Devils' Day Party: A High School Bully Romance - C.M. Stunich Page 0,44

to tell her everything. And if she doesn't believe me, if she thinks I'm crazy, so what? It'll all start over again tomorrow.

We head toward the woods together, taking the same shortcut I used on the real Devils' Day, the one that started all of this shit. The one that I royally fucked up. I swipe my hands down my face. That first night, I died. Essentially, I killed myself by acting like an impetuous asshole.

“I want to tell you something,” I start as we pick our way through the woods and Luke tries to surreptitiously study my muddied clothing. A thousand questions dance in her worried gaze, but I'm not sure I'm about to answer any of them. More than likely, I'm about to introduce about a million more. “But you can't judge me. Even if you think I'm crazy, even if you think I'm lying.”

“I would never think that,” Luke assures me, but she has no idea what she's in for. It's been happening to me, over and over again, and I still don't quite believe it myself. “What's wrong, Karma? Is it the Knight Crew? Because Raz, Barron, and Calix all looked weird as hell when they came in this morning Sonja seemed fine though …”

“They looked weird?” I ask, glancing over at her. She shrugs her thin shoulders and then reaches up to loosen her silver tie with the purple plaid pattern. “How so?”

“Just … distracted? Raz was clearly pissed. Barron was distant. Calix was … Well, I'm not really sure. More asshole-ish than usual? If that's even possible. He kicked Pearl's book bag against the wall, and then whispered something to her that sent her running for the girls' bathroom.”

I bite my lower lip, but refuse to let myself look too deeply into it. So what? The Knight Crew bullying people is just par for the course.

“Something's happening to me, Luke,” I whisper, looking over at her as she jumps the creek. I follow after, stumbling and falling into the water, soaking my already wet and muddied shoes and socks. Luke grabs my arm, helping me up, her face drawn and tight, deadly serious. I look up, meeting her gaze and knowing that this isn't going to end well for me. She'll take care of me, she always has, but she'll think I'm crazy and I won't be able to blame her. Hell, maybe I really am? I could be in a coma for all I know, lying in a hospital bed and drifting further and further away from reality.

“You can tell me anything, Karma. I'm here for you.” My eyes water and I slump down on a nearby log, swiping my hands down my face.

“This is fucking nuts,” I murmur as she kneels in front of me, putting a hand on my knee and looking up at me, completely ready to trust in whatever I have to say. She talked to the moms without telling you; she lied. I swallow hard, but I can't bring myself to be angry with her, not anymore. Not after last night. I look up, steeling myself for any possible rejection. “Luke, I'm living the same day over and over again.”

She pauses for a moment and then nods, turning up the barest of smiles for me.

“I feel like that sometimes, too. Every day is just a repeat of the last, you know? School, the Knight Crew, the dorms …”

I'm already shaking my head. She's not getting it. She's trying to be understanding, but …

“No, no, not like that,” I say, exhaling sharply and shaking my head. I thread my fingers in my purple hair and try to figure out how to explain this. “Luke, I keep waking up at the moment of the crash.” Her brows come together, and she opens her mouth once, closes it. She looks at me for clarification, and I stand up, pacing in a small circle in the dried leaves. A breeze picks up, swirling them around my calves, and I swear, there's something different about it. It's like the world knows it's Devils' Day, like there really are spirits living in the woods. “Anytime I … fall asleep or pass out, I wake up with my head hitting the steering wheel.”

“Karma,” Luke starts, but I just have to keep going or I'll lose my nerve.

“Listen to me,” I plead, turning to face her. I feel suddenly hot, so I strip my blazer off and toss it over my arm. “I thought maybe I