Maybe it was hearing Lila's voice again or maybe Gerald's answer was just that annoyingly vague, but either way I lost it.

"What the hell do you mean? Are you on these tapes or not? What role do you have in this?" I demanded with a harsh glare. "I didn't even know that you talked to Lila."

"You haven't bothered to know anything about me since the sixth grade, Arnold," Gerald replied coldly. He took a deep breath as if to calm himself down. "But that's not the point... You're just going to have to listen to the tapes if you want to know the answer. We both know that's what she would have wanted."

"Fine," I muttered and grabbed the tape player. Then I got up and walked away without saying anything else to my ex-best friend. Something about him just made me upset, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it. But the fact that he had anything to do with the tapes and Lila's death was unsettling.

When I got back home, I was exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It didn't take long for me to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, I've decided that I was going to confront Sid about the tapes. If he was on the first tape, then he was also the first person to learn about them. Plus, he had to talk to Mr. Simmons about Lila so something was definitely up.

I searched for him at school all day but I couldn't find him. I even went to his football practice, but the coach said that he didn't show up at all. He probably ditched class again, which was not out of character for Sid.

I was about to call it a day, when I heard a familiar voice as I walked down the halls. "Where the hell is Sid?"

I turned around to see the one and only Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd talking to Lorenzo and Stinky. If I could describe Rhonda in one word, it would be "hot" and no, not just because she was extremely attractive. She was fiery with a sharp tongue. If you stood too close to her, you could get burned. Which was why she was one of the people I avoided like the plague.

"I dunno," answered Stinky with a shrug. "He probably ditched class or something."

Rhonda, unsatisfied with his answer turned to Lorenzo. "Did you see him?"

"Yeah... well, I saw him last night. He seemed fine."

"Then why didn't he answer my calls or texts?"

"I don't know. I'm not his fucking keeper. Put a tracking device on your boyfriend if you're that paranoid. He'll probably talk to you soon whenever he gets back down to earth."

In a hushed voice that I could barely make out, Rhonda whispered, "Mr. Simmons wants to talk to me now. He even left a call slip in my homeroom. Just tell him that I need to talk to him, okay?" And with that, she left.

Was everyone always this... suspicious? Or were these tapes making me go crazy? I needed to finish them as soon as possible or else I was going to completely lose it.

"Welcome to the other side of Tape 1. Couldn't stop listening could you? Are you dying to know what you did? Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. And don't forget, the others will know what you did too. If they don't already know. Scary, isn't it? Are you feeling paranoid? You should be. You never really know who you can trust and who you can't.

This brings us to the star of this tape, my former friend Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd.

It was timing that allowed us to be friends. I say this because you aren't the type of person that would be friends with a girl like me if it weren't for a special situation. But there we were.

We were both new to Hillwood. So some hippy-dippy guidance counselor thought it would be a good idea for us to become friends. And against all odds, it worked. We became friends and drank hot chocolate together at Big Al's, the headquarter of our friendship.

And then came Harold.

One day we were sipping on our cocoas, and he was just staring at us awkwardly. You noticed and jokingly asked, "Which one of us are you checking out? And just so you know, we're both way out of your league."

"A-actually, I'm new to town... You guys seemed... cool," he said shyly.

So we decided to let him into our little group and we became the three musketeers. And I'll admit, you guys gave me some of the best couple of weeks of my life. If I close my eyes, I could still see us sitting in a booth at Big Al's with two cups of hot chocolate and one cup of whatever Harold felt like getting. He said he was going to try to drink everything on the menu at least once, but why do that when their hot chocolate was simply amazing?

Unfortunately, it didn't last too long. Harold soon joined the football team and was hanging out with those dumb jocks. And Rhonda, you stopped hanging out with me soon after. I wasn't quite sure why, until that fateful Friday night.

I was working at the theater and well, if that wasn't the most awkward interaction in human existence.

"Hey Rhonda, catching a movie?" I had asked and actually, I was excited to see you. It was too long since we talked.

"Oh... yeah," you replied without looking directly at me. "I... thought you didn't work on Friday nights."

"I usually don't, but I'm filling in for Maria."

"That's cool, I guess."

You pulled out your wallet to pay for the ticket but I shook my head before handing you the ticket. "No, it's okay. What's the point of having your best friend work at the theaters if you don't get in for free?"

"Thanks..."

Then Harold walked up to you and put his arm around your waist. Until he saw me in the ticket booth which caused him to drop his arms immediately and laugh awkwardly. "Oh, hey Lila. You're working? But it's-"

"Friday?" I interrupted. "I just explained it to Rhonda."

"Okay... Yeah... We were just hanging out... together...So... can I get one?" he asked awkwardly.

"Ten dollar, please," I said, trying not to show how hurt I was actually feeling.

And that was that.

It was fine. I mean, I should have figured something like that would happen. Sure, it hurt me when I saw you and Harold hanging out behind my back, but what was I expecting? Rhonda, you're the type of girl that every guy would fall for. You were fashionable, pretty, and exciting. Meanwhile... I was just plain o' Lila. Sweet Lila. Easy Lila. Slutty Lila. In that exact order.

But you know what ruined our friendship forever?

Harold's list.

You told me to meet you at Big Al's because you needed to talk after a few months. And I was happy. I was foolish to think that it was because you wanted to be friends again.

"I know the rumors, Lila," you started with your signature death glare.

"Well, you can't know rumors. You hear them," I said lightheartedly, ignoring your glare.

"We were friends. How could you do that to me?"

"What did I do?"

"You and Harold? You guys are a thing now?"

"No way! He likes you and you like him. I'm the one who's out of the picture."

"Yeah and that pissed you off, didn't it?"

"Well... I was sad, but... that's just because I missed you guys."

"So you decided to steal him from me as revenge?"

"No! I would never do that!"

"Give it up, Lila. We both knew you were jealous of what me and Harold had. So you gave him an offer that he couldn't refuse. Because you're a fucking slut and that's what sluts like you do." And then you slapped me across the face before storming off.

You had a strong right hand, but it was your words stung me the most, Rhonda. Maybe deep inside, you knew that you were just lashing out at me. You knew that it wasn't my fault that Harold broke up with you. But you needed it to be my fault. I hope it was worth it, Rhonda."

Author's Note:

Thanks for all the reads and reviews! I know I take a while to publish each chapter. I'm really busy but I'm trying my best. I hope you all will be patient with me and continue reading!