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~*~
Everyone in school had a date to the dance except Cathy Jo and I. Obviously people asked me but nobody I knew well enough. Milton's words kept ringing in my head.
"Shelley!!!! It's game day!" Milton shouted bursting into my room. I groaned and shoved my head further into my pillow. But of course Milton pulled the covers right off of me making me freeze.
"Milton! You asshole." I shouted as he laughed running out my room. "Idiot." I muttered under my breath before putting on my cheer uniform and tying my hair into a ponytail, securing it with a red ribbon.
...
"She said you and that man killed Jane,like there was two people." Cathy told us as we stood by her locker then next day.
"Yeah but how does that tie into your moms letter and how is my dad involved?" Allen asked his hands holding onto his backpack.
"I don't know." Cathy sighed, "but when I said Lenny Alvarez, it didn't seem to ring a bell." I frowned.
"This is so creepy." I shuddered tugging on my sleeves. Allen shook his head, gently touching my arm. "It all seems like it leads back to FH." I Said. "I wish we could just figure out who that dang man is." I grumbled.
"Hey we'll figure it out okay." Allen said turning my body so I was facing him.
"We promise." Cathy said putting her hand on my shoulder. This whole entire thing gave me a giant headache and my family wasn't even involved in any of it.
"I still don't get how everything leads back to FH." Allen sighed.
"What about him." The voice of Jo Chambers entered my ears. A bright smile was lifted onto my face.
"Jo!" I said brightly before hugging her.
"Hey." Allen and Cathy said awkwardly.
"So." Allen hummed.
"So." Jo replied awkwardly back.
"I'm sorry Jo." Cathy spit out. "I never should have said-" Cathy sighed, "I didn't mean it."
"I'm sorry." Jo told us sincerely. "To all of you I was acting like a phony and I never should have called you meek or spineless, cause your not." Jo told Cathy. My arm clutched Allen's Bicep. I was going to cry. I missed her so much.
"Well if anyone here is meek and spineless here it's me, I should have been honest with you." Allen apologized to Jo.
"I'm sorry Shelley. Your not a bitch and your a pretty awesome cheerleader." She smiled. I smiled in return.
"I'm sorry too. For all of this mess." Jo chuckled.
"I don't get along with a lot of people and your..friendship to me it's important and I really don't wanna-" this time it was Cathy who launched herself into Jo's arms.
"It's good to have you back Chambers, gosh we've got a lot to catch you up on." I nodded in agreement to Allen's statement.
"Me too."
...
"I still can't believe you broke into a nursing home." Jo exclaimed.
"I still can't believe your uncle Bobby kept that in for so long." Cathy sighed.
"I can believe my dad was dead drunk." Allen mumbled. I rubbed his shoulder to comfort him. He smiled graciously. "Maybe he actually is guilty."
"Allen don't say that it wasn't him." I assured him.
"There's only one person who can connect all the dots."
"FH." We all groaned at the same time.
"Hurry along children, Milwood turned out their whole town, we need every booster we can get." Principal Hurley told us.
"Well you know me practicality a cheerleader." Jo joked. I shot her a glare. "Sorry."
"Speaking of which I should probably get going." I told them leaving. Allen and Jo followed behind me.
"Are you coming?" Jo asked Cathy.
"The records." She explained. "They date back to 1903."
"Excuse me?" Allen said walking back, sighing I followed them. I knew Alice would yell at me for this later but I had been so busy I wasn't even apart of the pyramid so they didn't really need me today.
"We're giving ourselves detention." Cathy smiled mischievously. I grinned at my best friend before following her to an empty stairwell.
"So earlier Principle Hurley told me that he punishes kids by making them alphabetize report cards." Cathy explained pacing. I was leaning against the wall next to Jo while Allen sat on the stair rail.
"So you want to help out instead of watching the game?" Jo quizzed.
"No I'm going to find the missing student, were gonna find FH or get caught trying. Just go with it." I shrugged my shoulders.
"Why not, What's the plan Cath?" I asked.
"I'll go in first to make sure nobody's their while Jo stands guard for me and then you two just stay here and act natural." Cathy explained before rushing off upstairs, Jo following hot on her heels. Allen sat on the steps. I stood up and sat next to him.
"So." I Said awkwardly. I knew if Jo was here she would probably ask him about his dads drinking, I shook my head, that wasn't my place.
"So."
"How did it start." I blurted out, I quickly covered my hand over my mouth realizing what I just said. Allen chuckled a smile on his face.
"Well, my mom says he always drank, but for fun, like for parties but then he hurt himself on the floor. He drank for the pain and then the fire and then us leaving. At the point he just drank to forget I guess." He explained to me.
"I'm sorry Allen."
"It's okay you didn't know." Allen smiled softly interlacing our fingers together. I smiled down at them. "Shel, ya know I've been thinking." Allen said. I raised a brow at him.
"Yes?" I asked trying not to notice how my heart fluttered when he called me Shel.
"Would you want to go to the dance with me? I mean I we don't have to but I just thought-"
"I'd love to Allen." I replied kissing his cheek.
"Hey! The secretary finally left let's go!" Cathy called Jo right behind her. Allen and I look at each other before standing up and following them.
"Did something happen?" Jo asked me, an annoying smirk on her face.
"Uh no why would you think that?" I said trying to play it cool.
"Because that stupid smile isn't begin washed off your face." She suddenly gasped. "You like Allen!" I tried to deny it but the damage was already done. I sighed giving up. I nodded and she squealed. I hit the back of her head lightly. She gave me an eye roll as she skipped into the office.
