AVRIL'S CASE -BOOK 2

Chapter Four.

"Why haven't I met any of your friends?" Avril turned to Cassie. They both lay on the grass as they watched the clouds float in the sky, they had their pinkies linked together and their hairs spread out on the grass.

Cassie blinked and opened up her mouth but didn't say anything for a while, "I guess I'm selfish," her face turned guilty. "I have two best friends," she put up two fingers and smiled , "Danny and Phoebe, we share each other, but I have you all to myself and it's nice." She finished with a smile, but Avril didn't say anything, she looked up at the sky with her face drawn down into a frown, she unlinked her pinkie from Cassie's and placed both her hands on her stomach. "Why haven't I met any of your other friends?" Cassie threw the question back to her.

Avril turned to face her, eyes soft and sad, she twitched the corner of her mouth before replying: "because I have none."

"Where do I even start Tate? I don't know anyone that Avril knew, her parents are out of town, and I can't retrace my footsteps to footprints that have already been wiped up a long time ago." The more she forced herself to think about the memories she shared with Avril, the more she felt like she did not really know her like she thought she did. Back then, she always viewed Avril as unique and she always wanted to know more about her, but she never pushed it, she never pressed on a topic, she always wanted to figure it out by herself, somehow. It was the pride that got in her way, among other things. If she got spoon- fed all the time, then she would not have been solving a mystery, to her, getting the answers on a platter of gold was cheating. She wanted to investigate and find answers that people tried so hard to hide, she wanted to unpeel Avril's story until she was faced with the truth. After Avril's death, she did not bother anymore. She was in a way terrified to dig into Avril's story for fear of what she would have found, also, if she uncovered Avril's story, then that was it, she would have some answers but not Avril. She knew that nothing she did could bring Avril back. She knew that she could not help her after her death. Answers would have also filled her up with guilt if she knew that there was more she could have done for Avril before she passed.

"How is that even possible?" he blinked, in confusion. "You must have known someone else she knew."

"Her parents moved way after her death. I guess they couldn't bear staying in Freetown anymore. So many memories." She said in a dull tone, and then she lazily rested her face in her palms.

"No friends or siblings?" he asked and then he casually got up and attempted to grab his hat but Cassie had quicker hands, she placed them on her laps and giggled at his failed attempt. He groaned and went back to sit.

"None that I know of," She said and sighed loudly, there was a little pause on her face and a look of contemplation "Well, not too long ago I met this guy who claims he is her brother, but she told me her brother died, she couldn't have lied to me? Could she?" She asked the question more to herself than Tate

"I can't answer that, maybe he can answer all your questions, if he really is her blood, he shall certainly know more about her than you could think of." He reasoned.

"I thought I knew everything about her," she placed the hat on the table and rested her chin on it "maybe I thought wrong," her voice got softer and she wore a frown on her face "Maybe I was wrong about everything," she rested her face in her palms.

"Yes, Cassie, you were," he said unsympathetically before swiftly sliding the hat from under her chin, causing her to hit her chin on the table.

"Ow," she rubbed her chin and smacked his arm "So you think I should call him even if I do not trust him?" she kept on soothing her chin.