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“Yeah,” I said, although my voice shook at first. Nerves rattled my bones. “I think I'm ready.”
“You're up late,” he said. “You should get some sleep.” He looked at my basket and then at my face. “That all you're getting?”
I indicated to the basket, waving at it like I didn’t need any of it. What to do with it? I didn’t want to bother with buying the items, but Wil would find it weird if I just put the items away and walked out.
Wil eyeballed Dr. Green. “Why are you interested?”
Dr. Green shrugged. “Oh, I wasn't being critical. Don't mean to offend.” He winked at me and then walked by. It made sense we probably needed to continue to make it look like this was coincidence.
“I don't like him,” Wil said quietly.
“He just scared me for a second,” I said and watched as Dr. Green turned the corner a little slowly. He was showing me where he was going.
“Yeah, there's a rumor he's been hitting on students.” He looked at me. “Be careful around him, okay?”
I clenched my teeth, wanting to defend him but knowing what it'd sound like if I tried too hard. “He's fine,” I said. “I don’t believe in rumors. Anyway, I should get going...He's right. It's late.”
I went to walk past him, and he stretched an arm out, not touching, just enough to get me to pause.
“Hey,” he said. “You can tell me if something's wrong.”
“I'm okay,” I said. I smiled at him and lifted my basket up to show him. “I just forgot to get...eggs.”
He waited for a moment, his arm still raised like he wasn't sure he believed me. After a moment, he lowered his arm. “Oh,” he said. “Back of the store, all the way to the left...”
“Thanks,” I said.
He watched me as I left the aisle. My body was tense. My mind reeled. How many people were spreading rumors about Dr. Green? Was this a valid concern right now? I needed to get out of the store and get into a vehicle with Dr. Green without Wil noticing. I didn't want to risk Dr. Green's reputation any more.
I wondered if Dr. Green would call that Mr. Toma about Wil. I should tell him, when I got a chance, about what he’d said.
Dr. Green was near the dairy section in the very back of the store, looking at yogurt. He glanced my direction once, winked again and then went back to looking at the display.
I got the feeling he was doing what I’d been doing and was just waiting for me. This was public space. If he'd been informed by the Academy girl I'd talked to, then he knew Volto could be near. Not to mention people who knew him from school could walk in at any moment.
Should we stall and wait for North? I thought it might be best to get us both into a car. We could watch for North from there.
I took the smallest carton of eggs then headed to the front of the store. We needed to get out and not wait around where Volto could do something stupid to us.
Dr. Green kept his distance, but when I went into the checkout line to wait, he joined behind me. It was the only lane open, so it shouldn't have been a surprise, but because we acknowledged each other earlier, we still waved to one another.
I grimaced toothily out of nervousness.
He smiled pleasantly and held on to his couple of containers of yogurt.
I put my items on the belt, and then opened my bag to see if North had any money in it, checking the pockets.
Suddenly, Dr. Green bent over and picked up a folded couple of twenties. “Oh, hey. You dropped this.”
I knew I didn't, but I glanced up at where he waited patiently with the cash extended out to me.
I took it, understanding. “Thanks.”
“Sure,” he said. “Get some good sleep tonight. Be ready for that test.”
“I will.”
I was the next in line for the cashier. I considered what I could to do make sure I left to where he could see me. Walk slow to the door so he had time to follow me out? Maybe I could walk the length of the stores...or meet him at the fast food place. Options went on in my head. I'd take his direction. As long as I kept him within eyesight, it should be safe.
I paid the cashier, and she bagged my few items for me. I thanked her. I had to cross in front of several rows of registers to leave, so I just slowed down. I adjusted the backpack and then pretended to search the bag for something, keys perhaps. Anything to allow Dr. Green the chance to catch up with me.
I sensed him coming up behind me, so I straightened up a bit, walking toward the door.
I stalled at seeing Wil standing just shy of the sliding glass door so they wouldn’t open for him. He waved to me. “Hey!” he said. “One second.”
I grimaced and then tried to warm my smile a bit. I had to go to him. I couldn’t imagine what he wanted, but I couldn’t just walk off.
