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I wander to the s, looking out to the backyard covered in leaves The trees of the forest are no longer green, instead shades of yellow, orange, and red Leaves drop fro view

“Do you want so? Coffee?”

The voice startlesquickly to face Mariam

“Sorry” Her red painted lips turn into a sympathetic smile “I didn’t mean to scare you”

“It’s okay” I wrapthe mother of my sister's murderer I wonder if she knows for sure he did it I wonder what she thinks of this whole charade Theafter, did he tell her? Walk into her bedroom and voice the words to describe his crime?

There’s a sy if she feels guilty or if she just feels bad for me

Syrown accustomed to News of Auden’s death spread like wildfire and it wasn’t long until people I’d never ering stares—I was no longer average

“So, do you want that coffee?” she asks again, a solemn tone to her voice She probably doesn’t kno to talk to me anyht to talk to the girl with the dead sister?

I’ fro froa me be next?

Are two dead sisters better than one?

“No, thank you” I mutter

She sighs, placing each of her hands on her waist She’s still wearing the black pencil skirt and silk top She ditched the heels at so covered feet Even so, she still looks perfect

Perfect is practically the slogan of the Bancroft house Everything there fits perfectly together A happy family A father who runs a Fortune 500 company, the perfect anizes charity events, and the son who’s training to take over the company

“Have you eaten anything today, Mikaela?” she asks

I can’t remember the last time I’ve eaten, yesterday maybe I think I had a slice of bread with peanut butter for dinner The boys dragged , and then the press conference, and now here I aave me my phone back I shake my head no