Six Little Secrets(14)

‘But not all,’ Teddy said.

‘I’d never be caught dead hanging out with any of you,’ Q said with a stupid grin on his face.

‘Likewise,’ Jackie said.

‘Then let’s look outside of school,’ Holly said.

‘I think school is all we do have in common,’ Jackie said. ‘Sorry, but we don’t move in the same circles.’

‘What if it’s a bunch of people who ganged up together to make us do embarrassing things?’ Cece suggested.

‘For what reason, though?’ Teddy asked.

‘Why is any of this happening?’ Cece asked.

Zoe tried to connect the dots, but nothing came to mind. Someone knew they were all going to be in detention that week. If she opened that discussion then they would want to know why she was there. That was something she’d never tell. Apparently, they all had secrets, just like that strange voice said. But this person included her in the ‘six’—how did he know that Zoe would be there? She wasn’t in trouble. Maybe someone else was meant to be there too? She had most likely been roped into the situation by accident.

Or did he know her secret?

She circled back around to the question. Why them? Why these particular people?

If there was a common thread, she wasn’t able to connect more than two of them at a time. She knew Teddy from her past, but now they shared only one class together. She and Holly shared theater and English class, while the rest of the kids were in a smattering of other classes. Zoe didn’t do any after-school activities, so she wasn’t sure if the others had any in common?

A light flickered in the corner of Zoe’s vision. Next to the main circulation desk was a television mounted on a big cart. Not all of the classrooms had televisions, so this one moved around from classroom to classroom on days that the teachers showed movies. Mostly the non-honors classes were offered the movies in standard definition while the honors kids—and several of their parents with deep pockets—had access to better audiovisual equipment.

The screen came up with static filling the space. The sound was off, so there was nothing to alert Mr. Curtis that the television turned on.

‘Who did that?’ Jackie asked.

‘Who do you think?’ Teddy asked, sitting up straighter.

‘This is getting interesting,’ Q said.

‘Or terrifying,’ Cece said.

They stared at the screen, waiting for something to happen.

Then the static stopped, the screen went blank into black nothingness.

Zoe preferred the static. If someone had turned the television on as a joke, that was okay with her. But deep down she knew what was coming next.

White lettering scrolled across the screen like a tickertape, each letter slowly revealing itself from right to left.

TICK TOCK, CECE. TEN MINUTES.

The words went through that cycle twice, as if they needed to reread them, and then the screen turned off.

Zoe tore her eyes away from the television and landed on Cece.





CHAPTER SEVEN




CECE



Two Days Earlier


Cece checked Davina Winter’s photo one more time before taking a final look in the mirror. She couldn’t believe her luck when she’d snagged the flowy, gray blouse from Saks yesterday. It was the perfect match to the supermodel’s red-carpet ensemble. The girls were going to be so jealous.

The warning bell rang for first period, and Cece attempted to swallow the thickness in her throat. It was the same feeling every time she wore a piece from one of her shopping trips. That feeling almost outweighed the excitement that bubbled inside of her. But not quite. She quickly surrendered to that feeling, placing the carefully constructed smile on her face. She adjusted the collar of the shirt, the silky fabric slipping through her fingers and took one final look before leaving the girls’ room.

Liza and Keelan were outside, waiting for Cece’s debut. She’d texted them all last night after finding the shirt.

‘Oh my god!’ Liza said when Cece stepped out of the bathroom.

She beamed broadly. ‘I told you it was perfect.’

Keelan’s mouth opened wide. ‘Is it as soft as it looks? I really want to touch it. Can I touch it?’

Cece giggled. ‘It’s not like Davina wore this exact shirt. But sure, go ahead.’

Keelan touched the fabric gently as if she were handling a breakable heirloom. ‘You’re so lucky. You always find the best pieces.’

‘It’s an art,’ Cece said, already feeling the soreness in her cheeks. She held onto the smile harder, determined to keep it in place. She couldn’t give away anything, ever. If she did, she feared her shameful secret would come out.

‘Did your parents ask how much it was?’ Keelan asked. ‘How much was it?’

Cece had had a credit card since she was ten. Her parents had no issue with her purchasing whatever she wanted, but even unlimited funds weren’t essential when it came to getting what she wanted in her own way.

‘I don’t buy and tell,’ Cece said.

‘You’re so bad!’ Liza said, laughing.

‘I know,’ Cece said. She wanted to get to class. She found it exhausting to talk about her new outfits for more than a few minutes. That creepy, twisting feeling in her gut always returned, and she wanted to sit down and regroup before she saw them again.