Chapter
Fifteen
Soon after the detectives left my house, a mass text was sent out from the school, saying classes were canceled. The entire campus is being treated as a crime scene, and both the local police and outside investigators—that’s how they were described in the text—were there.
Within minutes of the notice going out, I started getting texts, pretty much from every Lark member. I asked my mom and then invited them all over, figuring we were better together as a hive mind than stuck at our homes and freaked out all by ourselves.
This is how, by eleven on a Tuesday morning, the Larks are in my bedroom. Dani and Courtney sit on my bed with me. The juniors are sprawled across my floor, and every single one of them looks scared out of their mind.
“Do you think we’re being targeted?” asks Grace, the quietest Lark of the bunch. She gives off a shy boho vibe during the weekend when she doesn’t have to wear the school uniform, with her flowing sweaters and flower headbands, and how she always smells like incense. Her parents run a gift shop called Spellbound, and it’s full of candles, handmade potpourri, crystals, and—you guessed it—incense. “The Larks?”
I say “no” at the same time Courtney says “yes” and I shoot her a warning look before I address the younger girls. There’s no need to get everyone riled up. We’re already on edge, not that Courtney cares.
“I don’t want to set you all off in a panic. As of this time, I don’t think our group is being specifically targeted, and the police don’t think so, either.” I have no idea if that’s true. “I will say, though, that it’s strange, how Gretchen and Alexis have been…murdered. And they’re both Larks. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence, but I don’t know…”
Kayla is Grace’s best friend, the straight arrow to Grace’s peace and love vibe. She’s sitting up so straight it looks painful, and she’s the only one out of all of us who is wearing her school uniform. Plus, she’s an organizational freak. She puts me to absolute shame, which makes me think she might be a good presidential candidate for the Larks, too. “If there’s a pattern, then I think the killer is going after the seniors first.”
“Way to reassure us, K,” Courtney says with a laugh.
Dani is openly crying, the poor thing. I want to hug her, but I need to keep it together. Be the example everyone else needs right now. “Why would you say something like that, Kayla?” she asks, her voice shaky. “I would never say that to you. Now you make me feel like I’m going to be next! Or maybe Courtney will be. Or Penelope! And we can’t lose Penelope!” Danielle sounds like she’s borderline hysterical.
“You’re not next,” I reassure her with a gentle arm rub. I send a subtle glare in Kayla’s direction but she just blinks at me in return, then flips her long, thick black hair over her shoulder with a loud sigh. “None of us are next. Not if we stick with one another and stay safe,” I tell them all.
“And how do you propose we do that?” asks Maggie, throwing her hands up in the air. “Stay safe? We can’t be together twenty-four-seven, so what do we do when we go home? Or participate in extracurricular activities and have to stay late after school?”
All the juniors nod and murmur among themselves, sending me the occasional furtive glance before they hurriedly look away. There’s a divide happening. The juniors against the seniors, and I know what they’re thinking.
At least all the juniors are still alive. They’re not the initial target.
Us seniors are.
I withhold the sigh that wants to escape. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have them over. I thought I could act like some sort of den mother and reassure them all that we were safe. That I would take care of my Lark babies still left in the nest. Yes, we’ve lost two, and we shall mourn them properly, but I was going to vow we weren’t losing any more, no matter what.
But that’s a promise I can’t keep. I didn’t count on seven anxious, paranoid girls looking at me like I need to solve their problems with a snap of my fingers, girls who can’t be consoled. And that’s what I’ve got, all of them sitting in my room and staring at me like I have life’s answers.
Wish Mom would hurry up and finish making those brownies. Chocolate cures all ailments, and these girls need as much chocolate as they can get. So do I, really.
“Maybe…” Alyssa’s voice sounds clear and strong, and the other girls shut up when she starts speaking. “Maybe we should temporarily disband. We’re paranoid and scared, and what if this killer really is targeting the Larks? If we break apart, we could become less of a target.”
She sounds like such a leader, even when she has to deliver bad news.
