Cupid's Guide to Murder

Chapter 10: Dead Girls Don't Post

"Can you please send Haven Grey to the principal's office?" Our principal's voice drifted from over the classroom loudspeaker.

"No way. Are you actually in trouble for once?" Jeremy Sanders snickered, leaning so forward in his seat that I thought his chair would fall. "What'd you do? Skip class to volunteer? Have a secret rendezvous with your boy toy in the janitor's closet?" The smile on his face grew. "Or wait, are the rumors about you and your little posse having to do something with Natasha true?"

I gave him a look, ignoring the whispers of some of my classmates.

After the list came out, the talk of the school was about the unfortunate tragedy of Natasha Ryan. And the prime suspects?

Me, Taylor, Luce.

Natasha's ex-friends.

In tune with every mystery lover's wet dream, we had the motive and were at the crime scene. And then there was the caption that looked like Natasha had written it, claiming we were never her real friends. It didn't look good.

I could see Jeremy making his new post, trying to get people to donate to the 'take down the criminals' fund.

He was harmless, I guess, but I hated how eager he looked. He was practically salivating, waiting for me to pull a Lady Macbeth and guiltily confess to everything.

Jeremy might've had wild guesses, but he didn't know the one thing that changed everything, something that made us look even guiltier.

And there was no way I was letting him know.

"Seriously, though. Do you think I could do an interview with you about this? My blog hasn't been getting any views, and it'd be nice to get an audience again. People eat up love and revenge. I've already gotten a few people telling me they're Killer Cupid."

It looked like Jeremy didn't even care that Natasha was dead. It was just another story to cover to him, and he was buzzing like a bloodthirsty mosquito. And it wasn't just him. Everyone was obsessed with the idea of a Valentine's Day murder like there wasn't an actual blood-thirsty killer on the prowl.

It seemed like the only people who genuinely cared about her death were Griffin and me, and we had burned any bridges between us the last time we talked. I remembered the ghost of the stormy expression on his face when we agreed it was better if we stayed away from each other. My stomach lurched, and I blinked so his face would disappear from my mind.

In its place, Jeremy's annoying face took over.

"Hey, Jere?" I leaned closer, pursing my lips. "If you weren't such an asshole, maybe your only friends wouldn't be your followers."

Jeremy's smile disappeared. "Alright. Have fun with your killer society meeting, or whatever."

I gathered my bag and rolled my eyes at him, pushing my chair back and walking to the office. The halls were mostly empty, so the click-clack of my wedges was the only sound until I reached the office. When I pulled open the heavy brown door, the secretary gave me a tight-lipped smile.

"Hi, Ms. Hernandez," I said. "Principal Moore, uh, summoned me."

Waita sound like you just made a deal with the Devil, Haven.

She fixed her tight ponytail and beckoned to Principal Moore's room. "He's in there with the others."

The others?

I thanked her and then walked to the door of Principal Moore's office before pushing it open. He was on the phone, and I saw Taylor and Luce seated. "Hey, guys." I exhaled as I took the seat next to Luce. "What do you think this is about?"