Alton High

I had never wanted to be in on the joke. I hated pranks and this one seemed especially horrible. Not to mention dangerous. But since Joe and Charles were the masterminds behind the prank, the show would go on. At eighteen, the two were the Kings of Alton High and no one ever dared to question, much less contradict them. But at the end of the day, Alton High was surrounded by worried parents, police, paramedics and all the fire trucks in town. 

Charles, being the ringleader, had tried to explain the situation and try to get everyone to understand what had happened had been an accident. His reputation would be ruined if anyone found out what had really happened that day. 

Which was why I was so interested to see everyone at our ten-year reunion. I was curious to find out what Je and Charles’ parents had done to coverup what had happened on that fateful day. How much hush money had been passed around to keep their joke-gone-wrong a secret? Had they gone on with their lives knowing Maria had no future? As soon as I walked into the reunion, I could feel the tension. Had somebody snitched and told the police what had really happened that day? It would be a huge risk talking after seeing how much power their parents wielded. It was only when Charles walked in that I realized the guilt of Maria’s death hung over him. I almost laughed out loud when I realized I would never been caught for what I had done. For the part I had played. That’s why no one would ever know I changed my name to Marion instead of just plain Maria.