"I can't believe it!" A.J. said.
"Yeah. Are you sure that you actually said, 'Because you still wear my necklace'?" Isabella asked.
"Yes, I'm sure!" Nick said. "I am absolutely positive!"
Isabella and A.J. exchanged glances. "And you covered her mouth and you didn't let her turn around?"
"Yes! What? Does it mean something?"
"Of course it means something!" Isabella said.
"What?" Nick asked.
"But it's extremely unlikely..."
"What?"
"Your connection is strong already. Very strong."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No! It's a really good thing! I just haven't heard of anyone developing this kind of strength this soon."
Nick smiled broadly. "I know, I know, I'm just so cool."
"Oh get over it!" A.J. said laughed at the exasperated expression on Nick's face.
Cassandra, Nick, Isabella and A.J. sat in the living room watching the football game on television. Coreene and Emalia had gone with Jonathan to the mall early this morning because Nicole and Cassandra's birthdays were coming up soon, and they probably wouldn't be back until late. When Mercedes and Nicole walked in, Cassandra clicked off the television, something that she rarely did during a football game.
"Hey!" A.J. protested. "I was watching the game!"
"Oh get over it!" Nick said mockingly at A.J.
"Oh A.J., knock it off," Isabella agreed. "Go over to the guys' house. I'm sure that Brian and Kevin are watching it."
"Ooh, good idea!" A.J. said getting up and headed towards the guys' house.
"Hey," Cassandra said to Mercedes and Nicole. "Can I talk to you two about something that's been bothering me for a while?"
"Yeah, sure," Mercedes said. Her and Nicole sat down on the couch, one on either side of Cassandra. "Something about Nick?"
"Actually, no."
Isabella looked stunned. "That's a first-"
"Then what?" Nicole asked.
"Actually, it's about Isabella," Cassandra finished.
"Me?"
"What about her?" Mercedes asked.
"Well," Cassandra started, "I don't know why I've been thinking about this, but something just doesn't add up."
"What?"
"Isabella's death. It just doesn't make any sense that Lucy could have killed her."
"Are you saying that Isabella killed herself?"
"No!" Cassandra justified. "I'm just saying that there's gotta be somebody else involved. I mean, look at it this way. Isabella struck Lucy with a knife, straight through the heart. There is no way that Lucy could have survived long enough to shoot Isabella."
"You may be right, but who could it have been?"
"I don't know. I just started to think about this stuff. And another thing, I don't even know where she was shot. There was just so much blood around, no one could even tell."
"Wasn't she shot in the back?" Nicole asked.
"I think that's what everyone assumes," Cassandra said. "We all think that Lucy shot her."
"Isn't there somebody you can call to find out something like that?" Mercedes asked.
"Yeah, maybe. But not yet."
Nick turned to Isabella. "Could she be right?" he asked.
"I don't know. I just assumed that Lucy had shot me," Isabella replied.
"Where were you shot?"
"In the back, why?"
"Just because...think back to that night."
"Why-"
"Just, please."
"Well, I struck Lucy with the knife, I ran from her to the front door, but I turned around to look at her then I heard a shot and felt the pain."
"No, think harder. Wait, did you just say that you turned around to look at her?"
"Yes, w-oh my God. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Isabella asked Nick, stunned.
"I hope not, but think harder. What about after you got shot?"
Isabella closed her eyes and thought very hard. "Oh, wait! When I was lying there, I-I heard, oh, voices! Yes, voices!"
"You did? Good! Who's were they?"
"I-I don't know. I don't know who it is or what they're saying!"
"Oh man, Cassie was right," Nick said triumphantly about his wife.
"Nick, what are you talking about?"
"You said that you were shot in the back, right?"
"Right," Isabella confirmed.
"And you also said that after you ran from Lucy you paused to turn around..."
"Right. What are you getting at?"
Nick sighed loudly. "And you call me slow! What I'm saying is that if you ran away from Lucy and then turned around and got shot in the back, then there is no way that Lucy could have shot you! Don't you see?" Nick was so proud of himself. He jumped off of the couch. "Cassie! Cassie! Baby, you're right! It wasn't-" Isabella's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "What?" he whined.
