(Derek's P.O.V)

"What happened?"

Everyone turned to look at me when I spoke, hiking up my bag over my shoulder.

The whispering had been going on since I'd got out of my house and it had only increased in the school environment. I could tell something big had happened and now that I was with my friends, you could bet I'd figure out what had the town of Ladenhill in such a talkative mood.

"And where's Michael?" I added as I noted everyone else's presence.

After having dropped Lila home yesterday, I'd spent the rest of my time idling away and sneaking peeks at Kitkat's room but the lights hadn't been turned on even once. Although I could see and hear movement, it was clear she hadn't been in an amiable mood. She hadn't even thanked me for everything I did yesterday, not that I needed her to acknowledge me.

I didn't. I swear.

But compared to how the town and my friends had been silent and eerie yesterday, today was the complete opposite. The incessant chattering and anxious bustle and excited faces were sending me mixed signals.

No one replied to me and I looked at them all one by one.

Warren was texting with a frown on his face and seemed to have not heard me. Nora with her blonde hair in a ponytail was chewing on her lip nervously and kept checking her phone as well. The somber environment was too much for our combined free second period because usually everyone was goofing about.

My brows furrowed even more when I spotted Rebecca in the distance sitting alone with a look of apprehension on her face. She seemed unaware of her surroundings in that moment and definitely not focusing on the book open in front of her.

And finally, my eyes drank in the sight of the grey-eyed girl sitting to the left of me. Her look was blank as usual as she stared out of the window, her chin resting on her palm. Almost as if she felt my eyes on her, Lila tilted her head.

Her mahogany hair was loosely put into a low ponytail but her stormy grey eyes were sharp. I swallowed as I remembered her shining eyes from yesterday ajd the total breakdown but the thought passed over me like a dark cloud. She had earphones on and low beat music filtered around us.

"Michael's dad was arrested."

I blinked.

"What?"

But Kitkat had already looked away, her expression disinterested. Yet the vibes I received from her were dark.

For a split second, I wondered if it was because of what had happened yesterday but her vibes had changed drastically from teasing lighter ones to heavy malicious and dark ones.

I could feel it because I had sensed such auras before.

"What do you mean, Michael's Dad was arrested?" I inquired and my eyes bounced over Nora and War because Lila sure wouldn't be answering me.

Warren sighed and finally paid me some attention. "It's exactly as it sounds." I furrowed my brows, itching to shake him for more information.

He glanced at Nora, "Did you reach him?"

The girl with glasses give a jerky nod, her eyes glued to her phone screen. "He says he'll meet us all tonight at Blue's and that he's okay."

I heard a scoff from the side and we all turned to look at Kitkat with her eyes closed but her stance wasn't one of relaxation.

"Well at least you got something." Warren sulked, ruffling his chestnut hair. "He didn't reply to me except for one 'I'll talk to you later, don't worry.'"

"Well...." Nora looked slightly uncomfortable and fiddled with her phone while Warren grunted.

A beat of silence passed and I jumped at the opportunity. "Is anyone please going to tell me what exactly happened?"

That grabbed both their attention and I saw Kitkat tilting her head in my direction too.

I wanted to tease Kitkat and rile her up but right now didn't seem a good enough time. Yesterday had been similar and I was started to get annoyed by the lack of opportunities for some 'Me and Lila' time.

Warren leaned back in his seat. "Michael is quite close to his father, who is a known pathologist." He looks at me before continuing, "Mr Serdano doesn't always work here and often goes to the towns over or even to different states. Kinda like Lila's parents and he's a big shot here too. He was arrested on accounts of document forgery and wrong reports. It's......going to reopen a few cases."

I slowly nodded.

I get it now. That was huge news in a small town like Ladenhill.

That explains why it looked like the whole town was abuzz but in a hush-hush manner.

Still, something didn't sit right with me.

I couldn't stop thinking about how something big like this took place right after Mellisa's death anniversary.

Was it just a coincidence?

Although there was no evident link I could find so far, intuition and past experiences had sharpened my senses enough to tell that something was unnatural about this entire fiasco.

Nora got up from her seat, "I'm really worried about him." She moved away from her spot to sit next to Lila, laying her head down on the table and Kitkat opened her eyes.

Kitkat took out her earphones and gave her best friend a comforting smile. "Don't stress too much. You'll see him tonight."

I looked back at Warren and asked, "By the Police?"

He shook his head. "The FBI got involved. And...." He hesitated before speaking, a look of frustration entering his eyes.

"And?" I egged him on.

"Nothing." The soccer captain curtly shut me down but sneakily peeked over at Kitkat.

She met his eyes and they had a stare off that I watched with increasing weariness.

I rested my forearms on the oak table, mindful of the way Warren seemed off-kilter and Kitkat seemed like the image of serenity. It was quite the contrast.

Warren broke the contact first and I watched Kitkat's lips lift up for a mere second in a smirk so sardonic that it reminded me of my past. I shook my head to shake away those thoughts and focused on the present.

Nora wasn't as clueless as me though when it came to such silent conversations so I'd like to believe she knows whatever it was Warren wanted to say before entering the staring contest.