“But if we break apart, even temporarily, then we’re doing exactly what they want us to,” Maggie cries. “They want to split us apart, so why should we give them that satisfaction? It makes no sense. Now is the time for us to stay strong and stay together.”
“We’re stronger together than we are apart,” Dani agrees with a little hiccup, just before she grabs a Kleenex and blows her nose.
“According to who?” Courtney asks, her voice tinged with amusement. She even has a smile on her face, like this entire situation is one big joke. “Seriously, there is no way all the Larks are being targeted. Who gives a shit about you girls anyway?” She waves her hand at the junior Larks on the floor, causing all of them to gasp indignantly. “No offense, but you guys are nothing with us here blocking your path. For all we know, it’s one of you trying to off us so you can take charge. Like you, little Miss Type A with the stick up your ass.” She’s pointing at Kayla, whose mouth is hanging wide open. “You’re just dying to take over Penelope’s spot, aren’t you?”
It’s difficult enough to become a member of the Larks, since only a chosen few are selected. The organization has been a part of Cape Bonita Prep for years, and many of the girls who are former Larks members have gone on to some of the top colleges in the country, including my sister Peyton, who’s at Stanford. I’ve heard stories about the juniors practically destroying each other with vicious rumors just to become president.
Me? Considering my older sister was president her senior year, it was practically a given that I would be, too. Not that Courtney, Gretchen, and Lex didn’t all fight hard for the position. The only one who didn’t try for it was Dani. And I think that’s because she was too afraid of the rest of us to make an attempt.
We’re a fairly intimidating bunch, if you haven’t already figured that out. Not that I like to group myself with the mean girls. This last year I’ve tried to distance myself, only because I was tired of their attitudes. Time to grow up and move on, you know?
“She’s probably the only one capable of the position next year,” Grace says, earning dirty looks from the rest of the juniors—except Kayla. “She’s the perfect one to step into Penelope’s shoes.”
“Hey, let me get through my year first,” I joke, though my voice is a little shaky. “We still have a long way to go.”
“See? She’s dying to replace you, Penny. I knew it.” Courtney scowls at Kayla, who scowls right back.
“Oh my God, stop, Court. You’re not making any of this better.” I reach over to grab her arm, but she jerks out of my hold.
“Neither are you, letting them cry and sob and act like the world is coming to an end. What sort of leader are you?” Court glares at me, then casts her smile at everyone else like she’s the queen and we’re her servants. They all just glare at her in return. “I know exactly what we need.”
“Oh, please, Court. Tell us,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
“A party!” Courtney claps her hands and bounces on the edge of my bed. “I’m serious! We need a party to lighten the mood. Maybe we could have the party tonight. What do you think? All of this down-and-out, we’re-all-gonna-die talk—it’s getting old. I’m over it.”
“We can’t have a party,” I whisper. “Lex just died.” I think of her family. I think of the detectives, the school, Mr. Rose and Mrs. Adney. Our families. What would they think if we had a party in celebration of Lex’s death?
Oh hey, I know. They’d think we’ve lost our minds.
“I know she just died. Do you really think Lex would want us moping around, crying over her? Hell no! So we’ll have a party this weekend. It’ll be a celebration of her life. And a celebration of Gretchen’s life, too! A big bash will be the perfect kickoff into the afterlife they’d want,” Court says with a shout and a fist pump.
No joke.
Like, she’s serious right now. I can barely wrap my head around her behavior. Fist pumps and parties and life celebrations? Court has clearly lost her mind.
“I really don’t think it’s a good idea—” Dani starts, her voice hesitant, but Courtney interrupts her.
“You never think anything is a good idea. What’s wrong with having a party and cutting loose? We’ve been so tense these last few days. You need to relax. Plus, I’ll invite all the boys, including Brogan, Dani.” Courtney offers up Brogan like he’s a rich, decadent dessert and Dani’s on a strict no-sugar diet.
Dani’s eyes light up and I know she can’t help herself. She can’t resist Brogan. It’s almost pitiful, especially when I know Courtney is secretly sexting and most likely hooking up with Brogan on the side.
