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“Make it quick, Walsh. I don’t have all day to wait for you to primp.” Her voice is gruff and low, and from the muscles bulging under her own tight PE shirt, I’m going to guess that maybe she has been indulging with roids.
Ignoring the urge to say something back to her, I hurry to the locker rooms. It’s empty of people, and I find myself a spare locker to shove all my crap into. I quickly change into the PE uniform and scowl down at my boots. Nobody told me that I needed to bring a change of footwear. This is going to suck. Hopefully we’re only playing some lame team sport and won’t be required to run far—not that I haven’t had to run in combat boots before.
Of course my luck is against me, and when I get out to the gym, everyone is filing through a door that leads outside.
“Listen up. We’re running the cross-country track today,” Coach Barlet announces.
There are a large amount of groans but also some cheering. I scan the crowd, and it looks like the whole senior class has PE at the same time. There are more kids here than there have been in all my other classes.
“Footballers, you go first, I don’t want anyone holding you up. You will be timed.” A group of boys, some that I recognize from my first class, pushes to the front, and when the Coach blows the whistle, they start off toward the forest that is nestled behind an oval field. There looks to be a path leading into it, and sure enough, the footballers enter and disappear.
“Remember to stick to the trail and look for the red flags that are placed everywhere. I do not have time to come and look for you if you get lost, so don’t fall behind.” She directs that last bit specifically to me, glaring down at my boots.
Bitch, please, what do you think our armed forces wear and run in? I am going to be fine. If I can run in high heels, I can run in anything.
She blows her whistle, and the rest of the class starts across the expanse of mowed grass. I hold back a little. I don’t need to prove anything, and I don’t want to fall victim to being tripped by anyone. I’m already banged and bruised enough, so I don’t need to add to them on my first day.
The popular group leads the rest of the senior class. All four girls have PE uniforms that are almost two sizes too small for them. The shorts, which are slightly baggy on me, hug their asses like booty shorts, the bottoms of their butt cheeks hanging out, and the tops are indecently tight. Team Bastard and Ryland fall in behind them, and then there is the rest of the class with me bringing up the rear. I could probably outrun everyone, but I don’t want anyone to know I’m athletic. I want to be underestimated at every turn.
When we reach the forest, the bright sunlight disappears and becomes mottled shade. The track is well defined, and it’s obvious many sneakers must have run this course because there is no way you could miss it. The trees and bushes are thick, and as I scan either side, I realize I can’t see more than a couple of yards before the wall of foliage blocks out any chance of me seeing farther into the bushes.
Ahead of me, the senior class has eased to a walk. Frowning, I slow down as I catch up to them and listen in to the conversation around me. There is chatter about the weekend, the upcoming football game, and some church social thing, and none of them seem concerned about running the track.
I’m not sure what to do. Do I overtake them and keep on running, or do I try to fit into the crowd? I really don’t want to draw attention to myself. As I’m still trying to decide what to do, Lathan drops back and starts to walk next to me, and I’m kind of relieved to see a familiar face.
“What is this?” I ask him, waving to the walking seniors.
“A few years ago, some enterprising students who hated running created a shortcut. None of the faculty knows about it, and it’s passed down from senior class to senior class. We can walk from here until just before the end when you leave the forest and have to cross the parking lot to return to the gym,” he tells me, and in silent agreement, we drop even farther back.
“How are you feeling?” he asks quietly, and I can hear the concern in his voice. It gives me warm and fuzzy feelings that I want to slap myself for.
No, Kenz, do not get attached to one of the team members. Despite him being sweet, sexy, and kind, the rest of them are douchebags.
“Are you still in a lot of pain?”
“Nah, I’m okay.” I play it off lightly. He doesn’t need to know that my ribs are still fairly sore. “Listen, I know I’m supposed to settle in for a week and then touch base with you, but I’d like to do it sooner rather than later. I need to know what you do, because I don’t want to double up on investigating the same things.”
He nods. “Yeah, that sounds smart. I’ll talk to the others after school and let you know a time and place. How was your appointment with Mr. Marshall?” He grimaces slightly, and I chuckle.
“Did you have a run-in with him too?” I ask as we continue along the dappled path.
“I had an appointment with him, but it was completely above board. He asked about my future plans and stuff, but Miller said there was something off about him. He made some insinuations about how, as a foster kid, Miller needed to work extra hard to succeed in life.”
I snort, muttering, “I wonder if he asked Miller to suck his dick too.”
Lathan stumbles and looks at me incredulously. “He asked you to do that?”
“Yeah, but apparently my transcripts say I’d been arrested for prostitution in the past, so I guess he thought there wouldn’t be anything I wouldn’t do to get ahead. He promised to find me a good job.” I shrug my shoulders, and he shakes his head.
“I can’t believe he had the nerve to do that.”
“Oh, for sure. Either he’s involved or he’s a predator, but either way, he’s going down. I’m just glad Ryland walked in before I got down on my knees.”
Again, Lathan’s eyes widen in surprise, and I hide my smirk. He really puts off an innocent air, so maybe he spends more time behind a computer screen instead of in the field. It’s a shame, because he would be the perfect honeytrap. Women are super attracted to the sexy, nerdy shy thing.
“I knew you were lying.” A voice from behind us has me jumping and spinning. Somehow, Miller managed to get behind us without either of us noticing.
“Where the fuck did you come from?” I exclaim, looking around, and he points to a big tree off the side of the trail.
