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“What about Emmerson?” Jasper asks, looking around and not finding his finale counterpart.
A stone sinks in the bottom of my stomach. How could we have been so blind to notice that we’re being dismissed but one person hasn’t come back yet?
“His time in this competition has come to an end. You’re free to return to the house.”
A heavy silence drops over the group. The elation that surrounded us after we came out of the room, then as Jacob and Wyatt arrived, and now Jasper, turns bitter at the back of my throat. We were out here drinking and celebrating whilst they went through the wringer, and now Emmerson isn’t even coming out—coming back.
Silently, and as if on auto-pilot, we head to the cars. Grabbing Jacob, I shove him in the closest one, Leo following with nothing more than a scowl before Wyatt climbs in too. Pulling the seat forward takes twenty million years with us all smashed in the small space, but I clamber in the back row regardless. I’d rather be squashed in the back knowing he’s safe than in a car with the others, or on my own.
A shiver ripples over my skin. Being alone in this game isn’t an option.
“When will we get our phones back?” Leo asks, his arm casually thrown over the back of the seat.
“They’re back at the house,” the driver replies.
“Are you waiting for something?” I ask.
“I just want to know where it is,” he clips out without turning his head. “A clue on what time it is wouldn’t go amiss either.”
“It’s a little after seven,” the driver replies.
Well, I guess it’s good news that they do speak, that they are humans. Seeing them loitering around the pool house and Ivy and the rest of the girls had definitely caused concern.
Not that any of these blank-masked guys have done anything to cause that, but they answer to someone beyond us and obey without question, and that can’t be fully trusted.
“We’ve missed dinner,” Jacob comments idly.
“We’re heading back with a lot less than an empty stomach,” Wyatt says quietly. “Even if he did try to push me back through that doorway.”
The car falls quiet, with each of us lost in our thoughts. We all made it out in the first two rounds, so how much worse does Jasper feel right now knowing that it could have been him?
Jacob tips his head back between the headrests and I shuffle forward, pressing mine against his, eyes closed as I rest my arms over his shoulders.No matter how close or far it felt today, we’ve got this.
After a few minutes, he taps my arm, sitting back up properly as I move back in the seat. We might be amongst friends, but we still can’t show weakness, plus it’s a long way back, and that shit was uncomfortable.
Eventually, the Pendleton Prep campus comes into view, our familiar driveway dark and empty as we thread under the trees. Somehow we’re the first ones back, and I idly note how lucky it is that both Oliver and I shoved our keys in our pockets before leaving, although I have a feeling the man in the front would have had a solution for that.
The house is silent as we enter, peeling our masks off, but nothing is seemingly out of place as we turn on every light and head to the kitchen, secretly praying for food, or at the very least a take-out menu. Neither of which we find.
Luckily for us, Jacob still has the list Ian gave us before we moved in here, thank god for friends outside of The Sect, and runs upstairs to grab it. The phones are lined up on the kitchen counter as we get there, and the temptation to take them all and flick through them is a lot… even without their passcodes
“Nick, did you hear from Ivy?” Wyatt asks, looking at his.
Flicking out of my notifications, I check my messages again. “No, why?”
“She text me a couple of hours ago to check that everything is all right.”
“Fuck, okay. Well, reply to her then,” I say, my heart pumping.
“I already did,” he says. “I just let her know I’m home safe and sound.”
“And…”
“And she asked after you.”
Yes!
“And Leo, Jacob and Taylor.”
