The Whisper Seekers

The Aftermath

When we reach my house, I already see a News van parked outside our lawn. News must have traveled fast if they are already here poking around for quotes about the attempted school-shooting story. My mother doesn't let us say a word as she hurries us inside. She lets me know my father is on his way home and she gives me another long rib-crushing hug. She lets Liam and I both go upstairs and as soon as we find the safety of my room, we toss ourselves onto my bed and go over every detail of the morning.

"Where were you this morning?" This is the first of many questions I have for Liam.

"I followed Ian to school, as planned and I got confused when he was running late. He didn't even leave his house until the first bell was about to ring," he explains while holding my hand tightly. "He met Elijah outside the main doors and they split ways in front of the math hall. This is where I learned about everyone's connections. Elijah was using his hatred as fuel all the way down the hall. I never saw Marissa. Ian headed into the math hall alone and I could hear him calming himself the entire way to Mrs. Holloway's class. I saw Mike and Aaron in the last row and Ian just walked into the classroom put the gun right up to Aaron's back and told him and Mike to get up and follow him out of class. Everyone else climbed under the desk once they realized Ian had a gun, but Ian was out with both of them before Mrs. Holloway could reach the door."

"So what you told Kensington was almost true. You were just invisible and not hiding somewhere," I say and he nods. I add, "But the hallways were empty by the time Marissa got me and Derek."

"Ian fired two shots into the common area and everyone scattered. I saw Elijah up ahead with Lily leading her into the locker room. I waited until you got there and quietly snuck out. I had to make sure I didn't get locked out since the door was locked from the inside. I didn't want to leave you but I knew you would do everything in your power to save your friends."

"That must have been when we heard the noise at the door," I say as Liam runs his hand through my hair. I am lying on his shoulder with his arm around me and his head leans against the top of mine. I think we have had some part of us touching since I collapsed into him in the locker room.

"Yeah, well obviously the police had been called by then and I went and found Mr. Anderson who was instructing the onsite officer what to do. I let them both know who was all in the locker room, but they didn't want to act until reinforcements got there in case they spooked Ian and he killed all of you or himself. There are no windows in the locker room so they weren't sure how to communicate." Liam says plainly and chills run down my spine just thinking of the multiple outcomes.

"After that, you know what happened. I snuck back into the locker room and witnessed the rest," he says with a shrug.

"I still don't know why Ian thought it was me and not Harper who was there that night. I'm somewhat glad that I was wrongly accused because I don't think any of them would be alive right now if I wasn't," I say as I sit up to look at Liam. "But I swear Liam, I wasn't there. I've done some shit things but I had no part of that." I think back to two years ago and remember the fight I had with my mom about missing the party to go to another stupid charity event. I'm now thankful my mom forced me to go.

"That night obviously ruined Ian's life. Bad enough to want to do something like this," he says as we both nod. "The others were just done with being bullied. They all had just... snapped."

"It's unfortunate that they were going to get their revenge by killing people. There are so many other ways to get a point across, but taking someone's life away..." I tell Liam, while not being able to fathom that kind of hatred.

"I think they saw it like the football players took a piece of Ian's life away. They outed him, bullied him...I'm not saying what Ian did was right, he obviously has some screws loose but I also can't imagine going through that kind of humiliation." I lay back down on his shoulder and as he runs his fingers through my hair he says, "It's weird to see how awful Mike and Aaron can be but then they seem so chill and laid back when we all hang out. I don't get how these easy-going guys can ruin people's lives. Derek is a little more obvious in his jackass ways but I don't even understand why he does it?"