Once more I was reminded of how I didn't belong here.

But I think things are slowly changing.

At least, I want them to.

I'm starting to be really invested in this town and the people's lives.

All it took was two minutes and everyone was again in their own worlds but I wasn't done with my interrogation.

I quickly took out my own phone and shot off a text to Michael asking him his state of mind and whereabouts.

Although we were in a newly minted relationship, it was enough for me to genuinely worry over him. I probably couldn't relate to his feelings at the moment but it wasn't like I didn't know the dark side of life.

Life could throw you curveballs when you least expect it and then it's the journey down the rabbit hole. There are types to that curveball too though and the real problem arises when they become blockades in our journey. To come to such realization so soon in one's life is more on the unfortunate side or maybe it's an eye opening revelation, a hard earned lesson.

When I'd first met my ex-girlfriend, I'd been at my lowest point in life. She pretty much felt like the only source of light in my life as cheesy as that sounds. For a fifteen year old boy at least.

I was devastated by what my mother had been doing behind Dad's back and how it could tear my family apart. Anger and resentment were festering sores for my soul but that's when she'd offered me a comforting smile and a hand I desperately grabbed.

I closed my eyes at the memories that came after.

Those weren't pretty.

It's sad how I'm almost always reminded of her when hard things happen in my life. It's like I can't cut her out of my life and that's a problem I don't know how to deal with.

Exhaling heavily, I reopened my eyes only to find a pair of steel-grey orbs swirling with emotions staring at me intensely.

For a moment, my heart skipped a beat and I nervously clenched my fists under the table, pondering over how I should react.

I rose a brow and let myself smirk only the tiniest bit.

Teasing way it was.

And I think I did something right because her cold expression softened and her gaze fell away.

The bell rang and most of the students started getting up. Nora packed up while we got up too but then suddenly it was as if the atmosphere changed once more around us.

I scowled as phones around us pinged at the same time and Nora and Warren followed suite.

But I could tell from the paling faces that whatever the contents of the messages just now delivered had been definitely disconcerting.

I wondered why today had been an exceptionally cloudy day in the middle of hot June but now it all made sense with the onslaught of today's successive events.

Matched the mood perfectly.

Talk about irony.

Also, it was starting to get on my nerves that I was exempt from this inside info everyone was receiving. It seemed like everyone had some source of getting information in this town and I wanted in on that. I'd get on Warren's case to add me to the group or whatever insta account was the source.

I quirked an inquisitive brow, swallowing when I saw the quick glances Nora and Warren exchanged.

I headed towards War and nudged him with my elbow. "What happened, dude?"

His brown eyes met mine and he licked his lips before looking towards a nonchalant Lila who was scrolling on her phone at the moment.

Nora was anxiously looking around and that was when I noticed the glances everyone was sharing, the way they were looking at Lila, their phone and then chattering amongst themselves.

It was what teenagers all around the world did as the universal gesture saying 'I'm gossiping about you.'

This definitely involved Kitkat.

My scowl deepened at the looks of worry our two friends cast over Kitkat. I opened my mouth to ask again, however I didn't get the chance because Warren answered me loud and clear.

His voice firm enough that it carried over the entire library and silenced them all.

"Mellisa Waterbrook's case has been reopened as well."

I stilled, aware of the weight those words actually carried.

Holy. Hell.

What?!

My gaze flew towards Lila only to see that her lips were sardonically twisted upwards and her steel grey eyes swept over the student body while she mounted her bag on her shoulder.

It was maybe my imagination stretching it too far but I doubt anyone else noticed her minute expression change.

I couldn't place Kitkat's expression and that irked me. But I could definitely tell that she wasn't the least bit affected at being the centre of attention regarding this topic unlike her usual self that tried hiding in the shadows and blending into the background very unsucessfully.

Again, though, this was related to Mellisa. Everything in Ladenhill was connected to her.

"Well, that's surprising." Veronica's snide remark made everyone's attention divert towards the pretty redhead striding towards us.

She snickered, "Michael's Dad was a fraud, Mellisa is dead. I told you, didn't I?" Veronica's eyes locked into mine and I raise an unimpressed brow as she continued, "People associated with Smith here turn out to have really bad luck even if they had a happy life so far. She's bad luck."

That really rubbed me the wrong way but before I could say anything, Kitkat beat me to it.

"Hey, Veronica?" Said girl looked at Kitkat and even managed to make it seem like she was looking down on the grey-eyed enigma.

"What, Little Miss Bad Luck? This too much for you to handle?" She rolled her eyes, jutting out her hips. "The reopening of the case is probably nothing much. You were a lying little attention seeking whore back when the case was closed and this is just another one of your little schemes to manipulate people. You think I can't tell?"

Wait, what does that mean? What had happened two years ago when the case had been closed? Had Lila tried something?

Besides me, Nora had her lips quivering but her eyes were open in disbelief while Warren had his lips pulled upwards in a sneer, curling over his handsome features and making him resemble a beast momentarily.

With a menacing look in her darkening storm grey eyes, Lila advanced on the cheerleader who flinched visibly at the slow predatory gait Lila had adopted.

But that didn't change anything.

