Dead Girls Walking: A Novel

Chapter Six

Lacey

Lacey stood in front of the mirror in a navy blue peplum dress that ended just above her knee. Her face, as usual, contained no trace of makeup. She wore her square glasses and her hair was it's typical flat texture.

She never put much effort into her appearance now that she was thinking about it. It was usually long skirts, slacks, cardigan sweaters, silk blouses, and dresses. She loved her style, but began to realize how much she looked like a CNN reporter rather than a teenage girl.

She laid back on her bed and looked at her ceiling. Her room was large and organized, with floral wallpaper, white furniture, and white bedspread. A desk was in front on the window, with her laptop on it and an array of novels stacked against the corner. Nice and organized, arranged in alphabetical order. Just the way she liked it.

Matt and Lorenzo were going to be there in less than an hour. Her mother was a frantic mess and was making sure everything was in place. She always did that when they were having guests, regardless of who they were.

Matt's comment about her glasses from earlier seeped back into her mind. Did they really make her eyes look ten times bigger? Lacey was always a little insecure about how she didn't look like other girls. She didn't wear makeup, crop tops, or vans. Hell, she barely wore jeans. Maybe tonight she should put in some extra effort.

She opened the drawer to her nightstand and pulled out a small contact case that was never used, but still was full of saline solution and a small pair of contacts. She popped them in and felt like she could see for the very first time. She looked in the mirror and concluded that her face needed a little touch up. She took out a bottle of unused mascara and applied a little to her eyes. Then she took out her curling iron and curled the ends of her blonde locks.

She looked beautifully. More grown up and womanly.

Lacey walked downstairs into the living room and into the kitchen. Their housekeeper, Sierra, had been busy preparing a meal of pesto pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, and garden salad. The dining room was all done up, with the chandelier glistening.

Their big house felt so empty, being that it was just her and her mom. It felt so lonely sometimes when her mom would spend countless hours at work. Even with the new addition coming to the family, it would still feel the same.

A picture frame on one of the tables caught her eye. It was from her mother's high school years, about 21 years ago. It was of three girls, her mother on the far left. She looked the same, only younger. Her blonde hair was a little lighter, her blue eyes had not yet been plagued by small wrinkles. She was smiling, but in a much different way than she smiled now. Catherine looked happier, more vibrant. Before she witnessed the death of her best friend and several others. Before her alcoholic husband knocked the last bit of light out of her.

In the middle was the girl whose picture was in the display case at school. Victoria Beck. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun, and her arms were around both Catherine and Sophie McNamara, who was on the right side. She had sparking amber hair and dark brown eyes. She looked at the two of them as if she were laughing.

Sophie McNamara was one of the kids from that year who remained in Chaceton. She and her mother barely spoke. Perhaps they were a reminder to each other of their painful loss.

Sophie was someone Lacey never wanted to speak to ever. It would bring so much guilt and sadness.

Wanna know why?

Sophie McNamara was now Sophie Keller, aka the mother of Olivia.

Marissa

Marissa felt like a fucking idiot.