UNSTEADY 🅰️ LUCAS GOTTESMAN [book one]

BLOOD IS THE NEW BLACK

...

SITTING in her English class, Haley had her chin rested against her fist, fighting the urge to close her eyes. Over the summer, the girl had finally gotten some much needed rest, but ever since that night, the nightmares had returned.

"The author goes to great lengths to establish Hedda Gabler as a strong, proud woman. Someone who could never live with the threat of being blackmailed. But Hedda was pushed to take a desperate action. And while she may have seen it as brave, we see it as tragic." Ms. Montgomery rolled her eyes as she watched her class full of students simply stare "What might be really tragic is if some of you don't start taking some notes. Sorry. Senior year is not all about skipping classes and dancing for the security cameras at Walmart. That's what your weekends are for."

When her teacher pointedly tapped her table, Haley blinked out of her brief moment of sleep, shooting the woman a sheepish smile as she reached for her notebook. With a sigh she opened it up, turning the pages until she found what should've been a blank sheet, but instead she was met with a gruesome sight.

Teeth lined the beaded necklace, the word's 'dead bitch walking' spread out between them. Hand's trembling, Haley ignored the pounding of her heart as she slammed her notebook closed and stumbled to her feet.

All eyes went to the girl including Ms. Montgomery who frowned in concern "Haley? Are you okay?"

"I-I..." she choked out before grabbing her notebook and rushing right out of the room. Aria, Emily and Spencer shared a look before getting up and rushing after the girl just in time to see her rush into the girls toilets as Hanna crossed the hall to see what what going on "Haley?" The blonde looked to her friends "What happened?"

They all shook their heads not knowing the answer before following the girl inside. Emily was the first to approach Haley, watching as she hunched over the sink, her knuckles turning white as she gripped onto the edge "Haley?"

The Marin girl nodded to her notebook that she'd dropped on the floor and Spencer raised an eyebrow before hunkering down to pick it up. The Hasting's girl flipped through it until she saw it and Aria gasped in horror as the girl held up the necklace "Are those teeth?"

"Are they Alison's?" Hanna panicked.

At the thought, Haley groaned, pressing her forehead against her hand's "I'm going to be sick."

Emily frowned, gently rubbing the girls back as she looked over to the girls "What the hell's going on?"

"It wasn't enough to steal bones, now we're gonna get pieces of her delivered to us?" Aria ranted.