Denying the Wrong Read Free Page B

other state I’d been to was Texas, where my grandparents lived.
    One hour later I got a text from Kat. I paused the reality show I was half-watching and pushed the half-eaten box of doughnuts off my lap to reach for my cell.
    Kat: Dillon is coming home! Why didn't you tell me?
    Me: I just found out this morning and thought he would want to be the one to tell you.
    Kat: Are you as excited as I am?
    Me: Probably not. I just hope he finds something to do with his life.
    Kat: I'm sure everything will work out. Love you! Hey, thanks for leaving without saying goodbye.
    Me: Didn't want to wake you. Love you, too.
    I texted Scott “hello” but didn't get a reply. It was too cold to go outside and do anything, and that little bit of sunshine that had boosted my spirits had evaporated behind both the cloud cover and the news of my brother’s return. I settled for a nap.
    ~*~
    My body had obviously needed the sleep because I’d woken up, eaten dinner, and gone right back to bed. But now I was suffering the curious side-effects of being sleep hungover: my schoolwork was giving me the stink-eye from my backpack, and I was in dire need of caffeine. Oh, and my muscles were screaming for a good stretch after staying in bed so long.
    It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, my ass.
    “Good morning,” I said to my parents, both hunched over the Sunday paper.
    “Good morning, sweetheart.” My mom didn't look up from the paper. I poured myself a cup of coffee and grabbed a freshly made blueberry muffin.
    “Do you know a girl that went to your school named Kelly Martin?” Dad asked me.
    “Ugh. Yeah, why?” Hearing the name of the girl who had not only kissed my now ex-boyfriend on New Year’s Eve but who’d also humiliated my best friend in front of half the school was not a good start to my morning.
    He shook his head with the disapproving look I knew all too well. “She was part of a group at some party who were all found dead just before midnight. They're going to do autopsies because the police believe they overdosed on some drugs they found at the crime scene.”
    Mom nudged me out of the way to clean up my mess when I dropped my coffee mug on the counter, spilling everywhere. I could only stare at dad, unable to process what he’d just told me.
    “Sweetheart?” Mom tossed the soiled paper towels in the trash and laid a hand in the middle of my back.
    “—can't believe it. She was a horrible person, but I can't believe she's dead.” I started shaking, like I did when I got caught doing something wrong. For some reason, I felt guilty, and the feeling only continued to intensify.
    “I have to call Kat.” I ran up the stairs into my room, slamming my door shut. Before I called her, I decided to go online to make sure my dad hadn't read the story wrong. But there it was, smack dab in the middle of the splash page of the newspaper's website. Nine names total. Three of them, including Kelly, were listed as students from the same high school Kat and I had attended, and the others were from another high school. I still couldn't believe it.
    Grabbing my phone off the charger, I hit Kat’s speed dial. It rang so many times I thought I’d end up in her voicemail but she finally answered, voice groggy.
    “Hello.”
    “Kat! Did I wake you up?”
    “This had better be good.”
    “Kelly died last night.” I had to spit it out because I didn't know another way to relay the news.
    “Wait, what?” Her exclamation heralded her entry into wakefulness.
    “It's in the paper and online. There was a party and they think all of them overdosed on some bad drugs.” I heard her breathing, but she remained silent. “Kat?”
    “Why do I feel guilty?”
    “I know, right? Me, too. Maybe it's because she's dead and we can't cry over it because we didn't like her?” I had to stop a nervous laugh from escaping. How heartless was I, to be laughing right now?
    “I don't even know what to say. I guess being religious would be helpful