Page 119 of Tell No Lies

“Someone we probably know.” She frowned and looked at me again. “What do we do now?”

“Brandon wants me to continue my normal routine but always have someone with me. He and Carter are looking into it more today.”

“So until then, all we know is that your new stalker is here. Fantastic.”

My thoughts exactly.

We got out of my car and headed toward the courtyard. Talia and Alexis met us as we walked into campus. I gave a look to Mckayla, praying she would stay quiet. I didn’t want to tell the other girls what was happening when we didn’t know very much. Plus, Mckayla looked as if she was going to be ill. I didn’t want to do that to more people.

Mike called my name and ran up to me just before I opened the door to the math hall. “Sorry I missed you this morning. Coach called a team meeting. How’s my favorite girl?”

I wished I was immune to his thousand-watt smile. I couldn’t help but sink into him as he threw his arm around my shoulders. Was this leading him on? Maybe, but I needed my friends right now, and that was exactly what Mike was.

He must have taken my move as an invitation, since he kissed my forehead before he opened the door to our class. I smiled at him as I took my seat. Mr. Cox was standing at the front of the class, waiting for the bell to ring.

I looked around, wondering if anyone in the class was the person stalking me. Sydney? Nick? Maybe one of the guys who gave me their numbers on my first day. They might have been upset I’d never called.

I sank farther into my chair. I thought I could handle this. I thought I could act normal, but I couldn’t. At any moment, someone could be watching me.

Just when I was getting ready to stand and leave school, I felt Mike squeeze my shoulder. That was all I needed. Mike was my protector, and he would never let anything happen on his watch.

His presence was what I needed to make it through the class. When the bell rang, he walked me to the gym, where Cassie was waiting. I knew that if I surrounded myself with my friends, I could make it through the day. I would just have to take one class at a time. With a deep breath, I followed her into the locker room to change.

Dance was a daze, but I made it through with only a few concerned looks from Coach Sandra and Cassie.

I couldn’t focus, no matter how hard I tried. There was a drop of doubt in the back my mind. Did I know who my stalker was? Was he close to me now? I wanted to trust my friends, but I had made that mistake before.

So far, Mckayla was the only one who knew the truth. I trusted her not to tell anyone else yet. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want other people to start treating me differently, but maybe if they knew, they could help.

This came as an epiphany, yet it contradicted my previous decision. I knew who my true friends were, and I decided in that moment that after school I would have to talk to the other girls. Mike would probably catch on soon too. He could always tell when there was something going on. I laughed to myself when I realized he was probably already in contact with Brandon, his buddy.

During lunch, I tried to act normal. Mckayla sat next to me, watching over me. I caught a couple of looks the girls shared, but they never asked what was wrong. I appreciated them giving me space, but their patience would wear down soon.

Andy and Tucker walked by during lunch and waved. I had almost forgotten about the weekend already. It seemed so long ago, before I was worried. Before I knew that my past had followed me.

I didn’t want to feel like a victim again like I had been back in Chicago. I hadn’t done anything to take back control, but I’d learned my lesson, and I wasn’t going to do that again. When I got home, I was going to talk to Brandon. I wouldn’t let this take over my life again.

That was the catalyst for my determination. With newfound confidence, I decided I was going to figure out who this was and stop it before it escalated like it had in Chicago. Morgan was gone from my life. Whoever was doing this was a copycat, some sick person that thought I was an easy target. I learned from my mistakes, and I wasn’t going to run this time. This was the life I wanted, and I was going to fight for it.

Twelve

During Yearbook, Mckayla and I came up with a plan. We made a list of the people we could trust. She wanted to be as exclusive as possible; hurt feelings didn’t matter.

She texted Talia, Alexis, and Mike and invited them over to my house for dinner. I asked about Cassie, Gage, and their boyfriends, but she told me to only trust those we knew we could trust. She had been friends with Cassie for years, but she was at Catalina and might have had alternative motives for getting close to me. I absolutely hated assuming the worst in my friends, but I knew in the end she was right. Hopefully, it wouldn’t matter, since they would never find out they were being excluded.

Mckayla and I were setting out pizzas when the doorbell rang. Before I could turn to open it, the door swung inward, revealing Talia and Alexis holding bottles of soda.

Alexis waved two bottles around. “Who’s ready to party?”

I laughed at her despite Mckayla’s glare.

“This isn’t a party, Alexis,” Mckayla said. “This is a very serious matter.”

Alexis frowned and set the soda on the counter. Talia stood next to her, almost defensively. “Calm down, Mac. You didn’t tell us what’s going on, just that we needed to be here at seven.”

Mike let himself in and stared at all of us, apparently sensing the tension. “How are my favorite ladies doing?” His big grin helped to defuse some of the awkwardness, but not completely.

I stepped around the girls and into his open arms. I was beginning to really love that spot. “We’ve got dinner ready, and I have something I need to talk to you guys about.”