Page 37 of The Invite (The Massacre Ball #1)

Nessa

Ace’s apartment feels more like a home than mine does.

Probably because of the safety I feel. Though I wish I were visiting under different circumstances. I’m going through the motions but on the inside, I’m still plagued by Amber’s untimely death.

I can imagine the pain the real Capri must be feeling. I found out from Ace that the sisters were orphans. Since both couldn’t afford to study, Capri sent Amber—one year younger—in her place because she was more ambitious and intelligent.

It saddens me to hear their story.

Such a big sacrifice by Capri and look how it ended.

I’m torn and guilt-ridden for hiding a big clue that could help catch her killer. However, it could make the situation worse. One thing I know very well is that madmen like Anonymous are calculative and stay two steps ahead.

He’s forcing us to participate in a disturbing game where we’re nothing but pawns. Our lives areworth nothing if we don’t play along.

Why he chose me is a mystery.

I don’t even know if they truly have my secret or ifit’s just a hollow bait.

Who else is he targeting?

Was Amber a player too? Or just collateral damage?

I have read the note over and over but I can’t form a conclusion. I’ve stared at it so much that it’s forever imprinted into my brain.

If I try to distract myself from Anonymous, my thoughts drift to Augustus. His last threatening text has left me feeling paranoid. He sounded so confident he would find me. But it’s not possible, is it?

Had he caught me leaving the house, I would not be sitting on Ace’s couch right now and eating dinner.

“Was I right?” asks Ace, pulling me from my thoughts.

“You tell me,” I tease, and tilt the plate toward him. “I’ve licked the plate clean. The food was delicious, Ace. I would hire you as my personal chef.”

Ace wasn’t bragging when he told me he’s an excellent cook. The moment I took the first bite, I became a fan. I believe he’s a total foodie. He knows the best restaurants in town and is a exceptional chef himself.

“Well, it’s always best to have an alternate job waiting just in case,” he jokes.

The side of Ace at home is the opposite of his professional one. He looks more relaxed and younger. His shaggy hair flops onto his forehead, making him look charming. Like a sexy guy next door.

The simple tee he’s changed into is loose but thin and clings to his muscular stature while below he’s wearing light gray sweatpants.

He’s undeniably handsome, so I’m perplexed how he’s still single. He’s a catch, plain and simple.

Too bad, my heart doesn’t skip a beat the way it does from just a single glance from Augustus. He’s sunk into my skin, my soul so deep and poisonous that no other man is affecting me.

I’ve become a slave to my masked devil’s darkness.

With another stalker after me, Augustus is beginning to feel like a blessing. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

Ace and I chitchat for a bit while doing the dishes together in his kitchen. Exhaustion starts to weigh heavy. So, when he offers to watch a movie together, I politely decline and go to the guest room after saying good night.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, I lie down on the superbly comfortable bed. Amber’s maimed body flashes the second I close my eyes. Shuddering, I wrench them open and sit up against the headboard.

I’m unable to get the scene out of my head.

Her lifeless body hanging, bloodied and slashed.

Except for her beautiful face, every square inch of her was ripped apart.

Around her wrist, the colorful bracelet she always wore shimmered.

At one time, it looked so cute but on her dead body, it was out of place and mocking.

As I sit alone in the dark while sleep evades me, I strangely miss Augustus. He has the power to chase away the voices inside my head until he’s my entire universe.

It invigorates me when I fight him and he bends me to his will, breaking me but never completely. With him, I can be selfish and ruled by my body’s demands.

When he touches me possessively and aggressively, he exorcises my demons.

I need those moments of tranquility the most right now.

One only he is capable of giving.

Even though I hate him with every fiber of my being, I’m longing for him, and it tells me I’ve fallen deeper down the slippery slope. No matter how fast and far I crawl, I trip back down until he’s the anchor.

Did he mean it when he said he will find me?

Do I want him to?

The answer is both yes and no.

Shoving aside the blanket, I rise from the bed and stroll to the attached tiny balcony. Chilly night air stirs the short hairs loose from my loose bun. I stare at the beautiful starry sky, themoon hidden behind the clouds, and inhale deeply.

I think about my meeting with the detective.

