One Text , One Murder

Chapter 5 - The Crying Red Head

We soon reached school, as I stepped out of the cab, someone pushed me down and walked swiftly past me, muttering sorry.

"Talk about manners these days," I told Betty, who helped me to get up.

"It was Cheryl, the girls' soccer club captain."

"That gives her no rights to push me down you know "

"Ha-ha, I know, now let's get inside and finish the list "

"Yup you are right, Let's go, " I told as I dusted the dirt off my skinny fit jeans.

As we pushed the main door, we could see the gloomy corridors staring back at us. As it was a Saturday evening, no one was at school and the school felt scarier than usual.

As we made our way to the Gym lockers to get the list and finalize it, we bumped into someone on the way, it was Collin.

I suddenly felt light at the sight of him, I just stood there staring at his piercing green eyes and his silky-smooth chocolate brown hair.

Betty gave me a little nudge to get me back to reality and spoke, " What are you doing here Collin? "

He started to sweat and tried to tell something but all we could hear was gibberish.

He suddenly got a notification and just sprinted out without saying a word, as I turned back to catch him, Betty grabbed my hand and told, "The boys must be playing some pranks, leave it, we have work to get to."

Even though I wanted to go behind him badly I went with Betty, I was just staring at the floor as we were walking, think about what's happening around me, while Betty kept on chatting about cheerleading candidates.

We soon reached the gym locker and Betty saw that something was wrong with my face.

"Is everything fine, Liz?"

"Yeah, it is "

"Not convincing but fine "

We sat at the Bleachers and started going through the participants' names and picking out the perfect cheerleaders.

Time passes quickly, we soon realized that it was 6 pm already.

"Sheesh it's late, we should get going, Liz "

"Yes, your right," I told as I was stapling the final list

We both cleared up, left the list at the school manager's table, and decided to walk home.

As we pushed the main door, we found Cherly crying on the pavement.

"Isn't that Cheryl? "

"Oh my god, yes, we should go and see what's the problem, " I told her.

We both went closer to her and as Betty touched her shoulders, she looked up and we could see her bright brown eyes filled with tears.

As soon as she saw us, she got up quickly and brushed her fiery red hair to the side, and stood there staring at us, without saying a single word.

Cheryl Reed, the daughter of Peter Red, was one of the meanest girls in the school, she was kind to us and a few other cheerleaders but she was always rude and mean to others. she was a bold and courageous soul.

"What happened, are you fine? I asked.

"An oncoming car crushed Oreo," she said in a teary voice.

Oreo was Cheryl's pet dog, he was a Begal. Oreo was white on the bottom and had brown and black spots on his back. Cheryl used to get him to school once in a while and we used to pet him and feed him, he was a very friendly and energetic dog.

"WHAT, WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN!? " Betty screamed on top of her lungs.

Cheryl signed with her eyes to look on the other side of the road, and we took a long, it was Oreo with a broken skull and bones, lying in a pool of blood.

Betty hated the sight of blood, she couldn't bear it, and she rushed to the nearest trash can and puked.

"Do u know who did this "

"No, when I came back from the girl's locker room, I found him like this," she said with her eyes filled with tears.

"We should give him a proper burial "

"Yes, but I was not ready to let him go this soon "

We both just stood there in silence not knowing what to say.

Betty finally managed to pull herself from the trashcan and came to join us.

Cheryl pulled a water bottle out of her grey duffle back on her shoulder and gave it to Betty.

"Take this bottle of water"

"Thanks"

As she was drinking the water, I couldn't help but think, her reaction to Jesse's death.

We all just stood there staring at each other's faces and Cheryl crying over Oreo.

I broke the silence saying, "We should give him a proper burial, I will go to the art room and get a box to put him in and u both go and be Oreo on the other side of the road "

"No No, I can't, I will go and get the box you both stay with Oreo," Betty told.

"OK then, I and Cheryl will be waiting for you "

We both crossed the road and waited for Betty.

As soon as we came near Oreo's body laying in a pool of bold, Cheryl broke down.

She couldn't help but sit beside Oreo and cry.

I just stood there not knowing what to do, the only thought in my mind, was about Jesse.

I suddenly felt a warm hand on my shoulder, it was Collin. As soon as I saw his face, I completely forgot about Jesse.

"Is that Oreo?! " He asked in a shock.

"Umm, Yeah, an oncoming car hit, while he was waiting for Cheryl "

"You should go help Cheryl; she is covered in Blood "

"Yeah, I should. "

I bent down, closer to her ears, and whispered, "Oreo wouldn't like to see you sad, you should get up and change your clothes ".

"Yeah, he wouldn't," she said wiping her tears away.

Her light grey tracksuit was now covered in Oreo's red blood.

She got up and I hugged her, assuring her that everything was fine.

She left to change her clothes and I was left alone with a dead dog and the one and only Collin Spears.

Collin got a call from one of his teammates and started talking about the upcoming football match with Northside high.

I couldn't help but blush as he flipped his lustrous brown hair as he spoke on the phone. He noticed I was staring at him and he smirked and gave a wink. I turned as quickly as I could.

"OMG, what just happened, did he just WINK!!! " I thought to myself.

I suddenly heard Betty's voice across the street, " I GOT THE BOX" she shouted.

"GET IT HERE "

"NAH, I AM GOOD ON THIS SIDE, CAN YOU COME AND TAKE IT FROM ME? "

Collin was still on the phone, I crossed the road, she handed me a big plastic box and a pair of gloves.

"I see Collin is there," she said and smirked.

"Shut up, " I told her and walked across the street.

Cheryl was not back yet, and by the time I crossed the road, Collin cut the call.

"So, who is doing the dirty work now? " I asked.

"I can do it for you if you want," he told and snatched the box and gloves from my hands and started to put on the gloves.

he started to pick up Oreo and place him inside the box, even though the scene was not pretty, I couldn't help but think how caring Collin was.

Soon he was done with the work and as he removed the gloves and threw them in the dustbin, Cheryl joined us, her eyes still red from crying.

She was wearing a red hoodie with black leggings and a high ponytail with a black scrunchie.

Cheryl forced a smile on her face and told, "Let's go to the place behind the lake in the woods and bury him there. "

"Sounds good to me, I can offer y'all a ride if you want," said Collin.

"Sure," said Cheryl.

I waved at Betty, who was leaning against the pole and texting someone and smiling.

"WE GOT TO GO, COME ON!"

"COMING"

She shouted back and crossed the road.

"Come on let's go "

We all followed Collin to his car, parked in the school parking lot.

While we were walking, I asked Betty, "Who are you texting? "

"Oh, it is Jesse, he is in the normal ward now "

My face turned pale, I didn't understand what was happening, "He died in front of my eyes and now he is texting her, what the heck?! " I thought to myself.

We reached his black jeep and he put the bag with the box with Oreo in the back of the car and turned towards me and asked, " Do you want to sit in the front seat Clare? "

"Umm, sure" I muttered.

Betty rushed toward me and started smirking, " omg, he gave you a nickname Liz "

"Yeah ... " My face still disturbed from the fact the Jesse was alive and texting.

Betty got another text and turned to her phone and start texting with a smile on her face.

We all got into the car, Cheryl staring outside and still crying in silence, Betty texting the

somehow alive Jesse and Collin trying to make small talk with me.

While I was sitting in the car, trying to respond to Collin's questions, I couldn't understand what the hell was happening around me and what was going to happen to me.