by Jo Cassidy
I placed the rock in my backpack.
"You're going to carry that all the way back home?"
"I'm not leaving evidence behind."
He smiled, shaking his head. "You're full of surprises, Cora."
Holding in my smile, I draped the towel over the window pane, pulled myself through the window, and set my feet quietly on the floor of the classroom. I glanced around as Brendon crawled through next. A chemistry lab. One class I had been looking forward to taking in the future. But I knew deep down in the pit of my stomach that my school days were limited.
My backpack jerked as Brendon stuffed the towel back inside and zipped it closed.
"So, where we headed?" he asked.
"We're in the right area, but the wrong classroom," I said, weaving through the desks until I arrived at the door. Turning the handle softly, I pulled the door slowly open and peered out into the hall. Lockers lined the walls. I wasn’t used to seeing them without students in front of them. "Coast is clear."
In the middle of the night, the school was eerily quiet. My tennis shoes squeaked against the freshly washed floors.
"It sounds like you have on those noisy shoes kids wear so their parents won't lose them," Brendon said with a warm laugh. He was behind me, but I could hear the smile in his voice. Goosebumps crawled across my skin, and my stomach fluttered in a way I couldn't explain. It was stronger than I’d ever felt. I loved his laugh and practically everything about him.
I hurried into a classroom to distract myself from all the feelings I didn’t want to navigate.
"This isn't a biology room," Brendon said right behind me. The heat from his body radiated to mine, and I wanted to stay right there and feel it forever.
But I’d already wasted too much time. I pushed past him and out the door, checking another room. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I saw ‘Biology’ on the marker board. "Finally." Going over to the teacher's desk, I tried to open a drawer, but it was locked. I sat down in the chair and opened my backpack.
Brendon knelt at my side, leaving a noticeable distance from me. "Have a special rock for opening a drawer?"
"Yep," I said, rifling through my bag.
"Really?"
Pausing, I looked up at him. "Of course not."
He quietly chuckled, and I couldn't hold back my smile. I wished I could record the sound so I could listen to it whenever I was in timeout. I think Sally would have enjoyed it as much as I did.
"I have a pen," I said, pulling it out.
He shook his head and reached across the desk. His warm smell jolted me back to a memory I’d pushed down and forgotten. It reminded me of summers at the beach when I'd lived with a foster family. They'd been the first set of parents that were extremely kind and treated me like one of their own. Unfortunately, they moved and I got thrown back into the system.
He pulled back and held up a paper clip. "Maybe we could do something with this." He lowered the clip when I just stared at him. "What?"
The warm sensation spread throughout my body. He’d brought me back to the safest place I’d ever been. An urge overtook my body that terrified me. Yet I suddenly found myself leaning in and pressing my lips to his.
I'd never kissed anyone before – I’d never wanted to kiss anyone. Until that very moment, alone, in the dark, in a classroom we'd broken into, about to commit another crime. And I wanted to kiss Brendon. The list of things wrong with me were piling up.
His lips were warm, soft, and slightly wet. I'd caught him off guard. I'd caught myself off guard. I slowly pulled back, our lips breaking apart.
I stared at him, not sure what to do next.
Brendon stared back, surprise in his eyes, and a faint smile on his lips. That cute freckle stared up at me, and I wanted to kiss it.
He tapped the paper clip against the table. "I'll take that as a yes." He unfolded the clip and stuck it in the lock in the drawer. "I've never done this before." He wiggled the paper clip around.
His body was unbelievably close to mine. Warmth. Ocean. Comfort. Three things I hadn't felt in the longest time, yet Brendon contained them all.
"It worked!" He pulled the drawer open and glanced inside, frowning. "No test answers. We'll have to keep looking."
I'd frozen on the chair, trying to process all the emotions that had overtaken my body. He tried another drawer. How could one person make me feel that way? Was it just because he'd paid attention to me, or was it something beyond that? I couldn't trust my emotions. I had zero experience in the guy department.
