I'm in the school bathroom. I approach the mirror. I try to walk away. I don't want to look. Please don't make me look in the mirror.

My head starts to move upwards.

I don't want to see. I don't want to see.

Then I catch sight of my reflection. My heart jolts.

It's not me. It's Kerri Winters. Her mouth is moving.

You are ugly. You are worthless. You are nothing. You are mine.

Her eyes are bulging. She gestures at her shoulder.

I feel something. Something is breathing on my neck.

I jolt my gaze downwards. I catch something out of the corner of my eye.

Something scuttles.

I scream.

***

"Hmmm...maybe Courtney and Co. were acting more weirdly than usual," says Rebecca as we sit in the common room, looking over the suicide note. She gazes up at me, her wide rimmed reading glasses making her look even nerdier than usual.

"Shhh," I hiss.

Rebecca gives me an exasperated look then closes the file.

"What are you so worried about? They're in the sports hall waving their pom-poms about. I saw them heading there after class."

"They have a...a... network of gossips and spies all over the school. It'll get back to them."

I narrow my eyes at Gemma who seems to be watching us with invested interest. Rebecca raises an eyebrow.

"This is high school, not Game of Thrones, Frankie."

"Yes...but still...if we could not have a big shout about how weird the most popular girls in the school are it would be nice..."

Rebecca snorts.

"Popular? They're awful to everyone! There's a difference between appearing popular and being popular. To be popular people have to actually, you know, like you." She grins then looks up at me, "Well, it's obvious what we have to do, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"Yeah. We need to try out for the cheerleading team."

"You're joking, right?"

Rebecca looks at me, confused.

"No. Kerri was a cheerleader. She left a note with the exact same creepy chant on it that you overheard our current cheerleaders saying," she looks down at my right foot under the table. No. Not my foot – Kerri's foot. She wiggles her eyebrows. "Somethings a-foot."

I glare at her.

"Shut up, Rigor. Don't be so disgusting. I'm not trying out for the cheerleading team – and neither are you. Neither of us would get in – Courtney wouldn't allow it."

"If Carter is right, you could have some insane gymnastic skills – courtesy of Kerri. And it's up to the coach to choose the team, not the current cheerleaders. Course you'd get in."

"They'd all laugh at us."

Rebecca leans back in her chair, placing her feet on the table. She raises her eyebrows.

"So?"

I shake my head.

"No. No way."

She makes a strangled, exasperated sound, thrusting back her head to stare at the ceiling.

"Well at least meet me after school at the school gym. We can test your abilities and have a snoop around."

I exhale sharply and she gives me a look.

"You actively avoid the first few buses home after school anyway. I've seen you. It'll kill the time."

The bell rings for next class and I get up, stuffing the file into my satchel. I glare at her.

"Fine."