BY ELEVEN THIRTY WE WERE OUT OF THAT PARTY.

After retrieving an intoxicated Evan and throwing him in the backseat, Phoenix and I sat in the front, him taking the wheel and me cruising in the passenger seat. Since we had nothing but alcohol to drink at the party, we decided to stop at a nearby fast-food chain to grab a couple of burgers.

"Guys, can you please get me something?" Evan groaned from the backseat, only half sober. "Not to intrude but I didn't really have anything to eat at the party."

Rolling my eyes, I looked back to see my brother sitting upright, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"You didn't seem hungry when you were sucking the life out of Stephanie " I retorted back, folding my arms across his chest. A sigh escaped his lips, pressed into a tight smile. It took Phoenix and I forever before we found my brother plastered against the class president, making out drunkenly.

They were in the middle of a passionate and rather slobbery make-out session when we pulled him away. He was bitching about it even in his half-conscious state.

"Please" he whispered to us. "Strawberry lipgloss isn't exactly a meal to savor."

Phoenix and I traded glances but sighed. "Fine."

Ten minutes later, he pulled up in front of Danny's Shack, the only nearby and open diner in our direction. It was the fifties-styled diner with neon lights and a blue and gold theme. We parked in the parking lot.

"You can't go inside Evan," I told my brother as I got out of the car."You are not sober enough."

"I'm talking to you am I not?" he argued back, resting his head on the leather seats. "That's sober enough to me."

"No, it's not. Forget about it" I replied back. Phoenix agreed, nodding his head. "We'll bring you back some leftovers," he said before slamming the door. Evan grumbled but said nothing else. Phoenix locked the car and we entered the diner. It was surprisingly half full of customers enjoying fries and shakes.

It was red on the inside with booth-styled seats and a pink and blue cashier counter. Menus hung on the pastel walls, each table decorated with a fake milkshake standing on the reflective mirror tables. We made our way over to the nearest seat, sitting across from each other.

In two seconds, a waitress strolled over to us, handing both of us a menu. "Can I start you off with anything to drink?" she asked, taking out her pen and pad.

"A chilled glass of Malta" Phoenix ordered.

"And I'll have an oreo milkshake," I said to her. She smiled, tucking her notepad into her apron pocket. She quickly retreated away with promises of bringing back our drinks in no time.

When we were alone, I opened my mouth to speak. "So what did you find out?" I asked him.

Phoenix raised his brows at me, playing with the dark beads around his wrist. Silhouettes of his tattoos teased my eyes before he rolled back down his leather sleeves.

"I should start with you," he said in a calm voice. "Considering you were having a fairly good time."

A blush flamed my face, coloring my complexion a tomato red. It was foolish of me to assume my wild behaviors would go unnoticed before his eyes.

Even though we haven't known each other for long, one thing I had to come to terms with was that Phoenix always found a way to go unnoticed even in a crowd of drunk teenagers. His eyes never strayed away for too long.

"So I may have gotten off task a bit" I muttered after a while. "But I was still able to find some information from Greyson."

This information seemed to spark an interest in those deep-set eyes.

"And what would that be?" he questioned leaning forward.

"I asked you to share first" I reminded him. He grumbled underneath his voice but said nothing else. A few seconds later, the same waitress returned back with our drinks. She set our drinks in front of us, taking out her pen and notepad once again. "Are you guys ready to order?" she asked.

"A western BBQ double burger for me but hold the BBQ sauce," he said. She nodded, turning over to me. "With fries?" she questioned.

He nodded back.

"And what will you have?" she asked me. I stumbled, opening the menu once more and letting my eyes skim over the options. "I'll take the 10-piece cheesy spinach and artichoke taquitos with fries," I said, handing the menu back to her.

The happy waitress skipped back to the kitchen to put our orders in.

