while looking at the text. Dropping the phone onto the counter, I crumple down to rest on the floor. A tear slides down my face when I realize I was the cause of Gunnar’s death. This was all a part of this sick bastard’s game, and I’m the pawn being moved around the board. What am I going to do? I feel so helpless.
“Parker,” I struggle to call out. When he doesn’t respond, I dig deep and try again. “Parker!”
“Yeah, I’m here,” he answers.
“Unknown killed him,” I murmur.
“What?” he asks, but when I don’t respond, he says, “I’m coming in, okay?”
The next thing I know Parker’s kneeling in front of me, trying to get me to look at him.
“Unknown killed him,” I repeat. “That unknown fucker killed him.”
“How do you know that?” he asks, his words laced with anxiety. “They were saying that it was an accident. A teacher asked him to fix the festival banner because it was crooked—at least, that’s what they’re saying.”
I reach up and grab my phone before proceeding to press it into his chest. “Check the last message.”
I watch as he unlocks the screen, but the look he sends me right after isn’t very reassuring. “The last message was from me.”
“Shit. Unknown erased it already?” I ask in frustration, snatching the phone from Parker’s hands, wanting to make sure the text really wasn’t there. “I’m so tired of this! What did I do to deserve this?”
“Nothing. You did nothing to deserve this, Dani.”
I want to be angry with him about the whole girlfriend thing, but when he does stuff like this, it makes me want to forgive him. How can someone be so caring and yet be such a scumbag liar at the same time?
“We should talk to your dad. No matter the consequences. This is getting completely out of hand, and I don’t want to see anything happen to you,” he says, gently pulling me to be closer to him.
I want to push him away, but I can’t bring myself to do it. He’s the only one who knows what I’m going through, and if I don’t have him, I have no one.
The flashing lights from the sheriff’s cars and ambulance fill our vision as we emerge from the girls’ bathroom. A large group of students and teachers are gathered around the area just outside the gym’s doors. A few deputies are making everyone step back while they cordon off the area.
“It looks like we might be talking to your dad sooner than I thought,” Parker comments.
I see my father rushing over to us with a look of concern on his face. For once, he doesn’t look pissed or upset to see me. He seems genuinely worried.
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Why haven’t you answered your phone?” he asks, grabbing me in a hug and holding on to me for dear life. “I was so worried when I heard what happened, and that you were right there when the boy fell.”
“I’m okay, Dad. My phone must have just been acting up,” I reply, returning his hug.
Pulling away from me, he scans my face and then looks down at my clothes. “Is that blood?”
“Yeah,” I reply quietly.
“Oh my God, Dani. Are you sure you’re okay? You know sometimes when people see things like this, they go into shock,” he says, peering into my eyes.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up,” I lie. I can’t pull myself to tell him the truth. I glance over at Parker and he gives me a look. I know he wants me to tell my dad what happened.
“Parker, what are you doing here?” my father asks.
“I’m assisting with the school’s newspaper, and I was asked to help with their booth tonight,” he replies.
“He’s Mr. Whitman’s assistant for the semester, Dad,” I state when I see the confusion on his face.
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you for taking care of my daughter, but I think I’ve got it from here.”
“But Dad—”
He cuts me off. “Don’t but Dad me. I’m taking you home, now.” Shaking Parker’s hand, “Thanks again. You should probably go report what you witnessed to Deputy Samson before you head home, all right?”
“Sure thing,” Parker says, and flashes me another quick look.
I know exactly what he’s trying to tell me through that look, but this isn’t the time to just blurt out that my psycho stalker just killed Gunnar—like he’d believe me or Parker, anyway.
“Later, Dani,” Parker calls out to me as my father