Set five years after the mystery of 'A' was solved, a fresh batch of teens are settling into Rosewood High. With the small, quiet town seemingly back to the way it once was, a mysterious chain of events causes three new students to have their feathers rustled. Together they must unite to figure out who is causing trouble and who is transforming into Rosewood's new 'A.'

~ B For Buried ~

Chapter Twelve:

Got -A Secret, Can You Keep It?

Red Coat rests at their desk, picking up a small doll with their precise hands. They play with the ombre colored threads for hair and tap the button eyes. With their permanent marker, they write words down on a blank card. They slide the card alongside the doll into a paper parcel and seal it shut.

Gently and neatly, they pick up two more dolls from the other side of the desk - one boy and girl - and start to admire them both.

Sappy romance music plays in the background from the radio as the two girls sit on the edge of the bed. Naomi places her hand on Cassie's shoulder and pulls her up close to her. Cassie falls into her arms and Naomi smiles.

"Don't mind Olivia or Jax," she says. "I'll destroy their self confidence on Facebook if you want me to."

"Thanks, but no thanks," replies Cassie.

"Why not? Just a bit of fun."

"I don't want to cause anymore flames. We've already been hurt."

"Welp. You might as well hurt them back," Naomi recommends.

"Nah.. "

"Why not?"

"I already told you," snaps Cassie, bursting out of Naomi's hands. "I don't want to cause anymore flames!"

Naomi's mouth drops open and she stares at Cassie in shock. "Dude.."

"I- I'm sorry.." Cassie chokes. "It all started in September. Here I am in November, gone through so much shit.. I just can't handle it anymore."

Naomi blinks repeatedly and stands up. "I feel you, Cassie. You know what I do to get the pain out?" From her under her bed, she slides out a small thin box in the shape of a circle, the size of her palm. She sits back down on the bed and pulls off the lid, revealing several sharp pieces of metal. Some dabbed with dried blood.

"Naomi.. What are you doing?" Cassie asks in a panic.

"One for you.." Naomi mutters, dropping one of the pieces into Cassie's hand. "One for-"

With a hard smack, Cassie sends the tin flying out of her hand. It launches itself through the air and crashes onto the floor. "Dude!" Naomi squeals. "What's wrong with you?"

"You don't have to do that sort of stuff," says Cassie.

"Yes I do!"

"No. No you don't. I can help you feel better."

"No! That's what I'm supposed to do-" Naomi pauses, a moment of silence between the two girls. Cassie glares at her. "What are you talking about? Did Jax ask you to invite me over to your house?"

"No!" exclaims Naomi, sweat building across her forehead. "Totally not! Don't be ridiculous!"

Cassie shakes her head. "Just admit it. I already know.."

"Fine. He did," Naomi spills. "But regardless of that, I want to make sure that you feel as good as possible."

Cassie stares at the tin box from the corner of her eye, metal sprawled across the floor. "How can I feel good when you're hurting yourself?"

"I'm not.."

"I know you are," says Cassie. This time, she places her hand on her shoulder and Naomi's head sinks into her arms. "I'm not letting you do stuff like that to yourself anymore. I've got you. You've got me. And together, we'll get through the rest of the year."

The front door swings open, creating a path of light down the hall and towards the kitchen. Olivia steps inside just after Ryan and Valeria and they all slump their schoolbags onto the ground. Ryan sighs. "School is such a piece of shit."

"Well, that's because you never do your homework," jokes Olivia. "Valerie, enjoy your first day?"

"Of course I did! All the teachers were pretty nice," says Valerie. Olivia's smile fades as the two figures in he living room to the right catch her eye. Lying down on the sofas, she watches as her mother kisses an unidentified man.

"Mom?" Ryan calls out as he steps into the room. "What are you doing..?"

Ms. Johnson swings her head up and gasps. "Uh.."

"Who is that man?" Olivia asks.

"I better get going.." whispers Valerie as she opens the door. Before Olivia has the chance to bribe her to stay, the door clicks shut.

"Just tell them," the man mutters as him and Ms. Johnson rise to their feet. "You can't keep it a secret forever."

"Ryan, Olivia.." Ms. Johnson slowly calls out. "This is Thomas, my boyfriend. We've been together since the first week we moved here."

Ryan tuts and walks out of the room, yelling "boring!" He stomps up the stairs and completely vanishes. "Olivia, don't leave like him," Ms. Johnson continues. And that's exactly what she does. She spins around on her heels and storms out the door.

"So you can question me about my love life but you won't tell me that you have a boyfriend? Pathetic!" She marches up the stairs, and once she slams her bedroom door shut, her phone vibrates in her pocket. She pulls it out and looks at the screen.

Be grateful, you little bitch. You're digging your grave with your teeth.

-A

His soft palms rub against the block of clay on his desk. Twist and bend. Mold and curve. After several minutes, he finally gets it into a perfect sphere. Then he hears a familiar voice.

"Miss, may I turn on the radio?"

The elderly woman sitting at her table at the top of the art class nods her head. "Yes, you may."

A click sounds off to the left of him and he turns his head. Just beside the sink, the radio buzzes to life.

"I go out walkin', after midnight. Out in the moonlight, just like we used to do.."

The brunette smiles at him, just like she did on the night of Josh's party, her honey-blonde highlights still gleaming. Once she goes back to her table, she grabs her clay and sneaks over to him. She plonks it down on the table and leans back on her chair.

"So.. long-time-no-see, Jax," says Savannah.

"I know," Jax replies. "I don't know what fight you're trying to pick here, but it's not recommended."

"I'm not trying to pick a fight," she continues.

"But you're friends with Josh.."

"Yeah, not anymore," she explains. "He was about to hit Cassie. I was so happy you beat the crap outta him."

