Katlyn Duncan - Darkest Dawn

***

Bri’s palms started to sweat and her heart raced. Before lunch, they always met Jake and Tucker outside the boys’ bathroom closest to the cafeteria. Tucker Langley had been Bri’s neighbor in her condo complex since his parents split when he was eight. As the only two kids in the fifty-plus complex, they bonded quickly. Even though Tucker was a so-called ladies’ man, he never forgot his roots.

The excited buzz around them turned inward in Bri’s ears as they rounded the corner. Her eyes went right to Jake. Her heart fluttered as she watched Jake act out a conversation for Tucker.

Bri’s mouth went dry and she stopped in the middle of the hallway. Someone pushed her from behind and she made a noise, enough to catch Jake’s attention.

She couldn’t look at his piercing eyes. Instead she focused on his shoes.

“Will you cut your hair already?” Max said to Tucker.

Bri was relieved at the reprieve. She needed a minute to compose herself, even though she’d spent the entire night and morning thinking about Jake.

Tucker grinned. His ink-black locks were the longest she’d ever seen them, pulled at the nape of his neck in a ponytail. “Jealous?”

Bri ran her fingers through her own hair, which had finally dried out from the rain. She twisted a chunk around her hand and pushed it away from her face.

Jake leaned against the wall confidently, one foot up against it and his hands in his pockets.

Bri’s heart raced. To the untrained eye, he appeared calm. The hands in the pockets were a definite sign that he was nervous too. This could go either way.

“Relax,” Max said under her breath, knowing full well that Bri was a ball of jitters.

Bri shrugged. “I’m fine.”

Max snorted a laugh. “Your panic-stricken face suggests otherwise.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “You put your contact in today.”

“She never leaves the house without it,” Max commented.

Bri glanced at Max.

“But last night …” He trailed off. The corners of his eyes tightened.

“Let’s leave the lovebirds alone.” Tucker winked at Bri and grabbed Max’s bag, leading her away.

Bri opened her hands at her sides. “About that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted. “Maybe it wasn’t the right time.”

Bri’s throat tightened. They stood in silence, staring at each other. Bri cleared her throat. This was not turning out as she expected. Someone pushed her from behind and she caught a hair flip from Chloe as the girl walked by. Earlier she had been fueled with revenge but now she was incredibly annoyed. “I couldn’t leave that late. Mom fell asleep.”

Bri turned back to Jake and his eyes bored into hers. The skin around his eyes crinkled at the corners as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. “You didn’t—”

“Another late night?” Bri said at the exact same time. She wanted to lighten the situation even though her insides were tangled in a knot.

The hallway cleared out and she didn’t want the awkward conversation to go on any further. At least not without food in her stomach. In her hurry to get Abbey ready, she’d forgotten to eat breakfast.

Jake nodded slowly. “Yeah. Late night.”

“So …” She dragged the word out. “What did you want to tell me?”

He blinked several times. Yet nothing came out of his mouth.

She reached out and touched his shoulder and he jumped. Not something she imagined him doing from her touch. She fought back the hot tears behind her eyes. She looked away to hide them.

“Sorry,” he said. “Dad’s had me working late these past few weeks. I think it’s starting to catch up with me.” He shook his head, revealing the disarming smile that always made her heart melt. His hand trailed down her arm and his fingers twined through hers. “Let’s talk after practice?”

She nodded. As much as she wanted to know exactly what he had to say, she didn’t want to push the subject. Not when he’d made his intentions perfectly clear by touching her more intimately than he ever had before.

He pulled her to his side and she failed in her attempt to hide her glee.

They arrived at the cafeteria. The line for the hot buffet nearly reached the door. Instead of going elsewhere, Jake squeezed her hand, leading her to the line. Her stupid imagination hoped that it would be because he wanted to hold her hand longer. The thought was hard to shake when he didn’t let go. She was light-headed. The feeling intensified and for more than one reason she was happy he was holding on to her. She really needed to eat something before she face-planted in front of the whole school.

Thankfully, the line moved quickly. The cafeteria workers had their routine down to a science since the kids barely had thirty minutes to buy and eat their food. Jake and Bri lingered on polite conversation, the weight of whatever he had to tell her pressing around them like a thick fog. But they’d been playing this game for some time. What was the harm in playing for another few hours?

CHAPTER THREE

Sloane

The warm shower I’d taken in the motel room washed away as I made my way to the school. By the time I’d walked five minutes up the road I was soaked. My jeans clung to my skin, yet I was happy I’d chosen to bring a jacket. At least most of my body was dry, though my attempt to calm my chattering teeth was unsuccessful. My mind wandered to the epic mistake I’d made last night in thinking that Jake had anything to do with my appearance in town. I’d been so wrapped up in getting answers I didn’t think at all.

Idiot .

The school came into view and I sighed. My breath billowed in front of me, weaving its way through the rain.

I rolled up my sleeve to check the time. The face of Mom’s watch blurred as the rain pelted the glass surface. I was a half hour early. Hopefully enough time to find the cafeteria. The hairs on my arm bristled. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was freezing or the promise of information. Either way, I added a spring to my step and I jogged the rest of the way.

The main road led to the front of the school. I walked at the edge of the parking lot and rounded the back of the building, keeping behind the cover of the cars in the full parking lot. I briefly wondered how I’d get into the building, and crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t be too hard. I tucked my body against the wall and made my way to a small set of stairs. I kept my hood on, even though the pounding rain had lightened to a steady mist. I didn’t need anyone spotting me. I peered through the glass doors and saw no one in the hallway. This was my best chance.

I grabbed the handle and pulled. The door opened freely but a shrill bell struck me like a bolt of lightning. I hadn’t thought of the alarm. I sprinted into the school and ducked into the closest hiding spot I could find—a cutout in the wall for the water fountain. The fountain dug into my back.

The bell stopped as quickly as it started. I glanced around the empty hallway, expecting to be caught at any second; instead, several doors opened on either end of the hallway and students poured out of classrooms. I plastered myself against the wall, temporarily stunned, though no one blinked in my direction. No teachers or administrators came out looking for me. It had only been the bell to change classes. I let out a shuddering breath and lifted the hood from my head as I melted into the moving crowd of kids. I moved my fingers through my hair and brought the strands forward, keeping my face hidden.

A thrill snaked through me. I was so close and I hadn’t come up against any roadblocks. Meeting this person had to be fate and I could barely contain myself at what was going to happen next. I glanced behind me and no one seemed the wiser. Small towns and their unlocked doors—would they ever learn? No one could get into my school. Whoever sent for me had made it all very easy. After the disaster from the night before, I wasn’t complaining.