Skyler and I had changed into our tights and singlets, prepared for the onslaught of sweat that would be enslaved upon us from Mr Richmond.
It would be ruthless and he would push us to our absolute limits despite our complaints and begs for mercy.

"Why do we love Tuesdays again?" Skyler sat on the cement sidewalk, pulling her Nike joggers on.
"Because even after the slaughter, we feel better about having cheat days" I reminded her

"Speaking of, what's for dinner tonight?"

I laughed, removing myself from the space between the toilet block and the physical education buildings.

"I'll meet you out there" I called before walking into the open air of the track field.

Two classes had joined forces, standing as one on the outskirts of the field, stretching, chatting, preparing themselves for the reckoning of Mr Richmond and Mr O'Neil. They were known for their brutal fitness regimes. It was intense, but well needed.

"You shouldn't have did what you did" A voice broke through my stare as I stood alone, my hands on my hips, lost in the slow breeze over my bare skin

My head snapped in the direction of the gruff owner, lingering on the tall man beside me. He was looking forward, his eyes - as usual - directed far from me.

"Okay" Was all I could manage out, watching the side of his face, motionless, astounded

"I can take care of myself, I don't need you involving yourself in mine or my family's business" He snapped coldly, darker than I'd ever heard his tone before; even with Mathew

I shook my head "If you don't want to involve yourself in anyone's business, then that's fine, but Andy, allow him the chance to live a normal sociable life" I defended the young boy, despite his apparent distain of me

"Stay away from me, and stay away from my brother" He warned venomously before trudging off.

Spending an hour within constant sight of a man that appears less than pleased with your existence isn't an easy thing to do.
I kept my mouth shut about the subtle warning he had made, uninterested in spending another minute discussing and deciphering the possibilities of reasons behind it.

I forced my mind as much as I could on the workout Mr Richmond had set. It had my heart pumping, my blood rushing and my adrenaline bursting in an escape from reality. For once, I was grateful for the heavy set exercises I did.

"You look tired" Skyler noted as we slumped out in the library, books scattered on our table from our attempted study session.
Skyler and I always spent our free periods studying, only, it never seemed to go to plan. It looked good for us if a teacher happened to waddle past, but in reality, we hadn't read a single full page from any of the various opened books.

"I actually put effort in during P.E today" I mumbled, one earplug inserted into my ear, thumping pop music

"Why?"

"It was a stress reliever" I shortly answered

"He's really getting to you, isn't he?" She guessed, watching me as she leaned her chin on her arms, which rested crossed on the table

I leaned my head backwards so my neck folded at the back "I just don't get it"

"You can't let it get to you, we may never know" She shrugged casually as I returned my eyes to her from the ceiling

"I have to sit beside him in history Skyler, I love history, and as long as he is there, I can't enjoy it, how am I going to do that for the next 6 months?"

"I don't know, have you tried making casual conversation with him?"

"Because after this morning that will go down well, won't it?" I shot, remembering how well he'd pretended I hadn't existed

"Just try, maybe one day he'll give in" She was no longer interested in the topic, which I should have been pleased about, but I couldn't shake it. Unable to remove him from my subconscious should have been more a reason to listen to what Skyler had suggested. I couldn't endure anymore silence from him, so I would need to push it, force him to either give in, or leave.
I wasn't going to dislike history, not because of his mere presence.
I refused.

Placing my headphones on, pumping my music loudly to drown my thoughts, I opened my laptop and entered safari search. My fingers lingered over the keys, and then they began to type.
Marsha Greenwater

Clicking the search button, results instantly popped up.
Curiosity was getting the better of me, and before I knew it, I was neck deep in the investigation of the Newscot past.

1945, October.
Marsha Greenwater's body was discovered early Sunday morning on Tarmin street. Police are uncertain of manner of death, but say wounds appear suspicious and malice in intent. Last known sighting was known to be with William Newscot, Marsha's boyfriend. He does not appear to be forthcoming with information on what has occurred with Ms Greenwater.

1947, May
Lucy Jenkins, pronounced dead in her home in an apparent drowning. Police confirm the death is suspicious, and reveal that they are looking closely into William S Newscot who was dating the young woman at the time of her demise. Newscot was also suspected in the involvement of his previous girlfriend Marsha Greenwater's death few years earlier.

1950, April
Georgia Smith death suspicious.
Yet again William S Newscot has been confirmed as the main suspect in a third death of his female companion. Georgia Smith's lifeless body was discovered burnt in an apparent house fire that erupted in her home early Monday morning.

The more I read, the lower my mouth hung open, stunned. Everything Cara had said, everything her grandmother had recalled, was true. Death surrounded the Newscot family.
But yet again, the myth remained impossible. If those who were intimate in Williams life had been sacrificed to death, how could Danny and Andy's mother's life exist? And why were the family harbouring the same last name as her instead of taking her husbands name?
The more I delved, the more confused I became. I wasn't going to get the answers I needed from newspaper clippings and articles.
It was only making it worse.
The only way I was going to get answers, was from a Newscot himself.

"I spoke to Sam this morning, he shouldn't bother Luke anymore" Paisley told me during lunch as we sat side by side, Dayton at football practise.

