On my way home I noticed a boy I had never seen before standing in the lobby.

"Are you new here?" I asked from behind him. He turned around to see me approaching him. I got a good look on his face and registered the fact that he was a very cute Asian, my age. He had black hair styled in a messy look that suited him really well. His eyes were the perfect shade of hazel that just made you want to stare into them all night long. I found myself gawking at his dashing appearance and had to shift away from him. Then I suddenly began comparing him to Ryan. Ryan also kind of sported the messy style but it was in such a preppy way... his hair was chocolate brown with some black hair underneath that ultimately made his hair look dark brown. Ryan's eyes were a piercing green that caught your attention from any were they made you look but with this new guy his eyes made you want to look. I cursed myself silently for comparing the one I loved to this total stranger.



"Yeah actually, I Just arrived today. I'm in room 25," he said. I noticed how silky smooth his voice was, like you could fall into it but with Ryan's scratchy voice it made you want to listen sharply but it is sexy. Again I cursed myself for my thoughts of this kid being cuter than Ryan.



"My name is Jack by the way," He added again with his silky voice. I liked the name Jack, well for him any way, it suited him.
"Is your Jill?" He asked with a humorous smile. It was such a cheesy thing to say I had to laugh.

Smiling, laughing, giggling, I responded, "No its Kala."

We said our goodbyes and I headed to my room. I looked around my room, small bad with wrinkled sheets and shoes covering the floor. Two posters hung miserably on my wall. One Eminem and one Justin Bieber across from each other glaring at each other like they hated each other because let's be honest they probably do. A few books lay on my single shelf and my drawn in my old fashion dresser is cracked open and I can see the few outfits I own and in my tiny closet hangs one black dress for church and s few nice shirts for school. I had barley anything. How did I manage to pay for university? Oh yeah that's right scholarship for technology. I was great at tech and worked all my life for a scholarship in that which I eventually got. Then I decided to use my scholarship worthy talent for something useful, Justice. It was midnight and past curfew at the apartments but I snuck into the lobby and hacked one of the lobby computers easily.



I had the viewing of the security camera from the day of the shooting up in less than 10 minutes. I watched it over and over. To my dismay the video that would have caught his face had been disconnected, probably by him.



I looked around the lobby for some clues. Gasping, I saw something on the ground, a hair. I ran upstairs to my bathroom and rummaged through the drawers. I found a pair of tweezers and some bags. Grunting, I used the tweezers to pick up the hair and carefully place it in the bag once I got back downstairs to the lobby.



Then something from the corner caught my eye. A bullet was on the ground. It was the bullet that killed my sister. I picked it up with the tweezers and placed it into another bag. I scanned the room for evidence then jerked my head towards the noise of men talking. I shut down the computer and slipped back upstairs and into my room without anyone ever knowing I was there.

I emailed Mr. Walburg the second I woke up the next morning.

"You asked for me?" Mr. Walburg asked me the second he saw me sitting in a chair in the lobby. He walked over and took a seat by me. I took a sip of my ice water then nodded. "Yes I found some evidence, a bullet and a single strand of hair, I dint touch them with my hands at all so you could run them for prints," I boosted.



"Very good, "He praised. "You are aware that there are probably millions of hairs from tons of different people on this floor, right?"

"Oh I never thought of that," my heart sank but I still had the feeling that one was the right hair.

"Well I will take them back to work and scan them and all the fun junk I do and get paid for every day," he said and I chuckled. I was one step closer to finding the murderer I had to celebrate.



I ran to Ryan's house with a hopeful heart. I pounded on the door yelling his name and then someone opened the door but it wasn't Ryan it was a girl, Sammi. Sammi was one of Ryan's goof friends he always hung out with during school; I was kind of friends with her too.



"Hey good timing I just baked some cookies for Ms. Evens and Ryan! We're eating them come join us," without waiting for an answer she took my hand and led me into the living room. She gave me a quick hug before letting me plop next to Ryan on the coach. She was right Ryan and his mom, Ms. Evens, were eating fresh baked cookies.



