Chapter One

The thunder outside is loud when it rumbles through the night sky. The rain pours, hitting the window to my living room as I flipped through the channels on my flat-screen TV. Ring ring! I reach over the navy blue sofa and pick my phone off the lumpy cushion. "Hello" I answered as I put my phone to my ear. "Jade!" My best friend Melissa greeted me. "I'm guessing-" she cut me off. "Where are you?" "At home, what's going on?" I asked confused about her worrying. "Turn on the news, quick!" She rushed me. I flip the channel to the news to see a blonde woman speaking. "Only one year ago local girl Abigail Jenkins just 15 years old went missing" The news reporter reminded the watchers. My heart sinks at the sound of Abby's name. "Police say an unknown tip brought them to this area where remains were found. The detective says it's not yet certain those remains belong to Abigail Jenkins. We'll keep you updated here first on T nightly news" The woman explained. "Jade?" I heard my best friend's voice call out to me, pulling me from my thoughts running miles in my head. "What?" I asked her. "I was saying that how odd is this" she spoke. "Ye-yeah, really odd" I stuttered out. "Weren't you and her friends before she went missing?" She questioned. I didn't want to talk about this "N-No, look I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow at school" I was quick to hang up the phone and turned off the TV. Ding ding! I look down at my phone to see a text from an unknown number.

Unknown

Think you can hide your secrets now?

My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to text the number back, but it never went through. I find myself laying in my bed, my thoughts running wild about if the remains were Abby and what that would mean for my life. Quickly, my mind flashes to that night.

One year ago

Lightning strikes the ground as a loud knock comes on my front door. I walked over, opening to see Abigail's bright red hair, wet from the rain. "Abby?" I knit my brows together. "What are you doing here?" I asked her. "I...I need help, someone is following me" she says breathlessly as she walked inside. I closed the door behind her "What do you mean by someone is following you?" I questioned as I followed her toward the living room. "I-I was driving and then there was this car behind me and I turn, it turned" she explained. Something seemed off about her, tilting my head to the side I could see the watery eyes. "Have you been drinking again?" I asked her, folding my arms across my chest. "Wh-what?" She stuttered out. "What does that have to do with it?" She asked me. "Abigail, just tell me the truth" I stated, practically stomping my foot at her. "I...I had one drink, why does it matter to you?" She asked. I let out a scoff, shaking my head. "You need to leave" I stated. "What? I just told you someone was following me!" She raised her voice. "And I'm telling you to leave. You can't keep showing up here drunk. Last time you got me grounded for three weeks" I pointed out. "My dad doesn't like you as it is, being here will just piss him off" I pointed out. "So you're just going to throw me out?" She asked. "I'll see you tomorrow at school Abby, sober?" I suggested, guiding her towards the front door and opening it up. "You can't do this Jade, we're best friends," she says to me with pleading eyes. "Goodnight Abby," I say before she stepped outside. "If you shut this door, whatever happens, will be your fault" she informed me. "Nothing is going to happen, go home and rest up," I say before shutting the door and locking it before turning and walking up the stairs.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" I jumped at the sound of Melissa's voice as she slammed down her notebook next to me. "No..." I shook my head, leaning back onto my chair as I ran my fingers through my long dark hair. "Up late texting Dmitri Manson?" She asked in a teasing tone. I rolled my eyes, letting out a slight laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Dmitri probably doesn't even know what texting is" I joked, causing her to shake her head. "Come on, you two are always flirting with each other. You like him" she says to me. Just then I lifted my head to see Dmitri walk into the classroom. He's got hazel eyes and black hair that's dyed red in some places. I feel my heart pick up pace as he walks over to the chair in the back of the classroom and plopped down. "Mr.Manson, you're late" Our teacher called out to him. "Yeah...my car wouldn't start," Dimitri tells him. I looked over my shoulder to see him grabbing a pencil from his pocket. "You're drooling..." Melissa sings lightly. Dimitri noticed me staring, giving me a side smirk before winking at me. I quickly turn my head back to the front of the class as I smile to myself. "The moment you two start dating is the moment my social life will pick up," Melissa tells me. I rolled my eyes "Like you don't have a social life now." "Miss Black, Miss Jackson do I need to separate you two once again?" Our teacher asked us. "No.." Melissa responded to him. "Then I suggest you complete your work instead of chitchatting?" He suggests. "What a prick..." Melissa mumbled under her breath, causing me to giggle and put my eyes back on my work. "What if I didn't bring the work?" Dimitri's voice asked. "Mr. Manson when do you ever bring your work to class?" Our teacher asked him causing the class to scuffle out laughter.