A/N: I am soooooo sorry its taken so long to get this part done and published. I finished school a few weeks ago, and on my first school free week I ended up with a tooth Infection  that resulted in the tooth having to be removed after we finally got the infection to a point where my dentist could safely remove the tooth so I've finally recovered from that and I am back in business so to speak. There is soooo much going on in this part of the story that I've again had to break off into another part as this one was almost 8k words and I feel like it will read more smoothly in a third part. So there will be one more part to the "Paranoia" Arc of this story after this one, and I'm working on it now! Things are going to start getting intense in this book as we start getting deeper into the mystery aspect of the story! I'm really excited! I love reading your comments with your guesses of who is behind it all! 

𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓽
𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓻𝓾𝓷, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓭𝓮
𝓘'𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓽 𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽
𝓘'𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾

Blaire

I shut my laptop again and picked it up and put it in my laptop bag and picked up my phone off my desk and dialed Wills number. When he picked up I could hear the sounds of the kitchen at O'Malleys in the background.

"Miss me already?" Will chuckled.
"Is O'Malleys busy right now?" I asked.
"Nah, kind of a slow night tonight. Not the night to pick up hours if thats what you're looking for." Will said.
"No. No.. just I'll be there in a few minutes. I have to show you something."
"Are you okay? You sound like you're about to lose your shit." Will said.
"I am. You have to see this. Just give me a few minutes." I said and hung up the phone. I threw my laptop bag over my shoulder and hurried out of my room and down the stairs.

"Whoa where are you going?" David asked.
"I have to go to O'Malleys. Thomas isn't there and theres a problem." I said.
"I wasn't aware you were management." David said and raised his eyebrow.
"I'm not.. But theres a problem with the computer that we use to put orders in, and everythings messed up. I'm the only one besides Thomas that knows how to fix it." I lied.
David looked at me skeptically.
"And you can't do it over the phone?" He asked.
I sighed.
"No, I can't. Its not like I'm going to a party I'm going to help out at work, why are you grilling me?" I snapped.
"Take the attitude down about 20 percent." David said and crossed his arms.
"Sorry. I just really need to go." I said walking to the door. "I'll be back in like an hour. I'll eat while I'm there." I said and waited at the door for his nod of approval.
"Alright, go but on your next day off you are staying out of that place. They work you too much for a high school senior as is."
"Got it. Thanks." I said and zipped out the door and to my truck.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will and I sat in the back booth of the restaurant with a couple of drinks and some food. The restaurant was practically a ghost town tonight, which it usually was on monday nights.
"Okay, so what the bloody hell has you all a mess?" Will asked.
"My friend Kass, she sent me some of my stuff and in the box was my old camera." I said. I opened my laptop and started scrolling through the photos.
"Whoa hold on. How come you didn't introduce me to your friend Kass when she was here for Christmas?" Will said admiring a picture of her.
"You didn't seem interested." I shrugged.
"You didn't say she looked like that!" Will exclaimed gesturing to the picture. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"She would chew you up and spit you out." I said.
"Just my type." Will grinned.
"Anyways.." I groaned and found the video and pushed play.
"This your mum?" Will asked.
"Yeah.." I said.
Will put his hand over my shaking hands as the video continued and I felt myself getting emotional all over again.

I flinched at the sound of broken glass, for the second time. Will watched closer.
"Blaire..what the hell is this?" He asked. I didn't answer. My moms scream came through the laptop speakers and Will jumped and I paused the video.
"Is that? Did I just watch your mum get murdered?!" Will hissed.
"Well.. not exactly. I think she just got knocked out..but that couldn't have been long before she was shot." I swallowed thickly. "But look." I said and pointed at the screen.
"What am I looking at?" Will asked.
"The killers arms. It couldn't have been my dad because my dad has a tattoo on this arm." I said pointing at the screen.
"Okay so it wasn't your dad.. That means whoever did it is still out there." Will said.
"Exactly and my Dad knows who it is, but he won't say."
"He's facing life in prison for something he didn't do..for what?" Will asked.
"He said something about protecting me..." I sighed.

