Jacqueline || BWWM

Chapter Twenty Six

The first day of school just ended, but the way kids run out, you'd think we'd been going for at least one hundred days.

I stand at my locker, quietly organizing my stuff while I wait for the rush to settle down. I'm so caught up in my mind in this moment-music blasting from my earbuds and everything that I don't notice the girl trying to get my attention until she lightly taps me on my arm. The little action ends up scaring me so much that I jump a good foot into the air.

Hazel covers her mouth to stop a gasp from escaping, and her now brown eyes go wide in shock or horror, can't really tell. She stares at me, and I stare back for a second before we both start laughing.

"I'm so sorry!" She manages to gasp between giggles. "I thought I tapped you lightly."

"You're fine. I just get scared easily."

Hazel stops laughing seconds after me, but her eyes keep a light glint of amusement in them. She leans against the locker next to mine, one arm holding a book and waits for me. I shove all my books out of my back with a promise to finish cleaning the locker tomorrow.

"I went to my aunt's office after school. She said something about you being interested in the Hathways?"

A rush of excitement-followed by a dab of fear-surges into my stomach, and I stand up straighter. 

What could she know?

I want to clarify that I liked Hazel before she mentioned anything about my parents. She seemed nice and simple. No other face hiding behind her back or stuff like that. But her maybe knowing something about my family makes me like her a ton more.

"Yea." I try not to sound to edgar, and slow down our walk so I'll have more time to talk with her. "I read something about how they died once when a friend and I were searching up to our names on google."

Did you know that a fifty percent truth is also a fifty percent lie?

I hate lying, but I also don't trust Hazel yet. We just met after all, and even though she doesn't seem the like type to betray anyone, I know better than anyone that anyone can fake kindness. So for right now, I'll leave her in the dark.

"How did that come up?" I'm about to answer when she cuts me off, making me bite my tongue in the process. She looks so happy about figuring out the answer to her own question that I suck it up and keep my groan of pain on the inside. "Oh! I know. You and their oldest daughter have-or is it had cause she's dead?- the same name."

"I think it's had. Do you know how they died?"

We are now at the end of the hallway, standing in the middle of the entrance. No one's really inside anymore, and the people outside are crowded into their own little groups so I don't think anyone will mind if we stay in the entrance for another minute.

"There's honestly too many answers to that. Some believe they died in a fire, others believe someone was behind their deaths."

"What do you believe?"

Without missing a single beat she answers, "Someone was behind their death. Medical Lake is known for having the least fires so the chances that a nature fire killed them are very slim."

"I heard that a kitchen fire was actually the cause?"

"Nope. That's another lie. Many detectives, my own father included," A look of pride washes over her face for a minute. "Have searched the house for any clues as to where the fire started. It's clear as pie that it started in the basement."

"Oh wow. You seem to know so much!"

Hazel shrugs lightly, and a pink tint covers her cheeks. "I really history and mysteries. I want to be a history teacher one day...not that you need to know that!" She laughs it off, the tint on her cheeks becoming darker.