After a few awkward steps toward him, I sensed Dr. Green following me just a little ways as he headed toward the door.
“Do they let you work this late if you've got school tomorrow?” Dr. Green asked him.
What was he doing? My heart raced. We just needed to get out of here.
Wil turned his attention to him to say something when the sliding door opened up and I heard a familiar voice.
“Sang?” a woman called. “Is that you?”
My heart froze. The guys turned.
Erica Lee stood with her purse over her arm, her hair and jacket wet.
She gazed over at me, an eyebrow going up. “I thought you were out with Kota.” She stepped forward and then looked at Dr. Green. “Sean?”
Oh no. Did Kota leave the house? And then told her he was with me? Wasn’t he supposed to stay at home? In my panicked state, I couldn’t remember.
“Hey, Erica.” Dr. Green appeared to brighten and gave her a short wave with a few fingers. “You’re up late.” His tone was so casual, even though I knew he had to be just as surprised as I was to see her.
I said nothing. I stood with a book bag on my back, a small grocery collection in my arm. The fluorescent lights above our heads seemed to brighten in intensity, like it was exposing everything I had done since that afternoon. I wanted to shrink and disappear.
“Kota?” Wil said with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you were going out with the tall one...”
Don't say it!
“Silas,” he said.
Dr. Green laughed a little too loud to cut him off but approached Erica, hugging her just for a second and then let her go, waving to me. “I just came in to get some of this.” He raised his bag for a second to show her the small bulk of yogurt containers. “You’re working the late hours like me, aren’t you?”
Erica looked from Wil to me to Dr. Green and back. “Yeah,” she said and then waved to me to follow her. “Did you get everything you needed? I can give you a ride home.”
I wondered if she assumed I was with Dr. Green, but her tone suggested she’d rather I went with her.
Wil piped in. “Good idea. You won't get caught in the rain on your way home.” He waved to me shortly. His concern seemed to fade. “See you at school.”
I had to go with her. I couldn't just excuse myself, could I?
Dr. Green flashed a very small alarmed expression at me but then changed it completely to something more relaxed. “I should be goin
g, too. I'll see you tomorrow.”
Was he saying it was okay to go with her? I didn't want to ride in the car alone with her. No doubt she’d ask me a ton of questions.
What choice did I have? Dr. Green needed to stay for North. It felt like Wil wasn’t happy to let me go unless I was with Erica.
I swallowed thickly and followed her out into the parking lot.
Stay Cool Under Fire
Erica hurried, covering her head from the rain that was coming down. I scanned the lot, checking for the Jeep, for signs of Volto.
Erica motioned to where her car was parked. “Come along,” she said. “Did you really walk here? That's pretty far.”
“It didn't seem that far when I started,” I said and paused when my voice cracked at the end. My nerves had me shaking, as well as the chill and cold rain that splashed down around me, not to mention the lies. I shifted my bag, pushing the groceries into it, careful around the eggs. I tried to keep my head down so rain didn’t splash into my face.
I bit my tongue, too. Hard. With the rain splashing around me, I felt light headed. I needed to focus, to stay upright. The rain seemed to charge my senses, making my nerves rise up. But I held them back, somehow. Maybe because I could protect my face, or it wasn’t a shower that it didn’t trigger me fainting. Or perhaps the week of rest and Dr. Green’s care made it harder for it to happen, like he said.
I couldn’t do that to Erica.
Erica just raised her arm over her head, and I followed close behind, swallowing back words. My mind reeled.
“Get in the back,” she said quickly.
I went for the seat without question. I opened the door, tossing the bag onto the seat gently before getting in and shutting the door again.
I sat back and found Nathan twisted around in the front passenger seat, staring back at me. Wide-eyed. His reddish hair was matted down around his face, soaked, his body entirely drenched, part of it much muddier than myself.
Uh oh.
Erica got in, strapped her seatbelt on and then held the steering wheel. The rain pelted at the windshield. She didn't start the car. She just looked at the wheel for a few moments.