"Don't be amazed. It's not like Tyson was in his right mind when he told me this information" Phoenix warned, wrapping his lips around the straw of his drink. "He barely knew who I was but according to him, weeks before he died, Caleb confided to Tyson and told him that he had been receiving threatening letters for weeks. It was right after he and Stephanie had another one of their arguments. There had been a few anonymous notes here and there but in the weeks leading up to his death, they came through at a quicker pace every day."

"Did he save the notes?" I asked Phoenix. He nodded. "Yeah. Tyson told me that Caleb hid them in his special hiding place but when I questioned him about where it was, he seemingly shut down on me and walked away."

All I could do was ponder on the cliffhanger Phoenix had told me, sipping on the milkshake.

"Secret hiding place? Anonymous letters? Why didn't he report it to someone sooner?" I asked, swirling the straw around the thick shake. "He may have still been alive today."

"That's what I thought too but I didn't want to rule anything out."

We stopped talking as the waitress returned again with our food. She set the monstrous burger with the fries in front of Phoenix and put a big bowl of cheesy taquitos with a bowl of garlic fries next to it.

"Enjoy your meal," she said before walking away.

"Well, it's your turn to spill," Phoenix said as he took a big bite of his burger. Juice dripped down his fingers, a dot of ketchup on the corner of his lips.

"Well, according to Greyson, the day Caleb was kidnapped, he confronted Greyson and told him that he had the feeling that he was being followed. It's been going on for some weeks now but his suspicious were growing stronger."

"Followed? Someone was stalking him in the weeks leading up to his murder" Phoenix confronted, munching on some fries. I nodded, tearing the taquitos apart before devouring them.

He watched with cautious eyes, raising his brows. "Very ladylike" he commented with sarcasm, watching as I munched on the second half.

Sneering, I flipped him off, taking a sip of my oreo shake. An amused smile slid on his lips. "Anyway, he then went on to say that he didn't take Caleb seriously and that the guilt of his death still weighs on his mind."

A sarcastic humph escaped his lips, shaking his head. "Greyson feels guilt? Well, that's a surprise."

"What's your vendetta against them?" I asked. "It seems as if you have been holding a grudge against them."

"And why would you say that?" he questioned, taking another bite of his burger.

I hesitated, instead, munching on the salty fries and slowly drinking my milkshake. When the coldness of his stare became unbearable, I sighed before pushing my drink aside.

"Every time I seem to bring you up, they all seem to have this weird expression on their faces. Like you did something to them or that they just view you as someone that isn't a particularly good influence." He rolled his eyes, putting his burger down and taking a full swing of the malta in front of him.

He slammed the cup down, making me jump and those startling blue eyes met me once again, alert and not so friendly this time. "That group has tormented me for as long as I can remember," he said, shaking his head. "We all used to be close. Especially Greyson and I but as time went on, their true colors showed. They are a bunch of backstabbing liars."

The cold tone he used chilled me to the bone, taking in his angry expression. I pressed my lips together, finishing my shake. He waved a waitress over, asking her for takeaway bags. As she disappeared in the back of the diner to retrieve the bags, I shrank in my seat, finishing my third taquito, my appetite suddenly gone.

The waitress returned with the bags, putting the bill in front of us before she was on her merry way. I took out my wallet, taking the twenty-dollar bill Dad had given me.

"I got it," Phoenix said, slamming down a thirty-dollar bill and an additional fifteen dollars for a tip. He signed the bill, put his leftovers in the Styrofoam containers, and tied it in the plastic bags they came with.

I did the same, choosing not to say anything until we exited the diner and got into his car. Evan was in a deep sleep as we drove home, his snores the only thing that was present in the car. Phoenix chose not to say any more about the situation, his grip on the steering wheel hardening.

Suddenly, the drive seemed a bit longer than usual, time consequently slowing down. A fifteen-minute drive ended up feeling like thirty minutes and when he pulled up in front of my house, it took me a second to process that fact.

Sighing, I got out of the car and walked up the front porch with the keys out. I unlocked the door, put my leftover on the nearby table, and went back outside to wake up my sleeping brother.