I should warn Dani before she really makes a fool of herself over this boy. But how do I break it to her? She’s crushed on Brogan for years. We’ve told her time and again he’s not that interested in her and she still pursues him. I don’t know if I want to be the one who tells her that Brogan is sexting one of her closest friends.
But who else will watch out for her?
Ugh.
“You want us to have a party? A blow-out bash in celebration of Gretchen and Lex? Really? Are you guys for real?” Alyssa asks incredulously. Her protest surprises me. She’s the one who tends to go along with everything we suggest, and she rarely—if ever—argues. But this is good. She’s showing us she has a backbone. “If we have a party, don’t you think people will think the Larks are…tacky, especially if we have one so close to Lex’s…murder? It’s totally disrespectful.”
“They’ll think we’re awesome because they need the escape,” Courtney points out, as if she’s ever so logical.
Please.
“Before we commit to throwing a party, we really need to think it through,” Alyssa continues, Grace and Kayla nodding in agreement.
“Personally, I think it’s a great idea!” Maggie leaps to her feet, a big smile on her freckled face. With her hair in two French braids and wearing a pair of black leggings and a PINK sweatshirt, she actually looks pretty cute today. “We can charge to enter and call it a fund-raiser. That way we raise money and can donate to a charity that was near and dear to Lex’s heart—and Gretchen’s, too. What do you think?”
Okay, let’s be real for a minute. It may be totally tacky and disrespectful to party it up so soon after both girls’ deaths, but I do have to say Maggie’s fund-raising suggestion is a good one. Meaning, it’s the perfect thing to say to the school, because they’re going to step in on this one considering we’re a school club. And they’ll probably tell us we shouldn’t or flat-out can’t do it.
“We can have the party at my house,” Courtney says, a smug smile curling her lips. She’s confident the party plan is going to happen, which is typical Court behavior. Once she gets an idea in her mind, nothing seems to stop her. “My parents are going out of town for a two-week European vacation and they leave this Thursday. They won’t have a clue what’s going on.”
Courtney’s house is huge, with twenty bathrooms, I swear. She also lives up on Hot Springs Road, in an ultra exclusive gated community where like, Oprah has a giant mansion. Everyone will want to come to Court’s party. I don’t think even a couple of murders will stop them.
“How much should we charge to get in?” Dani asks.
I shoot her a look. Dani almost always takes my side. We used to joke that we shared a brain. I was the rational side and she was the silly side. Those are the roles we’ve always taken together, so I’m surprised she’s going for this. We’re a team. We always agree on stuff, especially when it comes to the Larks. “Do you really think this is a good idea?” I ask Dani, who’s blinking at me like I’ve just surprised her with my question. “Having a big party this weekend like everything’s normal? Lex died today.”
“Actually, Lex died last night,” Courtney points out.
Oh my God.
And how exactly does she know that?
Dani offers up a weak smile and shrugs. “Come on, Penelope. It might be fun, to relax and let loose. Don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t think,” I bite out, wondering when I became the only rational one in this group. “It’s an awful idea. What about their families? We’re going to look heartless.”
“No, we aren’t,” Court says. “We’re going to look like we care, because we do. It’s a terrible tragedy, what happened to our friends.” No surprise, she actually stumbled over the word “friends.” “What we’re doing is for the good of the student body.”
Please. Since when does Court care about the student body?
“Maybe we should vote on the party thing?” I ask, looking around the room, hoping to spot some support.
All I see are blank faces staring back at me.
“But this isn’t an official Larks meeting,” Dani says softly, wincing when our gazes meet. She has this pleading look on her face, one I usually cave to, but not this time. “Can’t we just make this happen?”
“We should probably put it to vote,” I say firmly, not giving in. I’m the president, for God’s sake. What I say goes.
Right?
“Does it have to be an official, declared meeting in order for us to make a decision on the Larks’ behalf, Penny?” Courtney asks, her tone snotty.
Trying my best to control my frustration, I turn to everyone and say, “All in favor of having a party in honor of Alexis Nguyen at Courtney’s house this weekend, raise your hand.”