Could I trust Brendon?
Papers shook in front of my face, taking me from my trance.
"Cora?" He lowered the papers. "Test answers. In my hand."
"Oh." I took the papers and shuffled through them before I stuffed them in my backpack.
"Shouldn't we make copies and put the originals back?" he asked. "That way the teacher doesn't know."
"Uh, yeah."
Brendon smiled. "I had no idea I was that good of a kisser. I've left you speechless."
A smile broke out on my face. I playfully shoved him in the chest and stood. "I've had better."
His smile disappeared, replaced by a pout. "You bring all the boys with you on criminal runs, don't you?" He stood, shaking his head. "And here I thought I was special."
We broke into two other desks to retrieve all the biology test answers and then snuck to the front office to make copies.
"So you have no idea who's doing this to you?" Brendon asked.
I watched the light go back and forth on the copy machine. "Nope."
He leaned against the counter near the copier. He slapped the palm of his hand against the side of the counter. "I wish I knew. I'd love to beat the crap out of them for doing this to you."
"I wish I knew, too," I whispered.
He pushed away from the counter and approached me with caution. "We'll figure this out. It's just driving me crazy." He set his hand on my arm, so much warmer and kinder than Daddy. "I hate seeing you so upset." He lowered his hand. "I mean, the criminal thing is kinda hot, but I'm not sure how well you'd look in orange."
"Oh, it's definitely not my color." Not that I’d ever worn it. Daddy would never buy me a color so bold. I pulled the finished copies from the tray and straightened them out against the counter.
"At least we know you'd be able to take care of yourself," Brendon said. "You could smuggle stuff in for people. They'd love you."
A light bounced along the wall outside in the hall.
"Someone's here," I whispered.
Brendon took me by the arm and pulled me down. The cuts on my back screamed in protest, but I ignored it as we squeezed into a small spot under the counter.
Someone whistled on the other side of the wall. They opened the office door and stepped inside. Two, large black boots walked by as the guy continued to whistle.
I did my best to keep my breathing as quiet as I could, but my anxiety made it difficult. The copies of the test answers were clutched in my fists. The originals were still in the copier. Closing my eyes, I mouthed please don't find the tests. Over and over again. I squeezed my arms tight around my legs, still mouthing the words. I so desperately wanted Sally with me. Even Noah would do, despite his constant sarcasm.
Brendon's arm wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me into him. I rested my head on his shoulder, shaking in his arms.
If we were caught, Daddy would put me in timeout forever. He'd kill Brendon. It would be my fault.
"Cora?" Brendon's words cut through the silence.
I pulled back and stared into his eyes.
"Are you okay?"
I pressed my finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet.
He smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "He's gone. He's been gone for a while. It was just the janitor."
I hated the look in his eyes – the look that pitied me and felt sorry for me and my situation. It sends me on edge.
I pushed away from him, crawled out from under the table, a
nd stood. "We should get going." I grabbed the papers from the copier and left without looking back.
I didn't need pity. I needed to solve my problem before someone got seriously injured.
Chapter 21
Don't forget. Test answers. After school. Flagpole.
Taking the note I'd found in my P.E. locker, I bunched it up and stuffed it in my pocket. I had kept reading it over and over, but it didn't change what was there. Deep in my gut, I knew it was just the beginning of the blackmail. What other laws would they make me break?
My fingers wrapped around Husky. I desperately wished I could tuck Sally in my backpack, carrying her with me everywhere I went, but Daddy would never allow it. Sally was my creation, not his. But, oh, how she’d comfort me. Husky would have to do for the moment, even though Daddy had given him to me.
I stole a sideways glance at Brendon. I had him, too. My own comfort Daddy knew nothing about and had nothing to do with . . . if I could trust him.
"Where's the exchange?" Brendon asked. His shirt had a symbol with a yellow W on top of another. The sides of it almost looked like wings. It was my favorite I’d seen of all his shirts. There was something about it that made me feel strong – like I could do anything.