Evan grumbled as he made his way out of the car, his face in his hands as he disappeared into the house. When his footsteps were out of earshot, I turned back around to see Phoenix already pulling out of the driveway and into the street.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, not knowing what else to do. He looked over at me through the window, nodded, and smiled. With a squeal of the tires, he drove away, a black shadow disappearing into the night.

Closing the door, I put my leftovers in the fridge before heading up the stairs. I could hear my dad's snores from his bedroom and make out the lights from Evan's room. Quietly, I opened the door to my room and closed it slightly. I quickly changed out of my clothes into a comfortable pair of Nike shorts and a sports bra since it was still sweltering in my room.

I snuck into the bathroom and quickly washed my face clean before heading back to my room and closing the door. I opened the windows to let some air in before turning off the lights and settling into my blanket.

I tried my best to close my eyes and go to bed.

I tried to forget that this night ever happened.

But every now and then, the cold air from outside tickled my skin, reminding me that some things weren't so easy to forget.

EVERYTHING WAS DARK AND SWAMPY, MY FEET NOT QUICK ENOUGH TO CARRY ME THROUGH THE FOREST.

The shadowy figure followed me as I stumbled my way through the dark forest, little light guiding me towards a safe spot. My breaths came out hurriedly, my heart pounding deep in my chest as I tried my best to navigate a way out to safety.

But as luck would have it, an icy hand wrapped around my throat, and my ankle stumbled on a thick vine of thorns. Crying, I fell on the damp forest floor, feeling the warm sensation of blood trickle down my leg.

"Please" I pleaded as the figure kept their grip locked on my throat, their legs locking around my hips.

A slow chuckle left their lips, a cold hand brushing past my face.

"You have no idea how much shit you have dug yourself into" the voice hoarse at me, its grip tightening. "This isn't a game, Ivy. You are playing with life and death. Get out now while you still can!"

"What do you mean?" I asked in a whisper, feeling my face drain of blood and my fingers turn blue.

The hand around my face tightened and the shadowy figure moved closer, the first hint of blonde hair stepping into the dim light of the forest. The blink of grey eyes met my gaze next but nothing more.

"Get the fuck out of this shit before you are next."

Before I could speak, a bright light blinded me and I was suffocating. I could feel my whole body getting heavy, shutting down. I was dying, I could feel it. My skin was cold, my touch icy and I could almost make out the empty blackness below my feet.

But then I felt nothing at all, my head swimming.

My body jerked and I woke up, hurried breaths leaving my lips. My eyes opened, the sun blinding me. The sound of my alarm shrilled in my ears, my whole body shaking and covered with sweat. My fingers curled around the damp comforter, my toes shivering.

The balcony doors were open, a cold wind rushing through. Flustered, I shut off my alarm and rushed over to lock the doors. I ran my fingers through my hair, wiping my hands down my face.

"Holy fuck" I whispered to myself, shaking my head.

What the fucking hell was that?

Walking out of my room, I heard the rustling of boxes being unpacked and small talk downstairs. Curious, I went down to the living room to see Dad and Evan unloading the dishes for the kitchen, the television forecasting the weather.

"Morning, kiddo," Dad said, walking over and patting my head.

"Oh, you're burning" he commented, feeling my forehead. "Are you already getting a fever? I opened your balcony doors a bit this morning. It was terribly hot in your room."

"I'm fine," I said, smiling.

Evan was on the far side of the room, not making any commentary, too busy pulling out dish towels and utensils.

"He's been a bit quiet this morning" Dad notified me. "Probably a bit hammered from the party last night."

"Yeah, probably," I said. "I'm going to take a shower and then I'll finish setting up my room."

Dad nodded, running his fingers through his hair as he finished unboxing a box of pans and dense pots. "Okay, there is cereal in case you get hungry."

