So Close...

Piper took a while in the Principal's Office, much longer than we expected, by the time she returned, school was over and most students had already left for home while we waited for her in class.

Piper? Liana called looking at her present state as she approached us...her eyes on the floor as she walked, hands in her uniform pocket, her face all sweaty, her hair clung to her skin probably from all the sweat..

How did it go, and why are you so sweaty? Sebastian asked earning no response from her

Amari, can you please tell us what she's so hesitant to say, he pestered

I stared at her as she walked past us to pick up her bag.. we're wrong again aren't we? I asked her

Sebastian and Liana whiplashed towards me, you mean it's not him? Liana asked visibly confused

There's a lot I have to say, piper suddenly said, putting on her bag

well school's closed Sebastian replied, do we continue on a video call or..

No, we'll continue at my place, she replied turning her back to us as she took the exit.

we glanced at each other,... whatever happened in there? Liana wondered aloud as we slowly followed behind her.

Piper's residence....

We stood around in Piper's room waiting for her to begin

Your room interior has a nice...flow, I commented to break the awkward silence and it seemed to work;

Piper finally spoke up, Michael's dead!...and No it wasn't the killer, she added noticing Sebastian's reaction

How did he die? Liana asked

He got sick..Cancer, to be exact, piper replied, and it happened sixteen months ago

sixteen months! Sebastian exclaimed, Keanu was still alive then

Yeah, piper replied

Kai!, I suddenly realized, that message you saw, he..

Faked it, yeah, Piper finished

Which means he's the killer, Liana concluded, he must've known that we were close, so close to figuring out it was him,.. wait, how did he even know we were on his radar in the first place, it must've been through one of you, she added facing us.

Likely me, I replied slowly, watching their reactions, I notice Sebastian giving me a familiar look

No! of course I didn't tell him Sebastian, I spoke up

I didn't say you did, he defended

you were thinking it, I retorted...what I meant was he probably caught me reading him

Probably? Liana asked catching my understatement

Fine, he caught me, I replied

So it's your fault then, Sebastian responded annoyingly, you couldn't follow four simple words Amari; 'Don't Stare Too Hard', he yelled

Hey! no yelling in my house, piper equally yelled

sounds like my mom..

There's no point, the deed is done, Liana added

He faked the message, piper continued, let me read it, and left me to make stupid assumptions without thinking clearly, playing with my feelings and to think I defended him even against the cops!, She said visibly angry

What exactly did they say to you? I asked.

...Flashback to few hours ago, Principal's Office...

...So I ask again, who exactly is this friend, the detective asked

Piper hung her head thinking of the best way to reply, should she cover up for him or just give him up?, but she promised herself never again to divulge information to the police behind her friends, although that wouldn't count in this situation..

Miss Hathaway, the detective called

His name's Kai, she replied raising her head, Kai Anaki

The detective nods at his colleague and the latter scribbled something down

And do you happen to have any information about Kai that might help find what we're looking for, the detective asks again...

.....I told them I had nothing, Piper continued, bringing us back to the present, I mean, we can tell Kai's the killer only because we saw Keanu's video and bringing that up would cause problems for us

Yeah, between exposing Liana who used an illegal app to hack into his server, and the fact that we're all aware of things we shouldn't, bringing it up definitely won't be good for us, I added.

Without it, we still have no actual evidence against him, piper said

Didn't they ask how you know about the killing in school? Liana asked

I went with my being familiar with Sierra plan, piper replied, although I'm not sure they completely bought it

So they're going after Kai now? Sebastian asked

I was going to ask you the same, piper responded, you're the guy who gets the info.

Well it seems like the police decided to keep the info to themselves this time, Sebastian said

We'll go after him then, Liana replied

I don't know if that's a good idea, piper said unsure, the police are probably already on it

So?, Liana continued, he played us, he let a dead Kid get accused for his crimes like a coward,..I told you guys since the beginning, I want revenge, Taylor's family is counting on me... I'm going after him whether you guys help or not, she replied adamantly

I'm with Liana on this,I agreed, we already decided to continue with or without the police so why stop now when we're so close to catching him?

And how do we go about it?, Sebastian asked

I don't care about finding proof, Liana replied, let's leave that to the cops, we're going to find him and make him talk! and I don't care if I have to use violence, she said with a glint of fire in her eyes

So hot! I said without a care in the world

Liana smirked a little while Piper and Sebastian stared surprised at me

Yep, I know what I said, I added confidently, Kai wasn't in school today and he won't be coming tomorrow either, I continued

How do you know? Sebastian asked

Because he's not an idiot Sebastian, he'd know that we would've found out about Michael by now

So how do you suggest we find him? Piper asked

We go to his place, Liana replied facing her, after school tomorrow, I'm hoping you have his address?

You know you guys are lucky I snoop around, Piper replied

We'll take that as a yes, I responded.

Okay, all this talk is making me hungry, Sebastian suddenly said, Piper please tell me your mum's making dinner

You could have dinner at your place if you leave now, she countered

Wow! how hospitable of you, he replied sarcastically....fine, but we're not leaving without a little something for the road, he said and with that he left probably for the kitchen.

We'll take our leave now, goodnight Pips, I said as Liana and I turned to leave

Goodnight, she replied, and Lia, I'm sorry I let Kai slip past us, I'll make sure that doesn't happen again

We all will, Liana replied with a smile as we saw ourselves out.