Chapter Twenty Seven (I think)

"Alice?" I jumped as I swung around a crowded corner, Grey's face inches from my own.

"Oh, Grey, sorry," I apologized, embarrassed, and dodged around him, merging into the throng of students pressing to get to class. The moment replayed itself in my head, a stupid collision, nothing that really mattered.

Yet I couldn't stop thinking about him. I wandered toward my class, my mind replaying the scene and replaying and replaying. It was working, my mind, pushing, asking for something.

"Really, just try to work through this stuff."

I could feel my heart thumping against the binder that I crushed against my chest.

"You don't even have to come in."

Thump, thump. Something was slipping. Is slipping. Was, is is is was is was

Where is he? Where is he? Mum? Why isn't he home?

Students pushed pass me, one after another.

Well it won't do the little thing any good sitting there like that"

Grey, Grey.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, next time I'll tell him, next time I'll wait for him. Please, where is he?

No, no, Grey, please, Grey.

Where is he? Where is he? Why isn't he here?

It's rising in my throat, it's too big, I can't control it, hot tears,

"Haha yeah, how about Kermit?"

start streaming, streaming down my face,

You keep it! No, no, it's his, he found it at the beach, it's his stone, it's not mine, no

I can't, I can't, Grey, Jimmy, Grey, Mohawk, my head, no, no, my head

no, take it, please take it, get it out of my pocket, I can't take it, I can't I can't because, because

it hurts, where are my legs they are on the floor, why am I on the floor why is everyone staring at me

BECAUSE I KILLED HIM

Where am I? Jimmy? Jimmy? We're taking the bus today, please sweetie, get on the bus with me, come on, the bell just rung, we need to catch the bus, help me up I need to get up and get the bus, please

"I sure turned that smile upside down."

My head hit the floor and my eyes slammed shut.