"Wait a minute.." Will said and shut the laptop. "Your mum was saying how things weren't safe, she also said they had to leave here for a reason. What reason do you think?"
I thought for a minute.
"Well..." I started. "The only thing I can think of in the same time frame is the fire here." I frowned. My dad may not have been guilty in the murder of my mother, but.. It wasn't looking good for the arson.
"What about the fire here?" Jacob asked as he approached the table.
"We are doing a town history report on the fire." I lied.
"Well what do you need to know?" Jacob asked. "Maybe I can help?"
"How could you help? You had to be like 3 when it burnt down." I said.
"Well.." Jacob said and swallowed thickly. "Considering my mother was killed in that fire, I've done my research."

I frowned. "I'm really sorry Jacob.. I didn't mean it like that honestly." I said.
"Its fine." Jacob shrugged and smiled. "How can I help?"
"Well.." I said. "We are kind of in the crime part of the report...suspects." I added.
"Well they didn't have any suspects..besides your dad." Jacob said "But Thomas said that there was no way James burned this place down. Him and my mom were too close and I actually agree. I don't know your dad, but from the pictures I've seen of him and my mom, theres no way I believe he did it. They were best friends." Jacob said. "It's a cold case."
Well at least Jacob didn't think my dad had anything to do with the fire, but I still wasn't sure myself anymore.
"Well.. thanks thats about all we needed at the moment." Will said.
"Sure. If I can help more let me know." Jacob said and walked away from the table.

"Nice save." Will said.
"No shit.." I sighed. "If he would have seen that video he'd make me turn it over to the police tonight." I said and put my laptop in my messenger bag.
"Will, Lizard and I got this if you want to go work on your report with Blaire." Jacob called from across the dining room.
"Thanks mate." Will said and stood up to follow me outside.
"You mean...you aren't taking this to the police?" Will asked.
"Hadn't planned on it." I shrugged. "Not until we find more information."
"We? Blaire.. I was okay helping you with a small town arson mystery but this...its a murder case."
"So? Jacobs mom was murdered in the fire and you were helping me with that." I said.
"Its different Blaire! That is a 16 year old Cold case. This.. is happening now and the guy who did it, is still out there. Your mum said she was getting strange calls and texts. Sound familiar love?" Will asked.

"If the person texting me is the person who killed my mom, I have the upper hand. They don't know I have this. Finally I have leverage."
"Blaire. You aren't getting my point." Will stopped me and took my shoulders in his hands.
"Your mother was getting these texts and then she was murdered and from the looks of it, you are next!" Will exclaimed. "This isn't about you playing some cat and mouse game with this psycho, this is your life! And what about your dad? He's sitting in prison for a crime he didn't do."
"It will do him some good to sit there. Builds Character." I shrugged thinking of how many times he forced me to do something I didn't want to do because it would build character.
"You've gone bloody mad!" Will said. "We're going to the police station."
"Will no! If I take this to the police, my whole life blows up and not just mine. Killians, and Emmas. This guy knows too much. If I take this to the police, he's not coming after me. He's coming after the people I care about first. So no. I showed you this because I trust you Will. Don't make me regret it."

"You are putting me in an impossible position Blaire." Will said. "I don't know if I can do this. I can't watch this guy destroy you and I sure as hell don't want to end up getting a video in the mail like that with you in it."
"What are you saying Will?" I asked.
"I'm saying I love ya Blaire, but if you want to go chasing a murderer, you're going to have to do it without me."
I swallowed thickly.
"You're my best friend Will. I don't want to do this alone."
"Best friends don't make their best friends keep secrets like this Blaire. I can take you and Jones, and Emma being pregnant to the grave but me keeping this one, could put you in yours and you don't even care how much that bloody terrifies me Blaire!"
"I never said I didn't care!" I scoffed.
"If you cared the slightest about what I thought of this, we'd be walking to the police station right now." Will argued. "I'm sorry Blaire but I can't do this."

"You know what? Fine!" I said. "I'm terribly sorry that everything life has thrown at me for the last year is that stressful to you." I started walking away.
"I didn't mean it that way!" Will groaned.
"Whatever Will, I got this." I said.
"Fine!" Will shouted after me.

-------------------------------------------------------------

When I got back home, David could tell I was upset, but I was in no mood to talk.
"What happened?" He asked as I hurried past him.
"Nothing I want to talk about." I muttered and stormed up the stairs. I got in my room and shut the door and put my laptop back on my desk and picked up Bowie and snuggled him under my chin.
My phone vibrated in my jacket pocket and I shifted Bowie to grab my phone.

