Anthony's Point of View

"I mean, it's me!" Ian laughed. "I'm sure I failed!"

"And you're fine with that?" Smirking, Ian and I turned out of the doorway of English in L212. I dragged Ian in the direction of my locker and he reluctantly followed.

"Well, no." He continued, "But, whatever. What can I do about it now?"

I shrugged as we reached my row. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fluff of bouncy, blond hair fly by. My head turned with a flash as Lucy quickened passed me. She came in the direction I was going. Was she waiting for me by my locker?

"Calm your tits, bro." I felt a joking nudge to my shoulder as I was pushed out of my trance. I blushed and pounded on the door of my locker which naturally creaked open. Quality at Del Campo High. "She's just a girl. You act like she's Jesus, or the principal, every time she walks by."

"No, I don't!" His eyebrow raised and he laughed, but I finished. "And she's not just a girl, Ian. Some major shit's going on. Don't you want to at least talk to her?"

"I was fine with what happened. Scared out of my fucking mind, but fine. You're the one that blamed it on her, not me."

Did he have to bring that up? I slumped on the rusty metal door and sighed. "I know, I know. Don't remind me…"

"How you feel right now," Ian rightly pointed out. "Is ten times better than Lucy does."

"Then why won't she just apologize?" I grumbled. "Or at least say something!"

"She already tried!" The warning bell rang and lazy students like us scattered to their classes. Ian held out a hand and heaved me to my feet. "She's tried millions of times, and I know for a fact you know it, too."

Moping, I asked what to do. "Anthony," he said in his best Lefou voice. "You have GOT to pull yourself TOGETHER!"

""Beauty and the Beast"? Seriously, Ian? You're eighteen years old, right? Or did I just imagine those ten years?'

"Promise me you'll fix things with her? Please?" Ian suddenly built himself up. "Do it, or I swear to Alan Menken I will break into the "Gaston" song!"

My hands flew to my vulnerable ears. "Oh, dear God! Please, no!"

"Then you promise?" Ian grinned.

I was stuck. Yes, I didn't want to hear Ian sing (I knew he would, too. He's done it before.), but he was also right. The whole problem couldn't be fixed, but what was between Lucy and I could be. And if Lucy refused to talk, I would sure as hell make her listen.

I skipped 7th period and waited for her to stroll my way. I remembered Lucy had a free period right now, which meant she ran errands for the FES program director.

Eventually she did. The mass of messy blond hair came bobbing through my hall. I copied her technique; waiting in the guys' bathroom, I kept one eye out of the crack of the door. When she walked by, I pounced out just like she did and dragged her inside.

Grinning, for my plan worked, I pulled her toward me. She didn't look so pleasantly surprised, however. Lucy was hyperventilating and her face was pale; she shook under my grasp and stared at me with wide, glassy eyes.

I let go in an instant and she slid down the wall to the floor. I kneeled down to make sure she was okay. I wanted to surprise her like she did to me, not terrify her. "Lucy…?"

"I'm fine." Lucy didn't accept any help as she stood straight back up and brushed herself of. "You're hilarious, by the way. Good for you." Lucy pushed passed me with her head down to leave.

"I didn't mean it to be funny." I gently grabbed her shoulder. She stopped. "I mean, I guess I did, but not in the way you think."

Lucy sighed. "Okay, fine. So, what was your intention?"

I blushed, embarrassed. "I don't know, to break the ice, I guess. Lucy, it's time we talked."

I didn't need to explain what. She nodded, looking out of the way.

"Look," I started. "What happened -everything- it wasn't your fault, and I made it that way."

"You were right, though," Lucy frowned. "It was -is- my fault. You weren't wrong in kicking me out of the house. I would have done the same thing."

"But, that's the thing. You wouldn't have. You were the victim and I made you the villain. When you needed help, I blamed you and pushed you away. What happened was not your fault, and …I'm sorry."

It was the first time I saw her smile that big since before we went to the beach. She blushed and it was contagious. "Thank you, Anthony. Just…thank you. You have no idea how long I've tried to say the same thing."

We both moved closer, as if pulled by an unknown force. I was closer than I've ever been to her, and my heart was in my throat. Nervously, I looked out of the way, but when I looked back, her beautiful green eyes still connected with mine.

"So…" I coughed, apprehensively, "Where do we go from here?"

A sparkle gleamed in her eye. "I have an idea." Her response came with a quick wink.

"What would that be?' My mind raced rapidly. "I better not have anything to do with~"

Her finger was placed gently on my moving lips, and I quieted immediately. "Shut up, Anthony," Lucy whispered as she leaned in closer, "For once in your life, just shut up."

I leaned in, too, but something stopped me. Something caught on my foot. I looked down, and Lucy's aura turned disappointed. "Sorry," I muttered.

"What is it?"

Once I found out, I groaned. "Ew, disgusting! Some idiot left his gum on the bathroom floor! I stepped in it. My shoe~"

"Oh my God," Lucy pulled away and he eyes lit up. "That's it!"

I leaned in even close and my heart sunk a little. "What's 'it'? What are you talking about?"

"The shoe! The shoe!"

Lucy pivoted away from the corner and paced the bathroom. "That's the next step!" She saw I was about to interject and she speed up. "I've racked my brain for the past week, trying to figure out what to do next, and you made me remember the shoe!

"On the autopsy report for Adam Ziegler, there was something about a shoeprint, discovered by forensics, found on the side of Ziegler's face. That's the next thing to do! Figure out whose shoe that belongs to, and we'll figure out who killed Ziegler!"

"But haven't we decided that was Mr. Sievers?"

Lucy shrugged. "He was one of them who did, yeah! But who is to say he was alone? If there's one thing I've collected from this group is that they do nothing alone. Whatever crime they perform, it's with more than one person. If we can find this one person, than we can bring him, or her, to justice. That way, the police will definitely know I'm telling the truth. There will be proof that this murder was planned and performed by a group who has the power and aim to do the same thing again."

I racked my brain for a way to stop this. "Well, the shoe! Who's to say it wasn't Mr. Sievers? Or Ziegler's?"

"Because the case file I got it from said it was a size nine. Mr. Sievers' was a size ten and Ziegler was a six."

When I found no hole in her plan, I started to beg. "But, Lucy. You know what the Illuminati said. If we interfere again, they'll~"

"But I'm not interfering! I'll solve one murder, once and for all!" The shining in her eye was blinding as that big brain of hers turned and turned.

"And if you get carried with it, again?"

"Then that happens. Anthony, I have to do this. That person is buried in the ground for no good reason. Yes, he got himself into it, but no one deserves that!" Lucy gently wrapped her fingers in between mine. "Just because you're scared, doesn't mean you shouldn't do what's right."

"And who taught you that stupid lesson?!" I growled.

Lucy grinned. "You did."

Oh, shit. She's right. I closed my eyes and sighed. "Lu, I know. But~"

She gasped. "What am I doing here? I have to go!" Lucy bounded passed me so fast I could fill the wind trailing her. "I have to get to the one place you can find anything! The library!"

Her hand slipped from mine, and it suddenly felt so much colder. She burst through the door but spun around once more. "Well?" She led on.

"You coming?"

My hands flew to my face and I rubbed my abruptly tired eyes. There's no denying it, Anthony. You're going to say 'yes'.

Unfortunately, I accepted this. With a glare and a huff, I reluctantly followed Lucy, who bounced with energy. She gripped my elbow and bounded through the halls and crashed through the back doors.

I swear to God, if these people don't kill her, I certainly will…