"Hey guess what," I whispered into Ryan's ear. "What," he asked while munching on a cookie.

"I found evidence! A bullet and a brown hair-" I stopped and suddenly realized the color of the hair I found had been identical to Ryan's unique Chocolate brown hair. I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. No. Just no, Ryan would never do that, I trusted him.



"Cool," He said and gave me a side hug.



Once I got home I rummaged through my drawers until I found a notepad and pen. I started jotting down the suspects.
Ryan
Joe
Justin



Joe was a real bad kid at school that had jet black hair that made him look emo and scary. Justin was a good kid but he kept to himself and always seemed..... Suspicious of something, plus he had brown hair. I looked over my list and crossed out Ryan's name.



I was thinking about who else it could be when I heard a knock on my door. Nobody comes to my apartment unless to tell my mom she is late on the bill which we paid last week or Ryan picking me up for a date but he was with Sammi right now and we never made any plans.



Mind racing, heart pounding, I tried to locate were my mom was, which should be at work, good she is safe. I crept to the door on toes of stealth and looked through the peep hole. An Asians face filled my vision.



Breathing a sigh of relief, I opened the door, smiling.

"I heard," Jack murmured.
""What," I stuttered.
"Your sister," he prompted.
"Oh... how did-"



"Word gets around anyways I think I can help," he said then gestured for me to follow him. I stepped outside my door and followed him outside. We sat on a bench.



"See that camera across the street?" Jack asked, pointing at, sure enough, a camera positioned on a roof of the building. Grinning, I felt my heart leap. "I think I can hack into that."



He shot me a glance. "Good."



We walked into the police station and I led Jack to the stairwell. We went to the lowest level, the basement kind of. Eyes gazing, mind wondering, I crept threw the cold, deserted room and we made our way to the back were the computers sat waiting for us. After a short wait I had the computer up and running and the security camera on the screen. I clicked on the video of July 16 and watched a man in black walk across the screen, without showing his face. Then he walked out and we paused it on a side view of his face. That was as much face that he showed before he pulled up his hood so I decided to print the picture.



Footsteps sounded in the stairwell and I shut the computer down, praying it would still print. Jack shoved me behind the computers and he followed. A police man walked into the room and my heart sunk as the printer started printing the page. He flashed his flashlight at the printer and started walking towards it. Jack and I tried to scoot out of his view.



Jack and I clutched onto each other and tried to become as small as possible. We slowed our breathing so we could not be heard and we prayed to not be seen. Since I was underfed anyways it wasn't too hard to stay hidden but breathing quietly when I was starting to panicking was hard.



""Stupid printer," her muttered and crumpled the paper and threw it at a trashcan, missing.
"That was close," Jack whispered after the police man's footsteps faded away. "Too close, "I agreed.



I picked up our now crumpled paper and started towards the exit. Luckily, we got out with no trouble and Jack promised we would investigate more tomorrow.

Yawning, I got out of my bed and put on a silky black dress. I slipped on black flats and pulled my hair up into a neat bun. The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. It was Ryan; I had emailed him to come to my sisters funeral with me today.



"I'm glad you came," I said as a girl approached us.


"I brought Sammi," he said. At first I wanted to scold him for bringing other people without my permission but Sammi is ok.



"I'm terribly sorry about your loss," she said while hugging me. She was wearing a mini black dress that was much too tight and she had on high heels.



Then Jack arrived at the door.



"Oh Jack I forgot I'm going to my sisters funeral today," I explained.
"It's cool," he shrugged.



"Do you have a tux?"
"Yes."

"Then come with us," I asked and Jake smiled and turned around to go to his apartment.



"Friend," Ryan asked.
"Like you and Sammi," I reassured.