KJ:
Just checking in..you seemed off today.

Me:
I'm fine. Just tired..

KJ:
Get some rest. I love you. See you tomorrow.

Me:
Love you too.

I sighed heavily. Getting rest was easier said than done lately. Bowie squirmed in my arm so I put him down and he went to batting around one of his jingle balls. I sat down at my desk and opened my computer and started the video of my mom again. I just wanted to see her face. Hear her voice. Hear her tell me it was okay that we fought the morning before she was murdered.. That morning had replayed in my head almost every day since she went missing.

I sat at my mirror putting on my makeup before school when there was a knock on my door before it opened.
"Mom, hey.. What are you doing up so early don't you have to work tonight?" I asked.
"No.. actually." She said. She seemed nervous.
"Whats up?" I asked.
"So...I need you to pack a bag, just essentials, clothes, bathroom things.." Mom said.
"We taking a trip?" I asked "Did you talk Dad into Disney?" I smirked.
"No..I'm..leaving your father Blaire and I want you to come with me." Mom said and sat down on my bed.
"What??" I asked. "Why?" I stopped putting on make up and turned to face her.
"This isn't the life I wanted for you Blaire, I didn't want you to be forced to live up to unrealistic expectations daily, I wanted you to just be a kid."
"Mom.. I'm happy here, with you, and with Dad. I don't want to leave Dad." I said "What is really going on?"
"Its really hard to explain right now Blaire I just really need you to come with me." Mom pleaded. "We don't have time."
"What about my school? My friends? I mean Kass and I have been best friends since we were in preschool I can't just leave Mom."
"You can make new friends, go to a new school." Mom said and started packing some of my things.
"You aren't listening to me! I don't want to go!" I said and took my things out of her hands. "I'm not leaving Dad."
"We don't have a choice Blaire!" Mom shouted. "You wouldn't understand."
"My whole life, every time I've ever asked where we come from, who our family is, and why we never have family visit, it was always the you wouldn't understand bullshit! I'm 17 mom! Its getting a little old!"
"Blaire I can explain everything on the way, please don't make me leave you behind!" Mom begged with her eyes spilling over with tears.
"Make you leave me behind? I'm not making you do anything. This is your choice. You are making the choice to leave me." I spat. "If you are so damn unhappy then leave, but I'm staying here." I said and pushed my way past her.
"Where are you going?" Mom asked.
"To school." I said and shrugged. "Are you at least leaving him a note?"
"Blaire.." Mom sniffled.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't have time for this.. I'm going to be late. I guess I'll see you sometime." I said and picked up my backpack and walked out.

I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I was so hateful to her that morning and I know she said it was okay, but I felt awful. I blamed my Dad for never letting me express my emotions properly, everything always came out angry and hateful no matter what I was feeling and it was something I still struggled with sometimes. My phone vibrated beside me and I looked down

Unknown:
Running out of time to tell the truth about Dylan.

I growled and shut my laptop and picked up my phone and hit the call button. A distorted voice answered the phone.
"I must have struck a nerve." He chuckled.
"You know what, fuck Dylan. He was a piece of shit and fuck you too!" I spat. "You think you're the only one who has leverage here? You aren't. I've got shit on you too!"
"You don't even know who I am Blaire." the voice taunted.
"Not yet. But I'm getting closer to finding out, I feel it. Whats your big plan Huh? Stalk me and harrass me until you finally come to kill me like you did my mother?" I asked.
"How do you kno-"
"Like I said. You aren't the only one with a game piece." I said.
"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into." The voice threatened. "Two Days Nolan and don't forget about the pool party." The line disconnected and I slammed my phone down on the desk.

---------------------------------------------------------------

After yet another sleepless night, I dragged myself down to the kitchen after showering and getting ready for school.
"You look like fresh hell." Emma said.
I flipped her the bird and sat down. Today.. Was not going to be a good day even if I had managed to sleep. Today was my mothers birthday and..I would likely spend the day thinking about how we used to celebrate.
"Hey. Watch it." David said, narrowing his eyes at me over his newspaper.
I grabbed a piece of toast off the platter in the middle of the table and took a bite.
"What is your problem today?" Emma scoffed.
"I don't have a problem." I muttered.
"You clearly do." Emma said.
"Em, enough if Blaire doesn't want to talk about it, she doesn't have to." Mary-Margaret said.
"Theres nothing to talk about anyways." I said and stood up.
"Where are you going?" David asked.
"Meeting Wendy early to go over our project for Mr. Jones' class." I said.
"What about Will isn't he in your group?" Emma asked.
I just shrugged.
"At least eat something." David said. I rolled my eyes and snatched a couple strips of bacon off the platter and held them up to him before turning around and walking out the door.

