I don't remember getting to English class but here I was staring at the seat in which Casey should be sitting but she's not, it was real, someone really did murder my best friend.
I could see people giving me sympathetic looks it was just like last year all over again, Mrs. Tate was talking about Casey and Steve but I wasn't listening all I could do was stare and hope she'd appear and shout 'surprise' but I knew it would never happen.
..a terrible tragedy. An unbearable loss. It's days like today we need prayer in school...
I shook my head Casey would be laughing at the thought of someone praying for her she isn't religious in the least but I bet when it was happening she was praying for someone to help her.
The door opened and Sydney walked in, she had been with Dewey in the 'interrogation' room, she gave Mrs. Tate a note and looked at me solemnly "Kat it's your turn".
Everyone turned to look at me as I grabbed my bag and stood up, Sidney rubbed my arm as I passed but I couldn't even bring myself to acknowledge her.
I walked to Principal Himbrys office in a daze noticing Dewey, Sheriff Burke, and Principal Himbry were sitting talking about me, my family and Casey's murder.
I slammed the door open cutting them off they all looked at me with guilty looks "Hi Katherine" I looked at Sheriff Burke and nodded "Sheriff Burke. Dewey" I said in acknowledgment but Dewey shook his head at me with a serious look "It's Deputy Riley today, Kat".
I nodded again in false agreement "Okay Deputy Dewey" they all looked at me hesitant obviously sensing my mood, I didn't have the best record in school or my life in general.
I kind of have an explosive temper and had been taken to a jail cell by Sheriff Burke more than once, so none of them knew how I was going to act with the news of my dead best friend.
Sheriff Burke motioned me to sit down and shut the door behind me "So how is everything, how are you doing?" I looked at him disgusted and shook my head angrily "how do you think I'm doing?" Dewey put his hands on my shoulders to calm me down.
"We'll be brief, Katherine. The police have a few questions they'd like to ask you..." I looked at Principal Himbry who was giving me an encouraging look, I turned to Sheriff Burke and nod just as the lunch bell rang.
They asked me questions about my friendship with Casey, my home life, activities, and hobbies "Right Kat you've been very co-operative I just have two more questions where were you the night Casey was killed and do you like to hunt".
I felt my heart stop and looked Sheriff Burke in the eyes silently, I was furious and they all knew it once again I felt hands on my shoulders "Now we only have to ask you if you like to hunt because of your previous convictions of assault".
I stood up slowly almost threateningly and looked at the Sheriff seriously "Casey is my best friend I would do anything for that girl and you're asking me if I like to hunt, how about you stop asking me stupid questions and get out there and find her killer"
I stomped into the court area where I saw my friends sitting on the fountain but I didn't care my anger was through the roof I kicked my bag across the court and started swearing at the same time.
I saw my fellow students sitting at outdoor tables eating lunch and whispering looking over in my direction I knew they were talking about me, speculation swirling in their minds.
Stu took his arms from around Tatum when he saw me falling apart, he grabbed me but I couldn't calm down I was hysterical "Kat what's wrong" He asked me looking worried.
I stopped as I looked at him with tears running down my face and fell into his chest hugging him tightly, I felt him put his arms around me and lean his head on mine.
"They fucking asked me I liked to hunt, she was my best friend" I mumbled into his chest and felt him hold me tighter, I always felt safe with Stu, he made me feel invulnerable.
I could hear Tatum moaning to Sid that Stu always leaves hers for me but I didn't care, right now I needed Stu and she would just have to get over it.
Everyone at school and Sid says that Stu likes me but he's never made a move he's definitely always touchy-feely but we've never talked about it.
"Hunt? Why would they ask if you like to hunt?" Tatum sneered at me, another reason we don't get along is that she hates that Stu and I are really close.
I took my head out of Stu's chest and glared at her, I walked over to Billy who had picked up my bag and took it out of his hands I thanked him and he winked at me in return, Billy's not big on words but I could always count on him.
I sat down next to Randy and scowled at him when he said "Because their bodies were gutted" I saw Sidney flinch out of the corner of my eye.
"They didn't ask me if I like to hunt" I glowered at Tatum how pathetic could one girl be she was actually upset that they didn't ask her if she could hunt.
I pulled out my lunch but I couldn't eat it so I gave it to Randy just like when we were kids, back when my mom would forget I hate peanut butter and I would swap with Randy.
