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“You’re name is Sang, right?” Karen asked.
I was grateful that she kept the conversation going. “Yeah,” I said. “You’re Karen.”
Karen nodded, holding out a hand. I shook it. Touching was normal. Was making a new friend this easy? Was it like Kota said, that I just needed to open up more? Maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with me. Maybe I just didn’t understand. I felt awkward but I forced myself to smile pleasantly.
“Your friends keep staring at you,” she said, jerking her chin to where the boys were sitting on the other side of the bleachers.
Her words forced me to glance over at Nathan and Gabriel. They were still watching us, curious. They made no attempt to look away now.
“They’re being that obvious, huh?” I asked.
Karen smirked. “Why were they wearing those uniforms today?”
“There’s some special school program,” I said. “Those are the uniforms Ashley Waters wants everyone to wear maybe next year or the year after. There’s something about wanting the other students to get used to the idea.”
“Is that why you’re avoiding them? They seem mad about it.”
Could I tell her? I remembered Mr. Blackbourne’s words about revealing too much information about what the Academy did. Still, we were talking about what was right in front of us and about things that were happening to the school. Wasn’t it important to gauge how other students were reacting?
“I’m supposed to avoid them,” I said. “They were worried the other students would pick fights. I’m supposed to stay out of the way.”
Karen laughed. “I saw Mike at lunch. They’re all picking on you, instead.”
I titled my head to her. “So maybe this was a waste of time? Everyone knows we’re friends?”
She laughed again, slipping fingers over her mouth. “Sweetie, you all stand in that courtyard by the windows of the cafeteria and the main hallway. Yes, everyone knows. They’ve been talking about why Sang isn’t with her boyfriends today.”
I blushed. “We’re just friends,” I said. I was being talked about? Why did they assume they were my boyfriends? Was it because I was sitting on Kota’s lap the other day? Was it how they held my hand and sat next to me? Don’t friends hold hands?
Karen’s eyes sparked. “You’re not dating any of them?”
I lifted my eyebrows, shaking my head. I glanced around, seeing if anyone else was paying attention. The only ones were Nathan and Gabriel and they were out of earshot. “I’ve not really dated anyone,” I confided.
Karen’s smirk softened. “You’re kidding.”
I shook my head. Why would she think I was kidding about it?
Karen opened her mouth to say something.
Bright flashes emanated above our heads and sirens begun to blare. I cringed, covering my ears at the onslaught of noise that echoed through the gym.
“Fire alarm,” Coach French shouted to us. “Everyone outside.”
A fire drill? Now? It was kind of early in the year for it. I sought out Gabriel and Nathan, but the male coaches were directing the boys out the side door toward the back of the school. The girls’ coach pointed us toward the front doors to go in the opposite direction. It made sense to do since we were closer to that side but I was reluctant to follow since the guys weren’t able to stay close.
The girls filed into a line. Karen stood in front of me. The coach held the door open for us and we collected out into the hallway. A mass of students from classes surrounding the gym flooded the hallway. Confusion set in, but most of the students started out toward the doors that led out to the parking lot.
A buzzing started at my chest. I fell back from the group. Karen turned, stopping when she realized I wasn’t right behind her. We mixed in with other students. I pulled the phone out from my bra.
Kota: “hey girl. cum upstars.”
My breath caught in my throat. Kota would never type like that.
“What’s wrong?” Karen asked, a curious eyebrow going up.
It took me a moment to register what this message meant. Two thoughts struck me at once. Kota didn’t have his phone. Upstairs.
Friday Fall.
Warnings flashed through my mind. They’d told me to stay away if there was trouble. I had no idea where Nathan and Gabriel were. Everyone should have been heading outside. Maybe this was a distraction for whatever was going to happen.
Kota was in trouble.
My fingers sought out Karen’s arm. I fixed my eyes on hers. “Did you see where the guys went?”
