Do-Over (Completed)

Chapter Three: Cami Hilton

Chapter Three: Cami Hilton

Thursday came and my articles were praised-well, the only one people actually read was the satire about being shanked. The other one about being a new kid was praised by the minority who actually cared to read the paper. "You're very observant." The Adviser complimented. I smiled and thanked her. "But you didn't say anything about the Oakwood girls." That wasn't an accident.

"I wanted to," I said, sincerely. "but it was too late." She nodded and suggested I do another column of Meet The Students. "I'd love to, but I'm buy with my other columns." I was covering basketball, as a kept promise to Jock-Jake. It was also my turn to write something for another column, Through a Freshman's Eyes...

Sadie volunteered to take Meet The Students. She was a bit too eager to sign up for it. At lunch Stoner-Jake and Paul gave me crap for the shanking article. "We didn't shank you." Jake said.

"But if you want us to..." Paul joked.

"I made you scrawny little shits seem more intimidating, while increasing your hot factor. You're welcome. Maybe now the Basketball Team will leave you alone." I said, shooting Paul a stay-out-of-trouble look. Paul shrugged.

"I can handle them."

"You think we're hot?" Jake asked. Ew. No. I ignored him and looked into Paul's eyes.

"Paul, please be careful. I don't want to see anything happen to you again." He furrowed his brow.

"What did Micah tell you?" He asked, quietly. Crap. I've said too much. Thankfully, the kid had a reputation.

"I've heard stories..."

"From?"

"People from Burrow Hills."

"For a Chicago girl, you sure know a lot about this area." He was losing trust in me, or worse. He was figuring out the truth. No one could know the truth, right? It was unrealistic.

"I know people. I have family here. That's why I know so much." He contemplated my story and went with it. I no longer felt bad for lying to him. It was almost as easy as lying to anyone else. Then again, he's lied to me countless times and I didn't love him anymore. I cared about him. I just didn't love him.

Sadie told me about a dream she had. She thought it was a funny coincidence. But I knew it was God sending her a pretty HUGE Sign! She told me we grew up together in her dream and I came back as a "new kid" and "brainwashed" everyone. "Is that why we have so many new kids? Am I an alien?" I really hoped it sounded like a joke. "Did I bring my species here?" We laughed. Good, she took the bait. Seth talked about how cool it would be if it were true.

"That would make an awesome movie or book!" Sadie and I smiled at each other.

"What do you think, Writer Girl?" Sadie shrugged.

"It does sound good but I don't know if it would make any sense..."

"That's what the satire articles are for." It was set in stone, we were teaming up for a "strictly fictitious and satiric" article.

Unfortunately, before the article got out, I was already doing a terrible job at covering my tracks. People were watching me more and more closely. Maybe it was how I treated Jordane, Stacie, Rebeka, Caitlyn and Danyelle. I tried not to worry about it too much. "I know a secret." Sabryna said one day in the hall. I looked at her intrigued.

"Oooh. I like secrets." I cooed.

"It's about you." I raised my eyebrows. I didn't tell anyone any of my secrets...

"Probably just Jordane or Rebeka rumors." I rolled my eyes.

"No. I did some digging." I looked at her. What did she know? What did she THINK she knew... "A few years ago a girl died. Her name was Cami Hilton." I looked at her in confusion. What did this Cami girl have to do with me? "She was from here, but hung out with people from Burrow Hills mostly. Her and Paul were close friends. One day she disappeared. No one could get a hold of her. Few months later everyone assumed she was dead. Rumors swirled around saying she was murdered by Jordane." My eyes popped out of my head. "Jordane's always been mean to people like Cami. But she isn't capable of murder, don't worry. Then again, the proof is in front of me." I bursted out laughing.

"You think I'm Cami?" She had a yearbook in her hand and opened it. The girl on the Remembrance Page was me-well, Cami.

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Everyone can see me."

"I know. Why'd you fake your death?"

"Sabryna... that isn't me."

"You talk like her, you're a writer. You're a Bear's Fan in Minnesota, you like Paul."

"So? I do not like Paul. He's.... Paul."

"Sounds like something Cami would say."

"It's just a coincidence."

"There's whispers." I groaned.

"There's always whispers." I bolted away and texted Nalina.

Me: I'm a DEAD GIRL?!

I sent her the details. Not even Nalina knew about this twist. I stayed quiet the rest of the week. Who else thought I was Cami? I asked a few upperclassmen but they didn't even know who Cami was. I sucked it up and asked Jordane. She slammed her locker and looked at me with so much hate in her eyes. "I didn't kill her! What idiot told you that?!" I wasn't going to drop names. "She offed herself!" What a great way to refer to the dead... "You don't even look like her. No one has that yearbook anymore. We all burned it. People had nightmares and had to talk to shrinks." Apparently not everyone... "It's even banned from the library."

I was too exhausted to explain everything to Sabryna so I had Nalina do it. Unfortunately Nalina and Sabryna didn't know each other in this dimension, but I got a text from Sabryna later that night saying my secret was safe with her.