Katie's Witness

I want to tear Linda to pieces. How could she do this to Rachel? I knew she was a bitch. But even after Rachel looked out for her for all this time…

I grit my teeth and clench my hands. I want to kill her.

"Wow, that's a scary expression you've got on." Rachel walked over to the sink next to mine, and the door to the girls' toilet slammed shut with a bang. "Jesus! Oh, sorry…" Rachel knocked herself in the head with a laugh. "So, did you manage to find the book you were going to show me?"

"B-Book?"

"You ran off to get it from your locker near the end of break-"

"R-Rachel dear, listen…" I began, but my throat felt tight. I recalled how she had called me late last Friday. I remembered how happy she sounded… I recalled her smile when she told me about the kiss this morning… Rachel, you never kiss me in the lips, you meanie…

If I tell her about what I saw, I will break her heart – I don't want to hurt Rachel.

"Katie, baby, don't cry."

"I'm not-" I touched my cheek and, sure enough, there were hot droplets.

"Come here." Rachel pulled me into a cubicle, shut the door and put me on her lap. "You rarely ever cry, that book must have meant a lot to you – how about this, we'll round up all of our friends and look for it. How does that sound?" Rachel, I'm not crying because I lost the book – I'm not a baby. "Please cheer up, Katie. I'm sure we will find it."

You're only making it more painful. If you speak so kindly, how can I tell you what I saw?

"I'm alright dear." I said, wiping away the tears and sniffing to clear my nose. "Really."

"But the book…"

"I didn't lose it… I just forgot about it… Sorry."

"But then… why you were crying?"

"I…" I needed to some up with something… But I can't lie to Rachel.

"Katie…"

"I-I'm hungry."

"… You really are a baby, Katie." Rachel giggled and, hearing it, I felt my heart ease a little.

But it isn't over. What happened today is unforgivable – I have to get rid of Linda. That's the only way to protect Rachel.