The glaring red numbers on my phone screamed 6:05 AM. Forty-five minutes. That’s all I had to transform myself from a physics-cramming zombie into the perfectly put-together senior I needed to be.

My reflection in the mirror, post-brushing, was a disaster: chapped lips, dark circles, and hair that looked like a bird’s nest. But a quick bun and a change into my favorite yellow floral top with jeans worked wonders. "Perfect," I declared to my reflection, striking a pose.

Mom's voice, a distant shout from downstairs, spurred me into action. Backpack, glasses, almost out the door… then I remembered. My most important item. I pulled 'Gone Girl' from my bookshelf, its cover a familiar comfort. Mysteries were my life; a habit born from countless hours of 'Criminal Minds' and 'Goosebumps'. My father, a Private Investigator, had instilled in me this insatiable need to uncover the truth, a legacy I intended to uphold.

"Good morning, Mom," I chirped, grabbing an apple. Derek was already done, as usual. We barely made it to the bus before it pulled away, heading towards Willow Creek High. Our town was small, mundane even. Nothing exciting ever happened. But as I saw Hailee and Tyler waiting for me at the school entrance, a strange feeling settled in my stomach. Something was about to change.