“Baby?” he crooned in his sleepy voice that never failed to make me smile.

“Mmm?”

“Time for school,” he answered, gently running his fingers through my tangled hair.

School. I really didn’t want to go to school today. “Actually I might skip school and go and see Chester,” I muttered, chewing on my lip with anticipation. Would he be better today? Would his breathing have returned to normal instead of that raspy, shallow panting? Will he still be lying motionless, with just his limbs twitching? All of those thoughts shot through my mind instantly making me almost not want to go because I was frightened of what I could see there.

Luke’s forehead creased with a frown. “They don’t allow visitors until the afternoons. Plus they said you should call and see how he is first. Look, why don’t we give them a call and see what they say, if they say that he’s up to visitors then I’ll come with you,” he suggested, smiling sadly.

I shook my head in rejection. “No. You’ll get into trouble for skipping classes, you know you will. Besides, I can just borrow Alex’s car or something.” Or maybe I could ask Luke to drop me back home and I’d use my mom’s car for the day, she wouldn’t mind, she wasn’t even here anyway.

Luke raised one eyebrow at that. “You’re not going on your own. Not after last night. Not until the police have caught whoever sent you that card and those flowers and stuff.” His voice was stern, so I knew there was no arguing with him. Luke was just as overprotective of me as the other two males in my life were.

I sighed in defeat. “Fine. I’ll call them now and maybe leave it until lunchtime or something so we don’t have to skip classes,” I reluctantly agreed.

A sad smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he reached out and brushed the back of his knuckles against my cheek. “You okay today? You slept fine. I was expecting nightmares,” he said softly.

I shrugged in answer. “I’m okay. Hopefully the police will find some evidence or something and then this will all be over in a few hours.” I didn’t feel particularly hopeful of that happening though. Somehow I knew, deep down, that whoever had left the card in my room wouldn’t have been stupid enough to leave fingerprints. Again my thoughts turned to Sandy. Hopefully the police would question her and she’d slip up and admit it. They hadn’t seemed too convinced last night when I mentioned her, but they were duty bound to look into her. Maybe she’d left some DNA in my house or something, a hair, a fingerprint, anything to prove that she was the one behind this hate campaign. Or maybe she’d be bragging about it to her friends today – how she snuck into my house and poisoned my dog. Part of me hoped that it would be that easy, that she wouldn’t be able to contain her delight at having gotten one over on me.

“Hopefully,” Luke agreed, bending forward and planting a tender kiss on the tip of my nose. “Let’s get dressed and then I’ll make you some breakfast.”

Thankfully, Alex was blissfully unaware that I’d snuck into Luke’s bed last night. I knew he wouldn’t be happy about it, even if it was innocent. By the time we got to school, I’d already called the veterinary clinic and was told that Chester had had a stable night. There were still monitoring him closely, but agreed Alex and I could visit after school.

It was hard to leave the warmth and comfort of Alex’s car as he cut the engine in the parking lot. My eyes wandered over the front of the building, settling on Charlotte and Beth who were sat on the grass outside, chatting animatedly. I hadn’t spoken to them since school finished yesterday, so they didn’t know about the dramatic twist of events from last night.

Today was going to be hard. Not only was I going to have to rake it all up again and tell my friends what had happened, I was also going to see her. I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle the last part at all. I was sure it was her, but the police where the ones that needed to do something about it now, I couldn’t get involved. How was I going to just ignore her though? I didn’t think I could.

Just as I gripped the handle of the car, Alex touched my arm. “Maisie, I know you said you think this is Sandy doing all of this, but you can’t know that for sure. You can’t just go accusing her in the middle of school, you know that, right?” he said softly.

I nodded slowly. “I know. The police will sort everything. I’m just going to stay out of her way and ignore her completely.”

