Dusk (Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (11 page)

“Thanks for the philosophy lesson, but so far love hasn’t done a damn bit of good.”

I left him standing in the hall and didn’t look back as I headed for my homeroom.

*     *     *

The nasty way I’d spoken to Adrian was just one more thing to add to my list of reasons to hate myself. He hadn’t deserved that venom. He’d done nothing but be kind and understanding, and he’d listened without giving unsolicited advice when all my mom wanted to do was talk it out.

Even as I beat myself up over it in Pre-Calculus, I knew he wouldn’t act any different toward me the next time I saw him. He wouldn’t hold it against me. He’d just go on being exactly the same thoughtful, considerate guy he’d always been.

As Mrs. Faulkner droned on and on about polynomial equations – whatever the heck that was – sounding like about as enthusiastic as a pile of rocks, I replayed our conversation from the night before.

It would be better for Adrian if the two of us just cut our losses now. I would just go on dragging him down, and he totally didn’t deserve the crazy that came standard with me these days.

I jotted down the homework assignment and allowed myself a moment to wonder how in the world I’d get through this class without Adrian’s help, before deciding it didn’t really make any difference. Who cared if I flunked Pre-Cal? It wasn’t like I was ever going to be a physicist or math professor. I’d be doing good to just get back to normal again, though I’d begun to think this
was
my new normal.

Besides, I might as well get used to being without Adrian. If I didn’t end it now, he’d walk away eventually anyway. And why not? I’d lost my dad. I’d lost Vivian. Seemed it was only a matter of time before everyone important was gone. I could at least make sure some of it was on my own terms.

Life sucked.

I
strategically avoided Adrian – and most everyone else – all morning long. Thanks to the unpleasant conversation with Viv, and my subsequent spitefulness to Adrian, I hadn’t stopped at my locker before homeroom to leave my backpack. Instead, I just drug it with me. When the bell rang to end each class, I’d pretend to look through it for some unnamed object necessary for the next class, giving the halls a chance to clear before I ventured out.

Several times, I hid in the bathroom until I could move to my next class without interacting with anyone.

Then I made the unfortunate decision to drop the backpack at my locker before going to the cafeteria. And got caught in the pre-lunch melee.

Scads of kids crowded the hall, all pushing through to their lockers, hoping to beat the second wave of lunchers to the line.

As if school lunch was something to get that excited about.

Darting my eyes back and forth, I scanned the crowd for Adrian, Viv, Courtney, or Nikki, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw none of them.

How sad that I now thought of Adrian and Viv in the same context as Nikki and Courtney.

I grabbed onto the built-in combination lock, hurrying to open my locker and be done with it. It’s true what they say about haste making waste, because I misdialed the combination three times.

Giving Courtney just the opportunity she needed.

“Zoe.” Her snarky voice floated through the air like nails on a chalkboard as she leaned a shoulder against the locker next to mine. “I hated that we didn’t get to finish our talk yesterday.”

“We finished,” I said, making my tone flat and dry in an effort to put a stop to whatever she had planned.

It was interesting to see this side of Courtney. Normally she just trailed along behind Nikki, adding
yeah
or a
that’s right
to whatever dribble Nikki spit out. What had caused this change in initiative? And did it really matter?

I decided it did not.

“I have nothing to say to you.” I gave up on the lock, hitching my backpack further onto my shoulder and making the decision to spend my lunch break hiding in the bathroom. Again.

“No sense denying it,” she said with a roll of her eyes, as if we were talking about something as senseless as a piece of gossip. “Your dad and my mom hooked up.”

I looked down the hallway, toward the lobby and the cafeteria entrance, hoping the hall had cleared enough for a quick getaway.

No luck.

Adrian stood in the lobby, looking at me with concern. Probably waiting for me, since we usually saw each other for a few minutes at lunch. No thank you. Not today.

I looked back at Courtney. “I’m not denying anything. But I won’t air my family’s business out in public.”

Glancing back toward the lobby, Adrian still stood, but was no longer looking at me. Instead, his eyes were fixed beyond me, somewhere down the hall. I turned to try and see, but Courtney leaned closer and blocked my view.

“It’s my family’s business too.”

“Oh please,” I sneered, tired of this insanity. “If you call your mom getting it on with a married man
family business
, then you’re a bigger tramp than I thought. All you’ve done with this latest episode is make yourself look even trashier.”

Whatever she said next got lost in the roar of my pulse in my ears, as I turned away and walked toward my hiding place in the girls’ restroom.

“Z
oe Gray, report to the principal’s office.”

The words boomed over the intercom, obnoxiously loud in the empty bathroom. Had one of the girls who’d been in and out of here reported me to the office for skipping lunch?

And was skipping lunch even considered a broken rule?

