Leah still has a bone to pick with David

Before you can grab the bag with Jimmy's skin and clothes - how weird is it that you can think of your best friends body as a 'skin'? - Leah takes a step back and looks you square in the eyes.

"Why me?" She asks with some heat.

You didn't expect that. Isn't she the one who asked you to join her?

"What?" Your eloquence astounds even yourself.

"Why did you pick me to be Jimmy's victim?!" Leah all but shouts. She takes a couple of breathes before continuing, "I've never done anything to you! I know I'm... temperamental, but I've never bullied anyone or something like that. Fuck, I've more than once made some dumb ass jock stop. So why?"

There is a lot of truth to her words. She wasn't the easiest to get along with, what with her being so headstrong, but she never went out of her way to embarrass someone. There was a reason she was one of the popular girls at school. Nobody becomes popular by treating everyone like garbage. Of course, there were exceptions, like Ashley. That's when it hits you! You did it because Ashley hates Leah, hates her bulldozing attitude, her insistence that she knows best and so on and so forth. You've called Leah because Ashley would've done that. But that means that the brown pen is a lot more persuasive than you first thought. Turns out Jimmy isn't the only one who screwed up.

"Ashley..." you murmur as you think about what that means.

"Speak up! What about than conniving bitch? I know that you've been her when you called me,"

"You got both pens and know what they do, right?" She frowns and says yes, so you continue, "I've been Ashley and you know she hates you. So that's the only reason I can think of."

There is an awkward silence. That was probably not what you should've said. Great, now you feel guilty on top of awkward. How does that even make sense? Leah holds all the cards right now and yet you feel guilty. These pens really mess with your mind. You should try to get away from her, after finding out that she plans to manipulate everyone she needs to. Not to mention that you already said 'no'. Still, you decide to do something to ease your conscience.

"It's the brown pen, I think. I got so comfortable being Ashley, that I don't think that there was much of a difference between me and the real deal. For what it's worth I'm sorry and....."

You see her slump down on her bed, the bag with Jimmy inside forgotten. She grips her knees before she looks at you again.

"How did it come to this? I've never been so... so.... It's all wrong! The moment I put on your sick friends skin and used the brown pen everything went wrong. I wish I'd never done that."

Now you were worried. "What did he do?"

"Do? It's not about what he did. Heck with these pens, I'd do a lot of things, too. It's what he thinks." The way she emphasized that last word sends chills down your spine. "He is completely sick, a total psycho."

"Look, I know Jimmy likes to make practical jokes, but..." You never get to finish before she cuts you off with a hand on the pen. She doesn't point it at you, though.

"He likes you. You are his best friend. Fuck that, you are his only friend. So now listen to me. James Wilson has never cared one bit for all those people he hurt with his dumb jokes, not for a single instant. The only regret he has is when he gets caught. Among his plans for the next days were such pearls, like wearing your girlfriend to cheat on you, so that you would be free for more interesting ideas. And if that wouldn't work, he planned to zap you and make Jessica break up with you. He is jealous of her. And remember, you, he likes."

"Than why did you ask us to help you?" You really didn't get her at all.

"To keep an eye on him, of course! I mean, I'm no saint. I don't mind using these pens. But as long as I keep him... busy, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't do any of his really bad ideas. And before you ask, you I wanted, because you are the only one he listens to."

"So now that I've said 'no', what are you going to do?"

"Fucked if I know. Tempted to simply get rid of him, but you can't simply let the skins lie around." She points to the bag. The skin is slowly stretching itself into a more 'natural' position. "And as bad as he is, I don't think I could..." She let her voice trail off.

"Wow." It's hard to imagine that she has thought about killing Jimmy. He couldn't be that bad, right? But Leah really looks really distressed, so maybe it's you who is wrong.

She turns to look out her window. The sun is setting and its brilliant light makes her family's garden look simply breathtaking.

"These pens, when I understood what they were, it was like a new world was opened. No idea why I'm telling you this. Now you'll tell your friend and I will always have to look over my shoulder."

A frown appears on your face.

(Author: Cal)