His eyes studied my face, as if he was trying to see if I was telling the truth or if I was going to go in there all guns blazing. “That’s good because if you go shouting accusations at her then you’ll probably be in trouble for harassment or something.” He raised one eyebrow in warning, his stern expression telling me exactly how much he meant his words. “I don’t think it’s her. For one thing she’s too much of an airhead to think through all of this stuff. Just let the police do their jobs and investigate it.”

I sighed, rolling my eyes. No one believed me about what a vindictive little witch she really was. She had everyone fooled with her butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-the-head-cheerleader’s-mouth act. “Fine,” I grunted, shoving open the door and swinging my legs out. Today is going to be hard enough without starting my morning off with a brotherly lecture!

I marched up to my friends, ignoring the way that Alex and Luke both followed closely behind me. It was almost as if I had gained two bodyguards or something. Both girls smiled as I got up to them. “Morning,” Beth chirped before her smile faded and her head cocked to the side. “You okay?”

I sighed. Obviously my frustration was showing on my face clear as day. I sank down next to them, shook my head and then proceeded to tell them everything that had happened last night – leaving out the fact that I had snuck into Luke’s bed for comfort. I had a feeling they wouldn’t like that too much either, especially Charlotte who still wanted to seek revenge on him for hurting me. By the time I finished telling them about Chester, the card on my bed and the police visit, Charlotte was frowning angrily, and Beth looked a little confused.

“That’s sick, who poisons a dog?” Charlotte cried.

“Shh!” I hissed, shaking my head quickly and looking around to make sure no one had heard. I didn’t want everyone talking about it today and gossiping about me all over again. I had enough of that because people were still entertained with stories of mine and Luke’s break up.

Beth shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “But Chester’s going to be okay, isn’t he?” she squeaked.

I nodded, patting her knee. Beth was an animal lover at the best of times but she adored Chester. “The vet said he was doing well,” I confirmed.

Charlotte cleared her throat to get my attention. “You don’t still think it was Sandy, do you?”

I groaned and closed my eyes. “Yes. But apparently no one else does,” I snapped, pushing myself to my feet. I didn’t want another person telling me I was wrong about her, I didn’t want to hear it anymore. I turned and marched into the school, leaving my two friends in stunned silence behind me, still sitting on the grass. I was vaguely aware that Alex and Luke were still trudging along behind me. I looked over my shoulder and frowned. “I don’t need a babysitter,” I barked, waving my hand dismissively.

“I just want to check your locker and make sure there’s nothing in there,” Alex replied, not seeming bothered by my harsh tone. He was probably used to it, growing up with me and all.

I groaned in frustration because they were treating me like a child. “Well, it doesn’t take everyone to look into my locker,” I grunted.

Luke frowned and nodded. “I actually need to go and speak to Mrs White about my history essay that I haven’t done,” he said, wincing a little. “I’ll meet you outside your last class of the morning, and then we can get lunch together, okay baby?” I nodded in agreement, knowing that I would have probably eaten with him anyway had all of this not happened, so I couldn’t exactly be annoyed with him for wanting to babysit me. I guess I was just going to have to put up with being babied until the police arrested Sandy. Luke smiled and touched the back of my hand softly, his eyes doing that melting my heart thing that they usually do, so I felt a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of my mouth too.

I watched him walk off up the hallway and then I trudged over to my locker. As I approached it, worry started to cloud my mind. Would there be something in there? Some typed note or a flower? Was some reference to Chester going to fall out and land at my feet? Unlike seconds earlier, I was silently grateful that I felt Alex’s presence at my side. As I raised a tentative hand I tried not to notice that it was shaking a little. I held my breath as I twisted my locker combination in and slowly pulled open the door. But nothing happened. Nothing fluttered out, nothing was in there that wasn’t supposed to be, my locker was just as I left it the day before.

I breathed a sigh of relief and looked over at Alex who was busy peering in, shoving my books to the side and checking every square inch of it. I let him route around in there, obviously satisfying his brotherly instincts while I leant against the locker and looked up the hallway. Zach was walking towards me, a smile on his face as he sauntered through the crowd, not having a clue about what had happened either.