Sighing, I ran into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and took a quick shower before stepping out. I threw on a yellow summer dress and tied my hair into a bun before heading downstairs. By now, all the plates, pots, and pans were packed away along with the utensils, and the dishrags were neatly folded in the corner. Everything in the kitchen seemed complete from the blue tile walls to the neatly plugged and set appliances on the counter.

A few stacks of papers sat in the middle of the white marble counter, letters for my dad. Looking into the fridge, I poured myself a glass of milk and set a bowl of dry cereal in front of me. Call me weird but I hate putting milk on my cereal. I would rather enjoy them separately. Something about the texture of the dry flakes felt different after being washed down with the cold glass of milk.

It's something even I don't understand.

Finishing my breakfast, I washed my dishes and hung them on the dryer rack. Heading back to the living room, I saw Dad in the dining room, unloading some books on the table. Evan was in front of the television, polishing one of his many shoes for his room.

"You seem joyous this morning" I commented, prompting him to give me a glare. "Did you enjoy your little canoodling time with Phoenix?" he asked.

I raised my brows. "We weren't canoodling, simply discussing some things."

Evan rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Like what?"

I hesitated on what to say, not wanting my brother to know the real shit we were getting ourselves into. For his own safety, I couldn't tell him. But looking at his face right now, I could tell that he was still in a vulnerable state and this was just his way of wanting to get involved in something.

"Some chemistry homework and our school project for Caleb."

There was still a suspicious glare in his eyes when I answered him. "Why are you getting involved with a dead person?" he asked a little edge to his voice.

I shrugged his question ringing in my head.

Why was I getting involved, with a dead person?

"It's just something that was assigned to me. I can't really pull myself out but you are more than welcome to join us if you like."

My brother shook his head, paying his attention back to the shoes he had been cleaning before. "No thanks. I'm good."

"Hey, guys," Dad said, walking into the living room, our school pamphlet in hand. "ShadowHill High has a very impressive sports program. You should try out for their soccer and volleyball team" he suggested, flipping through the pamphlet. "They're nationally ranked."

"That's actually not a bad idea," my brother said, outstretching his hand. Dad gave him the pamphlet and he opened it so that both of us could flip through. He was right. From the looks of this program, their sports teams are not only regionally and nationally ranked, but they are also one of the best in the Southeastern region.

"Tryouts start next Wednesday," Evan said, looking over at me. "You in?"

"Of course I am," I said, high-fiving him.

Dad smiled shaking his head. "You two are always a dynamic duo."

My brother nodded. "That we are."

We worked on unpacking and settling in throughout the entire morning. By twelve we had finished packing away everything downstairs and were now working separately in our own rooms. Dad helped me assemble some things like my bookshelves and shoe rack but everything else was on me.

Halfway through my packing, Dad knocked on my door before walking in, leaning against the doorframe. He traded his oversized shirt and jeans for dress pants and a button-down shirt. His eyes scanned around my room, nodding his head in approval.

"Almost done, I see" he commented, taking in my rather sunny room. I nodded, looking around myself.

Most of my clothes and shoes were packed and so far, everything was coming together nicely.

"Yeah. I just need to arrange my bookshelf and gather a few more things and I will be done" I said, focusing on the few clothes I was hanging up.

"Alright. I am going to stop by my office and then I will be making a quick stop at the car dealership."

"Car dealership? In case you didn't know, you already have a car" I playfully reminded him.

He smiled once again. "I know but you and Evan don't have one."

Those words rang in my ear and immediately caught my attention. I dropped my shirt, turning around, and jumping in joy.

"Our own car? Really?" I asked in disbelief.

Dad chuckled, shaking his head. "Okay, maybe I didn't say it right. I need a new car. A pickup truck simply won't do, especially when I will be working at the hospital. You and Evan can clean up the pickup truck and use it like your own car if that's okay."

"That's more than okay! Thank you!" I ran and gave him a hug. He laughed once again, hugging me back before bidding me goodbye with a kiss on the forehead. I waited to hear the sound of the car backing out of the driveway and out into the open road.

