***KATE’S POV***

The rest of the week I had completely busted my ass in all of my classes, with missing a day in exception to attend Emily’s funeral. It had hit me hard seeing her again, lying there in her casket, I had never felt such sadness. The picture was stuck in my brain, it was permanent, she had looked so peaceful. You couldn’t even see the gash mark on her neck, and I had pretended she was sleeping the entire time I was there. 

I couldn’t accept the fact that she was gone.

I was still extremely sad, I didn’t know how to cope with the pain but I was doing my best. Dean and the pack was there for me, Emma as well, even Miss Riley had offered to listen if I needed, but I had never spoken about my feelings, so of course I held back.

 I had been trying to think of other things just to keep her out of my mind but it was difficult. Then I remembered as I was walking to homeroom that I was going to find out what I made on the quiz I took in Calculus on Friday. Miss Riley had told me she would grade it over the weekend and  as I walked into the familiar room I saw her gorgeous figure come into view.  

I looked around, realizing I was the first one here, “Did you grade my quiz?”

She looked up as she opened her folder, “I did, and I have to say, I’m quite disappointed.”

My heart dropped in my chest, feeling like I had failed yet another quiz. I rested my hands on her desk as I gazed down at my quiz, and to my own shock I read a big red, 95 A, on my paper. I grabbed it, smiling and looking at Miss Riley with happiness, “I passed!”

She nodded, smiling. “Did I scare you?”

I locked eyes, feeling a funny feeling in my stomach, “Yes, you did.” She smiled which nearly made my heart melt, she was gorgeous, I couldn’t resist smiling back at her.

“Remember, you have tutoring today.”

I noticed people walking in as I winked at her, “How could I forget?”

I sat in my usual desk waiting on Emma when I realized she was late. She was usually on time… why was she late? 

Suddenly I grew a horrible feeling in my stomach as I hurried to pull out my phone, seeing no messages from her which freaked me out. I sent her a quick text, praying to God that she was okay and alive… if I lost Emma I would be devastated.

I would never be able to live with that.

Miss Riley stood, starting to pass out bulletins as she looked wearily at me, knowing that something was up. I couldn’t stop my mind from racing, I couldn’t stop the anxiety from welling up in my chest. I sent Tess a quick text, “Hey, there hasn’t been any recent murders, right?”

I felt a response instantly, right as Miss Riley was passing, and she gave me a disapproving look. I smiled, trying to get her off of my back as I read the text, “No, not that I heard of, why?”

“Tell you in Physics.”

Ok, so no murders had come up, she was ok… wasn’t she? Unless they hadn’t found her body yet…  Oh stop Kate, stop psyching yourself out. Emma was alive, she was probably just late… 

I began tapping my foot viciously as I peered down at the paper on my desk, I couldn’t stop thinking. I wanted to run out of class that instant but I couldn’t, I would get in trouble… 

Unless Miss Riley covered for me.

I didn’t know what to do, I had the worst feeling in my stomach about Emma and I couldn’t stop my anxiety. Losing Emily was still really rough on me, losing Emma would nearly kill me…

I couldn’t let them take everyone away from me. 

I stood, walking a little to fast over to Miss Riley’s desk and whispering harshly, “Don’t put my attendance for homeroom, I was never here. I’ll be back as soon as possible, there’s an emergency.”

She gazed at me for a second, not quite understanding why I was leaving, “Kate… I can’t lie?”

I gave her a pleading look and begged, “Please… I think Emma’s in trouble.”

Then she understood, it had clicked in her magnificent brain that there was something bad going on and I needed her help. She sighed heavily, “Be back before second hour.”

I grabbed my booksack and ran to my car, hopping in and swiftly peeling out of the school’s parking lot. I needed to get to Emma’s, I needed to make sure she was ok. 

I couldn’t stop my mind from racing, I was driving like a bat out of hell, and I could feel myself shifting as I drove. I couldn’t see straight because I was so worried, I just knew I needed to get to Emma’s as soon as possible. 

I didn’t talk to her last night, which worried me because that meant she could’ve been in trouble for a long time. I cursed myself for my irresponsibleness, how could I forget to make sure Emma was ok? She had been seen with me a lot, everyone knew we were best friends…

I was so stupid. 

I pulled into her drive, seeing her car instantly and realizing she could be here. I was praying to God she was alive, I couldn’t lose her too.

I banged on the door, nearly busting a hole through it forgetting that I had inhuman strength. I called, “Emma? Open up!”

I waited but I had yet to hear her footsteps, there was no movement in the house which sent chills through my body. I felt the anger rise up in my chest at the thought of Emma being dead came to mind. I called once more, “Emma!” and banged harder, waiting impatiently for her response. 

But all I heard was silence. 