I got in my truck, and pulled my phone from my backpack and scrolled through my contacts until I got to my mom. I hovered my thumb over the call button for just a little bit before I pressed it. It went straight to voicemail.
"Hey, its Jack, I'm probably at work or asleep, leave a message and I'll get back with you asap. Blaire.. Hey no, don't eat that!" The message ended followed by a beep. I chuckled at the fact that she had the same voicemail since I was a toddler, and there was no telling what I was trying to eat. I cleared my throat and began to speak.

"Hey..mom. I don't know how messages work wherever you are, and I know you'll probably never get this.. but ..um.." I bit my lip and choked back tears. "Happy birthday..." I said with my voice cracking. "I miss you..and I promise I'm going to figure out who did this to you." I said. The message tone beeped again and I hung up the phone and tossed it into my passengers seat and wiped a couple tears before taking a deep breath and starting the truck.

I checked my rearview mirror before backing out of the driveway and slammed on the breaks and gasped as there was someone standing behind my truck, he was dressed all in black with a hood over his head and had a creepy mask concealing his identity. I unbuckled quickly and got out of the truck to confront him, but there was absolutely no one there. I blinked my exhausted eyes a few times and shook my head.

"Whatcha doin?" Emma asked as she made her way to her bug.
"I..thought I.." I sighed and shook my head. "Nevermind."
I went to get back in my truck but Emma stopped me.
"Blaire.. Really, are you okay?" She asked. "I'm kind of worried."
"I'm fine Em. You have enough to worry about.." I shrugged.
"Yeah well so do you, Half the school is showing up for this pool party thing that has your name attached to it and..thats not all, something else is going on, I can tell. You look like you haven't slept for two days."
Because I haven't fucking slept for two days Emma.
"I'm fine. Really." I said. "Lets just go." I added and got back into my truck. I checked the rearview mirror again and no one was there.
You're losing it Blaire..

--------------------------------------------------------------

I felt a nudge on my shoulder and pulled my head up from my desk and looked around at the empty algebra classroom. I looked to my left at Mr. J who now had his hands in his pockets and was leaning against his desk.
"What did I miss?" I asked in a yawn.
"Everything after Good morning, class." Mr. J replied. I sat up more and started putting my things in my backpack.
"Why didn't you just wake me up?" I asked.
"Honestly? You looked like you needed the sleep." He shrugged.
"You should have woke me up." I mumbled and stood up putting my backpack over my shoulders.
"Is everything okay Blaire?" Mr. J asked
"Not that anyone is listening, but everything is fine." I said.
"Well, perhaps the more you have to say it, the less believable it becomes." Mr. J said. "To me, you don't look okay. I don't want to pry.."
"So don't." I shrugged.
Mr. J put his hands up
"Alright. I'll back off."

I walked out of his classroom and stopped when I got just outside of the door and sighed. It wasn't his fault. I turned around and watched him setting out worksheets for his next class before I stepped back in the class.
"I..I'm sorry. It's just...I'm having the worst week and its not your fault but I can't help but take it out on everyone..." I said.
"It's alright Blaire. If you ever want to talk about it, I stay after school on Thursdays for a bit to catch up."
"I'm..not really much for talking my way through my problems." I admitted.
"Aye." He chuckled. "My son, Sebastian is similar in that way."
"So I've been told." I said.
Mr. J raised an eyebrow curiously.
Shit. Think Blaire.
"Uh.. Mr. Jones talks about Sebastian in class sometimes." I shrugged.
"Right." Mr. J. smiled. "He does adore Sebastian."
"I..should go." I gave him an awkward smile.
"Oh, of course. See you tomorrow Blaire." He said and led me out of the classroom.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The day seemed to drag on. By lunch time, I really just wanted to go home or at the very least get an early start to my shift at O'Malleys, but I didn't want to have to tell David and Mary-Margaret why I checked myself out of school. Or Thomas for that matter, because he would ask why I was there in the middle of the afternoon and not in school. I kept finding myself randomly in tears, and I wasn't sure if it was the fact that it was my mothers birthday, or the fact I hadn't slept properly in 2 days or a combination of the two things. It also didn't help that our lunch table was unusually quiet. After last night, Will and I weren't really speaking and both of us were too stubborn to even try and put the argument we had last night behind us right now.

