Broken Locks

The Notebook

The rest of the day went on the like it started, full of whispers and stares. I was now known as the girl who not only wrecked a relationship with Noah but who is in a relationship with Jack. The mysterious new kid with a mysterious group of new kids as well. 

My experience wasn't like what you read in those cliche books though, I wasn't confronted by some popular girl who really wanted to date Jack, there was no fight in the hallways. Only whispers and sideways glances, no one cared to ask me what was going on, no one cared that I could hear them.

They talked about how they were glad Noah was now available, and how Jack and I wouldn't last. That's one thing they got right, once the job is done they'll leave, I need to remember that. That they are just temporary people in my life, that I can't become emotionally invested, that I can't fully commit myself to care for them in any way, but I do have to get along with them.

People did ask me how Mari was doing, and I told them the truth, bad, that she's in the ICU still. That she's unresponsive but breathing.  Everyone sends their sympathies to her mom. Some seem sincere others are just being nice, they didn't really care for Mari and her gossip, she had a lot of enemies, but the one person she could always count on was me.

The last bell of the day rings, Alex and I pack up silently and start heading out into the halls. 

"You were quiet in class, what's on your mind?" 

I look at Alex, surprised he's talking to me first. "Nothing really," I smile. "Mari would have hated it, seeing all these people that hated her being fake."

Alex nods understandingly, our conversation seems over, but then he speaks again. "I used to be that way, I hated people for saying things they didn't mean."

"Is that why you're always on your phone?" I open my locker and he waits for me as I get my books for homework.

"Yeah, I tune out of hearing people's BS and tune into my phone. It was worse when I was younger though, I had no friends, and my parents were loaded but gone all the time. People only wanted to be friends with me for my money. They would be nice to my face but talk about me behind my back." I close my locker, listening intently, I've never heard him talk so much. "Sooner or later I had cut everyone out of my life, people from that point on labeled me as a spoiled-stuck-up kid who thought he was better than everyone. I had to get away from that negativity, so I ran away."

W start down the hall toward the exit, I can still feel eyes on me. "Where did you go?"

He shrugs. "I took a huge amount of money from my savings, so I was fine on my own for a while, but without a job, that money dwindled down quickly. Soon I was doing what I hated the most, lying and charming people, conning businesses out of their money. I learned how to make people believe anything I said, but my luck ran out quickly, just before I was caught I learned someone had framed another person for my crimes. It had been Tyler, he saved me, saw my potential and recruited me. I've had enough of the field, so I stay behind the scenes unless they really need me." He stopped me at the bottom of the stairs, his grey eyes intense. "The team? Were a family, we need to understand each other to work as a unit, but don't ever fully trust anyone, your friend found something out, something even I hadn't picked up on."

Alex starts to look nervous, his gaze shifts away from mine and he runs a hand down his face before ruffling his short hair by running his fingers through it, his dark blonde hair shining in the sunlight. "What are you trying to say, Alex?" 

"I hope I didn't overstep any bounds but... I did some digging into your friend's accident, and it may have been the complete opposite. Her journal at home had some pretty interesting stuff in it. I swiped it for you." He pulls it out and hands it to me, I recognize it immediately. 

It's her gossip notebook, she likes journaling and kind of aspires to be a journalist, any of the latest news in the school or her life you'll find here guaranteed. I run my hand over the slightly worn purple cover, Mari takes good care of her things, if it's damaged it's probably cause I was around. The doodles on the inside of the book are so her, and her elegant handwriting showing her personality, bold, a little crazy but constant. 

"You got this from her house?" My voice barely comes out, the whisper still seems to echo between the two of us.

"Yeah, like I said I'm sorry if I crossed any boundaries..."

I open the notebook and flip through it, her beautiful handwriting in blue and pink ink. Then my eyes catch an odd page in the middle of a group of blank pages. Instead of the usual happy pink and blue ink, there are the words 'trust no one' bolded and black. The three words make my blood run cold and a chill set into my skin, the words serious and urgent instead of light and bubbly. It's weird how just three little words can turn things around so drastically.

"I saw that too, that's why I took it, even I noticed it isn't like her." His confidence now restored he looks me in the eyes. "That wasn't all though.I did some more digging, I was curious. From her house to school she'd need to head north. The crash site was south of her house."

"I don't think she wrote this for herself, it's a warning, probably for me and she obviously forgot it..." I trail off a spark igniting in my soul. Mari deserves better than the fate shes met, her story isn't over yet. I shut the book with a renewed determination. My problems of the day long forgotten.

"Alex, I need you to do something for me."

He shrugs. "Yeah okay, what do you need?"

"I want to look into Mari's accident more, unfortunately, I don't have my laptop, can you get that from my house, please?" I put Mari's notebook into my backpack, zipping it in safely.

"That'll be easy, anyway I wanna look into this as much as you do, two minds are better than one too." He smiles, but the smile is soon dropped and he disappears into the crowd of people. 

ummm... okay?

"Vee! Hey who was your favorite person all day?" a voice startles me. So that's why Alex had disappeared.

"Sean, you scared me." I glare at him.

"What were you two talking about? It looked pretty serious." Sean gives me a concerned look.

"You know, it's scary how quick you change moods." 

"Don't change the subject." He pushes.

Trust no one... did she mean them...

"Honestly, I was a little bummed out from the day I've had, Alex gave me a little look into his past." I smile, fibbing but not really. The three words a reminder at the front of my mind. "That's the most I've seen him talk, and he was enjoying it too."

"Yeah," He  shoves his hand into his pocket, his other hand on his backpack strap, gripping it tightly. "That kid has been through more than most adults. All three of us have had it bad at some point or another, but I'd say he trumps us all with his problems."

Another voice pipes up from behind me. "You ready to go Vee?"

I turn to Jack and nod, ready to go home and think. "Let's go home." I say with a smile.