Revenge[√]

Detective Work

After a tense breakfast around the table, I made an announcement to my parents.

'I made funeral arrangements for Austin already so you don't need to worry about that. We're going to Hawaii on the weekend so make sure you don't have anything planned for then. Also, I want access to the old SpyCorp files. I need to start my investigation.'

Mom and Dad dropped their forks and stared at me. I had never spoken to them like that before because I wanted to be the favourite but now wasn't a time for beating around the bush.

'I'll let your tone slide this once because of what you're going through young lady,' Dad growled.

I ignored him as M
om looked silently up at me.

'Why do you need the old files? We are already investigating who it is that is trying to kill you.' Mom said, taking a sip of her tea.

'Well that investigation hasn't made much progress has it? I suspect there is someone on the team that is holding the investigation back. I want those files and if you won't give me access to them I can just hire a hacker who will.'

I stood up and left my mom choking on her tea and my dad staring coldly at me.

The rest of the day I sat in bed and just thought of Austin. My dream that afternoon had felt so real and I knew I had to keep my promise to Austin. He wanted to know who had killed him before he moved on.

'Nini, I'm home!' Mark said, opening my door and coming in.

His blonde hair was stuck on his forehead from his day in the sun and his vest had grass stains all over it.

'Hey Mark. How was your day?'

He sat down on the floor besides my bed and stretched his arms.

'It was tiring. I see you didn't try to kill yourself. Again.'

'Shut up! You know I wouldn't do that. Anyway I need your opinion. Do you think Austin should be cremated or buried? It's not like we ever discussed how we wanted our remains to be treated when we died,' I said.

Mark looked at me oddly then pretended to think about it.

'What do you think he would've wanted? I mean you knew him more than me.'

'Yeah I thought about having him cremated in Hawaii and then scattering his ashes at the place where he...died.'

'That sounds good. Anyway Rosalie wants to talk to you.' Mark said, standing up.

'Oh tell her to come in,' I said.

I only realized then that I hadn't talked to her since the previous morning.

'No need. I'm already here,' she said, walking over to my bed.

'Ok cool. I need to shower. Scream if you need anything,' Mark said, shuffling out of the room.

'Hey sis, you good?' she asked, sitting down next to me on the bed.

'Yeah, I'm surviving. It still hurts though,' I answered.

'I'll take your mind off it then. Mrs Martin had an emergency so she left town for a month.'

'What? Are you serious? I miss school one day and this happens! I should skip school more often then,' I said, jumping up and grinning.

Rosalie just chuckled. 'Calm down. Her grandson has osteoporosis and he fractured a hip so she went to go visit him.'

'Oh my that's sad. But whatever-how is everyone handling the news?'

'Great. Your class had a party during lunch. Music, Booze, the works. The teachers didn't say anything because they seem happy that she left too.' Rosalie said, going over to my dresser and getting a brush.

I scooted over and she started brushing my knotted hair.

'Hey did you see Vicki and Nessi?' I asked, regretting it instantly.

Rosalie stopped combing for a second then started again.

'Yeah, they kind of think you killed Austin. The whole school hates you.' She said quietly.

'Oh no! How did they treat you and Mark?' I asked.

I didn't really care what everyone else thought; I just wanted to make sure my family wasn't getting abused for it.

'I don't know about Mark but everyone just sort of avoided me. I spent lunch in the library like I always do so I wasn't target practise for the jocks either.'

'Hey you sure they didn't do anything?' I asked again.

I knew Shannon Prep kids. Rich, spoilt and hungry for blood. Well by blood I mean humiliating people not killing them.

'Yeah. The only person who gave me a problem today was Samantha. She was angry at Mark about something but I just tuned her out on our way home.'

'Wait is she here?' I asked, frowning.

Usually Mark's girlfriend didn't come to the house if Mom and Dad were there. They didn't like her much and she was kind of terrified of them.

'No. She stopped outside then got a cab back to campus.'

'What does she study at college anyway?' I asked.

I mean, Samantha wasn't exactly clever. She was more a bubble-gum popping, high-pitched blonde. I'm blonde so technically I'm insulting myself too but Sam was just downright stupid. An airhead. No brains.

'I honestly don't know. I think Mark knows though. Why is he even dating her? She's embarrassing.'

'I know right? You can't even take her to a restaurant without her messing something up,' I exclaimed.

'Lol remember when she tried stealing a fish out of the fish tanks at Little Nero's?' I asked, laughing.

'Yeah how about when she demanded to see the cook after she got her appetiser?' Rosalie said, giggling hysterically.

''Oh Lord its tiny! How the fuck am I supposed to see much less eat it?' ' I said, putting a hand on my hip and imitating her annoyingly high voice.

'She's insane.' Rosalie laughed.

'Yes. Yes she is.'

'Anyway, the funeral is going to be in Hawaii. We going this weekend,' I told her after we had sobered up.

'Cool. Sounds like you have everything planned already.' Rosalie said, sitting in front of me.

'Yeah.'

I told her about my dream and she sat there listening carefully.

'I think that makes sense. Where are you going to start your investigation?' she asked.

'I want to go to Columbia, where Austin killed Kat. Maybe also go through the old files and try to find out what happened to his daughter. I have a feeling she has something to do with this. If it turns out she's dead, then I can at least scratch her off my suspect list.'

'Can I come with you?' she asked.

'No way. I want to do this on my own. Besides, you have finals coming up and I know you'll just spend the entire trip studying and ignoring me.'

'Yeah, you're right. Just be careful ok? Columbia is full of drug lords and child-traffickers,' she said.

'I'll go with my guns. And a tracking device in case I go missing. Ooh this is gonna be so much fun! Being a detective I mean.'

Rosalie rolled her eyes then went off to her room to go do her homework.

#PLAYLIST SONG...Heathens by Twenty One Pilots