The Forgotten

The Prodigal Daughter Returns (Part One)

Jess' funeral is almost a week later, the same day Shain gets released from jail. I suspect their parent coordinated it.

I avoid Shain during the funeral. It seems odd and petty for us to be feuding over Jess' dead body. I don't think he would have liked that. An actually fight he might have enjoyed, but I didn't know him at all. I could be wrong. I probably am.

Cardinal is still missing. It's been days and Will told me she's been presumed dead. I told him I already knew.

"Raven." Shain says my sister's name so quietly I thought I might have imagined it. She speaks again, "Raven, I know that you know about me and Jess."

"Funny to talk about that here," I reply coldly. I'm not mad at Shain. I just don't like her. It was one thing when I just thought she was a spoiled brat. Now I know she backstabbed my sister. In fact, if she hadn't been in jail when Jess was killed, I'd think she actually stabbed my sister and pushed him to cover her tracks.

I know now that Shain isn't a killer. But I also know she's a lot of other unpleasant things.

"It's as good as any," she says.

"No," I say, turning to face her, "because he's dead."

"Don't you think I know that?" she hisses. Tears glisten in her eyes. I didn't know she cared so much.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper. "I really am." She breathes in.

"The last time I saw him..." she whispers, "was through the bars of my cell. I heard about...what happened...from the captain...at the station." She lets out a sob. I put my arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," I repeat. This time I did do something to apologize for. I put her in jail. I took Jess away from her.

"It's not your fault," she says, wiping tears from her eyes. "You didn't force him to jump. I just can't understand why?' She sobs again. I pat her shoulder supportively. I partially wish I could tell her he probably didn't. But what if he's deemed a jumper? It was implied that the police suspect that was what happened. Another unhappy wealthy kid that overreacted to something and...well...jumped.

I don't think he did that though. Jess had everything going for him. He was free to be with Shain. As far as I know, he wasn't being prosecuted for the shoplifting. I don't know how his parents got him out of that one.

He had no reason to kill himself.

Which leaves only a murder or an accident. Someone who killed by accident would surely confess. Or would they?

I clutch the sides of my head. Shain frowns.

"Raven, are you alright?" I give her a fake smile.

"Headache," I explain. This is true. All of my theories are pounding inside my skull. I wish I were a police so I could investigate all of them. As of right now, I feel overwhelmed.

School on Monday was canceled, which sucked. I was stuck home alone all day while the Bristills met with the Banks. They had both lost on the same day. Even though the Banks didn't know it, the Bristills had lost more.

Tuesday school had recommenced. Everyone was solemn and wore black. I felt better in black than in pink. On Wednesday, only Jess' closest friends wore black. And me, but that's because I didn't know the drill with the dress code.

Today, school was canceled for the funeral. Tomorrow everything will return completely to normal, at least at school. Shain will be back. I'm anxious to see how that goes.

I turn away from Shain and see York and Jersey in the back row. They don't look very upset for two people whose friend "committed suicide". I still think they were involved. If they didn't push him, I think they know who did.