The next morning when Tammy went to school she saw group of people crying. Her heart sank. She didn’t know what was going on. Everything and everyone seemed gloomy. JC walked up to Tammy with Justin, Lance and the others trailing behind. Tammy placed her backpack on the ground. Justin appeared to have been crying as well. JC’s blue eyes were moist and red.
"Tammy, are you ok? I’m really sorry." JC’s mouth turned upside down. Tammy was more lost than ever.
"What are you talking about? Why is everyone crying? What’s going on?" There was a slight rattle in her voice.
"You mean no one told you?" JC’s face grew even more sad and concerned than before. Justin broke down crying and Lance hugged him.
"Told me what?" Tammy’s face was beginning to grow stern. JC looked at Tammy with caressing eyes.
"Tammy-" he paused," Kailie, - - - Kailie died Tammy. She was kidnapped and shot. They found her body laying in an alley in New York." Tammy’s heart pounded. Her mouth dropped open.
"JC, this isn’t funny! Stop joking around!" – Tammy
"I’m not joking, look," he turned and pointed to a group of people gathered together," there is her memorial."
"NO!" Tammy screamed as she fell to her knees. She covered her face. JC looked down with comforting eyes. JC walked in closer and took her in his arms. She clenched his jacket and began to sob.
"No!" Tammy pushed JC away. She stepped backward and looked around tears running down her face. "No!" She ran out of the school away from everything. She didn’t go home. She just kept running. JC watched her as tears fell from his eyes.
Tammy locked herself in her room for the next three days. JC dropped off her backpack at her house. Her mother eventually made her go to school. People offered her words of comfort but all were rejected. Tammy spoke not one word, to anyone. She was alone now. All her friends, her true friends were gone. On Wednesday, Matt came to pick her up for ballet after school. JC watched as she hugged him tightly for a sense security then got in the car and drove away.
The end of school was becoming nearer. Tammy was beginning to come around after about a week and a half. The next few weeks were going to be stressful. There was the prom; the talent show, ballet recital and the school's champion football game. Tammy knew that she wasn’t going to go to the prom or the football game. She hadn’t talked to JC for over a week. She avoided him, afraid that he was going to talk to her about Kailie. She didn’t need or want sympathy. There was nothing that could be done and so she thought why waste your time with sorrows when you couldn’t do anything about it anyway. That week Tammy went to ballet practice to rehearse for the recital. Matt was sitting against the wall watching Tammy spin and leap across the room.
"You know, you should do that talent show at your school." – Matt. Tammy stretched her leg out and arched her back to touch her toe.
"Why, I mean, what would I do?" - Tammy. She released her pose and balanced on her toes. Then she lifted one leg and brought it to her inner thigh to form a triangle and arched her arms above her head.
"What do you mean what would you do? You could dance, or maybe even, oh I dunno sing." – Matt. Tammy put her arms down and lowered herself from her toes. She turned to look at Matt who had his arm loosely wrapped over his knees.
"What about Haylee?" Tammy asked her voice dropped its enthusiasm.
"What about her? If she is going to do the talent show then just do it better than her." – Matt
"It isn’t as easy as it sounds." – Tammy
"Well maybe it is. Maybe you should do something she can’t. Sing for example. I’ve heard her trust me that girl could break glass." - Matt
"I am not gunna sing. You know how red my face is gunna be?" – Tammy
"Same is gunna happen if you dance." – Matt
"Actually it doesn’t. When I’m dancing I usually can’t see the audience cause I’m moving around a lot. But when you sing, you’re just standing there, in front of all those people. Some waiting, just waiting for you to mess up." – Tammy
"Haha, I think you’re getting a little carried away." – Matt.
"Well even if I am, I’m still not going to sing." – Tammy
"So then dance." – Matt
"I dunno," Tammy said reluctantly.
"I’ll even help you with your routine." – Matt
"You don’t have to if you don’t want to." – Tammy
"I’m the one that suggested you do this so I’m gunna help." – Matt
"Heh, ok then." – Tammy.