The entire library was probably silent for the first time since I'd entered Laden High and that was all courtesy to the drama unfolding with Lila as the main attraction.

I'd witnessed this side of Lila last time when Veronica had taunted her regarding Mellisa's death but this was a considerably different situation at hand right now. No one was trying to break this though and even the librarian could be seen seated on her desk with her eyes glued to the scene.

It was insane.

It made my heart race.

It made me feel a familiar, dangerous rush.

"You never learn, Veronica, do you?" With words whispered low and dark, eyes looking a little cynical and a smile that was nothing short of devious, Lila looked intimidating and fearful. I would be lying if I said a part of me didn't like Kitkat being badass bitch right now.

"I'll say it once - loud and clear." Although the volume she spoke with was low, it vibrated with a clairvoyance in the still and soundless library.

Lila inched her face closer to Veronica's.

"Don't speak about Mellisa, especially to taint her name. You want to come at me? You're always welcome." Lila jabbed a finger in Veronica's chest and the girl stumbled back a step. "But don't. bring. her. into. your little powerplay shows."

Veronica stilled before she hissed, "Is this your way of trying to put on the pretense of bravery when you're actually scared? Using your dead best friend as an excuse?"

Although I was comparatively new here, even I already knew how sensitive a topic Mellisa was for people here especially Lila. And having witnessed what I did yesterday, I could no longer act detached.

I might not have known the girl but I was sure she wasn't deserving of everything Veronica was saying about her. On top of that, I was sure Lila's feelings were still raw from yesterday so this blow today might end up making her take rash decisions.

Like using physical violence.

Lila was the kind of girl that hid her emotions but when she exploded? She'd be a different person. We've seen her nice and grumpy but I already know this side of hers is something not even Nora has witnessed.

I didn't get why Veronica was trying to piss off Lila so much. I had a few theories but I'd need to have them confirmed before moving on with how to join the puzzle pieces.

All in all, it was like watching someone put their hand into a tiger's mouth willingly only to get torn to pieces.

"Nothing to say? You always were the kid hiding away in the shadows after all." Veronica chuckled mockingly. "Of course you didn't like being in the shadows. And that was presumptuous of you to think you were average. Compared to Miss Happy-Go-Lucky Mellisa, you really stood out like a dark cloud while she was this pretty ray of sunshine."

Warren took a step forward but Nora held him back by grabbing his arm and a few student's attention landed on us momentarily.

And yet, Veronica didn't stop.

"Oh, wait! Your dark cloud seems to have swallowed her sunshine."

I think War or even Nora would punch Veronica at this point. Hell, I would too.

This was too wrong. This was deliberately goading Lila.

I clenched my jaw and grit my teeth but also felt this was something none of us had any right to meddle in between no matter how much we wanted to.

But Lila?

From the ferocious look in her eyes, she wasn't far from using violence to probably beat Veronica and no one would even question it.

I'd like to assume this was because of female jealousy stemming from petty reasons but I couldn't be too sure.

Lila's fists were clenched and she was positively vibrating.

And then suddenly she stopped shaking, her face devoid of expressions and I think that was scarier than her being intimidating and angry.

Lila inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm down some more - although I'm sure it was just a facade - and then suddwnly she grabbed Veronica by the collar of her cheer uniform.

Utter silence. You could hear a pin-drop.

Warren took another step forward and I felt my own heart pounding in my chest.

"Listen here, bitch." Lila's words were spewing vitriol, "If everyone associated with me has such awful luck then I'm happy I'm associated with you."

Uncertainty flashed over Veronica's face and Lila grinned maliciously.

"You better be ready because you never know," Lila leaned to whisper in Veronica's ear but it was for theatrical effects since everyone could hear her crystal clear.

"You might be next."

I drew in a sharp breath and Veronia's eyes widened for a split second before Lila let go of her and turned on her back.

Our eyes met and I could see it forsthand.

The hurt and rage that was mixing in her ash grey eyes made my heart lurch in my chest.

An inexplicable feeling of wanting to comfort her better than yesterday took over but before any of us could do anything, something unexpected happened.

Veronica spoke up, again.

With a small voice, her bitter words succeeded in tipping Lila off the edge of her barely-controlled restraint.

"She was a fake nice girl who deserved it. Every single second of the pain she could've felt—"

Thud!

I subconsciously stepped forward but it was all too late, I'd seen the look in her eyes changing before Lila twisted around and swung her hand hard over Veronica's cheek and slapped her strong enough that she was now sprawled over the floor.

Lila looked emotionless but I knew it must have been the exact opposite for her.

Without another word, Kitkat walked out and no one dared to make a sound or even moved until she exited.

Not even Veronica with her too-wide eyes and a cheek with a red handprint.

•♤•

A/N

Hey guys! I know it's been a while since the last update lol so sorry. Was super busy and will be. So heads up for slow updates this year. However I will try hard to finish the book hopefully before Wattys this year but I doubt that can happen.

Anyways, hope you're all doing well and hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Please vote and don't forget forget comment! I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter and the new developments! Any theories? This ended up being a chapter with over 3.3K words haha.

Alright then, till next time!

~Skyler