4 3

A week passed by and Mira had been avoiding both Dean and Everly effectively. The newspaper club had made a story about the cafeteria incident titled: THE RED ROBIN HOOD OF HABOR POINT HIGH. The club was true to their word about keeping their articles true; although their title naming was bizarre. There wasn't a single fabrication about the ordeal but the picture and video edits were...animated so to say.

It was now lunch time and Mira made sure to sit in the court yard for lunch. Sheila had began making her lunches once the kitchen was set up to her liking. The two also finished the living room, den, and the three bathrooms over the weekend. Mira had decided to just put up thin wallpaper over the hand print wall, to appease Laurette.

The red head was now eating a sandwich while going over all the notes she'd made for a test in her fifth period class. She managed to shmooze the teachers into giving her the materials she'd missed on her second day in her classes and compiled the notes to where she could break them down for understanding.

She was reorganizing her notes when a shadow blocked the sun from behind her.

"So you're a nerdy badass then?"

She froze upon hearing Dean's voice. She slowly turned to him with narrowed eyes.

"What do you need, Evans?"

Dean put his bookbag down before taking the spot beside Mira on the bench.

"I always eat out here."

Mira scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"I've been coming here for nearly a week now and I haven't seen you once."

"I sleep under the tree back there."

Amira looked behind her and saw the tree that he pointed it. It was so close to her but she failed to realize that anyone was behind her there.

"Whatever." Mira continued to organize her note while Dean ate his lunch. The silence between them was one of understanding, almost peaceful. Suddenly, wind blew away some loose papers and Mira reached for them.

"Shit!"

Some floated over her head and when she went to grab them, she ended up falling on Dean and they tumbled to the ground. Mira made sure she grabbed all of her papers and smiled in relief when they were all counted for.

Dean felt butterflies in his stomach when he saw her smiling. Her smile made him forget about the pizza that was now on his shirt and face. Mira's smile fell, however, and she looked to see Dean below her.

"Oh damn it all," she exclaimed, her Irish accent prominent. Dean gripped her hip when she tried to lift herself off of him, not ready to lose the warmth she eminated. They stayed there for a moment before Mira stood up abruptly and gathered her things.

"Amira wait!" He tried to catch her but she was already gone. He let out a heavy breath and thought back to what he'd just done. He was doing great all year. He kept the girls away for so long but Mira comes and stirs something inside of him. Her smile makes his chest ache with joy. Whatever the Irish girl has done to him, it has already pushed him off the deep end. He grabbed his book bag from the ground but saw a black and white composition book next to it. He picked it up and opened it to a random page before reading.

'I don't know why I see her but I wish she would just go away. The damage was done and-'

He slammed the book shut, guilt creeping up on him but curiosity had won over.

Everly knew that Mira was avoiding her. She needed to actually have a conversation with her about her sister's death. The more she thought about it over the years the more things didn't add up in her story. Why was she with Laurette to begin with? What were they talking about to make them argue to that extent? Why would she say all those things? She wanted to call but she didn't have their new number.

She would talk to her after literature class. She will chase her down if need be.

"This week we will be analyzing the book Thirteen Reasons Why."

Mira winced at the title, the gesture not being missed by Everly. She watched her sink in her seat a little but then she did something odd.

Mira subtly looked to her side and whispered something, as if she were talking to someone. Everly frowned in confusion but was brought back into focus when the teacher called on Amira.

"Amira, what do you think of Hannah Baker? Do you think that her actions were justified?"

Mira glared at the teacher before sitting up in her seat fully.

"Oh this should be good," Laurette said, folding her arms.

"Well, Ms. Scott?"

Mira sighed then spoke.

"No, I don't think they were."

Murmurs sounded around the class, causing a slight buzz.

"I mean, sure the kids were assholes towards her and all but killing herself? That was being a little over dramatic to me."

"Over dramatic?"

All eyes were on Everly now. She glared at Mira who glared back at her.

"I agree that suicide wasn't the answer but you calling it over dramatic is a bit cruel."

Mira scoffed at turned further into her seat to face Everly comfortably.

"Cruel? What's cruel is offing yourself because of what others say or think about you. She had Clay, Tony, hell she even had Ryan in her corner even though how he went about it was rude he did it to help her."

"Okay Tony was barely even in the picture through it all-"

"How do you know that? She's been tellin' 'er 'Oh whoa es me' story. You don't know if he wasn't in the main picture!" Everly sat up in her seat when she heard the girl's accent.

