me…the horned version I guess.
I pause, sifting through yet more photos, “I know what happened Leo. Somebody killed my sister. I am going to find out who.”
“Then what?”
“Go to the police. I dunno, kill him maybe!”
Leo rolls his eyes, “Maybe it’s a her?” he suggests. “Seriously though, the police went over everything. If they can’t find the driver, I’m guessing we won’t.”
“Pessimist. The police thought she killed herself,” I snort in disgust, “As if! Look I found her diary.” I sink down next to him, focusing all my emotions on this new task; a quest for justice I tell myself is exactly what I need to take my mind off the fact that, well, Rose is dead.
It feels kind of weird looking at my sister’s diary, like I really should not be prying into her life. Eventually when I get the courage to open it the contents are disappointing. This is not a pour - your -heart- out, lock with a secret - heart shaped - key diary, but more like an adult planner, with notes for coursework due, parties, sports events.
Leo is breathing down my neck, I can smell his hair gel, feel his hand reaching over mine to turn the page. There is no tension, he could have been my old teddy bear, and we are both totally engrossed in the last entries. Her writing was big, spiky, and punctuated with exclamation marks.
“What’s LV?”
“Or who? New boyfriend…..” Leo muses.
I snort, “No chance, you know what Rose is like. Um… was like.” A stab of pain, which I ignore.
“True, the world would have known if she split with Ashley. Probably would have been published in Heat magazine.” Leo giggles like a girl and in spite of myself I smile.
“Do you remember when Carl Jackson asked her out?”
He grins, “And she said, “Sorry mate, I really don’t fancy you.” And just carried on telling us that crazy story about pigs.”
“Pigs? Jeez Leo, how do you remember all that stuff? I wish I had a photographic memory and all that. No wonder you got great exam results.”
LV was scribbled a couple of times throughout March and April, but there is nothing to tell who or what it was. A cursory search of the wardrobe, chest of drawers, and even under the bed yields nothing but the usual girly mess of clothes, t oiletries, stray tampax, shoes… Apparently bored with the lack of action Leo asks permission and flicks on her computer. Earlier doubts seemingly gone, he is full of energy and buzz. I look up, pushing hair out of my eyes.
“Waste of time. The police went through everything,” for a second I feel uneasy, “So did Garry.”
“Well I expect your mum asked him to, he’s an IT bloke isn’t he? And I know he bugs you but he is her boyfriend. Although if you ask me he was always down on Rose. You know all that stuff about she should be studying not breaking her neck out on mountains, or wasting her time modelling.” Leo has captured the poor man’s Australian accent, and his gruff voice, to perfection.
I almost smile, tell Leo he should be an actor, and put it out of my mind. But then I see Garry again, carefully tapping at the keyboard. It was after the police brought her stuff back so I guess it might have been just curiosity……or like Leo says mum asked him to have a look.
“Caz?” Leo flicks my arm, “Can you hear me? Come back! Jeez I wish you wouldn’t do that drifting off thing. It’s like talking to a ghost or something. Listen, don’t worry. Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it okay?”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Now there must be something, but all you’ve got is a load of dust and cheap make-up. What are you looking for anyway?” Leo pulls a packet of dolly mixtures from his baggy beige pockets and carefully selects a pink sugar-crusted one. If you listed all the things Leo could have been bullied for at college it would have been pages long , and yet he slips through life with minimal hassle, smiling his gentle dreamy smile. It was like nobody noticed him. In
I pause, sifting through yet more photos, “I know what happened Leo. Somebody killed my sister. I am going to find out who.”
“Then what?”
“Go to the police. I dunno, kill him maybe!”
Leo rolls his eyes, “Maybe it’s a her?” he suggests. “Seriously though, the police went over everything. If they can’t find the driver, I’m guessing we won’t.”
“Pessimist. The police thought she killed herself,” I snort in disgust, “As if! Look I found her diary.” I sink down next to him, focusing all my emotions on this new task; a quest for justice I tell myself is exactly what I need to take my mind off the fact that, well, Rose is dead.
It feels kind of weird looking at my sister’s diary, like I really should not be prying into her life. Eventually when I get the courage to open it the contents are disappointing. This is not a pour - your -heart- out, lock with a secret - heart shaped - key diary, but more like an adult planner, with notes for coursework due, parties, sports events.
Leo is breathing down my neck, I can smell his hair gel, feel his hand reaching over mine to turn the page. There is no tension, he could have been my old teddy bear, and we are both totally engrossed in the last entries. Her writing was big, spiky, and punctuated with exclamation marks.
“What’s LV?”
“Or who? New boyfriend…..” Leo muses.
I snort, “No chance, you know what Rose is like. Um… was like.” A stab of pain, which I ignore.
“True, the world would have known if she split with Ashley. Probably would have been published in Heat magazine.” Leo giggles like a girl and in spite of myself I smile.
“Do you remember when Carl Jackson asked her out?”
He grins, “And she said, “Sorry mate, I really don’t fancy you.” And just carried on telling us that crazy story about pigs.”
“Pigs? Jeez Leo, how do you remember all that stuff? I wish I had a photographic memory and all that. No wonder you got great exam results.”
LV was scribbled a couple of times throughout March and April, but there is nothing to tell who or what it was. A cursory search of the wardrobe, chest of drawers, and even under the bed yields nothing but the usual girly mess of clothes, t oiletries, stray tampax, shoes… Apparently bored with the lack of action Leo asks permission and flicks on her computer. Earlier doubts seemingly gone, he is full of energy and buzz. I look up, pushing hair out of my eyes.
“Waste of time. The police went through everything,” for a second I feel uneasy, “So did Garry.”
“Well I expect your mum asked him to, he’s an IT bloke isn’t he? And I know he bugs you but he is her boyfriend. Although if you ask me he was always down on Rose. You know all that stuff about she should be studying not breaking her neck out on mountains, or wasting her time modelling.” Leo has captured the poor man’s Australian accent, and his gruff voice, to perfection.
I almost smile, tell Leo he should be an actor, and put it out of my mind. But then I see Garry again, carefully tapping at the keyboard. It was after the police brought her stuff back so I guess it might have been just curiosity……or like Leo says mum asked him to have a look.
“Caz?” Leo flicks my arm, “Can you hear me? Come back! Jeez I wish you wouldn’t do that drifting off thing. It’s like talking to a ghost or something. Listen, don’t worry. Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it okay?”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Now there must be something, but all you’ve got is a load of dust and cheap make-up. What are you looking for anyway?” Leo pulls a packet of dolly mixtures from his baggy beige pockets and carefully selects a pink sugar-crusted one. If you listed all the things Leo could have been bullied for at college it would have been pages long , and yet he slips through life with minimal hassle, smiling his gentle dreamy smile. It was like nobody noticed him. In
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