Luke’s words suddenly rang in my ears. ‘What about that Zach guy? How much do you know about him anyway?’ My eyes searched Zach’s face, his lazy grin, and his laidback attitude as he walked towards me. It couldn’t be him that was doing this, could it? No. No, Maisie, you’re being stupid! Zach wouldn’t do that, he’s a nice guy.

“Hey,” he greeted, stopping at my side. “All ready for another boring school day?”

I laughed humourlessly and shrugged. I was already wishing today was over with. “I guess.”

“Everything okay?” he inquired.

Thankfully Alex had obviously had his fill of checking my locker so he turned and pushed the door to. “All fine here, Maze-Daze. I’m gonna leave you with Zach, and I’ll catch you later. You have your cell, right?” Alex asked, patting his pocket, checking that he had his with him. I nodded, knowing that it was in my pocket from this morning when I called the vet’s. “Okay good. If you need me today then call me. Luke’s eating with you at lunch time, and then you’re with Zach this afternoon. I’ll meet you here at the end of school and we’ll go visit Chester.” His arm looped around my shoulder, giving me a quick, reassuring squeeze before he turned and walked up to his friends.

“What was that about?” Zach asked, stepping closer to me and leaning against the locker next to mine as I pulled out the books I would need for my morning classes.

I sighed, wondering how much I should tell him. Probably everything. Alex was obviously entrusting my safety to him too today so he’d need to know why. I opened my mouth to answer, but a flash of brilliant blonde hair caught my attention seconds before a tinkering little laugh filled the air. My breath caught in my throat as I turned in that direction. Sandy was sashaying her way towards me, flanked by two of her little cheerleader minions.

The anger tasted vile in my mouth as I watched her and the way she moved so fluidly, the way each step was like she was gliding in her four inch high heels. I hated every single thing about her. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t stop near me. My restraint was fading fast. All I wanted to do was scream at her that she was a psychotic bitch and that the police were going to be busting down her door for what she did.

Unfortunately for me, or maybe unfortunately for her, I wasn’t quite sure yet, she stopped in front of me. A smug, sarcastic smile stretched across her perfectly painted pink lips. As if expecting a confrontation, the people around us seemed to hush and turn in our direction, eager to watch another showdown. Anger heated my face as she twisted a perfectly straightened lock of her hair around one expertly manicured fingernail.

“Well you look like shit today. Bad night?” she asked, chuckling to herself quietly as her eyes raked over my body with obvious distaste.

“You know I did,” I spat. My voice barely even sounded like mine where I was so angry. I tried desperately to hold on to the thought that I wasn’t allowed to start a fight and that the police had told me to stay away from her while they investigated everything. But it was hard. My hand was itching to smack the satisfied grin off of her face.

She smiled sweetly. “What’s up, princess, didn’t sleep too well or something?”

She was taunting me, trying to get me to crack. I knew her game plan, but I couldn’t help but go along with it. The words burst from my mouth before I could stop them. “Why did you do that? You’re sick in the head, Sandy! Who does that to an innocent dog?” The tears were building, making my vision swim as I struggled to maintain my composure.

Her mouth snapped shut as she frowned at me, seeming taken aback by what I’d said. “What dog?” she asked. Her confusion was clear across her face as she said it, and for a second my conviction wavered. Maybe she really didn’t do it like the boys were saying, and I have it wrong…

But then I remembered seeing her in the school play a couple of months ago. She was a damn good actor. “Don’t play stupid, I know it was you!” I hissed, righting myself to my full height as I glared at her confidently.

She took a half step back, shaking her head, her eyes questioning as she looked at me. “What are you talking about?”

“You snuck into my house last night and poisoned my dog.” I pointed at her accusingly, jabbing my finger into her chest for emphasis. The spectators gasped, looking between the two of us with wide eyes. I saw Zach stiffen and stand up straighter next to me.