Sticks And Stones

Chapter 4: Kyla I

I hate assemblies. I really do. Especially when they're a dragged out, non-legitimate commemoration for you and your 4 other best friend's best friend. Ethan said we've only got half a period left, but by the way they're going, they'll make it feel like a whole two periods. Which was how long this was meant to go. Which it is, but it doesn't feel like it. Probably because I feel like crying through the whole thing. I can imagine Ethan, Brandon, Jordan and Beth do. Especially Jordan and Beth. The 6 of us all properly became a group at the start of year 7, but were all in the same primary school, Beth and Katherine were friends since Kindergarten and Jordan started going out with her in year 8, about the same time Bethan started going out. We're in year 12. For Jordan, that's 4 years of love with his soulmate, 12 years of friendship for Beth and 5 years of proper friendship for Brandon, Ethan and I, all down the drain, never to be seen again. I have to close my eyes and look at my feet to conceal the tears.

Just let this be over with, I think, beginning to sob, but Brandon puts his hand on my back

"It's alright, bubbles, it'll be over soon." He says and I manage to laugh

"I swear, you're the only one who can say that without pissing me off." I look up at him, smiling through tears

He gave me that nickname when we were in year 7. We were doing a science experiment to show how heat affects convection currents in the water, thus the air and that the faster the temperature change, the faster the current, faster the wind. I had no interest in that. I was completely perplexed by the bubbles floating to the surface caused by the heat. Only about 5 minutes later did I realise that Brandon had been watching me the whole time, laughing his ass off. But it also fit my 'bubbly' personality and the fact that I'm distracted very easily. Ethan, Beth, Katherine and Jordan knew it pissed me off so they didn't use it often, but Brandon found it funny that I didn't like it. Eventually I got used to it and now he only calls me by my real name when he's 'dead serious'.

"I know, that's 'cos no one else calls you that." He cheekily smiles at me and I sigh, smiling too

I know Ethan always can make Beth smile at the most unlikely of times, as she tells me, Brandon's like that too, it's just that he's oh-so-obviously crushing on the school heartthrob for guys, and lesbians too, I guess. Jessica Riggs. I have nothing against her, she's actually, legitimately nice, and it's not a front she puts on either. She seems honestly engaged when you're talking to her. Unfortunately for most of the -ahem- vertically challenged guys, she's 181 centimeters tall. Brandon happens to be the same height, but that's when she's not wearing heels, though. Which isn't often. Lucky for Brandon.

"But, yeah, I know, it just kinda sucks that they have to drag it out across two periods. Especially when half a period feels like two. I mean, whoever really cared about her would have been at her actual funeral." I say

"Exactly what I said." Jordan agrees

We sit in silence for the rest of the commemoration, the 5 of us on the verge of tears and fuming for the remaining 20 minutes.

After what feels like a decade, the recess bell finally rings and they finish up the assembly, talking about police investigations and how they're on the case to find whoever killed Katherine brown and lock them up for good, which is the only part I feel good about.

We get up and walk out, Brandon and I deciding to go to the canteen while Ethan, Beth and Jordan go to our usual spot to sit.

Brandon and I walk along the footpath in silence, staring at our feet. We round the corner where there's nobody in sight until we have to turn again. I can't hold on any longer. I feel my knees buckle and I stop walking. It takes Brandon a second to realise I'm not by his side.

"Bubbles?" He asks as I drop to my knees, knowing the concrete will break the skin, sobs wracking my body uncontrollably, tears falling with no restraint. I'll never see Katherine again.

He doesn't say anything, he doesn't need to and I don't know if I want him to right now. He just holds me in a hug until I can feel his tears fall into my hair. He lets go and wipes mine and his away from our faces.

I just want to stay here with him holding me until I feel I can't cry anymore, but I know that anyone could walk around one of those corners and see me like this at any second so I compose myself, wipe away the rest of the tears and take a deep, shaky breath.

"Okay. I'm okay. I didn't really want to come to the canteen anyway, we'll head back." I say

"Rightio, let's go then," He starts walking, and I go with him but he suddenly pulls me into another hug and I smile "This's gonna be a long next couple o' days."

We wipe away our tears and round the corner to be met with no other. Jessica Riggs.

"Oh, my goodness, how are you guys doing? You must be absolutely devastated!" She says and it seems legitimate, which kind of annoys me, Brandon almost druelling at the sight of her

"Oh, we're holding up alright, just going to have to get used to not having her around." I tell her

"Yeah, it'll be hard." Brandon doesn't take his eyes off her and I cringe

"Yeah, I was just talking to Brandon and Jordan and Elizabeth," Jessica says and Brandon drops his head "I know you guys can get through this."

"We will, but did you mean Ethan and Jordan and Elizabeth?" I correct her and her eyes widen, knowing she misspoke

"I'm so sorry -" She looks at Brandon "- I've just been running on less than 3 hours sleep."

"Don't worry 'bout it." He says, lifting his head back up, biting his cheeks, obviously hurt

She gives him an apologetic smile "Send my love to all your families" and then she rounds the corner, Brandon and I continuing along the path until we meet up with the other three, who are sitting in silence.

"Whoa, what happened to your knees?" Ethan asks

"Oh, I had a breakdown when we were walking to the canteen." I tell him

"Do you need, like, a band-aid or something?" Beth offers

"Yeah, thanks, do you have two?"

"Yeah, come sit down, I'll wash them out first."

Brandon and I sit down and Beth cleans out the cuts and covers them up. Ethan speaks up after whispering something to Jordan and Beth.

"Guys, Jordan, Beth and I have been talking about something." He tells us

"What?" Brandon and I ask

"Well, last night, while I was driving Beth to her place, we came across this really weird looking dude with, like, glowing eyes and teeth and no other facial features, some kind of mask probably. We almost hit him by accident and he didn't even flinch, he just smiled at the car until we drove past and you know how Beth and I do that thing where, when we're driving away from each other, we wave at until we're out of sight?"

"Yeah..."

"Well - and I know this could mean nothing and it's just a coincidence - but when I drove past him to go back to my place, he hadn't moved at all and, once I passed him, he did the exact same wave to me until I drove out of his sight."

"Shit, for real?" Brandon asks

"Yeah, it's just that - and this is only speculation at this point - but we think that him showing up, the only time any of us have experienced anything like that, on the same day as Katherine's funeral isn't a coincidence." Ethan says

"You think...he killed her?" I furrow my eyebrows and tilt my head

"Yeah, and the way he looked at us in the car, I haven't been able to sleep...I think he might be after us too, I mean, I have no idea why, but everything we've seen about that guy...the more I think about it, the worse I feel." Beth tells us and Ethan puts his arm around her

"We just want to know what you guys thought, because, if this guy actually did kill Katherine, we'll kill him." Jordan says

Brandon and I nod our heads