Aggro - CoraLee June Page 0,72
moving on. I hated it, but it was necessary.
I opened my books and completely lost myself in math, science, and history. It wasn’t until my belly started rumbling that I realized I had been out here for hours. After finishing one last lab report for biology and packing up, I felt good about my progress. Doing something mundane and tedious helped me feel settled in a sense of normalcy for a bit. I realized that I needed to do more things like this if I was ever going to heal. My life needed routine. Leaving my bag on the table and slipping off my sandals, I went to dip my toes in the water before heading back home.
Standing at the water’s edge, watching the gulls and thinking about how much my life had changed, it seemed unreal. Vi was ripped away from me, and that act of senseless violence had reshaped my entire world. Looking back on my life through a lens of grief, it seemed so innocent and juvenile. My crush on Chase felt pitiful, and letting Celeste push me around felt laughable. Mostly, I just wished that I could tell my past self to treasure my time with Violet.
My toes started to prune, and my stomach was getting more insistent that something should be in it. Hoisting my bookbag off the picnic table, I got on my bike to make the short ride home. When I got there, both of my parents’ cars were in the driveway, and I wondered what my dad was cooking for dinner. My mom didn’t like to cook, and I suspected that she had burned more than one dinner on purpose to get out of doing it. It worked out though, because my dad loved to cook. He said he found it relaxing.
Opening the door, I could feel my mouth practically watering, but instead of being greeted by a savory aroma, my mom called out for me from the kitchen. I walked into the other room and set my bag down, disappointed by the lack of dinner.
“Hey, sweetie, I’m glad you’re home. There’s something I need to tell you,” my mom said.
Grabbing a granola bar from the pantry first, I took the seat across from her at the table. “What’s going on?”
“Kai’s been arrested.”
“What? Why?” I asked, shocked.
“I’m surprised you haven’t heard already. The entire island is buzzing about it. I’m not really sure what is true and what is gossip.” Kai and I hadn’t spoken since the night of the party. I felt too torn between my loyalty to Chase and attraction to Kai to address the elephant in the room. I was avoiding him. I was avoiding everything lately.
“I was studying at The Point and haven’t seen anybody since I left school. Mom, why was he arrested?”
“It seems like his arrest was related to Violet’s murder.”
My heart sank. I couldn’t help but wonder if they found something in the diary I’d given the police. Detective Rodriguez promised to let me know if there were any developments in the case, but maybe that was just something he said to pacify me. I itched to get on my bike and ride down to the police station and demand answers.
“Baby?” Mom asked. “You okay?”
I shook my head. “No. Kai is innocent, Mom. I just wish I knew what was going on.” I fidgeted, feeling antsy all of a sudden. How could they just arrest him? On what grounds?
Mom let out a sigh. “Just let the police do their job, okay? I’m sure they’re being overly cautious. This is a tourist town. Lots of money wrapped up in its image. People don’t want to come to the island if a murderer is loose, and Violet’s death has reached national coverage. The police feel a lot of pressure to check every lead. Be patient. I’m sure it’s only temporary, and you know how everyone gossips like they have nothing better to do.”
I nodded before digging through my pockets for my phone. I needed to do something—anything. After pulling it out, I sent a quick text to Kai. I knew he couldn’t answer it if he was actually arrested, but maybe he could respond when he got released. There was no way in hell he did this. The police couldn’t keep him for long. I knew it in my gut that Kai was innocent.
Me: Call me as soon as you get home.
I stared at my phone screen for a long while, debating on texting Chase and finally