47

“I c—can’t b—believe it,” Scarlett stammered between sobs. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

Sienna nodded and pulled her in for a hug. The girl was little, but she was strong, pulling on her jumper so tightly that it strangled her.

“He was an asshole, but he was our asshole,” Scarlett said. “In a strange way, I still kind of loved him.”

“Me too,” Sienna admitted. "He was my first love. My first kiss."

The local newspaper had reported the murder without naming the victim, but in a small town like this one, it wasn’t five minutes after the police arrived that a neighbour had seen, told everyone they knew and spread the news like a depressing game of Chinese whispers.

“He wasn’t a bad guy,” Scarlett said. “Not deep down. I think we were too hard on him… and now we’ll never get to make friends again!”

She burst into another fit of sobs at this realisation. The thought of never getting to forgive his crimes against her was the most heartbreaking thing for her.

“He saved me,” Sienna whispered, looking down. A tear rolled from her face and fell off her chin. She sniffed. “He didn’t have to do that. He stood up to Adrian for me. I could tell he was scared and he still saved me.”

“That was pretty brave of him,” Scarlett said.

“Who would do such a thing to him?” Sienna asked. “I can’t believe anyone would do that.”

Scarlett looked away, averting her eyes because she knew what a bad liar she was. She knew who had killed Tom. At this very moment, she could overhear him vehemently denying it to his parents, Mum, and a couple of others. They were having a meeting in the living room, trying to sort out this mess before the police came knocking.

Adrian was insisting that he only beat Tom—that he was alive when he left. He seemed genuinely shocked to Scarlett, but she knew how manipulative and cruel he could be. From what she could overhear, only his father was taking his side, but he would defend him regardless of his innocence.

“Where are you going?” she overheard Adrian ask in a sharp voice.

“T-to See if Scarlett is okay. She’s crying—” Riley stuttered.

“You aren’t. She’s none of your business,” Adrian snarled at him.

‘Please… fight him on this,’ she silently willed. Something in his scent told her that he wouldn’t be able to. He was so used to bowing to Adrian that it was now woven into his nature.

She was too focused on the conversation in the living to hear someone approach the front door. When she leaned over ornaments on the windowsill to see who was there. No blue lights danced about the driveway, so she guessed it wasn’t the police.

The doorbell rang for a second time, and then a third.

Seeing that nobody in the living room seemed willing to answer it, Scarlett took the initiative. She regretted her choice immediately when she saw the bespectacled face of her neighbour—Rob. At first glance, he looked like his usual weird self, but on closer inspection, she could smell the tears drying on his face.

“Is your brother in?” he asked.

Adrian stormed past her in a rage.

“What do you want, you little pri—”

A surprisingly swift uppercut from Rob put a stop to his insult. It didn’t hurt him so much as stun him into silence. A second later, his lips twisted into a cruel smile. He loomed over Rob, but amazingly, Rob squared up to him.

“That’s for my Marissa, you monster,” Rob spat. “I know it was you.”

“Aww, your little kitty?” Adrian threw his head back and laughed. “I ate her all up!”

When the crazed teen stepped forward with a maniacal grin, Rob’s steely resolve began to crack. He now looked equally scared and upset.

“Come on,” Ron soothed, placing a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “We don’t have time for this.”

These words sparked up the anger in Rob.

“Your son is a monster. A killer. You need to do something about him. It’s only a matter of time before he moves on from animals to humans!”

The police arrived behind Rob at this most inopportune moment. The officers frowned in Rob’s direction before turning to Adrian.

“Adrian Turner, you are under arrest for the murder of Tom Dailey. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."

Although they had all known it was coming, the faces of her family twisted with shock.

“I didn’t… freaking… do it!” Adrian cried. "How many times do I have to say this?"

“Just go with them,” Ron advised, holding his son by the shoulders. “If you truly didn’t do it, the police can help you prove that.”

Adrian nodded, and though he still radiated anger and frustration, he followed the police officers to their car without protest.

Sienna, who had been hiding in the bedroom—still very much afraid of seeing Adrian, flew past her. With a fierce grimace on her face and a chocolate muffin clutched in her fist she stormed up to Adrian, ignoring the police.

“If you hadn’t figured it out, I quit!” she cried before taking a bite of the cake.

"And I can eat whatever I like you sad, sadistic murdering prick!" she shouted with her chocolate-covered mouth, spilling cake crumbs onto the driveway.

The police officers exchanged confused looks and shook their heads as they bundled Adrian into the back of the vehicle and drove off.

She stood and watched them leave, and spotted Rob in his window as she went to return to the house. He looked at her with the saddest eyes.

'He loved that cat so much,' she thought, her heart almost breaking for the poor guy. She felt guilty about making jokes about him and calling him names, finally understanding why her mother was always kind to him. She gave him a small wave before turning away, vowing to be more like her Mum in future.

The family and friends stood in silence for a moment, gathered in the living room.

She gravitated towards Riley. If he was in the room, she felt herself becoming drawn to him--even more so since her change. She felt his hand find hers as they stood and waited for someone to speak.

"What happens now?" Scarlett asked.

Nobody had any answers.