We were walking out of our French class, heading down the hall toward the front of the school. Other students passed by us in a blur, stopping at their lockers, talking and laughing, but I stayed close to Brendon, wanting his warmth.
"Near the flagpole," I whispered.
He was silent for a moment before he busted out laughing.
"What?" My fist gripped Husky so tightly that I worried he would break off the chain. Was he making fun of me? I stopped walking, my palm rubbing back and forth on Husky.
It took Brendon a few seconds to figure out I wasn't walking with him. He turned around, the laughter falling off his lips. He back tracked to me, confusion on his face.
"What's wrong?"
I took two steps away from him. "You were laughing at me."
He shook his head. "What? I was laughing about the flagpole." When I just stared at him, my strained body showing no signs of releasing, he continued. "You know? I'll meet you at the flagpole after school."
"Is that a pun for something?" Flames erupted across my face.
Laughter pulled at his eyes and cheeks, but he held it in. He closed the distance between us and gently put his hand on my fist that threatened to rip Husky to shreds.
Slowly, ever so slowly, my grip loosened.
"It's what kids say when they're going to meet after school for a fight."
The confusion stayed on my face. I worried it might never come off. There were so many things I just didn't understand. So much I had missed out on by being locked up. But did knowing that make life better? It just added to all the confusion and all the weirdness out in the world.
Brendon lifted my chin so our eyes could meet. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Let's get the bag dropped off and this whole thing over and done."
"What if it’s not done?” I whispered. "What if they threaten me with new things?"
Brendon pulled me into a hug, and I let him. I let him wrap his arms around me and hold me close. I was breaking so many rules. I didn't even care that it hurt my back so badly.
"We'll worry about that if it happens," he said. "Right now, let's focus on finishing this one thing."
"Will one of you please finally admit you're together?" Jenna appeared in my vision, her neon green theme sticking out among the sea of students leaving the school. How did she find skinny jeans in every color imaginable?
I quickly wiggled myself from Brendon's embrace, heat radiating on my skin. "We're not together."
Jenna put her hand on her hip. "I'm your friend, Cora. Friends don't lie to each other."
"Cora's having a rough day," Brendon said with a shrug. "Just trying to console her. It's what friends do."
Jenna threw her arms around me. "You're having a bad day? Why didn't you tell me?" She rubbed my back and I sucked in a sharp breath. "How about I come over and we can hang out?"
I shook my head, taking the opportunity to push away from her. The pain from her tight hug was unbearable. "I can't today." Or any day, really.
Dalton slowly approached, one hand stuffed in his pocket, and his focus on Jenna. His shaggy hair hung over his eyes enough that it was hard to detect his mood, which was common for him. He slipped something into her hand without saying anything.
"Hi, Dalton," I said.
He was about to walk away, but his eyes landed on Brendon’s shirt. Dalton scoffed. “You’re wearing a Wonder Woman shirt.”
“What!” Brendon glanced down and tugged at his shirt in shock, but his tone was rich with mockery. He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know.”
“Why?” Dalton asked. He’d stuffed both hands in his pockets. He seemed to be forcing his gaze to stay on either Brendon or Jenna. Not me.
“Uh, because she’s awesome,” Brendon said. “What? Because I’m a guy, I can’t wear a Wonder Woman shirt?” He crossed his wrists together like an X.
I wanted to ask who Wonder Woman was, but by their conversation, I had a feeling I should’ve known. But if Brendon liked her, she had to be fierce. He seemed to like strong characters. Could I ever be that strong?
With the shake of his head, Dalton walked away, his head down like he was deliberately not looking in my direction.
"What was that about, Jenna?" Brendon asked, his eyes on Dalton’s back. “Giving you something and completely ignoring Cora?”
Jenna tucked the paper into her back pocket. "Just some notes from a class we have. You know Dalton. Not really the talkative type." She cleared her throat and stared at the gray linoleum floor.
