The Forum by Marie Reyes (short books for teens .txt) 📕

trying to catch her father's murderer with two other random people he had met online. He'd always wanted to go to America but had never got around to it.

"Thanks for coming. I know it's unlikely we will find this person, but there's something about having you here. It feels right. You understand. My friends have told me what I'm doing is unhealthy, as if they wouldn't do the same if it was them." Kristen adjusted the rear-view mirror.

"My ex thought I was nuts. She actually banned me from the forum, like I'm thirteen or something. I can't believe Pickletubs is thirteen, he didn't seem it, did he?"

"I didn't think so." She started switching between radio stations as if she couldn't stop moving. The traffic was at a standstill but they both had nervous energy desperate to be released.

"So, what's Piper and Martin like?"

"Nice. Funny, in a cynical sort of way."

"Sorry to break it to you, but cynical is my jam too."

"I always believed that most people were good. I was a positive person, but after what happened. I just feel like, I'm so distrusting now, and so angry." The car finally started moving again.

~~~

Kristen parked the car in a leafy green neighborhood. "So, this is where I live."

Aadesh couldn't take his eyes off the detached house with red brick exterior. "You own this?" As part of generation rent, Aadesh looked at her home with envy.

Once in the hallway, he took his shoes off. This place looked like the sort of place where people took their shoes off, not like his flat where the ten-year-old carpet was well worn and covered in all sorts of stains left behind from the student that lived there before.

"Make yourself at home. Anything you want, just ask." She gestured towards the living room where Piper and Martin were watching television. They both got up as he approached and offered hugs.

"So nice to meet you." Aadesh looked them over. When you speak to someone who you cannot see, you invent an image of them in your head. You see a face, hair color, mannerisms. The avatars he had created for them couldn't be further from the reality. He saw Kristen as a blond, and Piper as a brunette, but it was the opposite. He was expecting Martin to be geeky like he was, but he had that chiseled, outdoorsy look. He got every detail wrong, down to everyone's eye color.

"The spare room is taken now so you'll have to sleep on the couch if that's okay?"

"Are you kidding? Your couch is bigger than my whole flat. It'll be like staying at the Ritz in comparison."

"Alrighty then. Can I get you a drink?"

"A water please."

"Coming right up. Let me show you where everything is in the kitchen. I got some tea at the store. You Brits love tea, right? Or is that just a stereotype?"

"It's a stereotype because it's true."

"I have loads of soft drinks too. Or beer. Just keep in mind Piper is tee-total so you might want to be subtle with it."

"I don't drink much. Only to gain some Dutch courage when I go on stage."

"I can't believe you're a comedian, that's so cool."

"People are always kinda surprised when I tell them. They're like, 'but you're not funny.' "

She laughed. "Sometimes it must be like a persona, I guess. The you onstage and the real you. Not that I'm saying you're not funny. Anyway, I've got something to show you. I wanted to wait until everyone got here. You can wait in the living room with the others. Oh, and the downstairs bathroom is the one left past the living room."

Aadesh couldn't believe how at home he felt already. Kristen had cultivated a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.

"Kristen is just getting something to show us," he said to the others. The armchair, two-seater and three-seater couches had been brought together and there were cushions and blankets everywhere. The setup reminded him of building forts when he was younger. "Loving the setup."

"I know. It's awesome. Kristen's awesome. We all stayed up watching movies and eating junk food. Felt like a sleepover. I felt like a kid again," Martin said with a blanket over his legs and his head propped up with a cushion.

"I think we should name it adult fort sofa construction ™," Aadesh offered.

"I like it. You gonna sit down?" Martin asked.

"Here it is guys." Kristen lumbered in with a huge corkboard and turned it to face them. It was covered in snippets and pictures, pins and pieces of string linking them all together.

"Wow. You've been busy." Aadesh was impressed. It looked like something from the conspiracy theory videos he watched on YouTube. There was a picture of her father, Bryony Finch, and the unknown third target. She had printed anything she could find on them and pinned it to the board.

"What I want to do tomorrow, if you're all okay with it, is to go to the murder scene of the second victim. I know the police already searched the place from top to bottom, but you never know. Maybe the killer left something."

"Oh crap. You might want to check your cell phones people."

"Why?" Aadesh hadn't connected to Kristen's Wi-Fi yet.

"Can I cast my phone to your television?" Martin asked.

"Sure."

The group page appeared on-screen, showing a new message containing a link. It was a different username than the one that had been used previously.

Theblackpill: You just couldn't keep away, could you? Looks like I will need to dispatch of my subject quicker than anticipated. Don't feel bad though, at least there will be less femoid roastie on the planet. Enjoy. www.videosharequickupload.com/femoidroastiereadytopay.mp4

Martin opened up the link, and everyone sat upright. The video only lasted a few seconds. It was the girl from the most recent video, except now