Page 244 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

“Can you prove it?” I murmur.

Addy’s silent for the longest time.

“Addy?”

“Proof,” she says. “Everyone always wants fucking proof. We don’t live in a perfect world. If we did, people wouldn’t get away with shit like this.”

She blinks fast, and then turns away to stare out the window.

“I hear you,” I murmur.

My mom’s murder case is still open, but before I left Lakeview, the police told me they had no suspects. Despite the mess the thief had made, he hadn’t left much useful evidence behind besides a partial fingerprint, and it wasn’t in the system.

Either it was his first crime, or it was the first time he was careless enough to leave a clue.

I don’t know if Mom’s murderer will ever be found, and even if he is, who knows if he’ll get the justice he deserves? I hear about cases being thrown out on technicalities all the time.

Cases like Jessica’s.

Because who’s gonna investigate a suicide?

I reach over and squeeze Addy’s shoulder. It makes me think back to when she did the same to me a few days ago.

“We’ll get him, Addy. You hear me? He’s gonna pay for what he did.”

“How?” She throws up her hands. “I’m not even supposed to be talking to him. If the principal sees me anywhere near him, then?—”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re friends, isn’t it?”

Addy glances over at me. “Talking isn’t going to help. I’ve tried that. No one saw anything.”

“Briar did.”

Her eyes narrow and she shakes her head. “I don’t like where you’re going with this.”

“You know what they say about why boys pull your hair, right?”

Addy rolls her eyes. “He’s done more than just pull your hair.”

“We’re not kids on a playground anymore.”

“So what, you’re gonna seduce him? Get him drunk? Hope he tells you everything while you record him?”

I purse my lips, sticking my fingers through a gap in my shirt and rubbing my collarbone. “Not a bad idea.”

“It’s a fuckingterribleidea. Jess was his girlfriend, and you know how she ended up.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“You’ll be dead.” Addy’s brown eyes are round, her lips in a thin line. “Don’t do this. We’ll think of another?—”

“You’re right,” I say, waving away the idea with a grimace. “I mean, he’s probably forgotten all about his new bully victim.”

Addy nods, and gives me a tremulous smile. “We’ll figure something out.”

I let out a long sigh and sink back into the seat. Is it weird that I kinda wish I could go ahead with everything Addy said? I’ve never tried seducing someone before—I’ve usually been the prey, not the predator. Could be fun, especially with an arrogant prick like Briar. Getting him to bend to me, instead?—

“Shit, we have to go,” Addy mutters. “School’s starting.”

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