Kiera

The rain sounds on the window while I dig out the shoebox hidden in mywardrobe. It’s there, right at the back, beneath my jacket that lies neatlyfolded on top. I shift everything aside and pull the box out. The small blackX on the left-hand corner of the lid marks it, but I know which box it issince all the others are white or brown. This one is red.I sit back on my haunches and carefully peel the lid back. Inside is aletter, a single photograph, and a CD. The latter is scratched now. I doubt iteven plays. Leaving the letter, I pick up the photograph. It has yellowedwith time, and it’s creased from too much usage. I would stare at it nightlyat one point, trying to understand why my father killed all those women.Why did he live a double life, and how did he get away with it for so long?What drove him to become a monster?I was seven when my world was blown apart. The police broke into ourhouse on a Friday evening to arrest my dad for the murder of sixteenwomen. That night ruined my life and destroyed my mom, leaving her ashadow of her former self.I never spoke to my dad again. He wrote a letter shortly after receivinghis death sentence, and now it’s hidden in my wardrobe. But I never replied.Life moves on, I guess. I have a best friend and a boyfriend, and I dorelatively well at school. I’m popular by default. It’s what happens whenyou’re the daughter of a serial killer. People don’t like to be associated withdeath, but they like to be associated with notoriety. Even the darkest kind.Besides, it’s all a facade to hide how fucking broken I am inside. I don’t trust anyone, I struggle to connect with people, and self-destruction is mynickname.When I hear my mom’s footsteps on the stairs, I hurry to place thephotograph back inside the box. The execution date for my father is comingup in a few months. As a cosmic joke, it falls on the anniversary of his firstmurder. I guess I’m on edge. There’s no other reasonable explanation forwhy I’m digging out his photograph.My dad ruined this family, so he can rot in hell for all I care. But evenas I think it, I know I’m lying to myself. There’s a void in my life now. Avoid I can’t fill, no matter how hard I try. I miss my dad, as much as I hateto admit it. I miss him even more now that his execution date is racingtoward me like a sprinting wild horse.Mom knocks on my door before peeking her head inside. “Are youready? Cassie is downstairs.”I place the folded leather jacket back on top of the box and peer at herover my shoulder. “I’ll be down in a minute.”One last look at my windows confirms that it’s still raining outside. Ithasn’t stopped for the last two days. Halloween is around the corner. Thetemperatures have dropped in the last week, and the dark settles earlier inthe evenings. I like this time of the year. The leaves are beginning to yellow,and the hot summer evenings are a thing of the past.Throwing on my denim jacket, I quickly tie my hair up in a messy bunbefore bending at the waist to pick up my bag by the door. As I straightenup, my eyes snag on the gun on my dresser. It’s for protection, my momonce said. But then they installed the metal detectors at school, so now Ileave it at home.On my way past the kitchen, I throw a wave over my shoulder at mymom and stepdad. “See you later.”“Have a good day.”Cassie waits for me in her hatchback. It stinks of dog from the previousowner, and the car freshener dangling from the rearview mirror does little tomask it. Now her car stinks of dog and pine. It could be worse.“I like your hair,” she says when I pull the door shut.Flicking down the mirror, I tighten the ponytail. “I channeled PamelaAnderson’s messy bun from the nineties.”The rain is coming down hard now, the wipers moving quickly over thewindshield. We pull away from the curb and rejoin the traffic.“You’re dressed in all denim today,” Cassie points out, motioning to mydenim jacket and ripped jeans.My white T-shirt has a rip near the collar. “Autumn won’t get the best ofme yet. Give it a few more weeks, and I’ll drag out my winter coat.”Cassie sobers, worrying her bottom lip. I know what’s coming evenbefore she asks, “Are you sure you’re okay? There’s only what? Twomonths until the exe…” she drifts off, looking at me briefly before focusingback on the traffic.I scan her profile. Dressed in a black leather skirt and a red top, Cassieis classically beautiful with her straight red hair, defined lips, and a beautyspot near her mouth. If I didn’t know it was real, I’d think she waschanneling Marilyn Monroe.“I’m fine,” I reply, tasting the lie on my tongue. Those two words nevercome out any easier.Cassie flicks her emerald gaze to me again, looking unconvinced, butdecides to drop it. Her freckled nose scrunches up. “Liam messaged me lastnight asking why you weren’t answering your phone.”Liam, the star quarterback, is my boyfriend. Much to my amusement,Cassie dislikes him with a passion.I didn’t pick up because I was ignoring him, but I don’t tell her that.Instead, I say, “My phone was on silent.”“When are you gonna dump him?”I laugh, staring out the window at the rain bouncing off the pavement.It’s loud on the roof, too. “You really don’t like him, do you?”“Of course I don’t. He’s good for nothing.”“He’s good for something.” My lips twitch.Cassie rolls her eyes, but she can’t hide her own amusement. “You’reonly with him because he’s safe.”“Let Shrink Cassie back in the closet.”