Jayla: Behind The Closed Doors

Chapter 9: So Close Yet So Far...

"Who's jayla? Geez, it's been only a week and you already forgot who we were." The voice said.

I looked up squinting my eyes trying to see who this person was.

"We?" I asked.

"Yeah, me, Iris, and Stevie." She answered back.

"Gia!" I screamed and gave her a hug squeezing her to death. "I missed you guys." I said with my eyes getting a little watery.

"We missed you too, Nevada!" Stevie said behind her. "Right Iris?"

"Yeah, sure." She said with no emotion at all. I didn't know if she didn't like me or if that was just how she acted.

"Alright, let go I can't breath." Gia said jokingly trying to let me go.

I released her.

"Sorry!" I said.

"How have ya been?" Stevie said with worryful eyes.

"I've been good. How are you guys?" I said back.

"Good." Stevie said.

"Fine." Gia said.

And Iris, of course, said nothing.

"That's, good." I replied back.

We chatted for a bit until Iris brought up Cleo.

"Okay, we didn't come here to talk about irrelevant things." She stated putting her phone in her pocket and walking towards me. "The school burning down was definently not an accident and neither was her body disappearing."

"Are you sure maybe it was just a coincident." I nervously said to her. I never really had a real conversation with Iris before. She had pretty big eyes which were glaring at me. It was just a little scary.

"Nevaha. You know it wasn't just a coincident." Iris said her eyes looking straight into mine.

"Uhh, n-no." I answered back.

"Do you know something?" She asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Did you see something in the fire? Or maybe was somebody else there?" She asked.

"No!" I yelled. "Why does everyone think that I know what happened?"

"Everyone?"

"Yeah, detectives came to my house and were talking to me about it."

"What did they say?" Stevie asked.

"N-nothing." I said. "They just asked me stupid questions."

"Nevaha, just tell us." Stevie said.

"Okay, th-they found these matches in my bag. A-and now they think I started the fire and I'm just really scared!" I cried.

"Were they your matches?" Gia asked.

"N-no." I said.

"Then someone must be setting you up." Iris said.

"Y-yeah. I guess. But I don't know who." I lied. I knew exactly who it was, who started all of this. I just didn't know why.

Stevie walked over to me and set her arm around my shoulder.

"It's okay." She said. "There's nothing to be afraid of, we are gonna find who this culprit is." Stevie said comforting me.

"How?" I asking sobbing.

"Well first were going to Cleo's house and look for clues." She said.

"Wait we're going now?" I asked.