The suicide epidemic, though, still has repercussions.

Just because Gwen had decided their spree was over and Trent went along with it, it didn't mean everyone else had forgotten. Ms O'Halloran had decided to get TV crews in on Tuesday afternoon and have the whole of senior year in the cafeteria after lunch instead of in classes, while she staged an anti-suicide, touchy-feely little love-in where everyone could share their thoughts and feelings. It was really just another attention-seeking act from her, and everyone knew it, but it was mandatory to attend.

As Trent has promised, he'd taken Gwen out on a proper date, to the latest horror movie. He'd chosen well. It was cathartic to watch some violence that wasn't one bit real. They bought stuff from the concession stand (A slushie for Trent, of course, and sour Skittles for Gwen), but by the end of the movie, they were engaged in a makeout session they only broke off when the lights went up, so it was as if they'd shared their refreshments. Gwen had originally not really been into it, but Trent had taken extra measures to let her know that he had listened to her the day before and even talked about looking into Glee Club at school to see if they needed a new guitarist…or even new songs. Gwen dared to relax a bit, ready to forget his more bloodthirsty moments, and she couldn't help letting her guard down, ready to start making her way back to how they were before they killed the jocks.

But on Monday, Emma wanted to talk to Gwen at break urgently. They talked in a deserted bathroom.

"The thing is, I've been thinking," Emma began hesitantly. "And I realized that something doesn't add up about Ripper and Chase. I don't think they committed suicide. I think someone killed them."

Gwen frowned nervously. "Well, I mean, there was a suicide note there."

"It could have been faked!" Emma protested. "You can fake handwriting – I've seen you. There's probably other artists who can do it too. I saw the note on the news, and yeah, it looked like Chase's handwriting, but we both know that he was bi or straight. I noticed that the note said he was gay. He wouldn't have dated me for so long if he didn't like girls – I'm sure I would have noticed if he didn't want to kiss me, but he initiated everything we did. Plus, the note had perfect spelling! I know for a fact Chase is a terrible speller. He would have failed junior English easily if I hadn't helped him. I don't see him getting something like 'prejudice' correct, even if it was the last thing he ever wrote!"

As Gwen looked away from Emma for a moment, into the mirror, three figures suddenly appeared behind her. Three familiar figures.

Heather was still wearing her pyjamas, but the boys, just as they had been when Gwen last saw them, were totally naked. It was really uncomfortable to look at, and Gwen wished that she hadn't made them strip to the end before they even made a move for her. She could have at least told them they could rip her clothes off before they finished stripping. Then they'd have some dignity in death.

Heather was grinning with amusement. "Looks like we've got a homegrown Nancy Drew." she said, giggling. "Fuck me gently with a chainsaw! I didn't know Chubster had the brains to figure that one out. She's on to you!"

"Hey, shut up!" Chase said defensively. "She was always smart! How do you think I stayed on the football team last year – or why I was so desperate to get her back?"

"I didn't have to pass," Ripper said smugly. "My dad keeps this school open. I was always going to be linebacker, even if I failed every class."

Well, that explained a bit.

Gwen couldn't help giving Heather the side-eye, wondering what the hell demanding gentle sex with a mechanical object was supposed to mean. Of course, she got that it was an expression, but she wasn't sure what Heather meant to say with it.

Heather saw it. "God, you really are so nerdy and old-fashioned. What, am I supposed to say 'holy moley' or something even stupider?"

"Gwen?" Emma prompted. "Don't you think it's possible?"

Gwen gave a sigh and said "I don't think so. If it was the last thing Chase was ever going to write, maybe he looked up the words so he could die with some dignity."

"It's just…" Emma looked unsure. "I know Chase. Even though he didn't deserve me, he always acted like he wanted me back. If he loved Ripper so much, he wouldn't have treated me that way." There was a look in her eyes, wistful again, like she wished she had taken him back for a moment. Then she became serious again. "The thing is, you might not like this, but I think…I think Trent might have done it. Your boyfriend." She spoke in almost a whisper. "You know, after that fight in the cafeteria. And all those horrible things they were saying about you. It all adds up. I don't want to accuse him, though, so I was going to look for evidence first. I was wondering if you could get me his locker combination."

Gwen shook her head instantly. "I don't know it," she said honestly. "But one fight doesn't mean he did it! Honestly, Ems, you've got him all wrong!"

"Maybe I should just talk to him, at least," Emma said, "Just so I can put my mind at rest. I still can't figure out who wrote that note, either, but I need to figure this out first."

Suddenly, an idea flashed into Gwen's mind. A horrible idea. But maybe it would distract Emma enough. And a distraction was just what she needed.

"You know what to say!" Heather taunted. "Go on, Gwen. Break her for me. Do me a favour."

"I can answer one of those questions," Gwen said shakily. "That note? Remember what you said a minute ago, about how I can forge stuff easily? I wrote it."

Emma froze. "You?" she whispered.

"Heather put me up to it," Gwen explained. "She dictated the whole thing. Why did you think I told you to go home when the girls went for you at the party? Anyway, you already knew it wasn't real. Chase was a nightmare. I was shocked you bought it at the time. You shouldn't have. And now he's dead. He wasn't worth the investigation anyway. Move on." And then she rushed out of the room, feeling guilty and not wanting to see Emma's reaction. Being cruel to be kind wasn't her style. Usually she was a lot kinder to the people she liked. But she couldn't let Emma continue thinking about confronting Trent.

The ghosts followed Gwen. "You're worried that he'd kill her, aren't you?" Heather said, laughing. "Now you've saved her. It was a random act of kindness, protecting her. That's the only reason you did it, right? Right?" She left it unsaid that Gwen didn't want to incriminate herself.

"That was mega-harsh on her," Chase added. "I wouldn't have let anyone talk to her like that if I was still alive. Even if she still wouldn't take me back for defending her."

"You guys think I'm mega-harsh," Ripper added, "But that was so cold, I'm shivering!" He gave a real shiver at that moment. "I actually am cold. Why'd you make us strip before your boyfriend shot us?"

Gwen glared at all of them and stalked away, hoping they wouldn't follow her.

They didn't, but Monday was still not easy for Gwen. She did what she usually did, sat with Courtney and Lindsay at lunch, smiled at Trent when they passed in the halls, and went to her usual classes. But she didn't sit with Emma in History, and found it harder to concentrate, even in her other classes. Not to mention, she was dreading the anti-suicide rap session tomorrow.

Gwen wasn't looking forward to having to sit there listening to pseudo counselling to protect everyone from suicides that weren't even suicides. Not how she wanted to spend her Tuesday afternoon. Maybe she could just do her homework in the corner of the cafeteria.

Of course, things weren't that easy on the day.

The rap session will be next chapter! See you then!

For anyone who's not familiar with the source material, by the way, the expression Heather uses means "OMG, that's a shock", whether sarcastic or not, or an expression of disgust. In this case, Heather is surprised Emma guessed Chase and Ripper were murdered. It's a well-known line from Heather Chandler. In the movie, Heather Duke was meant to repeat the line, but Shannen Doherty (not a typo) refused to say it. It was based on a less explicit real expression, but made up for the movie, and its popularity meant the musical had Heather Chandler's ghost say it.