Zepotha

Revelations

"Maxine!!"

Five hours later, Alaine and her friends caught Maxine and Cole by the bus stop. Alaine walked over to Maxine with a cold expression on her face. Maxine turned around and responded to Alaine's cold gare with her own. Maxine cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows at Alaine.

"Can I help you?"

Maxine asked Alaine coldly. Alaine's jaw clenched and she stared at Maxine in her green eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Wanna tell me why you and Cole were talking about Jessica this morning? Pretty suspicious if you ask me."

Maxine's expression of coldness turned into bewilderment and she flashed a look to Cole who also had a look of shock on his face.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb! Skeet told us! He heard you guys!"

Lydia joined in, pointing at Skeeter behind her. Skeeter shyly put his hands behind his back and refused to make eye contact with anyone. Maxine sighed and rubbed her eyes

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to accuse us of, but all we know is that Cole saw Jessica's body in the woods."

"Well, why didn't you go to the police?" Danny asked Maxine bluntly

"Are you kidding? The cops don't do shit. Plus, they already found her so they're gonna release her name anyway."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"Yes, it does! You just aren't listening!"

The six of them started talking over each other, interrupting each other's sentences. They were going back and forth from attacking each other to defending each other. Students passing by flashed bothered looks at them from the commotion they were causing.

"Oh my fucking god you guys! Why does it matter? Skeeter, you shouldn't be snooping into other people's conversations anyway and Alaine, just admit you're just trying to stir up something between you and Maxine."

Alaine scoffed and crossed her arms at Cole's sudden outburst and Cole continued on...

"And Danny and Lydia, you shouldn't be feeding into them like this. Why should it matter so much that I went to Maxine, one of my closest friends, for support? I'm sorry you overheard our conversation but guys, be real right now, does it really matter that much that you had to come over here and cause a scene? Do you know how traumatizing it is to stumble across a dead body? You four can't just come over here and tell me what I should've done when you haven't experienced anything like that."

The four of them looked at each other as Cole burst out at them. Maxine put a supportive hand on his shoulder and Alaine sighed and scratched the back of her neck like she was embarrassed

"You're right. Im sorry Cole. I don't know what that's like. None of us know what that's like. Right guys?"

Danny and Skeeter nodded at Alaine's words. Alaine looked back and noticed Lydia wasn't really nodding like Danny and Skeeter. Alaine quickly elbowed Lydia

"Right???"

Alaine repeated. Lydia's head shot up like she was just interrupted out of a deep thought and she looked at Alaine and then at Cole.

"Oh! Uh- Right! Sorry, Cole."

Alaine nodded and looked back to Cole and Maxine

"And I'm sorry to you as well Maxine, for snapping at you. You didn't even do anything but be there for Cole to talk to, so you did absolutely nothing to deserve that."

Maxine gave a tight awkward smile to Alaine after she apologized

"It's fine. I see where you're coming from too."

As the tension between all of them died down, Danny cleared his throat

"Well I hate to break this lovely moment, but our buses are here."

The other five looked towards the bus stop and saw a few yellow buses arriving to take students home. They all grabbed their bags and got ready to leave. Alaine faced Maxine and Cole one last time before she left. She held out her hand toward them

"Truce?"

Cole smiled and shook her hand

"Truce. Maxine?"

Maxine sighed and slightly rolled her eyes

"Yeah, fine truce."

Alaine grinned and pulled her backpack up on her shoulder

"Great! Sorry again guys."

Alaine turned around to leave but Lydia stopped her with her arm

"Hold on. Guys... Look!"

They all looked to where Lydia was pointing. She was pointing towards a solo page from a newspaper that had been pushed to the ground by the wind. The title read, "Zepotha High student Reed Truman found dead in woods."
All of their eyes grew wide and their breath grew short as they all turned their heads to look at Cole. Cole's eyes were furrowed and he leaned down to pick up the newspaper.

"No, no guys I swear! I saw Jessica! It was Jessica!"

They all took a second glance at the newspaper again. They weren't crazy, a picture of Reed was in the newspaper pronouncing him deceased.

"Uhh, Cole... Are you absolutely 100% sure?"

Skeeter softly asked and Cole nodded viciously

"Yes! Yes, guys, I'm telling the truth! I swear! It was Jessica!"

"Are you sure? Like maybe you thought it was Jessica but it was really Reed? Like they both have brown hair..-"

"No Max! It was Jessica! I saw her face! I know it's her because I could tell she had boobs!"

Everyone groaned at his comment and Maxine lightly hit his shoulder

"Gross Cole!"

"Im just telling it as it is!"

Alaine took the newspaper and stared at it for a little longer

"That's so weird... How have the cops not found her yet? You couldn't have gone that far in the woods Cole?"

"I didn't! It was like not even a mile in!"

Alaine crumpled up the newspaper and looked between all five of them

"Screw this. Forget the buses for now. I'll drive you guys home. Everyone follow me. We're going to the cops."

That's it for this chapter!! Sorry it's so short! Please comment anything you'd like to see or any recommendations you have! I hope you enjoyed! Happy reading!!