Sammi grinned and Ryan turned pale white, I had no idea why but didn't care at the moment. Then I took a moment to check Ryan out. I looked at his suit. It was really nice. Then Jack came back wearing, not exactly a tux but close enough, black skinny jeans with a white under shirt with a black blazer. Sammi and Ryan wore rich cloths that made me stand out but with Jack here, casual but most definitely formal, I felt better. My mom came out of her room also in a simple black dress and hair in a bun. She, like Sammi, wore high heels.



Her eyes were clouded with pain. She didn't even bother asking why I brought friends.
"Get in the car," she muttered not looking at any of us.



I sat in the front with mom while Ryan, Sammi, and Jack squeezed in the back.



Sammi and I talked a little bit and so did Ryan and Jack but by now everyone had sensed my mother's sorrow and maybe even a little of mine and quieted down.



I thought I had been standing for hours. My legs ached so I went and knelled by Julie's coffin with my mom.



Eyes burning, heart aching, I held onto my mom but nothing stopped the tears from coming. I felt a body shift behind me and I couldn't control myself. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I whipped around and flung myself into Ryan's arms, who stumbled backwards at my embrace.



Only it wasn't Ryan.



I got control of myself and stepped back.
"Sorry Jack," I muttered whipping away a river of tears.

"No problem," he said casually placing his hands in his pocket, then his eyes darkened.



"We will find your sister's murderer, I promise,"



Ryan coughed from behind us, probably telling me to take a step back from Jack because I was standing pretty close to him, but I didn't we just turned to look at him. I couldn't help but to shudder at the memory of his hair being the exact color of the evidence I found. I knew he didn't do it but I still didn't walk over to him and Sammi, instead I stayed standing by Jack the only person I could truly trust.

Ryan



Joe



Justin



That was my list of suspects. Yes, I added Ryan back on. Jack and I studied the picture of the murderer that we printed out. It looked like the killer had small eyes and full lips, but it was hard to tell. My heart sank as I realized Ryan sported those features. It looked nothing like Justin so I marked him off the list and remembered a brunette with small eyes and full lips in my homeroom. His name was Tanner. I also thought of the possibility that it might have been a girl then realized that the killer was built and his featured made it pretty obvious it was a man, plus his hair was cut in a boy style. Then I decided to cross out Ryan's name again.



Joe



Justin



Tanner



Jack had no idea who these people were, except Ryan which he figured out was my BF.



My mom opened the door. "Your counselor would like to speak with you," she muttered then left.



Mr. Wallburg walked into the room.

"I know you're not really a counselor so why call yourself one?" I snapped.



"It gives people a sense of calm," he explained. I snorted.



He waved a hand at Jack. "BF?" he asked.



"NO! My BF happens to be Ryan Evens, you know son of ROBERT EVENS owner of the Wells Fargo Bank," I said smugly. Then Mr. Wallburg's eyes darkened.






"We couldn't identify any prints or anything on the bullet casing but the hair is definitely from, I'm sorry, a Ryan Evens," He said.



Jack and I exchanged glances.
"If I find out anything more I'll let you know," he said then left.



Moaning, I thought it couldn't be possible, not my Ryan!
"Come on let's talk to people on your list, Ryan last," Jack murmured.

"PLEASE! I may steal and get in fights but I don't murder people! At least not for fun. HAHA," Joe said.



"Where were you morning of July 16?" Asked Jack.
"The local skate park, go check the video cameras if you must," he replied.



"We will," I snapped, and we did. Joe was at the skate park like he said and he just happened to be with Tanner so the only person left on the list was Ryan.



We walked slowly towards Ryan's house, feeling the dread in the air. I paused in front of his door, getting ready to knock. Then Jack stepped in front of me and bluntly opened it himself. I knew were Ryan's room was. It was on the third story so we silently climbed the stairs and stood in front of his bedroom door. I heard giggling then I bluntly opened his door to see him sitting next to Sammi, kissing.

He looked up and saw me. I tried to run away but he was at my side grabbing my arm. Screaming, I tried to break away but I couldn't.



"You're hurting me," I gasped through tears.



