Part 16 (2/2)

Voices stopped mid-sentence. Eyes darted and the fear clouding every face ratcheted up to barely concealed terror. Reluctantly, one by one, messages were revealed.

I shuffled back to Seth and read over his shoulder, my hands shaking as the words blurred before my eyes.

Tsk tsk . . . Poor Pete. Not! See what can happen?

Chloe was the first to react with a scream that pierced the morning as she clutched her bag to her chest. Jade rushed to throw her arms around her. Nausea swirled through me as I stared at them and even kicked up a notch when my attention was dragged to Demi, who was having it out with Davo. Zack dived in, grabbing Davo to hold him back. More voices joined in, each one determined to be heard, each one more heated; their combined fury almost a palpable being . . .

A being powerful enough to break through their carefully constructed pretences and facades and leave them clothed in nothing but naked fear. It was chaos; a train wreck. My stomach clenched and my eyes searched Seths, pinning him with my own fear. 'Please, please, please tell me that didnt come from my phone? I whispered.

Seth didnt even have to say the words.

It was in that instant that I heard the second sudden silence. Id whispered, but still theyd heard, and the ten people that stared at me with hate-filled eyes a.s.sured me I probably didnt have to ask for a second opinion.

Oh my G.o.d. The clenching of my stomach threatened to cut me in two. Desperation pushed its way through me, dragging that tight feeling up to my throat. I held up both hands. 'I do not have a phone! What do I have to do to prove that to you?

Seth and Macey moved into their protective positions; Maceys expression close to murderous. She held her handbag out in front of her like a loaded machine gun. Nothing like a threat to her best friend to bring out her inner Al Capone.

'Back off! she ordered. 'She doesnt have her phone! And one of you knows that, because you have it!

Jade and Teahna pushed forwards, and in my dazed state I couldnt work out who was dragging whom. Or even if they were being pushed. Because all of a sudden everyone seemed to be surging forwards again. Jade and Teahna were still at the head of the pack. Jades eyes looked positively evil. 'We saw you digging in your bag just before the phones went off!

'To get my sunnies! My explanation made no difference. Okay, this was getting serious. I stepped back, but a hand reached out and snagged my bag. I tried to pull away but the grabbing hands were faster and stronger. 'Hey! Back off !

But it was futile. Ma.s.s hysteria had overtaken and they could smell blood. Specifically mine.

Honestly, I couldnt believe my eyes! It was like some mad feeding frenzy in the wild! Seth and I struggled to grab my bag back, but faster than lightning it was s.n.a.t.c.hed from hand to hand until someone held it high.

'Cut it out! yelled a voice from the sideline.

We all turned to look at Kristie, who held up her phone. 'Theres an easier way. She shrugged. 'Well just ring Willows number.

'Yes! Ring my number! I yelled back. Yes, do it! That would show them!

I should have felt relief, but stress still had me wound tight. Someone had my phone and we were about to find out who. Breathlessly I waited, my eyes never leaving Kristie. But just when I thought it was finally okay, there it was a familiar Jason Mraz song that until this moment Id loved.

My eyes flew to the bag, then to Seth, who was staring at me in disbelief. No! It could not be in my bag!

I darted looks at everyone but not one sympathetic expression was returned. 'No! That can not be my phone! It wasnt there! I havent had it for days!

Davo held the bag up high and, without taking his eyes off me, slowly tipped it upside down. Everything came tumbling out. All my stuff! Makeup, tampons, tissues, keys, wallet and there in the midst of the heap my phone.

My phone. It was mine. I couldnt breathe. Our phones were all identical, but Id attached a woven Cherokee Indian good-luck charm to make it different.

It was my phone.

But how . . .?

And suddenly the fear Id felt before was nothing. Now there was terror bone-deep terror that wormed through every part of my body. Terror that made my heart pound so hard I thought it might burst. 'I dont know how that got back in there! I swear! I have not sent you messages and I do not have JoJos phone! I swear!

From the middle of the group, Kristie roared towards me like a raging bull. Seth caught her and tried to hold her still. But amid the kicking and struggles, nothing was going to hold back the words she spewed. 'You lying b.i.t.c.h! I believed you!

'I was telling the truth, Kristie!

At my feet Macey was collecting all my stuff. I wanted to keep explaining, I had to make them see, but she started dragging me away. 'Were getting out of here. Move. Middrag she turned to Seth. 'Coming?

Over all the shouting, screaming and struggling our eyes locked. For a moment it was like everything was blocked out and only he and I existed. My eyes pleaded with him not to break my heart, to believe in me, to trust me . . .

But he didnt. There were no words. Just a teeny shake of his head. Then he tossed his keys to Macey.

And turned his back.

And this time I knew my heart would never recover.

Even if he was only pretending to be my boyfriend.

Chapter Fourteen.

I said nothing on the drive home. Neither did Macey. But I mean, really, what was there to say? How had it all gone so wrong? This morning my life was merely in crisis. This afternoon it had been totally annihilated. And I was so tired. I felt like I could sleep for a week and yet I knew if I lay down I wouldnt be able to even close my eyes.

And I wouldnt want to.

Id thought being haunted by JoJo for the past four days was about as bad as it could get, but Id quickly realised how wrong Id been. The looks on those faces as theyd stared at me with such hatred was so much worse. JoJo would eventually go away, I hoped, but the image of those faces would haunt me for life.

But none so bad as the one face that had crushed me. Oh, Seth . . .

Macey pulled into my drive, but she didnt turn off the engine.

'Do you want to come in? For a drink or something? The question was an automatic one, although part of me so didnt want to be alone right then. My chest tightened when she shook her head and the silence in the car grew to a deafening roar.

Then she sighed and, strangely, the coils around my chest eased a bit, because I heard the sadness, as well as the frustration, in that one expulsion of breath. 'Wills? I believe you about the phone, okay? I know you, and I know you wouldnt lie about that and you wouldnt do something as devious as that. But I have to go back to Seth; make sure hes alright. Will you be okay?

Sure. I swallowed hard; swallowed back the truth that was choking me in its need to get out. Instead I simply nodded. Sure. Id be okay. I was always okay, wasnt I? It was what I did best.

Inside the house, my aim was to avoid everyone. My head was spinning; I had no plan other than getting to my room. I was lost. I had thinking to do. I had to get my head around everything.

About to sneak past the study, I heard a voice. Deep. Male: Dad . . . Great. Slipping off my shoes so they wouldnt clunk on the tiled floor, I continued creeping towards the staircase, but with one hand on the rail, I stalled. My mind flashed to the morning of the cruise; the day Id sensed that maybe they were trying harder than Id thought. I remembered how amazing it had felt: the first time Id ever felt that I mattered; that I was really part of them. Like I had no control, my eyes turned towards the study door and I knew the only thing I wanted right then was to have them listen. To hear me. To tell me everything would be okay; to not feel so alone.

My silent steps were robotic and almost before I fully realised, I was at the door. Pus.h.i.+ng it quietly open, I saw he was on the phone. Id wait till his call was over. Id . . .

He had his back to me, and it took long seconds for it to dawn that it wasnt Dad on the phone. It was Simon. Disappointment swamped me, but not as strongly as my need to get back out of the room and far away from him. It took till I was gently pulling the door behind me before any words penetrated and then I froze.

It was innocent. I hadnt intended to listen. It was my fathers name that reached me . . . and stopped me dead. You know how you can be in the middle of a whole heap of babble and one word jumps out? Well, that was it.

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