Page 77 of Twisted Minds

“Okay . . .”

“I know who set fire to your mother’s restaurant.”

twenty-seven

Mark

How long can you go without sleep and not die? I guess I’ll find out. I haven’t slept much at all this week. I’m faking the flu for my classes, but I know that excuse will only get me so far. I hope my professors will understand, and thankfully most have sent me my assignments.

I may not have Hunter, but I’m going to graduate from this fucking place if it kills me.

That is, unless I’m going to jail.

Honestly, the day after Noah’s party I half expected the police to turn up at my dorm, and each day that passes where I’m not behind bars makes me wonder what Hunter is doing? I haven’t seen him at all. He knows my schedule and I’m sure he’s avoiding me at all costs, but I’d expected him to march right down to the station and tell them everything.

I’m not any closer to getting Derrick to confess either. Or like, at all. I’m fucked. I haven’t seen him since the party, and now I have no hope of even getting my watch back. All I know is that there’s no fucking way I did it. How could a firework do all that?Not for the first time I want to throw up. Hunter’s right, though, I should have said something. I should have let him in, told Sawyer. Just something. I feel horrible for Sawyer’s mother and sister. I couldn’t imagine living with that kind of fear, and I’ve been ignorant to think that just because no one was physically hurt, no one was hurt at all. Thinking about his sister and what she must have gone through makes me want to puke all over. Derrick’s a fucking monster and he deserves to be put away. The reality is that people like Derrick get away with shit, though.

It’s like I have all these puzzle pieces, but there’s one big piece I haven’t considered yet.

Sawyer’s sister.

I know what I have to do. Getting dressed, I grab my phone, ignoring the clench in my gut from not seeing any messages. All I see is my lock screen with Hunter from the ice rink. Noah hasn’t talked to me much either, but that’s my fault. After three days of me ignoring his texts, he just stopped.

I stare at the screen for a moment then unlock my phone, swallowing the rush of emotions. I’m ready to turn myself in if it gets Sawyer’s family closure. First, I need to talk to him. I should have done this months ago. I should have let him know my suspicions.

Instead, I hid like a coward.

Hunter was right.

I jump at the knock on my door. What the hell?Knock! Knock! Knock!The pounding gets louder. “Open up, asshole. I know you’re in there!” It takes a moment for the vaguely familiar voice to register.

Shit!

Well great, I don’t have to travel to my death. Apparently, the grim reaper offers room service. Opening the door, I reel back, as white-hot pain splits across my face, spreading into myfucking eyeballs. “What the fuck!” Pulling my hands back, I don’t see blood, but this fucking hurts!

“You deserve that, you prick!” Sawyer moves around me, coming inside my room.

“Please,” I say behind my hand, kicking my door shut. “Come right in.”

“I want to beat the shit out of you right now.”

“Yeah?” I rub my nose. “Why don’t you just go to the police?”

“Oh, that’s the next place I’m going, you dick. I just want you to grow a spine and tell me yourself what you did!” Sawyer sits himself in my computer chair, grabbing his phone. “Let’s go. I want to record your confession.”

“Fine.” Whatever. I want this to end anyway, and if this gives them closure, I’ll do it. While I didn’t do the crime, I am just as guilty. If this will help, I don’t care about punishment anymore. “Hunter, he—”

“Don’t you dare talk about him. Just tell me what happened.”

Fine. Whatever.

Here goes nothing . . .

Four months earlier.

Sipping my drink, I watch my friends. Friends? No, that’s not right. These assholes are not my friends. They’re the people I fell in with during my sophomore year and who I’m currently trying to shake. I don’t want to hang out with them anymore.

Derrick grins around his beer, keeping his attention on the extremely drunk girl hanging off his shoulders. I stopped drinking a while ago now to keep an eye on her. She’s gotten drunk so quickly, and no one here right now is in their right mind to watch her.

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