Not Her | ONC 2022

| chapter one |

   LEIGH was happy for school to be over. Spring break came in form of her salvation. A cool breeze fluttered into her room, from her half-open window, rippling her yellow curtains, the only pop of color in her otherwise bland room;  it was decorated sparsely with books and basketball posters. The sundrenched, warm days would be welcome in Summerset. The town needed a break and so did she.

Leigh grabbed her crutches and pushed herself off her bed, placing yet another finished book on her bookshelf. All she had been doing lately was reading, the result of a broken leg and missing out on her basketball championship. It was only her luck that a college had offered her a scholarship before the games, based on her excellent grades, her performance, and recommendations she was lucky to receive.

The soft hum of engines of the occasional car crossing the road or the distant lawnmower floated into her room, the constant white noise a sort of cozy trait in Summerset. It was notorious for the haven it was, and it was oftentimes referred to as the modern-day Skoki. In small towns, everyone knew everyone and everything about everyone. 

So when a beat down 2006 Honda pulled up in front of her house, Leigh almost collapsed and broke her second leg, because she knew exactly who it was, and was not expecting to see them.  She hid behind her curtain and watched as the driver of the car got out of the car, not efficiently of course because her unwanted tears kept blurring her vision. Leigh didn't know what she was doing here, or what she wanted. It had been two years since they had spoken a word to each other. Leigh limped over to her door and slammed it shut, fumbling to lock it. 

Under her, she heard the doorbell ring, sending her heart into an erratic frenzy. There was a shuffling of feet and then her mother's muffled flamboyant voice filled their small townhouse. 

"Honey, I haven't seen you in so long! Come inside." There was a pause, and then some conversation that Leigh couldn't hear despite pressing the side of her face to the door. 

Another voice floated up a few minutes later. "Thank you, Aunt Jamie." That voice made Leigh's finger twitch in silent fury.

There was a creaking of stairs, and she knew that this moment was inevitable. Surely, Leigh couldn't jump out the window to avoid confrontation. To avoid the bitter, angry feelings that had been pent up for so long. So when she heard the footsteps cease at her door, she knew Nora-Jane was standing in front of it, and reluctantly swung her door open. And she almost fainted.

At her doorway, stood Leigh's ex-best friend, Nora-Jane, with puffy eyes, and tangled hair. They were polar opposites, one could say, in every way possible. Nora-Jane had pale skin, and stark blue eyes, with so much blue, it was all Leigh could think about sometimes.  Her fingers were soft and slender, made for the strokes of paintbrushes and art. And Nora always looked pretty, effort or not, short skirts, and pastel blouses. Leigh, on the other hand, had dark skin, her hands rough, full of callouses, and her fashion sense consisted of a careful selection of clothes that almost made her look like the homeless guy downtown. 

It was almost as if fate had its fun being ironic and made them a pair of best friends in middle school.  It all fell apart when they were sophomores when they played a stupid game, and Leigh got into her stupid feelings and then (stupidly) kissed Nora-Jane. Nora-Jane kissed her back. And then never talked to Leigh again.

Until now. Leigh didn't know what to do. They were seniors now, close to going to college. Avoiding her in school was easy. They had their own classes, their own friend groups, and their own busy lives. 

Nora-Jane shifted her weight on her feet. "Can I come in?"

Leigh blinked. She was afraid that if she spoke too much, her voice would crack and give away emotion she couldn't let Nora see.  "No."

Leigh saw Nora-Jane clench and unclench her jaw. She also saw how Nora kept flexing her fingers, a giveaway tell she was anxious about something. 

"It's important. You know I wouldn't have come otherwise." 

Leigh pretended that didn't sting and shrugged noncommittally. "Okay." 

She stepped to the side, let Nora-Jane walk in, and made sure to close the door behind her. Leigh jumped onto her bed, pretending to be occupied in a novel that she had finished two weeks ago laying next to her pillow. She didn't offer Nora her chair and didn't bother to ask her to join her on the bed. It would be better if she was standing. Easier for her to walk out anyway, thought Leigh bitterly. 

"I know you probably hate me," Nora started. "But I needed your help. And what I need your help for is bigger than my pride so I came here."

Leigh hummed. "What do you want? Just get to the point."

Nora-Jane's eyes brimmed with fresh tears. "I was there when Aubrey stabbed herself. I was right there. I could've stopped it but I didn't," she said, her voice now coming in hiccups.

Leigh was sitting straight now, her attention caught. That must have been immensely traumatic. Leigh felt guilt and pain shoot through her. She should've offered Nora a chair.

"I had to hear the sound of the knife going into her stomach. I had to see her eyes waiting for someone before she took her life. And that brings me to why I'm here," Nora said, wiping her tears. "I think she was murdered," she breathed out as if removing weight off her chest.

Leigh grimaced inwardly. Aubrey was a new student in Summerset, and although Leigh had tried not to pay too much attention to Nora, she knew both girls were friends. Aubrey came to Summerset High with a questionable reputation and not many people were the biggest fans of her. But it came as a surprise when news had come that Aubrey had killed herself. It had set a dark cloud over Summerset but it was soon forgotten. Aubrey didn't have much family here, so after a month, life was back to normal.

"Nora, you just said you saw Aubrey stab herself." Leigh felt obliged to get up now, and handed Nora a bottle of water from under her bed. "I understand you're going through things right now, and I'm sure it was terrible to see. But the claim you're making is huge. It was an open and shut case."

Nora took a small sip and shook her head. "No, Leigh, you should have seen her that day. She kept talking about how someone was going to get to her. She kept joking about it, but now that I think about it, I'm sure she meant it. It was meant for me, Leigh. I need to get her justice."

Leigh softened. Nora-Jane was going through extreme stress. It was natural to be in denial, and natural to find ways to channel your grief, not to mention that she sounded like she came out from a terribly scripted movie. She took Nora's hand. "I'll call your mom to pick you up. I think you should rest and try going to therapy for this, Nora."

Nora snatched her hand away, her soft features suddenly contorting into rage. "You think I'm crazy, Leigh. I know you do. I'm not fucking crazy. Aubrey never would have done this. She had a lot of secrets. A lot of things she was dodgy about and I think those secrets came back to kill her, Leigh." 

Leigh leaned against the shelf, crossing her arms across her chest. "Still, what you're saying will be difficult to prove. It's practically impossible."

"It'll be hard, I know. But if we put our heads together, we can do it, Leigh."

"We?" Leigh let out a dry laugh. "Look, I get this is hard on you. But I'm not trying to talk to you again. I texted your mom." 

It was Nora's turn to grab Leigh's hand. "Please, Leigh. Please, at least not for me, but for Aubrey. Just give it a chance. Think of it as a project. We don't need to have anything between us."

Leigh looked down at Nora, her blue eyes that she used to love, and turned over the thought of them working on a case in her head. No matter what, after this, she wouldn't be able to shun Nora-Jane out forever. This was the least she could do. For Nora, and maybe herself.

The clock behind Nora ticked slowly, the room beginning to feel smaller. 

Leigh sighed. "Fine."

***

word count: 1448