The Secrets of Cedar Creek

24 : The Next Train

I can't focus. I thought Cliff doing drugs was a plot twist. But this? This is worse. This is bad. This is really, really bad. Oh God.

"You seem distracted," Iris says, eyes running over my face.

"You don't say," I mutter under my breath, "I just... long story." My brain can't process words right now. All day, through school, I've been running on auto mode. Thank God I didn't drive to Iris' after school, or I might've fallen off a cliff or something.

"We don't need to work on this today. Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Adrian rolls up the blueprints and photos of the gun and puts them back in the draw of the desk in the library.

I run my hands through my hair. "Ok so, I shouldn't be telling you this... but you're probably the only person I can talk to right now."

I want to tell Sylv. Sylv's the only person who would get this – who would actually understand how I feel. Sylv's the one that got me through this two years ago. Yes, Avalon and Paige were the deal breakers, but without Sylv, I wouldn't know what real is.

"The police found a sweater in Paige's car. They don't know who it belongs to. But I do," I say.

"Did you tell them who it is?" he asks calmly.

"No, I can't. Not until I figure it out myself."

"You don't want to send them on a wild goose chase?" Adrian assumes, eyeing me cautiously.

"This person and I have a lot of history. Its hard for me to just give him up to the police without a warning. And what does it even mean? Would that make him a suspect?"

"Why don't you just ask him?"

"I can't, he lives in Newhaven... and it's not the type of question you ask over the phone. Furthermore, I hate him." I snap accidentally. "We ended things really badly – I mean, our last conversation ended really badly."

"Sounds complicated."

"You wouldn't know the half of it."

"Well, you should talk to him about it."

"I can't just – I can't just go to Newhaven on my own in the middle of the semester for no reason."

"Yes you can. I have a... writing expo in Newhaven this weekend," Adrian obviously makes up.

"What?"

"And you're coming with me."

I don't know what to say. Adrian is helping me – with something completely irrelevant to him. "You don't have to help me."

"I want to," he smiles. "Besides, I love an adventure."

I didn't know Adrian did things that wouldn't be for his own personal benefit – but my head is reeling from the possibility that he could have anything to do with Paige's murder, so I don't have the energy to argue with or question him.

"Go home, pack your bags. We'll leave tomorrow morning and we can be back before late."

"I don't know what to say," I shake my head.

"I think, 'thanks, you're so amazing!' would do fine."

"Well, thanks, Adrian," I admit. Hopefully the dim library lights hide my apprehension – and my hot cheeks. "I owe you one."

.

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By the time I get home, it's dark and freezing. I'm exhausted. Every cell in my body is drained. My eyelids are heavy. When I get inside, Auntie Helen and Uncle Pete are having dinner.