"What is wrong with you two?" Wendy finally spoke up.
"Nothing." Will and I said at the same time.
"Okay...then, so what are we thinking about for our project in Mr. Jones class?" Wendy asked.
"Ask Blaire, She's full of bright ideas." Will snarked.
I glared at him.
"Unlike Will, whos ideas only work in his favor because he wants to take the easy way out." I said.
"Easy way out?" Will scoffed. "Yeah it may be the easy way out Blaire but at least no ones gettin hurt!" Will snapped.
"Its...just a history report.." Wendy sighed and put her head in her hands. "Nothing is ever easy with you two.."
"You two figure it out." Will said and stood up.
"Will come on.." Wendy pleaded as Will walked away from the table with his lunch tray.
"Well that went well." Wendy grumbled. "Seriously what is up with you two? Did you break up?"
"Wendy we weren't even together to begin with We made it up to-" I stopped seeing the hurt in her eyes.
Fuck.. way to go Blaire.
"You guys lied to me?" Wendy asked. "Why would you even do that Blaire?"
I sighed heavily.
"You guys always keep things from me. I just don't understand why you would lie about being together, and if you weren't together, what were you doing for Valentines day that you made me lie about?" Wendy asked.
"Wendy its really hard to explain." I said.
"It shouldn't be. I thought the three of us were best friends Blaire, but you two are only using me for your lies." Wendy said and stood up.
"Come on Wendy its not like that." I said.
"It is like that and it sucks." Wendy said and walked away with her lunch tray.

I looked around the cafeteria at other students who were looking at me and whispering among themselves. I stood up and took my tray over to the trashcan and threw it away before turning around and noticing people still looking at me. I felt like their whispers were amplified and my head was starting to spin. I looked straight ahead of me and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. There stood the same figure I saw behind my truck this morning, dressed all in black, creepy mask. I shook my dizzy head and blinked and he was gone.
What the actual fuck Blaire?

I made my way out of the cafeteria and outside to sit on the front steps of the school and get some air. I felt tears stinging my eyes, I felt like I couldn't help but keep fucking things up lately. I felt someone sit next to me and glanced at Emma.
"Probably best to just stay away before I fuck up with you too." I muttered.
"What does that mean?" Emma asked.
"Well, Wendy and Will are both pissed off at me, Why not just add to it." I shrugged.
"I'm just worried about you Blaire, thats all. You seem really on edge..are you taking your medications?" Emma asked.
"Yes, I'm taking them, not that they are doing me a damn bit of good lately." I scoffed.
"Well maybe you need to go see Archie again? Its been a while since you've seen him." Emma suggested.
"I'd really just rather not right now." I said.
"Blaire, you really should." Emma pressed.
I rolled my eyes and stood up.
"I'll go see Archie when you tell your parents you're pregnant. Hows that?" I snapped.
"That..is not fair." Emma said. "Why are you taking this out of me?"
"Maybe just maybe if I had one less fucking secret that I was repsonsible for keeping I'd get some fucking sleep!" I spat.
"You're blaming me for that? You have plenty of your own secrets Blaire." Emma said and stood up now.
I cocked my head to the side.
"What do you mean Emma? The only thing I've told you about is Killian...so what other secrets are you talking about?" I asked stepping closer to her.
"Well the pool party for one, the one I told you was a bad idea, and then whatever else you are so freaked out about." Emma shrugged.
"No.. you know something." I said. "Say it."
"Blaire, I have no idea what you are talking about!" Emma said.
"Tell me!" I screamed at her.
Emma's eyes widened as she looked down at my clenched fists.
"Blaire.. You're scaring the shit out of me." Emma said and backed up. "I don't know what the hell you are talking about!"