"Better than someone who just did it for the fun of it!"

Mira went quiet and glared. Everly knew that she was finally getting under her skin, it was probably the only way to get answers.

"Tony was hardly in the picture to have a say in anything but the tapes. She wasn't all that close to Clay if you read the story. Ryan basically outted her private thought after telling him not to-"

"It still doesn't change the fact that her killing herself wasn't right. It wasn't as if she weren't..." Mira stopped herself when Laurette looked at her with a sad smile. She turned in her seat with a long sigh.

"Screw your thoughts, Addams. You know I'm right."

"That's enough, girls," the teacher said. She kept a straight face but she was really impressed by their veiw points and came up with an idea.

"I appreciate both of your in puts but this is not the way to voice them. Actually it brings me up to your group projects." The class groaned and the woman smiled.

"You will have one partner that I've already taken the liberty of picking for you. You cannot switch partners no matter the circumstance. I'll have the details of your projects tomorrow, however."

As the teacher called out the names of the students they each went with their designated person. Some were with friends while others were with people they didn't want to be paired with.

"Next is Amira Scott and Everly Addams." Both Mira and Everly stood at the same time with disgust

"What?!"

"Ladies-"

"I can't be partnered with her!"

"I can't be lumped in with that..." Mira stated as she gestured towards Everly.

"And what exactly does that supposed to mean?"

Mira turned to her with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh you know, a stuck up wannabe mean girl."

"Excuse me?"

"Enough! You both are partners. Deal with it! If you two continue with this I will dock ten percent off of your final grade, is that clear?"

Mira and Everly crossed their arms and plopped down in their seat.

Mira tried to rush out of the classroom but Everly stopped her.

"Not so fast, Scott. We have to talk."

Mira clicked her tongue on her teeth and gave a fake smile.

"We can meet at the library on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. We can also-"

"Its not about the project and you know it."

Dean waited to return the diary he just read and felt troubled. One, he read someone else's private thoughts. Two, those private thoughts were... heavy to put it lightly. He made up his mind to be there for the girl but subtly. The students flooded out of the room but there was no sign of the red haired beauty. He peaked in the classroom only to see both Everly and Mira.

"It's not about the project and you know it."

Mira sighed and Dean watched her put her books down.

"What do you want from me, Everly? Is it an apology? Well I am so sorry. I am sorry that I finally told her that I was just her friend out of boredom. And I'm sorry that she killed herself because of those words."

Dean listened to her and heard her voice break just a small bit. He doubted Everly heard it but he did.

"Your story doesn't make since. You say that you two had a falling out and you told her that you were with us a joke but eight years is a really long time to fake a friendship."

Mira clammed now.

"Whoa, my sister has gotten smarter," Laurette said from beside her, "better lookout Reed. She might just figure it out."

"It doesn't matter now, Everly. Everything is over with now!"

"Like hell its over! My sister is dead and you seem to be the only one with answers. You're answers don't add up so now I want the truth!"

Dean listened as Mira groaned.

"You are being a complete pain in my arsehole right now."

Mira collected her things then stepped forwards and stared Everly in the eyes.

"I told you the truth. Just because you can't handle it doesn't mean you can morph it into whatever that hell you want."

Mira pushed past the blond and exited the room. When she did, however, she ran right into Dean. A hint of red made its way to her cheeks and she tried to go around him but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"What do ya want now?"

Dean held up the black comp book and watched as her eyes widened.

Everly exited the room right then and Mira snatched it away from his grip. She eyed the black and white book then left, flipping her hair as she turned around.

Mira was about to walk away also but Dean grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the wall.

"Let me go before I kick yer balls inside out."

"And why would you do a thing like that?"

Mira stopped struggling and glared at the taller boy. She went to head butt him but could only butt his chest.

"Are you finished yet? I have all the time I could want."

Mira huffed and relaxed. Dean smirked and let her go, stepping back a step.

"What do you want, Evans?"

He extended his hand to her and smiled.

"Lets be friends, Amira Scott."

Mira looked down at his hand then back to him.

"You want to be my friend? Seriously?"

Dean shrugged making Mira scoff.

"No. Now leave me alone."

She pushed past him but stopped after a few steps because he began to walk beside her. She growled and pushed him against the wall this time.

"What are ya aimin' fer, Evans? I haven't exactly been all cuddles and hugs since bein' here."

Dean sighed and the shrugged.

"I just have a feeling to do so." She narrowed her eyes at him then held up the composition book.

