It was the first time Veronica had asked me over all year. It didn't use to be like this- all our lives we'd been the best of friends. Until she sold me out for a bunch of swatch dogs and diet coke heads.
Bitter? Me? Of course I was. My best friend, and this was the first time we'd spoken all year. But I still went over to see her.
"Betty" she said, "I need to talk to you about something."
"What?" I asked her warily.
"Heather."
"Ah. The tragic death of a young woman with unsuspected turmoil inside her." I meant my voice to drip with sarcasm, but I just sounded sullen.
"I saw that you didn't go to her memorial service."
"No, I didn't."
"Why not?"
"Because Heather was a bitch who made my life miserable and deserved to die." I sounded immature, even to my own ears.
Veronica looked away from me.
"Don't say that, Betty. Don't go to her level. You're the only good person I know."
"Oh yeah?" I spat back. "Well, maybe you don't know me that well. Do you think you can expect me to be your friend again after the way you treated me? After the way you dropped me the second you became popular? Why don't you go mourn Heather with your other friends, I've got better things to do."
I turned to walk away.
"Betty, I killed her."
I spun around.
"What?"
"Heather had humiliated me at a party. I just couldn't take her anymore. So I- I made her drink the liquid Drano. I told her it was a hangover cure."
I was silent for a moment.
"How did it feel?"
"What?"
"Killing someone."
She shrugged.
"Scary. But kind of exciting in a slasher-movie sort of way."
I didn't really know what to say. I was in awe of her.
"Can you teach me?"
"Teach you how to kill someone?"
"Yeah."
She held her head in her hands.
"It's all so messed up."
"I didn't say I would do it. I just want to know what it's like."
She sighed.
"I'll tell you over a game of croquet, alright?"
I smiled.
"Sure. Best friends again, huh?"