At least the halls were clear and the air fresher when I stepped out into the hall, taking a quick left and heading toward the front lobby. Maybe if I was lucky I could stretch this office visit out until after the next class change and steer clear of anyone I didn’t want to talk to.

The waiting room outside Principal Burton’s office reminded me of the dentist’s sitting area. The maroon chairs were upholstered with some kind of heavy fabric that looked more concerned with withstanding a nuclear blast than being soft or comfortable, and the walls were lined with encouraging posters, proclaiming
Attitude is Everything
and
Education is What You Make it, So Make it Great.

I plopped into one of the lovely chairs and noticed Mr. Austin speaking with Mr. Burton in the other room. My visit here must have something to do with student government elections.

But when Mr. Austin looked my direction, his expression was somber. He looked back at Principal Burton and shook his head, as if he was declining something.

As he left the office, he didn’t speak. My stomach sank.

Mr. Burton stepped into the lobby. “Miss Gray, come in.”

Worry bubbled in my chest as heat crept into my cheeks. Somehow I knew I was walking into a trap.

“Take a seat,” Mr. Burton said, pushing the door closed behind him.

I did as I was told, silently praying as he returned to his office chair on the other side of the desk. The ominous vibe in the room made the air heavy and difficult to breathe.

“We found the items that were taken from Mr. Austin’s classroom.” Mr. Burton rested his elbows on the desk, leaning across just enough that I could see disappointment dripping from his expression. And smell the old man aftershave he must’ve used copious amounts of.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, sitting up a little straighter. “I haven’t even been to Mr. Austin’s class yet.”

“We found his iPhone and digital camera in your locker.”

A meteor landing directly on my head couldn’t have stunned me more. My chest pounded as if I’d run a marathon, panic racing through my veins.

“I didn’t steal them.” The quick denial sounded pitiful, but it was all I could come up with. “I swear I didn’t.”

“He reported the items missing at the beginning of fifth period,” Mr. Burton explained. “Security video has shown you making a point to only be in the hallway after it’s cleared, as if you didn’t want to be seen. Further, it shows you stopping at your locker between fourth and fifth period, then making your way to the girls’ restroom where it appears you stayed.”

Are you freaking kidding me? All I’d wanted was to avoid having to talk to people. I couldn’t believe my attempt at a low profile had put me in the interrogation room.

“The video footage is suspicious enough, but finding the items in your locker is the most damaging piece of evidence.”

“I haven’t been in Mr. Austin’s room. Check your video again. You won’t see me going into his room.”

“The time lapse between camera shots is enough that you could’ve gone in, taken the items from his desk, and been gone before the camera outside his room picked up again.”

And now I was pissed. The stupid security video was enough to make me look suspicious, but faulty enough not to prove me innocent. “Sounds like the security video doesn’t do a lot of good.”

I knew it came across as smart-ass, but I didn’t care. I was as good as guilty in his book anyway.

“That tone isn’t helping,” Mr. Burton scolded.

No kidding.

What was worse was the fact that Mr. Austin thought I’d stolen from him. First of all, I was not a thief. Second of all, even if I was, Mr. Austin was the last person I’d steal from. I’m sure my run for student government was dead in the water now.

Not that I really cared. But yeah… I did care. I’d just begun to try and reclaim a little of my life, agreeing to run for class secretary, and now that was over before it even got started.

“Your mother has already been called.”

Fan-freaking-tastic. I’d never see my car keys again.

“She’s on her way to get you,” he said. “You’re suspended for three days.”

“Suspended?” I’d never even been to the principal’s office for discipline before.

“Be glad that’s all it is.” Mr. Burton pushed back from his desk. “Mr. Austin could’ve pressed charges, but chose not to.”

My heart sank. Just the thought of my favorite teacher even having to consider taking legal action against me made me sick to my stomach.

And then Mom walked in the door.

“Y
ou are not to leave this house.” Mom’s tone was matter-of-fact as she grabbed her purse and began digging for her keys. “For any reason.”

We’d been all through this when she picked me up from school yesterday afternoon, but I figured it must’ve made her feel better to hash it all out again.

All sorts of retorts bounced around in my mind.
What if the house is on fire? Can I leave then? What if someone breaks in and attacks me? Am I allowed to run away from him?

I thought better of it and kept them all to myself.

“Fine.” I did my best to make my voice void of emotion.

“Tomorrow I’ll be home with you all day, but I couldn’t make arrangements to be off on such short notice today.”

And of course, the fact that she would have to take an unpaid day from work tomorrow was completely my fault.

I said nothing. Just sat at the kitchen table staring at my bare feet.

“I will call every hour,” she went on. “On the landline. Your cell phone is in my purse, along with the car keys I’ve been keeping for weeks. And I will be back on my lunch hour.”