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“Sweetie,” Kota said, “you’re bruised all over. Was this from last night?”
“Sort of,” I said, deflecting. Two nights in a row, the guys had done damage to my neck, and the results were in front of their faces. North and Gabriel had meant to keep it a secret, but now nearly everyone else knew, even if they didn’t know the full measure of it. Heat flooded over my face. I stammered to provide them with an answer, but doing so felt like a betrayal to Gabriel and North. I didn’t want to talk about it without them until I could tell the others. “But it doesn’t hurt. I’m fine.”
Kota glanced over at Silas.
But Silas’s eyes never left my neck. He inched closer. Kota backed away, giving him room.
Silas towered over me staring.
He knew what this was.
He wouldn’t say anything. He only stared. I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking.
Kota threaded his fingers through his hair. “Well, if you’re okay with it, let’s go look through your sister’s room.”
I nodded, glad for the distraction. I’d made it sound like I didn’t want to talk about it, and I was dying to, but wanted to talk to Gabriel and North first before saying anything.
Victor and Gabriel had a long drive ahead of them. They’d be able to continue the discussion about the kissing they’d started with me. Now Silas would probably ask some of the others what was going on. Maybe he even suspected this was North.
As we started up the stairs toward Marie’s room, I felt worse and worse about not being able to tell either of them. Secrets appear worse on the outside.
SKIPPING SCHOOL
WITH MR. BLACKBOURNE
An hour of searching Marie’s bedroom didn’t produce anything. No drugs or anything that looked like it.
But we did find cash, a wad of it inside a dresser drawer. It was a lot, to me. Kota had me check my money jar, but I didn’t know the amount that was in it before. It didn’t look like it had been touched anyway.
To be sure, he had me place the jar inside the attic. He left Marie’s cash in the drawer, and we left the room.
We got a call from Victor saying that Marie and Danielle were conscious, but neither one was talking. When they were asked about taking any sort of drug, they both said no.
Dr. Green wanted to keep them both overnight to observe. In the end, they had Danielle call home asking to stay at Marie’s house and go to school with her the next day. Danielle’s mother readily agreed. Danielle only agreed to it because she was already in trouble and knew it.
Mr. Blackbourne instantly called them out about lying and covering up something once he got involved. He spoke with each of them for a few minutes, but while he could tell something had gone on they wouldn’t talk about, he couldn’t figure out what happened.
For the rest of the day, Kota, Silas and I cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the house, taking turns looking out the window, watching Mr. Morris.
Later, Luke swung by and picked up Silas. Kota made a show of going home in the evening, but took the long way around and returned.
I should have been double-exhausted, but I wasn’t and couldn’t sleep.
Kota never asked me about my neck again.
???
Two coffees and a microwaved sandwich got me out the door and moving toward the school Monday morning. Kota handed over cash from his own wallet for me to hang on to.
“Why?” I asked him, tucking it away with my phone.
“It’s a good idea to always carry some,” he said. “I should have thought about it before. Look what happened last time at the football game. We’re lucky you had some.”
I made sure to cover up my neck with makeup like Gabriel had shown me before leaving. Kota glanced at it once, but never said a word. I blushed, wishing one of the other boys had talked to him about it.
Once we got to school, I settled on a school bench before the first bell, leaning against Kota.
“Look what you’ve done to her,” Kota grumbled at Nathan. “She’s a wreck.”
Nathan shook his head. He’d spent the night in the hospital, and was brought in by Dr. Green. “Me? We took her to a dance club and tried to make her be lazy yesterday. You had her cleaning.”
“Sang,” Kota said. He snapped his fingers at me, forcing me to open my eyes. “If you don’t perk up, Mr. Blackbourne will notice, and we’ll all get grounded.”
I thought he would ground us all anyway. All of the guys slumped where they were sitting. Dark circles under our eyes were becoming a trend. I don’t think any of us slept well. We’d all be on sick leave for a month at this rate.
And sure enough, a message from Mr. Blackbourne appeared on my phone just after the third period bell rang.
Blackbourne: Report to Music Room B for fourth period.
I stood outside the door of Music Room B with Nathan. I stared at the handle and the faded white paint of the “B”, as if that would give me a hint of what kind of mood Mr. Blackbourne would be in.
“He’s going to know,” I said. “He’ll take one look at me and know.”
Nathan sighed. “Want me to go in with you?”
I shook my head slowly. “He’ll yell at us both. You should go to class. We have to appear normal.”
He glanced over his shoulder. In the shadow of the doorway to the music rooms, we were mostly hidden from the other students. He leaned in and kissed me quickly on my cheek, close to my ear. “Text if you need me.”
I was stunned for a second. The kiss was daring, but also a new turn. I hadn’t expected it. He’d seemed to distance himself since the club.
I turned to check, but he was already leaving. The moment he was gone, I wish I had been less eager to do this alone. I was so much braver when one of them was with me.
I tried to shake off the feeling. This was Mr. Blackbourne. He wasn’t going to kill me.
I waited for lightning strikes.
I opened the door, stepping inside the music room. The chalkboard had been recently erased, and the chairs surrounding it in a semi-circle were the only hints that another class may have used it earlier.
Mr. Blackbourne was leaning against the piano on the other side of the room. His arms were crossed over his chest, scrunching up the maroon tie that was tucked into the dark gray suit. The moment I was clear of the door, his steel eyes locked on mine. Unwavering.
He started forward at the same time I was heading toward him. He unfolded his arms from his chest as he marched. “Miss Sorenson,” he said, but even as he spoke, he continued his approach.
I took a half step back, trying to get out of his way. “Mr. Blackbourne?”
“Leave your things,” he said, heading for the door.
I hesitated. I’d expected so many things. Questions. Yelling. Having to defend the boys and the choices we’d made. I know I promised to relax and take it easy, but there had been circumstances far beyond our control. He had to have known. He’d been dealing with them, too.
He approached the door, and then stood aside with his back pressed to it, holding it open. He snapped a look at me with those eyes, and I jumped into action to obey the quiet command. I dropped my book bag into one of the chairs and started after him.
“Leave your phone, too.”
Alarm seized through me. There were few reasons why we’d need to leave phones behind. Volto being the primary suspect. “Is he back?”
Mr. Blackbourne’s eyebrows shot up for a brief moment, before settling again into an unreadable expression. “Please leave your phone and follow me.”
My face started to heat as I tucked my hand into the cup of my bra, drawing out my cell phone. I returned to my bag, planting it on top. Walking away from it felt like I was leaving something important behind, like leaving the boys out of reach.
I had Mr. Blackbourne. I needed to learn to trust him and his requests, if I expected him to trust me.
I brushed past Mr. Blackbourne and continued into the hall. The students had thinned out. The tardy bell
rang through the overhead speakers.
Mr. Blackbourne released the door and started up the hall at a fast pace. I started to trail behind him, like a student following a teacher.
After a moment, he paused in his stride and gazed back at me. “Miss Sorenson,” he said.
I quickened, nearly tripping to catch up and walk beside him. He didn’t like it when I walked behind the guys. I supposed he didn’t want me to do it with him, either.
