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Hawk and I could see one another more often.
I tugged the jumpsuit on over my clothes and stuffed my feet into my boots with more force than was necessary. Janice entered and worked the lock on her locker next to mine.
“Morning,” I said.
“What did we do now?” Janice whispered as she removed her jumpsuit from her locker.
Confused, I turned. From the scorn and skepticism on their faces, other members of the crew seemed to harbor the same unease.
The room was as solemn as a tomb.
Hm. Maybe their whispering hadn’t been about me at all. What had Pris told Stina?
“Who knows?” I said. “She’s always got something to grill us about.”
“Did something else go missing?” Trevor asked. He had black hair and a long nose and stood just behind Janice, zipping into his jumpsuit as well.
The tense mood continued while the rest of the sleepy crew trickled in. Emmett, with his short-cropped curls, saluted Janice and me with two fingers at his temple.
Stina sat in her almighty chair, arms folded, mouth pinched, until the crew stood in our gray jumpsuits, ready for keys and the day’s assignments.
I suddenly felt as though I were in the army instead of on a janitorial staff.
Officer Stina gave a noisy sniff. Her chair creaked, and she rose and stood before us like for all the world shewasa drill sergeant.
“Mr. Danielson is getting suspicious,” Stina began. “How many of you received an email with an invitation to the ball yesterday?”
“Ella got more than that,”Pris muttered.
I was ready to throttle her. She pelted me with a snooty glare.
Her sister, Charlotte, gave me a surprised squint, as though wondering what was going on between us.
One by one, each member of the crew raised his or her hands. Was there something wrong with having been invited?
“So did I,” Stina said. “To have him extend this invitation so soon after accusing one of us of theft?”
“Innocent until proven guilty?” Charlotte suggested.
“Why don’t you ask Ella if he suspects one of us? She’s apparently all buddy-buddy with Mr. Danielson all of a sudden.”
The attention of the room veered to me. My chest tightened.
Jealous much?
Hawk’s visit to me this morning must really be eating at her. It made me grin inside, just the tiniest bit.
Hey, she was the one who made everything between us a competition. I might as well get one up on her.
Her mother ignored her. “That means he’s noticing us. That means we’re either doing something very right, or very wrong. Let’s make sure it’s the former, people.
“Double and triple check your work. Every garbage can, every hallway, every stair. Make sure your work is impeccable, and if you know anything about the missing office supplies, report it immediately.”
My stomach twisted. “You still don’t know who’s been taking things?”
“Isn’t it always the guilty who speaks up first?” Pris sneered at me from across the room.
“I didn’t do it.” I offered my hands in unnecessary surrender. “I’m just surprised they haven’t found out who it was.”