"What on earth is going on out here??"
Both Emma and I turned to see her mother. Mary-Margaret looked at Emma's frightened expression and then down at my fists that were shaking at my sides.
"Nothing Mom.." Emma said.
"Clearly its something." Mary-Margaret said and crossed her arms. "Blaire?" she asked and put her hands over my shaking fists.

I shook my head and pulled away from her and picked up my backpack.
"No.. wait a minute." Mary-Margaret said.
"I really don't want to." I said and pushed my way past her back inside the building as the bell, ending lunch, was ringing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Usually Killian's class was a safe haven for me, but today I didn't even want to be here. My brain was running so fast, I couldn't even pay attention to what he was saying and usually if I could just focus on his voice and tune everything else out, I felt okay. I felt like I was literally about to lose my mind, I kept seeing shit that wasn't there, I was taking everything out on people I cared about, and she probably wouldn't believe it, but what happened at lunch with Emma probably scared me, more than it did her. I just felt so angry, like I wanted to hurt her.

I snapped back into reality briefly and looked at Killian who gave me a brief look of concern before he continued speaking.
"Just a reminder that your group presentations are due Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all have to show. I'm also looking forward to the break I get from teaching for at least an hour." Killian smirked. Which usually would have gotten a comment from Will, but there was just crickets.
"Usually you lot are more lively after lunch. I suppose they put sedatives in the meatloaf today." Killian mumbled. "Right, well I'll just stop there and let you guys work on your projects together, Of course discuss things among yourselves but try to keep the volume down." Killian said and glanced at me, I guess he could tell I was having a day and didn't need to add sound sensitivity overload to it.

Killian walked to his desk and sat down. I turned around in my chair and looked at Wendy and Will who both looked like they'd rather eat paste than speak to me at the moment. I swallowed thickly and turned back around in my chair. We hadn't even started our project and it was due in two days.
"Mr. Jones.. I need to go to the bathroom..if thats okay." I said.
"Thats fine. Hurry back." Killian nodded. I stood up and left my stuff except for my phone at my desk and hurried out of the room.

I had no intention of going back until class was out, to get my stuff. I just couldn't sit there and pretend everything was okay when it wasn't. It wasn't long into my pacing back and forth in the bathroom before I got a text message.

KJ:
You okay?

I chose not to answer it. I had no idea how. He'd see straight through my bullshit if I said yes, but answering No, opened up an endless possibility of questions I didn't care to answer right now. I sat down on the floor in the bathroom and opened up my facebook and typed in my moms name. There were loads of people posting on her profile for her birthday. I wanted to barf by the third "Happy Heavenly birthday!" I noticed a thread from her former coworkers, who all said they missed her. She hated these people. Every chance she got to chat with me, she talked shit about them and we'd laugh for hours about it. I clicked into the thread. I knew I shouldn't have..but I typed out "You know she hated you all right?" and hit send and God did it feel good. Finally something today felt good.

I set my phone down beside me for a minute and ran my hands through my hair.
"I am such an asshole." I sighed and picked up my phone again and deleted the comment. Seconds after I deleted the comment I got a new text message.

Unknown:
Nice dirty delete. Feeling hateful today? ;)

Attached was a screenshot of my comment.

Me:
Guess its just too much to ask for a break for one fucking day right?
Unknown:
Mm..probably. We're on a tight schedule Bean. Remember? You only have two days to tell the police what really happened to Dylan Hendrixson.

Me:
Get a fucking hobby.

Unknown:
Watching you slowly break down has become much too entertaining. What other hobby could I need?

The bell rang. I sighed and stood from the floor and brushed myself off before walking out of the bathroom and back to Killian's class to get my backpack. I walked into his classroom and he was sitting at his desk on his laptop looking over some things. It was a free period for him so He wouldn't have more students coming in. He looked up at me from his computer.
"I was beginning to think you got lost." He said.
"Yeah..well I met a wizard on the way and he asked me to throw a ring in a volcano. Seemed important." I shrugged.
"Be honest with me Blaire...what is going on? You were incredibly distracted all class and then when I let everyone work on their projects you bolted, now I can tell you've been crying and you're doing that thing you do where you make jokes to try and throw me off."
"I..really just don't want to talk about it. I've done enough damage for one day I'd rather not get you involved too." I said and picked up my backpack. Killian stood from his desk.
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means, If I could fuck it up today, I have and I'd rather not fuck up with you too so I'm going to go to home ech and probably burn some cookies."
"Blaire I haven't a clue what you are talking about. I'm not mad at you or anything." Killian sighed. "Just talk to me love."
"Oh just give it time." I said. "You'll think of something to be mad about I'm sure."
"You aren't making any sense." Killian said and put his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged away from him.
"I really..really just can't today." I said with my eyes welling. "I've literally ruined everything I've touched today so please just let me go to class before I ruin the only thing I have left to lose." I said and then I turned around and walked away from him.

