Chapter 15

Amara's POV

All day I was dreading the sleepover, but Tatum had convinced me since I had gone quiet on her and Sid since Billy was accused of murder.

I was angry but I couldn't stay mad forever.

The three of us were all huddled up in my room, I sat on my loveseat with Sidney as she painted my toenails.

Tatum was on the bed leaning over the couch, blowing on the red nails I just painted on her.

"After this, you guys wanna order another pizza?" I ask, blowing on my nails that Sid painted.

"Another one? You know I'm a cheerleader right?" She asked jokingly.

"I'm aware that doesn't mean you starve yourself," I answer.

"I could go for another pizza," Sidney says finishing a final coat. "All done." She says with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"You okay Sid?" I ask worried about her. I couldn't hate Sid forever for her mom's sins.

"My dad is still missing, I'm getting really worried." She mutters holding her neck. Tatum leans down hugging her.

"I think I know what you need," I say leaning my arm over the couch, I pick up a small box and pull out a rolled joint showing it to them.

Tatum claps her hands happily while Sidney looks at me wide-eyed. "I don't know," Sid says scooting away from it.

"I'm not gonna force you, but after all you've been through this is needed." I breathe lighting the joint. Tatum gets up from the bed and sits in from of me and Sidney.

"Okay, fine just once," Sidney says finally giving in. Me and Tatum clap for her making her roll her eyes.

I took two long puffs before passing it to Sidney, she was hesitant at first but took a small puff, then another and another; keeping the smoke in, shocking me and Tatum.

She quickly passed it to Tatum before coughing. We instantly patted her back and rubbed it as she tried to catch her breath.

"Shit, I didn't think you'd do it," Tatum says laughing patting her back as she inhales smoke.

"I didn't think I would either but I've had a week." She said ruffling her hair.

"You and me both," I say taking the joint back from Tatum, as she sits on me and Sidney spreading the blanket over us.

"Why did you start smoking anyway?" Sidney asks wrapping herself more in the blanket.

"Sophomore year, I ended up in a situation," I say breathing out smoke. Tatum speaks up knowing the situation. "Alex's party."

"What happened?" Sid asks confused taking the joint from my hand.

"Steve happened, for months he would ask me out, him and Alex. I felt it was every day I was telling them No... Then came the night of Alex's party, Steve was ranting about something with football, and while he was distracting me Alex drugged my drink."

"Bastards made sure every one of us would be distracted so they could get to her," Tatum speaks up taking the joint from Sid.

"Minutes later I was stumbling and could barely see straight. Steve wraps me around his arm and leads me upstairs to Alex who was waiting for us... I said no over and over, but I had no control over my body... before they could get far Alex left a few minutes before Billy and Stu kicked the door down."

Sidney lets out a breath of relief. "Thank god, you're okay." I nod.

"Yeah I was lucky but that kinda thing sticks with you. They took turns beating the hell out of Steve before taking me home. Neither one of them left my side for weeks" I say smilingly reliving the memory.

" I can't believe Casey got with him after he did that to you," Tatum says passing the blunt to me that was almost gone. "She never really believed me plus to defend his ego, he told everyone we dated in secret and slept together."

"I remember that Billy and Stu got kicked off the football team for kicking his ass in the middle of a game," Tatum says laughing at the memory.

"Subject change, do you ever think you could like Randy the way he likes you?" I ask Sydney wiggling my eyebrows.

She flushes red before answering. "I don't know, he is sweet," she says picking at her nails. Tatum notices and does a dramatic gasp. She abruptly smacks Sid in the face with a pillow making her fall off the couch. " I just did those," she complains.

We all three looked at each other and started laughing. We were high. "You got ice cream?" Tatum's questions get up.

"Yes, that sounds good," I say standing up, I put my hand out to help Sidney. She grips it letting me help her up.

"What about the pizza?" Sidney questions, grabbing a blanket to wrap around her shoulders as we headed downstairs to the kitchen. I look outside and see it's not even dark out we should order pizza later.

Tatum turns on the mini TV in the kitchen and immediately turns on the news, showing Cotton Weary talking about his trial.

The tension in the air was now thick, and Tatum quickly changed the channel.

Breaking News
"Alex Porto was found just hours ago murdered in his own home. The police say his death is very gruesome but they don't know if it's related to the murders. We must warn you the details of this murder are disturbing. His genitals were burned off. The fingers on his left hand were cut clean off and each bone in his right hand was broken and finally, he was stabbed through the heart-"

Tatum quickly turns off the TV not wanting to hear anymore. We were all dead silent. I was just talking to them about Alex now he turns up dead.

Sidney turns to me, "Did Billy know about what Alex almost did?" she questioned.

I couldn't believe this girl, just when I was starting to like her. "No, he assumed Steve did it alone I never told him Alex was involved," I respond grabbing the ice cream. Three bowls and spoons.

"Are you sure he doesn't know?" she questions pushing.

"Look, not everyone you point your finger at is the killer okay? Why don't you get your facts straight before you assume." I snap annoyed with her questions.

She backs down grabbing a bowl, "I'm sorry, Amara."

"It's okay, can we just enjoy the rest of our girl's night?" she nods. Tatum lets out a breath of relief before making her ice cream bowl.

"Do you believe Cotton is innocent?" she asks me. Making me turn wide-eyed at her. "I do," I tell her honestly.

She looks down deep in thought, I'm starting to think she believes he's innocent too. "Sorry I asked, just wanted your honesty," she says making her bowl. After that, Tatum and Sid proceeded the day by trying on my clothes and jewelry.

"Your style is so pretty," I cocked my head not liking the choices she made but she's her person.

"Thanks,"

"Hey, where's those pretty blue earrings you're always wearing?"

I pinch my ears confused and could've sworn I had on the earrings this morning, I wonder if my mom took them. "Follow me ladies we're going through dangerous territory," the girls giggled behind me as we snuck into my mom's room.

"Your mom would be so pissed if she knew we were in here," she inferred, dragging her fingers across my mom's bed.

"No lie there,"

I open the closet trying to find my mom's wooden jewelry box, instead a shoe box hits me in the head and a bunch of letters spills out. Tatum dies of laughter as Sidney helps me pick them up. "Um Amara," she mumbles, her breath shaky as she shows me the letter.

My eyes narrowed as I snatched the letter out of her hand pulling it closer as if the name on it would change. The letter was from Cotton Weary addressed to my mom, I sat crisscrossed checking the other letters. All from Cotton Weary, some from my mom to him.

"Why would your mom talk to Cotton Weary,"

"I... I'm" I stutter out starting to feel dizzy. I'm not sure why my mom would talk to him. Are the things my dad said true? Could she possibly have helped Cotton kill Sidney's mom? I didn't know what to think. The sleepover got pretty awkward after that. We decided to go to bed early but I couldn't sleep. I listened to the footsteps of my mom going home and going into her room. I wanted to confront her but I froze. I couldn't bring myself to read the letters. Instead, I hid them in the closet. Fear oozed off me as I stared at the closet like Cotton Weary himself would appear. I know I have to pull myself together and face my problems...I just don't feel like it.