The Friend She Trusted
612 Words
Zara spent the entire morning avoiding Amie.
Not because she hated her.
Because she didn't know what to believe anymore.
The photograph was still inside her notebook.
Every time Zara looked at it, the same question returned.
Why was Amie there that night?
During lunch, Zara finally decided she couldn't keep pretending everything was normal.
She found Amie sitting alone behind the library.
“Can we talk?”
Amie looked up.
“Sure.”
Zara sat beside her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Zara placed the photograph on the bench between them.
Amie's face changed instantly.
“Where did you get that?”
“So you do know about it.”
Amie stared at the photograph.
“Zara, listen to me.”
“Were you there that night?”
Amie looked away.
“Yes.”
Zara felt her chest tighten.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I promised someone I wouldn't.”
“Who?”
Amie hesitated.
“Maya.”
Zara's eyes widened.
“Maya?”
Amie nodded.
“She came to me after everything happened. She was scared, and she made me promise not to tell anyone.”
“Does Jayden know?”
“No.”
“Why were you even there?”
Amie took a deep breath.
“I was looking for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
Zara stared at her.
“I had forgotten my notebook in the classroom. I came back to get it, and I saw Maya and Jayden arguing near the fundraiser room.”
“What were they arguing about?”
“I couldn't hear everything.”
“But you saw them?”
“Yes.”
Amie looked down.
“Then the lights went out for a few minutes. When they came back on, the fundraiser money was missing.”
Zara slowly picked up the photograph.
“And Jayden was blamed.”
Amie nodded.
“But he didn't steal it.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw someone else leave the room.”
Zara's eyes widened.
“Who?”
Amie opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
A voice came from behind them.
“Don't.”
They turned.
Jayden stood several feet away.
Amie's face went pale.
Jayden looked at her.
“You promised you wouldn't tell.”
“I didn't tell her everything.”
“You told her enough.”
Zara stood.
“Jayden, if Amie knows who took the money, we need to tell someone.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it!”
Jayden looked around before lowering his voice.
“If we accuse the wrong person, things will get worse.”
“Then who was it?”
Jayden didn't answer.
Amie looked between them.
“There was one thing I never told either of you.”
Zara turned toward her.
“What?”
Amie reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.
She opened an old photograph.
“I took this that night.”
Zara leaned closer.
The image was blurry, but there was enough to recognize the person leaving the fundraiser room.
Zara's eyes widened.
She knew that person.
She had seen them every single day at school.
Amie whispered,
“That's why I was scared.”
Before Zara could say anything, Jayden's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened silently.
Then he looked at Zara.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Maya is back at school.”
Zara's stomach dropped.
Because Maya wasn't supposed to return until the following week.
And if she had come back early…
it meant she knew they were getting close to the truth.
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