Chapter 1

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a horror movie? Me neither, until the death of my best friend. My life was perfect until it all came crashing down. . .

 I looked in the dirty mirror; my big brown eyes that used to carry joy and happiness were now bloodshot from studying way too hard for the physics test I had in the morning. I sat up in my swivel chair and began reading my hardcover textbook. After about an hour of cramming information in my head, I got up and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I turned the light on and examined my face; I had chapped lips, eye bags, my curly hair looked a mess, and my light caramel skin tone looked nothing as it did. I looked paler than ever before.

I cringed and left the bathroom, forgetting what I came in there to do in the first place. I walked back to my bedroom and got under my covers. I rested my eyes for a few minutes until a loud noise came from next door. I groaned and got up immediately to bang on the door next to me.

 "Can you keep it down?!" I shout.

The door opened, and my brother Derek was standing outside his doorway.

 "Am I bothering you?" He asked sarcastically.

 "You know you are,” I said while rolling my eyes, “Can you turn it down a little bit? I have a test tomorrow and I cannot fail”  

The word failure was not in my vocabulary, and it certainly wasn't going to be in it now. All my life, I haven't failed a single test, quiz, or homework. Being the best I could be was always how I pushed through my Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior year of high school. Becoming a senior was where I could finally live my life and not look back. 

 "Fine, I'll turn it down," Derek says.

 "Thank you," I grinned.

I walk back to my room and get in bed; tomorrow, I had a long day ahead of me.

/ / /

 I woke to the sound of my alarm on my phone, 6:05 the phone read. I had 45 minutes to get ready and to look my best. I run to my bathroom and brush my teeth. After, I go to my walk-in closet and put on a white T-shirt with yellow flowers with blue jeans and dark blue sneakers. I put my brown wavy hair in a bun and look in my mirror. I take one last look at myself until I strike a pose and say,"Perfect,"

I hear mom from downstairs telling me to hurry up, so I grab my book bag and put on my glasses and was about to leave my room until I remember my most important thing. I go to my book-shelf and pull out a book that reads, Gone Girl by Giliian Flynn on the front cover. I've always loved mysteries; I can't remember one day where I wasn't watching Criminal Minds or Goosebumps in my room.

My family and friends continuously call me Nancy Drew or Velma even though I hate those nicknames. Puzzles and secrets were a part of me; my father was a Private Investigator, so getting to the bottom of things was always his thing. Even though he passed away a few years ago, I still want to keep his memory alive by being a P.I. as well. I put the book in my bag and dash downstairs into the kitchen.

 "Goodmorning, Mom," I said.

My mom greeted me and kissed me on the cheek. She was wearing a blue and white striped shirt with black pants. Her light brown hair was straightened, and she wore a nude lipstick to match her skin tone. 

I look to see my brother Derek already done with his breakfast and put his dishes in the sink. He was wearing a wrinkled teal-colored shirt with black jeans and black sneakers, and his brown hair was side-swept. Knowing that I didn't have time to eat a balanced breakfast, I picked up an apple from the fruit bowl in the middle of the dining table. I heard our bus pull up to our house, and Derek and I made our way to the front door.

"Have a good day you two," our mother shouted

 "Thanks, mom, we responded in unison.

We boarded the bus and made our way to Willow Creek High, the high school where my parents went to when they were little. Our town is tiny, and everyone knows everyone. Nothing is exciting about our city, everything is. . . well, mundane. Not that normal is a bad thing, it's just that I wish something unusual would happen in this town for once. After a short bus ride, we arrive at our school. We walk in, and I immediately see my two best friends Hailee and Tyler. Hailee had a rosy pale skin tone and had light green eyes. She wore her blonde hair in a bang, she was wearing a black crop top with white jeans and black vans. Tyler was standing next to her; he had a tanned skin tone and had brown eyes. He had on a grey t-shirt with blue jeans and blue sneakers.

 "Hey, Vee!" Hailee said.

 "Hey!" I gave her a kiss on the cheek and gave her a hug.

Hailee Johnson, my best friend since Freshman year, she's always been there for me. She took me under her wing immediately when I first got here, and we've remained inseparable. I love her so much but Hailee is very popular, and when you mix that with being head of the girl's lacrosse team and having a perfect boyfriend, you know nothing good is going to come. She's the stereotypical blonde girl, who's mean, manipulative, and a complete brat. Her boyfriend is Tyler, the best soccer player this school's ever seen, he's also my crush who I've liked since sophomore year. Yay me, right?