Four girls.

They are totally beautiful.

No flaws, no pimples, or blemishes. They put the “hot” in hotlist.

They make school fun. Interesting. Everyone wants to be them.

Especially me, but I know they have secrets.

Deadly secrets even. Secrets that won’t stay buried.

*****************

I am a loser. That’s what you would call it. I have fun by sticking my head in other people’s business. I like secrets. They seem to ruin a person, especially the Holloway sisters. Who are these amazing girls you may ask? Luz, Savannah, Joelle, and Rachel. Girls envy them. Boys want to kiss them. Everyone pretends to love them. But they don’t deserved so much love. Not for what they did.

Everyone see’s them as charitable. They volunteer at the homeless shelter, are always on the front of the newspaper, and even befriend kids like me. I used to think they were the best thing that ever happened to the small town of Poinsett Creek.

That thought ended with a picture. Several pictures that would be the end of the girls.

My mother used to say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” But that’s a lie. A picture is worth a thousand secrets. Many secrets.

One night I followed the girls into the woods. I was going to spy on them with my camera and take some good shots, but I got more than I bargained for.

“Sara,” Savannah teased. “Wake up, sleepy head!”

Sara Harridan was the fifth “it” girl. She went from geek to beautiful in a flash. She worshipped the sisters, but she was their omega and they were the alphas. They used her. Betrayed her.

The girls laughed. Sara moaned when she opened her eyes.

Luz kneeled over Sara. “I never did like you. Everyone knows you’re a Miss Goody Two-Shoes! You are simply a reject! We made you!”

It was Joelle who pulled out a knife and slid the back of it across Sara’s throat. “One quick turn, and it could be all over for you, Sara.”

“Please, stop!” Sara cried.

I watched in utter disbelief as the girl’s taunted Sara. I didn’t know what to do, so I grabbed my camera, killed the flash, and started snapping pictures.

“How did it feel when you kissed Eric? Did you ever stop to think that he had a girlfriend?” Rachel shouted.

“Eric and I are just friends. I swear! I wouldn’t hurt you, Rachel! He’s yours!” She cried.

“Friends with benefits,” Savannah stated.

Sara struggled to her feet and started running.

I followed the girl’s from afar. Twigs snapped and broke underneath my weight, but the friends were too busy to notice.

“You’re making this difficult, Sara!” Luz chased after the girl. She grabbed Sara from behind and held her tightly. “Any last goodbyes?” She asked.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Sara whimpered. “Why?”

Savannah took the knife from Joelle and walked toward the Sara. She held the knife high.

Sara started shaking and screaming. She wouldn’t be quiet.

“Someone help me!” She screamed.

Luz let go of Sara and grabbed the first thing that came to her hand––a rock. She hit Sara in the head, hoping it would just shut her up.

Sara fell to the ground, her body limp.

“What did you just do, Luz?” Rachel asked.


“She’s not breathing,” Savannah shouted. “She’s dead!”

Luz paced back and forth, trying to calm her breathing. “She’s just…
unconscious, guys. No big deal.”

“There’s no pulse, Luz! You killed her!” Rachel screamed. “We have to go!”

Luz pushed Rachel from Sara’s unmoving form and shook her. “No one is going anywhere. We started this and we must finish it!”

“There’s a shovel in the truck,” Savannah said.

“You want to bury her?” Joelle shouted. “This is insane!”

“You have a better idea?” Savannah gave her a mean glare.

After continuous digging, the girls dumped Sara’s body in a large hole.

It wasn’t until then that it all dawned on me. I just witnessed a murder and had to do something about it. My instincts kicked in and told me to run. I ran, trying not to draw attention to myself. They were the “it” girls. How could someone so perfect do something so mean? I knew in my heart that I had to do something. They are not going to get away with this, I thought as I hopped on my bike and pedaled away.

For months I taunted the girls. Sent them the processed photos, threatening letters, phone calls and text messages. It was all fun, but my purpose was to scare them and make them remember. I led the cops in the right direction. With time Sara’s body was found and there lied hardcore evidence. My pictures.

________________________________________________________________________

I could see them. But they couldn’t see me. Pressing my hand against the one-way mirror, I hoped they would pay for what they did.

“What happened?” The cop urged them to talk. His beady eyes peered through their soul, making them shed tears, not only for themselves, but for the girl they’d killed. It was Joelle who cracked first.

“It was all supposed to be a joke,” she cried. “She had been cheating with Rachel’s boyfriend. We were just going to scare Sara and then it backfired. We thought she was dead! It wasn’t supposed to happen like that! No one was supposed to die!”

“But someone did die. Sara Harridan, a innocent girl.” The cop said angrily.

“We’re sorry! We didn’t mean to kill her!” Savannah shouted.

“Well, I’m not the one you should be saying sorry to. How about the girl’s mother and father? How about her little sister? Did you ever stop to think about any of that?”

“Stop yelling at her! Didn’t you hear it was an accident?” Rachel stepped in and pulled Joelle into her arms.

“Lieutenant,” the female cop whispered. “It’s enough questioning. We have hard evidence. That’s all we need.”

“Sure,” the cop said back.

When the sister’s walked out the room it was Luz who noticed me first.

“You!” She pointed in my direction. “You did this, freak!”

“Savannah!” The female cop took her by the shoulders and held her away from me. “Don’t think about it,” she said.

“You’ll pay!” Luz shouted and followed the others down the dark corridor.

________________________________________________________________________

I used to think the Holloway sisters were perfect.

It was all a facade. A mask.

Today, they remind me of paper dolls. Each of them were unique and beautiful, but with a quick movement you could crumble them into a ugly wad of paper. The Holloway girl’s weren’t the only one’s with a secret. Everyone is entitled to one. Some darker than the others. Some simple. Now, I have a secret of my own…