"I can see through your bullshit," Jax says when he turns to face her.

Savannah squints her eyes. "No..? I'm not bullshitting. It's the truth. Josh was a nasty little boy. A douche of all sorts. I ranted about him on one of my daily vlogs. Did you check it out."

Jax tries to contain the laughter, making him choke on his following words. "Savannah, I don't think anyone cares about your YouTube channel or your blog. You get like seven views on everything, four of which are from yourself and the other three from your mom, dad and sibling."

"I don't have a sibling."

"Oh, well I guess your mom watches them twice then."

"Rude.."

"It's not rude if it's true," says Jax. "What you making?"

Savannah slams her hand into the pile of clay, squashing it flat onto the table. "A knife."

"A knife?"

"Yes, a knife," she growls, gritting her teeth. "A knife to stab myself with."

"Morbid.."

"It's not morbid if it's true," she jokes.

"No need to steal my lines," Jax responds.

"So what? They're not copyrighted. Did the Fine Bros. trademark them?"

"I don't know," says Jax, "but I do know that the Fine Bros. are doing millions of times better than your YouTube channel."

Within seconds, the stout freckled-face boy to their left bursts out in cheers. "Oooooh! Burn!" The elderly teacher spins her head up. Glares at them both, licks her lips and then speaks. "What are you doing sitting at a different table, Savannah? You are supposed to be in your correct seat!"

"Yes, but-"

"And you're both distracting class?" she continues. "Detention tomorrow for you both!"

BAM!

Olivia wakes up in a sweat. She stares into the darkness of her room, panting like a dog, searching for the origin of the noise. She yanks back the sheets of the bed and carefully tips her feet onto the carpet. She picks up her phone, using the torch on it as her only way to see. She steps forward one foot at a time, her heart beating in her chest. Any moment, it feels like it's going to jump right out of her mouth. Twists on the doorknob. The door slowly peers open with a gentle creak. Scanning either way down the hall. Ryan's door: shut. Mom's door: shut. Bathroom door: shut. Any people lurking: no one. Her only option? Down the stairs.

She grips onto the wood railing firmly, shining the light into the black below. Each carpeted step, each drop of her heart rate. Once her foot presses against the cold floorboards at the bottom, her breathing goes silent. The living room. She heads straight for it, hearing the ruffling not that far away. The smell of fresh wine. The soft hum of breath, definitely not from her. The overall presence of other beings so close to her. She shines the torch into the room and the two outlines form. Back on the couch just like earlier. She sighs in disgust.

"Really?" she calls out. "Mom, again?"

Ms. Johnson looks up at her, no longer shameful of her action. This time, full of rage. "Get back to sleep!"

"What's wrong?" Thomas' voice whispers.

Olivia stomps back up the stairs, so full of rage, so full of fury. She slams her door shut, not giving a slightest bit of care for Ryan sleeping. And that's when her phone goes off in her hand. She looks down at it in confusion.

Bury yourself before I have to do it myself.

-A

The fresh smell of dirt. The blast of wind straight ahead. Her hair slightly drifts backwards into the air. She looks up, staring at the window wide open. There's no way she left it like that, she knows she didn't. Going to sleep, she certainly didn't. What about seconds ago when she was woken up by the noise? She would have even noticed it then. And that's when she sees it sitting on her bed. Completely covered in soil and Earth, her bed savaged by nature. Leaves, twigs, possibly dog manure. A bed of the stuff with a large shiny shovel resting on top.

The doorbell sounds and Cassie jumps out of her skin. She drops her science textbook onto the sofa beside her and springs out of the seat. She heads out into the main hall and clicks open the lock on the door. Twists the handle, pulls back and sees a familiar face in the porch.

"Seth?" she says. "Hey. What's up?"

"I need to tell you something.." he whispers nervously, his arms and legs shaking out in the lashing rain. Looking so dreary and depressed, yet the smile on his face begs to differ. "I've been waiting for so many years. I finally told Jay, but that was it.."

"What is it?" Cassie asks, and then Seth responds almost instantly. He responds with something surprising. Something Cassie certainly was not expecting at all on a wet Wednesday evening.

The Black Hoodie rustles in the bushes, holding up their phone in complete silence. They tap on the red record button on the screen and listen in on the entire conversation.

"Seth? Hey. What's up?"

"I need to tell you something.. I've been waiting for so many years. I finally told Jay, but that was it.."

"What is it?"

Once the next words are called out, Black Hoodie manages to contain their gasp inside. They cover their mouth to avoid noise and let out a large grin.

Author's Note:

Cliffhanger!

Hello everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of B For Buried! Can you see where the title B For Buried comes into play? *Wink* the shovel and Olivia. *wink* LOL. -A clearly wants to bury the trio in lies and secrets! Speaking of secrets, this whole chapter was sort of dedicated to them. Naomi spilled a secret alongside Ms. Johnson, and so will Seth! What do you think Seth's secret is? o.o

What do you think of Ms. Johnson and Thomas? I introduced him several chapters ago if you have forgotten, but I basically done nothing with him yet. Don't feel bad if you did forget him. xD What about Naomi? Obviously she is harming herself, so there's some history that we haven't covered yet. Some information is a bit unclear there.

Omg, what shall we call Jax/Savannah? Sax? Savannax? Javannah? Lots to choose from! I like Sax because it's short and sweet. xD

Also, who do you think is -A? I shall stay quiet on whether or not I have dropped clues already.. ;) I will say this though: -A is pretty obvious. The motive is obvious too. :) It's nothing too complex to understand once you find out who it is and why.

And of course... what do you think will happen next?! Let me know your predictions! :D

Stay tuned for the next chapter where we find out Seth's secret!

Thank you so much for reading, byeeeee! :D