AllFreeNovel
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“Maybe if you do a dance,” the girl’s seatmate says cheekily.
Nathaniel doesn’t hesitate, backsliding across the floor. The students in the back row stand up to get a better view. They’re a tough crowd, though, because even after this display, they remain silent.
“What about for me?” I ask, then do a double pirouette into a front split.
Three boys immediately point to one of the lockers in the back of the classroom. I move down the aisle, blowing them a kiss.
Inside the locker is another stuffed animal. This time the bunny mascot is holding a little drum. “I love you,” I whisper.
“What did you say?”
I turn to find Nathaniel leaning against the lockers.
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “You want to hold him?”
“Him?” He takes the bunny in both of his hands, turning it around to face me. Using his fingers, he maneuvers the bunny’s arms so that the paw that holds the drumstick beats the little drum. My heart feels as if it’s grown three times its size, watching him interact with the stuffed animal. I must make a soft sound because he looks up to catch me staring at him. His brow lifts slightly.
“Here,” he says, straightening from the lockers, “turn around.”
“What are you—?” My breath catches at the cool touch ofhis fingers against my neck. Brushing my hair aside, he unzips my backpack, tucking Drum Bunny alongside Trumpet Bunny. There’s one more left. What instrument will he be playing? A flute? A violin? I have a sudden, powerful need toknow.
“You want to find the third bunny, don’t you?” Nathaniel says from behind me. He hasn’t removed his hands from the backpack. I can feel the slight pressure as he maneuvers the bunnies comfortably around.
“Yes,” I breathe.
“Then there’s only one thing left to do. Win.”
He starts to zip up my backpack, but my cameraperson stops him. “Leave it a little open.”
As we exit the classroom from the front of the room, the back door slides open and Heartthrob and Sun enter. There’s a short pause, then Heartthrob points. “Get them!”
Nathaniel grabs my hand, and we race out of the room. I feel as if I’ve never run so fast in my life, my hair flying out behind me. Nathaniel takes a left at the end of the hall, and we tumble into an elevator. I press the button for the rooftop while Nathaniel pounds the close button. When the doors shut, we sink against opposite walls, then I realize what we’ve done.
“Nathaniel!”
“What?”
“We forgot the cameras!”
“Oh, shit.”
A laugh escapes me, a snort really, and then I totally lose it, laughing so hard I can hardly breathe. Nathaniel is no better, barely holding himself up. All this time I’ve been careful to keepmy cameraperson with me, but in that moment, with adrenaline pumping through my veins, I’d completely forgotten.
“It’s okay,” Nathaniel says, wiping the tears from his eyes. He points to a camera they’ve rigged over the security camera at the top corner of the elevator. “They’ll use footage from that.”
My backpack buzzes and I pull out a walkie-talkie, switching it on.
“Sori-ssi?” my cameraperson wheezes.
“We’re going to the rooftop,” I tell him.
“Won’t Sun see we’re headed that way and follow us?” Nathaniel asks after I’ve switched off the walkie-talkie.
“I’m sure the PD will hold them off until we’re at least reunited with the cameras.”
We’re both breathing heavily from the running and the laughter.
“You’re good at this,” he says. “I knew you would be.”
