Chapter 15: Lies

·Grace's POV·

Everyone is super excited today. Why? Because boys and girls, today is Halloween. People around school are wearing all kinds of accessories. Some of them are wearing witch hats, others have the corners of their mouths covered in fake blood and I think I saw someone wearing a fake knife headband. The funny thing is that my friends and I are also "disguised". We are all wearing sparkly devil horns and tail. You'll be wondering whose idea was it.

Isaac.

"We look so badass." He said to all of us.

"Can you please explain me how sparkly horns make us look like that? Because I don't get it." Roland responded huffing.

"Don't be a party pooper and enjoy this. It's Halloween!" It was Katie's turn to talk. She put her arm around his shoulders and lead him forwards. The look on Roland's face was priceless, staring at Katie's hand in awe. I laughed when they were out of hearing.

"Have we seen the same thing?" Toli asked me.

"Totally. They would make a great couple, don't you think?"

"Indeed. A shame Roland doesn't tell her, I've got a feeling that Katie would love dating him."

"But he's not the only one hiding his true feelings, right Scottie?" Isaac asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up..."

"Ohh, Scott, do you have anything to tell us?" Toli looked at Scott in surprise.

"I... Well... Agh, OKAY! I really like a girl and I'm too scared to tell her."

That shocked me.

"Are you serious? You are every girl's definition of 'Perfect Boy': handsome, smart, loyal and caring. Don't ever doubt yourself again Scott Reed, or I'll beat you, no kidding."

"You really believe that Gracie?" The nervous smile he wore was so cute. How could anyone say no to that face? She must be awesome if she caught Scott's attention.

"One hundred percent, she is one lucky girl. But I hope she treats my friend well, if not, she'll make five new enemies."

"Then I'll tell her at tonight's party."

"Oh no! I totally forgot about the party... Guys I can't come tonight, I'm sorry."

"Wait, what? Why not?" Scott looked just as if I had slapped him.

"My parents want to visit my grandma's grave tomorrow, so we are staying at grandpa's tonight. But I swear that I'll go to the Christmas party. "

And also because today is the 40th anniversary of St. George's fire and I thought of visiting Archer. He might need support and I'm the only one capable of doing so. I will tell Toli and Katie that that is the other reason why I'm not going to the party, but later when we are alone.

"You better! I can't believe you're not coming tonight." Toli almost shouted at me.

"Me neither..."

What's wrong with Scott?

***

After my father parked the car, we entered my grandfather's house. They both went upstairs to unpack and prepare the bedrooms for our stay, so I decided to go and talk with my grandfather for a while. It's been ages since we had a good chat.

I found him in the kitchen, holding a newspaper in his hands. As I was approaching him, the headline of the article he was reading became readable:

Forty years since the St. George's Juvenile Correctional's children died in a fire.

"Life can be so cruel." I started the conversation.

"Not as much as people, honey."

"What do you mean grandpa?"

Does he know the fire wasn't an accident? How?

"Come here." I obeyed. "Look at this photo. Although these children were problematic and a complete headache to their parents, they were all innocent. And what happened to them in the end? They were murdered by despicable people."

The photo showed all the children who attended the correctional. Archer was in the middle of it, surrounded by all his friends. And, of course, wearing his signature smirk.

I processed my grandfather's words. Wait a moment...

"How do you know it was a murder? You told me it was an accident."

So he really knows. I need all the information that I can get for Archer.

"You know what? Drop it, Gracie." He sighed.

"Please, you look like you haven't slept for days. Something isn't right."

"It's nothing. This happens to me every year."

"I'll ask you one more time and I expect you to be completely honest with your granddaughter. So if you want me to keep trusting you, tell me what's haunting you."

"Sweetheart, if I tell you, promise me you will still see me as your beloved grandfather. I know more than you could possibly imagine."

"I promise."

"Only your grandma knew about this, and she took the secret to the grave. Forty years ago, my mental health wasn't stable. I would have nightmares every night, every single one of them about a fire." No way, he had them too. Mines are about being chased, but still."One day, I exploded. It was like I wasn't in control of my own body, possessed. It would only get worse. Getting into fights at work, drinking alcohol each night, snapping at everyone... Moreover, I started hanging out with bad people who worked with me. They were rebellious and chaotic. At the time, I felt like they understood me and my situation. I wasn't alone anymore. On the 31st October of that same year, we committed the mistake of our lives. I was angry at the world without any reason, and I took advantage of the people I hang out with and their destructive tendencies. We decided to start off with vandalism but it got out of hand. When we arrived near St. George, Michael (my best friend at the time) decided to set it on fire and we didn't stop him. We entered to analyze the chaos we had created. That's when I saw him. A teen running for his life, almost reaching the exit. He saw us and ran faster, but he wasn't out of my reach."

No, no, no. This can't be happening, this must be a sick joke. He pointed at Archer in the newspaper's photo.

"I took a wooden bar which had previously fallen from the ceiling and knocked him out. We couldn't risk being busted. We were in the military, for God's sake. Not a day has passed without thinking about it and regretting it. In the end, they sent us to jail for some years after discovering the truth, but in the report it said that what occured was an accident. The military couldn't afford the bad publicity. They fired us when we got out."

The world was spinning. My grandfather wouldn't kill a fly, how did that happen?

"I killed him, Grace. My colleagues killed the rest of the children out of pure evilness, but I killed a poor child out of fear. I know it means nothing and you probably won't forgive me, but it felt like something had possessed me. Nevertheless, that's no excuse. How I wish I could tell the boy how sorry I am. I'm a murderer. " A tear escaped his left eye.

"This is too much. I need fresh air." I replied and ran away before he could mutter a single word.

My grandfather, a murderer. Someone who used to be and still is so kind and generous. Why did he dare to do that? I have to get to St. George and tell Archer.

Archer, killed by my grandfather.

I spotted him sitting on the backyard's grass, under the gray sky.

"Archer. " I called him out.

"You are here."

"Of course. Thought that you wouldn't want to be on your own today."

"Yeah, thank you." He ran a hand through his hair.

When I got closer to him, he noticed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Archer hugged me and after, wiped the tears running down my cheeks.

"I know who your murderer is, and I'm so, so sorry."

"What? Who was that bastard?"

"Archer, it was my grandfather. He killed you."

*****

A.N: It was Rob all along. This scene will be continued in chapter 16, so stay tuned!

Love,

M³