Chapter 6
It had only been a week in the hospital, but still she knew there would be rumors. People would think that she had gone back to the nut house. That she was a squirrel again. Oh well, I've got Anthony, and that's all that matters.
She hadn't told him everything that she heard. She even said she didn't remember anything after the crash. And to a point, she was telling the truth. She only remembered that somehow, she was running from her own death. She also remembered Anthony singing, she smiled remembering that. He really did care about her.
"Rae!" she turned her head to the familiar voice. Anthony Facinelli was running up to her as soon as she stepped out of her dad's car.
"Are you sure you're ready to come back? Have you rested enough? Is that backpack too heavy? I can carry it for you…" he stopped when he saw her laughing.
"It's okay, really. I'm fine now. I just had a few scrapes anyway," she replied, trying not to laugh at the tone he used. Like a big brother almost, she thought. Sure, big brother. Rae Voight, I do believe you have a crush on him. She waved her hand as if waving away a bug. Sure, Anthony had saved her life more than once, and there had been that kiss---but no, he was nothing more than a friend. It would be too complicated to make anything more of that now.
"Okay, well, let me walk you to class then," he said, sounding embarrassed at how much he had worried just a few seconds before.
"That's okay, I can manage myself. It's late, and I still gotta get to my locker. You can't be late for class, you don't want to lose that scholarship."
Anthony looked hurt for a moment, but nodded his head and said, "okay, I'll see you at lunch, okay? Unless you're doing that painting thing," he stopped when Rae said she was, "oh. Well, I'll see you after school then. You know where I am if you need me." And the bell rang. He turned and dashed into the school.
Rae walked slowly into the school, pushing through the doors-
/Where's Rae?/too much sugar/can't find/
Cursing herself for not putting on the mush today. She shoved her hands into her pockets as she made her way to her locker. The halls were quiet, and her footsteps echoed with each step of her clogs. She tripped right before she could put down her backpack. Her hand reached out to her locker to break her fall. She gasped when a thought flew through her mind,
/YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID OF HIM, RAE/
That thought was so vicious, so full of hatred. It was the thought of a psychopath, that was for sure, but who? It didn't have any flavor, just hate, hate for her, hate for…who was the "him" they thought of? She brushed her fingers down the locker, nothing. Only old thoughts of hers, and other, recognizable thoughts. Nothing like that one. She reluctantly opened her locker. She almost screamed. Somebody had written in lipstick on the inside of her locker, the words GUESS WHO'S NEXT? That was reason enough to scream, but there was more. Somebody had taken a picture of Anthony. He was holding Rae's hand, she looked asleep.
The car crash! Thought Rae frantically. Somebody had been there, spying. And on the picture of Anthony, someone had made a very detailed picture of a noose tied around his neck in permenant marker. She turned over the picture, searching for fingerprints, but none. She did find a note on the back though, it said, "BETTER GET RID OF LOVER-BOY, OR YOU GIVE HIS LIFE TO ME…"
She gasped. Somebody wanted her alone. And if they had to kill Anthony, they would.
It had only been a week in the hospital, but still she knew there would be rumors. People would think that she had gone back to the nut house. That she was a squirrel again. Oh well, I've got Anthony, and that's all that matters.
She hadn't told him everything that she heard. She even said she didn't remember anything after the crash. And to a point, she was telling the truth. She only remembered that somehow, she was running from her own death. She also remembered Anthony singing, she smiled remembering that. He really did care about her.
"Rae!" she turned her head to the familiar voice. Anthony Facinelli was running up to her as soon as she stepped out of her dad's car.
"Are you sure you're ready to come back? Have you rested enough? Is that backpack too heavy? I can carry it for you…" he stopped when he saw her laughing.
"It's okay, really. I'm fine now. I just had a few scrapes anyway," she replied, trying not to laugh at the tone he used. Like a big brother almost, she thought. Sure, big brother. Rae Voight, I do believe you have a crush on him. She waved her hand as if waving away a bug. Sure, Anthony had saved her life more than once, and there had been that kiss---but no, he was nothing more than a friend. It would be too complicated to make anything more of that now.
"Okay, well, let me walk you to class then," he said, sounding embarrassed at how much he had worried just a few seconds before.
"That's okay, I can manage myself. It's late, and I still gotta get to my locker. You can't be late for class, you don't want to lose that scholarship."
Anthony looked hurt for a moment, but nodded his head and said, "okay, I'll see you at lunch, okay? Unless you're doing that painting thing," he stopped when Rae said she was, "oh. Well, I'll see you after school then. You know where I am if you need me." And the bell rang. He turned and dashed into the school.
Rae walked slowly into the school, pushing through the doors-
/Where's Rae?/too much sugar/can't find/
Cursing herself for not putting on the mush today. She shoved her hands into her pockets as she made her way to her locker. The halls were quiet, and her footsteps echoed with each step of her clogs. She tripped right before she could put down her backpack. Her hand reached out to her locker to break her fall. She gasped when a thought flew through her mind,
/YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID OF HIM, RAE/
That thought was so vicious, so full of hatred. It was the thought of a psychopath, that was for sure, but who? It didn't have any flavor, just hate, hate for her, hate for…who was the "him" they thought of? She brushed her fingers down the locker, nothing. Only old thoughts of hers, and other, recognizable thoughts. Nothing like that one. She reluctantly opened her locker. She almost screamed. Somebody had written in lipstick on the inside of her locker, the words GUESS WHO'S NEXT? That was reason enough to scream, but there was more. Somebody had taken a picture of Anthony. He was holding Rae's hand, she looked asleep.
The car crash! Thought Rae frantically. Somebody had been there, spying. And on the picture of Anthony, someone had made a very detailed picture of a noose tied around his neck in permenant marker. She turned over the picture, searching for fingerprints, but none. She did find a note on the back though, it said, "BETTER GET RID OF LOVER-BOY, OR YOU GIVE HIS LIFE TO ME…"
She gasped. Somebody wanted her alone. And if they had to kill Anthony, they would.