I jumped around in joy for a few seconds before calming down. For the next thirty minutes, I spent my time cleaning up my room and hanging up my clothes. It was a lot more relaxing than I expected but nonetheless, it turned out good.

Relaxing on my soft bed, I was ready to close my eyes and take a good four-hour nap when the shrilling sound of my phone woke me up.

Groaning, I picked it up and pressed it against my ear. "Hello?"

"Ivy, are you home? I just figured something out!" Phoenix's voice awoke me from my slumber, my attention immediately going up.

"What is it?"

"I have been contemplating what Tyson said to me all week and it finally clicked in my head."

His voice sounded tired but somewhat intrigued, pulling me in. "Well, don't keep me waiting. What did you remember?"

"When we were all friends, Caleb had this secret hiding spot where we would hide all our candy away from our parents. It was like a little secret only a few of us knew. If I'm correct, that is the hiding spot Tyson was referring to."

"Where is it?" I asked.

A pause settled in before he answered me. "It's a surprise. If you are free, I'll meet you at your house in fifteen minutes. This won't take long."

A groan escaped from my lips, my fingers running through my hair. Cautiously, I scanned my room, looking for any excuse to keep me busy. But everything was put away. No flaws were made to be caught and besides, I was doing nothing.

I had no allies.

"Okay fine. But it better be quick. My dad isn't home." With that, I hung up on him and tossed my phone into my pocket.

Not wanting to be tired when he arrived, I pulled my blankets over my head and sunk into a light slumber, seemingly forgetting my promise. Ten minutes later, my sleep was interrupted by my phone again and I looked at the screen to realize that Phoenix had arrived.

Jumping out of bed, I slipped into a comfortable pair of flats and grabbed my keys. Looking outside the bedroom window, I could make out the outline of his black car but no sign of my dad's.

Okay, better make this quick.

Music was blasting through the window when I stepped out into the hallway. My brother's stereo speakers were still on, playing alternative rock music throughout his room. His door was opened, revealing him on his bed, playing around with his drumsticks.

"Hey, I let Phoenix borrow my chemistry notes earlier this week but I need them for an upcoming test so I'm just making a quick stop at his house to retrieve them" I warned my brothers, shouting over the loud music.

Evan's eyes opened, his hands reaching for the remote to turn down the music.

"You know where he lives?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Sighing, I nodded, mustering up a smile. "It's a small town. Didn't take me that much time to figure it out."

"And I'm the obsessive one" he teased.

I rolled my eyes, stepping out of his room. "I'll be back in about twenty minutes. If Dad comes back, tell him I went for a walk around town."

"I'll do it for ten bucks" Evan replied back, a smirk on his face.

I frowned, shaking my head. "I'll pay you once I get back. I promise."

Although my brother looked me up and down with suspicion, ultimately he nodded, turning his music up again. "Okay. Have fun at your boyfriend's house."

With that, I slammed his door shut and went downstairs to meet Phoenix outside. He was playing a game on his phone when I slipped into the passenger's seat, startling him.

"Took you long enough," he said as he tucked his phone away and pulled out of the driveway.

"Good afternoon to you too" I replied back. We drove down the long strip of the road right into the heart of Shadowhill, the downtown area. It was far more bustling compared to the quiet neighborhoods and conserved people. Shops were opened, and people laughing and sipping on refreshments.

The smell of candy and fried foods drifted around to my nose, my stomach grumbling.

"Hungry, I see," Phoenix said, passing a glance over to me. "That tends to happen when the Autumn festival is approaching."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Every year, Shadowhill hosts an Autumn festival to celebrate the harvesting of crops or whatever their reason is. It's a fun event. There's food, music, people interaction. A real southern party."

"Hmm" was all I said as we drove through town and took a turn into the quiet forest reserves. All the noise and happiness fitted for the downtown area died as Phoenix parked close to Jade Eye Forest, one of ShadowHill's forest reserves. Tall, thick trees scraped the skies, giants commanding everything around them.