"What class do you have together?" I didn't know they had a class together. But then again, I'd never asked.
"Huh?" Jenna ran her hand behind her ear, tucking away hair that wasn’t there. She had it pinned up, as usual. "Oh, uh, history."
"I have history with him," I said, confusion in my tone.
She shifted back and forth, tapping her fingers along her leg. "Did I say history? I meant science."
What was going on with her? I'd never seen Jenna look nervous. Maybe the test answers had been on the paper. She said they had science together . . . if she was even telling the truth about that. The thought of them working together made my insides coil into a tight ball. Jenna was supposedly my friend. I didn’t want to believe she was capable of something like that.
"Are you Cora?" a soft voice said.
I turned to see a girl, probably a sophomore, staring at me with hopeful eyes. I slowly nodded, wondering what she wanted.
She grinned, revealing slightly crooked teeth. Her eyes skittered to Jenna and Brendon before they came back to me. She went up on her tiptoes. "Do you have any more of those cell phone holders for sale?"
I couldn’t stop the matching smile that burst across my face. Taking hold of my backpack, I swung it in front of me and opened the zipper. I pulled out a few cell phone bands I'd made during the night. I hadn't been able to fall asleep after Brendon had dropped me off outside my window. The breaking and entering, almost getting caught, and kissing him had left my mind whirling. I couldn't shut it off.
The girl pointed to the bright fuchsia one with zebra stripes. "Can I buy that one?"
"Sure." I handed it to her and set the others back in my bag.
She handed me a ten-dollar bill. Her glossy eyes danced. "Thanks so much!" She practically skipped toward her friends near their lockers. They formed a circle around her, their excited hands fighting over who got to touch it, and they all squealed in excitement.
"You're getting quite popular," Jenna said as she nudged me with her elbow. "Just remember, I was your friend first." Was she my friend? She pulled her phone out of the band on her arm. "Speaking of which, let's hang this weekend. I'm really needing a girl’s night." Her fingers flew across her phone. "Heather is in." Her fingers kept on moving. "So
is Jillian." She glanced up at me. "You're in, right?"
I bit the side of my lip. She wouldn’t like my answer. "I can't."
Jenna sighed. "Let me guess. Busy." She put her phone back in the holder. "Are you ever not busy?"
"Not really."
Jenna pointed her thumb at Brendon. The neon green on her thumbnail was done so well it looked professional. "If you'll just admit you have plans with your boyfriend, then I'll understand. I'll encourage you. One of us needs to be getting some action."
My lips warmed, thinking about my kiss with Brendon. If I told Jenna I'd kissed him, she'd die. After she finished squealing and hugging me to death. I didn’t want to be responsible for a murder-suicide.
I was about to deny our involvement once again when Brendon draped his arm over my shoulder. "If you must know," Brendon said, "I asked Cora to be my girlfriend, and she said yes."
The squealing commenced. So did the hugging. I feared that Jenna would squeeze the life out of me and at least the murder part would come true. The burns on my back screamed in protest, and I had to bite back a yell.
"Alright," Brendon said, pulling me and Jenna apart. "We're all excited that Cora landed an awesome guy like me."
Jenna snorted. "Please. You're the lucky one. Cora is amazing." She clapped her hands in excitement, her nails clicking together. “Oh! Did you guys hear about the break-in last night?”
Brendon and I exchanged a look before he spoke. “What break-in?”
Jenna glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “While I was working in the front office, I heard some teachers talking about a window being broken in the back of the school.”
“Was anything missing?” Brendon asked. He looked so relaxed and calm. The complete opposite of me. I was trying my best to act casual, but I wasn’t doing a very good job. Luckily, Jenna was too excited about her news that she didn’t seem to notice.
“Not that they could find,” Jenna said. “The cops think it was just a prank.”
My eyes went wide. “Cops?” They’d called cops?
“Well, yeah,” Jenna said. “The school had to file a report.”