"Thank you, I appreciate it" I told her, crunching on lettuce from my salad bowl

"Did you hear about Isaac's party Saturday night?" She asked, stealing a crouton from my meal

"No"

"I'm surprised, he's invited almost all the schools in the state, it's going to be big" She revealed

"The cops will break it up before it even starts in that case then" I imagined

"Cara and I are going, Skyler won't go, did you want us to pick you up on the way?" She nudged me with a wink "No Dayton either, he's having dinner with his family for his brothers birthday, so I'll be without distraction"

"You weren't invited to the dinner?" I wondered aloud

She shook her head "It's strictly a family do apparently, they're pretty fussy about that kind of thing"

I was suddenly curious if that were the real reason, or an excuse for trouble in paradise.

"Sure, why not, what time?" I agreed, needing the night out after the week I was already having

She slung her arm over my shoulder "7pm, I knew I could count on you"

I rest my head on Paisley's shoulder, closing my eyes while the chatter around us became white noise.
I needed a nap.

Forth and final period.
It was an odd experience dragging my feet toward history class, it was depressing, enraging, many emotions to which I rarely felt. I wasn't a fussy person, I wasn't an angry person or a complicated person, and here I was being pushed beyond those limits of my normal by someone I didn't even know.

I was going to end this, before it began.
Or so I hoped.

Danny was already seated when I entered the room. He had his face down, scribbling into his note book when I approached cautiously.
Squeezing between rows, I entered my seat beside him, my confidence falling to pieces the moment we were within close proximity.

I gave a strong sigh and as I did, the familiar smell of papaya and coconut entered my system. It was soothing, attracting, but for all the wrong reasons.

I edged forward in my seat as Mr Harlow began his teaching on the War World 1 timeline. He scrawled messily on the chalkboard, instructing us to copy it into our books.
With my eyes kept down, I drew as Harlow did, somewhat improving on my concentration until the small sound of repetitive scribbles pulled me from my timeline.
My fingers paused on my book, toying with my pen. In this moment, I wished I had left my hair down, using it as a curtain to peer through at what Newscot was doing.

Subtly, I peered sideways to what Danny was doing, catching the problem instantly with my quick glance.
His pen was emptied of ink, his long fingers frantically scrawling to regain any remnants left inside the plastic tube.

I began to bite my bottom lip, knowing that this would be the perfect opening for me to attempt a conversation from him.

I leaned slowly into my backpack, keeping as straight as I could while pulling a spare from the side pocket.

With a surge of confidence, I held the pen towards him, crossing the near non-existent gap between our tables.
His desperate effort on his own pen ended, his eyes glancing down at my offer.
I kept my face forward, but my eyes in frequent flutter to his expression, waiting for him to take the bait.

Slowly, like a shy fish watching the worm, he gave in.
He dropped his pen down, taking my offering with steady fingers.
As by now, I knew he would not extend a thank you, nor a single glance in my direction, so I planned to push further when I noticed a roadblock.

Sitting directly in front of me, was Thomas or 'Tom' as his friends knew him, Tom also happened to be good friends with my ex, Mathew.

He casually leaned back with his arms over his heads as though he were stretching, subtly dropping a piece of folded paper onto my table in front of me.

I looked it, deciding whether or not to play into the game. Eventually, my interest forced my fingers to its content.

Unfolding the paper, I was welcome with a note.

Your new boyfriend will kill you like his pops killed those girls

I scrunched it up and threw it at the back of Tom's head, hitting him right in the centre before the paper hit the floor.

He was amused, laughing as he rubbed his hair.
Minutes later, he dropped a second note. This time, I flicked it off with my pen, making a point of it for him to see.

Instead of giving up, Tom spun around so that his back was leaned against the wall, his right arm draped over the back of his chair. He began chewing the back of his pen with his once braced teeth.
I watched him narrowly, knowing he was up to no good under Mathews instructions.

Gradually, his eyes drifted around the room as though he were following a butterfly, eventually landing on me.

His smile widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he winked.

"Hey Em" He lowly whispered

"Go away Thomas" I sighed, annoyed

He feigned pain, holding his chest.
"Saturday will be fun. You're going to be there right?" He continued despite my glares

"What's it to you?" I snapped

He shrugged "Mathew is looking forward to getting you drunk and having his way with you, again"

He was pushing buttons, buttons that should have been kept untouched.

I folded my arms over my chest, protective "Not in a million years Thomas"

"Why? Because you're doing the psycho now?" He teased with a nod in Danny's direction, this time creating the most uncomfortable setting I had encountered

I kept my mouth closed, my heel tapping air underneath my desk. I hoped that if I kept my lips shut, he would grow bored and move on.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"Mathew's told me about you, every inch" He suggestively raised his eyebrows as he looked me up and down

"That's enough" The surprisingly dark tone of Danny spoke beside me, his eyes on Thomas fully

Thomas pulled back for a moment, a scene now playing as eyes turned to watch on

"You should know what I'm talking about, right champ?" Tom's attitude recovered

"I think you've made your point, let Mathew know he did his job" Danny replied, calm as he watched Thomas with a strong gaze, a gaze that he refused to even acknowledge me once with

Tom nodded "I sure will" He winked, turning his blue eyes back on me "Matty and I will see you Saturday babe"

I wasn't afraid of him, not one bit.
His threats were empty, immature and all talk. It was the comments of my sex life that bothered me the most, especially on such a public level.

Thomas turned, his back returning to view. Onlookers quickly followed, disappointed the tension had simmered down.