Paper Flowers (Pretty Plastic People) ★

029. One Down

029. One Down

At Aquino High, is there anything better than someone who has a dark past?

Aquino High is almost completely deserted by the time I finally move away from my position in front of the locker and start towards my car. I'm frustrated—so frustrated that I wish there was something I could kick or throw or scream at. My blackmailer has dropped me a list of impossible clues, and I have no idea how I'm supposed to figure anything out or trust anyone. And yet if I don't, everyone will be ruined and it will be my fault.

Furiously, I pull my phone out of my pocket and text my blackmailer.

I have no clue what you think you're up to and what you think you'll get out of this, I type, my fingers shaking, But what you've asked me to do is impossible. You've given me nothing to work with and if you think you'll get away with this, you're deluded.

I make it to my car and am seated in the driver's seat before she replies: I already have gotten away with it. And if you're so desperate, go see Taylor.

Her cryptic response only makes me more angry. Throwing my phone into the passenger's seat, I turn on the car and peel out of the school parking lot. Suddenly, I can't bear being in this place a minute longer.

As I drive, my knuckles white as I press my palms against the wheel, I wonder if there's more to my blackmailer's message than I thought. Why would she tell me to go see Taylor if there wasn't a point to it? Granted, she could want me to suffer and question my feelings for him, but she could genuinely be helping me figure out these secrets. And while that's twisted, too, at least it's better than the first option.

In a spur-of-the-moment decision, I turn off the road at Taylor's neighborhood. Before I can question myself I'm in his driveway, idling as the engine of my car runs underneath me and shakes my seat slightly. There's already another car in the driveway—the same one that drove me to the Italian restaurant on Friday.

What's Spencer doing at Taylor's house? The two can't possibly be friends anymore, especially not after everything that happened. Is this what my blackmailer meant? Or is this just coincidence?

Nervously, I cut the engine and get out of my car, inhaling sharply as the cold air hits my face. As I approach the door I hear loud, angry voices, as if Taylor and Spencer are arguing at each other. My curiosity piqued, I creep to the door and try the handle.

It's unlocked, but the voices are growing louder. I don't want to walk in on them and stop whatever they're talking about, especially when I need to hear it. At the same time, though, I want to be able to see them talking to each other—I can't have any doubt about who's saying what this time.

I let my gaze sweep from one end of Taylor's well-manicured yard to the other, looking from the potted plants on the porch to my car parked behind Spencer's in the driveway. The living room window is halfway open—that's probably why I can hear the voices so easily.

As quietly as possible, I descend the porch steps, sucking in a breath as the bottom step creaks. Then I tiptoe to the living room window and stand on the balls of my feet so that I can see over the top of the window.

Spencer and Taylor are both standing in the living room, facing each other with arms crossed. Right now Spencer's mouth is moving and his forehead is wrinkled; I strain my eyes so I can hear what he's saying.

"Taylor, you can't tell her," he pleads, taking a step closer to Taylor. "Seriously, please. I'm begging you."

"Oh, you're begging me?" His voice is a deep rumble. "That's a funny change. I told you, I'm going to tell her unless you break things off with her. She deserves to know."