Bloody Mary // J. Hale

Mirror mirror

Jenna woke up with a pounding headache, worse than usual. The morning air, cold and biting, had crept into her room through the open window, leaving a thin frost on the panes. She groaned, longing to stay in the warmth of her bed, but she knew better. Her mum, the undersheriff of Forks, wasn't one to let her play sick when she wasn't. Especially not on a regular school day.

Regret hit hard the moment Jenna threw the blankets off and felt the cold air sting her skin. Shivering, she grumbled to herself, "Why did I leave my window open?" She stumbled toward it, slamming it shut—and that's when she noticed the problem.

"Mom!" Jenna shouted, rubbing her arms for warmth. "The lock on my window broke off!"

From the bathroom, Ally's muffled voice called back, "What did you say, sweetie?"

Jenna sighed, louder this time. "The lock, Mom! It's broken!"

"Just put some duct tape on it for now. I'll fix it after work!"

Jenna rolled her eyes. Of course, duct tape was the solution to everything in their house. She rummaged through her desk drawer for the tape, still puzzled over how the lock had broken in the first place. There hadn't been any storm last night, and she was sure she'd closed it properly.

After wrestling with the tape for what felt like forever, she managed to seal the window, though the headache still pounded behind her eyes. She hurried through her morning routine, eager to leave the freezing house behind.

Like most mornings that week, Jenna's mom drove her to school, citing the icy roads as too dangerous for her to bike on. Jenna didn't mind today; the cold outside was relentless, and the warmth of the car was a welcome relief. Besides, with her driving lessons starting next week, the carpooling days with her mom were numbered.

"Oh, before I forget," Ally said as they pulled into the school parking lot, "the Swans are coming over for dinner on Saturday. Can you ask Isabella if she eats spareribs? I'm going shopping after work, so I'll need to know."

"Everyone loves your ribs, Mom," Jenna reassured her with a small smile. "And she prefers to be called Bella. Trust me, she eats meat. You're good."

"Alright, I'll trust you on that one. Have a good day, sweetheart!" Ally waved as Jenna slipped out of the car, cutting off the last part of her mom's sentence as the door shut behind her.

The day was like any other, full of boring classes and the constant hum of whispers behind her back. The stares hadn't let up since she returned to Forks, and though Jenna had grown used to them, they still got under her skin. Especially today, with her headache grinding away at her patience.

Lunch came, and Jenna couldn't bear the thought of sitting in the cafeteria, surrounded by whispers and Lauren and Jessica's snide remarks. Instead, she opted for a quieter refuge: the restroom. Sitting alone in a stall, she picked at her lunch, hoping for just a moment of peace. But peace wasn't in the cards.

"I saw her in the hallway today," a girl's voice echoed as a group of freshmen entered the restroom. "I thought she was just a rumour, but she's real."

Jenna stiffened. She knew exactly who they were talking about.

"I heard she got sent to the psych ward, but they kicked her out. Even too crazy for the crazies!" another girl cackled.

Jenna's appetite vanished. She'd chosen the restroom to escape the cafeteria drama, but here she was, stuck listening to it anyway.

"That's not what I heard," a third voice chimed in, dripping with malicious glee. "My uncle works in a psych ward in Seattle. Over Christmas, I overheard him talking about a patient from Forks who killed another girl."