Try Not to Die

Chapter Sixteen

Keira West

I wake up to the birds chirping, the sky bright and Hailey's dead body.

Wait- what?

I look around and Hailey is on the floor, dead. I scream and run over to her. There's no pulse. She's dead.

Carter wakes up first after me. "What is it Keira? Holy-" Carter runs over and kneels by Hailey's corpse with me.

"No pulse. She's dead." Carter says. There's a rustling sound and Cameron soon joins us.

Cameron's expression is curious and confused.  "There are no wounds or blood.  How did she die?"  He asks.

I look closer at Hailey's body.  She looks peaceful, almost.  Her eyes are closed and her lips are in a soft smile.  Her hair is neatly behind her.  She looks unharmed.

"Maybe she was injected with something.  Like a toxic chemical or drug."  I suggest.  I read an article about overdoses once.

"That's a possibility."  Colton says, walking over to join us. 

"You're awake?" I ask.

"I've been for the past ten minutes.  Your scream wasn't exactly quiet."  He says. 

"Oops." I say, chuckling softly.  My cheeks flush pink. 

Summer walks over and kneels on Hailey's other side.  She gasps.

"Hailey is-?"

I nod solemnly.  Her expression falls.

Alex, Ashton and Sarah all join us. It's just us- a group of teens huddled over a dead body.

"Hailey is dead!" Sarah exclaims, looking shocked.  A fake tear rolls down her cheek.

Yeah, and you killed her.

"I think Hailey would want us to forget about her and survive."  Ashton says.

"Actually, no."  Summer tells him.  "She asked to be given a proper funeral and she wants us to invite Beyoncé and the queen of England."

Beyoncé and the queen?

Everyone laughs.  But Summer and Sarah both confirm that she actually said that. Okay then.

I go to the kitchen and grab a handful of knives and dispense them to everyone.

I run out of knives and one last person remains. Sarah.

"Do I get a knife?" She asks.

"Sorry, there's none left." I try to say as nicely as possible.

"But what if I get attacked?" She whines.

I shrug. "There's none left, I'm sorry. I can get you a fork if you want."

She does a "Ugh!" and turns on her heel and storms out the door. I try not to laugh, but it is pretty funny.

I grab some water bottles from the fridge and give them out to everyone. Colton chugs his. And two more after that.

"Have..... to....... pee!" Colton says, after his third bottle that he chugged.

He grabs his knife for protection and puts it in his hoodie pocket and runs off.

I walk over to Alex, who is arm wrestling Ashton.   I watch them intently and they go back and forth until Ashton finally wins.

"You cheated! You lifted up your elbow!" Alex accuses.  Ashton doesn't deny this, he just smirks.

"Maybe I did.  Maybe I didn't."  He says, winking at me.

"I bet I can beat Keira."  Alex says.

I scoff.  "Is that a challenge?" I ask.  He nods. 

"Let's do it." I say.

"We'll make it a little more fun.  If I win, I get something from you.  And if you win, you get something from me." He says.

"Deal." I respond confidently.  My confidence ended shortly though.

Long story short, he ended up beating me.  

I watch everyone else, talking and laughing.  I notice the precaution and worry in their eyes, as if they don't know who the killer will be.

And they don't. 

I continue watching them.  At one point, Cameron catches my eye and waves at me.

"Hey, Keira.  I've decided what I wanted you to do for me."  Alex says.

I turn around and face him.  "And what is that?"  I ask.

"I want you to kiss me."

THIS IS KIND OF A FEW HOURS LATER THAN I WANTED IT TO BUT EARLIER THAN I PLANNED IF THAT MAKES SENSE. 

QotC:  Do you think they'll kiss?

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