The Butterfly Effect (Books 1, 2 & 3 - The Butterfly Effect Series) #wattys2023

Chapter 42: "This is going to be fun."

"If Francesca was daring enough to drug you, why wouldn't she want to harm Allison, her arch nemesis?" asked detective Richardson.

"Allison was far dreadful than I was to Francesca," I said.

"Because she framed her in all the scandals?"

"Not just that." I sighed. "It was because she knew something terrifying, that would tear Francesca and her family apart."

******

ＮＯＶＥＭＢＥＲ 2 2， ２０１９

When I finally scrambled to the photography club after school, everyone had already arrived. Can you get any clumsier? The voice in my head asked.

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath and darted for the nearest seat, next to a girl with a tiny, tan face and black, pixie-cut hair. Her heterochromic eyes, one obsidian black and the other forest green, met my gaze... and she deliberately put her backpack on the chair.

I opened mouth to argue, but she pursed her lips into a thin, forced smile.

Rude much?

"Ahem." Professor Shanish cleared her throat, pointing at an empty seat next to a boy with light brown skin, an asymmetrical, acne-covered face and short, brown curly hair.

Passing a scowl to the girl from before, I slumped against the chair I was assigned. The guy next to me stared me down with his enormous eyes. I turned to him sharply. "What?"

He shivered exaggeratedly and shook his head. "No — Nothing." My eyes didn't leave his. "Fine! It's just... the Maeve Rosenstein is sitting right beside me!" he said with a distinct Indian accent.

"I have done nothing significant for you to add an article before my name." I shrugged before narrowing my eyes at him. "I've seen you hanging out with Roman before, but you're not from my class."

"I'm a junior." He nodded. "Roman and I are basket buddies!"

"Is that a thing?"

"I guess?"