“You could delegate a little more,” he suggests.
I frown. “You know that’s hard for me.”
“I do. How about we stick around after school, and I’ll help you go through all of this. I’ll order some food and we can get it done fast.”
“I have a meeting at the diner at six about the retreat.”
“I think that’s doable."
I smile, feeling a slight bit of tension rolling off my shoulders. “That would be awesome. Thank you.”
“Let me go finalize the stuff on my computer. I’ll come back when I’m done.” He walks out of the room and I reach for a stack of photos.
“Got a minute?”
I look up and do a double take. It’s Alice—with jet-black hair. “Uh, sure.”
She takes the seat Ozzy just vacated, confidently sitting across from me. I can’t help but stare at the change. Alice has always had ever-changing hair color, but she tends to stick to shades of the rainbow. She tucks a piece behind her ear and I realize the cut is different too.
“Is that a wig?” I ask.
“Nope.” She tugs at it. “Looks good, right?”
“Yeah, it does.” I’m not lying. The style makes her skin look pale but pretty. Her hazel eyes pop. It’s just so different—such a change that I find it unnerving. It looks so much like Rose’s hair. I drag my gaze away. “Did you need something?”
“I’ve decided to drop yearbook.”
“What?” It’s more surprising than the hair. “Why?”
“With all this tension it’s just not worth the stress. It’s senior year. I’ve decided not to put myself in toxic situations anymore.”
“You think yearbook is toxic.”
“No, I think you’re toxic, Kenley.”
“Are you serious? Me? I’m not the one spewing all the hate and negativity—that’s your favorite hobby.”
“That’s the thing. Since we’ve stopped being friends, so much of that tendency toward the negative is gone. It’s like I’m free or something.” She leans back and crosses her legs. I notice she’s wearing a skirt. Alice never wears skirts. “Since we stopped being friends, my life is much better. Now I think I understand Rose’s actions all those years ago a lot better. You really were the problem.”
“I was the problem,” I repeat slowly, trying to keep my anger in check.
“You’re paranoid, obsessive, hyper-focused on the successful people around you. I got caught up in it too. Look how crazy Rose used to make me. How much I hated Finn. Now? I don’t give a shit. I’ve moved on. I have my own life, while you…”
“While I what?”
“Well, you’re still obsessed with Finn Holloway, and the stuff you’re saying about Coach Chandler and all that stuff with his wife. Wow. It’s like you can’t stop yourself, can you?”
“His wife tried to kill me.”
She makes an amused face. “Sure, Kenley. With all the accusations you were making at the time, you probably pushed her into something desperate.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I know you’ve enjoyed some fame as Thistle Cove’s new little Nancy Drew, or whatever, by taking every little thing and turning it into some big mystery, but it needs to stop. It’s embarrassing.” She stands and hands me a slip of paper. It’s a class transfer slip from the registrar’s office. “Today is my last day.”
I stare at the form signed by Mrs. Richmond, slightly rattled and a lot angry. I swallow it back and say, “Good luck, Alice. Despite all of this, I wish you the best.”
“Don’t worry, my luck is already changing, thanks to…well, not you.”