Leaves of various colors coated the forest floors as we stepped out of the car and on to a path. It was quiet, with the exception of a few scrambling of animals. The bright sunshine made it less spooky, lighting up the forest and all its richness.

It was just the overwhelming silence that dwelled upon it.

"You had your secret hiding place in a forest?" I questioned as we went further into the forest, ducking under trees and branches.

Phoenix shrugged, pushing a branch behind him. "We were kids and this was the safest place we could think of."

" A forest is safe?" I questioned, rolling my eyes.

Phoenix shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "What can I say? We were adventurous kids. Besides, the forest in ShadowHill is rather safe. A great place to hide stuff."

We walked for a few minutes before we neared a big tree. It reached all the way to the sky, its green leaves blocking the sun. A hollow hole was carved into the center of the tree, covered by vines of leaves.

He approached it, pulling the vines away and reaching inside the hole to pull out a wooden box with carvings on it. He beckoned me over, setting it down on the forest floor and opening it.

"Is this like a time capsule?" I asked.

"Yeah, of some sort" he replied back, opening it. Years of dust outlined the inside, the paper on the inside yellowing."And if I'm right, some of the letters should be in here."

He continued searching through it, pulling out pictures and trading cards in an effort to find a clue.

Curious, I picked up an abandoned Polaroid from the floor and examined the picture. It showcased three boys in soccer jerseys, smiling with their arms wrapped around each other. It was obvious to notice which one was Caleb with his wild curls and bright blue eyes.

Little Phoenix had longer curls, his blue eyes seeming to gleam with mischief. He held the soccer ball in one hand, a smirk on his lips.

"I think I found something" Phoenix informed me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

When my eyes landed on him again, he was holding a large notebook and a pen. Though the book seemed old, as we flipped through the pages, a realization dawned on us that Caleb had been using this journal for months.

The papers were white and crisp compared to previous contenders and the ink seemed to be fresh. Each entry had a date and the writing seemed to be longer and messier. By the time of his last entry, there was only one good page left.

"He has been documenting this for months," Phoenix said as he skimmed through the book. "Every bad dream, every chill up his spine. Even a shadow he could feel. It's as if he was slowly going mad."

"It's more than that," I said as I reached the last page. "He knew something bad was going to happen to him. Looking at these last few entries, it seems as if he planned to flee ShadowHill before anything happened."

Raising a brow, Phoenix took the book out of my hands and read the last entry. "I'm beginning to think my end is nearing. I have been plagued with a stalker for months and the safety ShadowHill once provided seems to have been lifted off of me. In that case, I have a bag packed with some clothes and some money left on me. After the first quarter of school, I will flee to my family's estate in New York and hopefully stay there for a couple of months when the danger has passed. I am still contemplating whether I should inform my family or not. I don't want to hurt them but I am scared of involving them in my sick reality."

His voice seemed to die at the last words, a silence settling between us. Phoenix's fingers lingered on the pages, his lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, it seemed as if some sort of sympathy crossed his face but it was gone before I could clearly distinguish it.

"We need to get out of here," he said after a moment of silence, taking the book and the box with him. He hid the box under his arm while I held on to the book.

"Are you okay?" I asked, uncertain about my question.

"Just peachy" was his dull reply as he began to walk ahead of me, his head hung low. We reached his car in silence and threw the stuff in the back seat before getting in and pulling out of the forest. On our drive back to the downtown area, a shadow could be seen approaching the car.

"What the hell is that?" I asked, ducking my head low as it picked up its pace. It seemed to be running, nearing the car. Phoenix pulled to the side as it passed by, strands of black locks passing by.

"Probably just someone taking a hike or something" he replied back, not too certain.

He didn't seem to dwell on it much, simply letting it pass. But I couldn't help but turn around and look behind to see the silhouette of a shadow standing in the distance, one hand raised and a seemingly haunting smile on its face.

A shiver went up to my spine and I turned around, focusing on the road as we entered through the main road again. The smell of fried food made my stomach grumble again.