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I just had one more class to get through. At least it was art and I could mentally escape that way. I sat down where I always sat, next to Will and pulled out my sketchbook. What I really liked about this class, is unlike any art class I'd ever been in, there wasn't really set things we had to draw. Calliope usually wrote a word on the board, and we spent the majority of the class drawing what that word meant to us. Todays word happened to be loss and for once..I had no idea how to interpret that on my paper. I'd lost so much it was impossible for me to think about trying to throw all of that in a drawing.
"What did you say to Wendy?" Will asked. "She won't talk to me now."
"Well Join the club shes not talking to me either." I said.
"Well what did you say then?" Will asked.
"She asked if we were fighting because we broke up. I told her that we were never together in the first place and she's mad because we lied, and she feels like I used her."
"Well.. technically you did. Everytime you sneak off with him You used Wendy to lie to your uncle about where you were." Will said.
"I'm not the one who told her we were together in the first place Will. That was you." I argued.
"I was saving your ass. You're welcome." Will scoffed. "You've really made a mess out of this you know."
"Well you aren't helping." I spat.
"I was trying to help you get out of the mess Blaire." Will argued.
"You don't understand Will. I can't expect you to." I sighed.
"You are going to get yourself killed following this guys demands. It could all be over if you just take it to the police. You worry too much about everyone else. You have to worry about yourself too." Will said.
"You don't think I'm scared? I'm fucking terrified. I haven't slept in almost three days Will. This video is the only thing I have that could save my dad from life in prison. Its the last bit of my mothers voice I will ever hear. If I take it to the police.. Who knows what will happen to it. If you don't want to help me anymore, Fine. I get it."
Will sighed and turned away from me and the rest of the class hour was quiet.

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When the final bell rang, Will didn't seem interested in carrying on the conversation from class, and honestly neither was I. Wendy hurried past the both of us without a word. I sighed heavily wondering how everything got so fucked up in less than 24 hours. I walked down the hall, past Killian's classroom where he was standing monitoring the halls and stopping people who were running by. Only that man cared about Hallway safety..that much. He looked up at me and gave me a warm, inviting smile. I returned it with a small half smile as I walked past him. With everything else that blew up in my face today, I was not about to let that ship sink too.

I hurried outside and was hit with a wall of humidity. I looked up at the dark clouds, the air was heavy and smelled like rain. I usually loved this weather, and it would be so much better if I could just go home, and curl up and watch TV with Bowie, but I had to get to work.
"Can't be stormy on my day off.. No." I grumbled and walked to my truck.

I opened the passenger door and threw my backpack in and then walked around to my drivers side and got in. I gripped the steering wheel and took a deep shaky breath. My eyes stung with tears. I was exhausted, and I was really upset with how today unfolded. I shouldn't have expected any less given that it was my moms birthday, the first birthday we wouldn't be spending curled up on the couch with store bought cupcakes and Ghost Hunters with Dad rolling his eyes in the background complaining about how fake it all was. I pulled my sun visor down and flipped up the mirror to check how red my eyes were. I gasped, written in red on the mirror was the words "Two Days" I shut the mirror and looked in the back seat expecting to see someone there but there was no one. I couldn't even feel safe in my own truck. I quickly got out of the truck and slammed the door. I didn't even feel comfortable driving it knowing that he had been in it.

I started the walk home as the sky opened up and poured down on me. Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning flashed across the sky and as the sky was letting go, I felt myself start to crumble too. I didn't have the energy to fight off the tears or the unshakable agony that I felt. Everything had been falling apart around me for so long that my brain had finally gave in and decided to join the party.