"You read my book."

Dean said nothing, making Mira scoff then begin to walk away.

"Amira, wait-"

Within seconds, Dean was on the ground holding his throat while coughing from the sudden lost of air.

"Stay away from me, Dean. I mean that."

Mira rushed off to go home. It was early but she couldn't go to class after this. Someone read everything she had been holding in and it scared her that he may just let all of those secrets come out.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have punched him in the throat since he can air out the laundry," Laurette suggested, "not that that would be a bad thing."

Mira ignored her with a groan and eye roll.

Suddenly, she heard a yelp and paused. She listened carfully to find the source before she saw a group of boys coming from the storage house. She rushed there and saw that it was locked. Thinking that she was imagining things, she went to leave but heard a sob from inside.

"Marcus, please don't leave me in here! I'll do the homework just let me out!"

Mira went back to the door and looked around for something the break the lock with.

"I ain't Marcus, Cupcake, but I'll let you out of here."

"Hello? Who are you? Please let me out! I can't breathe."

"You're alright," Mira said as calming as possible but panicked inside, "what's your name?"

The door shook from the mystery girl jiggling the door so hard.

"I can't breathe in here! I need to get out! Help me please!"

"I'm working on it, Dove. Tell me your name in the mean time, yeah?"

K-Kaia. I'm Kaia Andrews."

"Alrighty, Kaia Andrews. I'm Amira Scott and I need you to do me a favor and count backwards from fifteen."

"W-What?"

Mira found a giant piece of cinder block and smiled in relief.

"I used to have the most horrible nightmares," Mira began before she pounded away at the padlock, "my dad always made me.....count backwards from fifteen...then to fifteen.... and if I... were still scared.... I'd count backwards again."

With ever pause, she pounded the lock but it didn't do anything except chip the concrete in her hands.

"Did it work," Kaia asked her in a small voice.

"Yeah. I got calm enough to go back to sleep everytime."

There was a long pause from inside the storage house then she heard Kaia counting from fifteen. Her hits became more deliberate now but she was still getting no where. Suddenly, a shadow was behind her and she looked back to see Dean with another boy beside him.

"What are you doing, Red," Dean asked.

"Some assholes locked a girl in here. Said her name was Kaia."

The tall boy, that wore a brooding expression seconds ago, glared and pushed Amira aside.

"Ok, ya rude prick. I'll kick you a new arse hole if you push me-"

The boy gave the door one hard kick and it flew opened, causing Kaia to yelp and cover her head in her lap to keep the wood chips from her face.

Dean grabbed Amira's arm and pulled her to his side while the boy went to the girl's aid.

"That's Elijah Carter, most badass guy of Harbor Point High and my best friend. Let him handle her for now, alright?"

Amira was going to protest but saw her crying and hugging him close made her change her mind.

Amira sighed and left to go home quickly, ignoring Dean's eyes burning holes into the back of her head and neck.

Once home, Mira went straight to her room to think, ignoring Sheila asking for why she was skipping school.

She tossed her things aside and began pacing the floors.

"He read everything. How could I be so dumb as to even bring it to school!"

"Just...calm down, Reed. Maybe he only read one part and realized what it was."

"Yeah but which part? What if it was that part? What if he's telling her right now?"

"Who's telling what now?"

Mira looked back to see Sheila leaning in the doorway, a look of concern on her face. Amira gave her a look and Sheila held up her hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry, I grew worried when I saw smoke leaking from the floors from all of the pacing."

Mira sighed and sat on her bed. Sheila closed the door and sat beside her before pulling her into a hug.

"I really messed up, Sheila," she said, accepting the warming gesture. She then explained the situation, leaving Sheila speechless in thought.

"Wow," was all she said for a moment then she looked to Mira.

"Maybe he just want to help? I mean really, Mira, if he wanted to tell her whatever secret you've been holding in that he would have done so already."

Neither her father or Sheila knew much about the secret except that she has been seeing her dead best friend since they moved. Mira laid back on her bed with a groan before thrashing around in a mini tantrum.

"This is so stupid! Why did he even open the thing anyways? Can't people just mind their own business for once?"

Sheila laid on the red haired girl and began rolling on her body as Mira protested.

"You are thinking too much into it. Like I said, maybe he just wants to help you."

Mira stayed quiet and began to think on what to do next. Sheila stood and huffed before smiling down at her.

"Well since you skipped school lets go grocery shopping. On the way back you can show me around town."