She nodded. “Those two from gym?” she asked, catching on.
“Can you go find them? Tell them to meet me on the second floor.” There was no other way to reach them. They wouldn’t have their phones.
“Where are you going?” Karen asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
“The fall thing is happening. Say Kota’s in trouble. Tell them that. Hurry,” I said, turning away.
I tucked in against the flow of students headed toward the doors and sprinted for the main hallway. I was pushed, called after by teachers, but I ignored them all. I wasn’t going to leave Kota alone. If Kota didn’t have his phone, and he was in trouble, no one would know to reach him. In this mess for the fire drill, I had to find him. I’d risk another grounding from Gabriel, North and everyone one else if there was something I could do to help.
As I ran, I opened North’s app, pushing the green button to call through. I held the phone to my head. The phone rang but he didn’t pick up. Did I push the wrong button? I tried Silas, but his did the same. Why weren’t they answering? Couldn’t they hear? Were they outside?
When I got to the main hallway, it had emptied. Echoes saturated the air around me. I glanced up at the balcony of the second floor, seeing heads of people clustered together. The stairwell was clear. What were they still doing inside? Why weren’t teachers after them to go outside for the fire drill?
Something flew past my head, thrown from over the balcony of the second floor landing, crashing on the floor next to me. Books smacked against the ground. Papers fluttered across the floor.
Kota’s green messenger bag feathered down next to them.
I charged the stairs, taking two at a time.
When I got close to the second floor, the shouting vibrated through my bones. I slowed, peeking around the corner at the top of the stairs.
Kota dangled up against the far wall. A tall kid grasped him by the throat while two others on either side held his arms to stop him from fighting. Clusters of other students surrounded him. Expectant. Cell phones were out, some filming the event.
Through the confusion, Kota’s eyes met mine. His eyes widened in panic.
A shiver broke through me. My jaw tightened. My hands clenched into fists around my phone. I randomly opened any of the apps, one being Victor’s. I hit the red button.
Kota wriggled and he tried to call out but a fist met against his chest.
Where it
came from, some deep survival instinct maybe, I wasn’t sure. My feet moved. I sprinted across the hallway, shoving the phone into my pocket and cutting around people standing by. I leapt, my foot in the air, and aimed for the back of the guy holding Kota’s throat. I kicked out. I had no idea if it would work but I hoped it was enough to get him to loosen his grip on Kota so he could break free.
“Sang!” North bellowed nearby.
It was too late. I made contact against the guy’s side. He called out in surprise, letting go of Kota’s throat. Someone grabbed me from behind. I yanked myself away, spinning and flailing wildly out at whoever had touched me. More hands found me. I was dragged back. An arm shoved around my waist and holding my arms to my sides. A hand seized my throat.
I was pressed against a large student, with my back across his stomach. I inhaled cigarette smoke and something sharp -- alcohol? I twisted my head and recognized the bully that had attacked Gabriel the day before. His chubby fingers pinched at the skin of my arms as he gripped me.
“Greg,” he called out. “Got your girlfriend.”
“Sang.” Greg came into view. He smirked, his arms crossed over his thin chest. Students made a circle around us. Greg jerked his chin in my direction. “What the fuck are you doing with Eric?”
I struggled but Eric kept me in a grip against my arms. I glared back at Greg. A commotion over his shoulder caught my eyes. Kota was hefted off the ground. He struggled but more hands grabbed him. His blazer was stripped from his back.
Greg brought his face close to mine. “Come to watch?”
“Let her the fuck go,” North called. I twisted my head, spotting North, Victor and Luke pressed up against the wall a short distance away. North was bucking against a group of guys restraining him. Silas was on the ground at their feet, moving but with at least ten guys piled on top of him, throwing punches against his body.
I now knew why they couldn’t respond to my calls. They’d been here the whole time. I swallowed a cry. Screaming at them wouldn’t help. “What’s going on?” I asked, facing off Greg.