They are on a wild-goose chase. That much is obvious, especially since they have half of the information. They’ll chalk up her death to bullying taken too far and close the case once it leads to nothing.

I know full well how the world of the elite and the influential works. I witnessed it firsthand. I’m living the consequences of it. With Amber being from the wrong side of thetracks and a fraud, bringing her justice won’t be anyone’s priority.

The principal is determined to bury the news to save the school’s reputation. The parents of the rich kids will be ringing and demanding him to fix it.

All of it enrages me. The unfairness. Everyone is looking out for themselves and their comforts while squashing on the vulnerable to move ahead.

The thought of Anonymous getting away with this while continuing to wreak havoc on my life makes my blood boil.

I can’t just sit back and do nothing.

Didn’t I decide to not be a victim anymore? It’s time to work on it.

Going back into the room, I reach into my overnight bag and pull out a pair of black leggings and a matching hoodie.

Donning the latter brings the image of Augustus wearing one on the first night he broke into my house to my mind.

The casual yet striking way in which he sat on my bed like he owned it.

Shaking it off, I tiptoe out of the room and lock it behind me. I bypass Ace’s closed bedroom door, no signs of the light pouring from underneath. The entire apartment is silent.

Making as minimal noise as possible, I unlock the latch of the front door and sneak out of his apartment. I exhale a shaky breath once I’m safely out and strut to the elevator.

What I’m about to do is either a very brave idea or a very bad one. Quite possibly stupid too. Guess I’ll find out based on whether or not it goes sideways.

In the parking lot, I settle behind the driver’s seat and pull out onto the street. My gaze keeps flickering to the rearview mirror, making sure I’m not being followed. Anonymous must have a way of keeping an eye on me.

Déjà vu slams into me when I trek up the same hill. When the school comes into view, I find a secluded spot to park the car. I don’t want anybody to know I was here. It’s a surefire way to become a prime suspect.

After all, only a guilty person returns to the scene of the crime.

Ugh… what was I thinking? I should be making smarter choices.

Yet here I am late at night.

My sneakers don’t make a sound as I cover the rest of the distance on foot. There’s no sign of a guard, which is problematic. If this is how lax security is around her, no wonder Amber became a victim.

Shouldn’t the cops be on guard here too?

I’m huffing slightly by the time I reach the entrance of the seniors’ building. Shouldn’t it be entirely taped off?

It seems careless that anybody can walk in and compromise the crime scene. Though it works in my favor.

After ensuring I’m alone, I step inside and walk down the corridor. My stomach is in knots, both with fear of being here again and getting caught trespassing at night. The closer I get to the classroom, the moreerratically my heart pumps.

Yellow tape barricades the door, looking harsh.

Without waiting, I nudge it open and it creaks loudly, making me wince. I frantically look over my shoulder and relax when nobody comes running, demanding that I raise my hands where they can see.

I need to be fast.

My petite shape easily allows me to bend and crawl underneath it to the other side. I release a short breath and swipe my sweaty palms against my leggings. When I gaze around the large room, except for Amber’s body, everything is exactly the same.

A grotesque picture of blood and gore.

The angry message written on the wall encompasses and dominates the room with its ominous energy. This type of violence is of a sick and demented madman. An atrocious soul.

I get chills just by standing here while shadows dance on the walls. My flight instincts areat the forefront. But I stay firm to the spot, summoning my entire inner strength.

Reaching into my hoodie’s pocket, I take out my phone and switch on the flashlight to read the ink-red message.

Strolling up the aisle, I reach the back of the class and aim the light upward. In angry slashes, it reads…

Confession #1

I, Amber Woods, am a fraud.

I don’t belong here. My older sister, Capri, does.

This is me atoning for the sin I committed against her.

P.S. Dead bodies stay buried, secrets don’t. XO.

The XO gives Anonymous away. He sounds like a serial killer on the loose.

Is it someone from the school? A student? A teacher? A guard?

It’s a needle-in-a-haystack type situation.

If only fate would drop a clue that could point me in their direction. Do good guys never win?

Are you one of them, though?

The sinister voice from my past perks up from the deep recesses of my soul, sending a trickle of fear down my spine. I swallow and hammer it back down.

I’m a good person, I remind myself.