Page 7 of Shattered

Jason and I both look up at each other. “This is crazy.” Shaking his head, he returns to the texts.

Jason: You actually believe he did it?

Cam: Hell no!

Mase: Why else would he be arrested at the scene, looking roughed up?

“Maybe he fought off the guy?” I say to Jason. He nods, still staring at his phone.

Cam: Are you serious right now? Shut the fuck up, Mase!

“These guys will probably end up murdering each other,” Jason mumbles.

It’s true. Out of everyone, Cam and Mase seem to butt heads the most, and something like this could definitely push them over the edge.

Me: Chill the fuck out, guys. We just need to wait and see what happens.

My attempt at calming the situation does very little.

Cam: He’ll be let out later today because he didn’t fucking do it.

Jason: Agreed.

Mase: We’ll see.

Blowing out a breath, Jason throws his phone onto his desk. “So fucking crazy.”

I nod, chewing on my cheek as I look around his room. We’ve all spent a lot of time in here, but there’s a niggling feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me that things will be changing.

My eyes land on one of the pictures pinned to Jason’s corkboard, which we each have a copy of. It’s the five of us, taken just the other day, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s the last one we’ll get all together.

I shake my head. Of course, it won’t be the last. This will be fixed today.

The unopened message from Sunflower pops into my mind, and because I want that all-consuming feeling I get whenever I read her messages instead of the shit that’s traveling through my brain right now, I open her message.

Sunflower: I just heard a horrible rumor. Is it true?

I close my eyes, dropping my chin to my chest. This has probably already spread like wildfire throughout town.

I can’t even imagine what the final two weeks of school are going to be like.

...

Neilix: I think I’m still in shock.

Sunflower: Hopefully, it will all be sorted out soon.

Neilix: I hope so. I mean, it has to be, right?

Sunflower: I can’t see him doing something like that.

Neilix: He wouldn’t.

CHAPTER THREE

Neilix

“I find it hard to believe you didn’t know what he was planning to do.”