Chapter 63
“She’s getting a party foam pit on Saturday night.
” Caroline was almost bouncing in her chair as she ate.
“Honestly. A huge one. It’s going to be amaze.
” Whatever Dr. Burdett had said to her on their shopping trip had worked, because her sunshine was back, all good energy returned, and she was her usual bright and bubbly self.
“Totes amaze,” Anna teased. “You guys are so retro.” She stuck her tongue out at her little sister to let her know she was joking and then wrapped another fajita she didn’t really want to eat and took a big bite, sour cream and salsa dripping onto her hands.
“Everyone’s coming,” Caroline continued. She was glowing. Excited. Beautiful. “Even some of the ninth graders. Holly’s so cool. Everyone loves her.”
“I’m sure everyone loves you as well.” Grandma smiled at her.
“Johnny said what a clever, kind girl you are. He said you two have had some good conversations.” She nibbled the chicken and vegetables but left the tortillas and toppings alone.
Too messy for Grandma, who had barely spoken to Anna.
This grandma clearly had no recollection of the distraught and desperate one who wrote in her notebook and was obsessed with Anna and dead girls.
“Yeah, he’s really nice.”
“What else is going on at this party?” Anna asked, light.
“DJ till midnight. Some kind of cookout Holly’s dad’s organizing. Her parents are staying in the house, though. Like, they’ll check on us, but they trust us.”
“Your first teen party. You’ll love it. How many of you are going to be there?”
“Not sure.” Caroline shrugged, one shoulder only, almost flirtatious.
Not like Callie. A new move learned from the hot girls at school.
“Only us five for the camping Friday. Then Saturday we’re having a spa day as the party sets up.
I think maybe forty or fifty for that? Holly knows kids from all around. ”
Forty or fifty. That wouldn’t be all girls. And no one could keep track of forty or fifty teenagers. A terrible thought struck her. What if the Greenboughs knew about what happened with Anna? The thing. What if Todd told them?
I’ve found out why Anna Maybourne has been so crazy.
If Holly overheard him talking to their parents, then she’d tell the other kids, and then it would be all around town.
That’s what kids did. Another thought barreled into the first. What if the video of the thing was still floating around on the internet somewhere?
Maybe they’d all see. The horrifying thoughts were coming fast, colliding into each other like a car crash.
They’d think Callie was the same. Tainted by her slutty big sister. Wanting it.
“Hey, how about we have a sisters’ evening tonight?” Anna leaned on the table, grinning. “You can show me your new clothes and we can decide on a best outfit.”
Caroline’s face lit up, angelic, beautiful, too beautiful. “That would be—”
“Amaze!” Anna joined her in the last word, shouting it in unison, and for the first time in a long time, they seemed almost like sisters.