I lay down on the fountain as the sun beams down on my body almost letting me forget I wasn't laying with Casey as we talked about the guys in our class, I heard a smack and looked up to Stu looking at my legs whilst nursing his chest where Tatum must have smacked.
"There's no way a girl could have killed them. Plus they only asked Kat because she went to juvie for that assault charge right?" Stu said looking at me.
"She was only there for a week, they can't hold that against her forever," Sidney said as she looked down in guilt, I went to a Juvenile Detention center for a week but they let me out a week later because of the lack of evidence.
Last year a friend of Cotton Weary tried to pressure Sid into taking her statement back and I didn't take to well to some guy threatening my sister.
I heard Tatum scoff "That is so sexist. The killer could easily be female, basic instinct" I love it when she pretends to know what she was talking about, it's cute.
"That was an ice pick-not exactly the same," I told her getting a dirty look back in return, Stu looked between me and Tatum trying to decide who he should side with before looking at Tatum.
"Yeah, Casey and Steve were completely hollowed out. Takes a man to do something like that" I felt disturbed knowing that Stu was right, I'm strong but I would never gut someone that's not a women's type of crime.
"He's right this is a man's crime. A woman's crime usually involves poisoning, stabbing or hit and run, A girl or woman wouldn't think of gutting them" I said with a heavy heart and a lump in my throat.
I turn to my sister who has been very quiet through this whole conversation "How do you gut someone?" she said quietly to herself we all look at her and nod seriously.
"You take a knife and slit from the groin to the sternum" we all groan at Stu and threw anything we had in his direction. "It's called tact, you fuck rag," Billy stated when he saw the look on Sidney's face. "Sorry"
"Hey, Stu? Didn't you use to date Casey?" I heard Sid ask him but she knows full well he did because she was one of the many people who went around saying that he was only dating Casey to get close to me.
Stu looked taken back and a little off guard. "For about two seconds" he spat out still in shock, "Before she dumped him for Steve" Randy half whispered to Tatum who looked pissed, "I thought you dumped her for me" I rolled my eyes at her melodramatics.
I sighed heavily picking at my nails "I did. He's full of shit" I looked up catching Stu's eyes and knew he was lying, he always squints when he lies.
"And are the police aware you dated the victim?" Randy asked him seriously as I huffed in exasperation "What are you saying? That Stu killed her or something?" I questioned Randy "It would certainly improve his high school Q" he muttered quietly obviously sensing my annoyance.
I turned to look at Stu who was staring back at me "Stu was with me last night" Tatum announced as she looked me in the eyes almost like she was trying to flaunt it.
"Oooooh...before or after he sliced and diced," Randy asked as he shoved some grapes into his mouth "Fuck you, nut case. Where were you last night?" Tatum questioned loudly.
"Working, thank you," He said amused making Tatum scrunch her face in confusion "Oh? At the video store, I thought they fired your sorry ass" She smirked knowingly.
"Twice" Randy retorted eating another grape looking unfazed "I didn't kill anybody," Stu said quietly and almost sadly I looked at him and gave him a small smile showing him I believed him.
"No one's saying you did," Billy told him as he looked up from Sidney's side finally weighing in on the situation "Thanks, Buddy" Stu nodded back at him, the three of us always had each other's backs.
"Besides-" we all looked at Randy in wonder "Takes a man to do something like that," he said imitating Stu's voice who starts laughing "I'm gonna gut your ass in a second".
I looked a Stu and shook my head, I was the only one here who was friends with Casey she was your typical bitchy popular girl but she was still my best friend even if she wasn't always right.
She was the reason why I tried out for the cheer squad and probably the reason why I got on even with my record of starting fights, and my bad grades.
Randy stood up pulling a mocking face "Did you really put her liver in the mailbox? Cause I heard that they found her liver in the mailbox next to her spleen and her pancreas" he said insensitively.
I breathed deeply and grabbed my bag I couldn't be around this "Randy, you goon-fuck, I'm eating here" Tatum moaned at him, she was also on the cheer squad but she hated Casey as much as everyone else.
Stu starting laughing along "Yeah, Randy, she's getting mad. I think you better liver alone" I felt my skin crawling how they could justify making fun at the fact that a girl was murdered and so brutally.
