A Letter Before Death

6

"Sara, we need to talk." Nate's voice whispered from behind me. I jerked around to see him standing only inches from my face. The smell of his mint gum on the tip of my nose. "I've been avoiding you theses past few weeks." Well there it was, the truth as to why I haven't seen much of him. He definitely wasn't drunk enough to not remember the kiss... He was actually avoiding me. "I wasn't sure how you were handling all of this, and with Michele's death and you being there for that as well, I was getting worried. Are you ok?" He asked as he placed his hand on my arm.

He was a little late to be asking that. Where was he these past few weeks with that question? "I'm getting there." It wasn't exactly a lie because I was getting there. I was a complete mess on the inside, especially when I was alone at night, thinking and processing everything. The only thing getting me through was trying to solve this murder case on my own.

"I know I'm probably the coward in this situation because I acted like what happened between us that night didn't happen. I was just afraid that with Taren's death anything more than what happened wouldn't be healthy or what we both need."

As much as I hated the truth, he was right. With Taren's death, there was no way I could handle anything more than the kiss. "You're right. If anything would have went on right after that night, it would have been toxic and neither of us would have been completely happy for the right reasons. I'm not mad at you, I needed this time to process. I appreciate that you waited. It means a lot."

He halfway smiled at me. "When you are ready, we can talk about that night."

I nodded. "Thank you. Friends for now?"

He laughed. "As long as I don't stay in the friend zone."

"Oh, trust me, you won't."

He laughed. "Is that so?"

I rolled my eyes. "After the kiss we had, I'd be an idiot if I kept you in the friend zone."

"You're not wrong. Well I have to get to class, text me if you need anything." He said as he handed me a torn piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it.

"Do you just keep pieces of paper with your number written on them in your pocket or something?"

He laughed. "Sometimes when I plan to give my number to a girl who's kiss left me wanting more, but things weren't exactly ideal for that. So yeah."

I laughed and shook my head as we both began to walk separate ways. I walked backwards watching him walk away. That night, that kiss. It was all a mix of emotions. The kiss being my favorite of course. If things had went differently, maybe we'd be a thing now. Part of me knows that probably wouldn't be true. Something else would have happened to keep us from being a thing. Maybe we will be a thing soon. A girl can only hope and do her best to find out.

"Miss Farr..." A deep voice sounded before I slammed against a thick wall like body. I fell to the floor and looked up to see Mr. Gregory, the school principle. He waited for me to get on my feet before he crossed his arms. "I need to speak to you in my office. Follow me." He said as he began to walk away.

I followed him down the hall to the office where the lady I had asked which class Michele had was sitting, staring at me with suspicion. I followed him in the back of the office to his separate office. I walked in and took a seat in one of his red leather chairs. He closed the door behind me and walked around to his large red leather rolling chair. He sat down and stared at me for a second. "I know the police have been questioning you, but I have a few questions myself. How come within the last two deaths this school has had, you have been a part of them?"

I stared at him confused. "Umm, no offense Principle Gregory, but I don't think that question is in your jurisdiction. And I don't have to explain myself to you. I've already told the police and detectives everything."

"Can you explain this note then?" He asked, pulling out the envelope that had Michele's name and the coffee stain on the top corner.

"Where did you find that?"

"It was in your bloody jacket that was on Michele's body."

"Why do you have it and not the police?"

"So you know what it says?"

"Look, Mr. Gregory, I believe I should be getting back to class. Unless you have anything to say to me about my academics, I think we are done here."

Gregory narrowed his eyes. "Fine, go, but we are far from done."

I grabbed my stuff and rushed out of the office. Gregory was acting strange. How did he get that note? The note didn't even look like it had been in my jacket pocket, soaking in blood. It was still in its original state. There was no way that note was in my jacket pocket. It had to have fallen out when I was running or something, but how did Gregory know I had it last? Something strange was going on here.