"Nick-"
"Damn it! There's gotta be a way that they can hear me! Damn it!"
"She's a smart girl. She'll figure it out eventually."
"How can you be so calm? What if she doesn't?"
"Whatever," Isabella said, walking away from him.
"Damn it!" Nick concluded.
"Hey," Cassandra said. "Let's go spice up the party over at the guys' house."
"Party?" Mercedes asked.
"That's exactly my point. It's football season! Let's go have some fun!" The three of them laughed and raced over to the guys' house with Nick in tow.
Cassandra, Mercedes and Nicole burst through the door and Cassandra scoffed at what she saw. "You guys are so pathetic!" she yelled. "Come on! You guys are boring! Where's all of the food? All of the screaming and fighting?" Brian, Kevin and A.J. looked up at her in bewilderment as Nick sat down next to A.J. "I see. Well obviously you guys don't know me well enough to know that I am a football fanatic!"
"She is?" Nick asked A.J., and A.J. only shrugged.
"Especially since Green Bay is playing." She looked down at the television. "Half time, good. Kevin!" she yelled.
Kevin stood up. "Yes?"
"Go order a couple of pizzas and hurry back."
"Yes, Sir!" he said and ran into the kitchen.
"Brian!"
"Yes?" he said timidly, standing up.
"Go to the store and get plenty of chips, soda, nachos, whatever your little heart desires. And hurry!"
"Yes!" he saluted and ran out to his car.
"What do we do?" Mercedes and Nicole asked.
"We, my dear girls, sit and wait for them," Cassandra said slyly.
"I like the way that you think!" Nicole said as they sat down on one of the couches.
Kevin and Brian ran through the door at almost the exact same time. Both of them equally out of breath. "Where do you want these?" Brian asked.
"Put everything on this table," Cassandra said, pointing to the adjustable coffee table sitting in front of the couches. "And will you get some coasters while you're at it?" she added sweetly. "I'm sure we don't want to mark up this table."
Kevin smiled and ran into the kitchen to fetch coasters, plates and napkins.
When everyone settled into the living room, Nicole asked, "So who's playing?"
"Green Bay verses Atlanta," Cassandra answered. "Who's on who's side?"
Everyone called out at once and there was a mix of Green Bays and Atlantas with the exception of one no comment.
"Who said Atlanta?" Cassandra asked bitterly. Kevin and Nicole raised their hands. "Traitors," Cassandra said to Nicole and eyed Kevin. "Mercedes, you have no opinion?"
"No," she said quietly.
"Okay, and Brian, Green Bay fan?"
"You bet!" he said, smiling broadly.
"Good man! We get this couch. Nicole and Kevin, you get that couch, and Mercedes you will be the referee. This may get ugly."
Through the second half of the game, almost two packs of soda were gone, all three pizzas had been devoured and they were on their fifth, and last, bag of chips. Cassandra and Brian had ganged up on Kevin and Nicole a couple of times and Mercedes had decided that if she sprayed them with water it would help keep them civilized. But it did just the opposite. Cassandra and Brian were hyped up on soda and the adrenaline rush of football so much, and Mercedes spraying them with a bottle of water only added to their hype. It was almost the end of the game and Green Bay was down by six points.
"Come on you idiots!" Cassandra screamed.
"All we need is one touch down and one field goal!" Brian yelled.
"Screw it!" Kevin yelled. "You guys are done!"
"Shut up!"
"You shut up!" Both sides rallied until Mercedes got their attention.
"Look! You guys, look!" She pointed at the screen, and sure enough, there was a Green Bay man, running with the football, towards the end zone with nobody covering him.
"Go, go!" Cassandra and Brian chanted. "Yes!" They both screamed at the same time, jumping up and slapping hands.
"Woo hoo!" Brian yelled. "In your face, Kevy Wevy!"
"Hey now," Kevin said. "It's tied. You still need this next field goal."
Cassandra and Brian sat back down on the couch as the whole room glued their eyes to the screen as Green Bay got ready to punt. They clasped hands tightly. It only took a matter of seconds, and it was over.