"Listen to me," He yelled and grabbed my shoulders and grabbed my shoulders tight then shook me. I tried pushing away from him but he slapped me. I fell to the floor. He reached for me but Jack jumped in his way and punched him in the nose.



"LEAVE HER ALONE," He yelled and punched his nose again. Ryan grabbed his nose, screaming, and crumbled to the floor.



Jack hauled me up and dragged me out of the house. We made it to the apartment complex and then I broke down crying again. Jack led me to my room.



Heart hurting, mind racing, I realized the truth.
"Ryan killed her," I croaked.



Jack shook his head in frustration.




"He is a jerk," he announced, "But not a murderer."



Jack got my some ice for the slap and bruises Ryan caused me and I fell asleep, tears in my eyes.



It came to me through a dream. I was at a tattoo parlor getting a tattoo on my neck of a shark, in black ink. Then I woke up, it was not much of a dream but it was enough. I knew Julie sent that dream to me, I could feel her touching my heart. Jack was asleep in my desk chair so I decided to take a shower. By the time I was done he was awake.



"We can locate the killer by the tattoo on his neck," I called from my closet were I was getting dressed.

"We don't know what it looks like," He reminded.



"It was a shark," I announced. I know it was stupid to trust on a dream I had but I trusted it was from Julie. Today was the day I would find my sister's murderer, I was sure of that.

There was only one tattoo parlor in our city so that narrowed it down. Shuddering, I walked into the scary looking store and a bald man with huge biceps walked towards us.



"Have you ever given a man a tattoo of a small black shark on his neck?" I asked him, shaking.



He eyes us and turned around. He came back with seven papers. They were picture of the tattoo and the faces of the people they were on. I recognized the tattoo right away. It was a shark then I saw who it belonged too. Omigod.



"We don't have proof," Jack reminded me. I ran downstairs and searched for the hairs on the ground. I found one.



Jack and I ran to the police station. I went to the first FBI agent saw.



"Can you scan this hair and find out when it fell out of the persons head?" I asked.



"We think this may help us solve who murdered her sister," Jack explained.



The police man nodded and ordered us to follow him. The scan of the hair and the picture of the man with a tattoo matched. I found my sisters murderer!!

The police burst into the house and located thee man right away.



"PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR MIKE WALLBURG," The police shouted at Mr. Wallburg.



Anotheer police said," You have thee right to remain silent; you have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you-"



"What did I do," Shouted Mr. Wallburg.



"Where were you the morning of July 16the?" I asked walking into the room, Jack behind me.



"I... I-I .... Um..." he stuttered.



A police came behind him and reached for his neck.



"Yep, he has the tattoo."



"IM NOT GUILTY! Please don't arrest me," he begged.



Smile widening, Eyes glowing, I said, "You messed withe thee wrong person."



"Why did you kill her sister?" Jack asked.



"Because! I loved her!" Wallburg shouted.



"So you... killed her?" I try to grasp what he is telling me.



"She left me! She said she would get back with me after she got done with collage but rumors started circulating that she had a new handsome charming boy friend. If I can't be happy she most definitely can't!" He sobbed, the pain shinning on his face.


"You are like 10 years older thean her!" I spit, disgust running through my veins like poison.


"We were in love!" He says back with a sincere cry theat almost made me feel sorry for him for just a second. Almost.


"You’re going to rot in jail," I hiss through clinched teeth. Then the police step in-between us.



"Thanks for the help but you can leave thee rest to us," A police officer said.



We watched them drag him away and after every one was gone I flung myself into Jack's arms. I felt his strong arms wrap around me in an embrace.



"We did it," I boosted not letting him go.



"You did," he murmured.



I looked up into his hazel eyes, still in each other's arms. He leaned closer to me. Sighing, I gave in and our lips met. He held me close as we kissed. It was sweet. All my sadness and anger about Wallburg killing Julie melted away in that one pure kiss that I would never forget. We pulled apart and he murmured:



"Julie, wherever she may be, is looking down at you, proud of you, that you brought her murderer to Justice."