Deadly Kisses

3. The New Girl

3. The New Girl

//

Ohmygod.

The second my feet touch the pavement outside the school, I feel an overwhelming wave of relief wash over me. I quicken my pace, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Anything to get me out of the vicinity before the so-called 'bunnies' arrive.

When I'm about a block away from the school, I pull out my phone and dial M, expecting the worst.

"CASSANDRA!" M screams the second she picks up. "You have exactly one minute to explain-in great detail, might I add-every single thing that happened since you called me last. Go."

Oh, shit. My mouth goes into overdrive.

"Okay, well, I got into the school through a window and was planning on mapping everything out when the security alarm went off. I'm still not sure whether someone pulled it or whether it was triggered, but either way I ditched the plan and looked for the nearest exit. I found one pretty quickly, got out of the school, and now I'm here, calling you."

"No fingerprints?"

I look at my gloveless hands. "Possibly, but doubtful. I only touched one window and a door."

M sighs. "Okay, less severe than I thought. Is that everything, Cass? Don't you dare withhold any info."

I bite my lip. "Well..."

"Well?" M sounds unimpressed.

"Well, I may or may not have encountered upon someone named Derrick Grayson," I say casually.

"Derrick Grayson? The victim? THE VICTIM?"

"Shhh," I say into the phone sharply, worried that people will hear. "Yes, M, the victim. He was inside the school at the same time. He collided into me right before I was about to leave. I'm not sure about the actual degree of his involvement, but I have a pretty strong feeling that he's the reason for the alarm."

M curses. "I have nothing in Derrick's file that would suggest any reason for him being involved in a school break-in."

"I don't remember reading anything about delinquency either, and he doesn't have a past criminal record. I was just as surprised as you are."

"This is going to complicate things," M says. "I mean, the case hasn't even officially started and you've already exposed yourself to the victim in an unplanned manner. You were supposed to infiltrate his life, not catapult yourself into it!"

"Rookie mistake, I know," I groan, "but I honestly didn't expect anyone to be there."

M sighs. "Just please tell me that you were at least nice to him."

"Um, yeah, I guess nice could describe the meeting..." I trail off vaguely.

"Cassandra. What did you to do the poor boy?"

"He's not a poor boy, M, trust me," I scoff. "He's a class-A douchebag with an ego the size of his father's fortune. Honestly, I'm still shocked that he's as cocky as he is; his profile lists him as 'amicable' and 'polite'."

"But it went okay, right?" M asks desperately. "You met him, helped him up, went your own way. Right?"

"Uh, basically?"

"Cassandra!" M exclaims, on the brink of hyperventilation.

"Okay, M, don't freak out-it's not a big deal, really." I take a deep breath, then blurt out, "Ikneedhimintheballsandthenranaway."

"You WHAT?! CASSANDRA!"

"It's all part of the job," I say hurriedly, soothing my furious boss. I've been walking so fast that I've already arrived at my house. I fumble through my bag for the keys and then unlock the door. "And he was being so annoying, he totally deserved it."