The police ended up finding arsenic in the salt. Everything was just as James said...

They were just words, weren't they?! We were always making fun of each other at the forensics club! Whatever happened to the saying "sticks and stones"?!

I looked to Shandra with her head buried in her hands. The police came by and were reading her her rights while placing her hands in handcuffs. She needed someone to comfort her. But I had no idea what to do. How could I comfort a murderer?!

"You're so cold."

James was standing next to me as we watched Shandra stand up. It was to be the last time I saw her.

"You're so cold, Chris."

"You're too emotional, James."

"You don't understand it, do you... How much words really hurt..."

"I understand damn well...!"

"No... How would you feel being called a loser every day? Every day for a half hour being called a loser. Loser! Loser!" James turned his face to me and started pushing me. "Loser! You goddamn loser! You suck at life! Why don't you just go crawl into a hole and die!? You're just a bi-"

"Stop it!" I felt water fall on my cheek. My eyes were red. I was watching Shandra walk past me for the last time. She wouldn't make eye contact.

"You idiot!" James shouted. "You idiot! You're such a goddamn jerk! They're just words, right?! Just words, dammit! Don't cry, you idiot!"

"Just shut up!" I screamed back. My face was streaming with tears. It was too much stress at school. It was too much stress at the forensics club. It was too much...

James smiled and helped me up. He motioned toward my friend Shandra. I nodded and walked over to her. And though she was in cuffs, I could feel her arms around me, as I hugged her for the last time.