deadly secret

Chapter 11

It's the last period of the day, and everyone's still talking about Stefan's locker. Sometime before lunch there was another sign left on it. Only this time, Stefan couldn't tear it down. Someone had written the words Killer Go Home in permanent black marker. The sign was up there for two full hours before Mr.Gomez, ordered a janitor to come and cover it up with a few strokes of red paint.

Since our English teacher is out sick today, Casey, Tyler, and I have a free period. So were sitting in the courtyard behind the school. "Um, excuse me, but haven't you heard about playboy" he asks. Casey and Tyler have been discussing about Stefan since we got here. "I wonder how the truth even leaked out about Stefan" I say, cutting through their discussion. "Are you kidding?" Tyler says. "This is a small town, with even smaller minds. A guy can't even scratch the wrong way without people suspecting he's got a killer case".

"Something you wanna tell us about?" Casey asks. Tyler gives her the middle finger nose scratch. "Well, if this town is so small" I ask, "how come nobody told me Jack was dating Gabby Bennet?" I look at Tyler. "What?" Casey's jaw drops. "Apparently true. I talked to him earlier", "Not true" Casey protests. "Gabby's in my Spanish class. The girl tells me everything"

"Maybe she only tells you some things" Tyler says. "Or maybe Jack's trying to make you jealous" Casey says. "It's the oldest trick in the book". "Well, whatever" I say, eager to get back to business. "I've been asking people about him" I say. "Jack?" Casey perks up. "No, Stefan."

"Okay, so, no offense" she says, "but does this fascination with Stefan have anything to do with you deciding to give up your senior citizen of life?". "Senior citizen?". "Yeah, you know, safe, carefully planned, doesn't like surprises, likes to be before dark-", "You have to admit, you are a bit of an old lady" Tyler adds.

"Of course, we love that about you" Casey insists. "Right" Tyler says. "I mean, who doesn't love their grandma? And it could explain your sudden fixation which Danger Boy". "Hold up" Casey says. "If Stefan were a real danger boy, who really killed his girlfriend, do you honestly think they'd allow him back to school?"

"You don't think he did it?" I ask. "What I think is that you're starting to sound just a tad bit obsessed". "Well, it's a little hard not to be. I mean, Stefan's name is everywhere, in practically every conversation" I say. "In practically every girl's nightmare" Tyler says, making his voice deep. "Well dangerous or not," Casey says, popping a fireball candy into her mouth. "the boy is hot for an alleged killer, that is."

"Why is it that all the good ones have to be killers?" Tyler lets out an exaggerated sigh. "You're such an ass" I say, throwing a potato chip at his head. It sticks i his hair, but he picks it out and eats it anyway. "So, what did you find out about him?" Casey asks me. "Nothing reliable" I shrug. "The stories are getting more ridiculous by the minute". Tyler nods, "Last I heard, the boy chopped up his entire family and ate them for breakfast"

"That's sick" Casey says. "But nasty" He grabs a handful of my potato chips. "Speaking of sick" I say, "what was up with the photo you left in my mailbox?", "Photo?" he asks, I nod. "The one of me, in front of the school, with a heart around it". He tilts his head, visibly confused. "What?"

"Don't be a dick" Casey says, "It was you. Just like it was you with that Teletubby stunt" she says. "Honestly," he says, "dicks and Teletubbies aside, I have absolutely no idea what you're even talking about" he says confused. "Hold up" I say, "You didn't leave a photo of me in my mailbox?" Tyler shakes his head. "Aren't you taking photography this year?" I ask.

"And so, what does that prove, that I'm suddenly taking random pictures of people and leaving them in their mailboxes?" he says. "I wouldn't worry about it" Casey spits her fireball into her palm. "It's probably just some lame-o kids idea of a joke" She shook Tyler an evil smirk.

"Hey don't look at this lame-o" he says, pointing out the front of his T-shirt, where the words Innocent Proven Guilty are printed across the chest.