The Mute and the Liar (56 page)

“
Don't
you
remember?
We
got
invited
to
a
party
yesterday.
And
I
never
reject
an invitation.
”

A
party?
Syrup-slowly,
the
memory
trickles
back
into
my
mind.
Ryo,
in
all
his
Mohawk
glory,
pale
face
elucidated
with
a
smirk:
“
Listen,
me
and
Sasha
are
having
a
joint
party
tomorrow.
My
house, starts
at
six,
and
God
knows
when
it
will end.
I
know it's
short
notice
but
come
if
you
can,
okay?
”

Jayce
is actually
taking
me
to
Ryo’s
party?!

Every
bone
in
my
body
screams
in
protest.

Becky
died
because
of
Ryo.
Donny
and
his
friend,
both
innocent,
are
in
prison
because
of
him.
Jayce
surfaces
in
my
thoughts,
heart-wrenchingly
telling
me:
“
I
don't
want
to
be
Ryo.
”
He's
a
murderer.
Not
even
that,
but
a
monster. And
Jayce
is
taking
me
to
his
house.
What
is
he
playing
at?

He could get
us
both
killed!

Or
maybe
that's
exactly what
he
intends
to
do.
He can’t…
No…

The
girl
named
Tyra
approaches
me,
eyebrows
furrowed
in
questioning.
I
can't
help
but
pull
back
slightly.
She
has
a
way
of looking at
me
as
though she
is
not
really
looking
at
me
at
all
–
the
depths
of
her
cartoon
black
eyes
mean
no matter
how hard
they stare, they
never
actually
seem
to
see.

She
stands
as
though
she
is
about
to
jump
into
a
fight
–
her
shoulders
sink
into
her
breasts
and
her
fists
are
clenched
so
tightly
I
am
sure
her
nails
must
be
leaving
cuts.

I
get
the
sudden
urge
to
hide
under
the
sofa.

“
Cor,
you
couldn't
crack
a
smile
could
ya?
You
look
more
depressed
than
Mel!
”
she
finally
exclaims,
her
voice
loud
and
brittle,
but
with
a
somewhat
reassuring
undertone.
She
breaks
into
a
toothy
grin
and
relief
floods
through
me.
I
honestly
thought
she
was
going
to
do
something
terrifying,
maybe
hit
me or
tell me
I've failed all
my exams.

“
Let's
just
get
this
over
with,
”
Kaylie's
drawling,
nasal
voice
is
exactly
as
I
remember
it.
She
struts
over
to
me,
yes,
struts,
her
abundant
hips
swaying
from
side
to
side
in
perfect
time
with
her
blue
ringlets.
The
movement
is
so
forced,
so
clumsy,
I
am
sure
she
must
be
doing
it
only
for
Jayce.
Too
bad he is already crossing
the
room
to
talk
to
Jory.

I
wince,
seemingly
out
of
nowhere,
and
it
takes
a
while
for
my
mind
to
catch
up
with
my
body
to
tell
me
what
has
happened
–
Kaylie
has
squeezed
my
shoulder,
digging
her
black
manicured
nails
right
in.
She
could
rip
out
someone's
throat
with
those
claws.

Although
her
face
remains
unreadable,
frozen
with
that
same
empty
gaze,
I
can understand
one thing
loud
and clear.

She
hates
me.

I'd
never
be
able
to
tell
that
from
her
blank
-
as
-
paper
expression.
But
I
can
hear
it
rattling
inside.
The
hatred
is
there,
bubbling
through
her
blood,
clatter
ing
against
her
ribs,
radiat
ing
off
the
pores
of
her
skin.
It’s
there,
in
her
speech,
her
breath,
her
movement.
Simply
the
way
she
drums
her
fingers
against
her thighs
like she’s itching
to scratch.

Though
neither
she
nor
her
eyes
move,
I
get
the
feeling
she’s
somehow
c
ircling
me,
weighing
me
up
and
mentally
bone-picking
me
apart,
just
like
a
vulture does
to
dead meat before
it
digs in.

I
never
thought
I
would
actually
meet
her;
she
was
just
an
ever-present
blemish
jangling
in
the
back
of
my
mind
every
now
and
again
when
things
got
too
quiet.
And
yet,
without
even
meeting
her,
she
had
struck
up
a
fear
inside me.
Her
name has
made
my flesh
cripple
ever
since
that
phone
call.

She
squeezes
my
shoulder
tighter,
turns
around
and
begins
pulling
me
along.
She
marches
me
up
the
stairs.
I
can
feel
my
heart
rate
increase
with
every step.

“
Jayce
has
asked
me
to
get
you
ready
for
his
friends'
party.
I
don't
want
to
but
I
have to.
”

Kit's
idea
of
getting
me
ready
was
choosing my
clothes
and
doing my
hair.
It
was
all
right
when
she
did
it.
But
I
can't
stand
the
thought
of