Pretty Dead Things

"We need to talk to Lila," I say, shutting my laptop.

Kennedy scoffs. "Yeah, because confronting a potential murderer is such a great idea."

Parker crosses his arms. "We can't just sit on this."

"I'm not saying we do," Kennedy counters. "I'm saying we don't go running to the psycho who threatened Jace two seconds before he died."

She has a point. But we're running out of time.

I exhale. "Then we do it carefully. We get her to slip up."

Kennedy still looks wary, but Parker nods. "How?"

I grab my phone. "We set the stage."

The next day at school, the plan is in motion.

Lila is sitting at her usual table in the courtyard, twirling her hair around her finger as she talks to a group of girls. She looks... normal. Not like someone hiding a deadly secret. But I know better now.

I take a deep breath and head straight for her.

Lila looks up, mildly surprised. "Riley."

"Lila." I give a small smile. "Got a second?"

Her eyes narrow slightly, but she nods, standing. "What's up?"

I gesture toward the hall. "Let's walk."

She hesitates before following. My heart is pounding, but I keep my steps steady. I need her to believe this is casual.

We stop near the trophy case. "I wanted to ask you about Jace," I say carefully.

Lila's expression doesn't change. "What about him?"

I tilt my head. "I heard you two were fighting before he died."

Her jaw tightens. "Who told you that?"

I shrug. "People talk."

For a moment, she says nothing. Then, "Jace and I had... issues. But I didn't kill him."

I study her. "You sure about that?"

Her eyes flash. "Excuse me?"

I take out my phone, pulling up a screenshot of their texts. I don't show her yet—I just let her see the screen's glow. "He didn't seem too convinced."

Lila goes still.

And for the first time, I see it. Fear.

She recovers quickly, but I caught it.

I press. "What was Jace covering for?"

Lila's lips part slightly, like she might actually answer. But then—

"Riley, there you are."

I turn. Parker and Kennedy are walking toward us.

Lila's entire demeanor shifts. She straightens, smoothing her expression back into indifference. "This conversation is over," she says, voice low.

Then she turns and walks away.

Kennedy stops beside me. "Well, that was tense."

Parker watches Lila disappear down the hall. "She knows we're onto her."

I nod, gripping my phone. "Good. Because I'm not stopping until I find the truth."