The Boy In The Photograph

// eleven //

The officer came back holding a very old looking manilla folder in his hands. "This is all the information about the Biersack case. I can't imagine why the FBI is looking into this though, it's a cold case. And it was a really long time ago when it happened." He hands Matty and I the folder and we thank him.

Matty and I are totally pretending to be fake FBI agents right now and the adrenaline rushing through my veins is amazing. The knowledge that we could go to jail for this excites me for some reason.

We decided to do this to try and understand what really happened to Andy and Juliet.

"Well, thank you sir. We'll be back to return this later." Matty says and he nods and we leave.

As soon as I hear the door close behind us I start laughing. "Oh my god, Matty that was the coolest thing I've ever done in my entire life!" I smile and he chuckles.

"Alright, calm down partner, they can still see us." He says and motions to the transparent glass windows and doors.

"Right, sorry." I regain my composure, but then start laughing again.

We get into Matty's car and drive back to my house. Oliver had to go to the store and get something to fix the shower or something and Kellin and Vic are playing video games in the living room so we go in the kitchen and crack open the file.

I'm kind of glad Oliver isn't here because even though he says he really believes me, there's still some doubt lingering in the back of my mind. It's kind of hypocritical because now I'm the one not believing him.

"Oh my god!" Matty gasps and shows me a picture of Andy. With blood all over him from the gunshot wound in his mouth.

I don't say anything. How could someone do this to Andy!?

I feel the ground underneath my feet wobbling, and then the kitchen starts spinning and then all I see is black.

***

"Baby, are you ok?! Oh Jesus, what on earth happened?" I hear Oliver's voice and automatically know that I'm safe. Even if we haven't been agreeing much lately I still know that he is my safe haven.

"She just passed out. Maybe she's dehydrated or something." I hear Matty say, trying to cover up our secret FBI adventure from earlier.

I slowly open my eyes and realize I'm on the couch in the living room with a bag of ice on my head. Wonderful. I can't believe I passed out after seeing that picture, although it was really horrific.

"Oh, babe! Are you alright? How's your head?" Oli says, leans down next to me and kisses my forehead.

"Calm down, I'm fine." I smile and he smiles back, uncertain.

"Are you sure? I'll make you some tea." He says and goes to get up but I just pull him back.

"Just stay with me, ok?" He nods and lays next to me.

"I guess I'll make the tea then." Kellin says and Vic laughs, then goes to sit on the other couch and continue to play video games while Kellin walks into the kitchen.

"Umm, Peyton, I guess I need to get going. Just text me if you want to hang out again." He smiles and looks at the ground.

I get up and go over and hug him. He was probably the one who carried me over to the couch. "Thanks for today, Matty. I'll talk to you soon, ok?" I say and he smiles and nods and then leaves.

I turn back around and Oliver is staring at his lap, frowning. I sit back down next to him and grab his hand.

"What's wrong?" I ask and lay my head on his shoulder.

"Nothing, I was just a little shocking to see you just laying on the couch like you were. It wasn't really what I was expecting to see when I got home." He says and I kiss his cheek, he's just worried about me.

"Well, I promise I'm ok. I feel 100% normal." I tickle his stomach and he flinches and we laugh.

"You don't know what you just started." He says and smirks at me and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Oh, Lord. Peyton, really? You guys always break something when you start a tickle war." Kellin says and Oli and I roll our eyes.

"Tickle war? What are you guys, 10 years old?" Vic says and I get up and run over to tickle Vic and then everyone gets involved.

We are all running around tickling each other, when I glance down the hallway and see Andy. Immediately the picture of him comes to mind and I stop everything and just stand there.

I feel like I'm going to pass out again.

Oliver comes up behind me. "Peyton? What's wrong?"

Andy disappears before Oliver has a chance to follow my gaze, but I think he's got it figured out what happened.

He scoots around me and walks down the hallway and throws open the basement door and runs down the stairs. I follow slowly behind him, not really wanting to see Andy because all I can picture is his bloody, gunshot wounded face. Kellin and Vic follow behind me.

"Where are you?! Come out and show yourself! You like to show yourself to Peyton." Oliver jumps around the room and then punches the wall.

I gasp. "Oliver! Stop it. You're going to hurt yourself!" I fly down the stairs and trip halfway down, but I never hit the ground because someone is there to catch me. Andy. I look up at him and my eyes grow wide.

Oliver runs over and rips me from his grasp. "Stay away from her!" He growls and all I can do is stand there.

"What? And let her fall? While you were busy running around like a maniac, I saved her from possibly breaking her neck and what do I get?" He gets in Oliver's face. "Nothing. I get nothing."

Oliver glares back at Andy, but doesn't say anything. He knows Andy is right.

I glance up at the top of the stairs and see Kellin and Vic with their jaws dropped in shock at the sight of what's going on. This is the first time they've actually seen Andy.

"So are you going to do something now that I've shown myself? Or are you just going to stand there?" Andy taunts him and I immediately step in front of Oliver and push Andy back.

His freezing body temperature shocks me and drop my hands. I look up at him and he looks down at me with longing in his eyes. "Just stop, ok?" I turn to Oli. "Both of you. I cant deal with this."

"You don't have to Peyton, he's a ghost for crying out loud!" Oli says and I look, pleading with him to stop. He gets the message and sighs. "I'm sorry."

I turn back to Andy and all I have to do is make eye contact with him and he disappears.

I intertwine Oli and I's hands and we all walk back upstairs.

"What just happened!?" Vic whispers to Kellin and he just shrugs, obviously not knowing what happened himself.

I'm not even sure that I know.