Then my hand found the door, which was strangely unlocked, and I walked right in. I didn’t smell her, but I did smell a god awful scent, which made me very alert and on edge. I tuned into my new reflects’ and rounded the corner, heading upstairs to her bedroom, where I heard a weird noise. 

I didn’t want to give away my presence if there was someone here, so I kept quite as I crept down the hall to her room. I smelt an odd odor, knowing it wasn’t the smell of death, which put my nerves to a weird rest as I made it into her room. 

But there was nothing. 

Then I heard a noise coming from the bathroom, and I smelt the weird smell, it was actually starting to gross me out. I rounded the corner, feeling my claws protruding from my fingers as I saw her, her head of blonde hair hanging over the toilet.

Then the sound of throw-up sent me back into reality, and I realized she was alive… just sick. 

I growled, “Emma, when you’re not gonna show up to school, fucking tell me!”

She groaned into the toilet, “Sorry I was to busy throwing up my guts, bitch.”

I knelt down, holding her hair and rubbing her back, “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”

She shrugged, “I ate some bad sushi last night.” She threw up once more, then lifting her head and flushing the toilet, “Why are you here, anyway?”

I sighed, “Because, I was worried…”

I couldn’t tell her the truth, obviously, I already had my Math teacher in trouble, I couldn’t have my best friend in on it to, could I?

She leaned against the wall, “You came to check on me?”

I shrugged, “Yea… I told you I was worried?”

She tilted her head, “You’ve never showed that you cared that much until today.”

It shocked me hearing that, although I knew it was absolutely true. Lately I had been attached to people who were involved with my life, including Emily and Miss Riley. I didn’t know why, usually I had a “don’t care” attitude, but not lately. 

Lately I had been different. 

“Why was your door unlocked?”

She sighed, leaning against the side of the tub, “I was getting ready to leave for school when I got sick, I just forgot to lock it back I guess.”

I groaned, “Emma… please don’t be careless. Lock your door.”

She squinted, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

I nodded, “With everyone dying around town, including Emily… I can’t take losing my best friend.”

She gave me a wry smile, “Well thanks for checking up on me, it was sweet, but I’m not coming to school today.”

I sighed, “Do you want me to stay?”

She shook her head, “Nah, you need to go to school, don’t you have tutoring today to?”

I smiled slightly, knowing where she was getting at, “I do.”

She winked, “Don’t wanna miss that one on one action with Miss Riley now, do you?”

I rolled my eyes, standing up and helping Emma to her bed, “No, I don’t.”

“So go to school, I should be there tomorrow.”

I nodded, looking back at my best friend who had nearly given me a heart attack. I sighed, “Emma, please text me tonight, and tomorrow.”

I saw confusion in her eyes as she pulled her covers up to her neck, “Why are you so protective now?”

I wish I could tell her, I wish I could end her confusion, but I couldn’t. Emma couldn’t know the truth because it could put her in danger, but Miss Riley knew… so what was the difference? 

I shrugged it off, “I just don’t wanna lose anymore friends,” then I walked out of her door, locking it for her. I made my way back to school wondering how I was going to explain my situation to Emma. I wanted her to know because I didn’t want her not trusting me, I mean she was my best friend…

I wanted her to know my secret. 

I drove up to school and walked to the office, knowing I would have to check myself in because technically I was “absent”. I smiled to the lady at the front desk as she shook her head, “Kate you were doing so good with tardiness.”

She handed me a pink slip as I spoke, “I still made it to first hour.”

I walked into English, causing my teacher to give me a disapproving look which kind of annoyed me. She didn’t know what I had to deal with, and as I slipped her the pink slip I slipped her my research paper that was due tomorrow. 

I had just done it early. 

“Here, I finished it ahead of time.”

She looked at me with awe as she nodded and I took a seat next to Collin in the back. He leaned over, “Where have you been?”

I whispered, “I had to check on my friend Emma, I was worried because I couldn’t get in touch with her. I thought she was… you know.”

“Murdered? Yea I understand. She’s okay right?”

I nodded, “Yea, just sick.”

He mumbled a response, “So, tutoring today with Miss Riley, eh?”

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, giving him a sarcastic look, “Yes, tutoring, nothing else.”

He laughed silently, “Okay Kate, whatever you say.”

I rolled my eyes at his response and waited for the bell, I had barely made it to first hour. I mean I didn’t really care because I obviously had nothing left to do, considering I had turned in my work early, I was just anxious to see what my grade would be.

Then Collin touched my arm, grabbing my attention, “How have you been, since you know?”

I felt a twinge of pain in my heart, knowing well what he was talking about. He was referring to Emily’s funeral, and I tried to shrug off the pain, “I’ve been okay.”

Then the bell rang, dismissing me to Miss Riley’s class where I could see her and hopefully make everything okay again.