The Secrets We Keep

The Eighteenth Chapter

Hayden

Over the weekend, I spend a lot of time in my bedroom gathering my facts. I dig out unused old notebooks and start dedicating pages to all of the people who were by the school the night Amelia died. 

There's Amelia herself. She was there to lock up Gibbons's office and then to drive me home. 

Christopher and I were in detention. Mr. Johnson was supervising us. 

Damien was there to pick me up. 

And Nathan was there because of rowing practice. And then to take Christopher home. I still have to verify this fact with Christopher, something that I'll do today at school.

After canceling school last Friday, they've officially reopened. However, today will be more like a memorial for Amelia rather than a full school day. 

Mom told me her family arranged for her funeral on Sunday. They did it quickly after the body was released back to them. I wanted to go, but Mom said it was supposed to be a quiet affair just for her immediate family. 

I bite the edge of my pencil remembering how she'd told me they'd all driven her insane. I would've liked to have gone. I know Damien would've too but I guess the memorial service at school will allow us to say goodbye. 

"Hayden!" My mom calls through my closed bedroom door. "Hurry up or we'll be late."

For once, I'm already dressed for school. I shove my notebook into my bag and swing it over my shoulder. 

I've been frustrated these last few days. I've written down everything I think I know about that day but I'm still left with one big question: Who would want to kill Amelia? 

As far as I can tell, she had no real enemies. The only one I know she had a problem with, was Christopher, and in the grand scheme of things, it seems rather superficial. 

He got her in trouble a few times and embarrassed her in front of her previous friend group. But even with all of those facts, that's more of a reason for her to kill him instead of the other way around.

I groan as I trudge out of my room and head out to my family waiting in the car. I'm still stuck at square one. Until I can figure out why anyone would want to kill her, I can't guess who would do it.

-

At school, Damien and I split off from Mom as she goes to sit with the rest of the teachers in the main assembly hall. They've broken up the kids by grades and then surnames. For once I'm mad about the fact that I, as an Andrews, am always at the front of the line and that Christopher, as a Wallace, is at the back. 

I really wanted a chance to talk to him to at least verify Nathan's reason for being at school. 

As Damien and I start weeding our way through the crowd of noisy kids, I try to spot Christopher's mop of brown hair. 

"Who are you looking for?" Damien asks, watching as I prop myself on my tippy toes to get a better view of the sea of people. 

"Christopher," I answer and see his eyes dim. 

"I know you've become all 'Hakuna Matata' since you think we've trauma bonded, but can I please remind you the man is still an A-class asshole," Damien says irritably as he starts to take a seat. 

"I know that," I hiss back. "But it's important and it's about that night." 

Damien clenches his jaw but nods. He might not understand my desire to talk to him, but he can understand my desire to get to the bottom of what happened that night. "I saw him lingering back in the hall. You'll be able to catch him but you two will probably miss the memorial service."