How Did We Get Into This Mess - KOTLC Oneshots

Resolve

( . . . Are You Ready For It? )

Sophie walked the crowded hallway, clutching her bag tight to her chest as backpacks shoved her aside. Seriously, does anyone care anymore? She forced herself to avoid looking at the students twisting past the zero for their locker combinations, knowing she'd unwittingly memorize the pattern.

It was a small problem in comparison the the billowing smoke blowing through the sky from the most recent fire the arsonist had set. So far, the police had still failed to find them. It was supposed to be a priority, what with the amount of cemeteries in Colma, but the bigger cities nearby were at the top of the list.

When flames claimed the jewish cemeteries Hills Of Eternity and Home Of Peace, it was deemed an anti-semitic hate crime, which meant a patrol. The patrol had yet to come, despite the renowned humans who'd chosen to be six feet under once they passed. It was kind of weird, knowing there were famous people buried by her grandma.

Endless politicians, Hall of Famers, a Manson victim, activists, tycoon owners, heiresses, medical curiosities, widely known artists, and that guy who wrote the jazz for Charlie Brown. The morbid fact she lived around so much death didn't bother Sophie. She always remembered it that way.

Apparently, it bothered the insanely attractive teal-eyed boy staring out the window at the nearest resting place- Holy Cross. Sophie was fairly certain the guy was new, since he still had that sad look on his face- clearly, he had never been around public school teenagers. He probably transferred from the catholic school from the other side of town.

"Hey," Sophie said annoyedly. "The bell rings in two minutes." The student opened his mouth to respond, and she took off her noise canceling headphones, wincing at the volume of the thoughts pressing at her mind. A flash of recognition sparked in the boy's sculpted face, causing her to take a step back.

He couldn't know, right? It was impossible. Anxiety and paranoia jabbed at Sophie, making her look to the floor and walk away, muttering a goodbye as she scrambled to her math room. Third period was starting soon, and she wanted to be anywhere but around him.

By the time fifth period rolled around, he was standing outside the door to finances, playing with a knockoff magic eight ball. 

"Is there any way I could convince you to show me around," he said, handing her a hall pass. The whole situation screamed stranger danger! Don't follow him! In spite of it all, she noticed the way he spoke. Tenderly, as if his own voice was grating on his ears.

She knew the feeling.

"Maybe I could show you the football field first?"

He nodded, pulling a sleek silver square from his satchel, whispering a few words carefully.

"So you can read minds too," he said in hushed tones, ducking to sit under the bleachers. Sophie grabbed a metal support as her legs gave out, dewy grass wetting the knees of her leggings. She didn't breathe, didn't speak- how did he know?

"Hey. Hey! Deep breaths, ok," he told her as air finally came back to her lungs, breath rushing in and out as her stomach heaved, mouth suddenly dry, throat tight. Sophie was shaking, she realized, realizing as she wavered back into reality. Pain throbbed in her chest, and she grabbed at her collarbone, trying to slow down. 

Closing her eyes, she counted back from thirty. She opened them, a stony resolve strengthening her core.

"If you tell anyone, I'll kill you."

( So . . . what if Sophie lived in San Francisco, not San Diego? This au is more of a small town murder mystery type piece, and I can't wait to keep writing it. )