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Authors: L. B. Schulman
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my sneakers. I hopped back. “I, for one, appreciate that. The sooner we’re out of here, the better.”
We hadn’t actually discussed what we were going to do to the gym teacher’s office. I hoped it would be quick. Maybe throw a few files around. Empty some drawers. Spill a rack of basketballs on the ground. Then get out.
“Come on, you chickens,” Nora called over her shoulder. She pulled the door open.
“No more Miss Perfect,” Zoe mumbled under her breath.
“Here’s to the new-and-improved Nora,” Kade said, taking her hand as they entered the storage room. I stared at their braided fingers. My heart felt squeezed like a stress ball.
The room was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes of vending-machine food. Kade ripped one open and lobbed snack-size bags of Oreos to each of us. Under the buzz of fluorescent lights, I took a moment to examine myself. My clothes were covered in dust bunnies. Dirt under my fingernails. The blood from my injured knee had soaked through my jeans. I was sure that the damp air outside had turned my curly hair into a web of frizz. I hoped Kade wouldn’t look too closely.
I followed behind everyone, groping my way up the dark stairwell, until Kade opened a door, sending welcome shafts of fluorescent light at my feet. “We’re here.” He stepped into the familiar school hallway.
“Time for fun!” Richie called, his normally meek voice reverberating against the concrete walls. I shrank at the volume. Without the usual bodies in the hallway, there was nothing to soak up the sound.
“It’s all right,” Kade said, noticing my terrified expression. “Reid’s always the last one to leave, and he never works past six. Trust me.”
I wondered if he ever missed anything. “My mother says never trust anyone who says ‘Trust me,’” I told him.
His hand wound up my arm like a snake. “What do
you
think, Charlie?”
I frowned, but it was just an act. Secretly, I was thrilled.
Charlie
.
A few times, people had tried to shorten Charlotte that way. I’d always corrected them, but not this time. The way it rolled off Kade’s tongue, the nickname took on new luster.
Richie slammed his small frame against the lockers, calling out every bad word in the book. Coming from him, they sounded like endearments. I couldn’t help but laugh. One by one, we all started screaming obscenities at everyone we’d ever hated. Or rather, they did. I hadn’t been at Kennedy long enough to hate that many people, but their list was longer than the hallway. “I hate you, Tiffany Miller!” I finally screamed.
I turned around to find Kade. His eyes latched on to mine, and he gave a slow, determined nod.
When we reached the double doors of the gymnasium, we collapsed on the floor from post-adrenaline exhaustion. Maybe it was the thrill of breaking and entering, or the power of belonging, or the release of pent-up anger. Whatever. It felt amazing.
Richie offered me a hand, lifting me to my feet as Kade rattled the gym door. It didn’t budge. He turned to Richie, who flashed a shiny key in his palm. Kade punched him lightly on the shoulder.
“I borrowed it,” Richie told the rest of us, beaming. “It’s from Reid’s office.”
“Oh, great,” Zoe muttered. “The cops will be waiting for us on the other side.”
I pictured Richie in his red-and-white striped Grant’s Drugstore uniform. Two months ago, I’d gone to make a copy of our house key. When I’d seen Kennedy High’s drug dealer behind the register, I changed lines.
“He made a copy at Grant’s,” I guessed. “He probably put the original back.”
Kade drew a finger down my back. “Can’t pull one past Charlie.” He lowered his voice, for my ears only. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
Nora wiggled her way between us. “What are we waiting for, Harlin, a formal invitation?”
Richie inserted the key. After some jiggling, the door clicked open.
ONCE WE GOT STARTED, IT WAS LIKE RIDING A ROLLER
We hadn’t actually discussed what we were going to do to the gym teacher’s office. I hoped it would be quick. Maybe throw a few files around. Empty some drawers. Spill a rack of basketballs on the ground. Then get out.
“Come on, you chickens,” Nora called over her shoulder. She pulled the door open.
“No more Miss Perfect,” Zoe mumbled under her breath.
“Here’s to the new-and-improved Nora,” Kade said, taking her hand as they entered the storage room. I stared at their braided fingers. My heart felt squeezed like a stress ball.
The room was stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes of vending-machine food. Kade ripped one open and lobbed snack-size bags of Oreos to each of us. Under the buzz of fluorescent lights, I took a moment to examine myself. My clothes were covered in dust bunnies. Dirt under my fingernails. The blood from my injured knee had soaked through my jeans. I was sure that the damp air outside had turned my curly hair into a web of frizz. I hoped Kade wouldn’t look too closely.
I followed behind everyone, groping my way up the dark stairwell, until Kade opened a door, sending welcome shafts of fluorescent light at my feet. “We’re here.” He stepped into the familiar school hallway.
“Time for fun!” Richie called, his normally meek voice reverberating against the concrete walls. I shrank at the volume. Without the usual bodies in the hallway, there was nothing to soak up the sound.
“It’s all right,” Kade said, noticing my terrified expression. “Reid’s always the last one to leave, and he never works past six. Trust me.”
I wondered if he ever missed anything. “My mother says never trust anyone who says ‘Trust me,’” I told him.
His hand wound up my arm like a snake. “What do
you
think, Charlie?”
I frowned, but it was just an act. Secretly, I was thrilled.
Charlie
.
A few times, people had tried to shorten Charlotte that way. I’d always corrected them, but not this time. The way it rolled off Kade’s tongue, the nickname took on new luster.
Richie slammed his small frame against the lockers, calling out every bad word in the book. Coming from him, they sounded like endearments. I couldn’t help but laugh. One by one, we all started screaming obscenities at everyone we’d ever hated. Or rather, they did. I hadn’t been at Kennedy long enough to hate that many people, but their list was longer than the hallway. “I hate you, Tiffany Miller!” I finally screamed.
I turned around to find Kade. His eyes latched on to mine, and he gave a slow, determined nod.
When we reached the double doors of the gymnasium, we collapsed on the floor from post-adrenaline exhaustion. Maybe it was the thrill of breaking and entering, or the power of belonging, or the release of pent-up anger. Whatever. It felt amazing.
Richie offered me a hand, lifting me to my feet as Kade rattled the gym door. It didn’t budge. He turned to Richie, who flashed a shiny key in his palm. Kade punched him lightly on the shoulder.
“I borrowed it,” Richie told the rest of us, beaming. “It’s from Reid’s office.”
“Oh, great,” Zoe muttered. “The cops will be waiting for us on the other side.”
I pictured Richie in his red-and-white striped Grant’s Drugstore uniform. Two months ago, I’d gone to make a copy of our house key. When I’d seen Kennedy High’s drug dealer behind the register, I changed lines.
“He made a copy at Grant’s,” I guessed. “He probably put the original back.”
Kade drew a finger down my back. “Can’t pull one past Charlie.” He lowered his voice, for my ears only. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
Nora wiggled her way between us. “What are we waiting for, Harlin, a formal invitation?”
Richie inserted the key. After some jiggling, the door clicked open.
ONCE WE GOT STARTED, IT WAS LIKE RIDING A ROLLER
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