I heard a car pull up beside me.
"Blaire?"
I turned my head and blinked a few tears out of my eyes to get a clear view of who had stopped to talk to me. It was Jacob. Jacob opened his car door and got out and hurried over to me.
"Blaire what are you doing out here?" He asked.
"Walking." I sniffled.
"Well that much is obvious." He chuckled and wiped his now drenched blonde hair out of his eyes.
I let out a strangled sob and dropped to my knees.
"I can't do it anymore." I sobbed.
"Hey..hey." Jacob said and knelt down to me. He put a hand on my shoulder and brushed my hair out of my eyes. "Lets get in the car and out of the storm okay?"
I took a shaky deep breath in, trying to collect myself.
"Come on." Jacob said and stood up and then helped me up off the ground. Put his arms around me and led me to the passengers side of his car and opened the door. I got in and he closed the door and hurried around to the drivers side and got in.

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I watched the rain drops racing down the windshield. Jacob, who usually always had something witty to say, was silent except for drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel. We were parked by the city park.
"So.. I don't want to pry but I've never seen you this way..." Jacob said.
"Sorry." I said.
"You don't have to apologize for your feelings Blaire." Jacob said. "Whats going on?"
"I've held it together for so long..and I just couldn't anymore. I'm tired of pretending everything is fine when theres a nuclear holocaust raging inside." I said and wiped more tears away with my jacket sleeve. "Last year was one shit show after another. This year isn't looking promising and today is my mom's birthday and its just so unfair that she was taken from me. It all happened so fast and I just don't know how to deal with the fact that shes gone and she's never coming back and I don't know how I'm ever supposed to be okay with that."
"I don't think you are supposed to be okay with it Blaire, I mean you've held this all in for so long and look what happened. You're like a bottle of soda that someone just kept shaking until it exploded." Jacob said.

 
"How are you so okay? How did you get over your mom?" I asked.
"Honestly? I never have. It helps that I was so young when I lost her so I don't have all the memories you had with your mom but every day, it still hurts no less than the other days. I'm not trying to upset you even more but the pain isn't really going to go away. There are days when its going to be easier to deal with but ultimately you're still left with a void that can't be filled." Jacob sighed.

"At least you're honest. I've been told by so many people to just give it time, but until they know how this feels...they'll never know that you can't put an expiration date on grief." I said and pulled my legs up in the seat and hugged them to my chest. I turned my head to the side so I was looking at Jacob, for the first time I was seeing him as not the asshole assistant manager, He was someone who knew the pain I felt, I could see it in his eyes.
"I'm sorry I haven't really been so nice to you." I said.
"I haven't really been that nice either." Jacob chuckled. "I honestly don't know how Thomas put up with me until college."
"He has a very big heart." I said. "And a lot of patience for asshole teenagers." I added with a smirk.
"That he definitely does." Jacob laughed.
"Speaking of... I think I'm late for work." I said.
"I'm late, you're going home." Jacob said and started the car.
"No its fine." I said.
"Blaire, you're exhausted and you're in no state to deal with people today. Just take the day off. Thomas will be okay with it, I'll cover your shift. Whats your address? I'll take you home"
"Actually.. Theres somewhere else I want to go. I'll get home from there." I said.
"Alright just let me know where I'm going." Jacob said.

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Jacob parked outside the small office building on Main street and read the sign.
"Doctor Archibald Hopper. A Psychiatrist?" Jacob questioned.
"Yeah." I nodded. "This..is where I am usually when I'm late for work. Thomas knows, Will knows, I've just asked them to keep it private." I said.
"You could have told me. I wouldn't have judged you, theres no shame in needing help Blaire." Jacob said.
"Well..now you do know. I just don't like a lot of my personal life out in the open.. Lately I just feel like I can't hide." I sighed.
"Who are you hiding from?" Jacob asked.
"Thats... a really weird and fucked up story for a different day." I said.
"Okay. I won't push." Jacob said. "Are you sure you can get home from here? This storm doesn't look like its going to let up anytime soon."
"Yeah I'll be fine. Thank you..for the ride and for the talk..and if you see Will, can you just tell him I'm really sorry? He'll understand what you mean."
"Sure thing." Jacob nodded. "Call my cell if you need anything, if you can't reach my cell call O'Malleys."
"Thanks." I said and unbuckled myself and opened the car door. "See you later." I said.
Jacob nodded and I shut the car door and turned around and walked into the office.