Page 18 of That Pretty Pucking Mouth

“Rhea, you okay?” she asks, her voice suddenly distant, muffled by the rush of blood in my ears.

I killed Jack.

“I…um…” The lump in my throat starts choking me, so I cough. “I just…I don’t feel so great.” My voice comes out shaky, barely above a whisper.

Cassidy frowns, her concern deepening. She takes a step closer, but I take a step back, needing distance, needing air.

My mind races.They found him. This isn’t a secret.

My stomach churns, and I feel like I might throw up right here in the middle of the hallway. Jack is dead because of me, and now the cops are involved. How long until they connect me to it? How long until everything comes crashing down?

“I think I need to go,” I mutter, my voice strained. I don’t wait for her to respond before turning on my heel and walking away, my legs shaking with every step.

“Wait!” I hear Cassidy call out as she hurries after me. I don’t stop, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. My vision blurs around the edges, the hallway suddenly too bright, too crowded. I need space, I need to think—God, I need to breathe.

Cassidy catches up, grabbing my arm gently but firmly, forcing me to stop “Rhea, what the hell? You’re freaking me out.” Her voice tight with concern.

I want to tell her everything—the party, the masked guy, the blood—but the words are trapped, buried under layers of panic and fear. I shake my head.

“I’m fine,” I manage, though we both know it’s a lie. “I just… I need to be alone.”

She blinks at me “You do remember we’re supposed to have that group study meeting right?”

“I…I can’t today…I just can’t,” I struggle out, my voice faltering as I speak.

Cassidy steps closer, her eyes filled with worry. “Is everything okay babe? You’ve been acting strange all morning.”

I swallow hard, feeling the lump in my throat tighten. My mind is spinning, my heart racing. I can’t tell her. Not now, not like this. “Yeah, I’m just…” I trail off, searching for an excuse, anything that doesn’t sound like the lie it is.

Cassidy doesn’t buy it, her gaze hardening as she steps even closer. “Rhea, you can talk to me, you know?”

I bite my lip, tears threatening to spill over. She’s pushing, but I can’t let her in. Not when I’m barely holding it together myself. “I’m okay, Cass. I just need some space, okay? Please.” My voice cracks at the end, and I can see the frustration building in her eyes, but she sighs and lets it go.

“Alright,” she says softly, placing a hand on my arm. “But you’re telling me eventually. I mean it.”

I nod weakly, grateful that she’s giving me space but terrified of what I’ll have to face when that space runs out.

Cassidy hesitates for a moment longer, clearly torn, before finally stepping back. She gives me one last searching look, then turns and heads toward our group of friends gathered down the hall. I watch her go, feeling the weight of guilt settle deeper in my chest. She wants to help, but if she knew the truth, she’d never look at me the same.

For the longest time, my room had been my sanctuary, the one place where I could let my guard down and feel safe. But now, as I sit on the edge of my bed, staring at the familiar surroundings, it feels like the walls are closing in on me.

Every shadow seems darker, every sound more sinister. The events of last night hang over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the suffocating feeling of dread that’s taken root in my chest. My mind keeps circling back to the party, the masked guy, the blood.

I want to forget, to pretend none of it happened, but how can I when the weight of it is crushing me from the inside out?

I bury my face in my hands, feeling the pressure build behind my eyes. I want to scream, to cry, but neither will help. I need to figure this out. I can’t keep running or hiding. Whoever this masked guy is, he knows everything.

And if he goes to the police…

No.

I can’t let him.

I need to find out who he is before he ruins my life.

My mind drifts back to the tattoo I saw on his arm—the strange band of words. It wasn’t something common. I have to figure out what it means or at least find someone who can. Maybe that will lead me to him. I dig out my phone with trembling hands. It’s not much of a plan, but it’s all I have.

The pictures…

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