At Gunpoint

Chapter 12

Harry and I decided to take the rest of the day off from detective work and focus on actual school work instead. I wasn't in the mood to hear everything about Anthony's "suspicious" behavior, so I told him I'd come to his room tonight. After all, I still hadn't made up with Stacy. Another problem in need of fixing added to the pile. I did have other friends, I'd just seek someone of them up.

Turned out I didn't have to perform much looking myself, apperantly I was easy to find.

"Hey, Kase!" A chair tumbled somewhere behind me, along with a familiar head of blonde hair. The girl quickly returned into standing position, her glasses sitting askew over her nose.

"Julie!" I greeted, playing along pretending like nothing had happened.

"I was just wondering where you were! I haven't seen you all day, I was worried you'd faced the same faith as poor Max." Julie chuckled, before reminiscing this morning and the meaning of what she'd just said. Her facial expression turned awfully gloomy.

"That came out wrong, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." I smiled faintly and patted her on the shoulder. Julie had a way of saying the wrong things at the wrong times. Something I had some experience with myself.

"What are you up to?"

"Oh, we're just studying! Come!"

Julie pulled my arm and I had no choice but to follow.

"There is something I was meaning to tell you." Julie lowered her voice as a couple of teachers walked past. "Stacy's been saying some things..."

"What things?" I said defensive.

"Well, for starters, she spread a rumour about you and that curly headed knockout."

"She knows about Harry?"

"Oh Kase, everybody knows about Harry."

I ceased moving forward, giving Julie what couldn't be anything else but a death stare, due to Julie's terrified facial expression.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked slowly. After several seconds, Julie finally seemed to find her voice.

"He's the new kid, so naturally everyone's got some kind of interest in him. From what I've heard, he's been watched like a hawk by everyone in class ever since he arrived the other day."

People had been watching Harry? And here I had been strolling around thinking I was the only one who had really noticed him. Even thinking I could keep his existence a secret from Stacy. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise. With his unusual shade of green eyes, dark full locks and dimples set so deep they looked like they had been drilled into place, I could see why he was worth throwing a second glance. If obnoxious, big headed guys who mistrusted every person of the male species you'd ever had contact with was what you found attractive.

"Apperantly, a girl has been spotted climbing through his window, and she wasn't spotted leaving, if you know what I mean." I snapped out of my bubble just in time to see Julie wink awkwardly, meanwhile I was unable to blink at all.

"That wasn't you, was it? Oh God." Julie sighed while subconsciously tugging her hair at the ends. My skill of making up lies was malfunctioning.

"No...?" My lie somehow turning into more of a question.

"Are you asking me or telling me?

"Telling you?"

"For crying out loud, Kase! It sounds like you can't even remember your own last name. My cat lies better than you."

"Okay, yes that was me." I quickly realized I was much better at telling the truth than lying, so maybe I should stick with that. "But obviously nothing happened!" I drew a circle in the pebbles with the tip of my shoe, distracing myself so I wouldn't have to meet Julie's eyes.

"Wait." I tilted my head up so fast I was surprised the weight of it didn't cause me to fall backwards. "You said Stacy had been spreading some type of rumour...?"

"...How about a coffee?" Julie suddenly broke eye contact. "I'm dying for a cappuchino!"

"Julie." I grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around 180 degrees to force her to face me.

"She might have said something about you being something of the opposite of a prude..."

Wow, Julie really wasn't good at telling people the truth straight up.

"She called me a slut?" I translated, Julie nodding pitiful.

"I'm sorry. I didn't believe her obviously! But some of the others did. Jonathan, Gabe, Haley-"

"Okay that's-" I held up my hand gesturing that was enough. "Real mature. And she wonders why her aunt keeps a third eye on her."

"What?"

"Nothing."

I should be furious, but to be honest, my head felt like it was starting to tip over to one side due to all the things that were starting to fill up in there. Like a plate of jelly, Stacy's little scheme bounced right off me. For now, at least. I shook my head, straightened my posture and followed Julie back to the study group. I was more or less greeted by everyone, the bunch believing Stacy not seeming as cheerful. Instead they gave me a nod and buried their noses in their books. I took a seat next to Julie and another one of my friends, Jason.

"Team Kasey." Jason whispered and poked my shoulder playfully. I gave him a grateful smile. "Where have you been all day?"

"S...leeping." I lied, avoiding his eyes. No need to support Stacy's theory, my adventure of the day would not work in my favour.

"Alone?" My "friend" Gabe muttered sarcastically, smiling sly. With a loud bang I slammed the pages of my book together, and got back up from the seat I had just taken. Julie gasped.

"Kasey, wait!"

But I was gone. With vicious steps I left my so called friends behind. I didn't need this. What I needed was to find Stacy and give her an old fashioned punch in the face. Unfornutaly, she apperared to be MIA. I deliberated going back to Harry's a little sooner that I'd said, but quickly lost against myself. Since I couldn't focus on homework, I'd go look up some stuff about Max's murder on my own.