"Do you want some Ice Cream?" Phoenix asked, raising his brows. "There's a parlor close by."

Despite my guilt, my stomach grumbled again and he took that as his answer. He quickly pulled up next to a cute ice cream parlor and beckoned me out of the car. Together, we entered the shop

There was a bar of assorted flavors and a few customers sharing sundaes over the circle tables. "Choose your pick. I'll pay" he said, passing me a smile. "It's the least I can do."

"For what?" I questioned.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you really opened my eyes to a different side of Caleb's death. I went around thinking that some crazy person killed him but with you, I now realize that ShadowHill has become a morbid place filled with dark secrets."

His eyes met mine, steel and blue and my heart stood still. A hint of a smile itched at his lips, disappearing as quickly as it reappeared.

It took me a minute to gather my thoughts."Oh, you're welcome."

We got our ice creams and ate in silence. We found a cute booth near the windows, looking at people bustling in happiness and joy, laughing with friends as they basked in the late sun. Seeing all those faces, almost made me forget the dark danger that was lurking behind their shadows.

Finishing our desserts, Phoenix generously drove me back home, not uttering a word to me but bobbing his head to the catchy tunes of the radio. He pulled up at my house and I hesitantly got out of the car.

"We have to finish the project for Caleb" he reminded me just as I was about to close the door.

"I completely forgot about that." A smile etched on his lips but quickly disappeared.

"Meet me in the newspaper room after school on Monday. My sister can help us."

With a nod of my head, I watched as he sped off, leaving me to fumble with the keys. In the driveway, I saw my dad's truck all cleaned and painted but behind it was a silver Jeep Liberty. Raising my brows, I opened the door to see Dad sitting on the couch with Evan, keys in his hand and a slight frown on his face.

When the door closed, he turned around to meet my gaze. "Ivy, where have you been?" he asked with a frown.

I gulped, setting my things down on the floor. "I was just going over some homework problems with Phoenix."

"At his house?" he asked, sounding absolutely petrified.

"No! We met up in town!" I quickly defended myself. "It was just some chemistry homework."

"I know that you want to make some friends but you can't wander off with a boy without my knowledge." His voice was stern, a disappointed look on his face.

I nodded, pressing my lips together. "I know and I am really sorry."

His face showed no emotion, just a simple nod of his head. With a reluctant gaze towards my brother, I shook my head and bounded up the stairs. I didn't stop until I was behind my locked bedroom door. The contents of my bag spilled on the floor, my body following after.

Finding no time to compose myself, I grabbed the book and delved under the covers of my bed to read it. With each page, my heart began to beat faster, my skin growing hot with anticipation. It was as if I was standing at the edge of a cliff, my breath hitched in my throat.

Had Caleb slowly been going mad? Or was there really someone in ShadowHill High School that hated him so much, they would go out of their way to murder him?

As I kept on reading, I stumbled across an entry. It was cleverly hidden between the folds of the book. It was a neatly folded paper with the date written on it.

August Thirteenth.

Curious, I unfolded the hidden clue and examined it. It was definitely one of his last entries. The handwriting was a bit sloppy and the ink had been running, staining the crisp paper. The words, however, were still as clear and haunting as ever.

"My mind has become nothing but a foggy mess" I read to myself. "Everywhere I look, I see nothing but him. The one that haunts me in my dreams and reality. It took me so long to figure out who has been tormenting me for so long. I have gone so far as to put my own life in danger just for the sake of uncovering his true identity. Now that I know who it is, it's all becoming clear. How did I not see it before? It's always the quiet ones that are the most dangerous ones. But he surprised me. We were so close before. He had been there for me long after we stopped being friends. He was such a kind-hearted person but I should have picked up on his habits. The way he lingered in the shadows meant that he could gather all his information without being noticed. Well, except for now. Though I have finally figured out my stalker, I fear that it is too late to change anything. May my soul rest in peace."

