Find Me

20 • Confusion

"Skylar, give me your phone now," Mom says, her voice taking on more of an agitated tone.

Come on you stupid phone, I think, trying to delete the messages. I've memorized the phone's controls well enough that I should be able to erase everything quickly, but then again...I haven't done something like this before.

"Skylar," she says, ripping the phone from my grasp. I swear under my breath when I notice the messages are still there; I had been milliseconds away from deleting them.

She's quiet for a few moments as she scrolls through the conversations between Xavier and me. The whole time, I can't even look at her. I know what she's going to say, and she's right. I should be more cautious, but I just can't believe Xavier could ever be my stalker. He's too nice for that.

When Mom finally looks up at me, her face more red than I've ever seen it. "What the hell are you doing, Skylar? For all you know, this boy could be your stalker!"

I bite my lip, trying to figure out whether I should tell her what I've been thinking the past few days. What if I'm wrong? I'll only make her angrier if I tell her and I'm dead wrong. But, the opportunity has presented itself, I think I need to take it.

Making a split-second decision, I finally say, "He isn't Mom, because...I think you know who is."

"What?" Her anger suddenly fades and is replaced with confusion. "Skylar, what are you talking about?"

"June 20th, 2000," I say, my gaze level with hers.

She goes pale, her eyes darting around nervously like she thinks we're being watched. We probably are. "Melanie, where did you hear that?"

"I think you know," I say, ignoring the fact she used my real name.

"Melanie," Mom says, her gaze darkening. "Have you been talking to him?"

I don't reply with the answer she wants from me. Instead, I pivot the question right back to her: "I don't know, have I?"

I'm not sure what caused me to snap like this, but I cannot take it back now. I have to get an answer from her...I can't keep thinking she knows something that she isn't telling me.

"Stop being so cryptic, I don't know who your fucking stalker is," Mom swears, causing me to flinch. She rarely swears, so I'm stunned when she does. It reinforces my theory that she knows something, because when she does swear, it's a clue that she's lying.

"Who is he, Mom?"

She pushes past me, my phone gripped tightly in her hand. "Drop it, Skylar. Forget you ever heard about that day and stop communicating with the person who killed your best friend!"

At these words, I feel a knot winding in the pit of my stomach. My nightmare from the night before comes back to me in full force, causing me to force my eyes shut.