There are ways of dying that do not end with a funeral. Types of deaths you can't see, feel or smell. Because death, just like love, has a mind of its own and some things can't be prevented.
What started as an innocent high school quest in search o...
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The only reason why I've decided to come to Timothy's stupid pre-Christmas party is hidden somewhere in here, in his MacBook. Or at least that's what I'm hoping for. I'd hate to go through all this without getting nothing in return.
I wish there was a different way. I wish I didn't have to snoop through other people's personal stuff – through the stuff of a person I considered one of my best friends not so long ago—but I'm so desperate at this point that this seems like the only way. I can't outright ask him about Courtney, shoot a question like, Oh, so, it's true that you raped Courtney and then pulled out your big family guns and made the case go away when she tried to take it to court? straight at his face. Besides, after how we got pointlessly into it with Aspen few days back, coming anywhere close to Timothy would directly lead to coming face-to-face with her seeing as the two of them always seem to occupy the same breathing space, which would only slow me down tonight, possibly putting the whole plan Jade and I came up with in jeopardy.
I called uncle Carlos on my way here, after I picked Jade up, and asked him "if –just hypothetically speaking of course— I managed to get something from Timothy's notebook; something serious, hopefully, would that be enough evidence? Could it even be considered evidence?"
To which Carlos replied sternly from the other side of the line after a beat of silence, "Unauthorized computer access is illegal, Collin. Under both, California and federal law."
"I know," I replied, sounding way calmer than I was feeling on the inside, "That's why I'm asking just hypothetically."
And both, Jade and me – we knew that what I told him was a total bull. Carlos probably knew, too. He has never been stupid but we needed some evidence to prove that Timothy is guilty, and what Carlos' law-abiding cop brain didn't know –or had directly confirmed—wouldn't hurt him.
Jade would be the perfect distraction, keeping Timothy entertained, keeping him from leaving the living room, while I got what I needed from his room and slipped back downstairs without raising any suspicions.
That's how it was supposed to go. Only, I hear the soft click of the door at the exact same time as I hear the familiar voice. "What are you doing?"
Shit.
My body jerks in shock, my fingers pausing above the keyboard. A brief glitch running though my brain before I snap back to my senses, straightening up and turning around to face Aspen.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
She's standing by the door, a mix of shock and confusion clear as the day on her face despite the limited light in the room.
"Uhm," I manage, trying to move my body in front of the notebook to hide it. "I just. . . I needed to check something."
Her brows pull together. "Check something?"
I'm so fucked. Think, Collin, think! Goddammit!
"Yeah, I was meaning to do it for a while now but then the accident happened and. . ." I trail off purposely, partly hoping that the mention of my accident will steer the conversation in a different direction.