“No, I think Shrink Cassie needs to stay out of the closet. You’re onlywith him because it’s easy. And safe. He’s the popular quarterback with twobrain cells. Let’s face it, Liam is good for your image, but he’s not what youwant.”“And what do I want?”She lifts one shoulder and lets it fall. “You’re intelligent, Keira. Liamis… not.”Laughter bubbles up from my chest. “Don’t you think you’re being a bitjudgy now? Besides, so what if I think he’s safe?”Safety is what I need now. Liam is predictable and boring. There are nohidden surprises to be unearthed. All he cares about is parties, sex, andfootball. The police won’t storm the school one day to arrest him. I like it.It’s boring, but it’s what I need.“Fine,” Cassie replies, pulling up to the school parking lot. “He must bea beast in bed for you to put up with him.”I try not to laugh, while she cuts the engine. “I sense there’s more youwant to say?”Shifting in her seat and turning her body in my direction, she says, “Iknow you’re not a jersey chaser like all the other girls here, which is why Idon’t get it.”“You don’t get what? Why I’m with him? Or why he’s with someonelike me?”Cassie pales, so I wave her off, reaching for the door handle. “It’s fine.I’m Jimmy Hill’s daughter. My reputation precedes me. I’m not stupid. Iknow Liam likes the notoriety of fucking the daughter of a serial killer. Myfather’s legacy will follow me like a shadow until I’m old enough to escapethis forsaken town. And even then, it’ll still be with me. It always will.”“I didn’t mean it like that,” Cassie says, holding her jacket over herhead to protect her from the rain when we step out of the car.“It doesn’t matter, though. It’s still the truth.”I step in a puddle, and rainwater soaks my Chucks as we cross theparking lot. By the time we reach the entrance, my wet hair sticks to mycheeks, the shoulders of my denim jacket are damp, and my jeans aresoaked through at the thighs.“I can’t believe how bad the rain is coming down,” Cassie says,lowering her jacket from her head.“What is it now? Day three of constant rain?”“Something like that.”Liam’s loud holler announces his arrival. He runs up behind me, picksme up, and spins us in a circle. “How’s my favorite girl?”My feet meet the floor again, and I turn in his arms. Liam, dressed injeans and a letterman jacket, is attractive, with sandy hair, gray eyes, and aPrince Charming smile. He’s so good-looking, it borders on annoyingsometimes.Before I can answer, he slings his arm around my shoulder and steersme down the next hallway, where my locker is located. “I tried to phoneyou last night. We had drinks at Jessica’s place.”“Jessica hates me,” I point out.“She doesn’t hate you.”I stop short of pointing out that they all do. I’m not a cheerleader, and itrubs the girls the wrong way that their quarterback is dating outside of theirclique.Liam stops us to do some weird handshake with one of his footballfriends. Before long, they’re tussling. I ignore the amused sparkle inCassie’s eyes and set off walking.“Safe,” she whispers, making my lips twitch.“Safe is good,” I reply.The words die a swift death as I turn the corner, walking straight into avery big, very hard chest. Warm hands, so warm that I can feel themthrough the denim, clamp down on my arms to steady me. “Watch it.”My eyes lock on King, the hot-headed resident bad boy with a nicehush-hush criminal history to go with the family name. The only reasonhe’s not in prison or juvie is because of his stupidly rich family. They havethe ability to bail him out of any situation, apparently. Money and powerspeak louder than the justice system. King Knight is anything but a knight.He’s the boy to seek out if you want your heart ripped out of your chest.He’s a deadly weapon with his black hair, brown eyes, and killer jawline.And he knows how to wield it to get his own way.I wrench free from his grip on me and mumble an apology. He’s alreadyon the move, turning the corner. That’s the thing about King—in his world,you’re no one until you’re someone. And I would rather stay hidden in theshadows than have his spotlight directed at me.Madison is waiting for me at my locker, phone in hand. She doesn’tlook up until I’m right in front of her, and then she slides to the side,pocketing her phone. “Did Liam tell you about the party at Jessica’s lastnight?”“Let me guess, she was all over him.”Madison is one of those rare unicorns who slots into all social groups.It’s effortless for her.“Of course.”After inputting my combination, I open my locker and grab the books Ineed. Beside me, Cassie swaps hers out.“You should keep an eye on her.”I snort a laugh, shutting my locker. What Madison and everyone elsehere fail to understand is that I don’t care enough to worry about Jessicamoving in on Liam.With her hands in her jacket pockets, Madison pops her gum beforepushing off the locker. “Your first class is geography, right?”I nod, shouldering my bag. “Science, right?”Madison smirks. “You stalking me?”I eye her pink puffer jacket and black ripped jeans. Her shoulder-length,wavy, raven hair has been dyed to cover up her natural blonde color.“Maybe.”Her tinkling laughter rings out. That’s the one thing I like the mostabout Madison. She’s dark and brooding but has the brightest laugh, whichshe reserves for a select few.“If he cheats on Keira, I’ll personally string him up by his balls,” Cassiegrowls beside us as we set off walking.I roll my eyes, but Madison nods.“I’ll help you out. The guy is a sleaze.”“A safe sleaze,” Cassie says, nudging me with her shoulder.