you're next | dolan twins

t e n

I turn the engine to my jeep off, staring at the steering wheel. Holding back tears the whole way home has made my head pound against my skull. The newest threat has made me completely numb.

My mind feels broken, and I know it will never be fixed. Leaking Amanda's nudes is a disgusting situation to be in. Those were private pictures that this person is hoping I will exploit. Then again, they weren't private.

They were being sent to somebody, maybe even multiple people. I slowly get out of my car and walk into my house. My mother is sitting at the table, focused on bills in front of her.

"Hey honey, how was your day?" She lifts her head to look at me.

"Long, I have a lot of homework." I quickly tell her. I'm not in the mood for twenty questions right now. I just want to isolate myself from this dark and scary world.

"Wait, I want to have a talk with you." She sounds concerned.

"Can't it wait? I have to work on an essay." I lie.

"There's something that I need to discuss with you." She motions for me to sit down at the table.

I huff and walk over to where she is sitting, hoping this won't take long.

"What is it?" My rushed voice tells her.

"I know this has been a hard year for you. The loss of your father and then Amanda has brought a lot of stress into your life." Little does she know those aren't the only things I had to go through. "I know next week is going to be extremely hard for you."

"Everyday is hard for me." I inhale a deep breath.

"I truly believe that the anniversary of your fathers death will be your breaking point."

I furrow my eyebrows as I look at her. "What are you saying?"

"I want you to start going to therapy three times a week." She tries to hold my hand, but I move it away.

"I don't need therapy, I'm not crazy." I scoff as I go to stand up.

"You aren't acting like yourself, you haven't since your father passed. Rachel, you have experienced so much trauma at such a young age. Seventeen year olds are supposed to be happy, not depressed."

"I get that, but I don't need somebody to sit there and act like they care about my feelings while they wait for a paycheck. I deal with my grief in my own ways." I raise my voice a little. "Going to therapy won't fix anything. Dad is still dead and so is Amanda."

"Robert and I have been concerned-"

"Of course this involves Robert." I roll my eyes with a laugh. "I bet this was his idea."

"I just hate to see you unhappy." She parts her lips as she looks deep into my eyes.

"You know what will fix all of my problems? Finding out who took a knife and stabbed my best friend. The killer is walking around town and the cops aren't doing shit to find them. So, until I get peace and justice for my best friend, I will not be happy." I rise from the chair and walk over to my room, closing and locking the door behind me. I have enough crap to deal with, I don't need some stalker following me to therapy.

I immediately close my blinds and pace around the room. If I leak Amanda's nudes, everyone will think I killed her and this is my grand scheme.

The cops will question me and try to find evidence that I did it. Maybe that's what this person wants, to make it seem like I killed Amanda because I was jealous of her. I can't do this to somebody I was so close with, but if I don't my world comes crashing down.