Every single one of them looks at one another before they all raise their hands, except for Alyssa.
Oh. And me.
Crap. We are obviously outvoted.
“You’re not for the party, Penny? How disappointing.” Courtney makes a tsking noise.
I ignore her. “All not in favor, raise your hands.”
They all drop while my and Alyssa’s hands go up.
Courtney claps like she just won the grand prize. “This is great! What day should we have the party? Friday or Saturday?”
“Saturday. The boys have a game Friday night,” Dani answers.
“It’s a bye week,” Grace practically whispers, tugging on the stretched-out sleeve of her sweater. She won’t even look at anyone and I wonder how for this party she really is. Or if she’s just going along with the majority because she thinks that’s the right thing to do. “They aren’t playing again until next week.”
“Then let’s do it Friday! The sooner the better,” Courtney says, throwing her arms up in the air and wiggling around like she can barely contain her excitement. And that might be true. Court loves nothing more than getting her way. “They might have Lex’s funeral on Saturday so Friday works out better anyway.”
Right. Because it’ll be so great when the majority of the school population goes to Lex’s funeral hungover and strung out.
“We shouldn’t do this,” I murmur, though no one’s listening to me. Though it has to be said. I can already feel the guilt washing over me. I don’t want to have this party. It seems cold and callous and awful and…
Wrong.
“How much should we charge?” Dani asks again.
“Five dollars a head, and all proceeds will go to Lex’s favorite cause,” Courtney says and Maggie nods, like they’re a pair or something.
“What was her favorite cause?” I ask them.
Courtney shrugs. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out! Won’t we, Maggie?” Maggie is practically bouncing up and down like she’s a puppy, and I scowl at her. Has she become Courtney’s minion? It’s like I’m slowly losing control over the group and Courtney’s becoming the one they look up to.
“You guys, really—” I start to say but Courtney interrupts me.
“God, lighten up, Penelope!” The look on Court’s face is pure disgust. “We have to do something to shake the blues. I can’t stand how somber everyone is, how we’re all scared to even talk to each other, or even look at each other. It’s like we’ve all turned into a bunch of zombies, and I hate it! It was bad enough with one dead body, and now we have two. We have to party on and overcome this!”
I don’t have the heart to tell her just how insensitive she’s being right now. It’s like she can’t even see how crazy it is to have a party only a few days after someone’s death—in honor of that someone’s death. The entire situation has turned into some sort of a bizarre three-ring circus.
A knock sounds and then Mom pushes open the door, a tentative smile on her face as she scans the room. “Okay, ladies. Who’s in the mood for warm brownies?”
Every girl leaps to her feet and files out of the room, following my mom to the kitchen. I climb off the bed along with Courtney and Dani, and Courtney chases after the girls, demanding that they make more plans.
Dani grabs hold of my arm and stops me, her gaze serious when it meets mine. “You really don’t want to have this party, do you?”
“No. Of course I don’t.” I slowly shake my head, ignoring the disappointment on her face. I’m disappointed, too. She needs to know this. “It’s not right, D. Two of our friends are dead. They were murdered. It looks really bad, to have a party with kegs and weed in supposed celebration of them. It’s weird.”
“I know.” Dani sighs, her shoulders slumping. “But how can we stop her? Courtney is loving every minute of this.”
“Anything to take the attention off the dead girls so everyone can focus on her,” I say bitterly. “Can’t you see it, Dani? Court wants all the attention, all the time. Who cares if her friends are dead? Let’s party!” I raise my hands and wiggle my fingers, full on jazz hands with a fake smile on my face.
Dani shakes her head. “You’re right. I totally get it. So let her be her own demise then, Penny.”
“But don’t you see? We’ll all be dragged into it because this party is being held by the Larks. In everyone else’s eyes, we’re supporting it. And I’m the president. In the end, I’ll look as bad as she does,” I remind her.
“But I don’t know how to get us out of it now,” Dani says, her voice small.
Now it’s my turn to sigh. “I don’t either.”