Black Hill High

Chapter 6

May Hart made a mark on this undisclosed town the second her family moved in. Not only were they highly wealthy, but she had the beauty and the charisma to make her untouchable - desirable. Ethan Crawford could recall the first time he saw May Hart waltz into freshman orientation as if she owned the place already - as if she were gifted with a prophecy for greatness and she was fulfilling the role. He could recall the confidence of each step she took and how her presence automatically lured gazes. She was the queen before anyone even learned her name and she fully embraced her calling. However, power comes with sacrifice and May paid the ultimate price. Ethan fell in love with her the second she strutted into the room and her death felt as if she had taken a piece of his soul with her.

He gazes at the picture of her in the school hallway - enclosed in a cabinet along with a shrine of the two other victims that have tragically lost their lives. He always loved that picture of her. He was the one that took it. It was a momentous occasion for the school after having won the championship - and May lived up to her head cheerleader duties and provided the crowd with undeniable school spirit. Ethan couldn't help but capture the moment. It's morbidly ironic how the liveliest picture of her is used to commemorate her death.

A piercing stare burns the back of his head, and he notices someone's reflection in the glass, but he does not recognize them. Instead, he focuses his forlorn gaze back on the framed picture.

Seth walks away in a haste. He's tried his best to avoid that hallway. To avoid that picture of her, it's as if something is magnetically pulling him back and he cannot help but look into the crystal eyes that once made his heart soar. The eyes of the girl he still loves, even after death. The same eyes that follow him into his dreams as she pleads for him to bring her horrific death justice - but he wouldn't know where to begin. As much as he loved her, he knew May had enemies and everyone had a motive. However, her death has been overburdened by the death of his oldest and closest friend - it has been a year of losing the ones closest to him. He quickens his pace and makes a sharp turn into the deserted part of the hallway. His breaths are shallow and he leans against the nearest wall for support as his legs become wobbly. He slides down until he's firmly on the ground with his legs stretched out in front of him. He clutches his chest and attempts to even out his breaths, but nothing seems to help. His chest tightens and the perspiration glides down the back of his neck as he clutches it in panic.

"Seth." He can hear a voice but it seems as if it's echoing from a distance.

His eyes begin to blur as a figure appears crouched in front of him.

"Seth, focus on me." He gazes into the unfamiliar mahogany eyes as a comforting hand is firmly placed on his shoulder. "Breathe in." He immediately follows instructions. "And out."

He repeated the process until he could feel his erratic breathing slowly die down and his hands stopped excessively quivering. His shoulders slumped and he dropped his head back in purely physical and mental exhaustion. It had been years since he'd experienced a panic attack - the last he could recall was freshman year when he got called off the bench.

"Are you okay?" The gentle voice pulls him from the nostalgia and he turns to his savior.

Amelia.

"Thank you." He breathes. "How did you know what to do?"

She gently smiles and sits on the polished tiles in front of him. She draws her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them. She places her chin on top of her arms in thought.

"I get them a lot." She explains staring at the concrete wall. "Ever since I was a kid."

They enjoy a moment of uninterrupted tranquility as they gather their thoughts. Seth rapidly blinks his eyes to prevent an onslaught of tears. He'd believed he had slowly come to terms with May's death, but two new murders have brought the dormant feelings back to the surface. He'd been battling with his inner demons, hoping he could figure out who murdered her or simply attempting to move on with his life.