side at the girl.
"Did who ask me what?" She questioned back, not expecting to be greeted in such an unusual way. Although she didn't expect any less from Stu.
"The cops," Stu answered, jumping onto the bench and swinging his arm around her, "They're questioning the students now. They asked me if I liked to hunt."
"Well," Julia arched her brow, glancing at the boy, "Do you?"
"Depends what I'm hunting," He winked, pushing himself off the bench to avoid a slap from Tatum.
"Not funny," Tatum rolled her eyes, "They could totally take you seriously and pull you into more questioning," she reminded, taking the spot he had left.
"Why would they even ask you if you like to hunt?" Sid joined in, eyeing Stu.
"Because she was gutted," Randy casually responded with a shrug, earning a disgusted face from the girl.
"Thank you for your input, Randy."
"They asked me too," Billy piped up, causing Tatum to huff in response, "Why didn't they ask me then?"
"Because there is no way a girl could've done that," Stu laughed, this time getting himself successfully slapped by his girlfriend.
"Woah, wait," Julia piped in, "The killer could easily be a girl."
"Yeah," Tatum nodded, "Basic Instinct."
"I don't even understand," Sid shook her head, quieting Stu before he could respond, "How could you even gut someone?"
"Oh easy," Stu pushed out, "All you do is take a knife and you slice from groin to sternum— ow!"
"She didn't mean it in that way," Julia cut him off, drawing her foot back from his ankle, "More in a, 'how could you do that to someone'."
"Oh."
"Wait? Didn't you use to date Casey?" Sid spoke again, looking up to Stu.
"Yeah, for like two seconds," He coughed out a laugh, sharing a look with Billy and then glancing at Julia.
Julia didn't miss that detail.
"Before she dumped you for Steve," Randy popped in, making Tatum glare at him.
"I thought you dumped her for me?" She asked, turning to the boy.
"I did, he's full of shit."
"Well are the police aware that you dated the victim?" Randy continued on, causing Julia to sigh out in frustration, "Don't you think that's a little too far, Randy?"
"Yeah, what are you trying to say, Randy?" Stu asked, making his way over to the boy, "I killed her?" He questioned again, now towering over him.
"It would certainly improve your high school IQ," Randy challenged.
"Well he didn't," Tatum spoke up, standing from the bench to hug Stu's arm, "Stu was with me last night, okay?"
"Yeah I was," He cheesily smiled to Randy.
Julia rolled her eyes at that comment, knowing that it wasn't a true statement. Stu was actually with her that night.
"Oh, okay," Randy nodded, looking around for a brief second, "Was that before or after he sliced and diced?"
during, actually.
"Hah, okay, well where were you last night?" Tatum interrogated back at Randy.
"I was working, ask Julia," He sarcastically responded, pointing his finger at her.
At his words, Julia held her hands up in surrender, not wanting to become apart of the conversation they were having.
"I'm just observing," Julia huffed out a response, "Keep me out of this."
"So you can write all about how Stu used to date her," Randy questioned, "Oh- what would you title this one, huh?"
"Or maybe I could write about the time you asked her to Prom in front of everyone?" Julia responded, cocking her head at the boy, "You know, when she said no and you went home crying, fully believing that she embarrassed you on purpose," she paused for a second, "Oh, what did you say, something about revenge-"
Julia's words were cut off by the school's bell loudly echoing through the area.
"Prom-posal turns to murder?" Julia finally finished, standing from her seat, "Maybe I could just think of a title later, huh?"
"No need for that," Randy responded, looking at her, "I'm just suspicious over Stu here."
"Nah, I didn't kill anybody."
"Nobody said you did," Billy responded, raising his brows for only a second as he glanced at his friend.
"Thanks buddy," Stu nodded, patting Billy on the shoulder.
Julia curiously watched the two interact before looking back down to the newspaper in her hand.