The paper dropped to my lap, a stunned look on my face. My whole body was frozen, teeth locked and my hands sweating. I didn't know what to think or say but I knew at that moment, there was only one person I wanted to talk to.

I scrambled to the floor, looking through my bag until my fingers were enclosed around the gel case of my phone. My fingers scrambled on the lock screen, searching desperately for his number. I was clicking on all the wrong keys, opening all the wrong apps but finally, I came across his contact.

"Pick up. Pick up" I whispered to myself as the relentless ring on the other end taunted me. Finally, after what seemed like centuries, he answered with a perplexed tone.

"Deprived already?" was his first question, a tease behind his voice.

"Not right now, Phoenix. I found something in the journal that may be detrimental to our search."

"Don't keep me waiting" he replied back.

Before I could even speak, a knock sounded on the door. "Hold on" I whispered to him.

Before he could even answer, I put him on hold and kicked the book under my bed. The door creaked open to reveal my dad standing in front of my doorway, a concerned look crossing his face.

"What are you up to?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Just cleaning" I uttered back, shoving the contents that had spilled out of my bag back where they came from. A sigh left my dad's lips, his hand reaching over to take mine. He sat next to me with an uneasy smile on his face, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm sorry for flipping out on you earlier. It was uncalled for" he apologized. "This entire move has been so hard to adjust to. Between taking care of you and Evan and trying to keep my sanity from slipping away again, I've been crumbling under all the pressure. I know I should trust you more and I'm sorry if I seemed a bit harsh this afternoon."

His unnecessary apology stung a bit, a part of me feeling guilty for causing such an uprising emotion to stir within him. Squeezing his hand back, I leaned my head on his shoulder, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"No need to apologize Dad. You were just looking out for me" I reassured him, patting his hand. "It's been hard for all of us but don't forget that Evan and I will be by your side no matter what."

"I know" he simply muttered back, nodding. "I'm lucky to have you two."

"The feeling is mutual." I enveloped my dad in a hug, resting my chin on his shoulder. "And don't overwork yourself. If you ever need a break, don't be afraid to take one."

A weak laugh fell out of his lips, his head hanging low. "I'll keep that in mind."

My dad got up, running a finger through his hair before making his way out the door.

"Oh that reminds me," he said, stopping in his tracks. "Phoenix and you? Are you guys together?" he questioned.

"Ugh, don't insult me like that" I replied back, rolling my eyes. "We are simply lab partners but you'll be the first to know if any sparks fly, so to speak."

A laugh fell out of his lips and he nodded, finally closing the door as he made his way back down the stairs. I waited for his footsteps to fade away before grabbing my phone and continuing my conversation with Phoenix.

"You've returned. Finally" he groaned. "What did you find?"

"A secret note was hidden in the journal. Caleb knew who his stalker was. He found out days before he died" I informed him, looking at the note that was discarded on my bed. "The entry goes into further detail but long story short, whoever killed Caleb knew exactly where to find him."

The line on the other end was silent, nothing but his breathing keeping me company.

"But how?" he questioned after moments had passed.

"I don't know but according to the entry, it was someone he used to be close with. Like extremely close with. I'll send you a picture of the entry."

I took a quick photo and sent it to him, patiently waiting for his reply. We were silent for the next few minutes, my breath labored as he read the entry for himself. For every minute that passed by, it felt as if another opportunity had passed away.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Phoenix spoke, his breath uneven.

As if he had been holding it in.

"We have our first lead" he whispered. I could hear the rustling of papers in the background as he shifted his position. "We have to start from the top and descend our way down from the ladder."

"But who do we even start with?" I questioned.

A pause came over the phone. I could almost envision the smirk on his face as he spoke his next word.

"Your little boyfriend of course" he uttered. "GreysonChaliander. 

Sometimes I give myself the creeps

Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me

It all keeps adding up; I think I'm cracking up

Am I just paranoid? Or am I just stoned

~ Basket Case by Green Day