His Hidden Little Secrets

June 15th ADC pt. 2

I drive down to the police station right after I hang up the phone with Braden. Murder, I think. It could have been murder. Carter could have been murdered.

I pull into the police station parking lot and Braden is standing in front of the entrance door. He's wearing casual khaki shorts and a simple green American Eagle t-shirt. His dark brown hair is lightly gelled so that it spikes up, and his deep brown, almost black, eyes glisten in the hot June sun. I have to admit: he's extremely attractive and most girls probably would have chosen him over Carter. He just isn't my "type."

"Hey, St. George," he says to me as I walk up to him. He gives me a half-hearted smile. "Long time no see."

"Hey, Jackson," I say back to him. "Yeah, it's been a while."

"I talked to a police guy a couple of minutes ago," Braden Jackson states. "He said that he would talk to some people about re-opening the case for looking into the idea of murder or gang-related activities, but for now, the case is going to remain closed."

"That's bull," I say, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I know," he says, doing the same. He sighs. "God, I miss him."

"Me too," I say sadly. "Me too."

Braden sits down on the curb and I sit down next to him.

"Have you heard anything from Carter's mom?" Braden asks. "Because the last time I talked to her, she was pretty torn up about everything."

I shake my head. "I never really talked to her; even when I was dating Carter. She was drunk all the time and out partying and stuff. She was hardly involved in Carter's life."

"I know," Braden says. "But I was thinking... Do you think Carter's mom might have murdered him?"

"Oh, no way," I say with big eyes. "Definitely not. Carter's mom wasn't bad like that at all... She was just depressed, so she drank to have fun. She never hurt anybody or anything."

"She hurt Carter emotionally," Braden sighs.

"Yeah." I suddenly feel like crying again. "So wouldn't that make you think that she was one of the reasons for Carter's supposed suicide?"

"No, I'm still sticking with the murder idea," Braden states. "I don't know... I just have a feeling in my gut, you know?" He tears out some grass by the curb and plays with it between his fingers. "I just feel like it really wasn't a suicide... Like it had to be murder, or at least an accident... I don't know."

"Yeah, I get that feeling," I say. "A lot."

"Do you think we're capable of solving a crime?" Braden asks intently.

I shrug. "I dunno, maybe?"

"Do you want to try to solve this case on our own?" He asks.

"Like, together?"

"Yeah, Bruh!" He smiles at me. "We'll be partners in crime!"

"Hardy har har," I said, rolling my eyes at his irony. "And don't ever call me ever call me 'bruh' again."

"Whatever," he laughs.

"Sure, I'll try to solve this 'case' of ours with you."

"Alright, cool, cool," he grins. "But hey, you're sure that this case won't be to hard on you?"

"I think I'll be okay," I say honestly. "How about you?"

"I can handle it," he says. "I just want to get whoever murdered Carter- if Carter was murdered- behind bars."

I nod. "Come on, we're going to my house." I grab his wrist and drag him to my car. "But the first stop is the gas station."

~~~

We drive down to the nearby SpeedyTrip gas station and we walk through the doors.

"Wait, why are we here?" Braden asks. "You know what, I actually don't even care why we're here. I just want a donut." He heads over to the 'bakery' section and eyes all of the sweet breads.

"Hey, Saige!" I hear someone call behind the checkout counter. I turn around, and it's Jamie Landstrum, my old friend from middle school, who I haven't talked to since I moved away from the district. Her thick black hair is pulled up in a pony tail and her freshly-tan skin stands out against her white collared shirt that she's wearing for work.

"Oh my gosh, hey Jamie!" I cry as I walk up to the counter. "How are you? It's been forever!"

"I'm great, how are you?" She asks

"I'm alright," I reply.

"But you look GREAT, oh my gosh," Jamie says. "Like, seriously, how many hearts have you broken since 7th grade?"

"Thank you, but umm..." I stutter. I'm not sure if I want to tell her about Carter.

"Oh my God," she says with big eyes.

"What?" Does she know about Carter? I think.

"PLEASE don't tell me that you're still obsessed with Miles Quincy."

"Oh my gosh, Miles Quincy?!" I laugh. Miles Quincy was my old major 7th grade crush. "I haven't even THOUGHT about him since 7th grade!"

"Okay, thank goodness!" Jamie says, pretending to wipe sweat off her forehead. "But seriously, tell me all about your love life."

Jamie Landstrum. The outgoing, funny, nosy, gossip girl. She hasn't changed much since 7th grade, I observe.

"I don't know if I want to talk about it..." I say, looking down and picking at my fingernail. "It's extremely complicated."

"Come on, Saige!" She cries. "Just one tiny detail."

"Okay, fine," I say. "The reason why I'm here is because of my love life."

"What?" She asks.

I sighed. I was going to have to tell her eventually, I think. So I tell her now. "My boyfriend is dead and we don't know why yet. Me and my boyfriend's friend Braden are here because we need donuts, Red Bull, flashlights, pens, paper, sunglasses, protein bars, red Gatorade, baby powder, and tampons."